Free Republic

When President Barack Obama pushed his health care overhaul plan through Congress, he counted labor unions among his strongest supporters. But some unions leaders have grown frustrated and angry about what they say are unexpected consequences of the new law—problems that they say could jeopardize the health benefits offered to millions of their members. The issue could create a political headache next year for Democrats facing re-election if disgruntled union members believe the Obama administration and Congress aren’t working to fix the problem. … The problem lies in the unique multi-employer health plans that cover unionized workers in retail, construction,...

Tests find Rossi's E-Cat has an energy density at least 10 times higher than any conventional energy source 48 minutes ago by Lisa Zyga Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-05-rossi-e-cat-energy-density-higher.html#jCp (Phys.org) —In the ongoing saga of Andrea Rossi's energy catalyzer (E-Cat) that promises clean, cheap power for the world, the latest events continue to bring as many questions as answers. Several scientists have performed supposedly independent tests of two E-Cat prototypes under controlled conditions and using high-precision instrumentation. In a paper posted at arXiv.org, the researchers write that, even by the most conservative of measurements, the E-Cat produces excess heat with a...

Dear Dave, I live outside Houston with my wife and our 9-month-old daughter. I’ve received a job offer from a company on the other side of the city that would pay, with bonuses, $25,000 a year more than I’m currently making. This would require moving to a new house and away from our extended family. My wife wants to move because my mom can be a little overbearing. I understand how she feels, but I’m not certain I want to move or take a new job. What’s your advice? David Dear David, I’m not so sure this is a job...

I walked out of my Dr's office today without getting my physical. My Dr for the past 13 years closed his private office and joined the behemoth, Baptist Health System. Before my physical, I had to fill out a bunch of new forms... One of them said, "You acknowledge agreement with our Privacy Policy".. I hadn't been given the Privacy Policy... so, I asked for it. Wow. So many things in it that are awful.. for starters, they say right up front, they reserve the right to CHANGE their policy at any time, without notifying anyone, and all information they...

SALT LAKE CITY — For $1,000 you could become a multimillionaire. That's the promise of an old investment scheme that just won't die. Many people promote the Iraq dinar as an investment with minimal risk and huge yield. But don't believe it. Real financial experts warn if you spend your U.S. dollars on dinars, you'll never see your money again. John Maskrid describes his ranch in Kane County as 327 acres of splendor. It's on the market, and John says many prospective buyers have scoped out his property. That includes at least three people who've told him they're about to...

<p>Perhaps the best answer to the question posed to Bernanke moments ago whether US unemployment is structural or cyclical comes courtesy of Microsoft, which announced earlier that it was set to hire "several thousand" workers. Sadly, the catch is that the hires will be in China.</p>

With the cost of higher education skyrocketing, student loan debt growing, and youth unemployment persistently high, a former United States Secretary of Education asks "Is College Worth It?" In Is College Worth It?: A Former United States Secretary of Education and a Liberal Arts Graduate Expose the Broken Promise of Higher Education, William J. Bennett and David Wilezol examine the costs and benefits of American higher education. The book explains the tough jobs market, a potentially repressive academic culture, and the benefits of alternative options. Wilezol, an associate producer of the Bill Bennett's Morning in America show, discussed the economic...

Mayor Bloomberg went on a spitting-mad rant against a city cab-fleet boss who won a court victory over Hizzoner’s planned “Taxi of Tomorrow” — vowing to “destroy your f--king industry” when he leaves office, The Post has learned.snipBloomberg’s tirade included the warning that, “After January, I am going to destroy all you f--king guys.”

Now here’s the invention that we’ve all been waiting for: A device that instantly charges our cell phones. A gadget like this might soon be on its way thanks to a bright 18-year-old from Saratoga, Calif., who was recently honored at an international science fair. Eesha Khare is the mind behind a super-powerful and tiny gizmo that packs more energy into a small space, delivers a charge more quickly, and holds that charge longer than the typical battery. Khare showed off her so-called super-capacitor last week at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Ariz. In her demonstration,...

Was told he won $1 million and made to pay Dh850,000A Gulf Arab man who was told by a presumed beverage company in Dubai that he had won $1 million paid nearly Dh850,000 in fees to receive the sum before he realized he was a victim of a major embezzlement operation. The unnamed man, who was deceived six times in less than five months, had not known that the man who had contacted him many times was a Nigerian impostor before the thief and his accomplices were arrested by Dubai police and made to pay back all the funds they...

