Definitions relating to regenerative medicine studies at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute – The Denver Post

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Biologics: Using tools produced by a patients body such as stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to help the patient heal faster and better.

Regenerative medicine: This and tissue engineering are promising treatment approaches that can enhance or promote musculoskeletal tissue healing and regeneration following surgery or injection therapy. Biological treatments such as growth factor supplementation, PRP and bone marrow concentrate have been shown to improve patient function and quality of life.

Platelet-rich plasma: A biologic treatment that is produced by concentrating the patients own blood to yield a high platelet count. Platelets are important blood components that secrete hundreds to thousands of biological factors that initiate musculoskeletal tissue healing and regeneration.

Stem cells: Stem cells have the ability to transform into specific musculoskeletal tissue cells. These types of cells also secrete biological factors that initiate musculoskeletal tissue healing and regeneration. There are several forms of stem cells, such as muscle-derived stem cells, bone marrow-derived stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells and others.

John Meyer, The Denver Post

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Definitions relating to regenerative medicine studies at the Steadman Philippon Research Institute - The Denver Post

Dr. David Katz, Preventative Medicine: Diet Trial Tribulations – New Haven Register

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We do not always need a definitive RCT to know what we know; and I make a living running such trials. Suppose you wanted to know with something nearing certainty what specific dietary pattern was best for human health. How would you proceed?

First, you would need to define best in an operational (i.e., measurable) way. Does best mean lowers LDL in the short term, or does it mean raises HDL, or both? Does it mean it lowers inflammatory markers, or insulin, or blood glucose, or blood pressure? Does it mean all of these, or does it mean something else? Is the short term one month, or three, or a year?

I dont think any of these, or anything like them, really satisfies what we think we mean when we say best for health. I think the intended meaning of that is actually rather clear: the combination of longevity, and vitality. Years in life, and life in years, if you will. I think a diet is best for health and yes, I have wrestled with this very issue before if it fuels a long, robust life free of preventable chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, dementia, etc.) and obesity, and endows us with the energy both mental and physical- to do all we want and aspire to do. That, I think, is a robust definition of best for health.

We are obligated to wrestle comparably with the operational definition of a specific diet. Low fat, or low carb dont mean much. A low fat diet could be rich in beans and lentils, or made up exclusively of lollipops. A low carb diet could cut out refined starch and added sugar, or exclude all fruits and vegetables. Lets not belabor this, and simply concede that the relevant test to prove that one, specific dietary prescription (e.g., the Ornish diet, or the South Beach diet, or the DASH diet, etc.) is best is to establish optimized versions of the various contenders, from vegan to Paleo, and put them up against one another directly.

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And now our tribulations begin. As we noted at the start, our outcome is the combination of longevity and vitality. To get at longevity, we need a very long trial; in fact, our trial needs to last a lifetime. So, just to get started, we are toying with the notion of a randomized trial running for 80 to 100 years.

Since we are comparing optimal versions of diets reasonably under consideration for best diet laurels, we may anticipate that our study participants are apt to be healthier, and longer-lived in general than the population at large, consuming the lamentable typical American diet.

Thats a problem too. If our entire study sample does well, it raises the bar to show that one of our diets is truly, meaningfully better than another. The smaller the difference we are seeking, the larger the sample size we need to find it. That now means we need not only a RCT unprecedented in length, but unprecedented in size, too. We need to randomize tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands to study the effects of competing diets on vitality and longevity at a cost that is staggering to contemplate, and would certainly run into the billions of dollars.

This study has not been done. This study will not be done. But, so what?

Lets contrast our ostensible need for this RCT to how we know what we know about putting out house fires. There has never been, to the best of my knowledge, a RCT to show that water is a better choice than gasoline. Do you think we need such a trial, to establish the legitimacy of the basic theme (i.e., use water) of the right approach? Would you, and your home, be willing to participate in such a trial when you call 911 knowing you might randomly be assigned to the gasoline arm of the study?

I trust we agree that observation, experience, and sense serve to establish beyond the realm of reasonable (or, even, any) doubt that water is generally good for putting out house fires, and gasolinenot so much.

My friends diet is the same. The want of a RCT addressing this kind of water versus that does not mire us in perpetual cluelessness about the basic approach to putting out fires. Sure, we could do RCTs to add to what we know, but the want of such studies does not expunge what we already know based on empirical evidence, long experience, observation, and sense.

A diet comprised principally of minimally processed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils and pulses, nuts, seeds, with plain water preferentially for thirst is the best theme for human and planetary health alike, and runs commonly through all the legitimate, specific contestants, just as water is the best theme when aiming a fire hose. To conclude otherwise is to misconstrue the utility of randomized trials, succumb to their tyranny, and lose our way in a bog of tribulations.

Dr. David L. Katz, http://www.davidkatzmd.com; is founder, True Health Initiative.

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Dr. David Katz, Preventative Medicine: Diet Trial Tribulations - New Haven Register

Dear Sports Medicine Counsel #4 – The Argus.ca

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Dear Sports Medicine Counsel,

I am a hockey player in the winter and avid long distance runner in the summer. While I had my best marathon time yet this summer, its getting harder for me to keep up with my teammates on the ice. A lot of my teammates are using energy drinks before the game could this be the secret to their speed? I am a very fit individual and dont get why I am falling behind. Should I consider using energy drinks before games?

Best regards,

Enduring Eddie

Dear Enduring Eddie,

That is quite the dilemma you have; your questions raise some issues about training methods and the use of caffeine as a performance-enhancing supplement. First of all, it is important to recognize how different your chosen sports are. Long distance running is an endurance sport, whereas hockey involves short, intense bursts of exertion similar to a sprinter. Because of this, your body has to use different sources of fuel to produce energy. When you run long distances, the energy demands placed on your body are relatively small. Thus your body can use fat along with oxygen to produce energy; this is called aerobic metabolism. On the other hand, the immediate energy required to race for a puck is much larger, so much so that your body is unable to meet this through aerobic metabolism alone. Without oxygen, energy is produced through the breakdown of sugars, called anaerobic metabolism. You can think of anaerobic metabolism as your bodys immediate energy source and aerobic metabolism as a sustainable source.

Now if that wasnt enough of a difference, your body uses different muscle fibers depending on the intensity of the exercise youre doing. When running long distances, youre using fibers that are well suited for endurance and aerobic metabolism, called slow-twitch fibers. When you sprint, youre using fibers which are great at producing a significant amount of energy but quickly fatigue. These are called fast-twitch fibers. Think of your body as having two separate factories, one aerobic and the other anaerobic, with a fixed number of workers between them. When youre running a marathon, imagine that your aerobic factory is producing almost all the energy for your body while the anaerobic factorys outputs are minimal. In training, when you repetitively stress one factory over another, your body will take workers from the lesser used factory and place them where they are needed most. This effect is related to the concept of training specificity, or, that changes in the body will be specific to the method in which you train.

