Miami Hurricanes draw fans in rare Palm Beach County scrimmage

The Miami Hurricanes trekked north Saturday morning to conduct an intra-squad scrimmage at Spanish River High and afterward coach Al Golden promised he would return to Palm Beach County.

Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/hurricanes/miami-hurricanes-draw-fans-in-rare-palm-beach-1369659.html?cxtype=rss_hurricanes_23833

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Trailer time: ?Cold Weather?, opening this weekend

Cold Weather may be a low-key indie flick, but at its heart is a classic mystery. Doug (Cris Lankenau) works in an ice factory in Portland, Ore., with Carlos (Raul Castillo), but when Carlos’ ex-girlfriend turns up missing, Doug is thrown into a world of secrets: If you can’t see this video, click here.

Source: http://www.pbpulse.com/movies/movie-trailers/2011/04/15/trailer-time-cold-weather-opening-this-weekend/

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FEMA chief: Leaders can't hesitate in face of storm

Since the great hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005, the White House has a new occupant and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a new administrator: former Florida emergency manager Craig Fugate, who handled all those Florida storms in those two mean seasons.

Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/storm-news/fema-chief-leaders-cant-hesitate-in-face-of-1419067.html?cxtype=rss_state

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Who doesn?t love babies?

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Never in my life had I considered pediatrics as a career, until I actually rotated through pediatrics. I unexpectedly came to the realization, that I may not be as bad with kids as I thought.

baby-face There were many reasons why I initially dismissed pediatrics. First and foremost, pediatrics gets a bad rep: doctors with Mickey Mouse stethoscopes making faces and talking in funny voices during endless well visits and runny noses. And for the most part, that?s true in the outpatient setting. But what?s so bad about making sure a kid is growing up healthy and counseling the parents on what to expect next? And who knew that I would be the one making faces and tickling the kids! Now all I need is a stuffed animal to attach to my stethoscope and some Spiderman scrubs, and I?ll be set. I don?t think I?ve smiled so much or felt so relaxed in any of my rotations than I have in pediatrics.

Secondly, I had never had any role models in pediatrics. Many of today?s physicians say one of the most important factors in determining their specialty was the fact that they met someone in that specialty they could emulate as a physician. On the contrary, I?ve had plenty of opportunities during this rotation to work one-on-one with some intriguing, motivated, and brilliant people that didn?t strike me as overly motherly ?kindergarten teacher? types, but rather just laid-back, creative physicians with a sense of humor who love working with children. And I?ve yet to meet a mean pediatrician.

Lastly, I was initially exposed to very little variety in pediatrics. First and second year of medical school consisted of the occasional shadowing of a doctor in the outpatient setting. It was purely observational and my attention easily waned. There still is a large outpatient clinic portion of the rotation, but I?m actively involved: conducting my own histories and physicals, and formulating my own assessment and treatment plans. Furthermore, I have seen more sides of pediatrics than I have of medicine. We rotate through ER, ENT, cardiology, dermatology, the wards, and the NICU. I otherwise never would?ve known how much I liked ER or the NICU! The fast-paced and focused practice of the ER makes time fly, even when you?re there until 11pm. The NICU, or the neonatal intensive care unit, takes care of sick, helpless, and blameless newborns. These babies obviously can?t tell you what?s bothering them, so there?s lots of systematic medicine with emphasis on physical exam and lab studies.

On one hand, it?s been comforting to realize that I could consider myself a pediatrician. On the other hand, however, this doesn?t make the decision process of choosing a specialty any easier. I?ve currently rotated through surgery, medicine, and pediatrics and I?m still trying to weigh pros and cons of all three of those specialties. The months are winding down and pretty soon I will have to make some big decisions. Some physicians say they?ve used the ?ruling-out? method where they rotate through a clerkship and know there?s no way they could consider that as a career. Disliking more of my rotations would be beneficial to me at this point. I was hoping to rule out pediatrics, but unfortunately, I enjoy it, too.

Source: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/becoming-a-doctor/2011/01/19/who-doesnt-love-babies/

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Strong earnings lift stocks in early trading

Stocks are heading higher in early trading on stronger earnings from Apple Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc., and other companies UnitedHealth rose 9 percent in early trading.

Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/money/strong-earnings-lift-stocks-in-early-trading-1422502.html?cxtype=rss_money_16350

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Surveillance video shows LeBron James? mom fall during confrontation

Who is the bad guy? That is what TMZ is asking viewers of a newly released Miami Beach hotel surveillance video that shows the infamous altercation between the NBA star's mom and a valet parking attendant.

Source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/surveillance-video-shows-lebron-james-mom-fall-during-1397157.html?cxtype=rss_heat_17245

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Taking Your Pulse: Barnes & Noble takes poll for ?favorite local bookstore?

Taking Your Pulse?s poll looking for the county?s top bookstore was a runaway ? national giant Barnes & Noble Booksellers easily outdistanced the competition. Barnes & Noble, which has locations in Palm Beach County in West Palm Beach, Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, Boynton Beach and Boca Raton, picked up more than 57 percent of the [...]

Source: http://www.pbpulse.com/arts-and-culture/book-reviews-arts/2011/04/11/taking-your-pulse-barnes-noble-takes-poll-for-favorite-local-bookstore/

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Government shutdown looms as Medicare divides

In 1995-1996 the federal government was closed for about three weeks. /pool photo

In 1995-1996 the federal government was closed for about three weeks. /pool photo

Is all this talk of government shutdown giving you that déjà vu feeling?

It should.

In the fall and winter of 1995-1996 Bill Clinton was in the White House, refusing to bend to GOP demands that he dramatically scale back the size of the federal government.

