Massachusetts is a national leader in health care access and quality. But ours is also one of the most expensive health care systems. New payment reforms may bring efficiencies, but targeting obesity reduction and better fitness will ultimately bend the cost curve for consumers, businesses and government.

One in three kids and three in five adults are now overweight or obese in the commonwealth. Obesity is the single biggest cause of deteriorating health and the greatest cause of increasing health care costs. Simply put, this means ever higher health care costs and a less productive workforce. For years, health insurers have been forced to increase prices by 6 percent to 10 percent in response to more claims. Most businesses have responded by shifting costs to employees and trying to make employees better consumers through high deductibles. But that does not change the core problem of deteriorating health.

The reasons for higher obesity are multifaceted. They include more sedate lifestyles, more screen time, less physical activity at schools, federal tax breaks for sugar and corn sugar, food deserts, and policies that promote car usage over public transportation. Until now, a coordinated attack on the major causes of obesity has seemed beyond the reach of employers and government.

But recently, a broad coalition of businesses, health care providers, public health advocates, and political and civic leaders from across Massachusetts have joined to form the Healthy People/Healthy Economy Coalition to work with state officials to develop a broad set of policy initiatives, many of which are being debated now on Beacon Hill. These proposals range from ending the sales tax exemption on sugary drinks (we are one of only 17 states not to tax soda), to mandating physical activity in schools and promoting smart growth, local farming, healthier food access and wellness in the workplace.

Knee-jerk opponents of a soda tax and other positive steps to reduce obesity will cry nanny state. But much of the problem was caused, often inadvertently, by government interventions.

Drink and candy makers will probably use the old rallying cry of Taxachusetts in this debate. But, lets face it, those of us in the business community are not in the vanguard for taxes. This is more a question of having smart tax policy over the current tax policy that promotes unhealthy foods and siphons money away from growing our businesses and investing in jobs.

Further, polling by the Boston Foundation demonstrates that the soda tax is popular with Massachusetts voters if the money raised goes toward public health programs to reduce obesity.

Without coordinated actions, increasing obesity will bankrupt our personal, business and government finances and doom our children to lives less healthy and vigorous than those of prior generations. The business community has a huge role to play on this stage. Politicians need to step up to promote our good health, too.

Phil Edmundson is CEO of William Gallagher Associates and the former Chair of the Health Care for All referendum question.

Link:
Edmundson: State policy initiatives could reduce obesity

The event at the Cintas Center is free and open to the public 03/04/12

Xavier is offering financial assistance for individuals and families from Greater Cincinnati with a free Financial Fitness Day on Saturday, Mar.10. Anyone interested in learning ways to enhance or maintain financial stability is welcome to attend.

The event includes informative workshops, one-on-one meetings with finance and housing experts, and free tax preparation services. The event takes place from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in the Cintas Center. Free parking is available in the Cintas lot.

A number of short "Ask the Expert" sessions are being offered. Attendees may pre-register for 20-minute sessions on topics including credit reports, identity theft, job searches, couponing, energy saving, and for a time to have their taxes done.

One session features Todd Everett, director for financial aid at Xavier, and Fredrick Brown, director of the Career Services Center, presenting College Planning: Choosing Careers that Make Sense in Todays Market & How to Pay for Education. This session aims to help parents plan for their childrens college future and for their children to find a career that will help pay their student loans.

Visit the website for more information and to register. Attendees can bring financial and personal documents for free confidential shredding at the Cintas shredding truck.

Drawings occur throughout the day for gas gift cards, grocery gift cards, personal shredders, free will planning, an office organizer and a flat-screen television. Winners must be present and have attended at least one workshop or expert session to be eligible.

Other sponsors for the event are the United Way, Fifth Third Bank, Huntington Bank, PNC Bank, U.S. Bank and the Cincinnati Central Credit Union.

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Xavier hosts Financial Fitness Day to promote financial health and stability for local residents

Coming up, fitness professionals head to Los Angeles' world-renowned IHRSA Convention.

31st IHRSA Convention March 14-17 Los Angeles, California, US

A rival to the IDEA World Fitness Convention and FIBO, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association annual convention is another top, long-standing fitness trade show held in Los Angeles. Thousands of fitness pros swap ideas, spot new trends, and sample the latest products coming to a gym near you. http://www.ihrsa.org Facebook Twitter

25th Salon Mondial Body Fitness Formexpo March 16-18 Paris, France

Similar to Canadas Canfitpro and the USs IHRSA, Frances massive Salon Mondial Body Fitness Formexpo expects to draw some 20,000 visiters and 100 international companies. Check out the latest products and trends, or take classes in a range of techniques offered by Leaderfit, Reebok, Les Mills and Crossfit, among others. http://www.vivelaforme.com Facebook Twitter

8th International Fitness Showcase (IFS) March 23-25 Winter Gardens Blackpool, UK