<p>EARLIER THIS YEAR, thousands of people checked their e-mail and found a surprise: An American soldier needed help, and there was something in it for them. Their correspondent was a sergeant stationed in Iraq, he explained. He had accumulated millions in hundred-dollar bills—the older ones being phased out by the Treasury—from the cash brought into the country by the American occupation. The soldier needed to launder this money, fast, and needed a stateside bank account to do it. In return for a cut of the total, could he use yours?</p>

NASA is funding a 3D food printer, and it'll start with pizza By Aaron Souppourison May 21, 2013 07:24 am NASA is funding research into 3D-printed food. As Quartz reveals, Mechanical engineer Anjan Contractor received a $125,000 grant from the agency to build a prototype 3D printer with the aim of automating food creation. It's hoped the system could provide astronauts food during long-distance space travel, but its creator has the loftier aim of solving the increasing food shortages around the world by cutting down on waste. The software for the printer will be open-source, while the hardware is based on...

A tipster told Deadspin that ESPN is planning to lay off more than 400 employees today. A source at ESPN confirmed to Deadspin that layoffs were planned, and while 400 seemed high, the number of layoffs will be "in the hundreds." As Deadspin also points out, ESPN may need to cut costs because they have recently gotten rights to several live events (like the US Open Finals) which are very expensive. ESPN gave us the following statement: We are implementing changes across the company to enhance our continued growth while smartly managing costs. While difficult, we are confident that it...

Finally! Independent Testing Of Rossi's E-Cat Cold Fusion Device: Maybe The World Will Change After All Back in October 2011 I first wrote about Italian engineer, Andrea Rossi, and his E-Cat project, a device that produces heat through a process called a Low Energy Nuclear Reaction (LENR). Very briefly, LENR, otherwise called cold fusion, is a technique that generates energy through low temperature (far lower than hot fusion temperatures which are in the range of tens off thousands of degrees) reactions that are not chemical. Most importantly, LENR is, theoretically, much safer, much simpler, and many orders of magnitude cheaper...

Being a porn star might not meet the approval of everyone you meet but you might think your bank manager would be one person who wouldn't have cause to complain. Adult film actress Chanel Preston has starred in close to 150 porn flicks and is well compensated for her time, but now it appears she is having trouble keeping a bank account.

The number of Americans receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) more-than doubled over the past two decades, from 5.2 million to 11.7 million by the end of 2011. The number of residents receiving disability insurance from the Social Security Administration (SSA) varies from state to state. In West Virginia, close to one in every 10 people aged 18 to 64 was receiving SSDI benefits from the federal government, more than three times the rate in states like Utah and Alaska.Click here to see the states with the most Americans on disabilityThe proportion of eligible workers applying for disability benefits also...

Many coastal New Jersey residents are resisting a $1 billion state plan to shield shore-front towns from storms with towering dunes and a mix of protective measures. As some cite fears the sand-replenishment projects would drag down their property values, about 1,800 landowners have declined to sign agreements to allow construction on their property, said Larry Ragonese, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. The state Supreme Court last week heard arguments on a resident's lawsuit seeking more money for the agreement, known as an easement, and Gov. Chris Christie called dune opponents "knuckleheads."

American households are under stress again, according to the latest consumer distress index by CredAbility. “Despite the growth in jobs and an improved housing market, our index shows that the average U.S. household has seen little improvement in the past year and took a step back in 2013’s first quarter,” according to Phil Baldwin, CEO of CredAbility. Baldwin is referring to the rise in payroll taxes at the start of the year, which has forced people to save more. CredAbility adds that 49 million people are still on food stamps, and nearly 12 million are still unemployed. American households on...

Subbing for mylife...

Research firm Forrester says IT isn't interested in Windows 8, and that the platform's success relies on consumers and BYOD. Given that consumers aren't exactly embracing the new OS, Win8's prospects are easy to dismiss -- so much so that Frank X. Shaw, Redmond's VP of corporate communications, recently felt compelled to reprimand the media for its emphatically bleak appraisal of his company's plight. But here's the thing: Shaw could be right. Windows 8's consumer appeal is about to get a major upgrade. An important note: this prediction presupposes that the OS's usability issues are addressed in Windows 8.1, a...

