Monthly Archives: October 2012

City of New Orleans Receives World Tourism Award from World Travel Market in London

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City of New Orleans, Jorie Butler Kent, and Oman Sail were named the 2012 World Tourism honorees at Corinthia Hotels New York press breakfast. Award will be presented at the World Travel Market in London on November 5, 2012.

New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) October 07, 2012

This is a tremendous honor for the city and testament to the more than 74,000 New Orleanians who work in the cultural economy. Despite all that our city has endured, the word is out that we are still one of the best and most unique destinations on the planet for a vibrant, unforgettable experience, said Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

The awards, said to celebrate extraordinary vision and leadership, will be presented on November 5, 2012 at the Excel Centre on the opening day of World Travel Market in London. Each honoree will be presented with an exquisite Baccarat Crystal shooting star, created by David Tisdale.

President/CEO Mark Romig of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation represented the city at the October 1 breakfast and said, New Orleans is honored to be singled out for its successful efforts in overcoming both Hurricane Katrina and the Deep Water Horizon oil spill. Our city has come back stronger than ever and our visitors are returning in larger numbers each year to enjoy our authentic food, music, and culture.

The other winners are Jorie Butler Kent, Vice Chairman of Abercrombie & Kent and Founder & President, Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy; and Oman Sail. All three distinguished 2012 honorees are being recognized for their commitment to sustainable tourism, contributions to tourism development, and for transforming tourism to overcome challenging times.

Mr. Simon Naudi, CEO of Corinthia Hotels said New Orleans was chosen in recognition for its extraordinary success in the transformation and rebirth of the tourism industry post-Katrina and in the wake of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill, spurring new economic growth and jobs, to make tourism New Orleans largest industry once again.

In addition to Corinthia Hotels, other sponsors include American Express, International Herald Tribune and Reed Travel Exhibitions.

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About The World Tourism Award

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City of New Orleans Receives World Tourism Award from World Travel Market in London

Value Added: D.C.’s travel queen talks about building her $1 billion business

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Gloria Bohan is where I would like to be when I reach age 70.

She is the founder and president of a 524-employee travel agency based in Fairfax City, Omega World Travel, which she built with her late husband, Dan.

(Dayna Smith/For The Washington Post) - Bohan built Omega from scratch, starting with a small office in Fredericksburg. It now bills more than $1 billion in travel and has offices from London to its headquarters in Fairfax.

Dan Keating, Scott Higham, Kimberly Kindy and David S. Fallis

Wealthiest third of lawmakers were largely immune from recession, Post investigation reveals.

Brad Plumer

Here's our primer on what that means--and why it might not work.

Im writing about her because I just passed my 57th birthday, and as I think about a path forward, I was energized by Bohan, her engagement with her surroundings, pride in the company she created and her continued appetite for work.

Bohan sat next to me last week at the Washington Nationals game (my seats), poking her iPhone as she answered e-mails between reminiscences about her childhood in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where she developed a romantic fascination with the cruise ships steaming through New York Harbor.

Omega World Travel which she built through scrappy persistence is nicely profitable, allowing her a comfortable life in leafy McLean and a place in New Yorks Hamptons.

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Value Added: D.C.’s travel queen talks about building her $1 billion business

Oakland University Stem Cell Conference Talks Cures

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ROCHESTER At least 300 people attended the weekends Second Midwest Conference On Stem Cell Biology and Therapy Friday through Sunday at Oakland University.

The event was held at Oaklands brand-new health sciences building, which has been certified LEED Platinum for its energy saving, Earth-friendly technology.

The event featured presentations on both regenerative uses of stem cells, and ways in which stem cells may be used to prevent the growth and spread of cancer.

Kicking off the event was Mick Perez-Cruet, M.D., of the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, who offered his research on successful stem-cell based treatment of spinal degenerative disorders so far, on laboratory rabbits.

Officials with the event say stem cell based cures for diseases ranging from incontinence to macular degeneration are in the laboratory stages, and that the science is moving quickly toward treatments.

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Oakland University Stem Cell Conference Talks Cures

SpaceX Dragon set to blast off to space station

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) A privately owned rocket was poised to blast off Sunday night on the first of a dozen space station supply missions under a mega-contract with NASA.

