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Viewpoints Health Laws Risk Question Medicaid Options In Va

July 22, 2019 admin 0 Comments

first_img This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription. Viewpoints: Health Law’s ‘Risk’ Question; Medicaid Options In Va. The Wall Street Journal: An Obamacare ‘Risk’ Question For Insurers As insurers submit bids for the 2015 open-enrollment season, media reports have trumpeted increased participation by carriers on several health exchanges. Depending on the legal and judicial interpretations of two important issues, those insurance companies may end up getting much more than they bargained for (Chris Jacobs, 6/19). The Wall Street Journal: Does The Affordable Care Act Cover The Uninsured? One of the big criticisms of the Affordable Care Act has been that very few people covered in the new insurance marketplaces were previously uninsured. It’s an important criticism, as expanding insurance coverage was a bedrock goal of the law. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the number of uninsured will be reduced by about 26 million by 2017, cutting in half the number of uninsured in this country. A new Kaiser Family Foundation survey out Thursday gives us real data on this question. Among the facts: 57% of those who bought coverage from the new marketplaces during the first ACA open-enrollment period were previously uninsured, and seven out of 10 of them had been uninsured for two years or more (Drew Altman, 6/19).The New York Times: Good Progress On Affordable Health Care Americans are finding very affordable health insurance and a wide choice of plans on the exchanges operated by the federal government, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Department of Health and Human Services. The report was based on data from the 36 states in which the federal government is operating health insurance exchanges this year. Comparable data from states operating their own exchanges is not yet available. … A separate survey of enrollees who bought policies on the exchanges or directly from insurers, issued by the Kaiser Family Foundation on Thursday, revealed that 34 percent felt they had benefited from the law. Of those, 49 percent said it had lowered their costs and 45 percent said it had increased their access to insurance or medical care (6/19). The Washington Post: McAuliffe’s Best Option On The Budget Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has until Sunday to figure out what to do about the troublesome budget the General Assembly has handed him that forbids the expansion of Medicaid health coverage to 400,000 lower-income state residents. Depending on what he chooses to do, McAuliffe risks blowing out the entire $96 billion, two-year budget and tossing state finances into turmoil on July 1. Since he has vowed to make expanded Medicaid a reality, he is sure to do something other than simply approve the budget. What are his options? (Peter Galuszka, 6/19). The Washington Post: Obamacare Sticker Shock When last we left off in the late spring, the administration was goosing up the enrollment figures without ever telling us how many had paid and how many were newly insured Americans. But the “affordable” part of the Affordable Care Act has always been its Achilles heel. By heavily subsidizing health-care insurance and insisting on very expensive coverage plans, the administration is almost certainly encouraging demand (i.e. overuse) — thereby moving the price of health-care insurance in the wrong direction (Jennifer Rubin, 6/19).The Boston Globe: Don Berwick And The Single-Payer Pitch While (Bernie) Sanders came out of Vermont’s ’60s-era socialist movement and started his career in local politics, (Don) Berwick is a doctor and former Medicare administrator who comes armed with one major issue: single-payer health care. When his rivals claimed he wasn’t really offering anything new — just another health care commission — Berwick doubled down by calling it “Medicare for all,” a description that pretty much suggests he’d eliminate private insurance. Now, with the Democratic race [for Massachusetts governor] down to three candidates — Berwick, and two party regulars with histories of failing to excite voters — single-payer will finally get the attention it merits as essentially the only markedly different policy proposal to emerge from either party (Peter Canellos, 6/19). The Washington Post: Summit Addresses Mental Health Of Teens When six Fairfax county youths who have wrestled with depression and flirted with suicide spoke their minds on a stage in front of 200 people last week , it was the right thing to do, they said, especially after closing out another school year with four suicides among their peers. One boy from Langley High School talked about that night — July 23 — when he decided to die (Petula Dvorak, 6/19). Journal of the American Medical Association: Health Care At The VA Legislative efforts to address the problems within the VA are important. However, feedback from employees is paramount, and VA clinicians and scientists should be empowered to help solve their local problems. What is effective in one community might not be equally effective in another. This is an ideal opportunity to analyze and redesign the VA system, to make it not only the largest integrated care system in the country, but a model in every measurable sphere. This will require the commitment, innovation, and resources necessary to provide the best care possible for veterans (Faisal G. Bakaeen, Alvin Blaustein and Melina R. Kibbe, 6/19). last_img read more

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Viewpoints Schumers Puzzling Comments GOP Needs To Offer An Alternative Plan

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first_img The New York Times’ The Upshot: Big Changes In Fine Print Of Some 2015 Health Plans More than three years after county and state officials struck a deal with the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), a highly regarded nonprofit hospital network, to revamp Prince George’s run-down health-care facilities, final approval is still pending for a facility in Largo that could offer first-rate care to a community where it is still lacking. (12/4) USA Today: Be Cruel To Obamacare To Be Kind The New York Times: Democrats Against Reform The Washington Post: The Real Fight Is Among The Democrats Express Scripts, which handles prescription-drug benefits for millions or people nationwide, is dropping coverage for 66 brand-name drugs next month in an effort to keep costs down. Rival CVS Health is dropping 95 drugs from its own list of covered drugs. Happy holidays. (David Lazarus, 12/4) Positive action on multiple fronts and the recovering economy are helping to reduce the growth in health-care costs to historically moderate levels. But there is no comprehensive national approach to controlling health-care costs. Further, there is little coordination of the disparate efforts across the country, and we can’t say for sure what is working and what is not. (Drew Altman, 12/4) Eighty-five percent of Americans already had health insurance, argued Schumer. Yet millions have suffered dislocations for the sake of a minority constituency — the uninsured — barely 13 percent of whom vote. This has alienated the Democrats’ traditional middle-class constituency. Indeed, in a 2013 poll cited by the New York Times’ Thomas Edsall, by a margin of 25 percent, people said Obamacare makes things better for the poor. But when the question was, does it make things better “for people like you,” Obamacare came out 16 points underwater. Moreover, for whites, whose support for Democrats hemorrhaged in 2014, 63 percent thought Obamacare made things worse for the middle class. (Charles Krauthammer, 12/4) The New York Times’ Opinionator: Fixes: A Depression-Fighting Strategy That Could Go Viral The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire: Our Fragmented Approach To Health Care Costs Viewpoints: Schumer’s ‘Puzzling’ Comments; GOP Needs To Offer An Alternative Plan A selection of opinions on health care from around the country. This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.center_img When Ebola ends, the people who have suffered, who have lost loved ones, will need many things. They will need ways to rebuild their livelihoods. They will need a functioning health system, which can ensure that future outbreaks do not become catastrophes. And they will need mental health care. Depression is the most important thief of productive life for women around the world, and the second-most important for men. We sometimes imagine it is a first-world problem, but depression is just as widespread, if not more so, in poor countries, where there is a good deal more to be depressed about. And it is more debilitating, as a vast majority of sufferers have no safety net. (Tina Rosenberg, 12/4) Thanks to four justices of the Supreme Court, there is now a clear path to repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act next year, finally bringing Obamacare to an end. But Republicans won’t accomplish this by waiting for the court or just voting to repeal the law one more time. The only way they can succeed is by crafting their own replacement — and they need to start right away. (Randy E. Barnett, 12/4) The United Nations estimates that 5,000 more international health care workers will be needed during the coming months in West Africa to fight the Ebola outbreak. But where they will come from is not entirely clear. As World Bank President Jim Yong Kim recently stated, “Right now, I’m very much worried about where we will find those health care workers.” (Helen Ouyang, 12/4) Los Angeles Times: How To Make It Easier For Health Workers To Volunteer In Crises At first glance, the 2015 health plans offered by the Ohio nonprofit insurer CareSource look a lot like the ones it sold this year, in the Affordable Care Act’s first enrollment season. The monthly premiums are nearly identical, and the deductibles are the same. But tucked within the plans’ jargon are changes that could markedly affect how much consumers pay for health care. (Charles Ornstein, Ryann Grochowski Jones and Lena Groeger, 12/4) At this point, the only real threat to the Affordable Care Act is one ridiculous Supreme Court case. There’s a phrase in the legislation that suggests, if ripped from context, that subsidies are only supposed to support consumers in states with their own exchange marketplaces – not those who enrolled in insurance plans through healthcare.gov. … the Supreme Court majority may conclude, then it’s up to Congress to pass a bill to add clarity. In an interesting twist, a prominent Republican has suggested his former brethren do exactly that. (Steve Benen, 12/4) MSNBC: Trent Lott Urges GOP To Be Responsible On Obamacare Los Angeles Times: Dropping Coverage Of Popular Prescription Drugs Is Sad And Shameful It’s easy to understand why Republicans wish health reform had never happened, and are now hoping that the Supreme Court will abandon its principles and undermine the law. But it’s more puzzling — and disturbing — when Democrats like Charles Schumer, senator from New York, declare that the Obama administration’s signature achievement was a mistake. (Paul Krugman, 12/4) The Washington Post: Residents Of Prince George’s Have Waited Too Long For Improved Medical Facilities last_img read more

