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Curve, November, 2009 by Yee, Frances
It was a tough summer, with the passing of four prominent lesbians. Lawyer and lesbian rights advocate Rosalie Davies, 70, died of a stroke. When Davies and her husband divorced in the ’60s, he was granted full custody of their children. Davies told reporters, “I felt like my sexuality was on trial.
It was like divorce lawyer seattle wa an ancient witchcraft trial.” Davies vowed to become a lawyer to defend the rights of lesbian mothers and she went on to found Custody Action for Lesbian Mothers. Mystery writer Mary Wilbon, 56, died after a short illness
Flex, Nov, 2009
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OCTOBER
8-9 DUBAI PHYSIQUE WEEKEND 2009 Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Contact Ahmad Kargar, (9714) 3140-302. Entry deadline: October 2.
17 BORDER STATES PRO FIGURE San Diego, California. Contact Jon Lindsay, (310) 796-9181. Entry deadline: October 12.
NOVEMBER
7 SACRAMENTO PRO FIGURE Sacramento, California. Contact Ted Williamson or John Tuman, (951) 687-9366 or (209) 526-8923. Entry deadline: November 2.
14 KENTUCKY PRO MUSCLE FIGURE Louisville, Kentucky. Contact Brent Jones, (502) 387-3808. Entry deadline: November 9.
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NOVEMBER
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26 NORTHWEST NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS BODYBUILDING, FITNESS & FIGURE Contact Ivan Ribic/Millenium Fitness, 2525 E. 29th 10-B, #223, Spokane WA 99223, (509) 990-3771.
OCTOBER
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Macworld, November, 2009 by Frakes, Dan
UTILITIES One Mac OS X feature request that’s been around as long as the OS itself is the capability to have multiple Dock configurations. For example, as a tech writer, I often need to take screenshots, and I want them to include OS X’s stock Dock rather than my own highly customized version. Or you may want different Dock configurations for different groups of tasks.
Thoughtful Tree Software’s aptly named Docks provides real estate web design just such a feature in an easy-to-use package with a clear, attractive interface. The first time you launch Docks, you take a snapshot of your current Dock and give it a name
PR Newswire, Oct 28, 2009
Industry-Leading Payout Tops 2009 by $200 Million
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ — The Board of Trustees of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company has approved a dividend payout of more than $4.7 billion for participating policyowners for the year 2010, an increase of $200 million over its 2009 payout.
With this payout, the financial security company expects to continue to lead its industry in total life insurance dividends.
The company credits its dividend payout to diversified investing, careful underwriting, rigorous expense management and strong performance in other operating fundamentals. Policyowner dividends for 2010 will be the second highest in company history.
“We are proud to pay the industry’s highest dividends while maintaining a strong capital position,” said Edward J. Zore, chairman and chief executive officer of Northwestern Mutual. “Our dividends and surplus demonstrate the strength of our company, and they both deliver exceptional value to our policyowners over the long term.”
Unlike stock companies, which may pay dividends to shareholders, Northwestern Mutual’s structure as a mutual company allows it to return a portion of its investment gains and favorable results from claims and expense experience to participating policyowners in the form of dividends. While dividends are not guaranteed, Northwestern Mutual has paid dividends to policyowners in each of the past 139 years.
“Our status as a mutual company is a great advantage because it allows us to focus on the long-term interests of our clients and policyowners, which helps them achieve financial security,” Zore added.
Highlights of the 2010 Estimated Dividend Payout
The financial security company highlighted the following aspects of its 2010 dividend, as well as the separate dividend announcement of its subsidiary, the Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company:
Life Insurance – About 90 percent of the $4.7 billion will be paid life insurance quotes to participating permanent life insurance policyowners. Zore noted that more than half of policyowner dividends paid on permanent policies comes from favorable claims and expense results. Northwestern Mutual shares savings in these areas with its policyowners through dividends.
Term Life Insurance – Nearly $120 million in policyowner dividends is expected to be paid to term life insurance policyowners in 2010, as compared to $83 million in 2009.
Disability Insurance – The company expects policyowner dividends in its disability line to reach $225 million in 2010, a $19 million increase over 2009.
