Professional Help In Real Estate For Moving | In The Kitchen

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Source: http://www.inthekitchen.org/professional-help-in-real-estate-for-moving

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Is your boss watching your cholesterol?

NEW YORK (Reuters) - If you're an employee who's looking to save money or make more of it, here's a little advice: Step away from the cigarettes and chocolate ?clairs. They might cost you - and not just in your lungs or on your hips.

That's because more companies than ever are attaching financial rewards and penalties to their employees' health. Do a wellness screening, get $50. Stop smoking, enjoy lower insurance premiums. Hit a weight or cholesterol target, get a contribution to your health savings account.

If you don't do any of those things, you get bubkes - or you might even be penalized. Workers at Wal-Mart Stores Inc pay a surcharge of $10 per pay period if they smoke, for example.

"Companies are struggling to get people more engaged in their health, and financial incentives are an increasingly important piece of that puzzle," says Tom Billet, senior consultant for human resource consulting firm Towers Watson.

Indeed, some 61 percent of employers offered wellness-related financial rewards in 2012, up from 54 percent in 2011, according to Towers Watson. And 20 percent are now assessing penalties, up from 19 percent in 2011. (See Reuters graphic, http://link.reuters.com/baq23t).

These wellness incentives have been expanding in scope rapidly. Consulting firm Aon Hewitt found that among employers offering health-based rewards, a full quarter are now attaching them to biometric outcomes like healthy blood pressure or lower body mass index. Last year, just 4 percent did so.

"I never would have expected that number to go to 25 percent so quickly," says Dr. Michael Cryer, Aon Hewitt's medical director. "But companies have been working on this for years already, getting people to know their numbers like blood pressure and weight and cholesterol. Now we're at the stage where they're encouraging employees to actively manage those numbers."

That raises troubling questions about such a nanny-like approach to employee health. Is it really your boss' business if you're gorging at buffets or running marathons? And doesn't it invoke shades of Big Brother, to be constantly monitored for things like blood pressure or glucose levels?

"It's a laudable goal to encourage employees to improve their health, but it's not clear this is the best way to go about it," says JoAnn Volk, a research professor at Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute, who co-authored a recent white paper on wellness incentives.

There are also serious legal questions, too, about health-related rewards and penalties. While they're allowed under health laws like HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), that doesn't mean companies couldn't face potential action in the courts.

"You can't penalize workers if they have a family history of a certain condition, or a particular genetic makeup," says Volk. "There are also privacy issues, depending on who's running the program and whether the information is being kept confidential. So there are a number of different legal hurdles that companies need to clear."

THE TOBACCO TEST

Such rewards and penalties are most common regarding smoking, with 35 percent of companies offering some kind of carrot or stick to get employees off tobacco, according to Towers Watson. Minneapolis-based food giant General Mills Inc gives $10 a month to employees who are tobacco-free, and has done so for years, says spokeswoman Maerenn Jepsen.

Companies typically trust employees to report their tobacco use honestly, says Jepsen. But nicotine use is easily uncovered with a simple urine test.

Of course, it's no wonder that companies are eager to whip their staffers into better physical shape. Employers are expected to spend $11,664 per employee on healthcare for 2012, according to Towers Watson, up from $10,982 last year. That's expected to rise on average in 2013 by 7 percent, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey.

Companies are obviously desperate to get those figures under control. Wal-Mart spokesman Randy Hargrove notes that smokers on average consume 25 percent more healthcare services than non-smokers. While tobacco users do face a surcharge, "We also offer a free quit-tobacco program where our associates can take advantage of a personal coach who can create a plan for them," Hargrove says.

After all, odds are a fit, non-smoking employee with a cholesterol level of 160 is going to rack up fewer healthcare costs in years to come than someone who is overweight with a blood cholesterol count of 300 milligrams per deciliter and smokes a couple of packs a day.

"One of the outcomes is that you control costs, but then you also reduce absenteeism and get higher productivity," says Mark Schmit, vice president of research for the Alexandria, Virginia-based Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). "For every dollar you invest in wellness, you get a return of $3 to $6, so there's definitely a positive effect on the bottom line."