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Gym newbie Forget the Apple Watch the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4

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first_img This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Show More Unlike other sites, we thoroughly review everything we recommend, using industry standard tests to evaluate products. We’ll always tell you what we find. We may get a commission if you buy via our price links.Tell us what you think – email the Editor The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4 fitness tracker has just gone on sale in the UK for a meagre £34.99 RRP, making it an on paper perfect choice for gym newbies and casual joggers.The Mi Smart Band 4 is an ultra affordable fitness tracker from the Chinese tech giant behind the stellar Xiaomi Mi 9 smartphone. You cna buy it in the UK from today on the via mi.com/uk webstore. Further retailers haven’t been announced.We haven’t reviewed the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4 yet, so we can’t personally attest to its sleep, health or exercise tracking chops. But on paper it’s a pretty solid piece of kit considering the price.Highlights include a “full” colour 0.95-inch AMOLED screen, 5ATM (50m) water resistance and staggering 20 day quoted battery life.Related: Best Amazon Prime Wearable DealsThe photoplethysmography (PPG) / heart rate, tri-axis accelerometer + tri-axis gyro and capacitive wear monitoring sensors should also cover most basic exercise and sleep tracking.The only obvious omission is the lack of a built in GPS, though considering the price this is hardly surprising. Traditionally we’ve only seen integrated GPS connectivity on more expensive trackers, like the Garmin Vivosport.The Bluetooth connectivity and connect GPS support will also let you get accurate distance data, so long as the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 4 is connected to your phone. When connected it’ll also offer basic notification services.The combined package make it a seemingly great, and affordable option, that could be a better fit for people that just want basic fitness tracking, not the full smartwatch experience.Related: Best fitness tracker 2019The news follows widespread rumours Apple plans to radically improve its fabled next generation Apple Watch Series 5’s fitness and health tracking chops, when it launches later this year.Apple’s been working to bolster its wearable’s health and fitness tracking chops with every new generation. The Apple Watch Series 4 debuted a custom “fall” sensor that is designed to help elderly or less mobile people get help during an accident. Sign up for the Mobile NewsletterSign Up Please keep me up to date with special offers and news from Goodtoknow and other brands operated by TI Media Limited via email. You can unsubscribe at any time. We’d also like to send you special offers and news just by email from other carefully selected companies we think you might like. Your personal details will not be shared with those companies – we send the emails and you can unsubscribe at any time. Please tick here if you are happy to receive these messages.By submitting your information, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy.last_img read more

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WatchWith 5B WestJet deal Gerry Schwartz may finally land his white whale

