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সোমবার, ৪ ফেব্রুয়ারি, ২০১৩

Big insurers leave towns high and dry | thetelegraph.com.au

EXPECT A HIKE: Suncorp, Queensland's largest insurer, says house insurance premiums are likely to rise by at least 10 per cent, more if a property has been flooded. Source: AFP

AUSTRALIA'S biggest insurers are accused of abandoning vulnerable customers - and their struggling towns - in their hour of need as residents return to their flood-ravaged Queensland homes.

After ditching the flood ravaged of Roma, Mitchell and Emerald last year by "banning any new premiums", giant insurers Suncorp and Allianz have turned to other regional towns, raising flood insurance premiums by as much as 2000 per cent and refusing outright to do any more business in areas deemed at-risk.

Residents in Ipswich, Gympie and towns in the Lockyer Valley - again scarred by the floods that swept across south-east Queensland in the past week - have been added to the insurers' hit list, even if their homes have never flooded.They are the townships that have been left high and dry; forsaken by trusted companies that price themselves out of the market.

And there is more to come.

Experts predict devastated Bundaberg and Maryborough face astronomical increases in flood insurance that will force many residents to drop their coverage. Grafton is also on the potential list.

Mayors say it is unforgivable to kick a community while it is down. But they have seen the insurers do it before and they know it's coming, they told The Sunday Telegraph.Gerard O'Connell, mayor of the Fraser Coast Regional Council at Maryborough, said: "I think that is a real concern for residents, particularly in places that never usually see this much water, because they will now be noted by the insurers as flood-prone when they weren't previously."

Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale claims insurers are discriminating by postcodes. Anyone is fair game he says - including his own home, perched on the highest point in town.

"We've been hammered to death," he said. "They've ditched us. They've made record profits and increased everyone's premiums based on postcode, so people are paying through the nose.

"I'm seeing increases from 20 per cent to 2000 per cent. My insurance went up $3000 ... and I live on top of the highest hill in Ipswich.

"If my house floods there wouldn't be a house left in Ipswich. We would have to build Noah's Ark."

Down in the suburb of Moores Pocket, which was struck by the 2011 floods but escaped unscathed by recent floods, Vicki Ash was given little alternative but to pay a whopping $500 monthly increase in her premium.

"I've had neighbours whose premiums went up to $24,000. And they didn't even get hit ."

Maryborough resident Barry Wain's Allianz premium increased to $14,000 with flood cover. He opted out because despite the town's tendency to flood, he has been spared. His only claim in six years was a broken shower screen.

But this absurdity is now common in the mid-western townships of Roma, Mitchell and Emerald. Because of a stoush over the councils' perceived lack of flood mitigation strategies, Suncorp banned new business there last year.

After his laundry was inundated Roma man Brent Klein's Suncorp premium surged 1000 per cent to $12,000. "I looked at the letter and it was $1000 and I thought, 'S ... , that doesn't seem enough'. Then I remembered I pay by the month."They basically washed their hands of me. "I work with a lady whose premium went up to $17,000. I think they just wanted to get rid of Roma."In Emerald, Michelle Rose believes she was given a red flag because her neighbour's house once flooded. Despite her home never flooding, her Suncorp premium jumped from $2500 to $6500.

"They wouldn't even look at our property, weren't even interested," she said. "There was no negotiation,"

The towns are filled with such tales of woe, which are now popping up other south-east Queensland towns and in NSW where flood insurance premiums are also rising sharply. The average flood insurance premium offered by Allianz in Queensland is $8200, compared with the NSW average of $4704.

These insurance companies are a world away from the flood-affected communities.

Suncorp's group net profit boomed to $724 million last financial year, up from $463 million in 2010-11. Allianz's raked in $301.6 million in net profit in Australia. Executive pay at both totalled millions.

Suncorp, which also owns AAMI and GIO, denied pricing itself out of risky markets, saying premium rises were due to a global jump in the cost of underwritten insurance.

Group media executive Michelle Barry would not rule out rampant premium rises in Bundaberg and Maryborough.

"I don't think we are thinking about that yet," she said. "Our focus is on responding to our customers. We know there is concern about affordability; the cost of living is increasing.

"But pricing for risk is absolutely critical. It has to be a strong, sustainable industry."An Allianz spokesman said new flood insurance policies were determined by flood mapping. "We calculate premiums on property-by-property basis," he said.