Leery employees shouldn't be concerned about such data being used against them, say experts. HIPAA expressly forbids that, notes SHRM's Schmit. Most companies use third-party benefits providers to run such wellness programs. That creates a firewall against any health information being shared internally.

Employees who worry that the information is being misused are not totally powerless. They can complain to the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration (www.dol.gov/ebsa), or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (www.eeoc.gov), says Georgetown's Volk.

And you certainly can turn down any health screening opportunities you're presented with. But you'll likely be missing out on a growing set of financial perks.

Currently companies are allowed to assess rewards or penalties that lead to a 20 percent differential in insurance premiums. And under the Affordable Care Act, scheduled for full implementation by 2014, that's slated to go up even more, to 30 percent.

That means we can expect even more health-related rewards and penalties in the workplace. It may take some of the deliciousness out of that pulled pork sandwich or croissant if you'll be paying even more for it later.

(The author is a Reuters contributor. The opinions expressed are his own. This is part of a five-story package on employee benefits and open enrollment season.)

(Follow us @ReutersMoney or at http://www.reuters.com/finance/personal-finance; Editing by Jilian Mincer, Linda Stern and Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boss-watching-cholesterol-133115346--finance.html

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Academic achievement improved among students active in structured after-school programs

ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2012) ? School-age children who participate in structured after-school activities improve their academic achievement, according to a new study from Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

The study by researchers in SMU's Simmons School of Education and Human Development measured academic performance of students enrolled in Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas.

"Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas and other structured programs are really having a positive impact," said Ken Springer, an associate professor. "We believe that the homework support that the clubs consistently provide students may be a key factor. Now we plan to extend the study and take into account more variables."

The study looked at data on 719 students in second through eighth grade who participated in after-school activities at one of 12 clubs during the 2009-2010 academic year.

Among elementary and middle-school children who participated frequently in club activities, the researchers saw grades improve from the start of the year to the end of the year. That was especially true for elementary students. The researchers also saw improved school attendance for both age groups.

Among elementary students who participated in a greater variety of activities, the researchers observed that the students' grade point averages improved, "but only among elementary students, and only when program participation was substantial," said the authors.

Afterschool care can provide children with sense of success

Afterschool care activities can provide a child with a sense of success, even if that child isn't necessarily successful in the classroom, said Deborah Diffily, co-author on the study and an associate professor in Simmons.

"For children who live in poverty -- often those who attend Boys and Girls Clubs -- the clubs can ameliorate the pressures of poverty, such as living in an overcrowded apartment or a lack of after-school snacks," Diffily said.

The authors reported their findings in "The Relationship Between Intensity and Breadth of After-School Program Participation and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Short-Term Longitudinal Study," in the Journal of Community Psychology.

Springer and Diffily both teach within Simmons' Department of Teaching and Learning.

Study considered how frequently children participated and the volume of activities

About 15 percent of American students participate in some sort of structured, supervised program outside of school, say the authors. Another 30 percent would participate if quality programming were available, they report.

"After-school programs are increasingly viewed as a means of supporting children's physical, academic, social and behavioral development," according to Springer and Diffily. Increasingly, federal funding is tied to empirical evidence that proves programs are beneficial.

Within the scientific literature, the psychological and social benefits of programs are well-documented, the authors said. Benefits observed include better social skills, greater motivation, better classroom behavior, higher self-esteem and lower rates of criminal activity.

However, evidence of any academic benefits is mixed. Some studies show benefits for grades or achievement test scores, while others don't, said the authors. Those discrepancies have been attributed to variations in study methodologies. Rarely have studies considered intensity and breadth, as in the current study.

Boys and Girls Clubs' unique structure is comprehensive, has history of success

Springer and Diffily looked specifically at children who are members of Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas, which is part of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, one of the nation's oldest after-school programs.

A nonprofit organization, Boys and Girls Clubs of America comprises about 4,000 community-based clubs that serve more than 4 million children after school every weekday. Annual membership costs are low and cover daily access, homework support and choice of age-appropriate activities.

Each club's programs span five areas: Character and Leadership; Education and Career; Health and Life Skills; Arts; and Sports, Fitness and Recreation.