The reason you may be falling behind your teammates playing hockey isnt that they are gaining an advantage over you by taking energy drinks. Instead, they are likely spending more time training their anaerobic factory than you are. If you want to keep up your with your teammates on the ice, youll have to start adding some anaerobic training to your program. This kind of training involves weight lifting, sprints, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or anything that closely resembles the movement and intensity of hockey. In fact, many studies have shown HIIT to be an effective way to increase your bodys maximum oxygen consumption. Adding some HIIT may not only improve your speed on the ice but could also decrease your marathon times.

Consuming an energy drink before a game can make you feel more alert and ready, due to its high caffeine content. This feeling is favourable among many athletes, which is why caffeine is commonly used as a performance-enhancing supplement. If you wish to use caffeine before games, here are a few guidelines:

Hope this helps!

Sports Medicine Counsel

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Dear Sports Medicine Counsel #4 - The Argus.ca

ANU medical school dean tells of early career harassment, saying she still does not feel safe enough to speak – ABC Online

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Posted February 20, 2017 14:50:46

The dean of the ANU's medical school has helped launch a new campaign to stem bullying and harassment in the medical profession, saying she herself was a victim as a junior doctor.

Imogen Mitchell said she experienced this kind of bad behaviour early in her career.

"Whilst I'm happy to acknowledge I have suffered those experiences, I still don't feel safe enough to speak out," Professor Mitchell said.

The comment was made at the launch of a new booklet for victims outlining where to find help, written by two medical students.

Professor Mitchell said although she was still uncomfortable talking about her own experiences, she hoped ANU students would feel safe enough to speak up.

"The reason I'm asking them to come forward, is because I feel I've created a safe environment," she said.

"I guess in the sphere that I had been operating, I don't think I would have said it was safe."

Third-year medical student Greg Threlfall co-authored the booklet with school graduate Eilidh Gilritchie.

Mr Threlfall said while he had never experienced bullying or harassment himself, many medical students who had came forward to contribute to the project.

He said some of the stories the students shared were "horrific".

"They've all had input into this booklet, from the perspective of 'what would I have wanted if this happened to me and what would I want in terms of help?'" he said.

A 2003 Medical Journal of Australia study found 81 per cent of medical students had witnessed humiliation during adult clinical rotations.

The same study found 74 per cent of students had experienced humiliation.

Professor Mitchell said the ANU medical school would not accept bullying and harassment.

"We've taken it very seriously and have acted on it and there have been consequences," she said.

She said as well as providing a valuable resource for victims, the launch of a the booklet was a symbolic moment as well.

"That you're drawing a line in the sand medical culture is going to take a long time to change. But I guess, you've got to start somewhere," she said.

Topics: medical-ethics, health, doctors-and-medical-professionals, australian-national-university-0200, canberra-2600, act, australia

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ANU medical school dean tells of early career harassment, saying she still does not feel safe enough to speak - ABC Online

Red Devil girls advance with Liberty win – The Fayette Tribune

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OAK HILL Oak Hill cruised to a 40-15 conquest of visiting Liberty in the play-in game of the girls Class AA Region 3 Section 1 basketball tournament Saturday.

In earning their fourth win in the last five outings, the fourth-seeded Red Devils led 12-2 through one quarter and built on its advantage as the afternoon progressed.

Madison Lilly and Marcayla King tallied nine points each to highlight the OHHS attack.

Amaya Cheek netted 11 for Liberty (0-18).

Oak Hill (6-14) advances to meet No. 1-seeded Wyoming East, the defending state champion, at 8 p.m. Monday at Westside. Independence and Westside play in the early game Monday.

The championship is Wednesday.

Liberty (0-18)

Madison Crouse 0, Amaya Cheek 11, Summer Shrewsbury 2, Cheree Shaver 0, Erica Evans 0, Ashley Hatfield 0, Danelle Honaker 2, Shanna Blevins 0. Totals: 5 5-6 15.

Oak Hill (6-14)

Sian Smith 2, Ashley McDowell 2, Cydney Thomas 2, Taea Scruggs 3, Chelsea Pack 4, Madison Lilly 9, Marcayla King 9, Savannah Holbrook 6, Maribren Flores 3. Total: 17 5-11 40.

L: 2 7 4 2 15

OH: 12 13 11 4 40

3-point goals: L: None, OH: 1 (Flores). Fouled out: None.

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Red Devil girls advance with Liberty win - The Fayette Tribune

Liberty County officials hear options for development – Chron.com

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Liberty County Commissioners Court listens intently to attorney Scott Bounds from Olson and Olson, LLP as he presents the various types of districts that can be formed throughout the county and state.

Liberty County Commissioners Court listens intently to attorney Scott Bounds from Olson and Olson, LLP as he presents the various types of districts that can be formed throughout the county and state.

Colony Ridge Land developer Trey Harris, whos developing 9,000 lots in the Plum Grove area of Liberty County, shows maps with details on what he is trying to do with a MUD district in the area.

Colony Ridge Land developer Trey Harris, whos developing 9,000 lots in the Plum Grove area of Liberty County, shows maps with details on what he is trying to do with a MUD district in the area.

Liberty County officials hear options for development

An advertisement providing legal notice for the creation of a Municipal Utility District (MUD) and a Municipal Management District (MMD) in the Plum Grove area lit a firestorm on social media and on Tuesday, Feb. 14, county officials and the public sought answers at a Liberty County Commissioner's Court workshop.

County Judge Jay Knight prefaced the meeting with a simple, but firm statement.

"This is an opportunity for us to learn," Knight said. "It's just educational, not confrontational. If it gets that way, you'll be escorted out of the building. That's the best I can put it," he said.

The advertisement appeared in the Cleveland Advocate Newspaper, a sister publication of the Dayton News.

Elected officials across the county and state representatives were caught off guard with the notice and a prior scheduled meeting on development tools now took on a different tone.

Knight and Pct. 2 Commissioner Greg Arthur had attended a workshop in Dayton where the topic was discussed as that city also faces the possible creation of multiple districts in its city limits and ETJ (Extra Territorial Jurisdiction).

Commissioners had already planned the meeting before the lid blew off the pot in the Plum Grove area.

"We invited some folks to come and educate us," Knight said, and with that the meeting began and ended without any incidents.

The county judge introduced attorneys from Houston who were specialists in these types of development tools to make a presentation.

"A lot of these development tools are property owner driven. They're not always governmental entity driven although they may end up operating them," said Scott Bounds, attorney with Olson and Olson, LLP.

Since the facts are not known, Bounds said he could only talk generically about some of the tools that were made available by the Texas Legislature.

"A lot of times how the law applies to a particular situation is very fact intensive, and the statutes are fairly complex as well, so our answers will be more at a 30,000-foot level on how these things work," he said.

Bounds began by saying the districts and their creation come straight from the Texas Constitution with the legal basis on how they are to be operated.

The districts themselves are created by a special act of the Texas legislature or by a petition, notice and hearing process before the County Commissioner's Court and or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

The request generally comes from the property owners or developer, but can be made by almost anyone.