July 21, 2019 admin 0 Comments

first_imgIn July, WestJet shareholders will have an opportunity to vote on the takeover at a special meeting. The Onex bid for the airline has already received the unanimous recommendation of WestJet’s board of directors, and Clive Beddoe, who co-founded WestJet in 1996 and remains the company’s chairman.“Onex’s aerospace experience, history of positive employee relations and long-term orientation makes it an ideal partner for WestJetters, and I am excited about our future,” Beddoe said in a statement.Tawfiq Popatia, a managing director at Onex, said WestJet is among Canada’s strongest brands.“We have tremendous respect for the business that Clive Beddoe and all WestJetters have built over the years,” he said. “WestJet is renowned internationally for its unparalleled guest experience and employee culture.”In addition to shareholder approval, the transaction must also receive the blessing of Transport Canada and the Canadian Transportation Agency.Taylor, the Canaccord Genuity analyst, said the Onex acquisition would not dramatically alter the competitive landscape.“WestJet was generally well funded and was already embarking on a large and highly competitive expansion plan,” he wrote. “In our view, a private equity owner of an airline is likely to remain rational with respect to its approach to yields and profitability (versus) market share.”This time around, the assessment seems to be that Onex is a suitable buyer. Taylor titled his report: “An attractive exit at the hands of Onex.” More May 13, 20197:07 PM EDTLast UpdatedMay 14, 201912:43 PM EDT Filed under News Join the conversation → Comment 2 Comments Two decades ago, Gerry Schwartz’s Onex Corp. tried to land a major airline deal, but the transaction fizzled after a dramatic battle that gripped corporate Canada and Bay Street. Now, with a $5 billion bid for Calgary-based WestJet Airlines Ltd., the private equity buyout specialist hopes to reel in a major prize in an industry he has been circling ever since.“We see this as the white whale scenario for Gerry Schwartz … finally landing a major airline,” said Scott Chan, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity Corp. who tracks Onex, which tried unsuccessfully to buy and merge Canada’s two major airlines, Air Canada and Canadian Airlines, in 1999.Monday’s bid for WestJet, which includes $31 per share in cash, a 67 per cent premium to Friday’s closing price, must win regulatory and shareholder approval, but is expected to close by later this year or early 2020.“Given the premium valuation and, in our view, a limited list of potential other bidders, we believe the deal is likely to proceed on the stated terms,” said Doug Taylor, another Canaccord analyst, who noted that some potential bidders would be kept at bay by Canada’s foreign ownership restrictions for airlines, which cap individual foreign owners at 25 per cent and total foreign ownership at 49 per cent. Onex’s WestJet deal to shake up airline industry — and Air Transat may be its next target Onex is buying WestJet in $5 billion deal — and taking it private Gerald Schwartz: The man behind Onex and the WestJet deal For Schwartz’s Onex, the acquisition of WestJet, whose commercial aircraft fly to more than 100 destinations in North and Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe, marks a significant entry into an industry around which the private equity player has been investing for years.Past investments included Spirit Aerospace Systems, a Kansas-based manufacturer of structures for commercial and defense aircraft, which generated an internal rate of return of around 200 per cent for Onex following an initial public offering in 2014, and a stake in airline catering business Sky Chefs, which Onex sold to Lufthansa for $1.3 billion in 2001.But the investments have not always been successful, with Onex investing in Hawker Beechcraft, an aerospace manufacturer that filed for bankruptcy in 2012.A couple of airline investments that would have been among the most high profile in Canada never took place. In the summer of 1999, Onex made a $1.8 billion offer to buy Air Canada and merge it with then-rival Canadian Airlines in a transaction that was valued at $5.7 billion.However, Air Canada, which hatched its own plan to buy Canadian Airlines, made several moves to complicate the Onex bid, including adopting a poison pill designed to drive up the price. The corporate battled landed in court, where Onex was rebuffed, and its bid withdrawn.Air Canada subsequently took over Canadian Airlines in 2000, but the combined airline struggled, and filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003.Onex’s aerospace experience, history of positive employee relations and long-term orientation makes it an ideal partner for WestJetters Share this storyWith $5B WestJet deal, Gerry Schwartz may finally land his ‘white whale’ Tumblr Pinterest Google+ LinkedIn That filing triggered another thwarted investment by Onex, which had been attempting to purchase a piece of Aeoroplan, Air Canada’s frequent-flyer program.Onex’s belated comeback of sorts, the multi-billion bid for WestJet, appeared to catch the market by surprise on Monday. WestJet’s shares shot up by more than 60 per cent before pulling back slightly to close at $29.61, within striking distance of the $31 per share bid. Behind the scenes, talks had been under way since March, when Onex approached the airline.Analysts said the Onex bid is rich by airline standards, representing a premium to the valuations given to Air Canada and publicly traded U.S. airlines.Frothy private markets, which Onex executives cited in a conference call with analysts last week — driven by “dry powder” looking to be deployed by global institutional investors — could have contributed to the premium offer for WestJet, according to a note published Monday by Canaccord.WestJet would be Onex’s second recent public-to-private transaction, following on the heels of the acquisition of wealth manager Gluskin Sheff in March, Chan, the Canaccord analyst, noted.“Privatizing tends to be easier to generate value longer term,” said Chan.Onex has not yet spelled out its plans for WestJet, which has marketed itself as an airline where customers are treated well because employees are incentivized through opportunities for stock purchases and profit-sharing to take control of situations and solve problems.Onex is buying WestJet and taking it private. With $5B WestJet deal, Gerry Schwartz may finally land his ‘white whale’ For Schwartz’s Onex, the acquisition of WestJet marks a significant entry into an industry around which the private equity player has been investing for years Recommended For YouEuro inches higher but expectations for dovish ECB cap gainsAqua Terra Water Management Announces New Syndicated Debt Facility of Up to $100 MM To Fund Permian GrowthBiden healthcare plan would curb drug prices, raise taxes on richOklahoma, J&J to wrap up first trial over opioid crisisHong Kong leader says protesters in latest clashes can be called ‘rioters’ Reddit Barbara Shecter Email Twitter Facebook Canadian Presslast_img read more

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Traders bet Bank of Canada will follow Fed with rate cuts this

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first_img Comment Esteban Duarte Featured Stories Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz.Cole Burston/Bloomberg Sponsored By: The Bank of Canada is likely to join the U.S. Federal Reserve with an interest rate cut this year to deal with the fallout from rising trade tensions, according to trading in the swaps market.Investors are betting Canadian policymakers will follow an expected U.S. rate cut in September. The chances of a Bank of Canada match at the Oct. 30 meeting jumped above 50 per cent Tuesday, up from about 25 per cent last week, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The market is implying 20 basis points of easing over the next six months. The odds of a cut soared after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican products to stem illegal immigration, raising concerns about the ratification of the revised North America Free Trade Agreement. Canada’s yield curve inverts the most in 12 years on Trump’s Mexico tariffs threat Fed sits on its hands while analysts sit on U.S. ‘recession watch’ The Bank of Canada has learned a few things about targeting inflation, and it’s sharing lessons with the Fed Traders are increasing their bets on a rate cut even as economic data signal the economy is showing signs of pulling out of a first-quarter slowdown. The median consensus of analysts expect that the benchmark rate will remain unchanged this year at 1.75 per cent.“The data for Canada is unfolding in a manner about as expected, but the medium-term outlook has definitely been impacted by trade/tariff developments of late,” said Mark Chandler, head of fixed income research at Royal Bank of Canada, which sees the central bank on hold through 2020. “Most of the fear surrounds the potential impact on the U.S. factory sector. Analysts have not fully incorporated this into their forecasts, I believe, because of a belief that the tariffs may yet be avoided.”Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled Tuesday an openness to cut interest rates if necessary, pledging to keep a close watch on fallout from a deepening set of disputes between the U.S. and its largest trading partners. Investors have aggressively increased bets the Fed will cut interest rates this year after Trump widened ongoing trade tensions with the new Mexico threat.In the U.S., swap traders assign an 89 per cent chance of the Fed cutting rates as soon as September, Bloomberg data show. Investors may get fresh signals on rates this weekend when finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 economies meet in Japan.“We should get more clarity on both Mexico and China, at the G-20,” said Chandler. If over the coming weeks there is “no improvement, you might see more analysts believing that rate cuts in the U.S. — and maybe Canada — are more likely.”Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz said as recently as last month he still believes interest rates are poised to continue rising once headwinds to growth dissipate. “The natural tendency is for interest rates to still go up a bit,” Poloz said in an interview on BNN Bloomberg, adding he didn’t yet know the size or the timing of any increases.Bloomberg.com Traders bet Bank of Canada will follow Fed with rate cuts this year The chances the central bank will match on Oct. 30 jumped above 50 per cent Tuesday. It was 25 per cent last week Twitter Reddit Join the conversation → Morecenter_img Share this storyTraders bet Bank of Canada will follow Fed with rate cuts this year Tumblr Pinterest Google+ LinkedIn What you need to know about passing the family cottage to the next generation June 4, 20194:04 PM EDT Filed under News Economy 1 Comments Facebook advertisement Bloomberg News Email ← Previous Next →last_img read more

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Watch Electric Audi RS3 Drag Race Huracan Performante 911 GT2 RS