It will be the second time that the California-based SpaceX company tries to launch a Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.

Last May, a test flight went well. Now the real work is about to begin under a $1.6 billion contract between NASA and SpaceX. This will be the first of 12 resupply missions under that contract.

"Are you ready to hear the (hash)Dragon roar!" SpaceX said in a Twitter update.

SpaceX raised the Falcon rocket, vertically, at its launch pad Sunday afternoon in advance of the 8:25 p.m. liftoff. Forecasters said there's a 40 percent chance that storm clouds or rain could interfere. The good news was that a piece of space junk was no longer threatening the orbiting lab, and NASA could focus entirely on the delivery mission.

NASA is counting on private business to restock the space station, now that the shuttles have retired to museums.

This newest Dragon will carry up about 1,000 pounds of food, clothes, experiments and equipment. The three space station residents will get a frozen treat when the capsule arrives later in the week: chocolate vanilla swirl ice cream.

Even more cargo will come back when the Dragon parachutes into the Pacific at the end of October.

None of the Russian, European or Japanese cargo ships can bring anything back; they're destroyed during re-entry.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX owned by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk is working to convert its unmanned Dragon capsules into vessels that could carry astronauts to the space station in three years. Other U.S. companies also are vying to carry crews. Americans must ride Russian rockets to orbit in the meantime, for a steep price.

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SpaceX Dragon set to blast off to space station

SpaceX to launch cargo ship for space station delivery

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida A privately owned rocket was poised to blast off Sunday night on the first of a dozen space station supply missions under a mega-contract with NASA.

It will be the second time that the California-based SpaceX company tries to launch a Dragon capsule to the International Space Station.

Last May, a test flight went well. Now the real work is about to begin under a $1.6 billion contract between NASA and SpaceX. This will be the first of 12 resupply missions under that contract.

"Are you ready to hear the (hash)Dragon roar!" SpaceX said in a Twitter update.

SpaceX raised the Falcon rocket, vertically, at its launch pad Sunday afternoon in advance of the 8:25 p.m. liftoff. Forecasters said there's a 40 percent chance that storm clouds or rain could interfere. The good news was that a piece of space junk was no longer threatening the orbiting lab, and NASA could focus entirely on the delivery mission.

NASA is counting on private business to restock the space station, now that the shuttles have retired to museums.

This newest Dragon will carry up about 1,000 pounds of food, clothes, experiments and equipment. The three space station residents will get a frozen treat when the capsule arrives later in the week: chocolate vanilla swirl ice cream.

Even more cargo will come back when the Dragon parachutes into the Pacific at the end of October.

None of the Russian, European or Japanese cargo ships can bring anything back; they're destroyed during re-entry.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX -- owned by PayPal co-founder Elon Musk -- is working to convert its unmanned Dragon capsules into vessels that could carry astronauts to the space station in three years. Other U.S. companies also are vying to carry crews. Americans must ride Russian rockets to orbit in the meantime, for a steep price.

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SpaceX to launch cargo ship for space station delivery

Private SpaceX Cargo Ship Launching 'New Era' for Space Station Today

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This story was updated at 5 p.m. ET.

An unmanned private spacecraft all set to launch the first commercial delivery to the International Space Station tonight (Oct. 7), marking a major shift in how NASA sends supplies and gear to the orbiting lab.

The gumdrop-shaped Dragon space capsule built by the private spaceflight company SpaceX is poised to blast off from a pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to begin a three-day voyage to the space station. SpaceX raised the Falcon 9 rocket that will boost the Dragon capsule spaceward into launch position this afternoon. Liftoff is set for 8:35 p.m. EDT (0035 Monday GMT) and the weather forecast looks favorable for launch, NASA officials said.

"Tomorrow's SpaceX launch begins a new era for spaceflight and the International Space Station," Sam Scimemi, NASA's space station director, said in a briefing Saturday (Oct. 6). "These flights are critical to the space station's sustainment and to help begin its full utilization."