There are plenty of examples of structures built from recycled materials—even Buddhist temples have been made from them. In Sima Valley, California, an entire village known as Grandma Prisbey’s Bottle Village was constructed from reused glass. But this is no new concept—back in 1960, executives at the Heineken brewery drew up a plan for a “brick that holds beer,” a rectangular beer bottle that could also be used to build homes. Gerard Adriaan Heineken acquired the “Haystack” brewery in 1864 in Amsterdam, marking the formal beginning of the eponymous brand that is now one of the most successful international breweries....

<p>It's all about the odds, and one lone ticket in Florida has beaten them all by matching each of the numbers drawn for the highest Powerball jackpot in history at an estimated $590.5 million, lottery officials said Sunday.</p> <p>The single winner was sold at a supermarket in Zephyrhills, Fla., according to Florida Lottery executive Cindy O'Connell. She told The Associated Press by telephone that more details would be released later.</p>

There is little doubt that the smartphone world is dominated by two operating systems — Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS.The latest market data released by the International Data Corporation (IDC), which showed that both these platforms accounted for 92.3 percent of all smartphone OS shipments during the first quarter of 2013, proves this dominance in numbers.IDC says Android smartphone vendors and Apple shipped a total of 199.5 million devices worldwide during Q1 2013, which was up 59.1 percent from the 125.4 million units shipped during the same quarter in 2012.Android remained the market leader with a 75 percent share of the...

As families celebrate graduation around the country, former Secretary of Education William J. Bennett asks if this is really cause to celebrate. He and coauthor David Wilezol discuss their book Is College Worth It?: A Former United States Secretary of Education and a Liberal Arts Graduate Expose the Broken Promise of Higher Education with National Review Online’s Kathryn Jean Lopez. KATHRYN JEAN LOPEZ: “Students pay $100,000 or more for what they could get for almost nothing. With new technology and online breakthroughs, you could get a better education in a coffee shop or your parents’ basement than you will get...

House lawmakers reach tentative deal to revamp immigration ... Prospects for passage of a major immigration bill improved on Thursday when a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives declared they had reached a tentative deal, resolving disputes that had threatened to torpedo negotiations. The breakthrough came at the end of a two-hour private meeting of seven Republican and Democratic negotiators. The eighth negotiator in this so-called House Gang of Eight was unavailable after undergoing surgery on Wednesday. – ReutersDominant Social Theme: Welcome this rationalization of a difficult problem. Congress shall decide.Free-Market Analysis: In the US legislative system,...

The European Union is to ban olive oil jugs and dipping bowls from restaurant tables in a move described by one of Britain’s top cooks as authoritarian and damaging to artisan food makers. The small glass jugs filled with green- or gold-colored extra virgin olive oil are familiar and traditional for restaurant goers across Europe, but they will be banned from 1 January 2014 after a decision taken in an obscure Brussels committee earlier this week. From next year, olive oil “presented at a restaurant table” must be in prepackaged factory bottles with a tamper-proof dispensing nozzle and labeling in...

When it comes to hunting down humans running speeds, MIT's cheetah might come second to Boston Dynamics' own high-velocity quadruped, but by substituting pneumatics with motors, MIT's version apparently runs far more efficiently. At the recent International Conference on Robotics and Automation, the Institute of Technology showed of its newest version, which reached a top speed of 13.7 mph. To accomplish this, the runner still needs parallel support bars to constrain movement in one dimension, reducing any roll, yaw -- and the chances of a pretty expensive fall. The team says the new version's cost of transport (COT is...

The bad dream of a season for Fox’s “American Idol” ended Thursday with a ratings nightmare, as the singing competition lost a staggering 7 million viewers from last season’s finale. Thursday’s finale, in which Candice Glover won the coveted prize, averaged 14.3 million viewers, according to overnight ratings. That’s down a third from more than 21 million last year — and the news gets worse. Two years ago the finale had more than 29 million viewers, meaning “Idol” has shed half its audience in two years. And from Fox’s viewpoint, that’s not even the worst number. Thursday’s share of the...

By now workers at every late-term abortion clinic in America (and there are way more than four) are buzzing about Kermit Gosnell’s conviction this week of murdering three abortion survivors. Clinic staff have also likely noticed that four of Gosnell’s employees were swept up into his junk and have pleaded guilty of murder, and four others to lesser charges. Then yesterday came revelations of another hack who allegedly murdered living babies he had just aborted. Three former employees of late-term abortionist Douglas Karpen of Houston, Texas, have come forward, with photographic and video evidence that he murdered born babies in...