"The districts," Bounds said, "are a way to provide additional governmental services to a defined geographic area whether inside or outside of the city. They are more commonly created in the unincorporated areas of the county to provide services that the county is not authorized to provide."

He listed the development districts available by the state legislature as Freshwater Supply District, Irrigation District, Municipal Utility District (MUD), Navigation District, Water Control Improvement District (WCID), Water Improvement District, and Public Improvement District (PID) all with overlapping or different types of services that they can provide with methods to pay for those.

"There are thousands of layers of districts in the state of Texas that are providing additional services to their residents," Bounds said. "They can get costly for the taxpayers."

Knight asked Bounds to focus on the two under consideration: a Municipal Utility District (MUD) and a Municipal Management District (MMD).

"The most common district you're likely to encounter is a Municipal Utility District in Texas," he said. "They are created primarily because they have a broad range of powers providing water, sewer, drainage, other governmental services related to garbage, some roads and parks."

Bounds answered some concerns stating the only persons liable for the bonds lie only within the district itself.

"Taxpayers in that district have to vote on the bond indebtedness and they assume the liability only. The city or the county outside of that area is not responsible for the debt," he said.

Bounds continued telling the court that only the people within the district have control of the district and they alone can vote.

They are generally under the oversight of the TCEQ and the Texas Water Code.

Once the district has been approved, the state legislature appoints an interim board until there can be an election. The developer cannot be on the board depending on where he lives. If they do not live in the district, Bounds said he didn't believe the developer could be on the board.

"We already have WCIDs and ESDs and their board of directors are required to live within that district," said Knight. "I would anticipate that this would be the same."

One participant asked how they the people of the proposed MUD district in Plum Grove could afford more taxes when they can't afford decent houses.

"I don't feel like they will be represented property," the participant said.

But the vote will be in their hands and they can certainly vote no to the proposition.

Notifications must be published at least 30 days in advance in the newspaper and notifications must be sent to the state senator, state representative, TCEQ, the governor, and the city with which it affects their ETJ.

"If it's created through TCEQ, the county basically has no political standing," said Tim Green, attorney from Coats Rose Corporation. "But if it's done through the state legislature, it's a political process. You have political input. The Senator is going to look to see if there's any opposition by the commissioner's court."

Green, the attorney for Harris, is the one who drafted the legislation for the creation of the district and whose practice is 99 percent the creation of and representation of the districts.

"I think his [Trey Harris] motivation is two-fold. One is, he anticipates in the long run that he's going to have some commercial development within his property and he would like to capture the sales tax revenue off that. Secondly, use it either on its own or in combination with an ad valorem tax if the residents approve it to provide what has been described to me as supplemental law enforcement, EMS, firefighters and maintenance of the public infrastructure, including roads," Green said of his client.

"Trey has told me multiple times that he's not looking for this district to issue bonds and tax people to reimburse him for the infrastructure, isn't that correct?" as Green turned to Harris and asked.

"That's absolutely correct," Harris responded.

But that's not exactly what he told the Cleveland Advocate earlier.

In an interview with the editor of the Advocate, Harris said the MUD district also will allow his company to recoup some of its infrastructure costs while providing funding for police, EMS, fire and trash service.

"A lot of times MUDs will reimburse the developer for the costs of water and sewer systems and improvements," he said in the Advocate interview. "My purpose for the MMD? The MMD is the commercial arm of the district. In the future, the population here is going to grow so large that there will be a need for commercial demands, like grocery stores. I will be able to collect a sales tax and provide economic incentives to try to attract the major commercial retailers to Liberty County."

No one is certain of his motives except by his own words, he will help provide maintenance for the roads if the funding is there.

There was also some concern that the boundaries of the district could be expanded.

"There is no way that the boundaries, once created, can be expanded unless someone comes to the board of directors for the district and petitions them to allow them to come in," Green said.

Harris spoke up and offered clarification on his position.

"What I'm trying to provide is better quality housing on the ground. By providing better services, for the higher end customer who wants to know how far it is to the nearest grocery store, or the nearest police support, or ambulance, or the nearest school. The guy in the Mercedes will drive away. I'm trying to keep that customer," Harris said.

Harris said his seeking higher end homes was a request by Pct. 4 Commissioner Leon Wilson.

"That's one of the vehicles I can use to create that, depending on how much money the district creates, maybe I can help with the roads, but I won't be able to if there is no money coming in," he said.

Harris said he intended to use the Municipal Management District (MMD) only in the commercial area and use those funds to help with the fire, EMS, police sub-station and more if possible.

The meeting ended with Harris laying out his maps and reassuring residents his intentions were good.

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Liberty County officials hear options for development - Chron.com

Florist who lost religious liberty case says all freedoms are at stake – Catholic News Agency

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Washington D.C., Feb 19, 2017 / 03:03 am (CNA/EWTN News).- A Washington florist fined for not serving a same-sex wedding out of conscience says the state's supreme court violated her freedoms by ruling against her on Thursday.

What the court decided was that now the government has the power to separate me from my livelihood and my faith, Barronelle Stutzman, the owner of Arlenes Flowers in Richland, Wash., told CNA in an interview.

They're trying to compel me to design something that goes totally against my personal conscience, and they violated my right to free speech and expression.

Stutzman, sued by the state of Washington and the American Civil Liberties Union for declining to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding, lost her appeal at the states supreme court on Thursday. She says she declined to serve a long-time customers wedding because of her Christian beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman.

The court had upheld a lower courts decision, which ruled that Stutzman violated the states law barring discrimination on basis of sexual orientation. The lower court ordered her to pay a fine and legal costs, which stand because of Thursdays decision. Stutzman will appeal her case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In the 24 hours since the Washington Supreme Courts decision, Stutzman admitted she has received both calls of support and hate calls. Her faith, she said, just increases day by day, however.

Although the court ruled that she violated an anti-discrimination law, Stutzman said she still serves gay and lesbian customers and had a 10-year friendship with Rob, the man whose wedding she would not serve.

Its not about discrimination at all. Rob was one of my favorite customers, she said. When he approached her at the shop to ask her to serve his wedding and she declined, we talked about his mom walking him down the aisle, and we talked about his marriage, and I recommended three other florists to him and we hugged each other and Rob left, she recalled.

I love working with Rob, and I would be so excited if he just came back into my shop today and I could wait on him for another ten years. I really miss him.

Stutzman said she has not had contact with Rob recently other than seeing him at court, and the last personal contact was at the deposition where they hugged and talked. She has received support from other gay and lesbian customers to act according to her beliefs, she said.

Now Stutzmans livelihood is threatened, as she is liable for the states fines and the legal costs were estimated to top $2 million by the end of the case.

Kristen Waggoner, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom who argued Stutzmans case before the Washington Supreme Court, said that the American Civil Liberties Union is actively fighting other religious freedom appeals throughout the country.

They are not about protecting freedom. They are about taking it away from those who dont share their ideology and their radical beliefs, she said.

Civil liberties travel together, she insisted, explaining that countries where freedom of religion is threatened have less freedom in many other areas as well.