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft will launch nearly 1,000 pounds (453 kilograms) of cargo for astronauts living on the space station. The crew plans to welcome the spacecraft on Wednesday (Oct. 10) by grappling it with a robotic arm and attaching it to the station.

The mission is the first of at least 12 cargo runs for NASA that SpaceX will perform under a $1.6 billion deal to deliver 20 metric tons of supplies to the station for the U.S. space agency. [SpaceX's Dragon Poised to Sunday Launch (Photos)]

SpaceX is also working to upgrade the Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rockets to launch seven-astronaut crews into orbit. The spacecraft was designed from the start to enable future crewed flights, according to SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who founded the company in 2002.

With NASA's space shuttle fleet retired, the space agency is depending on commercial spacecraft like SpaceX's Dragon capsules to ferry cargo and eventually astronauts into and from low-Earth orbit. The agency is outsourcing those services to commercial companies while developing its own new rocket and spacecraft for deep-space exploration.

What goes up can come down

SpaceX is one of two companies with contracts to provide cargo shipments to the space station for NASA. The other firm, the Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp., has a $1.9 billion deal for station resupply flights using its new Antares rocket and unmanned Cygnus spacecraft. Of the two companies, only SpaceX's Dragon is capable of returning cargo to Earth for retrieval.

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Private SpaceX Cargo Ship Launching 'New Era' for Space Station Today

SpaceX set to launch with cargo for International Space Station

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The first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station is set to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center Sunday evening.From the space station crew's standpoint, some of the most precious cargo could well be ice cream.

The first commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station is set to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida Sunday evening kicking off a series of at least 12 resupply missions NASA has ordered up under a $1.6-billion contract with Space Exploration Technologies, based in Hawthorne, Calif.

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The mission, utilizing SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket topped with the company's cargo-carrying Dragon capsule, follows on the heels of a successful test flight to the space station in May.

During that mission, Dragon delivered just over 1,000 pounds of cargo that NASA officials said wouldn't represent a significant set-back for the space-station program if something went wrong during the mission. This time, Dragon is carrying 882 pounds (nearly a ton when packaging is included) of more-precious cargo: experiments and hardware for the US, European, and Japanese laboratories; additional components needed to maintain the station; and crew supplies.

IN PICTURES: Launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket

From the space station crew's standpoint, some of the most precious of all the cargo could well be ice cream Dragon is bringing up not the freeze-dried kind, but real ice cream, kept in a new lab freezer Dragon will deliver. It's part of a shipment of "bonus food" the space agency periodically sends. The freezer is designed to preserve samples from biology and life-science experiments running on the station for return to Earth.

Indeed, Dragon's ability to return cargo to Earth is unique among the unmanned cargo craft the station's international partners provide. NASA's space shuttles were the only other vehicles able to do this. But NASA flew its final shuttle mission in July 2011, and the orbiters now are museum pieces.

All of the other cargo craft operating, as well as the capsule a second US company is building to supply commercial cargo service for NASA, become trash incinerators once they leave the station. They and the refuse they carry burn up on reentry.

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SpaceX set to launch with cargo for International Space Station

First commercial flight to ISS set to take off

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NASA

Controllers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center spent Sunday preparing for the first commercial cargo flight to the International Space Station, readying a SpaceX rocket for an evening launch.

The Falcon 9 rocket with its unmanned Dragon capsule is scheduled for liftoff at 8:35 p.m. if the weather holds. It will be the first of a dozen NASA-contracted flights to resupply the International Space Station, at a total cost of $1.6 billion.

The scheduled launch comes nearly five months after a demonstration mission in which a Dragon capsule successfully berthed at the station and returned to Earth. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the mission slated to start Sunday evening isn't "substantially different" from that flight, "with the exception that we got there once."

"We demonstrated we could do it, so there might be a teeny, teeny bit of relaxation," Shotwell told reporters Saturday night. "Not a lot, though."

The unmanned capsule will be packed with about 1,000 pounds of cargo -- everything from low-sodium food kits to clothing and computer hard drives. It's slated to return in late October with about 2,000 pounds, including scientific experiments and failed equipment that can be repaired and sent back, ISS Program Manager Mike Suffredini said.