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It’s almost competitive.Electric powertrains have a considerable potential to change how performance cars operate. Instant torque makes acceleration a breeze, and it puts other supercars on notice. The pinnacle of EV racing is Formula E. Schaeffler, a major sponsor of the Audi Sport ABT Formula E team, decided to show off its electric powertrain by cramming it into an Audi RS3. Called the Schaeffler 4ePerformance, the modified Audi now has an incredible 1,180 horsepower (880 kilowatts) on tap, capable of hitting 124 miles per hour (200 kilometers per hour) in less than seven seconds. That’s stupid fast. More EVs In Motion To prove just how capable the electric RS3 is, it competes against two devastatingly quick supercars – the Lamborghini Huracan Performante and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. The Lamborghini packs a 5.2-liter V10 producing 640 hp (470 kW) and 442 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque. The 911 GT2 RS sports a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six engine producing 700 hp (521 kW) and 553 lb-ft (749 Nm) of torque. On paper, the electric RS3 is far superior to the Lamborghini and Porsche, besting them 540 hp and 480 hp, respectively, and the power difference is noticeable. Neither can best the Audi. The first race against the Huracan has the Audi getting a sizable lead off the start, continuously putting distance between it and the Italian supercar. The race with the Porsche starts much closer, with both staying equal throughout much of the race. However, the Audi pulls away as the finish line approaches, crossing the finish line first by about three car lengths.EVs can be powerful while packing enormous performance. We can marvel at our EV future and the sheer amount of performance that will come with it. The video above is long – we skipped to the six-minute mark just before the first race begins.  Watch Tesla Model 3 Performance Set New 0 To 60 MPH Record Author Liberty Access TechnologiesPosted on October 6, 2018Categories Electric Vehicle News Watch Tesla Model X P100D Take On Ferrari 812 Superfast Tesla Model 3 Performance Races Model X P100D, Ford Falcon Drag Car Source: Electric Vehicle News read more

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Flash Drive 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium AWD

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first_imgRobust In-Car Tech, Lacks Advanced Safety TechDrinks Fuel Like A Larger SUVAlthough the 2018 Ford EcoSport is new to the U.S. market, it’s not a new vehicle. The wee-size crossover SUV first emerged more than a decade ago in Brazil. The current model has been on sale around the world since 2012.Ford desperately needed a subcompact SUV to compete in a market segment that has become seismic in consumer demand and thus, the EcoSport. The subcompact segment includes the top-selling Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Chevrolet Trax, Toyota CH-R, Jeep Renegade and Hyundai Kona.A well-traveled little SUV lands in AmericaThe 2018 EcoSport model is built in Romania, Brazil, Russia, China and Thailand—our car hailed from Ford of India, the first U.S.-market car to come from that country. It’s sold in S, SE, SES, and Titanium trims, with a choice between front-drive, turbo-three cylinder models and all-wheel-drive versions with an inline-four-cylinder engine. Prices start from just above $20,000, and approach $30,000 in all-wheel-drive SES editions.With a name that begins with Eco, I think it is unforgiveable that neither engine can crack 30 mpg on the highway. The EPA rates the 1.0-liter, front-wheel-drive EcoSport at 27-mpg city and 29-mpg highway; the 2.0-liter four is rated at 23 city/29 highway. Not only is that 29-mpg rating worse than every single one of the EcoSport’s four-cylinder competitors, it’s lower than the 30-mpg estimate for the larger, more powerful Ford Escape.Two Engines OfferedThe 2018 Ford EcoSport is one of the few subcompact SUVs to offer a choice of engines, each mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The first is a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder base engine that powers all EcoSport models with front-wheel drive. This little 123-horsepower power plant with 125 pounds-feet of torque is sluggish at best. Some global markets might be fine with that kind of lackluster go-juice, but most Americans with their longer driving distances aren’t going to be impressed.Enter the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder upgrade with a more robust 166 horsepower and 149 pound-feet of torque. That’s still only just enough for the EcoSport, but it is close to a good balance for the crossover’s needs in most driving situations. If you want the 2.0-liter with the AWD upgrade, be prepared to pay an extra $1,450.Man, This Thing Is Really SmallThe 2018 Ford EcoSport is the runt of the subcompact SUV liter. It’s 16.8 inches shorter in length than an Escape and rides on a 6.7-inch-shorter wheelbase. The Ford’s wheelbase is the shortest of the group, and most of its competitors are six or more inches longer overall.Small on the outside, but competitive space insideUnmistakable as the little brother of the Ford Escape, styling isn’t exactly the EcoSport’s trump card. It looks a bit too tall, a bit too narrow and a bit too boxy at the back. The nose and cabin appear normally sized, but its rear ends abruptly. A traditional grille and front lights mask the EcoSport’s very tall front end, except when it’s seen in profile view.Because the 2018 Ford EcoSport was originally designed to have a spare tire mounted to its rear, the back door swings open to the side, rather than using a traditional roof-mounted hatchback design. The swing-out design means you won’t be able to open the door all the way in parallel-park or backed-in situations.A Look InsideThroughout most of the interior the EcoSport shows its age with the materials that are used. Hard plastics line just about every surface, with some questionable cut lines and panel gaps on the dashboard and doors. The seats are narrow and not very supportive, though individual rear head- and legroom numbers are about par for the course.New tech; old plasticThere are, however, a number of clever storage solutions inside the EcoSport, with small cubbies for your phone or wallet in the doors and passenger-side dash. There’s even a small slot where you can rest a phone horizontally, just ahead of the gear selector and, conveniently, right next to the EcoSport’s two USB outlets. Plus, there are welcome knobs for volume and tuning.In the rear, the little EcoSport offers a class-competitive 21 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 50 cubic feet with the seatbacks folded.In Car and Safety TechA high point in the 2018 EcoSport is its tech-focused interior. Technology is based on Ford’s Sync 3 system, with a relatively simple menu structure and quick response to inputs. The voice controls work well, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and upper trim levels have an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. A 4.2-inch infotainment screen is standard with a 6.5-inch or 8.0-inch touchscreen with navigation available as upgrades on higher trim levels.Driver assistance features and active safety systems are near to non-existent in the 2018 Ford EcoSport. A rear view backup camera is standard as is Ford’s roll stability control system. A blind spot monitor and a reverse sensing system are both available on certain trims, but you won’t find forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, blind spot and lane-departure warning.Driving the Ford EcoSportWhere the 2018 Ford EcoSport really strutted its stuff was when driving around town. Its tiny size, wheels pushed to the corners and high ride height translated to easy maneuverability and agile handling. It wasn’t as sporty or fun to drive as some rivals, perhaps, but it was definitely easy to get around in. And, the little Ford did a respectable job of absorbing road bumps and imperfections at in-town speeds.A big demerit however, were the enormous A-pillars restricting my view out of the front at street corners. Visibility to the rear wasn’t great, either, but the available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert helped.It will get you there and feels comfortable on the highway, but it’s most at home in the cityThe EcoSport’s decent highway ride was a pleasant surprise in a vehicle with such a short wheelbase. The suspension managed to deliver a smooth, compliant ride and a reasonable degree of body control. Steering was quick and direct with a decent amount of feel and grip in curves was also fairly impressive.Although there was nothing energetic about the EcoSport’s engine responses, they were not particularly sluggish, either. The wee SUV simply went where I pointed it while the six-speed automatic clipped off quiet and unruffled shifts.In the real world, our test drive model easily held the EPA’s estimate of 25-mpg average during a week’s worth of driving 276 miles as a family hauler and general runabout.Final NotesThe 2018 Ford EcoSport isn’t a bad car, but it’s just not the one I would recommend. It delivers an experience that puts it at the lower end of the subcompact pack. Alternatives from Honda, Hyundai and Mazda offer better fuel efficiency and nicer driving dynamics in a far more well-rounded package.Although it features a good amount of cargo space and a user-friendly optional infotainment system, the cons more than outweigh the pros for this subcompact SUV. Despite its moniker, the Ford EcoSport has only so-so fuel economy and it really isn’t sporty to drive.Related Stories You Might Enjoy—Subcompact Crossover CompetitionOur previous staff evaluation—Steve’s Road Trip in an EcoSportRoad Test: 2016 Honda HR-VRoad Test: 2018 Toyota CH-RNews: 2018 Nissan KicksRoad Test: 2018 Mazda CX-3Road Test: 2018 Hyundai KonaRoad Test: 2017 Jeep RenegadeRoad Test: 2016 Fiat 500XRoad Test: 2015 Chevrolet TraxDisclosure:Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.The post Flash Drive: 2018 Ford EcoSport Titanium AWD appeared first on Clean Fleet Report. Source: Electric, Hybrid, Clean Diesel & High-MPG Vehicleslast_img read more