We know that this right thats at issue in Barronelles case is essential to having a just and inclusive and a stable America. And we all need to stand for that, Waggoner said.

President Donald Trump promised in 2015 to preserve and protect our religious liberty as a first priority in his administration, Waggoner noted, and he must sign an executive order establishing broad religious freedom protections for individuals and religious organizations.

Although a federal order would not affect Stutzmans case at the state level, it would still be a sign and good first step to restore balance and to show the states that this needs to be done, she insisted.

Stutzman hopes her case speaks in volumes that its not just my freedom, its everybodys freedom, whether youre religious or not that is at stake.

Rob has the freedom to act on what he believes about marriage and Im just asking for the same, she said.

Continued here:

Florist who lost religious liberty case says all freedoms are at stake - Catholic News Agency

LETTER: Liberty under assault from Washington – Daily Record

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12:07 a.m. ET Feb. 19, 2017

Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com Immigrants and Americans march Thursday in Englewood in solidarity to protest the immigration policies of President Donald Trump. Immigrants and Americans marched in solidarity to protest the immigration policy of President Donald Trump Thursday morning in Englewood. They marched from the Englewood World War Memorial along Palisade Ave to the Municipal Building. Tariq Zehawi/NorthJersey.com(Photo: ~File photo)

We sought independence.

We fought wars, our gallant perishing ... suffering.

We carved a nation, creating in the process a remarkable and unique constitution. We preserved that nation despite internal strife and entanglement in two world wars.

These masterful accomplishments, their labors, centuries of staggering efforts and sacrifice ... to what end?

We now operate under a yoke of stupidity. That prized achievement, our treasured tri-parte balanced government so delicately created ... we now bear witness to the mantles of its ingenuity being shredded before our eyes, all by frivolous motivation and a lack of cohesive caring.

We all bear silent witness to the resources of an exalted nation, a treasured people with Spacious Skies being laid waste by internal turmoil, frivolous debate and inane strife, this wonderful creation, our wonderful nation, our rule of law, our gift of freedom being rendered asunder before our collective eyes.

Now is a new normal, inane nonsense being precipitated by perverted values emphasizing petty differences, blocking vision and forever engaged in political correctness while shamefully discarding the great bonds of kinship and common goals so clearly afforded us by our progenitors.

Have clarion bells from the past become so muted as to no longer provoke the caring and the vigilant to stir? Are we surrendering not to a foreign power by war, but destroying our nations fabric by surrendering to disharmony discord and apathy? Is this where it ends with all of us entangled in fruitless emotion?

Do we not know that freedom, once won, is never static, that indigenous to our precious Liberty is always the need to constantly fight for its preservation?

Can we not peel back our apathies to inspire and galvanize others to put our countrys real interests ahead of petty aggrandizement and ideology. We need not be obliged to stand idly by and mute watching cherished ways evaporate. The gift must be preserved.

Politics be damned. A bird, our dynamic Eagle, needs both a right and left wing to fly and again soar. We are all family. Collectively we must care, we must act robustly before we lose the unrivaled rarity of a precious endowment bestowed upon us .... our heritage, our incredibly unique and inspirationally created nation ... the land of the free, the home of the brave. We cannot just watch the gasps and let her go.

Please, America!

Robert G. Fogelson

MONTVILLE

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LETTER: Liberty under assault from Washington - Daily Record

What they’re thinking: North Liberty Streets Superintendent Michael Pentecost – The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

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Feb 19, 2017 at 9:00 am | Print View

NORTH LIBERTY Michael Pentecost, the former assistant water superintendent for North Liberty, was named the citys new streets superintendent in September. As one of the fastest growing communities in the state, North Libertys streets department is dealing with increasing traffic and a need for updated infrastructure.

Q: What are some of your responsibilities as streets superintendent?

A: The Streets Department manages and maintains all of the public roadways. We clear them of snow and ice in the winter. We are also responsible for all the street signs, traffic signals and civil defense warning sirens. We upkeep the cities stormwater and sanitary sewer collection infrastructure as well.

Q: How have the first few months in this new role been going so far?

A: Great. I have an outstanding departmental crew of seven that have been doing a terrific job for years. Many of them have lived in North Liberty or are current residents and truly care about the quality of work they do because it is their town, too. I have received a tremendous amount of support from City Hall staff, other departments and in many cases, from the general public.

Q: North Liberty is one of the fastest growing cities in the state. How does that create challenges or opportunities for the city in terms of streets and infrastructure?

A: The fast growth of North Liberty does create some challenges like keeping up with the ever-growing infrastructure, but it creates great opportunities as well. There are so many things in North Liberty that we simply would not have without the growth. We have a beautiful trail system, a large number of public parks throughout the city, a large library and recreation center, lots of restaurants and businesses. In the fall of 2017, the new Liberty High School will open to complement the quality elementary and junior high schools that are here.

Q: How do you approach that growth from a streets perspective?

A: There are a number of things you do to manages the growth. You challenge your team for thought-provoked planning and organizing. Previous and current staff have done an outstanding job of this. You also manage everything close, whether it be finances, resources, staffing levels or efficiencies. You simply dont have downtime to catch up, so you try to get the highest level of benefit out of every resource.

Q: Are there any notable streets projects planned for this coming construction season?

A: We do have a number of street projects, but I am most excited about two of them. In the upcoming construction season, Penn Street, leading into town off (Interstate) 380, is getting its final expansion in traffic lanes to match the previous projects. This will help immensely with peak-time traffic. The second project I am excited about is the complete reshaping and paving of the northern part of North Liberty Road. This is a section that is currently gravel with many hills and a sharp curve. There has been great effort in design and planning to make this road that connects to Dubuque Street and the new high school both safer and improved. These projects do create inconvenience and frustration sometimes with the public, but the final product is well worth the short period of time during construction.

Q: Has there been anything surprising so far that has come with this new role?

l Comments: (319) 339-3175; mitchell.schmidt@thegazette.com

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What they're thinking: North Liberty Streets Superintendent Michael Pentecost - The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

Identity Politics and Libertarianism – Being Libertarian

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In the past decade, America has experienced an increase in identity politics, centered on race, gender, sexual orientation, and class status. This, combined with a two-party system, has resulted in very divided far Left and far Right ideologies. Identity has become a cornerstone of American politics.

This mindset only serves to further drive the wedge between the Left and the Right, observed through the recent riots at UC Berkeley, where a Left-wing fascist group, ironically calling themselves Antifa (short for Anti-Fascists), deemed violence an appropriate method to silence those whose opinions they disagree with. This collectivist mindset has swept across politics recently, and is now commonplace in the Left-wing progressive movement.

These are people who pretend to be protecting the rights of minority groups, like gays and blacks, but who are quick to label anyone from these minority groups as traitors, coons, and Uncle Toms if they fail to fall in line and preach their message. They fail to see how these people are not part of a group mindset, but are actually individuals with their own opinions and ability to think for themselves. This failure has led to Orwellian ideas like wrongthink, the idea that someones thoughts or expressed opinions can somehow be dangerous and must be met with violence to defend oneself from being assaulted. This of course is a ridiculous and draconian mindset to have.