During a daily, designated homework period, staff and volunteers divide the students into groups by age and help them complete their homework.

Methodology tapped BGCGD data logged for each participant

The study relied on absences and students' grades for English, math and science from the first six weeks and the final six weeks of the school year.

Besides looking at grades and attendance, the researchers also calculated overall GPA and overall school absences.

Springer and Diffily found that the more frequent the participation, the greater the improvement in overall GPA. That correlation was stronger for elementary students, and for grades as opposed to school attendance.

Likewise, the researchers observed a positive correlation between activity and GPA. The more activities attended, the greater the increase in overall GPA among elementary students. Breadth wasn't associated with improved GPA among middle-schoolers. Also, breadth didn't impact absences for either age group.

Academic benefits may be the result of club influences or to shielding students from negative influences outside the clubs, or both, said Springer and Diffily.

"Children benefited from the clubs regardless of the extent of participation in any one program," the authors said, "but the more programs for which they attended the majority of meetings, the greater the benefits.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Southern Methodist University. The original article was written by Margaret Allen.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Ken Springer, Deborah Diffily. The Relationship Between Intensity and Breadth of After-School Program Participation and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Short-Term Longitudinal Study. Journal of Community Psychology, 2012; 40 (7): 785 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.21478

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/KoxCxG26g7k/121009121745.htm

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Major Patent Case for Monsanto (MON) to Go Before the Supreme ...

Published Wed, Oct 10th, 2012 ? Matthew Weinschenk

The patent system isn?t quite broken. But it?s in need of some serious updating. And the next five years or so of patent litigation will indicate how our current legal system adapts (or doesn?t adapt) to new technology.

Several questions are currently unanswered when it comes to patent law.

Like, what counts as a true innovation? And what sort of ideas can you actually ?own??

The answers will have big impacts on all of our lives. After all, a patent system that?s too rigid stifles innovation. But one that?s too loose can hurt profits, giving companies little incentive to create new ideas.

Finding a middle ground isn?t easy, either. As technology becomes more advanced, patent decisions are getting increasingly complex.

Here are two examples?

Patent Case #1: Myriad Genetics

Myriad Genetics (Nasdaq: MYGN) developed a revolutionary test that can determine a woman?s genetic predisposition to breast cancer by checking for mutations in two specific genes.

Myriad has a patent on this test. But some argue that this particular gene is a natural feature of the human body, one Myriad shouldn?t be able to patent. Then there?s the fact that Myriad?s patents allow it to charge high prices for its test, blocking out low-cost competitors that could otherwise help more people.

Of course, like I mentioned above, if Myriad couldn?t profit from its patents, it might never have made the discoveries in the first place.

In August, Myriad received a court decision from the Federal Circuit that, for the most part, declared Myriad?s patents valid. The court?s main reason was that ?isolated? DNA molecules don?t occur in nature.

Patent Case #2: Monsanto

Monsanto (NYSE: MON) is an agricultural science company that makes seeds for different crops, including genetically modified strains. The products are enormously popular. For example, Monsanto?s soybeans ? which are modified to be especially tolerant to pesticides ? accounted for 94% of the U.S. crop last year.*

Of course, when you plant a seed, you end up with more seeds. And saving and planting those the following year is how farmers have operated since the days of the Fertile Crescent.

The problem is, when you buy a Monsanto seed, you can?t plant the next generation of seeds without paying Monsanto.

One farmer, Vernon Hugh Bowman, is challenging that notion ? arguing for the right to use second-generation seeds without buying them from the company.

Obviously, this isn?t an open-and-shut case. There are levels of murky legal interpretations to consider. And to complicate matters more, Bowman wasn?t just buying Monsanto seeds. He was buying from a centralized grain elevator that happened to contain Monsanto seeds, along with others.

On the flip side, while some people don?t like the idea of genetically modified foods, Monsanto?s technologies have boosted agricultural yields significantly. It?s helped the industry grow to $13.5 billion in annual sales.

But can you really patent a living plant, not to mention its offspring?

The Supreme Court?s ruling will have obvious implications for the agricultural industry. But the ruling could also set important precedents that will reverberate throughout our economy.