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Priority Embark review What makes this beltdrive electric bicycle worth 4k

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first_imgWith so many inexpensive electric bicycles to choose from these days, many people wonder what sets apart the more expensive e-bikes. That was one of the reasons I wanted to get a hands-on experience with the new Priority Embark electric bicycle, to see what made this premium e-bike different.Marketed as a maintenance-free e-bike, I went into this review hoping to see what could possibly make an e-bike cost $3,999. And boy, did I learn a lot! more…The post Priority Embark review: What makes this belt-drive electric bicycle worth $4k? appeared first on Electrek. Source: Charge Forwardlast_img

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The 114000 Arc Vector electric motorcycle is actually headed for production next

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first_imgDespite the fairly nascent state of the electric motorcycle industry, there is actually a decent variety of models available. And while some companies compete on the reasonably affordable level, the Arc Vector is one bike that throws affordability to the wind in favor of ultra-premium design. And while the Arc Vector’s fate has been a matter of speculation, it now appears that the electric motorcycle will actually see production. more…Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1zk7Eb8r-s&list=PL_Qf0A10763mA7Byw9ncZqxjke6Gjz0MtThe post The $114,000 Arc Vector electric motorcycle is actually headed for production next year appeared first on Electrek. Source: Charge Forwardlast_img

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Tesla Semi prototype spotted on highway maybe without a driver

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first_imgSource: Charge Forward A Tesla Semi prototype has been spotted driving down the highway in California and some are speculating that there wasn’t a driver at the wheel. more…Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1zk7Eb8r-s&list=PL_Qf0A10763mA7Byw9ncZqxjke6Gjz0MtThe post Tesla Semi prototype spotted on highway, maybe without a driver appeared first on Electrek.last_img

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Talking Horses

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first_imgFirst published on Sat 29 Nov 2008 08.00 EST Email (optional) Share on Twitter expanded 0 1 Report kierenfallon Order by oldest oldest mike65ie Shares00 collapsed Sorry there was an error. Please try again later. If the problem persists, please contact Userhelp 50 | Pick Share on Twitter blogposts Threads collapsed recommendations Topics Sportblog Report Share on Twitter Please select Personal abuse Off topic Legal issue Trolling Hate speech Offensive/Threatening language Copyright Spam Other … we have a small favour to ask. The Guardian will engage with the most critical issues of our time – from the escalating climate catastrophe to widespread inequality to the influence of big tech on our lives. At a time when factual information is a necessity, we believe that each of us, around the world, deserves access to accurate reporting with integrity at its heart.More people are reading and supporting The Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism than ever before. And unlike many news organisations, we have chosen an approach that allows us to keep our journalism accessible to all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford. But we need your ongoing support to keep working as we do.Our editorial independence means we set our own agenda and voice our own opinions. Guardian journalism is free from commercial and political bias and not influenced by billionaire owners or shareholders. This means we can give a voice to those less heard, explore where others turn away, and rigorously challenge those in power.We need your support to keep delivering quality journalism, to maintain our openness and to protect our precious independence. Every reader contribution, big or small, is so valuable. Support The Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. 30 Nov 2008 7:53 newest Ron Cox Reason (optional) Horse racing tips Share on Messenger Share comments (2)Sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion. Share on LinkedIn unthreaded Reuse this content,View all comments > Report Support The Guardian Share on Facebook Loading comments… Trouble loading? Horse racing Share Since you’re here… 0 1 100 Share on Facebook | Pick Show 25 Talking Horses Comments 2 Sounds like Inglis Drever has run his last race. Sportblog While Denman is an impossible act to follow, Albertas Run brings similar credentials to this afternoon’s Hennessy Gold Cup. Both Denman last year and the 2005 Newbury winner, Trabolgan, were leading novices the previous season when they won the SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham. Albertas Run has strong claims on the form he showed to win the same race at the Festival in March.Today’s rivals Air Force One and Verasi were among those well beaten at Cheltenham. Sharpened up by a run at Carlisle this month, Albertas Run (2.40) is more than capable of avenging an Aintree defeat behind Big Buck’s in April. That was a race too far for Albertas Run after his Cheltenham exertions. Big Buck’s, bidding to become the first five-year-old to win the Hennessy, will have to be sharper in the jumping department, as this is usually fast and furious.Newbury 2.05 This has gone to Inglis Drever for the past three years, and Howard Johnson’s high-class stayer is the one to beat again. He beat Blazing Bailey on three occasions last season before running below par against Alan King’s gelding at Aintree. Blazing Bailey is minus the blinkers he wore that day, and the progressive Pettifour could be the one to beat. Newcastle 3.00 Provided more use is made of him, Battlecry should step up on his comeback run. He mixed it with the best of the novice chasers last season and looks reasonably handicapped. Newbury 3.15 Though still inclined to making the odd costly jumping error, Private Be gave a good account of himself behind Imperial Commander at Cheltenham. Newcastle 3.30 It looked a case of the winner getting first run when Punjabi beat Sublimity at Punchestown back in April. At the respective prices today, the former Champion Hurdle winner is value to take his revenge this afternoon. Ron Cox’s tip of the dayKhyber Kim 3.45 NewburyFirst time out looks the best time to side with Khyber Kim, who was hugely impressive on his hurdles debut here last season, beating Theatre Girl with ease in soft ground, but failed to progress. A change of scenery may also have helped – he has gone from Nicky Henderson to Nigel Twiston-Davies, whose ability to have his horses fit first time out is certainly not in doubt.Horse sense Share on Facebook 25 Share via Email Twitter Reply Read more Sat 29 Nov 2008 08.00 EST cor some pretty poor work today ron, im glad i went against your judgement on todays action!( fairy- drunken sailor 12:35 is going to run well) View more comments Inglis in better shape than ever for four-timer bidFollowers of Inglis Drever (2.05) need have no fear that age is catching up with Howard Johnson’s stayer, who goes for a fourth consecutive victory in today’s Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury. The nine-year-old is considered to be in better condition than 12 months ago, when he scored by four lengths. We understand Johnson is favouring a step up in trip for Tidal Bay, with the King George at Kempton a definite possibility. Huntingdon’s Peterborough Chase is also being considered. Meanwhile, smart novice hurdler On Raglan Road (1.50) is expected to get back to winning ways at Newcastle today. Nicky Henderson’s Punjabi (3.30), tipped by former stable jockey Mick Fitzgerald to do well this season, has done plenty of work for his return to action in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle. Shouldhavehadthat (1.00) is the most interesting of Henderson’s Newbury runners. Back after a spell with Ferdy Murphy, the six-year-old has been working nicely. Provided all remains well with the delicate Petit Robin (1.35), he can complete a double for the yard. Moves Goodenough should make a bold bid to defy his penalty in the Newbury opener, but there is plenty of confidence behind Cockney Trucker (12.25) here. Two who could run well at big prices are Montgermont (3.15) and Stripe Me Blue (3.45)Coda Agency (2.30) is one to be with at Towcester, while next week look out for Hollow Star on his first run for the Paul Nicholls yard. This former Irish point-to-pointer is expected to win good races in the Andy Stewart colours. At Kempton today, our Newmarket contact is keen on the chances of Dansant (3.25) and Stand Guard (4.30).Seen and heardJust six months into her tenure as trainer at Uplands stables, Jane Chapple-Hyam is leaving the Upper Lambourn yard and plans a return to Newmarket. Her name has been linked with the recently retired Geoff Wragg’s Abington Place yard, but Chapple-Hyam, who took over from Stan Moore at Uplands, yesterday said she had no firm idea of new premises. “I will be in Newmarket next week and will be calling round estate agents. I will be starting from scratch,” she said. Chapple-Hyam would not go into the reasons for her split with Uplands, but added that no date had been set for her departure.Channel 4 has received two nominations for the Broadcast Awards, which take place in London in January, and in the running for the best sports programme gong is their coverage of Gold Cup day at Cheltenham in March, featuring the epic encounter between Denman and Kauto Star. Italian racing may be going through bad times, but the Botti family are obviously thriving. Marco is on the up at Newmarket and both his father and brother train in Italy. They will soon be joined by Marco’s cousins Edmondo, in Pisa, and Alessandro, who starts up in France with 10 horses. The latest news and best tips in our daily horse racing blog, plus your chance to win a great guide to the jumps season Share on WhatsApp Horse racing Twitter Share on Twitter Facebook The Recap: sign up for the best of the Guardian’s sport coverage All Share on Pinterest Close report comment form Facebook Share via Email Reply 30 Nov 2008 1:52 Sign in or create your Guardian account to recommend a comment Share on Facebooklast_img read more