Of course, as one may expect, the rise of identity politics on the Left has begun to seep into the Right as well, though it is not quite mainstream enough to be able to point to any solid examples. One can easily point to the Left and find numerous examples of identity politics run amok, but the Right has far fewer instances where this is plainly seen. Even the Alt-Right, which also often resorts to name calling and ridicule of anyone who disagrees with them, is more inclusive than far-Left groups.

Libertarianism has no place for identity politics; each person, despite his race, class, gender, or sexual orientation is seen to be an individual and is judged as such. This is why it can be difficult to find two libertarians who agree with one another on many issues outside of the ideologys core principles of property rights, individual freedoms, and so on.

The Libertarian Party is quickly becoming the bastion of individualism, a place for all people to come together and express their ideas without fear of reprisal or violence simply because their ideas do not conform to the collectivist mindset of the Left.

The group mindset is failing, and when the disenfranchised have realized that neither major party supports all of their personal ideals, they will begin to search for something new. The Libertarian Party stands to gain much traction from this shift away from collectivist group-think towards individualist ideology.

When identity politics divides the country into small groups who hate one another, individualism suddenly becomes a uniting force. As such, libertarianism outdoes any other political ideology.

So, to the women, minorities, members of the LGBT community, and anyone else who feels that these characteristics are arbitrary and do not actually define who they are and what they should believe, as the far-Left expects they should, the Libertarian Party is here and we welcome you.

Lets try freedom for a change.

* Christopher Lee McKitrick is a 29 year old New Hampshire native, a US Army veteran, and beer enthusiast. In his free time he enjoys hiking, writing, and reading.

The main BeingLibertarian.com account, used for editorials and guest author submissions. The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions. Contact the Editor at editor@beinglibertarian.email

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Identity Politics and Libertarianism - Being Libertarian

Planet Earth II Recap: The One With the Islands – Vulture

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A Komodo dragon. Photo: Elizabeth White/BBC NHU 2016

Islands Season 1 Episode 1

Editor's Rating 5 stars

The breathtaking BBC series enjoyed by stoners and 8-year-olds alike is finally back, and its called Planet Earth II. After ten years, youd think they wouldve come up with a better name. Lets just say that if the BBC asked me for a suggestion, I wouldve said Our Planet Still Has Stuff on It! Who Knew!?, but they didnt, so lets get to the animals.

David Attenboroughs dulcet narration kicks in as episode one begins. Its called Islands, but it sadly does not include the private island owned by Virgin Airlines billionaire Richard Branson. (Yes, the one where he famously hosted Mariah Carey during an iconic episode of MTV Cribs.) Instead, most of these not-so-iconic islands are straight-up impossible to reach. Perhaps thats why Planet Earth took ten years to get a sequel.

We start on an island called Escudo de Veraguas. Its off the coast of Panama and home to the cutest freaking sloths Ive ever seen. They are extremely slow, much like the stereotype, until mating season. When its time to get it on, they jump right in.

On Komodo Island in Indonesia, there are living dragons. The largest living lizards on the planet, actually. And they are terrifying.

If you somehow arent convinced that dinosaurs still live among us (okay, in Indonesia), look at these two Komodo dragons go at it. You could tell me that these are characters from a reboot of It Came From the Swamp and Id believe you.

Moving along. Madagascar, one of the worlds biggest and oldest islands, is home to over 250,000 rare species including an extraordinary number of different lemurs. Heres a cute one, traveling upon his mothers back.

Then theres Fernandina, a Galapagos Island slash active volcano in the Pacific where nothing can really live. Nothing except for these seagoing iguanas, which graze the ocean floor. Look at this regular Michael Phelps do the butterfly stroke.

Other things that live on Fernandina Island: crabs that hang out on the iguanas backs and pick junk out of their scales like exfoliating facialists

and, because life just cannot be that good, Fernandina Island also has terrifying snakes that prey on newborn iguanas. The iguana hatchlings must traverse a dire stretch to reach the rocks where theyll be safe. These snakes arent stupid! Babies are easy prey.

Nature is ruthless and while Id normally show you the truth, I feel that we should end this short tale on a high note.

Curious what bird flirting looks like? Wonder no more.

(These two New Zealandbased Bullers albatross are in a long-distance relationship. That is not a joke.)

Moving on. A piece of travel advice: Never go to Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean because deep breath now it is ruled by crabs!

AHHHHHHHHHH

HHHHHHHHHHHHH.

This terrifying display is called the March of the Red Crabs. It marks the period when 50 million or so of these creepy crawlers (a.k.a. the Christmas Island red crabs) return to the sea to mate. Its famous and many people travel to Christmas Island to see it, which is a problem, Attenborough explains, because colonies of crazy yellow ants were accidentally introduced to the island via humans on boats. These crazy ants have killed roughly 15 million crabs by squirting acid into their eyes and mouths. Other ways crabs wont make it to the ocean? If you smoosh them with you car. Thats why Christmas Island rangers created crab crossings that allow them to safely travel beneath cars. If you ask me, its freakin adorable.

Perhaps the most inspiring story told in Islands is that of the Chinstrap penguins humanized to the point of practically becoming an episode of This American Life of Zavodovski Island. Zavodovski is an active volcano, and its waddling inhabitants have to daily brave the stormiest of seas to feed their young.

This looks like some sort of spring-break ritual, but I assure you that it is not.

Ah, yes, nothing like fresh fish gobbled straight from inside your daddys mouth. Next week, Planet Earth II goes to the mountains!

Airplane Passenger Reportedly Called Police After Feeling Not Comfortable Sitting Next to Mykki Blanco

Larry Wilmore and Milo Yiannopoulos Spar on Real Time: You Can Go F*ck Yourself

For a Black Artist to Win Album of the Year, They Have to Make an Album of the Decade

30 Rocks Maulik Pancholy Quits Presidential Advisory Commission Over Donald Trumps Policies

Oswalt promises it was not staged.

Pete Holmes and Artie Lange make a great comedy team.

The second season of Billions is off to a strong start.

On tonights episode, Shoshanna joins an all womens networking club which has a lot in common with the one founded by Dunhams friend Audrey Gelman.

Hannah and Marnie are finally on the upswing.

Too bad he doesnt want to.

Its safe to say the old Daryl is officially back.

Bernadette Peters as a villain? Thats an embarrassment of riches.

When will Carrie and Saul reunite? Homeland is always better when theyre together.

Someone give HBOs location-scouting team a raise.

Victoria is pregnant! Insert your own German sausage joke here.

Step aside, La La Land.

The Voice contestant died last June. She was 22.

Inauguration is Christine Baranski at her best.

Arwen and Jon Snow get their hands on explosives.

Get ready to be soothed, but probably also scared of climate change.

