Huge cargo ship undocks from space station

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An unmanned European cargo ship the size of a double-decker bus undocked from the International Space Station Friday, ending a six-month delivery flight to the orbiting lab.

The robotic Automated Transfer Vehicle 3 (ATV-3), with its four X-wing-like solar arrays unfurled, cast off from the space station Friday as the two spacecraft sailed 255 miles (410 kilometers) over western Kazakhstan in Asia. The cargo ship's undocking occurred at 5:44 p.m. EDT (2144 GMT).

The space departure occurred three days later than planned due to delays, first by a computer glitch and later by space junk near the space station.

Space news from NBCNews.com

Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: NASA's Cassini sends back a big, beautiful, black-and-white picture of Saturn and its rings but what's the little white speck in the corner?

But Friday, the ATV-3 spacecraft, which is named the Edoardo Almadi after the famed late Italian physicist of the same name, made a flawless departure from the station. It will spend the next few days orbiting Earth before being intentionally destroyed on Tuesday by burning up in Earth's atmosphereover the Pacific Ocean. [Photos: Europe's Robotic ATV Spaceships]

"Today, everything has worked to perfection," NASA spokesman Rob Navias said during the agency's live broadcast of the undocking.

The ATV-3 spacecraft was built by the European Space Agency and delivered 7.2 tons of food, water and other vital supplies to astronauts aboard the International Space Station when it launched in March from a South American spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The ATV-3 spent 184 linked to the space station before being packed with trash and other unneeded items for its eventual fiery demise in Earth's atmosphere.

The ATV-3 is ESA's third unmanned cargo ship mission to visit the space station, which is also supplied by robotic cargo ships from Japan and Russia. In the United States, NASA has contracted two companies SpaceX of Hawthorne, Calif., and Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. to provide unmanned cargo delivery flights to the station. The first official flight by SpaceX is scheduled to launch on Oct. 7, when the company

The ATV craft are huge cylinders 32 feet long (10 meters) and nearly 15 feet wide (4.5 m) and may be visible by observers on Earth as a bright moving light in the night sky, weather permitting. The ATV-3, like the International Space Station, can be spotted if you know where to look.

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Huge cargo ship undocks from space station

Back-to-back near-misses on space station

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Two pieces of space junk whizzed by the International Space Station this week but posed no threat to the orbiting laboratory or its three-person crew, NASA officials say.

The space debris --a chunk of an old Russian Cosmos satellite and leftover chunk of an Indian rocket --made back-to-back flybys of the space station Thursday and Friday (Sept. 27 and 28). The Russian Cosmos satellite debris made its closest approach to the space station on Thursday at 10:42 a.m. EDT, with the Indian rocket remnant making its close pass Friday at 1:47 a.m. EDT.

Initially, NASA and its Russian partners planned to move the space station clear of the incoming debris by firing the rocket thrusters on a European cargo ship. But more observations of the orbital debris found the space junk fragments would not creep too close for comfort when they zoomed by, NASA officials said.

"Additional tracking Wednesday night of both the Cosmos satellite debris and the Indian rocket body debris resulted in a high degree of confidence that neither object would pose any possibility of a conjunction with the International Space Station and a debris avoidance maneuver scheduled for Thursday morning was cancelled by the flight control team at Mission Control," NASA officials said in an update Thursday. [Space Junk Photos & Cleanup Concepts]

NASA and its partners typically move the space station if there is a high probability of space junk passing inside a safety perimeter shaped like a pizza box that extends around the orbiting lap. This red zone extends about a half-mile above and below the station, and about 15 miles around the football-field size space lab.

Planning for the possibility of a space junk avoidance maneuver forced space station controllers to delay the undocking of the European cargo ship that would have performed the move. The departure of the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle 3 (ATV-3) was originally scheduled for Tuesday (Sept. 25), but failed to undock due to a computer glitch that has since been resolved.

The ATV-3 spacecraft, which is named Edoardo Almadi to honor the late Italian physicist of the same name, is now scheduled to undock on Friday afternoon at 5:46 p.m. EDT, NASA officials said.

Space junk has been a growing threat for astronauts on the International Space Station and satellites in orbit. The U.S. military's Space Surveillance Network and NASA regularly track about 20,000 pieces of space debris orbiting the Earth.