For instance, it could affect a concept called ?patent exhaustion.? This determines whether a patent holder can maintain its rights over a technology after it?s been sold, or if its rights were exhausted by the sale.

The smart money is on Monsanto winning this case. That was the decision of the appeals court. The Obama administration supports the decision. And the current, business-friendly Supreme Court will likely go the same way.

On such merits, keeping an eye on dips in Monsanto shares ahead of the decision could generate some profits. But the longer-term effects on your portfolio ? and your life ? could be even greater.

Ahead of the tape,

Matthew Weinschenk

*We understand many people see Monsanto as an evil, corporate overlord out to destroy food. We don?t get into that here. We?re talking about the future of patents. So please, spare us your comments on Monsanto.

Source: http://www.wallstreetdaily.com/2012/10/10/major-patent-case-for-monsanto-to-go-before-the-supreme-court/

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7 Free Resources for Your Job Search | NYC Finance Jobs, Finance ...

It?s no secret that costs in New York have been creeping upward in the last few years. Even services like career counseling and career fairs can carry a weighty price tag.? But whether going through Financial Services recruiters or phoning a friend, financial job hunting doesn?t have to cost an arm and a leg.? Job seekers should take advantage of every free resource available to them in their quest for new employment?and there are quite a few.

Frustrated, one of my followers posted the following status update on Twitter: ?It seems like there?s no point in applying to jobs online.? And to a certain extent, she?s right.? Without a strategy or an insider, the odds are near impossible that you?d land a job simply by answering a generic classified (really, my HR friends all admit they weigh referred applicants higher than others). Many career coaches know that and take advantage, but you don?t need to spend money. There are better ways.

Work with a Recruiting Firm.?Not only can they give you valuable tips and help strengthen weaknesses in your application, they can be that foot in the door, that edge, that insider who somehow floats your resume to the top of hiring manager?s pile.? All reputable firms are free of charge to job seekers, but they are selective with who they choose to work with. At Wall Street Services, they receive over 200 applications each day.

Email resume to friends and family.?Friends are an obvious place to look for a new job?but it matters how you do it. HRs like to look to current employees for suggestions on job candidates.? Current employees have a good sense of the company culture and can easily tell which of their friends would thrive in such an environment.?That means your friends are the first people you need to impress (just because they?re friends with you doesn?t mean they?re impressed with you professionally). Just asking them about openings at their organization can be somewhat passive.? Why not ask and immediately follow up with a BCC-ed email that has your polished resume attached? That way, you save a step, you put your best foot forward and you show off a more proactive and attractive version of you.

Follow career-focused social media.?Career handles are the new trend on Twitter. More and more, companies are tapping into social media as a way to attract candidates to their financial services positions. Bloomberg (@BloombergCareer), New York Times (@NYTimesRecruit), Wall Street Journal (@WSJcareers), Merill Lynch (@ML_careers), Bank of America (@BofA_Careers) are just some of the notable names that have followed the trend. Wall Street Services has two accounts, one to communicate only new positions (@WSS_Jobs) and another for general news, comments and job search advice (@WallStServices). Know who you want to work for? Don?t just follow the company, follow their Career page too.

Watch Career Advice Videos.?Companies like, US News & World Report have channels on YouTube and Vimeo that provide really valuable career advice and training that is not just for those in the Financial sector. From polishing your resume, to figuring out what to do once you?ve got the interview, their counseling can help you get ahead in a down economy.

Download Free Job Search Mobile Apps.?A couple weeks ago we posted an awesome blog showing the top 5 Free Mobile Apps for your job search.? Don?t remember? Go look now!

Check your alma mater?s career office.?Even if you?ve been out of school awhile, University Career development offices offer tremendous value with their lifetime career assistance services to alumni.

Reach out to advice bloggers.?And finally, there are us bloggers.? People who write advice columns like these are likely to have a good bit of knowledge about job hunting themselves, or at least have connections to people who can help you.? When in doubt, post a comment or send a message. We don?t bite!

Got any other free tips? Let us know!