Dick Armey and Newt Gingrich were leading Congress, insisting on a budget that would simultaneously cut the capital gains tax rate, slash back Medicare spending and eliminate the federal deficit.

And the public was torn between a sense that cherished federal benefits were threatened, and that federal spending was too high.

Not enough déjà vu for you? Read this account from The Washington Post, published on Nov. 14, 2005, the first day of the first of two shutdowns:

?The immediate crisis was triggered Monday night after Clinton vetoed an extension of a temporary spending measure, which would have kept the government running another 18 days. And while the stalemate is over keeping the government operating for a short period, the broader issue of two competing visions of the size and role of the federal government was the underlying issue in all the budget talks this week. And so was the need for both Republicans and Clinton to avoid being seen as capitulating on their principles even as they reached toward compromise and then retreated into rhetoric again yesterday.
At the center of the conflict is the GOP plan to cut taxes and balance the budget by 2002. Republicans have staked their future on a plan that would eliminate the deficit by dramatically scaling back the size of government and achieving huge savings in politically sensitive programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.?

It sounds an awful lot like what?s happening in Washington this week.

This time, it’s Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan who is carrying the Medicare banner, offering a budget proposal that features a slowly rolling plan to eliminate Medicare and replace it with a voucher program.
Negotiations today between President Obama and the House Speaker have fallen apart as the speaker reportedly said no deal unless his entire caucus agrees to it ? meaning, as Daily Kos notes, the tea party freshmen have veto power over the budget.

Plenty of bloggers think shutdown is nigh.

Need more evidence that the government shutdown process is beginning? Read the latest from Ed O?Keefe, the Washington Post?s Federal Eye blogger.
O?Keefe says the deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, Jeffrey Zients, has instructed agency managers to begin drawing up a plan to shut down the government.
The memo, and a link to O’Keefe’s column:

Colleagues:

The President and Congressional leadership have made it clear they want to avoid a government shutdown, and negotiations to that end are continuing. That said, given the realities of the calendar, good management requires that we continue contingency planning for an orderly shutdown should the negotiations not be completed by the end of the current CR this coming Friday, April 8th at midnight.

Acknowledging the disruption and risks a shutdown can cause for employees and agencies, we continue to work with agency leaders to refine and update their contingency plans. And today, we are encouraging you to communicate with senior managers throughout your organizations as appropriate to ensure you have their feedback and input on plans to date. These communications should be focused on the logistical and managerial issues related to a potential shutdown to ensure that managers are prepared to implement your shutdown plans should the need arise.

We know that the current uncertainty and threat of a shutdown is a tremendous burden on federal employees, and are very much aware that a shutdown ? should it occur ? would impose hardships on many employees. We are continuing to monitor the status of negotiations, and will work with you to best prepare the hard-working men and women of our workforce for any contingency.

We will be back in touch with another update no later than tomorrow morning.

Jeff

Source: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/on-call/2011/04/05/government-shutdown-looms-as-medicare-divides/

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Racking up points for doing daily feats in Palm Beach County

I’m tired of doing daily challenges and posting to websites just for the sake of keeping up my good record. I’ve accumulated points, stamps and levels, but I still wonder: Why am I doing this?

At times, I felt like Tom Cruise’s character in the movie “Jerry Maguire.” I wanted to yell: “Show me the money!”

So imagine my relief when I recently heard about Daily Feats.

It’s a website that celebrates and supports positive actions and lets you earn real-world rewards, such as discounts at local businesses or savings from national companies. For example, Tropical Cleaners & Laundry in West Palm Beach will give you a 20 percent discount for accumulating 250 points or the Improv Comedy Club Palm Beach has an offer of four admissions for 50 percent off for just 100 points.

The social platform works nationally, so you can keep in touch with high school and college friends. (Or maybe not.) And they can earn rewards where they live.

Get off your butt

I plan to work on the “Get Off Your Butt” badge by walking, practicing yoga and taking the stairs. (You also can go running, swimming, hiking, dancing, bike riding and three other activities to earn this badge.)

get-off-your-buttHere’s what the website says about this badge:

Earn it: Find four ways to get your body moving, within four days, to earn this badge and be truly Butt-Gotten-Off. (Is it just us, or does “Butt-Gotten-Off” sound like the name of a German city? No?)

Keep it: Exercise is a way of life — keep at it, twice every three days, to maintain this badge.

walking

yoga

takethestairs

I particularly like the “keep it” portion because they recognize that exercise is truly a way of life, not just a one-time thing. That, dear readers, is a reward in itself.

I hope you’ll join me in this challenge to do meaningful feats that benefit your body, mind, home and community. Most of the physical feats I can do earn 3 points, so it will take a while for me to accumulate enough for a reward. (Running earns 10 points and playing on a team earns 15.) I am determined to reach 250.

Let me know when you join Daily Feats so that I can give you some props (tech talk for encouragement)!

And now, for the numbers:

I had my best walking day last week on Sunday, March 27, 2011, when I walked:

Steps: 13,687
Miles: 6.7

Source: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/step-by-step/2011/04/05/racking-up-points-for-doing-daily-feats-in-palm-beach-county/

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Lindsay Lohan ?in talks? for role in Gotti biopic

A New York press conference for John Travolta’s latest project, “Gotti: Three Generations,” had a surprise guest: Lindsay Lohan. The 24-year-old starlet has been rumored to be up for the role of Victoria Gotti, daughter of the infamous “Dapper Don” John Gotti. Producer Marc Fiore confirmed Tuesday that he’s in talks with Lohan but said [...]

Source: http://www.pbpulse.com/movies/2011/04/13/lindsay-lohan-in-talks-for-role-in-gotti-biopic/

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