Long-Term Care Insurance – The Board of Directors of the Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company approved a dividend payout of $8 million on long-term care policies for 2010, as compared to a 2009 payout of $8.8 million. It will be the fourth consecutive year in which dividends are paid to long-term care policyowners. Northwestern Long Term Care is one of the few companies to pay a dividend to holders of long-term care insurance policies and again expects to lead the industry in long-term care dividends paid.
2010 Dividend Interest Rate on Unborrowed Permanent Life Insurance Funds
About one-half of the company’s expected 2010 dividend payout is attributable to the performance of Northwestern Mutual’s $142 billion investment portfolio, which backs the company’s participating permanent insurance products. In 2010, the company will pay a 6.15% dividend interest rate on most unborrowed permanent life insurance funds, as compared to 6.5% during 2009.
“At the end of a 12-month period of turmoil and doubt in the financial industry, we believe our policyowners can take great satisfaction in this substantial dividend payout,” said Zore. “As a company, we are most proud of our record of consistency, creating this type of long-term value for our policyowners while maintaining our financial strength year in and year out.”
Resources for Policyowners and the Public
The following online resources at http://www.nmfn.com/ provide additional background on how the Northwestern Mutual determines dividends, its investment portfolio and its financial strength ratings from the four major rating agencies.
How We Determine Dividends – Explains how Northwestern Mutual calculates the dividend payout on most permanent life insurance policies.
Investment Report – Provides background on Northwestern Mutual’s investment strategy.
Financial Ratings – Lists current company ratings and the rating agencies’ full reports.
About Northwestern Mutual
The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, a FORTUNE 500 company with over $1.1 trillion of life insurance protection in force, has been helping its policyowners and clients achieve financial security for more than 150 years.
Through the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, the marketing name for the company’s nationwide sales distribution arm, the company and its affiliates deliver a unique approach to combining insurance and investment solutions to help clients achieve financial security. These solutions include life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, mutual funds, and employee benefit services
0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Oct 29, 2009 | by Piedmonter
Listings are printed on a space-available basis. For a complete listing, visit www.InsideBayArea.com/montclair.
> — Royal NoneSuch Gallery — “Making Pictures,” photography show featuring the work of Elizabeth Bernstien, Molly DeCoudreaux, Naomi Miller and Meghan Piepenhoff. Weekends noon to 5 p.m. through Oct. 30, Royal NoneSuch Gallery, 4231 Telegraph Ave., Oakland.
— Piedmont Neighbors and Newcomers Club — Monster Mash, including spooky spirits and food, 8-11:30 p.m. Oct. 30, no cover charge, Bar Cesar, 4039 Piedmont Ave., RSVP at lara.shepy@gmail.com.
— SadieDey’s Cafe — Events, fourth annual Halloween Spooktacular, 5-8 p.m. Oct. 30, $15, Holiday Card Photo Shoot, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 7, 14, free admission, New Year’s Eve Party, countdown at midnight Dec. 31, free with admission, 4210 Telegraph Ave., 510-601-7378, www.sadiedeyscafe.com.
— Joyce Gordon Gallery — Exhibits, “Surface Strata,” through Oct. 31, “Pairings,” Jim Doukas, Nov. 6-Dec. 28, opening reception 6- 9 p.m. Nov. 6, free. The Art of Yoga, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, $10 donation per session. 406 14th St., Oakland. 510-465-8928.
— Friends of Beaconsfield Canyon — Volunteer Work Day, help restore the canyon in the heart of Montclair and reduce the fire hazard, wear sturdy shoes and long pants, no experience necessary, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Oct. 31, 2639 Beaconsfield Place, 510-531-1237, ricjard@rkcommunications.com.
— Salem Lutheran Home — 85th Anniversary, themed around the 1920s era when Salem first opened, food, cocktails, and jazz, attendees are invited to come in 1920s dress, 1-5 p.m. Nov. 1, 2361 East 29th Street, Oakland, RSVP required, 510-534-3637, www.salemlutheranhome.com.
— Christensen Heller Gallery — Exhibit, “Metal Wall Art by Robert Rickard,” through Nov. 1. 5829 College Ave., Oakland. 510- 655-5952; www.christensenheller.com.
— Skyline High School — Information Night, will offer an excellent opportunity for parents and students to learn more about the school, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3, free, Farnsworth Theater, 12250 Skyline Blvd., 510-879-3060, www.skylinehs.org.