"These flights are critical to the space station's sustainment and to begin full utilization of the space station for research and technology development," he said.

If the launch goes off on time Sunday, the Dragon spacecraft will catch up with the Space Station early Wednesday morning. Station Commander Sunita Williams and Aki Hoshide from the Japanese Space Agency will use the robotic arm to grab Dragon and berth it to the station.

Much of Dragon's cargo is material to support extensive experimentation aboard the space station. One deals with plant growth. Plants on Earth use about 50% of their energy for support to overcome gravity. Researchers want to understand how the genes that control that process would operate in microgravity -- when objects are in free-fall in space. Down the road, that could benefit food supplies here on the planet.

The spacecraft is also carrying nearly two dozen microgravity experiments designed and being flown through the Student Experiment Spaceflight Program. More than 100 students and teachers and family members will be at Cape Canaveral for the launch.

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First commercial flight to ISS set to take off

SpaceX cargo ship primed for first operational station flight

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After two successful test flights, SpaceX is set to launch an unmanned Dragon cargo ship loaded with a half-ton of the supplies -- including ice cream -- to the International Space Station.

An unmanned cargo capsule built by SpaceX under a $1.6 billion commercial contract with NASA was prepared for launch Sunday on its first operational flight to the International Space Station, a milestone mission intended to restore the agency's ability to deliver critical components and supplies to the lab complex and to bring hardware and experiment samples back to Earth.

The Dragon capsule, perched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, was scheduled for liftoff from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:35 p.m. EDT, roughly the moment Earth's rotation carries the pad into the plane of the space station's orbit. Forecasters predicted a 60 percent chance of acceptable weather, improving to 80 percent "go" Monday and Tuesday.

During a test flight in May, a SpaceX Dragon capsule successfully rendezvoused with the International Space Station. The first operational cargo flight of a SpaceX capsule is scheduled for launch Sunday.

Launched into an initially elliptical orbit with a high point of 202 miles and a low point of around 124 miles, the solar-powered spacecraft will carry out a complex computer-orchestrated series of rendezvous rocket firings to catch up with the space station early Wednesday.

If all goes well, station commander Sunita Williams and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide will use the lab's robot arm to grapple the Dragon capsule around 7:22 a.m. Wednesday, maneuvering it to a berthing at the Earth-facing port of the forward Harmony module.

Over the next three weeks or so, the station crew will unload a half ton of equipment and supplies, including experiment hardware, a freezer, spare parts, clothing and food. Taking advantage of the freezer, ice cream was included, a rare treat for space crews.

As the capsule is unloaded, the astronauts plan to stow nearly a ton of no-longer needed gear, failed components, and experiment samples that, until now, have had no way to get back to Earth. Again using the robot arm, Williams and Hoshide plan to unberth the capsule on October 28 for re-entry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the southern coast of California.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule is the only space station cargo craft designed to safely return to Earth, a critical capability that was lost when NASA's space shuttle fleet was retired in 2011. The Russian Soyuz spacecraft that ferry crews to and from the space station can only carry a few hundred pounds of small items back to Earth. All other station vehicles -- unmanned Russian Progress supply ships and European and Japanese cargo craft -- burn up during re-entry.

"The SpaceX Dragon is a really important vehicle for us because it supports the laboratory use of ISS, both in bringing cargo up to the space station and in bringing research samples home," said Julie Robinson, the space station program scientist at NASA Headquarters.

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SpaceX cargo ship primed for first operational station flight

SpaceX rocket launch visible from US East Coast tonight

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Skywatchers in the eastern United States have an opportunity to spot the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on an International Space Station resupply flight on Sunday night, weather permitting.

Space news from NBCNews.com

The first-ever year-long mission to the International Space Station will launch in 2015 and feature an American-Russian crew, NASA revealed Friday.

The night launch will mark the fourth flight of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, a privately built booster that has made three successful flights since 2010. The rocket will be carrying the gumdrop-shaped Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. In May the Dragon capsule became the first U.S. spacecraft to reach the space station since NASA's last space shuttle flight departed in July 2011.