"It is wrong to suggest that we are discriminating against postcodes or suburbs."

Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/big-insurers-leave-towns-high-and-dry/story-e6freuy9-1226567331469

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Astronomers solve 150-year-old star explosion mystery

After a stellar explosion was reported in 1866, British astronomer John Herschel announced he had seen a bright flare from the same location 24 years earlier.

Herschel's claim was contested almost immediately, with some saying he had seen only a fairly common star in 1842.

Now the question of whether Herschel actually saw a recurrent supernova or a common star has finally been answered, clearing up a point about stars that "go off" periodically.

To solve the 150-year-old mystery, Bradley Schaefer of Louisiana State University dug through the records of the Royal Society in Britain, to which Herschel donated his papers. Schaefer was unable to find the astronomer's original chart, but he found the second best thing: a copy made by Herschel and sent to another astronomer a few short weeks after the 1866 explosion.

The document revealed that what Herschel observed was not the recurrent nova T Coronae Borealis (T CrB) but another star, BD+25?3020.

Blown away ? again
Rather than dying in a single blaze of glory, recurrent novas cycle through explosions on a steady basis. White dwarf stars pull in material from companion stars, and they flare up when enough material has fallen onto their surfaces. Understanding just how often an individual nova, such as T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), explodes is crucial to understanding objects that could eventually evolve into Type 1a supernovas.

But in 1866, novas were not well understood.

"When T CrB went off, the world of astronomy became ablaze," Schaefer said during a presentation in January at the 221st meeting of the American Astronomical Society. [Supernova Photos of Star Explosions]

Back in 1866, John Herschel, son of astronomer Sir William Herschel, dug through his records to find a map of the night sky he had made nearly 24 years before. But the published chart seemed to place what Herschel claimed was the explosion near the spot of another star, and generated an almost immediate response from the astronomical community.

"We had a couple of people coming up to Herschel saying, 'Hey, are you sure this isn't just the BD star?'" Schaefer said.

The recurrent nova white dwarf exploded again in 1946, which would give it a time scale of 80 years between flares. But if Herschel saw it explode in 1842, that would change the time scale of the star, and call into question astronomers' understanding of these repeating explosions.

Solving the mystery
For Schaefer, who studies recurrent novas, solving the mystery wasn't as simple as determining exactly where Herschel's mystery object sat in the sky. The BD star is too faint to be observed at sea level with the naked eye, according to Schaefer, so Herschel could not have seen it without assistance. If Herschel was relying on his own eyes to map the night sky, he must have seen T CrB ? or so the argument goes.

Digging through letters, Schaefer found a notation that all of Hershel's observations weren't made unaided. On occasion, the British scientist used an opera glass, which would have allowed him to see the BD star.

Still, this wasn't definitive enough. Schaefer kept digging, searching for the original sky map.

Instead, he found a letter from Herschel to another astronomer with a diligently replicated chart.

According to Schaefer, Herschel placed a heavy piece of paper under the original chart and used pins to precisely map the location of each star in the sky. He sent the duplicate chart to the fellow astronomer.

"We have him guaranteeing it's a fair copy," Schaefer told SPACE.com.

The chart revealed that the object Hershel observed sat in the same position as the BD star, and not where T CrB lit up the sky.

"T CrB did not go off in 1842," Schaefer said, closing the door on 150-year-old mystery.

Schaefer's findings will be published in an upcoming issue of the journal The Observatory.

Follow SPACE.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook & Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/50679062/ns/technology_and_science-space/

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SUPER BOWL WATCH: Walkthroughs, bets, celebs

The Superdome, where the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens will be played, is seen at sunset Friday, Feb. 1, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis stretches during an NFL Super Bowl XLVII walkthrough on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The Ravens face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick laughs as he walks onto the Superdome field for practice on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in New Orleans. The 49ers are scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game on Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

New Orleans residents Stephen Boudy, left, Shiela Jones, center, Camry Boudy, top right, and Sequoia Boudy, lower right, sport Saints jerseys in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. Saints jerseys are such a staple on the streets of New Orleans this week, you'd think they're playing in the Super Bowl. The city hosts NFL football's Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. (AP Photo/Nancy Armour)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Around the Super Bowl and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of everything surrounding the game:

___

49ERS WALKTHROUGH

The next time the 49ers step onto the field at the Superdome, it'll be time for the Super Bowl.

