Laimbeer: Liberty will be fun to watch in 2013

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NEW YORK (AP) -- Days before the New York Liberty open their first training camp under Bill Laimbeer, the former NBA player said he was looking forward to getting the players on the court and vowed the team will be more fun to watch this year.

''Obviously, going to training camp isn't fun,'' Laimbeer told The Associated Press. ''You got to work. I got a lot to put in. I'm going to do things a lot differently than they were (done) in the past. They got a lot to learn.''

Laimbeer was hired as coach and general manager in October to turn around a team that struggled to post a .500 record the last two years under John Whisenant. New York followed a 19-win campaign in 2011 with 19 losses last season, finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference both years and losing in the first round of the playoffs each time.

Enter Laimbeer, who returns to the WNBA after stepping down as coach and GM of the Detroit Shock early in the 2009 season to pursue opportunities in the NBA following a stretch in which they won three championships in six seasons.

''Last couple of years it's been like pulling teeth for this organization, both the fan base and some internally, watching the team play,'' he said. ''I (coach) a fast, more up-tempo game. Defense is a given, we'll be attacking. Rebounding on this team was horrible. I've shored that up in many ways.

''I guess it's going to be fun to watch and figure we're going to win our fair share of games.''

Laimbeer's hiring has energized the fan base of a franchise that reached the WNBA Finals four times in the league's first six years, but has not been back since losing to Los Angeles in its last appearance in 2002. Forgotten is the fierce rivalry Detroit and New York had over the years while meeting in the postseason three times. The Liberty won a first-round series in 2004, knocking out the then-defending champs on a buzzer-beater in the decisive Game 3, but then came up short in hard-fought three-game series in the first round in 2007 and the conference semifinals in 2008 during the Shock's run to their last title.

''That was then, this is now,'' Laimbeer said. ''Whenever I go talk to people, the consistent theme is 'Oh I really hated you, but now we're really glad you're here.' The same thing when I was a player, after the fact. There's an animosity to some degree, but the respect factor is there as well.''

Laimbeer has immediately put his stamp on the Liberty, signing free agents Katie Smith and Cheryl Ford and hiring assistant coaches Taj McWilliams-Franklin and Barbara Farris. He coached all four in Detroit, though McWilliams-Franklin (2010) and Farris (2006-07) also played for the Liberty.

And considering New York already had former Detroit players Plenette Pierson and Kara Braxton on the roster the last couple of years - and trainer Laura Ramus since last season - there's an undeniable Shock flavor on the Liberty.

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Laimbeer: Liberty will be fun to watch in 2013

Excalibur, Libertarian Parties vying for your vote

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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) Havent decided which party to vote for May 14? Depending on your riding, you may have a number of parties to choose from, besides the standard four.

If youve never heard of the Excalibur Party, youre not alone. The party was launched by Michael Halliday only months ago.

This year I didnt have a clue who to vote for. And 50 per cent of the people I talked to said they wouldnt even vote, he says, explaining why he founded the political affiliation.

The party stands for alternative health care, commuter rail for the Fraser Valley and no school fees for post-secondary students.

Well actually pay for their tuition, and then theyll work for the government for five years, he suggests.

He says the party is about government transparency and getting people to understand the issues. Because when people learn about how wild salmon are being wiped out, they get concerned.

On the opposite end of the political spectrum is the Libertarian Party. It too espouses controlling your own destiny, but with less government getting in the way.

Governments tax us and regulate us. It doesnt help us. It makes us worse, says party vice president Paul Geddes.

We think people should be allowed to do whatever they want to do in their personal lives. You should be able to marry who you want to marry, ingest what you want to ingest.

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Libertarian candidate claims county is trying to block him from ballot

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Carbon County commissioners on Thursday tried to calm a man who is seeking election as a Libertarian to the Penn Forest board of supervisors and who claims commissioners and the county solicitor were trying to block him from the ballot.

Matthew C. Schutter, 42, of 116 Stony Creek Road, Jim Thorpe, said he gave copies of his papers, signed by six people, requesting a nomination petition to the election bureau and to commissioners.