The last three late-term abortion clinics of what was once was a chain of six in Northern California is closing this week, reports Wynette Sills of 40 Days for Life Sacramento. Choice Medical Group once committed abortions in Concord, Fremont, Sacramento, Salinas, San Francisco, and San Jose. The Salinas clinic closed a few years ago, Concord followed last year, and San Francisco this past March. image image image When a member of Wynette’s group called the Sacramento office last week, they got a pleasant surprise. A receptionist told her that clinic and the Fremont and San Jose clinics were all...

As Europe ends another week comfortably in the green (near all-time highs) - the short answer - not many...as the region's longest recession in history rolls on...

At first glance, things could not be going worse for Microsoft. Its long-dreaded nightmare scenario is playing out. The PC industry as we've known it is collapsing. PC sales fell 14% in the first quarter, according to IDC, the worst ever drop in history. Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system is accelerating the collapse, says IDC. The new tile-interface is scaring consumers. Microsoft is scrambling to fix Windows 8 to address these concerns. And even if Microsoft fixes Windows 8, it could be too late. Its biggest rivals — Apple and Google — have taken complete control of the next...

As the cost of education continues to rise, people are questioning the value of a degree. And according to Penelope Trunk, the founder of Brazen Careerist, 85% of people today are wasting their money — and time — in college. “Colleges have been selling this idea that going to college will get you a job, but this isn't the case any more,” she says. And if getting a college degree no longer guarantees you a job offer, then you need to really pinpoint your reasons for going. In fact, unless you're really great at school or got accepted into a...

Just got my monthly prescriptions refilled, 97 bucks more than last month, 200 bucks more than last December, same stuff, same amounts.I'm helping someone get their sex change operation, thanks, OBAMACARE!

Once upon a time, a teacher would teach American History. On exams, students would be asked questions about American history. Testing was straightforward and needed little discussion. In the modern era, however, content is disparaged and facts are scorned. The goal, seemingly, is to keep kids busy but to teach as little as possible. The big problem is, how do you design exams when the teacher hasn’t taught much, the kids don’t know much, and there is little actual knowledge that the school intends the children to retain? In this fact-free world, what would a valid examination look like? At...

I watch Bob Beckel on the Five and he asserts that we're "out to get Hillary" because we think we can keep her from running for president if we pin the Benghzi scandal on her. This is premised on the notion that she wants to run and the Democrats want her to run. What if she does not want to run, and the Democrats don't really want her to run, or not nearly as much as they pretend to want her to run? I don't think they love Hillary as much as they FEAR her. They don't seem to be...

We can't count the number of times we've wanted to enact vengeance on some inconsiderate audience member whose cell phone goes off during a performance. But, like most people, we just bottle that fury up deep down inside and take it out on the break room vending machine later. Not Kevin Williamson. Last night the National Review writer was in attendance at the marvelous new musical Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 when one theatergoer's incessant cell phone use finally drove him over the edge... into vigilantism. The stellar production—a swinging cabaret-type musical adaptation loosely adapted from Leo...

In its ninth annual survey of CEO opinion about the best and worst states in which to do business, 736 CEOs—the highest response on record—rendered their verdict. Business leaders were asked to grade states with which they are familiar on a variety of competitive metrics that CEOs themselves regard as critical. These include: 1) taxation and regulation; 2) quality of workforce; and 3) living environment. The tax and regulatory grade includes a measure of how CEOs grade a state’s attitude toward business, a key indicator. In the minds of most leaders, a state’s friendliness is closely aligned with its tax...

By 2030, roughly two-thirds of the world’s middle class will be in the Asia Pacific region, largely in China, according to a report by Ernst & Young. Currently at around 150 million people, the Chinese middle class is expected to reach 1 billion. Representing a $250 billion market for American companies today, according to the U.S.-China Business Council estimates the country, it’s worth noting the American companies that can take advantage of the enormous opportunity. Some of the nation’s biggest brands have already managed to be the Chinese market leaders in their particular segments. Apple sells more tablets than any...