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What Do These Companies And Firms Have In Common

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first_imgWal-Mart, Amazon, GE Healthcare, Oracle, Lowes, SAP, Las Vegas Sands, Olympus, Post Holdings, McDermott International, Caesars Entertainment, Micron Technology, ADM, Cummins, Discover Financial Services, KBR, Halliburton, Johnson & Johnson, Crawford Co., Realogy Holdings, CVS Caremark, Ensco, HCA Healthcare, Carnival Cruise Line, Olin Corp., CB&I, Abbott, Wells Fargo, 3M, Briggs & Stratton, Sherwin Williams, Standard Motor Products, Graebel, Allison Transmission, and many  more.Debevoise & Plimpton, King & Spalding, Hogan Lovells, Greenberg Traurig, Bryan Cave, Squire Patton Boggs, Foley & Larder, Hughes Hubbard & Reed, Bass Berry & Sims, Perkins Coie, Pepper Hamilton, Seyfath Shaw, Quarles & Brady, Troutman Sanders, Stinson Leonard, Littler Mendelson, Barnes & Thornburg, and many more.The answer is below the fold.All of these companies or firms have sent personnel to the FCPA Institute to elevate their FCPA knowledge and practical skills.The next FCPA Institute takes place in Seattle on August 13-14. Click here to learn more and register.last_img read more

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Slack Davis Names Mark D Pierce Partner

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first_img Lost your password? Username After five and a half years at the firm, Mark D. Pierce has been named partner at Slack & Davis in its Austin office.Pierce, a graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, is a trial lawyer with experience representing consumers and victims of deceptive business practices. Specifically, he focuses his practice on aviation related matters and a variety of other personal injury cases involving products, construction site and workplace disasters, automobile and truck wrecks.In 2011 and 2012, the newly named partner earned verdicts of $6.82 million, $3.87 million, and $2 million . . .You must be a subscriber to The Texas Lawbook to access this content. Remember mecenter_img Password Not a subscriber? Sign up for The Texas Lawbook.last_img

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Singapore Economy Turns Down China Exports Decline

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first_img « Thailand the New Safe Haven? They are calling it an unexpected contraction in Singapore’s economy which is in line with our Economic Confidence Model which bottoms in January 2020. In addition, China’s exports have also declined by 1.3% during June. Gross domestic product in export-reliant Singapore declined by a shocking 3.4% in the second quarter from the previous three months. This was the biggest decline since 2012. Everywhere we look, the world economy is following the Economic Confidence Model perfectly. As stated before, the decline would be felt OUTSIDE the USA far more so than within the domestic economy.Of course, the blame is being laid on Trump citing his US-China trade war is having an impact on Asia, and that includes Singapore’s latest export figures. Singapore saw exports fall for a second month in a row, this time by 17.3% in the month of June compared to a year ago. The economic growth in Singapore declined by 3.4% from the previous quarter. However, the world economy has been turning down before Trump’s trade war as they are calling it. More than 10 years of Quantitative Easing has been unable to restore economic growth, but why look at trends when you can just bash Trump?The global economy is still headed down into January 2020. Even if there was no trade war, the trend was set in motion from 2015.75. Within weeks of that turn at the peak of this cycle, Merkel began the refugee crisis which has undermined the confidence in Europe and her unilateral actions impacted all of the EU and has led to much discord. Costs of the refugee crisis have lowered economic growth and these people have not contributed to economic growth to any extent to offset the contraction. The negative interest rates have wiped out savers and force retired people back into the workforce just to stay alive. Meanwhile, governments have increased their taxation and nobody respects the fact that retired people are being forced out of their homes as taxes rise. There is no coordination and nobody will look at the whole. Categories: China, Southeast Asia last_img read more

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What Americans Think About Aging – 2013

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first_imgby, Ronni Bennett, ChangingAging ContributorTweetShareShareEmail0 SharesITEM: 57% of U.S. seniors state that overall, the past year of their life has been “normal,” versus 42% of those surveyed in 2012.ITEM: More than half (51%) of seniors expect their quality of life to stay about the same during the next five to 10 years, while 21% expect it to get much or somewhat better, versus 30 percent of those surveyed in 2012.Those are two of the top takeaways from the United States of Aging Survey 2013, conducted by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), United Healthcare and USA Today.The survey is based on interviews with 4,000 Americans based on nationally representative samples of age 60 and older, and another group of adults 18 to 59 as a comparison with an oversampling of those 80 and older, low income and people with three or more chronic health conditions.Here is an infographic of some other survey findings. Click the image to view a larger, more readable version. All age groups were asked about the preparedness of their communities to handle the needs of a growing elder population. USA Today summarized those responses. Personally, I think they are optimistic in the extreme:ITEM: 33% of older Americans surveyed say their city or town is not preparing for the future needs of a growing senior population; even more of the younger group (45%) say that.ITEM: 18% of seniors say their community is not responsive to senior needs; among those younger, 29% say that.ITEM: Almost a third of seniors rate public transportation and job opportunities in their communities as poor. But three-quarters say health care services are good to excellent.ITEM: Transportation and affordable housing are the two top areas seniors say their city should invest more in (both 26%); followed by affordable health care and home-delivered meals, both 23%.My house guest is still here and I am taking most of my time to enjoy our visit so this is just a brief synthesis.There is a useful survey fact sheet [pdf] and you can find out more by following the various links from this page at the NCOA website.This post was originally published at www.TimeGoesBy.net, Ronni Bennett (c) All Rights Reserved.Related PostsWise Up: Study AgingI am certainly not blind to how fortuitously my interest in aging aligns with the needs of an aging world—and I certainly don’t need additional convincing that my decision to forgo law school was in equal measure, wise and slightly prescient. But maybe you do.Ageism, Myths and New BeginningsAgeism is defined as prejudice or discrimination against people based on age. In reality, we have not moved far in overcoming ageism since the term was coined in the 60s.Moody on Aging Boomers: What’s Wrong with this Picture?Rick Moody calls it like he sees it in the latest edition of his newsletter The Soul of Bioethics (click to sign up): Aging Boomers are in trouble as they face their retirement years.  Epidemiological studies suggest that Boomers’ health status is worse than preceding cohorts.  Given trends in obesity…TweetShareShareEmail0 SharesTags: Aginglast_img read more