To reach the space station, the Falcon 9 rocket must be launched when Earth's rotation carries the launch pad into the plane of the station's orbit. That will happen on Sunday at 8:35 p.m. EDT at Launch Complex 40, SpaceX's launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

As has been the case with space shuttle launches to the space station, Sunday's liftoff will bring the Falcon 9 rocket's path nearly parallel to the U.S. East Coast. It is expected that the glow created by the rocket's Merlin 1C liquid propellant rocket engines should be visible in varying degrees along much of the Eastern seaboard.

[ SpaceX's Dragon Poised to Sunday Launch (Photos) ]

The Falcon 9 rocket launches into orbit using two stages. The first stage utilizes nine Merlin 1C engines which will burn for three minutes, then shuts down. Five seconds later the first and second stages will separate.

Seven seconds later the second stage, which utilizes just one engine will be fired and will burn for six minutes and two seconds. The Dragon space capsule will then separate from the second stage and head into orbit.

So while the first stage should create a fairly conspicuous bright light in the sky, the second stage will likely be considerably dimmer.

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SpaceX rocket launch visible from US East Coast tonight

Astronaut Ice Cream Launching to Space Station

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Ice cream is blasting off for the crew of the International Space Station (ISS).

The frozen confectionery not the freeze-dried souvenir version sold in museum gift shops is packed on board the first NASA-contracted commercial mission to resupply the orbiting laboratory.

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The Commercial Resupply Services-1 (CRS-1) mission is scheduled to lift off on a Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday (Oct. 7) at 8:35 p.m. EDT (0035 GMT Oct. 8) from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The ice cream, which is now a not-so-secret surprise for the station's current three member crew, was confirmed as on board SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule by NASA after a pre-launch press conference Saturday (Oct. 6) raised the possibility that it was included.

"We talked about flying ice cream," said NASA's manager for the space station program, Michael Suffredini. "We try to bring up what we call 'bonus food' for the crew, and this is one of those flights that will have that." (Space Food Photos: What Astronauts Eat in Orbit)

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GLACIER goodies

The vanilla with swirled chocolate sauce ice cream cups won't melt on their three-day journey to the space station thanks to a freezer on board the Dragon capsule.

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Astronaut Ice Cream Launching to Space Station

NASA | X-ray Nova Reveals a New Black Hole in Our Galaxy – Video

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05-10-2012 13:04 On Sept. 16, NASA's Swift satellite detected a rising tide of high-energy X-rays from a source toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy. The outburst, produced by a rare X-ray nova, announced the presence of a previously unknown stellar-mass black hole. An X-ray nova is a short-lived X-ray source that appears suddenly, reaches its emission peak in a few days and then fades out over a period of months. The outburst arises when a torrent of stored gas suddenly rushes toward one of the most compact objects known, either a neutron star or a black hole. Named Swift J1745-26 after the coordinates of its sky position, the nova is located a few degrees from the center of our galaxy toward the constellation Sagittarius. While astronomers do not know its precise distance, they think the object resides about 20000 to 30000 light-years away in the galaxy's inner region. The pattern of X-rays from the nova signals that the central object is a black hole. Ground-based observatories detected infrared and radio emissions, but thick clouds of obscuring dust have prevented astronomers from catching Swift J1745-26 in visible light. The black hole must be a member of a low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) system, which includes a normal, sun-like star. A stream of gas flows from the normal star and enters into a storage disk around the black hole. In most LMXBs, the gas in the disk spirals inward, heats up as it heads toward the black hole, and produces a steady stream of X-rays. But under certain ...

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NASA | X-ray Nova Reveals a New Black Hole in Our Galaxy - Video

Astronomers Spot Sudden Black Hole Flare Up – Video

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05-10-2012 18:39 Astronomers using NASA's Swift satellite recently detected a rise in high-energy X-rays from a source toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy. The outburst, produced by a rare X-ray nova, came from a previously unknown stellar-mass black hole. An X-ray nova is a short-lived X-ray source that appears suddenly, reaches its emission peak in a few days and then fades out over a period of months. The outburst arises when a torrent of stored gas suddenly rushes toward one of the most compact objects known, either a neutron star or a black hole. The rapidly brightening source triggered Swift's Burst Alert Telescope twice on the morning of Sept. 16, and once again the next day. Named Swift J1745-26 after the coordinates of its sky position, the nova is located a few degrees from the center of our galaxy toward the constellation Sagittarius. While astronomers do not know its precise distance, they think the object resides about 20000 to 30000 light-years away in the galaxy's inner region. Ground-based observatories detected infrared and radio emissions, but thick clouds of obscuring dust have prevented astronomers from catching Swift J1745-26 in visible light.