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Planet Earth II Recap: The One With the Islands - Vulture

As Obesity Rises, Remote Pacific Islands Plan to Abandon Junk Food – New York Times

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New York Times
As Obesity Rises, Remote Pacific Islands Plan to Abandon Junk Food
New York Times
A market in Port-Vila, the capital of Vanuatu. Experts say a health crisis in Pacific island nations is primarily driven by a shift from traditional diets toward ones high in sugar, refined starch and processed foods. Credit Auscape/Universal Image ...

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As Obesity Rises, Remote Pacific Islands Plan to Abandon Junk Food - New York Times

Weaning off oil, Scottish islands eye renewable future – Phys.Org

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February 19, 2017 by Mark Mclaughlin A "Welcome to Lerwick" sign in the Shetlands, which is using its strong winds and stormy seas to turn the islands into a European renewable energy giant

Strong winds and stormy seas have helped turn the Shetland Islands in the North Atlantic into a European renewable energy giant, producing more power than it knows what to do with.

The tidal power underwater turbines that were completed last month are only the latest green energy project for an archipelago that has been reliant for decades on the North Sea offshore industry.

Even homeowners are getting in on the act with small wind turbines in their gardens and solar panels on their roofssomewhat optimistically in an area where winter daylight lasts just six hours.

"We're not 100 percent self sufficient but we're quite a long way towards it," Jim Dickson, 69, told AFP at his home in the windswept village of Brae, referring to electricity generation for his own house.

Dickson, who lives near the Sullom Voe oil terminal, can power the building and an electric powered Nissan Leaf car from a turbine in his garden with enough left over to feed into the island's grid when conditions are favourable.

"What I make from the government for producing per kilowatt hour more than pays for what I buy from the grid, so effectively there is no power bill."

The former harbour master knows about the dangers of fossil fuels.

He was winched aboard the out of control oil tanker MV Braer in 1993 during the worst cyclone on record in the North Atlantic, in an ill-fated attempt to prevent it running aground.

His efforts to attach a tow rope failed and the ship crashed into the rocks at Quendale Bay, spilling 84,700 tonnes of crude oil into the sea.

The nation was aghast at images of Shetland's famous seabirds drowning in black ooze.

Harnessing the sea

The oil industry in Shetland began in the 1970s with the development of the North Sea fields.

The Brent field east of the archipelago became an emblem of the industry, with "Brent Crude" becoming a benchmark for oil trading around the world.

Oil giant Shell has announced plans to decommission the field but new discoveries west of Shetland could give a boost to the industry.

French energy firm Total has invested 3.5 billion (4.1 billion euros, $4.4 billion) in a new gas plant near Sullom Voe that opened last year to extract gas from its fields west of Shetland, Laggan and Tormore.

"Producing gas and oil from the west of Shetland basin is very, very challenging," field operations manager Simon Hare told AFP on a hill overlooking the plant, a sprawling development which stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the islands' natural beauty.

The gas plant is designed for a lifetime of 30 years.

But environmentalists are pinning their hopes on another energy asset under the waters around Shetland.

"In tidal, we're very fortunate in Scotland," said Patrick Ross-Smith, Shetland development officer at Nova Innovation, which has installed three 100 Kilowatt turbines in the Bluemull Sound.

Scotland has 24 percent of Europe's entire marine energy potential because of its powerful tides.

"It's great to harness some of that in Shetland," he said.

The turbines' success has had the odd effect of creating too much power.

"The Shetland grid is itself constrained now. It cannot take any more renewables," he said.

Around 10 percent of the islands' electricity is generated from renewables and wind and tidal generators are only licenced to produce up to that limit.

There is no connecting cable between Shetland and mainland Britain and as the renewable energy cannot easily be stored to ensure stable supply, the turbines have to be switched off from time to time.

The proposal for a connector line to link Shetland to the mainland 200 miles (322 kilometres) away remains uncertain.

For Dickson, the more renewables the better.

"You will always need hydrocarbons to power your jumbo jet, for example, but you shouldn't be making electricity with hydrocarbons," he said.

"It's wrong, it's nonsense".

Explore further: New study seeks volunteers to spot 'real' Shetland accents

2017 AFP

An Aberdeen linguist is seeking volunteers for a project looking at whether people can detect if a Shetland accent is 'real' or 'fake'.

(Phys.org) -- An underwater turbine being used for harnessing tidal power to generate electricity for homes and businesses has successfully completed its testing period in the island of Eday, one of Orkneys northern ...

The British government said Wednesday it was opening talks on plans to build the world's first man-made tidal lagoon in Wales to generate green energy.

Although wave-generated power could meet a quarter of America's energy needs, the technology lags other renewables such as wind and solar. But the U.S. Navy has established a test site in Hawaii, where power from floating ...

Denmark has had a record year for wind power production. Denmark got 39.1 percent of its overall electricity from wind in 2014. That figure is according to the country's Climate and Energy Ministry.

Experts say major archaeological sites on the Scottish coast are in danger of being washed away as sea levels rise.

Smartphones are revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, thanks to add-ons and apps that make their ubiquitous small screens into medical devices, researchers say.

BYU engineering professors have created an origami-inspired, lightweight bulletproof shield that can protect law enforcement from gunfire.

When vertebrates run, their legs exhibit minimal contact with the ground. But insects are different. These six-legged creatures run fastest using a three-legged, or "tripod" gait where they have three legs on the ground at ...

The cutting-edge biocompatible near-infrared 3D tracking system used to guide the suturing in the first smart tissue autonomous robot (STAR) surgery has the potential to improve manual and robot-assisted surgery and interventions ...

A "scorpion" robot sent into a Japanese nuclear reactor to learn about the damage suffered in a tsunami-induced meltdown had its mission aborted after the probe ran into trouble, Tokyo Electric Power company said Thursday.

A new method developed by Disney Research for wirelessly transmitting power throughout a room enables users to charge electronic devices as seamlessly as they now connect to WiFi hotspots, eliminating the need for electrical ...

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The system powers our house fully, and the EV, too, an e-Golf. The PV system cost just over $12k and saves us over $3k/year so far, and since gasoline and power are going up, it has a better value every year.

And no guilt, . . the power is CLEAN, no fuel costs, no pollution.

More lies george. Your EV and PV dont exist, people here have proven that. But you only lie to get attention so here it is. Are you tickled?

I recommend http://sunelec.com for all the do it yourselfers out there.

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Weaning off oil, Scottish islands eye renewable future - Phys.Org

Pre-departure migrant camps planned for Greek islands – Kathimerini

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A general view of the migrant and refugee camp on the southeastern Aegean island of Leros, last week. Authorities are planning to create pre-departure centers in a bid to help ease the pressure on Greeces islands.

Greek authorities are planning the creation of pre-departure detention facilities on the eastern Aegean islands, where thousands of migrants and refugees remain stranded, so as to accelerate returns to Turkey.

According to officials from the Citizens Protection Ministry, the biggest percentage of new arrivals over the past few months are from countries without a refugee profile: Pakistan, Morocco, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Significant numbers also arrived from Egypt, the Dominican Republic, Tunisia, Nigeria and Libya.