San Francisco finished up on-field preparations on Saturday with a 15-minute walkthrough. The team has meetings Saturday night.

Coach Jim Harbaugh said the stadium lights are brighter than they were when the 49ers beat the New Orleans Saints here on Nov. 25, so getting his players adjusted to that was important.

Harbaugh invited family members and friends ? 11 busloads of people ? to attend the short session and come down to the field to pose for photographs.

One person hollered Harbaugh's signature chant from the stands: "Who's got it better than us?"

The rest of the group replied: "No-body!"

The coach smiled.

? Janie McCauley ? http://twitter.com/JanieMcCAP

___

RAVENS DONE PRACTICING

Baltimore is done practicing on the field for the Super Bowl.

Team officials, friends and family watched as the Ravens went through a short walkthrough at the Superdome on Saturday afternoon.

The 15-minute session was more of a pep rally than a workout.

Running back Ray Rice playfully tackled his mother on the sideline and guard Marshal Yanda had a video camera attached to the top of his Ravens cap.

John Harbaugh describes his team's work this week as "effective."

"We've gotten everything we've needed to get done, that's the No. 1 thing," Harbaugh said.

___

GLORY, PLUS CASH

The Super Bowl isn't just about the glory ? players for San Francisco and Baltimore both have decent paydays riding on the outcome.

The difference between winning and losing is $44,000, nearly $9,000 less than the median annual household income in the United States from 2007-2011, according to U.S. Census data.

Winning players get $88,000 each, losers get $44,000. That's just cash ? it doesn't count the marketing clout gained by going from NFL player to Super Bowl champion.

Super Bowl paydays have gradually increased the last 30 years after doubling in 1983 to $36,000 for winners.

In the game's first 11 years, winners got $15,000 and losers got $7,500.

? Oskar Garcia ? http://twitter.com/oskargarcia

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MACKIE COLD ON NY GAME

Add Anthony Mackie to the list of people cold on next year's Super Bowl at the home stadium of New York's teams.

Though the "Gangster Squad" actor now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., he's from New Orleans and thinks a city like his hometown should get the Super Bowl every year.

Mackie said Friday night at an ESPN Magazine party that he doesn't want to sit outside in 30 degree weather and watch the Super Bowl.

"I want to see the girls in their pretty dresses; I want to hang out with the players. I don't want to be outside in the cold in New Jersey," he continued, stressing that Met Life Stadium, where both the New York Giants and Jets play, is actually in East Rutherford, N.J. "You're not in New York. I have to take a bus from Manhattan all the way to Jersey?"

Though Mackie's Saints didn't make it to the Super Bowl this year, Mackie is still passionate about who he wants to win ? the Baltimore Ravens.

"I will do everything to not see San Francisco win another Super Bowl," he said, hoping for a bit of karma.

? Nekesa Mumbi Moody ? http://twitter.com/nekesamumbi

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LEAVING HIS MARK

If there are some dents in the Superdome roof, blame San Francisco 49ers punter Andy Lee.

Lee bonked several punts off the roof this week as the 49ers practiced for Sunday's Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens. Lee finally lowered the trajectory of his kicks to make sure he got the ball downfield.

"I'm glad he didn't hit those lights," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said.

? Nancy Armour ? http://twitter.com/nrarmour

___

PLAYING FOOTBALL, NOT FUTBOL, IN MEXICO

The NFL wants to return to Mexico, though Commissioner Roger Goodell won't say when.

Back in 2005, Azteca Stadium in Mexico City was the site of the league's first regular-season game outside the United States. But the league hasn't been back, despite playing in Toronto and ? now regularly ? in London.

Goodell says the league is perfecting things in England.

"We have to make sure that whenever we do come back to Mexico, and I expect we will, that we do it successfully, with the right kind of television support, fan support and sponsor involvement," Goodell said.

"I would expect if we are successful in the UK, where we thankfully are continuing to grow, that we'll have the opportunity to get back there," Goodell said. "And the sooner, the better for me."

? Nancy Armour ? http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour

___

YOU BET WHAT?

Novelty bets on the Super Bowl might be getting out of hand.