"I'm asking for my petition papers, which I feel I deservingly should get. I did give six signatures. Yes, they were printed with phone numbers that were witnesses to me being chair and witnesses to me being Penn Forest Township supervisor, a Libertarian candidate, in Jim Thorpe, two year term, candidate. I feel also by not allowing me to get my petition papers and my papers I need to get on the ballot. It is a clear violation of Section 5, Article 1, of the Pennsylvania Constitution. It's also a clear violation of Section 26, Article 1, of the Pennsylvania Constitution," he said.

"I'm not going to tolerate the county violating my rights, which is the law of the land in Pennsylvania, which is the Constitution. I would like to see some action of the board making a decision today if possible, that I can get my paperwork," Schutter said. "I feel that Republicans and Democrats are interfering in our business to get on the ballot. I have as much right to be on the ballot as Republicans and Democrats. And I feel this board, including the solicitor, is stopping me."

Commissioners Chairman Wayne Nothstein told Schutter the county Election Board meets next Thursday.

"The form that you had submitted to me, you just stated with signatures. There were no signatures on the paper whatsoever. None," he said.

Schutter agreed the "signatures" were printed (typed).

"The Pennsylvania courts are clear that printed signatures are legal documents for election purposes. They do not have to be cursive writing," he said."The Pennsylvania courts are very clear on this subject," he said.

County solicitor Daniel Miscavige explained the process to Schutter.

"The Election Bureau is trying to help you on these things, and (election Director Lisa Dart) has been trying to assist you. I know you've also been in touch with the state election board, and I know what they've told you is consistent with what Miss Dart has told you," he said. "All we want you to do is get the election board an authorization on the letterhead of your regional office ..."

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Ken Braun: Evolution of Libertarian Republicans is a one-way street

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I know one of the more visible proponents of dialing back Michigans marijuana prohibitions. A philosophical libertarian and businessman, he greeted the 2010 GOP takeover of state government as a mixed blessing: Good economically - probably a deep freeze for his pet issue.

But a funny thing happened: Republicans didnt stick to socially conservative stereotypes. You wouldnt know it - yet - from some of the rhetoric on the gay marriage front, but the war for the soul of the GOP is being won by fiscally tough, socially-tolerant libertarians.

Last week, State Rep. Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, signed on with an Ann Arbor Democrats plot to lighten Michigans pot possession punishment. Hes not alone: State Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills, was asked to sign on with the same idea and declined, but said he wasnt necessarily a no vote either.

Some disclosures are in order.

I dont really know Rep. Shirkey, but my ex-wife works in his office. He signed the petition in support of GOP committeeman Dave Agema, following the initial controversy over the loopy things Agema posted about the gay lifestyle on his Facebook page. Shirkey is also one of the sponsors of the states new Right to Work law, a principled position given his precarious address in union-heavy Jackson County.

This is no RINO. Is he what now passes for a hard-line social conservative?

Then theres McMillin: An established culture warrior with few peers before his 2009 arrival in the Michigan House, I expected him to be a cartoonish warrior against the supposed gay agenda.

While he didnt abandon that script, it has hardly defined him. In addition to being the strongest of fiscal watchdogs over your tax dollars, he has sponsored bills demanding transparency in SWAT raids; has proposed improving the legal assistance to indigent criminal defendants; has led the opposition against the use of military drones; and led many other civil libertarian causes.

Libertarian-Republican Congressman Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, has no greater champion in the Michigan Legislature, despite the likely difference of opinion the two have regarding the Defense of Marriage Act.

I never expected to be Tom McMillins friend, but he left no options.

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SC’s libertarian Republicans take aim at chairman, Graham

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COLUMBIA South Carolina Republican leaders say they are like a family and, like families, they sometimes fight.

The GOPs libertarian faction on Saturday played the role of the cousins tired of always sitting at the table outside the dining room, shouting protests during the S.C. Republican Party convention at Carolina Coliseum.

Their main targets were U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, whom they view as too willing to compromise on important issues, and state GOP chairman Chad Connelly, who they think could have prevented the court-ordered removal of Republican candidates from last years primary ballots over a paperwork glitch.

The mixed feelings of party faithful over former Gov. Mark Sanfords return to politics also were on display.