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FDA approves new drug to treat thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic liver

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first_imgMay 22 2018The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Doptelet (avatrombopag) tablets to treat low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia) in adults with chronic liver disease who are scheduled to undergo a medical or dental procedure. This is the first drug approved by the FDA for this use.”Patients with chronic liver disease who have low platelet counts and require a procedure are at increased risk of bleeding,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence and acting director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Doptelet was demonstrated to safely increase the platelet count. This drug may decrease or eliminate the need for platelet transfusions, which are associated with risk of infection and other adverse reactions.”Related StoriesAEBP1 gene may play key role in the development and severity of liver diseaseLiving-donor liver transplant offers advantages over deceased-donor, research findsResearchers pinpoint treatment target for rare liver cancer in adolescents, young adultsPlatelets (thrombocytes) are colorless cells produced in the bone marrow that help form blood clots in the vascular system and prevent bleeding. Thrombocytopenia is a condition in which there is a lower-than-normal number of circulating platelets in the blood. When patients have moderately to severely reduced platelet counts, serious or life-threatening bleeding can occur, especially during invasive procedures. Patients with significant thrombocytopenia typically receive platelet transfusions immediately prior to a procedure to increase the platelet count.The safety and efficacy of Doptelet was studied in two trials (ADAPT-1 and ADAPT-2) involving 435 patients with chronic liver disease and severe thrombocytopenia who were scheduled to undergo a procedure that would typically require platelet transfusion. The trials investigated two dose levels of Doptelet administered orally over five days as compared to placebo (no treatment). The trial results showed that for both dose levels of Doptelet, a higher proportion of patients had increased platelet counts and did not require platelet transfusion or any rescue therapy on the day of the procedure and up to seven days following the procedure as compared to those treated with placebo.The most common side effects reported by clinical trial participants who received Doptelet were fever, stomach (abdominal) pain, nausea, headache, fatigue and swelling in the hands or feet (edema). People with chronic liver disease and people with certain blood clotting conditions may have an increased risk of developing blood clots when taking Doptelet.This product was granted Priority Review, under which the FDA’s goal is to take action on an application within six months where the agency determines that the drug, if approved, would significantly improve the safety or effectiveness of treating, diagnosing or preventing a serious condition.The FDA granted this approval to AkaRx Inc. Source:https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm608320.htmlast_img read more

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Many older adults do not use online systems to communicate with doctors

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first_img Source:https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/industry-dx/half-of-older-adults-dont-use-patient-portals-for-health-care May 30 2018These days, Americans can manage many facets of their lives through the Internet. But a new poll suggests that many older adults still aren’t using online systems to communicate with the doctors and other health care providers they rely on – despite the widespread availability of such systems.Only about half of people aged 50 to 80 have set up an account on a secure online access site, or “patient portal,” offered by their health care provider, according to the new findings from the National Poll on Healthy Aging.Older people with more education and higher household incomes had higher rates of patient portal use — even though those with lower household incomes and less education in general have more health-related needs.Age matters too: people over age 65 were more likely than people in their 50s and early 60s to say they don’t like using the computer to communicate about their health, or to say they’re not comfortable with technology in general.In fact, among older adults who hadn’t yet set up access to a patient portal, 52 percent cited concerns about communicating online about health information. Fifty percent said they didn’t see the need for this kind of access to their health information. About 40 percent just hadn’t gotten around to setting up their access yet; these tended to be adults in their 50s and early 60s.The poll of 2,013 older adults was conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, and sponsored by AARP and Michigan Medicine, U-M’s academic medical center.Growing availability, incomplete use For the past several years, the federal government has required hospitals, health systems and other health care providers to offer patient portal options to their patients if they want to earn extra funding from Medicare. The requirements include timely access to records and test results that are part of a provider’s electronic health record system.Among those who had set up an online portal access to their health provider, most (84 percent) had viewed their results from blood tests or other tests.But when asked about other portal functions, the numbers dropped off sizably. For instance, only 43 percent had refilled a prescription online, only 37 percent had used a portal to schedule an appointment, and only 26 percent had gotten advice about a health problem from their provider online.”The health care system has provided patient portals as an efficient way for patients to communicate with their providers. But many older adults are uncomfortable with electronic interactions substituting for a phone call or in-person conversation,” says U-M’s Sarah J. Clark, M.P.H., co-associate director of the poll and an associate research scientist at the U-M Medical School.”Many older adults still prefer telephone contact with their providers,” says poll director and U-M Medical School professor Preeti Malani, M.D., noting that 47 percent of poll respondents said calling was a better way to explain their request. “We hope providers, and health systems, will take these findings into consideration when designing the ways patients can interact with them.”Related StoriesNew curriculum to improve soft skills in schools boosts children’s health and behaviorAn active brain and body associated with reduced risk of dementiaDaily intake for phosphates in infants, children can exceed health guidance valuesConcerns and dividesThe poll’s results highlight the concerns that might be keeping older adults from setting up and logging in to the patient portals available to them.For instance, 27 percent of those who hadn’t set up a portal account were very concerned that online communication would bring a higher chance of error than talking with someone on the phone or in person would. Nineteen percent were very concerned they wouldn’t know who from the provider’s staff was answering their question, and 17 percent were very concerned that getting a response to an online communication would take too long.But among those who had signed up for a portal, the respondents were almost evenly split among those who said phone was faster for getting an answer, those who said the portal was faster, and those who said they were the same.”‘Convenience’ is in the eye of the beholder, and traditional methods of communication with providers still feel more comfortable, accessible, and secure for many older Americans,” says Alison Bryant, Ph.D., senior vice president of research for AARP. “There are great opportunities for us to empower both patients and their caregivers through these technologies, however.”Another sign that older adults may be missing out on potential portal functions showed up when respondents were asked who else they have authorized to see their health information. Of those who have a portal account, 43 percent said they had authorized someone else to log in to see their information – mostly spouses and partners but also adult children and other family members, some of whom may be their caregivers.Among those who hadn’t authorized another user, 22 percent said they didn’t know how to set this up, and 35 percent said they prefer to keep their information private. The other 43 percent said they don’t have anyone else who helps with their medical care. The importance of family support was also highlighted in a recent review paper on older adults and patient portals written by a University of Washington team and published in the journal Medical Informatics.As patients age and have more complex health needs, providers may want to help their patients understand that they can authorize their loved ones to have such access. A recent IHPI study found that “health supporters” such as adult children are willing and able to help people with chronic illness, but often feel left out by both patients and providers.The poll results are based on answers from a nationally representative sample of 2,013 people ages 50 to 80. The poll respondents answered a wide range of questions online. Questions were written, and data interpreted and compiled, by the IHPI team. Laptops and Internet access were provided to poll respondents who did not already have it.last_img read more