Regional specialties between mayors and governors used to be the only norm, but now it seems like every public figure's betting on the Super Bowl ? and the wagers are getting pretty elaborate.

Here are three of the better bets:

THE BOOKWORMS: If the Ravens win, San Francisco Public Library City Librarian Luis Herrera has to recite Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" in the atrium of the city's main library while wearing a Ravens jersey. If the 49ers win, Enoch Pratt Free Library CEO Carla Hayden must declaim George Sterling's "The Cool, Grey City of Love" in the Central Library main hall wearing a 49ers jersey.

THE FUZZ: It's a duel of on-field demonstrations for San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr and Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts. Suhr vows that Batts will be "Kaepernicking" ? flexing and kissing his bicep in imitation of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's victory pose. Batts says Suhr will have to don Baltimore Ravens gear to perform the signature dance ? the Squirrel ? of linebacker Ray Lewis.

THE BREWERS: Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Md., and Anchor Steam in San Francisco have agreed that the brewery from the home state of the losing team will have to pour the other's beer for a week in their tap room. The tour guides will have to wear the winning team's jerseys.

___

WHO DAT?

Wander the streets of New Orleans this week and you'd think the Saints are one of the teams playing in Sunday's Super Bowl.

Entire families are sporting Drew Brees jerseys. Women are wearing rhinestone-studded Saints T-shirts and fleur-de-lis earrings. Men are in Saints jerseys and sweatshirts.

Of course, fans in every host city show pride in their home team. But there's a special bond between the Saints and the people of New Orleans. While they're happy to welcome the Ravens and the 49ers, this city will always belong to the Saints.

?Nancy Armour ? http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour

___

THE PISTOL, EXPLAINED

You'll hear about it from the first time 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stands behind center, and listen to it be endlessly dissected in the Super Bowl.

But just what is this pistol offense San Francisco is running?

Put simply, it's a variation of the shotgun, a formation that has been in the NFL for decades. Former Nevada coach Chris Ault invented it, and gave it the name because it reminded him of a shorter version of the shotgun.

In the pistol, the quarterback lines up 4-5 yards behind the center. Unlike the shotgun, the running backs line up behind the quarterback instead of next to him so they can be in motion when they get the ball and run north and south more easily.

The tweak that makes the pistol even more effective, though, is the read-option. This what Kaepernick runs so well, and what Baltimore has spent two weeks preparing to stop.

In the read-option, Kaepernick turns to his right and tucks the ball in the belly of his running back ? all while keeping his eyes on the defense. Based on the first move the defensive end makes ? either to the outside or toward the quarterback ? Kaepernick will either leave the ball with the running back or pull it out and take off himself to the outside.

Defensive players say the move causes problems because it forces them to hesitate a split-second to see what Kaepernick does with the ball. Often, that is just enough time for running back Frank Gore to slash up the middle or for Kaepernick to take the ball around the right end down the field for a big gain.

? Tim Dahlberg ? http://twitter.com/timdahlberg

___

GET HERE EARLY

Anyone wanting a cafe au lait or a beignet from New Orleans' most famous coffee shop better be prepared to wait.

Tables were filled, and lines were stretching down the sidewalk at Cafe Du Monde by midday Saturday.

? Nancy Armour ? http://twitter.com/nrarmour

___

QUICKQUOTE: RAY LEWIS

There are many sides to Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.

Even he admits that the guy he professes to be most of the time ? deeply religious, a caring mentor, a humble leader ? is not the one you see when he puts on his helmet and pads.

"I turn into a different person on the field," Lewis said. "I am a totally different person off the field. But on the field, I'm driven to do whatever it takes for my teammates. There are so many of my teammates here today who I've honored and told them that I would do anything in my power so we can feel that confetti drop together, because that is the ultimate. For me being a leader of this team, I owe that to them."

? Paul Newberry ? http://twitter.com/pnewberry1963

___

CULLIVER SENSITIVITY TRAINING

After playing in the Super Bowl, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver is immediately starting sensitivity training.

The 24-year-old took a hit to his image this week after making anti-gay remarks to a comedian, saying he wouldn't welcome a gay player in the locker room.

Now, his public relations spokesman Theodore Palmer says Culliver will begin working with "The Trevor Project," an organization that provides crisis and suicide intervention to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

Palmer says the group wants to be sure Culliver is genuine about his words.