— Oakland Public Library — The Less Stress Seminar, find out how self-hypnosis can help you become calm and relaxed, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 3, free, Community Room, Lakeview Branch, 550 Embarcadero, Oakland, 510-465-2524.
— Glenview Elementary School — Open House, dinner and child care available, 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 3, 4215 La Cresta Ave., chooseglen view@yahoo.com.
— The Friends of the Montclair Library — Story and Novel Writing Workshop for teens in grades 6-12 as part of National Novel Writing Month, Wednesdays 5 p.m. Nov. 4-Dec. 2, free, Montclair Library, 1687 Mountain Blvd., montclair library.wordpress.com.
— EBISA — “What Parents Do to Ensure Student Success,” with Dr. Pedro Noguera, 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 5, $5 suggested donation, First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison St., Oakland, 510- 845-0876, www.ebisaca.org.
— Scrap and Taffy Productions, LLC — “SNIFF, the dog movie,” a comedic documentary about the way dog see the world, 6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 5, $7-$10, Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Ave., Oakland, 510- 530-8980, www.sniffthemovie.com.
— A Great Good Place for Books — Events, “Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude,” Nina Lesowitz comes to reads this book, 7 p.m
Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Oct 28, 2009 by Joseph Nicholson
Conversations on health care reform cover many topics, but there is one subject that has not been widely addressed. America’s health care problems have been blamed on insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, physicians and the government. But little has been said about the one person who, in many cases, has the control – the patient.
More than half of Americans consider it fair to ask people with unhealthy lifestyles to pay higher insurance premiums and higher deductibles or copayments, according to an online survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal in July 2006. Many employers, like my own, enforce surcharges on employees who smoke. This voluntary activity has damaging effects on the human body and increases the health care costs of the entire group. Perhaps financial incentives would encourage personal responsibility. This thought process is much like automobile insurance, which rewards drivers for keeping a safe driving record and increases their insurance rate when accidents or speeding tickets arise.
f80 treadmill In 2005, Safeway, a self-insured employer, designed a plan that has kept per capita health care costs flat for both the grocery retailer and its employees. Most other American companies’ health care costs have increased 30 percent since then. The Wall Street Journal reports that about 70 percent of all health care costs are the direct result of patient behavior. Seventy-four percent of all costs are due to four chronic conditions – cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. These four costly conditions are preventable at least 60 percent of the time. Employer-sponsored health plans are permitted to establish wellness programs that provide premium discounts, rebates or other incentives in return for adherence to programs of health promotion and disease prevention. With this in mind, Safeway began rewarding healthy behavior, focusing on tobacco usage, healthy weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These employees have pronounced differences in premiums that reflect each covered member’s behaviors.
Another concept that incorporates financial incentive for patients is value-based design, one of the newest emerging trends designed to help insurers control medical costs by increasing the focus on the value of care. Such programs offer rewards, such as waiving copayments when patients participate in and adhere to wellness programs.
Lowering health care costs is key. Our state spends $854 million annually on health care related to obesity, a condition that causes 30 chronic health conditions, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Earlier this year, Health Affairs released a study that showed medical spending averages $1,429 (42 percent) more for obese patients than for individuals of normal weight.
Obesity alone may be the best predictor of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Obesity grew 74 percent in the United States from 1991 to 2001 as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During this same time, type 2 diabetes increased 61 percent. As the body increases in size, the pancreas is outpaced in its capacity to produce insulin. In addition, the growing fat cells harbor insulin resistance, causing the body to become less resistant to the insulin cranked out by the pancreas. As the body’s demand exceeds its capacity to produce (or appropriately utilize) the insulin produced, the result is glucose intolerance and a new victim of type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, type 2 diabetes can almost always be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight and body mass index. This translates back to a need for a healthy diet and exercise – all actions that are within the control of the patient.
Obesity may be killing our nation in more ways than one. At a recent Leadership Oklahoma gathering, I had the pleasure of building relationships with several Fort Sill officers. I was surprised to hear their reports that, if the trend in obesity continues, it could become a threat to national security. In March, the American Forces Press Service reported that 20 percent of Americans ages 18 to 34 are obese. The effect – one in five people in the military’s prime recruiting pool is ineligible to serve our nation.