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ScienceShot Wind Patterns Forecast Jellyfish Attacks

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For a tiny creature, the few-millimeter-wide Irukandji jellyfish (Carukia barnesi, pictured) has an outsized sting. A brush with the transparent marine animal causes severe muscle pain, vomiting, and a spike in blood pressure and heart rate that can kill. Lifeguards in areas of Australia that are prone to Irukandji blooms close beaches when a single sting is reported. Now, scientists have developed an early warning system for the deadly jellies that could prevent stings, unnecessary beach closures, and the resulting blow to the tourist industry. When the researchers analyzed all documented Irukandji attacks at the Great Barrier Reef from 1985 through 2012, as well as local weather patterns, they found that stings most often occurred after a calming of nearby southeasterly trade winds. The change in winds, they think, alters currents, pulling offshore, deep-water critters to shallower waters. Closing beaches where winds have relaxed, they calculated, could decrease the number of days with jellyfish stings by 61%. The new observation, reported online today in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, could not only help focus beach closures, but could also lead to new, earlier ways to inform beachgoers about such events—smart phone alerts rather than last-minute signs, for example.See more ScienceShots. read more

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Astronomers say theyve found many of the universes missing atoms

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first_img If you get frustrated when you can’t find your keys, imagine how astronomers feel. For years they’ve been unable to locate roughly half the atoms they think the universe must contain. Now, researchers have tracked down a lot of that missing matter using radiation from the early universe that acts a bit like a laser illuminating billowing smoke. The finding helps solidify our understanding of how the universe has evolved over time.Cosmologists know roughly how much hydrogen and helium was created during the first 20 minutes after the big bang. These numbers are corroborated by studies of the afterglow of the big bang—the so-called cosmic microwave background (CMB)—which suggests that our universe is made of roughly 70% dark energy, 23% dark matter, and only 4.6% of ordinary, or baryonic, matter. However, stars and galaxies account for only about 10% of the inferred ordinary matter, and all told researchers cannot account for up to half of atoms they think should exist.“This is embarrassing, as you can imagine,” says astronomer Renyue Cen of Princeton University, who was not involved in the new work. “Not only do we have most of matter which is dark, and most of energy which is still darker; but of the 5% which is normal atoms, most are missing.” Sign up for our daily newsletter Get more great content like this delivered right to you! Country Email Country * Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People’s Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe ANDREW PONTZEN AND FABIO GOVERNATO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS By Adam MannOct. 10, 2017 , 1:00 PMcenter_img Astronomers say they’ve found many of the universe’s missing atoms Supercomputer simulations model how galaxies and galactic clusters grow in long filamentary structures known as the cosmic web. Click to view the privacy policy. Required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*) Researchers think they know where the baryons are. According to the standard cosmological model, which predicts how the universe has grown and changed since its earliest days, the universe is filled with enormous strands of dark matter, and the galaxies are embedded in this so-called cosmic web. Scientists hypothesize that the missing atoms lie in diffuse clouds of highly ionized gas stretching between the galaxies. Known as warm-hot intergalactic matter (WHIM), that million-degree gas glows in x-rays, but is so thin it’s very hard to see. Using observatories that can see ultraviolet radiation, like the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have spotted enough WHIM to account for about 50% to 70% of the missing baryons—still leaving a significant fraction unaccounted for.In the new work, a team from the University of Edinburgh tried to tease out the WHIM in filamentary networks using an entirely different source of illumination: the CMB itself. As the universe expanded, photons in the CMB stretched to longer wavelengths and cooled to a few degrees above absolute zero in the modern day. When these photons hit electrons in the cosmic web, they can gain energy and their wavelengths shorten by a tiny amount, in a phenomenon known as the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) effect. So by looking for the SZ effect, researchers can trace the WHIM in the cosmic web.The SZ effect is extraordinarily weak, shortening the photon’s wavelength by about one part in 10 million. In order to get a strong enough signal to see it, the researchers took 1 million pairs of galaxies found in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, all separated by a similar distance, and stacked their images together. Sure enough, they were able to discern the SZ effect in the amalgamated images, providing an estimate for the amount of hot baryonic matter modifying the frigid microwave photons, as they report in a paper posted to the arXiv preprint website on 29 September.The results suggest that matter in the cosmic web is about six times more dense than the universal average, enough to comprise about 30% of the missing mass. An independent study posted to arXiv on 15 September using the SZ technique on 260,000 galaxy pairs reached a similar conclusion.Some experts have reservations about the findings. “There’s some assumptions they’ve made that worry me,” says astronomer J. Michael Shull of the University of Colorado in Boulder. “They’ve assumed all the gas in the filaments is right along the line of sight between the two galaxies; and that’s probably not right.” A more complicated 3D arrangement of material is more likely, he notes.It will probably take a large next-generation x-ray telescope to finally identify all the missing baryonic matter. Once that happens, the SZ effect technique could provide an independent way to confirm its findings, Cen says.last_img read more

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Moons craters reveal recent spike in outer space impacts on Earth

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first_img Moon’s craters reveal recent spike in outer space impacts on Earth By Paul VoosenJan. 17, 2019 , 2:00 PM Email Country * Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People’s Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Ernest Wright, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio Click to view the privacy policy. Required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*) Sign up for our daily newsletter Get more great content like this delivered right to you! Country It has long been thought that as the solar system grows older and stodgier, the number of asteroids and comets colliding with Earth and other planets has steadily gone down. But a new study reveals what appears to be a dramatic 2.5 times increase in the number of impacts striking Earth in the past 300 million years.Earth’s surface is dotted with impact craters from the past billion years, but old craters are rarer than younger ones, a bias attributed to the crust-eating churn of plate tectonics, volcanism, and erosion. By looking at the moon, which doesn’t deal with the same forces but faces the same bombardment, scientists can probe the past of both bodies.Scientists used a thermal camera on NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to examine the number of large, heat-retaining rocks in the moon’s craters; those rocks are eventually ground to dust by minute meteorite impacts. By looking at previously dated craters, these rocks have been established as a reliable dating technique—the more intact the rocks, the younger the crater. In the new study, the team found a surprising abundance of young craters, seemingly matching the number on Earth. That means, they write today in Science, that in its modern geological history, Earth is much better at retaining the features of impact craters than once thought, and that the recent proliferation coincides with an actual increase in the number of bombarding asteroids or comets.But scientists still don’t know what caused the uptick. Perhaps several large asteroids collided or otherwise broke up some 300 million years ago, their chunks slowly migrating out from the asteroid belt to bombard Earth, the researchers say. And that could have included the giant impact, 66 million years ago, that wiped out most of the dinosaurs.last_img read more

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