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Astronomers Spot Sudden Black Hole Flare Up - Video

NASA Offers Opportunities For Biological Research On ISS

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Sun, Oct 07, 2012

NASA invites scientists from around the country to submit proposals to perform biological research aboard the International Space Station. The NASA Research Announcement (NRA), "Research Opportunities in Space Biology," opened Sept. 30.

This NRA challenges scientists to propose experiments that could provide answers to questions about how life adapts and responds to microgravity. Selected investigators will have the opportunity to take advantage of new cell, plant and animal research facilities being developed for the space station. Proposals should demonstrate benefits to astronauts living and working in the harsh environment of space during long-duration missions. They also should improve medicine and health care for humans on Earth.

The NRA also focuses on ground-based research designed to lead to new space biology investigations aboard the orbiting laboratory. The investigations should use microgravity and other characteristics of the space environment effectively to enhance our understanding of basic biological processes and develop the scientific and technological foundations for a safe, productive human presence in space for extended periods in preparation for exploration beyond low Earth orbit. The investigations should apply this knowledge and technology to improve the nation's competitiveness, education and quality of life.

NASA's selection of research projects is guided by recommendations from the National Research Council's 2011 Decadal Survey Report, "Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era." The NASA-developed "Fundamental Space Biology Science Plan" provides an implementation strategy and roadmap based on available flight and fiscal resources.

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NASA Offers Opportunities For Biological Research On ISS

NASA discovers new black hole in Milky Way

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Washington, Oct 7:

NASAs Swift satellite has found evidence of the presence of a previously unknown stellar-mass black hole in our Milky Way galaxy.

Named Swift J1745-26 after the coordinates of its sky position, the nova is located a few degrees from the centre of our galaxy towards the constellation Sagittarius, NASA said.

While astronomers do not know its precise distance, they think the object resides about 20,000 to 30,000 light-years away in the galaxys inner region.

The satellite detected a rising tide of high-energy X-rays from a source toward the centre of Milky Way and the outburst, produced by a rare X-ray nova, announced the presence of the black hole.

Bright X-ray novae are so rare that theyre essentially once-a-mission events and this is the first one Swift has seen, said Neil Gehrels, the missions principal investigator, at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center.

This is really something weve been waiting for, Gehrels said.

An X-ray nova is a short-lived X-ray source that appears suddenly, reaches its emission peak in a few days and then fades out over a period of months.

The outburst arises when a torrent of stored gas suddenly rushes toward one of the most compact objects known, either a neutron star or a black hole.

Ground-based observatories detected infrared and radio emissions, but thick clouds of obscuring dust have prevented astronomers from catching Swift J1745-26 in visible light.

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NASA discovers new black hole in Milky Way

Tone Up: Medicine ball workout

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Medicine balls provide a great workout for those looking for something a little different from machines or even free weights. In the video below, Marcie Fraser shows how to use medicine balls to work the upper body, while also getting the lower body involved.

To view our videos, you need to enable JavaScript. Learn how. install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now. Then come back here and refresh the page.

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Tone Up: Medicine ball workout

Rajasthan's free medicine scheme benefits 200,000 people daily

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Jaipur, Oct 7 (IANS) The free medicine scheme launched by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot a year ago on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary Oct 2 has seen a footfall of 70 million people at the distribution centres, officials said Sunday.

"Two lakh (200,000) people take advantage of this scheme every day. Some patients have benefitted more than once. They are being given free essential medicines at 15,355 medicine distribution centres and in all the government hospitals," a senior official said.