"It's just an opportunity for him to learn about his comments and educate himself about the LGBT community, and grow," Palmer said. "It's the first step in learning about his words."

After an educational program, Culliver is expected to then pursue volunteer work related to helping gay youth.

? Janie McCauley ? http://twitter.com/JanieMcCAP

___

MCGRAW ROOTING FOR BLIND SIDE

Country music superstar Tim McGraw doesn't want to explicitly share who he's rooting for to win the Super Bowl. But he gave a pretty big hint.

"It would be nice to see Michael win and see that whole 'Blind Side' story come to completion," McGraw says.

He's referring to Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher, whose life was the subject of the film "The Blind Side." It starred McGraw and Sandra Bullock, who won an Oscar for her role.

McGraw, whose new album, "Two Lanes of Freedom," comes out on Tuesday, was in New Orleans on Friday for a very early performance at the House of Blues broadcast live on ABC's "Good Morning America."

? John Carucci ? http://twitter.com/jcarucci_ap

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Super Bowl Watch" shows you the Super Bowl and the events surrounding the game through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across New Orleans and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-02-Super%20Bowl%20Watch-Package/id-136853bb8f484cfd8a99a797dc4fb053

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Women's baseball star, movie inspirer Davis dies

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Lavonne "Pepper" Paire-Davis, a star of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1940s and an inspiration for the central character in the movie "A League of Their Own," has died, her son said Sunday.

Paire-Davis died of natural causes in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Saturday, her son, William Davis, told The Associated Press. She was 88.

Paire-Davis was a model for the character played by Geena Davis in the 1992 hit "A League of Their Own," which also starred Rosie O'Donnell, Madonna and Tom Hanks as the crusty manager who shouted the famous line, "there's no crying in baseball!"

In 1944, Paire-Davis joined the league, created out of fear that World War II would interrupt Major League Baseball, and played for 10 seasons.

She was a catcher and shortstop, and helped her teams win five championships. She chronicled her baseball adventures in the 2009 book "Dirt in the Skirt."

"I know what it's like for your dream to come true, mine did," Paire-Davis said in an AP story in 1995, when she was 70. "Baseball was the thing I had the most fun doing. It was like breathing."

After graduating from high school, she enrolled at UCLA as an English major, worked as a welder's assistant at the shipyards in Long Beach, and spent every spare moment playing in local softball leagues.

Her heart, however, belonged to hardball.

"Don't get me wrong, I was glad to be playing softball," she said in 1995. "But I'd rather have played competitive baseball."

The All American Girls Baseball League was founded in 1943 by Chicago Cubs owner Philip K. Wrigley. Most of the league's talent came from greater Chicago, but Paire-Davis was one of a half-dozen players scouted and chosen from California.

The players wore skirts and the teams often had cutesy names, but the players maintained a genuine big league lifestyle, playing 120 games over four months.

"We played every night of the week," Paire-Davis said, "doubleheaders on Sundays and holidays."

She won championships with the Racine Belles, the Grand Rapids Chicks and the Fort Wayne Daisies, but she never actually played for the team featured in the film, the Rockford Peaches.

"That's Hollywood," she said. "They had to take 10 teams and 12 years and make it into two hours."

The league was "temporarily suspended" in 1954. Play was never resumed.

Davis said his mother spent much of the rest of her life as a sports fan ? she rooted for the Dodgers, Angels and Lakers ? and an advocate for her favorite game.

"She taught me how to switch hit when I was 3 years old," said Davis, one of two sons, a daughter, four grandkids and an older brother who survived Paire-Davis. "She touched a lot of people around the world with her baseball exploits. She was a great ambassador for the game."

Paire-Davis said, looking back from 1995, that she couldn't "honestly tell you I knew the history we were making back then."

But, she said, "I can tell you we knew we were doing something special."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/womens-baseball-star-movie-inspirer-davis-dies-003321047--spt.html

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রবিবার, ৩ ফেব্রুয়ারি, ২০১৩

Meet Miss February: Jennifer K And Find Out How She Lost Over ...

jennifer k lost over 100lbs at lucille roberts

Check out the full February 2013 issue here.

?(Editor?s Note: I love all of our cover stories and success stories, but this one is particularly moving. Jennifer is an inspiration to us all whether you want to lose 5, 10, 50 or over 100lbs. Congratulations and thank you for sharing your story!)

