White House to GOP: It's your move

The White House says Republicans should come clean about how much they're willing to raise tax rates on the rich. Republicans counter that President Barack Obama's latest plan is a joke that avoids tough decisions on the nation's biggest entitlement programs, including Medicare.

It's a game of political chicken as the clock ticks closer to the end-of-year deadline, when George W. Bush-era tax cuts expire and automatic, across-the-board spending cuts kick in, sending the nation over a proverbial "fiscal cliff" that some economists say could plunge the fragile economy back into recession.

But based on the partisan rhetoric of those in charge of negotiating a deal, there's not going to be a solution any time soon.

"They have to tell us what makes sense to them, and then we can take a look at it," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said of Republicans on NBC's "Meet the Press." "But what we can't do is try to figure out what makes sense for them."

House Speaker John Boehner countered that Republicans have plenty of ideas, even if he doesn't want to discuss the specifics publicly.

"There are a lot of items on the table," Boehner told "Fox News Sunday." "The president knows what they are. The question is what are they willing to do?"

Last week, the White House delivered to Capitol Hill its opening proposal: $1.6 trillion in higher taxes over a decade, a possible extension of the temporary Social Security payroll tax cut and heightened presidential power to raise the national debt limit.

In exchange, the president would back $600 billion in spending cuts, including $350 billion from Medicare and other health programs. But he also wants $200 billion in new spending for jobless benefits, public works projects and aid for struggling homeowners. His proposal for raising the ceiling on government borrowing would make it virtually impossible for Congress to block him going forward.

Republicans said they responded in closed-door meetings with laughter and disbelief.

"The administration has put something out that polls well: taxing the wealthy," said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. "What they haven't done is anything to deal with entitlements, which is painful, and you're not going to have a deal until that happens."

Geithner called the back-and-forth "normal political theater," saying all that's blocking a timely deal is the GOP's reluctance to higher tax rates on the wealthy.

"It's welcome that they're recognizing that revenues are going to have to go up. But they haven't told us anything about how far rates should go up ... (and) who should pay higher taxes," Geithner said.

Republican leaders have said they can accept higher tax revenue overall, but only through what they call tax reform _ closing loopholes and limiting deductions _ and only coupled with tough measures to curb the growth of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

"If we gave the president $1.6 trillion of new money, what do you think he'd do with it?" asked Boehner. "He's going to spend it. It's what Washington does."

Geithner appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation," NBC's "Meet the Press," CNN's "State of the Union," ABC's "This Week," and "Fox News Sunday."

Associated Press writers Mark S. Smith and Michele Salcedo in Washington, and Erik Schelzig in Nashville contributed to this report.

Source  http://www.laramieboomerang.com/articles/2012/12/02/ap/politics/us_fiscal_cliff.txt

Health officials give holiday food safety tips

CHICAGO | Public health officials in Illinois say the holidays mean family, food and safety.

The Kane County Health Department says be sure to prepare holiday meals in a safe manner.

That includes thawing food in the refrigerator at 41 degrees or below and not at room temperature. Officials say it takes approximately 24 hours for each five pounds of frozen food to thaw in a refrigerator.

Holiday hosts should be sure to keep everything in the kitchen clean and wash hands often during preparation and serving. Guests should be careful when eating foods like raw oysters or egg drinks.

Officials also suggest double-checking meat to make sure it's thoroughly cooked. They also warn against cross contamination. For example, don't handle raw meats and then other food without washing your hands first.

Source  http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/health-officials-give-holiday-food-safety-tips/article_cebe9f02-97d3-5255-a4a1-ebed48bbe572.html

Cambodians held over eviction protest before Obama visit

Police in Cambodia arrested at least eight people on Thursday for painting messages on their homes near the capital's airport asking for help from U.S. President Barack Obama because they face eviction before he visits the country next week.

The villages involved around the perimeter of the airport in Phnom Penh are home to 182 families.
Residents said they were told in July they had to move out because of security concerns when world leaders, including Obama, fly in to attend summit meetings in coming days. They have not been offered compensation for the loss of their homes.

Armed police moved into the villages on Wedneday night and residents were told to remove the messages they had painted beside pictures of Obama or face the consequences, a worker for the Licadho human rights group said.

At least six women and two men had been taken into custody, Licadho and the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights (CCHR) said. Cambodian police declined comment.

"I put up the picture of Obama because I want him to help us get fair compensation from the government," said resident Chuong Socheata, 33. "And that's because the government has no plans to solve this peacefully."

Forced evictions have been rife in Cambodia in recent years and are frequently criticized by rights groups, even if the authorities may have legitimate security concerns in this case about buildings so close to the airport.

Only about 20 percent of Cambodians have land titles -- a hangover from the Khmer Rouge's abolition of private property during its 1975-1979 reign of terror -- leaving many defenseless when the authorities hand their land over to big companies for development.

The World Bank, which had been helping the government rebuild a land registry, froze fresh aid to Cambodia last year because of the eviction of families in Phnom Penh.

International rights groups met U.S. officials last week to try to get Obama to bring up rights issues with Cambodian premier Hun Sen during his trip. They did not come away with high hopes of any public statement.