You can follow SPACE.com Managing Editor Tariq Malik on Twitter@tariqjmalik.Follow SPACE.com@Spacedotcom. We're also onFacebook&Google+.

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Back-to-back near-misses on space station

Dr. Jeffrey Bland Appointed as President of Newly Formed Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI)

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ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Jeffrey Bland, PhD and Metagenics, Inc., a nutrigenomics and lifestyle medicine company focused on improving health and reversing chronic illness, today announced the formation of a new organization, the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI). The PLMI, founded by Dr. Bland, will be a not-for-profit organization focused on promoting the importance of personalized lifestyle medicine as the safest and most effective approach to the management of early stages of chronic illness. To help reach its goal of reducing the rising global burden of chronic illness, Metagenics is providing the founding grant to the new organization.

With its rich 30-year history in developing science-based nutritional therapeutics to improve health and reduce chronic illnesses, Metagenics recognizes the years of contribution that Dr. Bland has made to the evolution of the company as its Chief Science Officer, and is the right person to launch this innovative and revolutionary institute, commented Fred Howard, Chief Executive Officer of Metagenics. Forming this institute is an exciting step forward in helping to pave the way for personalized lifestyle medicine to be viewed as a key element in global healthcare systems.

Dr. Bland, who has been the Chief Science Officer for Metagenics for the past 12 years, is an internationally known research scientist and educator in lifestyle and functional medicine. He will lead the Institute in its mission to integrate the principles of personalized lifestyle medicine into healthcare systems around the world.

Dr. Bland brings a unique background as the President of the PLMI:

The PLMI will collaborate with some of the most dedicated and well-regarded thought leaders and decision makers in lifestyle medicine, each to serve an active role in the development of the organization. The PLMI will work to engage researchers, clinicians, health science educators, patient advocacy groups, medical institutions, medical societies, and regulatory and legislative groups to help move its mission forward and further the adoption of lifestyle medicine worldwide. The PLMI will provide educational resources that will facilitate the successful adoption of this approach to the global community through its website (www.plminstitute.org).

I could not be happier to join forces with some of the most dedicated and well-regarded thought leaders and decision makers in the evolving discipline of lifestyle medicine to share information and foster scientific support for this field, said Dr. Bland. This institute will unite researchers, clinicians, health science educators, patient advocacy groups, medical institutions, medical societies, and regulatory and legislative groups to further the adoption of lifestyle medicine.

Within this role and my deep involvement and dedication to educating, publishing and advocacy through the institute, I believe I will make the greatest contribution toward my personal and professional mission: improving health through nutrigenomics and lifestyle medicine, Dr. Bland concluded.

In his new role, Dr. Bland will continue to serve on the Metagenics Board of Directors. He will provide continuing medical education programs sponsored by Metagenics and other organizations that promote the delivery of personalized lifestyle medicine as the best initial approach for the prevention and management of chronic disease.

The PLMI is based in Seattle, WA, and can be reached at 206-922-2915 or info@plminstitute.org.

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Dr. Jeffrey Bland Appointed as President of Newly Formed Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute (PLMI)

St. David’s chief gives qualified support to medical school, tax increase

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St. Davids HealthCare, the second largest hospital system in Central Texas, has been unusually quiet on the notion of establishing a medical school in Austin.

Executives there also have not spoken out on a proposed tax increase for health care services some of which would go toward underwriting medical school services. On Nov. 6, Travis County voters will decide whether to increase the Central Health portion of the property tax rate from 7.89 cents per $100 of assessed value to 12.9 cents, a 63 percent increase.

Officials at the Seton Healthcare Family, St. Davids chief competitor, have made no secret that they back a medical school, along with a proposed new teaching hospital, upgraded clinics and a comprehensive cancer center championed by state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin. Indeed, Seton has pledged $250 million to build the hospital.

St. Davids President and CEO David Huffstutler serves on a Watson committee working on the projects. In addition, St. Davids is a key partner with Central Health, providing charity care to needy patients and services to Central Healths women patients who want sterilizations, as well as rape victims seeking emergency medication. The Catholic-owned Seton says it cant provide those services. Consequently, St. Davids also trains medical residents on those services and expects that to continue.