Sanford did not attend the convention, spending the day campaigning in the Lowcountry ahead of his Tuesday contest against Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch in the 1st District congressional special election. However, Sanfords campaign had a phone bank operating in the coliseum lobby that was sparsely attended, even after a plea for volunteers.

Gov. Nikki Haley did not mention Sanford, her one-time mentor, when she talked about the congressional race in her convention speech. Instead, Haley used the race to tout the states new voter ID law.

Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said the 1st District race is a tossup an assessment in line with recent polls because some Republican voters, disaffected by Sanfords divorce and a trespassing allegation at his ex-wifes house, will stay away from the polls Tuesday.

He just wasnt the strongest candidate that the Republicans could have put up, said McConnell, adding that Sanford came back to politics too soon.

But Sanford received support from other party brass.

Connelly told the conventions 2,000 delegates that the S.C. GOP has spent $250,000 to aid Sanfords campaign.

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Twenty reasons to visit Cook Islands

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Children perform traditional dances in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Photo: AFP

1 Small island, big smiles

It may be the main island in the nation and its commercial hub, but Rarotonga is a compact 32 kilometres in circumference and feels like one big, friendly resort. Hop aboard the round-Rarotonga bus service to get acquainted with the beaches, lagoons, shops and churches on the island; the bus runs regularly on two routes - clockwise and anti-clockwise (ck/bus.htm). If you prefer your own wheels to get around, rent a scooter or car and set off to discover secluded waterfalls and swimming spots. +682 22 632; islandcarhire.co.ck.

2 Great value

A woman selling produce at a market in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Photo: Getty Images

The currency of the Cook Islands is the New Zealand dollar. With the Aussie dollar riding high this year at a historically impressive $1 buying $NZ1.24, that translates to great value on dining, tours, souvenir and duty-free shopping. Venture further out to the more remote, less-visited islands in the group and the prices drop even further. The best value can be found on locally sourced foods and products made in the Cook Islands, as import duties can be high.

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3 Market appeal

Don't miss the Punanga Nui Cultural Market in the heart of Rarotonga. It's open every day except Sunday, with the most action on Saturday mornings when farmers and fishermen from the outer islands come to sell their fresh produce. As well as a rainbow of tropical fruit, you'll find stalls selling delicious meals, snacks and juices. Live music performances and a carnival atmosphere might put you in the mood to snap up sarongs, shell and pearl jewellery, wood carvings and woven baskets. +682 29 370; punanganuiculturalmarket.co.ck.

Aitutaki, Cook Islands. Photo: Getty Images

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TOP 10: The BEST islands in Asia

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Last updated on: May 2, 201316:27 IST

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Users of TripAdvisor, list the best ten islands in the Asia you absolutely must visit.

From Phuket to Langkawi, Koh Samui and more -- the best islands to visit this summer according to TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards!

10. Havelock Islands

Premium scuba diving and snorkelling are the highlights of the gorgeous Havelock Island, the most popular of the Andaman Islands. Glass-bottomed boats provide a similar up-close marine life experience. Jungle treks and camping are popular landlubbing activities, though the more delicately dispositioned can choose to retire to one of several luxury resorts. Refuel with fresh coconut milk and succulent, just-caught seafood, which dominates every meal.

Forested hills, romantic white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters greet visitors to tropical Palau Langkawi, the largest of the 99 islands in Langkawi archipelago. Known mysteriously as "Legendary Island" because of myths associated with its ancient geological formations, it drifts serenely alongside Malaysia in the azure Andaman Sea. Sample local cuisine at the night markets, hike to dramatic waterfalls or dive into an underwater marine park to take a guided glimpse at life beneath the sea.

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China: Japan, Allies Risk 'Long-Term Damage' Over Islands

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China continues to accuse Japan of provoking disputes over contested islands in the East China Sea. The Obama administration opposes any unilateral change to Japanese administration of the islands.

China says Japanese activists near the disputed islands are worsening tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.

"It's Japan that stirred up and exacerbated tensions on the islands issue. It's also Japan that took direct and threatening actions. These are very evident facts that say who is right or wrong," said Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai.

The potentially mineral-rich islands, known as "Diaoyu" in China and "Senkaku" in Japan, are administered by Tokyo - a status quo that Washington backs.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said any change that raises tensions could threaten regional stability. "Therefore, the United States opposes any unilateral or coercive action that seeks to undermine Japan's administrative control," he said.