Jennifer Before and After

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am 40 years old, happily married, mom to four wonderful kids aged 17, 15, 12, and 8 years old, from North Babylon, NY on Long Island. I love music, dancing, working out, running races, baking and taking pictures, especially of my family.

2. When and why did you commit yourself to losing weight?

My Weight Loss Journey started on November 3, 2010. In late 2010, I faced a number of different health problems. I was overweight, suffered from herniated and slipped disks, had high blood pressure and cholesterol as well as ovarian cysts and nodules on my thyroid (cancer scare). With a family history of Type 2 diabetes, I was at risk of developing the disease. To top things off, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease in September 2010. I felt like my world was falling apart. But the wake-up call that snapped me into action happened on a vacation to Aruba when I could hardly fit into my airplane seat and wasn?t able to buckle the seat belt. I thought to myself, ?I can?t be that fat, can I?? But I was. That day, I made the commitment to quit my bad habits and adopt a healthier way of life through diet and exercise.

3. What led you to join Lucille Roberts ?

After working out at home for a couple of months, I was getting bored of the same old workout DVD?s and one day my friend took me as a guest to the gym that she belonged to. I enjoyed working out at the gym but did not feel comfortable working out in front of men. That night I came home and actually saw a commercial on TV for Lucille Roberts and the next day I took my friend with me to the Lucille Roberts in Bayshore with our guest passes, to check it out. When I walked in I was welcomed with open arms. The staff understood my goals and challenges and explained to me how I can make it happen and how it will happen. They were very encouraging. I have been a member ever since. I also love that it is an all women gym. I feel very comfortable working out because I feel we can all relate to each other. Working out in a group setting with all women is also very encouraging and motivating. I find that I push myself more working out with others and it is so much more fun!

4. What steps did you take to lose over 100lbs?

I knew I had a lot of weight to lose and that diet alone just wasn?t going to do it for me. Besides changing my eating habits for the better, I wanted to try and incorporate working out in my routine to help me lose the weight faster but also to help tone so I would not have sagging skin since I had over 100 lb. to lose. I wanted to get healthier and stronger since I had so many health problems, and the one thing the doctor said would help me with a lot of my issues was working out. I started off slow: 15 minutes at a time at home with workout DVDs.

5. What were your biggest food and exercise challenges and?how did you overcome them?

I was just not eating healthy or thinking?about what I put in my mouth. I was over eating and my portions were out of control. I knew I had to get healthy and couldn?t eat like that anymore. I started following a diet of no white carbs and no added sugar, only natural sugars from fruits. I eat a lot of lean protein and a lot of vegetables along with whole wheat carbs every now and then. I now eat to fuel my body instead of destroy it. Eating this way is a lifestyle change that I can follow for the rest of my life.

The challenge I had with exercise was I hated it, I did not want to exercise. It was like torture to me and not fun at all until I joined Lucille Roberts. The best thing I did for myself during my weight loss journey was rewarding myself with a Lucille Roberts Gym Membership! I have not been the same since. I am healthier and stronger. I come to the gym every day since I joined. I started off just using the machines like the treadmill and elliptical. I would watch the classes as I was on them. After about a week of watching the classes I decided to give the classes a try and ever since then I am HOOKED. I LOVE them all and I love that Lucille Roberts switches the classes up to challenge us and keeps things interesting.

6. Was there ever a moment when you felt like giving up? What did you do to stay motivated?

There were times when I did feel like giving up especially at the beginning when I did not see any results and at other times along my journey. I Never did give up though. I thought to myself what will happen to me ,especially with all the health issues I had, if I gave up? Will I be around for my family? As a mother of four children, I wanted to be a model of good health. I had more than 100 pounds to lose and looking at that big number was often very overwhelming, so I set mini goals of ten pounds at a time and kept at the exercise, which helped me stay motivated. I also kept pictures of my progress on my wall which helped me realize that I never wanted to go back to where I started and that would happen if I gave up.

7. Do you feel that having a support team is important? Who?is on yours?

I absolutely think a support team is key for anyone who?wants to lose weight and workout to be their best. I have the greatest support team in the world. My family and my friends are my biggest supporters and are very encouraging. They have been my cheerleaders along my journey. Another support team of mine is my second family away from home, the members, instructors, and staff at Lucille Roberts Bayshore. The instructors are so motivating and push me to achieve things I never thought I could do with their classes. They have shown me how strong I actually am and have been there to help with any questions I have had and any struggles that I have come across.