Huffstutler discussed these issues with the Statesman on Thursday. An edited version of his remarks follows:

St. Davids has been pretty quiet about the proposed medical school and tax increase on the ballot in November. Are you opposed?

We dont oppose the medical school. Were generally supportive of a medical school. We believe it will be good for economic development. If there is a physican shortage (an argument proponents have made for a medical school), we believe residency slots are more important than undergraduate medical education in getting physicians on the ground in the state. (After the state reduced funding for residency slots) there is obvious concern about supporting those slots. If we dont have the slots, the medical students we educate will leave.

Thats not a rousing endorsement.

I dont know that the way the process has worked has been completely inclusive or completely transparent. While I have been participating on (state Sen. Kirk Watsons) organizing committee, thats not really where the work is being done. We have some questions about how this is all going to work.

What questions?

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Rupert Sanders and Liberty Ross in therapy

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People News

Sep 29, 2012, 3:21 GMT

Rupert Sanders and Liberty Ross

Rupert Sanders and Liberty Ross are in couples therapy.

The director and his wife are trying to repair their marriage after Rupert's fling with his 'Snow White And The Huntsman' leading lady Kristen Stewart was revealed earlier this summer and have decided to seek professional help.

A source told RadarOnline: 'It was Rupert's suggestion that he go to therapy with Liberty.

'He will do anything to save his marriage because he loves his wife and knows he screwed up.

'They have been married since 2003, and have two children together, they have a life together.

'Rupert and Liberty have been going to the therapist for weeks.

'Time will tell if it works, but Rupert is hopeful it will save the relationship.'

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Rupert Sanders and Liberty Ross in therapy

Fourth quarter blitz leads Liberty Hill to a big win over Wimberley

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With the help of its defense and special teams, Liberty Hill turned a boxing match into a track meet on Friday night.

Will Fromme rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns and Liberty Hill blew open a close game in the fourth quarter of a 46-24 win over Wimberley.

Fridays game featured two teams that have won four state championships over the past seven seasons. Wimberley won the Class 3A, Division I championship in 2005 and the Class 3A, Division II title in 2011 while Liberty Hill won back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.

Thats the state championship last year, Liberty Hill senior Kyle Marshall said. We got them in the bag. That gives us a lot of confidence.

Liberty Hill (4-1) had scored at least 60 points in two of its last three games but it was its defense that led the way in the first half on Friday.

A 22-yard field goal from Albertano Avila gave Wimberley a 3-0 lead in the second quarter and the Texans were poised to take a double-digit lead on their next drive.

But Marshall stripped Wimberley quarterback Colton Cerday inside the Liberty Hill 5 and the defensive back returned the football to the Texan 20. Four plays later, Fromme gave Liberty Hill a 6-3 lead with a nine-yard touchdown run.

Wimberley would get close to the Liberty Hill endzone again but the Texans final drive of the first half ended with a missed field goal. The Texans reached the Liberty Hill 10 on three of their drives in the first half but the Panthers still went into halftime with a three-point lead.

It brought the team a lot of energy, Marshall said of his forced fumble. That was a big game-changer.

Both team scored a touchdown in the third quarter but Liberty Hill grabbed a 19-10 lead on Jesse Perezs 16-yard touchdown run on the first play of the final quarter.

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Fourth quarter blitz leads Liberty Hill to a big win over Wimberley

Will Libertarian spoil Senate race?

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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The most surprising finding in a new Senate poll is the showing of Libertarian Andy Horning and it raises the possibility that Horning will play the role of spoiler in November. The Howey/DePauw poll shows Democrat Joe Donnelly ahead by just 2 percent. Horning is at 7 percent and, if Donnelly wins, the presence of Horning in the race could be a big reason why.

Four years ago Horning was on the ballot for governor, his second attempt at statewide office. He won about 3 percent of the vote. 24-Hour News 8 caught up with Horning by phone Friday in Ohio, where he called the poll results unexpected.

"I mean every election I've always polled higher, you know, early on than I have on Election day," said Horning. "This is better than I've ever seen before and the race is tighter.

Pollster Christine Matthews tweeted that Horning's support is coming from Republicans, presumably Lugar Republicans unwilling to support Richard Mourdock. Mourdock still hopes to win them back.

"Since Labor Day we know that those Republicans who were certainly unhappy that Mr. Lugar was even challenged, those folks are coming our direction in big numbers," says Mourdock.