Officials say that the creation of closed-structure facilities, each with a capacity of 150-200 people, is key to taking some of the pressure off the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros, which have borne the brunt of the influx.

The mayors of these five islands are expected to travel to Brussels in early March to meet with Europes Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos to voice their concerns.

During a tour of these islands last week, the EUs special envoy on migration, Maarten Verwey, said that the aim was to cut current numbers by half by the end of April. According to official figures, some 14,600 migrants and refugees are currently accommodated at official facilities on the islands.

In comments made during the visit, Verwey, who is also the coordinator for the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement to stem migrant flows, repeated that these detention facilities would be temporary.

Sources suggest that authorities have almost finalized plans for facilities on Samos, Lesvos and Kos, while looking for spaces on Leros and Chios. The plans have met with resistance from locals.

Since the beginning of 2017, authorities have reportedly deported 160 individuals from Pakistan, 150 from Iraq, 70 from Algeria, 30 from Afghanistan, 25 from Morocco and 20 from Bangladesh. Police said 60 Syrians had left Greece voluntarily.

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Pre-departure migrant camps planned for Greek islands - Kathimerini

Nakheel chief hopes to attract partners for two more Deira Islands resorts this year – The National

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Nakheel is in talks with two more potential joint venture partners for resort hotels at its Deira Islands project, which will conclude "hopefully this year", the chairman of the Dubai developer said on Sunday.

Nakheel has retained the larger plots along a six-kilometre stretch of beach linking the first two islands under development at the site for resorts, but has been leasing 94 smaller plots of between 50,000 and 670,000 square feet to hotel and serviced apartment operators at other waterfront locations. Agreements for 35 of these have already been signed.

"All of the resort plots we are trying to keep for Nakheel and have JVs with interested parties," Ali Rashid Lootah said. "We already signed two and we have two more in the pipeline. We have more."

In total, it is planning to build five resort hotels at Deira Islands.

Mr Lootah also said that the 5,300-unit, Dh1.57 billion night souq being built alongside a promenade facing the existing Deira shoreline will be ready for traders to fit out their units in the first half of 2018, with the project opening to the public by the end of next year.

These sit on a 2km-long, 400 metre-wide site and will be accompanied by 96 cafes and restaurants. The night souq has been fully let and will generate rents of about Dh300 million a year.

"The rate we leased it at was very attractive," Mr Lootah said. "People know what the rate is in Deira, so people who had a vision they jumped on it."

Currently there are close to 3,000 people working on the night souq site, where Unec is main contractor. A further 220 people are working for contractor Van Oord on coastal works, which will be ready by July. Early infrastructure works have already been completed, while second phase works involving utilities will be completed next year on Island A and by 2019 on Island B.

Nakheel said that it has already awarded Dh3bn worth of contracts to date, with more expected soon. Bids to build its Dh4bn Deira Islands Mall need to be submitted by contractors today and a tender inviting contractors to bid for work at its Dh5bn Deira Islands Boulevard site containing 16 residential towers for lease was issued last month.

In total, the four islands at the project will contain over 15.3 square kilometres of land. However, only the two closest to Deiras corniche are currently under development the 5.1 sq km Island A and the 3.2 sq km Island B with a view to them being ready by the end of 2020.

Dredging and reclamation works for Island C the biggest at over 6.7 sq km and Island D have been carried out, but as yet there is no start date for their development. "Its a future plan," Mr Lootah said. "Were focusing with the first two."

When eventually complete, Deira Islands will add a further 40km of coastline (21km of which will be beaches) to Dubais waterfront. It is expected that 250,000 people will live on the islands, which will be home to 6 million sq ft of Nakheel-developed retail space.

mfahy@thenational.ae

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Nakheel chief hopes to attract partners for two more Deira Islands resorts this year - The National

Health in brief for Feb. 20 – Charleston Post Courier

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Leaders join autism board

Lowcountry Autism Foundation recently elected four new board members. David Hoyle, Cynthia Maxwell, Molly McGuire and Allison Nesser will each serve a three-year term.

The Foundation, housed at the Medical University of South Carolina, also added a new advisory board, which will be led byElizabeth Boineau.

Clemson opens genetics center

Clemson University unveiled last week the new Self Regional Hall in Greenwood. The building will house the Clemson University Center for Human Genetics at the Greenwood Genetic Center.

"Self Regional Hall is a state-of-the-art facility that provides the resources our scientists need to understand the genetic underpinnings of disorders," said Mark Leising, interim dean of the College of Science at Clemson, in a press release.

"This facility, and its proximity to the Greenwood Genetic Center, elevates our ability to attract the brightest scientific talent to South Carolina and enhances our efforts to tackle genetic disorders," Leising said.

- Lauren Sausser

Reach Lauren Sausser at 843-937-5598.

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Health in brief for Feb. 20 - Charleston Post Courier

Trump steps up security aide search, focuses on health care – PBS NewsHour

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U.S. President Donald Trump applauds his crowd as he holds a Make America Great Again rally at Orlando Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida, U.S. February 18, 2017. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. President Donald Trump on Sunday was stepping up his search for a national security adviser, with several interviews on tap, and focusing on health care in talks with his health and budget chiefs, while his team pushed back against depictions of a young administration in disarray.

His chief of staff used appearances on the Sunday news shows to echo his boss complaints about media coverage of the White House and cited what he said were multiple accomplishments in the first few weeks of the Trump presidency.

The truth is that we dont have problems in the West Wing, Reince Priebus told NBCs Meet the Press.

Priebus also denied a report that Trump advisers were in touch with Russian intelligence advisers during the 2016 campaign, and said he had assurances from the top levels of the intelligence community that it was false.

After weeks of tumult in Washington, Trump returned to Florida and his private club for a third straight weekend as he tries to refocus. After a raucous campaign rally Saturday night, Trump and his wife, Melania, stopped by a fundraiser at his private Palm Beach club, put on by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. A White House official confirmed his attendance, requesting anonymity to discuss the presidents schedule.

207297207301207301Shields and Brooks on Trump using the press as punching bagSyndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the weeks news, including President Trumps contentious press conference, National Security Adviser Michael Flynns resignation, as well as the continued scrutiny over other potential contacts with Russia and more.2017-02-17 18:00:00disabled2365960431Ix4fSdvuQrU

High on Trumps to-do list is finding a replacement for ousted Michael Flynn as national security adviser.

Scheduled to discuss the job with the president at Mar-a-Lago were his acting adviser, retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg; John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster and the superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Lt. Gen. Robert Caslen.

Trump pushed out Flynn last Monday after revelations that Flynn misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russias ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition. Trump said in a news conference Thursday that he was disappointed by how Flynn had treated Pence, but did not believe Flynn had done anything wrong by having the conversations.

Trumps first choice to replace Flynn, retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, turned down the offer.

Trump also was expected to discuss health care policy in a meeting Health Secretary Tom Price and Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House budget office.