Hun Sen has brought stability to the Southeast Asian country, which has attracted development aid and industrial investment, but he tolerates no dissent and rights group call his government authoritarian.
In a report this week, Human Rights Watch said more than 300 people had been killed in politically motivated attacks since an agreement in 1991 that ended a civil war, but not one person had been convicted.
It pointed the finger at Cambodian security forces and called on Obama to demand an end to impunity for abusive officials.

Source  http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/15/us-cambodia-obama-idUSBRE8AE0FE20121115

Five best hair care tips for this winter

Winter, a season when the temperatures continue to drop and the days seem to get darker and darker…a season that brings cold, snow and to a lucky few, a break from work or school…a season of whacky flus that you would never want to strike at your door...a time to don all your coats and hats, for the cold has taken hold!

Awestruck by the beauty of winters? Don’t just get lost in the ‘dreamy’ picture, but devote your attention towards the downside of these cold winds too. For, winter weather can wreak havoc on your hair and leave you with a feeling of cursing this blissful weather. But, you don’t have to worry for we bring you the best hair care tips to leave you with those beautiful locks that you would love to run your fingers down this winter season. 

Oil your hair properly: In winters due to cold winds, the temperature outside is cool, but, the temperature indoors is generally warm, so due to this change in temperature, it is very necessary to oil your hair properly to avoid them from breakage. Use warm oil to massage your hair and scalp for at least one or two hours to restore the moisture of your tresses. If after shampooing your hair, little bit of oil is left over, just let it be and don’t shampoo them again as this will ruin the conditioning effect of the oil.

Avoid using too much of shampoo: It is a fact that due to cold winter winds, not just your skin, even your hair and scalp are left dry. So avoid shampooing your hair much at least not more than twice a week. Also, never use very hot water for washing your hair in winter as it leaves your hair tattered and frizzy. To avoid such a condition, use lukewarm water to retain the moisture of your hair.

A hair conditioner is a must: To fight against winters, the best method is to apply a good conditioner each time you wash your hair. But make sure not to apply conditioner on your scalp but only on the strands of hair. This provides a shine to your hair and prevents them from breakage. Another important point is to choose a conditioner as per your hair type. Like, if you have dry hair, choose a conditioner that will restock your hair with essential substitutes needed by them.

Avoid using a hairdryer: Ideally, it is always good to let your hair dry naturally. If due to some reason, you are using a hairdryer, don’t over dry as this will hamper your hair badly and leave them frizzy and damaged. Another advice that will help you maintain healthy hair is by setting your hair dryer on the ‘cool’ mode while blow drying as cool air damage your hair less though it might be a little time consuming.

Cover you crown: Love your hair? Then cover your crown ladies to protect your hair from those whacky cold winds. Make sure to wear a scarf, a hat or a cap to lock the moisture of your tresses to save them from breakage. But, keep in mind that your scarf or cap should not be very tight as it hampers blood flow in the scalp.

So, try these amazing tips for healthy hair that will leave you with a beautiful feeling even as the mercury drops.

Source  http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/health-news/5-amazing-hair-care-tips-for-this-winter_19526.html

Tips for a healthy Halloween

Healthy and Halloween aren’t two words you usually hear together, but here are some guidelines to help you and your family have a fun-filled Halloween without sacrificing healthy principles. These simple strategies will help you before and after trick-or-treating.

• Make sure you and your family eat a filling snack or dinner before going trick-or-treating so your children won’t be tempted to eat candy before getting home.

• When you arrive home, check the treats to make sure they haven’t been tampered with. Look for opened wrappers and discard anything suspicious.

• Have your children sort their candy and take pictures of them with all their loot. For younger children, make a counting game out of it. Ask them how many of each type of candy bar they have.

• Do not let children store their bag of candy in their rooms. Keep it in the kitchen to discourage mindless eating.

• Place chocolate bars in the freezer to help them keep fresh longer. Frozen candy takes longer to eat, so children can’t eat them too quickly.

• Eat trick-or-treat candy over several days as a snack or dessert. Try to limit the amount of candy eaten in one setting.

• Instead of giving out candy, opt for small toys or healthy treats. Ideas include small boxes of raisins, fruit roll-ups, granola bars, packages of popcorn, sugar-free gum, stickers, washable tattoos, yo-yos, rubber spiders, or balloons. If you must give out chocolate, opt for dark-chocolate varieties for its antioxidant properties.

• Have you and your child make an art project with their Halloween candy. Mosaics of your child’s favorite animal, TV character, cartoon character or sport can be made with glue and leftover candy. Be creative!

• Host or attend an all-ages Halloween party. Focus the attention on fun while shifting it away from candy. Have relay games (3-legged race, wheelbarrow, etc.), a costume party contest with non-food prizes, decorate pumpkins, or carve Jack-O-Lanterns, go apple-bobbin, serve healthy snacks, and let the children “trick” the adults.

Happy Halloween!

Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Source  http://richmondregister.com/lifestylescommunity/x905914360/Tips-for-a-healthy-Halloween

Obama Focuses On 'Outrage Of Human Trafficking'

Saying it "must be called by its true name, 'modern slavery,' " President Obama this afternoon used his address before the Clinton Global Initiative to focus on "the outrage of human trafficking."

When a man is "working, toiling for little or no pay and [is] beaten if he tries to escape, that is slavery," Obama said.

"When a woman is locked in a sweat shop or trapped in a home as a domestic servant ... that is slavery."

And when children are forced into militias or when "a little girl is sold by her impoverished family — girls my daughters' age — ... and then imprisoned in a brothel or tortured if she resists, that is slavery," he added.

As the president spoke, the White House sent reporters a recap of the administration's "efforts to eliminate human trafficking" and some details on new initiatives, including:

— "Providing human trafficking training and guidance to federal prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and immigration judges; to commercial transportation officials; to state and local law enforcement partners; and to state workforce agencies and educators."

— Expanding "services and legal assistance to victims of trafficking" and a partnership with Humanity United "with support from the Goldman Sachs Foundation, to launch $6 million in Partnership for Freedom Innovation Awards to challenge local communities to develop collaborative and comprehensive solutions to help trafficking victims."

— "An executive order that outlines prohibitions on trafficking-related activities that will apply to all federal contractors and subcontractors, requires compliance measures for large overseas contracts and subcontracts, and provides federal agencies with additional tools to foster compliance."

"American tax dollars should never be used to support the trafficking of human beings," Obama said to audience at former President Clinton's forum in New York City.

He's also pointed to a website, SlaveryFootprint.org, where there's information about human trafficking.

Earlier today, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney spoke to the forum. Our post on his address is here: Romney Touts 'Prosperity Pacts' To Help Middle East, Developing Nations.

The president also spoke to the U.N. General Assembly today: Obama: Those Like Slain U.S. Ambassador Must Determine World's Future.

Source  http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/09/25/161748574/obama-focuses-on-outrage-of-human-trafficking

TRC?Class Offers Health Tips

A class being offered through The Resource Center seeks to help area residents with chronic conditions learn how to lead healthy lives.

The class is called "Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions" and is being offered in collaboration with P2 Collaborative of Western New York Inc., an organization dedicated to improving the health of people living in the region. The course is "an evidence-based program created by Stanford University that helps individuals better manage their chronic health conditions such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes," according to the program flyer.

The class is being taught by Leanna Luka-Conley, The Resource Center's director of social services, and Christina Rosengren, The Resource Center's care management integration specialist, who took the opportunity to do facilitator training for the class so it could be offered through The Resource Center. The class teaches self-management for people living with chronic conditions, caregivers, and friends and family of people with chronic conditions. The curriculum teaches participants about chronic diseases, as well as how these conditions interconnect with other areas of life such as diet, exercise, emotions, and general health.

"It's trying to get people the skills to be more equipped on developing action plans that are going to meet their needs," Ms. Luka-Conley said. "I think sometimes in society, we create action plans like, 'New Year's resolution - I'm going to go on a diet and lose 50 pounds,' and usually when we set up goals like this, we're more apt to fail at them. Creating achievable action plans, broken down into specific steps, creates better chances for success."

She said the class teaches people more about their chronic diseases and how to manage them on their own. Both women said that patient-driven care is where the health care field is headed.

"This is something that we're looking at - giving them the tools to manage their own life and symptoms and be able to ask questions," Ms. Luka-Conley said. "This really is putting a whole, new spin on the system of care. Everybody's accountable by becoming an integrated system, and some of these workshops are assisting people with self-management tools to get to the next level of really understanding what it means to be the driver of your health care."

One of the reasons the two women became facilitators for the class was so that people supported by The Resource Center could become aware of the program.

"We use our site because we're hoping to engage many individuals from our Primary Care Center into self-management programs," Ms. Luka-Conley said. "Many individuals are taking the steps to move out into the community from TRC group home settings and need to know how to become involved in their health care plans and know how to manage their symptoms."

Participants in the class are paired with another peer to keep each other accountable in meeting their goals and staying on track of their action plans. This not only makes the classmates accountable to one another, but it also helps them form natural friendships and supports. Participants are referred to the class through a primary care physician or an insurance company, but not everyone in the class has to have a chronic disease.

"You don't have to be living with a chronic disease to take the class," Ms. Rosengren said. "A loved one or a friend could have a chronic condition, [or] you could be a caregiver."

Ms. Luka-Conley added, "They really encourage caregivers to be a part of the health care plan. My goal is to see this program agency wide because this is important for us, especially with people moving out in the community."

Anyone interested in learning more about the class may contact Ms. Luka-Conley at 661-1059 or Ms. Rosengren at 485-4681. Those interested can also call their primary care doctor or insurance company to be referred to the class.

The next class sessions offered through The Resource Center will be held from noon to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays from Sept. 27 to Nov. 1 and from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays from Nov. 8 to Dec. 20. Both classes will be held in The Resource Center's Carl Cappa building at 880 E. Second St., Jamestown.

Source  http://post-journal.com/page/content.detail/id/609842/TRC-Class-Offers-Health-Tips.html?nav=5004