Rajasthan has a population of 68.6 million people, and is the first to run the free medicine scheme on such a large scale, the official claimed.

"In the second year of the scheme, the state government has allocated Rs.300 crore. The chief minister has also directed that the number of distribution centres and the medicines being given under the scheme also be increased."

Nearly 400 types of generic drugs and surgical items are available for free distribution under the existing scheme. These drugs are provided free of charge to patients at primary healthcare centres, community healthcare centres, district hospitals and medical colleges, officials said.

Apart from the free medicine, the government is also planning to make free diagnostic tests at the hospitals run by it.

Chief Minister Gehlot has already assured that there would not be any problem in financing any health-related scheme. "If the people are given free medicines and good care, their trust in government hospitals will increase," the chief minister said recently.

Addressing a workshop recently, he also said that the results of the scheme were very encouraging and the central government was planning to implement the scheme across the country based on the success of the Rajasthan model.

The number of patients visiting government-run hospitals has gone by up by almost 50 percent in the last one year, largely due to the free medicine scheme. The chief minister also recently launched a helpline to prove information about the scheme.

"Every member of the society is eligible. The poor are given priority. Persons below the poverty line and weaker sections can shed their worries over healthcare expenses," a health department official said.

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Rajasthan's free medicine scheme benefits 200,000 people daily

Voters will consider tax hike for Austin medical school

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In a few weeks voters in Travis County will consider a plan to increase property taxes to help run a proposed medical school.

It's a medical over haul that promises a lot for Austin and Travis County. Thursday morning, a coalition of women's health care advocates gathered to endorse ballot Proposition number 1.

"While it cost to ramp up health care we can learn from other communities that access to housing and health care eventually drives down the cost related to emergency medicines to jail beds and to ems services, and it drives up earned income," said Ann Howard with Austin ECHO.

If Prop 1 is approved, the health district property tax would increase to 5-cents- per $100. For property valued at $214,000, which is about the average amount in Travis County, the annual district tax bill would go to $276. That breaks down to just over $20 a month.

The money raised, about $50 million a year, would help fund operating expenses for a medical school. The new complex near UMC Brackenridge would be operated by the University of Texas and the Seton Healthcare System.

Along with promising a healthy community, supporters say the medical school will be a major economic engine, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

Juanita Stephens, a financial advisor and member of a women's business support group, believes owners of small companies will be able to tap into an employment ripple effect.

"It broadens your horizon if you can think of anything a hospital needs our want go and provide it that's how it provides jobs here," said Stephens.

With businesses closed and others struggling to stay open, there are those who are opposed to Prop 1 that say it's just the wrong time to pass a new tax.

Many signs have been put up by the Travis County Taxpayer's Union opposing the proposition.

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Voters will consider tax hike for Austin medical school

Libertarian Party candidate gets 4% in recent poll

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Reuters

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said he's not concerned that Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson will tip the scales in November.

"In fact, I see that it's almost a nonfactor," Priebus said on CNN's "State of the Union."

With the presidential race in a statistical dead heat, Johnson's presence on the ballot could influence the horse race in crucial battleground states by pulling votes away from GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

However, Johnson's campaign told CNN last month that some of the candidate's popularity comes from former supporters of President Barack Obama in states like Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.

A new poll released Sunday by the University of Denver showed 47% of likely voters in Colorado said they would vote for Obama, while 43% chose Romney. Four percent, however, indicated they would vote for someone else.

Some have pointed to third-party candidate Ross Perot's significant share of the vote - 19% - in the 1992 presidential election, which is believed to have drawn support away from incumbent President George H. W. Bush.

Johnson, a former 2012 Republican presidential candidate who became the Libertarian nominee in May, is rarely included in national polls, but a recent CNN/ORC International Poll indicated 4% of likely voters back Johnson, while 3% support Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Obama, meanwhile, had 47%, with Romney at 44% when all four candidates were factored in.

However, Priebus argued Johnson lacks the popularity and name recognition to represent a strong enough threat to turn the election for either candidate.

"(Voters) are not going to throw their vote away when we have an election here that's about the future of America. I don't see that happening," Priebus told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.

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Libertarian Party candidate gets 4% in recent poll