By Abena G., Wall Street Services Reporter

Source: http://www.wallstreetservices.com/blog/7-free-resources-for-your-job-search

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Today in History

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/today-history-050206767.html

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Scientists show oil palm plantations are clearing carbon-rich tropical forests in Borneo

Expanding production of palm oil, a common ingredient in processed foods, soaps and personal care products, is driving rainforest destruction and massive carbon dioxide emissions, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford and Yale universities.

The study, published online Oct. 7 in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows that deforestation for the development of oil palm plantations in Indonesian Borneo is becoming a globally significant source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Plantation expansion is projected to contribute more than 558 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2020 ? an amount greater than all of Canada's current fossil fuel emissions.

Indonesia is the leading producer of palm and palm kernel oil, which together account for more than 30 percent of the world's vegetable oil use, and which can be used for biodiesel. Most of Indonesia's oil palm plantation expansion is occurring on the island of Borneo, also known as Kalimantan, which occupies a land area nearly the size California and Florida combined. Plantation leases, covering 32 percent of Kalimantan's lowlands outside of protected areas, represent a major land bank that is slated for development over the next decade, according to the study.

In 2010 alone, land-clearing for oil palm plantations in Kalimantan emitted more than 140 million metric tons of carbon dioxide ? an amount equivalent to annual emissions from about 28 million vehicles.

Home to the world's third-largest tropical forest area, Indonesia is also one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gasses, due to rapid loss of carbon-rich forests and peatlands. Since 1990, development of oil palm plantations has cleared about 16,000 square kilometers of Kalimantan's primary and logged forested lands ? an area about the size of Hawaii. This accounts for 60 percent of Kalimantan's total forest cover loss in that time, according to the study's authors.

"Despite contentious debate over the types and uses of lands slated for oil palm plantations, the sector has grown rapidly over the past 20 years," said project leader Lisa M. Curran, a professor of ecological anthropology at Stanford and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. By combining field measurements with analyses of high-resolution satellite images, the study evaluated lands targeted for plantations and documented their carbon emissions when converted to oil palm.

The study's researchers generated the first comprehensive maps of oil palm plantation expansion from 1990 to 2010. Using cutting-edge classification technology, developed by study co-author Gregory Asner from the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology, researchers quantified the types of land cleared for oil palm plantations, as well as carbon emissions and sequestration from oil palm agriculture.

"A major breakthrough occurred when we were able to discern not only forests and non-forested lands, but also logged forests, as well as mosaics of rice fields, rubber stands, fruit gardens and mature secondary forests used by smallholder farmers for their livelihoods," said Kimberly Carlson, a Yale doctoral student and lead author of the study. "With this information, we were able to develop robust carbon bookkeeping accounts to quantify carbon emissions from oil palm development."

The research team gathered oil palm land lease records during interviews with local and regional governmental agencies. These records identify locations that have received approval and are allocated to oil palm companies. The total allocated leases spanned about 120,000 square kilometers, an area slightly smaller than Greece. Most leases in the study occupied more than 100 square kilometers, an area slightly larger than Manhattan.

Using these leases in combination with land cover maps, the team estimated future land-clearing and carbon emissions from plantations. Eighty percent of leases remained unplanted in 2010. If all of these leases were developed, more than a third of Kalimantan's lowlands would be planted with oil palm by 2020.

Despite these large numbers, accurate information about leases is not readily available for public review and oversight, even after the leases are granted. The average Kalimantan resident is unaware of plans for local oil palm development, which can have dramatic effects on residents' livelihoods and environment, Curran said.

"These plantation leases are an unprecedented 'grand-scale experiment' replacing forests with exotic palm monocultures," said Curran. "We may see tipping points in forest conversion where critical biophysical functions are disrupted, leaving the region increasingly vulnerable to droughts, fires and floods."

Combined with results generated from their more detailed district-level study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers emphasize that sustainably producing palm oil ? a stated goal of the Indonesian palm oil industry ? will require re-evaluation of awarded oil palm plantation leases located on forested lands.

More information: "Carbon Emissions from Forest Conversion by Kalimantan Oil Palm Plantations," Nature Climate Change, 2012.

Journal reference: Nature Climate Change

Provided by Stanford University

Source: http://phys.org/news268836550.html

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