William J. Bennett and David Wilezol’s “Is College Worth It?” asks and authoritatively answers one of life’s biggest questions. The orthodox answer to the question, the authors write, is “Of course it is. Though the cost of attendance is ever increasing, those who go to college make more than those who don’t. And while the job market is bad, it's worse for those without college degree.” “Is College Worth It?” provides a thoroughgoing deconstruction of the “of course it is” delusion. It turns out that for too many, and maybe even most of our young people, the answer to this...

Junk-food starved Gazans can now order Kentucky Fried Chicken to go thanks to a new smuggling service which brings takeout from Egypt via a network of underground tunnels. It’s not exactly “fast”—taking several hours to arrive, with the Palestinian delivery company behind it charging hefty prices to cover the cost of fuel and transport. … Tight restrictions on Gazans entering Egypt mean those with a craving for chicken cooked to Colonel’s Secret Recipe cannot just pop over the border and pick up a bucket. Instead, some residents seem quite happy to shell out ₪130 (£23; $35) for just 20 pieces...

We're not sure if this is a good sign for Microsoft or a bad sign for BlackBerry, but Windows Phone is now the third largest smartphone operating system, according to IDC. Since we're optimists, we'll say it's a good sign for Microsoft. It's trying to catch up to Apple's iOS and Google's Android operating systems. It has a very long way to go before it catches either of them, but it had to start somewhere. Perhaps this is the start of the most unlikely come-from-behind victory in history. Here's the IDC numbers, via All Things D:

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. claims that the Moore’s law will survive in the long-term, despite of all issues and lack of its economic feasibility for many chip designers. However, future chips will not only gain logic transistors to drive performance up, but will absorb a lot of untraditional (by today’s standards) functionality. “If anybody pushes Moore's Law to extremes, TSMC will be there too, but that is not all we do. We also have specialized technologies such as embedded flash, high-voltage, power transistors, MEMS and image sensors – a spectrum of technologies. And as we move monolithic CMOS on to...

Wednesday's Poll Do you blame President Barack Obama for the current IRS scandal? Yes No

he Internal Revenue Service is now facing a class action lawsuit over allegations that it improperly accessed and stole the health records of some 10 million Americans, including medical records of all California state judges. According to a report by Courthousenews.com, an unnamed HIPAA-covered entity in California is suing the IRS, alleging that some 60 million medical records from 10 million patients were stolen by 15 IRS agents. The personal health information seized on March 11, 2011, included psychological counseling, gynecological counseling, sexual/drug treatment and other medical treatment data. "This is an action involving the corruption and abuse of power...

Dear Dave, I’m a stay-at-home mom now, and my husband brings home $2,600 a month. We’re trying to get out of debt, but we need more money coming in. I want to go back to work, but emotionally part of me feels like I should stay home with our 2-year-old daughter. What do you think? Kayla Dear Kayla, I understand the feelings involved, especially if you’ve spent all of your time home with your child. But don’t make the mistake of blaming the debt if you simply want to go back to work. You’re not a bad person if you...

Is There Such a Thing? All one needs to do is read the way that Google and Yahoo spin headlines to realize what the young people are absorbing.....time for a different server/host?????? Anyone??????

Nearly half — 47 percent — of employers use credit checks when making a hiring decision, according to a 2012 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management. Most businesses use credit checks only to screen for certain positions, but one in eight, the survey found, does a credit check before every hire. “We’ve heard from dozens of people over the past several years who say they’re being denied jobs specifically because of a credit check,” Ms. Ludwig said. The people contacting her group, she said, are “mostly lower-wage workers,” especially those applying to big retail chains. “Prohibiting the use...

Conservative groups seeking information from the Environmental Protection Agency have been routinely hindered by fees normally waived for media and watchdog groups, while fees for more than 90 percent of requests from green groups were waived, according to requests reviewed by the Conservative Enterprise Institute.

Private colleges are offering record financial assistance to keep classrooms full, according to the Wall Street Journal's Ruth Simon. Some schools are seeing just 20% of the students they accepted enrolling, versus the usual rate of 33%. These schools have raised tuition discount rate — the price after grants and scholarships — to an all-time high of 45%. Meanwhile, the median sticker price increased just 3.9% last fall, the smallest gains in 12 years. And at public schools, the sticker price climbed just 4.8%, also a 12-year low. For the Washington Examiner's Michael Barone, this makes it official: the college...