However, patient responsibility is more than just a healthy body mass index. Individuals can lower health care costs in many ways – by eliminating tobacco, improving medication compliance, and even tackling prescription drug abuse
Business Wire, Oct 27, 2009
Identifies Path Forward for P&C; Insurance Technology
BOSTON — AgencyPort, the leading provider of web-based solutions to the property illinois auto insurance quotes
and casualty insurance industry, today unveiled the findings from its
unprecedented, in-depth polling of independent insurance agents on their
views of the current state of insurance technology.
AgencyPort conducted the one-month, 1,500-mile, 66-stop Agent Insight
Tour to determine which technologies are succeeding (and which are not)
in moving the industry from paper to onlinewhat challenges still exist
and what steps the market must take to improve the way insurance is
transacted. The 20-page report details feedback and suggestions from
hundreds of agents and covers virtually all topics relevant to
agent/carrier connectivity for commercial, personal and specialty lines
of P&C; insurance.
In every state we visited we heard the same thing from independent
agents: the time it takes to process new business and renewals is
debilitating, said Eric Harnden, CTO at AgencyPort. On top of that,
current economic conditions have forced agents to do more work for every
dealmaking them even less patient with inferior technology.
AgencyPorts research cites specific shortcomings with carrier
technology that cause agents to choose other carriers for quotes.
Additionally, AgencyPort staff lay out a vision for solutions that
carriers can adopt to help affect change in the industry. According to
AgencyPort, to provide agents with the kind of business transaction
environment they envision, carriers will need to rethink basic business
practices and move to relax the specialization of their products and
process.
As vendors, we all have to enable better standardization of products
and technologies, but true industry change is not just about improving
technology, said Steve Hauck, President at AgencyPort. Common product
definition among carriers remains the largest obstacle to providing
agents what they want. Its a big assignment, but it sits at the very
center of what we consider meaningful change. In the meantime, there is
todays reality, and AgencyPort remains committed to helping keep P&C;
carriers ahead of the curveinvesting heavily in R&D; for new product
development and enhancements to our existing solutions.
The Agent Insight Tour report was released on September 30, 2009 to
AgencyPorts current carrier customers and business partners during the
companys annual User Conference held at the Chatham Bars Inn in
Chatham, Massachusetts
Muscle & Fitness, Nov, 2009
With cold and flu season right around the gas fireplace inserts corner, it pays to know where germs lurk. One recent study indicates you should look no further than your own home, where germs can live for at least 24 hours. University of Virginia (Charlottesville) researchers found that surfaces in the homes of 16 adults tested positive for rhinovirus, which causes about half of all colds.
Test subjects named 10 places in their homes they had touched in the preceding 18 hours, and researchers used DNA tests to hunt for the virus. The graph below shows what percent of the places reported as being touched were actually contaminated
Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Oct 27, 2009
CONFIDENCE in sales and lettings of office space is increasing in Yorkshire, according to a new report.
Figures from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed that 33% of the region’s surveyors were reporting a rise in activity against minus 6% in July.
The retail property market in the region also appears to be showing steady signs of recovery, with 10% of surveyors reporting an increase in lettings compared with minus 6% in July.
Some 22% of surveyors also reported an increase in enquiries for retail space this quarter – up from a figure of minus 6% last time.
The survey also showed that chartered surveyors in Yorkshire are confident that sales and lettings of office space will increase in the next quarter. It said that current occupier demand is not demonstrating the same confidence as the retail property market – although enquiries are still consistent.
Despite a slowdown in demand for industrial property, 44% of chartered surveyors said they were confident that sales and lettings of space would increase in the next quarter – with 72% reporting more available floor space and a steady number of enquiries.
Jeff Pearey, RICS Yorkshire spokesman, said: “The latest research certainly reinforces the general improvement in underlying business confidence that we are starting to see.
“Over the summer months, we received a notable increase in enquiry levels from occupiers, most notably in the office sector. While these have yet to translate into transactions, I think it is indicative of a small but perceptible improvement in market sentiment.
“The fact that Yorkshire and Humberside currently boasts a healthy supply of commercial property means that occupiers now have a window of opportunity to choose from a wide range of potential buildings and units.
“However, we are advising occupier clients surveyors surrey not to leave their decision making too late as the supply could soon dwindle given the lack of new product coming to the market and this could result in a supply shortage in certain locations.”
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NOTABLE: Jeff Pearey