I have made so many close friendships since I joined and everyone there is just like family. We are all there for each other, listen to each other and help?encourage?and inspire each other. So many people have come up to me let me know how incredible and amazing I look and how much of an inspiration I am for them to get started on their weight-loss journeys.?It?s the most wonderful feeling in the world to be able to inspire others and show them that their journeys can lead to health and happiness. I could not have been successful on this journey without all the support from everyone I have and that have come into my life since I began this new healthy lifestyle change.

8. What can you do now that you never thought you could do?

I am loving the challenge of taking on new things and feeling stronger and healthier every day. I love being able to run around with my kids and do things I never thought were possible for me. In October 2011 I ran my first 5k race. Since then I have run 4 more 5k?s and one 10K. In March of 2012 I ran my very first half marathon and finished in 2 hours and 36 minutes. When I first started my journey, if someone told me I would be running a half marathon, I would have laughed in their face. I couldn?t even walk up a flight of stairs without becoming out of breath. Who would have ever thought that I would LOVE and WANT to work out? It is the BEST thing for you!!! This coming from a person who hated exercising. Now I don?t know what I would do if I couldn?t get to the gym.

9. How do you feel when you look into the mirror?

I used to?be ashamed of the person I saw in the mirror before I started my journey. In fact I would try to avoid mirrors at all costs. Now I actually like to look in the mirror and see the person that I have become. I feel amazing, happy, proud, healthy, athletic, self confident, and accomplished knowing how far I have come from the person that I used to be. I see a person who is going to be around a long time for her kids, family and friends.

10. What advice do you have for women who are trying to lose?weight and meet their fitness goals?

I have my favorite quote that I always think of and that I have up on my refrigerator: ?Nothing is impossible: the word itself says I?m Possible?. Keep at it for a healthier, happier you because it IS possible! Everyone can lose weight and meet their fitness goals; just keep at it and don?t give up even if the results are not happening as fast as you would like. After 14 months, I am 115 lb. lighter because I DID NOT GIVE UP!! I was able to run my First Half Marathon because I DID NOT GIVE UP!! Make small changes and set mini-goals throughout instead of looking at the big picture?this helped me so much. And remember, slow and steady wins the race. It is a lifetime journey. I am living proof that you CAN change your body. 115 lb. later, I am feeling Strong, Sexy, and Confident!!!

Check out the full February 2013 issue here.

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Mistakenly freed killer captured while watching TV

CHICAGO (AP) ? Two days after a stunning series of errors allowed a convicted murderer to walk out of a Chicago jail where he did not need to be in the first place, police recaptured the man at a northern Illinois home where he was found watching TV.

Steven L. Robbins, 44, put up no resistance Friday night as police burst through the door of a townhome in Kankakee, about 60 miles south of Chicago, said Cook County Sheriff's Office spokesman Frank Bilecki.

"He was in the living room or kitchen area watching TV, taken by total surprise," Bilecki said, adding that it appears the homeowner might know an acquaintance of Robbins.

The mistaken release of the prisoner, who was serving a 60-year sentence in Indiana for murder, focused attention on an antiquated corner of the criminal justice system that still relies extensively on paper documents instead of computers in moving detainees around and keeping tabs on their court status.

The episode prompted promises of change, but also some finger-pointing about who was ultimately to blame for a mistake with precedent in the Cook County system.

"We're not ducking the fact we dropped the ball. We made mistakes," Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said Friday. "The public deserves much more. We're going to find out what went wrong here."

In Robbins' case, his transfer to Illinois to begin with was the result of a mistake, officials said.

He was brought before a Cook County Circuit Court judge on Tuesday and Wednesday over drug and armed violence charges in a case that it turns out had been dismissed in 2007. But because law enforcement authorities were still seeing an active arrest warrant, his transfer was requested and approved, according to Dart's office.

In a second lapse that Dart took responsibility for, he acknowledged that paperwork was lost that would have made it clear to Illinois officials that Robbins was to be returned to Indiana custody. As a result, he was allowed to walk out of the Cook County Jail's main gate on Wednesday evening. It took another 24 hours before the public was alerted that he was on the loose.