Top House Republicans last week presented a rough sketch of a health overhaul to rank-and-file lawmakers that would void of President Barack Obamas 2010 law and replace it with conservative policies. It features a revamped Medicaid program for the poor, tax breaks to help people pay doctors bills and federally subsidized state pools to assist those with costly medical conditions in buying insurance.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has said Republicans would introduce legislation repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act after Congress returns in late February, but he offered no specifics.

Also on Trumps Sunday schedule: calls to the leaders of Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The day of presidential business follows a return on Saturday to campaign mode when Trump held a rally before thousands of supporters at an airplane hangar in Melbourne. He revived campaign promises to build a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, reduce regulations and create jobs and continued his attacks on the media.

The rally was put on by Trumps campaign, not the White House. Trump told reporters he was holding a campaign rally because life is a campaign.

Trump, who held a rally in the same spot in Florida in September, clearly relished being back in front of his supporters, welcoming the cheers and letting one supporter up on stage to offer praise for the president. He also enjoyed reliving his victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump has lurched from crisis to crisis since the inauguration, including the botched rollout of his immigration order, struggles confirming his Cabinet picks and a near-constant stream of reports about strife within his administration.

Priebus would have none of it.

The fact of the matter is the level of accomplishment that hes put forward so far in the first 30 days has been remarkable, he told CBS Face the Nation.

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Trump steps up security aide search, focuses on health care - PBS NewsHour

The Perplexing Psychology Of Saving For Health Care – Houston Public Media

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Even many people eligible for a health savings account who have extra cash to contribute to one dont do it. Therapists say thats partly because nobody wants to admit they will get old or sick.

Spending your own money on health care might mean that youll be more frugal with it. Thats the theory behind health savings accounts, a decades-old GOP concept thats sparking renewed interest on Capitol Hill as Republican lawmakers look for ways to replace the Affordable Care Act.

HSAs are like personal savings accounts with a difference. As with a retirement account, money put into an HSA can be invested, and any growth in the fund accumulates tax-free. Withdrawals can be made at any time, and they are tax-free, too but the money can be used only to pay for certain medical expenses, such as health insurance deductibles, or for copays for hospital care or a visit to the doctor.

Currently, HSAs are only available to people who have high-deductible health plans, meaning they usually pay a few thousand dollars for medical care each year before their insurance kicks in to pay its share. While HSA participation is growing, only about 20 million people out of the 176 million who have health insurance participate in these savings accounts, according to a 2015 report by the Association of Health Insurance Plans.

Why dont more people who are eligible for HSAs have them? For one thing, not everyone has money to contribute upfront. But psychologists and behavioral economists point out that even many people who have the extra cash on hand confront big psychological barriers to saving.

How we think and feel is directly tied to our ability to make good financial decisions, says Alycia DeGraff, a board member and secretary of the Financial Therapy Association. DeGraff says when faced with financial decisions about the future, many people simply get stressed out.

These stressors can become so overwhelming that we can become debilitated and ignore the situation altogether, she says. Or we can practice any kind of defense mechanism entitlement, suppression, overcompensation, isolation, etc. to try and deal with [it].

This may explain, at least in part, why middle-class Americans are pretty bad at saving money in general. Only about half of us have money in any sort of retirement account. And those of us who are parents have only saved, on average, enough to pay for about one year at an in-state college for our kids.

Saving money is hard. It means setting aside what we want now for something we think well want or need later. And we live in a culture that offers a lot of pretty, shiny, things to buy RIGHT NOW.

Plus, we all pretend we wont get old or sick.

People are predictably irrational, says Dr. Mitesh Patel, especially when it comes to money. Hes a behavioral economist, physician and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Perelman School of Medicine.

But many of us really hate to lose money, Patel says, which is what makes the concept of HSAs is so appealing.

For example, he and his colleagues published a study last year in the Annals of Internal Medicine on what motivates people to lose weight, and found that the way a financial incentive was framed made all the difference.

The researchers observed three groups of people for 13 weeks. They told one group to walk 7,000 steps a day. About 30 percent of the group did so. Meanwhile, people assigned to the second group were told theyd be paid $1.40 every day they walked 7,000 steps. About 35 percent of the second group did so.

Heres the kicker: Each person in the third group was paid $42 upfront and was docked $1.40 each time they failed to meet their goal. Forty-five percent of that group met the assigned goal, Patel says. People hate to lose money.

Another way to encourage more saving might be to make HSAs operate more like the 401(k)s that required people who didnt want to participate to actively opt out of the plan rather than requiring people who want to contribute to opt in. This creates a path of least resistance, Patel says.

Of course, setting up and overseeing such a plan would likely cost the government some money, he notes.

People with HSAs do use less health care than those without such plans, a recent study from the Employee Benefits Research Institute suggests. But its unclear whether they actually improve their health. Prescription drug costs went down for people enrolled in HSAs in the EBRI study, but emergency room visits went up particularly for lower-income families.

Then theres the issue of figuring out how much you, as an individual or a family, would need to save for health care its not easy to find out the average price for a medical test or procedure in your town, let alone how much that price varies from doctor to doctor or hospital to hospital.

If you want to save for a house, you can pretty much figure out the math, Patel says. But if you go to a doctor, they dont give you a menu for prices.

To really increase their health savings or any savings wed all need to change our mindset, says Degraff, the financial therapist.

People would have to first take a dose of reality and get real about their future selves, she says. Naturally, we think our future selves will be better, healthier, more financially secure, she adds. But, for many of us, health and income eventually decline with age. We need to save more now for later.

HSAs can be useful, Degraff notes, but only for those who have enough cash to pay their day-to-day expenses plus a little left over.

A lot of people dont even have a regular emergency fund savings, DeGraff says, especially those that are already struggling to pay for health insurance.

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The Perplexing Psychology Of Saving For Health Care - Houston Public Media

Health care employers must do more to protect staff from workplace violence – The Boston Globe

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Nurses should not have to suffer broken bones and concussions to spur action against workplace violence. Unfortunately, at Arbour-HRI psychiatric hospital in Brookline, it took that level of violence for the federal government to investigate and levy a fine (OSHA cites Brookline psychiatric hospital, Metro, Feb. 9).

Arbour-HRI failed to protect employees from aggressive patients, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, leading to nurses and mental health workers being punched, hit, scratched, bitten, and hit with objects, including a wooden dresser drawer.

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It does not have to be this way. We already know that health care workers are vulnerable. Serious violence is four times more common in health care than private industry on average, OSHA reports. Legislation filed last month by the Massachusetts Nurses Association would help prevent assaults at every hospital in the Commonwealth. The bill would require health care employers to perform annual risk assessments, implement programs to minimize violence, provide time off for assaulted workers to address legal issues, and regularly report assaults.

Hospitals should be a place for patients to heal and health care professionals to provide care in a safe environment. Legislative action would ensure that employers take the steps necessary to prevent violence.

Donna Kelly-Williams, president

Massachusetts Nurses Association

Canton

The writer is a registered nurse.

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Health care employers must do more to protect staff from workplace violence - The Boston Globe