Meanwhile, Indiana Libertarian Executive Director Chris Spangle enjoys the attention directed at Horning.

"Absolutely it helps the party," says Spangle. "We have made a conscious effort to take advantage of this year."

Yet both Horning and Spangle don't agree that Horning might be a spoiler for Mourdock.

"This isn't their race." says Horning. "It's up to voters."

Horning does accept, however, that most of his support is coming from Republicans.

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Will Libertarian spoil Senate race?

Moderate earthquake strikes off Solomon Islands

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WELLINGTON, New ZealandA moderate earthquake has struck in waters off the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, but there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-5.2 quake struck Saturday morning about 281 kilometers (175 miles) west of the Solomon Islands' capital, Honiara, at a depth of just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami warning.

The Solomon Islands is a country of nearly 1,000 islands that lie on the "Ring of Fire"an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim.

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Moderate earthquake strikes off Solomon Islands

China takes islands dispute with Japan to pages of U.S. newspapers

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(Reuters) - With world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, China has taken its dispute with Japan over the ownership of a chain of islands to the ad pages of major American newspapers. China Daily, an organ of the Communist Party and the country's official English-language daily newspaper, took out full-page-spread advertisements on Friday in the New York Times ...

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China takes islands dispute with Japan to pages of U.S. newspapers

Loma Linda University Medical Center to highlight Planetree philosophy of putting patients first in health care

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A woman who has just been told by her doctor that she has breast cancer likely has numerous questions about what to do next.

Connie Haglunds job is to offer a hand.

As a nurse cancer patient navigator at Loma Linda University Medical Center, Haglund is charged with helping patients make their way through the sometimes complicated health care process: from coordination of care, to assembling a multidisciplinary team to develop a personalized treatment plan for each patient.

Patients can often get very overwhelmed by the whole process, Haglund said. I tell them I am there to provide them the education that they need and to help them get answers for any question they might have. For the most part, patients feel very relieved that they are not on their own.

The conference is set for Sunday, Sept. 30, through Wednesday, Oct. 3, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, 74-855 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert, Calif., 92260.

As host hospital for the event, Loma Linda University Medical Center will be giving conference attendees tours of the different hospitals within the organization, including Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus, and Loma Linda University Heart & Surgical Hospital three of the six hospitals in the system. Health care professionals, hospital administrators, and health care providers are among the delegates expected at the conference.

Among the services to be highlighted at the tour of the hospitals is the cancer patient navigator program, which supports the Planetree concept of co-location. This concept calls for pulling together different care providers, who dont typically work together, into one space where they can collaborate to design the best treatment plan and have continuous conversation. This creates an ideal scenario for care that is specifically tailored to and supportive of each patient.

Founded by a patient in 1978, Planetree is a not-for-profit organization that works with hospitals and health care organizations all over the world to improve the delivery of health care by putting the needs of patients first.

Judy Chatigny, executive director of Loma Linda University Cancer Center, said adopting Planetrees philosophy of putting patients first helps demystify health care for many patients and helps them manage the stresses brought on by their illness.

Steps taken to improve the patients treatment experience range from restructuring the Cancer Centers waiting room to make it more comfortable for patients, to redesigning the centers logo to include an inspirational Tree of Hope.

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Loma Linda University Medical Center to highlight Planetree philosophy of putting patients first in health care

Here's A Timeline Of Romney's Ever-Changing Opinion On Health Care

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Seeking to soften his image, Mitt Romney has this week taken again to touting the health care reform law he enacted as governor of Massachusetts, saying it illustrates his empathy and care about the people of this country.

While running for president in 2008, and the following year while the Affordable Care Act was still being crafted, Romney was actively evoking Romneycare as a model for federal health reform. All that changed after President Obama signed the law in March 2010, at which point repeal became the Republican Partys raison dtre. Romney quickly latched on to the cause.

Thats when the relationship between the now-Republican nominee and his signature achievement as governor grew complicated. Heres a timeline.

April 12, 2006: Birth of Romneycare

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney signs health care reform into law.

February 2, 2007: Model for the nation

Preparing to run for president, Romney touts Romneycare in a Baltimore speech. Im proud of what weve done, he says. If Massachusetts succeeds in implementing it, then that will be a model for the nation. He repeats this message in multiple media appearances throughout his presidential run.