But Dart and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, both prominent local Democrats, exchanged tense words Friday about who should accept responsibility for having Robbins brought to Chicago from Indiana.

Alvarez said her office had told Dart's office that Robbins' drug and armed violence case was closed. But Dart's office proceeded to bring him to Chicago, she said, because of confusion over the outcome of the case and because Robbins demanded to stand trial.

"The Cook County Sherriff's Police, despite the fact that the assistant state's attorney told them that they didn't have to bring him back, they thought it would be better if they did bring him back to get this all cleared up because the guy keeps writing letters demanding trial," Alvarez told reporters.

But Dart said his office sought ? and was granted ? permission from the state attorney's office to bring Robbins to Chicago. The sheriff showed The Associated Press a copy of the extradition request from September signed by one of Alvarez's prosecutors.

Robbins, a Gary, Ind., native, was serving a sentence for murder and weapons convictions out of Marion County in Indiana.

Witnesses to the 2002 killing told police Robbins was arguing with his wife outside a birthday party in Indianapolis when a man intervened, telling Robbins he should not hit a woman, according to court documents.

Witnesses said Robbins then retrieved a gun from a car and shot the man in the chest before fleeing. He started serving his sentence in October 2004.

He was expected to be transferred back to the state prison in Michigan City, Ind., on Saturday.

"We are grateful that law enforcement caught him before he committed another crime," Indiana Department of Corrections spokesman Doug Garrison said.

It is not the first time a prisoner has been mistakenly freed from the Cook County Jail. In 2009, Jonathan Cooper, who was serving a 30-year manslaughter sentence in Mississippi, was brought to Chicago to face charges that he failed to register as a sex offender.

Prosecutors dropped the charges because, as an inmate, he could not comply with the Sex Offender Registration Act. A clerk reportedly failed to include the Mississippi sentence information in Cooper's file, and jail staff released him.

Cooper turned himself in several days later.

___

Associated Press writers Don Babwin in Chicago and Pamela Engel and Charles D. Wilson in Indianapolis contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mistakenly-freed-killer-captured-while-watching-tv-180157958.html

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New stroke gene discovery could lead to tailored treatments

Jan. 31, 2013 ? A study led by King's College London has identified a new genetic variant associated with stroke. By exploring the genetic variants linked with blood clotting -- a process that can lead to a stroke -- scientists have discovered a gene which is associated with large vessel and cardioembolic stroke but has no connection to small vessel stroke.

Published in the journal Annals of Neurology, the study provides a potential new target for treatment and highlights genetic differences between different types of stroke, demonstrating the need for tailored treatments.

Approximately 152,000 people in Britain have a stroke each year, costing the UK over ?8.2 billion. While there are thought to be 1.2 million stroke survivors in the UK, more than half have been left with disabilities that affect their daily lives.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, often due to a blood clot blocking an artery that carries blood to the brain, which then leads to brain cell damage. Coagulation (blood clotting) abnormalities, particularly easy clotting of the blood, are therefore common contributing factors in the development of stroke.

Dr Frances Williams, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's and lead author of the paper, said: 'Previous studies have demonstrated the influence of genetic factors on the components of coagulation. The goal of this study was to extend these observations to determine if they were further associated with different types of stroke.'

The research was carried out in three stages. The first consisted of a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 2100 healthy volunteers which identified 23 independent genetic variants that were involved in coagulation. The second stage examined the 23 variants in 4200 stroke and non-stroke cases from centres across Europe (Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 and MORGAM collections) and found that a particular mutation on the ABO gene was significantly associated with stroke.

Stage three of the study used the MetaStroke cohort, a project of the International Stroke Genetics Consortium which comprises 8900 stroke cases recruited from centres in the Europe, USA and Australia, whose DNA has been collected and undergone GWA scan. It was confirmed that a variant in the ABO blood type gene was associated with stroke, a finding specific to large vessel and cardioembolic stroke.

Dr Williams said: 'The discovery of the association between this genetic variant and stroke identifies a new target for potential treatments, which could help to reduce the risk of stroke in the future. It is also significant that no association was found with small vessel disease, as this suggests that stroke subtypes involve different genetic mechanisms which emphasises the need for individualised treatment.'

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by King's College London.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/CUVQUtsy4uE/130201090853.htm

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