And Beijing sees that as Washington siding with Tokyo, said Cato Institute analyst Justin Logan.

"The American position, I think, has been confusing and unhelpful. We say that we don't take a position on whether the islands are Japanese, but we take a position that they are covered by a treaty with Japan," said Logan.

A U.S.-Japan defense treaty covers any attack on Japanese-administered territory. Chinese ambassador Cui said Japan and its allies risk "long-term damage" over the islands.

"Some Japanese politicians take up these actions like lifting a rock, only to drop it on their own feet. We hope that other parties do not lift up rocks for the Japanese, and we hope even more that these rocks don't end up falling on their own feet," said Cui.

Washington wants better relations with Beijing, but the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, said he has told Chinese officials that does not mean weakening ties with Japan.

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Capital & Coast DHB has worst access to health care

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New figures show Capital and Coast DHB has worst access to health care

New figures released by Ministry of Health show that Capital and Coast District Health Board has the worst access to primary health care of any of the major DHBs in the country, said David Choat, Capital and Coast District Health Board member.

The figures show that underfunding is really impacting on service for people living in Wellington, Porirua and Kapiti.

The figures released by the Ministry of Health are based on the 2011/12 New Zealand Health Survey, which involved face-to-face interviews with more than 12,000 adults aged 15 years and over from throughout New Zealand.

While Capital & Coast's results for many of the indicators in the survey are comparable with the rest of the country, the district's results for what the Ministry calls the 'Barriers to Accessing Health Care' category are significantly worse:

Approximately a third (33%) of Capital and Coast residents had experienced unmet need for primary health care in the past 12 months, compared with just over a quarter (27%) for New Zealand as a whole;

Capital & Coast's rate of unmet need was worse than that of any of the other six large DHBs for whom results were reported (Waitemata, Auckland, Counties Manukau,Waikato, Canterbury and Southern);

The population group most likely to experience unmet need in the Capital & Coast district was woman aged 15-24, 44% of whom had experienced unmet need.

The most common form of unmet need was being unable to get appointment with a GP, nurse or other health care worker at their usual medical centre within 24 hours, 21% of Capital and Coast residents had experienced this, compared with 15% for New Zealand as a whole. Capital & Coast had the worst result of the large DHBs, with a rate twice as high as the best performing district, Waitemata (10%).

These findings show that people in our district are unable to access healthcare when they need it. The DHB needs to address this urgently.

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Capital & Coast DHB has worst access to health care

Editorial: Massachusetts health care plan a model for fixes to Obamacare

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Health Overhaul Benefits 5413.jpg

This application obtained by the Associated Press shows the short form for the new federal Affordable Care Act. The first draft was as mind-numbing as a tax form. Last month, the Obama administration unveiled simplified application forms for health insurance benefits under the federal health care overhaul. The biggest change: a five-page short form that single people can fill out. That total includes a cover page with instructions, and an extra page to fill out if you want to designate someone to help you through the process. (/J. David Ake / Associated Press)

Those whod wish to avoid every possible bump in the road could simply opt to stay put. They might feel safe, free from worry, but theyd quite obviously not be getting anywhere.

When President Barack Obama spoke last week about some anticipated difficulties around implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Obamacare, as it has come to be known the presidents critics immediately seized the moment. Where Obama had spoken of bumps along the road, they talked as though the whole plan was headed for the ditch. Because thats what theyve always wanted.

Most people understand that plans often need to be revised. Even a seemingly straightforward project like remodeling a kitchen is sure to run into unexpected twists and turns before it can be fully realized. Remaking the nations entire health care system was never going to be easy.

The president and his Democratic allies in Congress deserve a world of credit for having accomplished what had been a dream of progressives for close to a century. No one could rationally argue that the new law, much of which will begin to take effect this fall, would be able to be put into place without a hitch.

What to do? Identify the problems and find solutions. As in any project. And dont listen to those who continue to say it cant be done.

The plan that Massachusetts passed into law back in 2006 served as a model for Obamacare and it can do so again now.

The Bay States plan was ambitious, seeking to see that nearly everyone in the commonwealth had health insurance.