January 5, 2008: I like mandates

In a Republican primary debate, Romney defends Romneycare and its individual mandate. I like mandates. The mandates work, he says. If somebody if somebody can afford insurance and decides not to buy it, and then they get sick, they ought to pay their own way, as opposed to expect the government to pay their way. He continues to echo this message.

July 30, 2009: Adopt my plan, Mr. President

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Here's A Timeline Of Romney's Ever-Changing Opinion On Health Care

An interview with Matthew Heineman, director of ‘Escape Fire’

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In 2009, when Congress began debating national health-care reform, filmmakers Matthew Heineman and Susan Froemke beginning work on a health-care documentary. Three years later – with the Affordable Care Act now passed – they are about to release the final product. “ Escape Fire ” follows a primary care doctor and military veteran to explore the challenges facing American health care and the ...

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An interview with Matthew Heineman, director of ‘Escape Fire’

Analysis: Access to health care beginning to look like airline travel

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The old axis of access in U.S. health care - insured or uninsured - is being replaced by the kind of gradations and complexity in determining who-gets-what-when-for-what-price for which the airline industry has become famous.

Some recent data and reactions to the provisions of the Affordable Care Act reinforce the trend. Here's an overview:

Being able to afford any kind of seat. While the number of Americans left standing at the gate because they can't afford a health insurance "ticket" is declining, the scheduled takeoff in insurance coverage has run into mechanical difficulties. The Census Bureau announced this month that the number of uninsured dropped slightly in 2011 to 48.6 million, or 15.7 percent of the population. That slide is partly due to a health law provision allowing parents to keep children on their insurance plans until age 26.

But prospects of adding another 30 million Americans starting in 2014 and going forward under the health law's various mandates and subsidies are now up in the air. The Supreme Court did not ground the entire law, but it did invalidate the penalty designed to compel states to expand Medicaid to many above the federal poverty line. That decision could void tickets to health insurance for an estimated three million people, says the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation, and possibly a lot more, according to a critical analysis by two liberal legal experts.

A ticket isn't the same as a seat. As airline passengers have learned, having a ticket isn't the same as having a confirmed seat. In 2011, nearly one-third of physicians said they wouldn't accept new Medicaid patients because of payment issues; a smaller number of doctors have said the same thing about Medicare patients. Even with some private plans, you may be on permanent standby because the doctor of your choice does not accept your health plan.

Your private jet is ready. Of course, when money is no object, there are those who rate the equivalent of a private jet. That group would include individuals paying a reported $6,000 to $27,000 a month for "boutique" services like Guardian 24/7 (whose one-page public website simply says, "By Invitation Only"), World Clinic and PinnacleCare Private Health Advisory. The latter promises "medical research.at your fingertips," your complete health records instantly available online and "access to outstanding medical and emergency support anytime, anywhere."

First class, commercial flight. What's more interesting is what happens behind the curtain separating first class from other travelers on a commercial flight. Seated up front are the senior corporate managers who get "executive" physicals at places like the Mayo Clinic plus reimbursement checks for their out-of-pocket costs. One CEO with a total compensation package of about $9 million received another $23,000 to pay his medical bills, USA Today reported. These executive perks will be stopped by the health law in 2014 if loopholes can't be found.

Business class. Unlike Medicaid "recipients," Medicare 'beneficiaries' start off with a generous benefit at a modest price and can easily upgrade. They can choose a Medicare Advantage plan in which the average enrollee received more than $70 in additional benefits and reduced cost-sharing, as one recent study found. In addition, Medigap plans provide wrap-around coverage to pay costs traditional Medicare doesn't. And even middle-class retirees may be able to upgrade to low-end concierge medicine, like MDVIP.

Also traveling business class are those participants in the fast-dwindling number of health plans provided by unions, municipal employers or private companies where the worker contribution is minimal and benefits are generous.

Coach, but some people get better seats and prices. Patients with traditional Medicare coverage, a recent study found, are more likely than those with private health insurance to get needed care, to avoid access problems due to cost, to avoid medical bill problems and to be satisfied with their coverage. Medicare even reduces racial and ethnic disparities in access and drug expenditures.

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Analysis: Access to health care beginning to look like airline travel