While it wasnt a home run in its first trip to the plate, officials didnt just throw up their hands and walk away. They revised it. And then again. And again.

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Editorial: Massachusetts health care plan a model for fixes to Obamacare

States fear loss of health care aid

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Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. State officials say thousands of people with medical problems are in danger of losing coverage as the Obama administration winds down one of the earliest programs in the federal health care overhaul. At risk is the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, a transition program that has turned into a lifeline for the so-called "uninsurables" - people with serious medical conditions who can't get coverage elsewhere. The health care law capped spending on the program, and now money is running out.

WASHINGTON Thousands of people with serious medical problems are in danger of losing coverage under President Barack Obamas health care overhaul because of cost overruns, state officials say.

At risk is the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, a transition program thats become a lifeline for the so-called uninsurables people with serious medical conditions who cant get coverage elsewhere. The program helps bridge the gap for those patients until next year, when under the new law insurance companies will be required to accept people regardless of their medical problems.

In a letter this week to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, state officials said they were blindsided and very disappointed by a federal proposal they contend would shift the risk for cost overruns to states in the waning days of the program. About 100,000 people are currently covered.

We are concerned about what will become of our high risk members access to this decent and affordable coverage, wrote Michael Keough, chairman of the National Association of State Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans. States and local nonprofits administer the program in 27 states, and the federal government runs the remaining plans.

We fear...catastrophic disruption of coverage for these vulnerable individuals, added Keough, who runs North Carolinas program. He warned of large-scale enrollee terminations at this critical transition time.

The crisis is surfacing at a politically awkward time for the Obama administration, which is trying to persuade states to embrace a major expansion of Medicaid under the health care law. One of the main arguments proponents of the expansion are making is that Washington is a reliable financial partner.

The root of the problem is that the federal health care law capped spending on the program at $5 billion, and the money is running out because the beneficiaries turned out to be costlier to care for than expected. Advanced heart disease and cancer are common diagnoses for the group.

Obama did not ask for any additional funding for the program in his latest budget, and a Republican bid to keep the program going by tapping other funds in the health care law failed to win support in the House last week.

Brian Cook, a spokesman for the HHS agency overseeing the health care law, took issue with idea that thousands of people could lose coverage, though he did not elaborate.

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Botched brain surgery prompts extensive review at SSM Health Care

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ST. LOUIS Severe mistakes happen, even at hospitals that receive high marks from federal health officials. And consumers usually never learn the details of these errors.

In a very small percentage of surgeries, doctors operate on the wrong knee or breast, and in rare cases amputate the wrong body part.

But when a neurosurgeon operates on the wrong side of a persons brain, as happened last month at an SSM Health Care hospital in the St. Louis area, it is a unique event and a medical mistake of the highest order.

A wrong-site surgery on the brain of which only about one a year has been documented since the mid-1960s can rob a person of cognition, emotional strength and ability to interact with others, as well as traumatize and scar a patients family, caregivers and the medical professionals who made the error.

According to national experts, it is usually a signal that the institutions quality control processes systems that are designed to safeguard the lives and limbs of patients are insufficient.

In a public apology issued Tuesday, Chris Howard, president and chief executive of SSM Health Care-St. Louis, admitted that one of the health systems neurosurgeons operated on the wrong side of a 53-year-old womans skull and brain.

This was a breakdown in our procedures, and it absolutely should never have happened, he said.

The case of Regina Turner, a former paralegal who lived in St. Ann, is a significant crisis for not only St. Clare Health Center in Fenton, where the brain surgery took place on April 4, but also for Creve Coeur-based SSM Health Care, a Catholic nonprofit health system that runs 18 hospitals in Missouri and three other states.

The case also points to weaknesses in federal and Missouri law that leave patients as consumers with a limited view of hospital performance. Unless litigation about a hospital error is reported by news media, Missourians rarely learn about these surgical mistakes. And without this data, consumers have less information to help them make choices about medical care.

Missouri is among the minority of states that do not require hospitals to report serious errors and also among those states that do not operate a public database of information about these occurrences. Such events normally remain hidden from public scrutiny.

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Botched brain surgery prompts extensive review at SSM Health Care