This program packs more than 200 different fitness sessions into three days, designed for fitness instructors, trainers, and the public. Comparable to Inner IDEA in the US, IFS is one of Europe's biggest fitness conventions. Expect classes on The Fit Zone, Gravity, Modern Pilates, and much more. http://www.chrysalispromotions.com

5th BaliSpirit Festival March 28 - April 1 The Purnati Center for the Arts, Batuan, Bali, Indonesia

While deep-pocketed yogis have a variety of far-flung locales and events to choose from, BaliSpirit attracts a devoted crowd of more than 4,500 to one of the trendiest yoga spots on the planet. Celebrates global yoga, dance, and music. http://balispiritfestival.com Facebook Twitter

15th Natural & Organic Products Europe April 1-2 London, UK

Continue reading here:
Health and fitness agenda: IHRSA Convention in LA

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFDzB38HurE

09-03-2012 01:24 Dravid: "I would like to announce my retirement from international and domestic first-class cricket. It is 16 years since I played my first Test match for India and today I feel it is an time to move on. Once I was like every other boy in India, with a dream of playing for my country. Yet I could never have imagined a journey so long and so fulfilling." Courtesy : NDTV

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Rahul Dravid Announces Retirement - Press Conference - Video

Saving for retirement isn't just a smart move for the long run. It can also cut your taxes right now.

But just because you can reduce your current tax bill doesn't mean it's always the right move. For many workers a smarter option -- and one made possible by more and more employers -- is a retirement plan that completely eliminates your tax bill down the road.

Make Way for the Roth 401(k)

401(k) plans have been staple benefits from employers for decades. Your retirement plan at work lets you have money taken straight out of your paycheck, and in some cases, your employer matches those funds with extra money of its own.

In a regular 401(k), the money you set aside reduces your taxable income for the year, potentially saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in current-year taxes. But a relatively new type of retirement plan -- called the Roth 401(k) -- can be an even better idea for some workers.

Read this story on DailyFinance

Based on the Roth IRA, these retirement plans don't give you the same up-front tax break. But unlike regular retirement plans, you don't have to pay a cent in tax when you pull money out of a Roth 401(k) to spend after you retire.

Is the Tax Trade-Off Worth It to You?

Currently only a very small number of workers who have access to Roth 401(k)s at work have taken advantage of them. In part, that's because you lose your current-year tax savings when you contribute to a Roth 401(k). (Apparently, the idea of paying taxes today on money that will be locked up for decades in a retirement account doesn't sit well with many workers.)

But that only tells half the story. For many workers -- especially those who are early in their careers -- you can expect your income to go up over time, as well as your corresponding tax rates. Giving up on a deduction now essentially lets you preserve it until a time when it might be worth a whole lot more.

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How to (Legally) Dodge the Tax Man in Retirement

For most of us, retirement is the ultimate reward after a long life of hard work. Yet some of our retirement futures may not be as secure as we would like. If the market is dipping as you approach retirement age, you may be considering postponing your golden years a little longer in order to reap richer rewards. To help make your decision a little easier, here are some of the major advantages and disadvantages associated with postponing retirement.

Retirement Pros

Some of the benefits to retirement are quite obvious. Youll begin a well-earned break from the trials and stresses of working life as you prepare to enter your golden years. If youre well prepared financially or flexible about your quality of life, then deciding to forgo the extra cash in exchange for the freedom to start a new chapter of your life should be a no-brainer. Of course, if you choose to retire as planned, youll need to assess your finances thoroughly to ensure that you will remain well-supported throughout the rest of your life.

Certified Public Accountant and member of the AICPAs National CPA Literacy Commission, Ted Sarenski, warns that with poor financial planning, you risk having insufficient funds supplementing your Social Security to live your desired lifestyle after retirement.

For a quick calculation of what I need to have saved when I retire; take the desired budget, subtract what you would receive from Social Security, multiply the result by 25. If your savings fall short of this amount, youll most likely need to postpone your retirement, he says.

Retirement Cons

According to the AARP, the single most important question you need to consider when deciding whether or not to delay retirement is if you will have, at a minimum, enough lifetime income to cover your basic living expenses. If you decide that your retirement fund is insufficient to support you and your dependents throughout the rest of your life, youll almost certainly need to postpone your retirement. Even if you do decide that youve saved enough to get by, you may still experience a significant dip in your quality of life. Remember, if you retire in your fifties or sixties, you may still live for another 30 or 40 years, so you need to be sure that your finances are well prepared.

Postponement Pros

While spending a few more years in the workforce may not sound like an appealing prospect, for some it can greatly enhance their quality of life throughout the years that follow. Of course, postponement will allow your investments further time to grow, and decrease the amount of time spent drawing down your investments, but there are even further benefits to be gained.

According to Social Security Online, each additional year of full-time work adds another year of earnings to your Social Security record, which can result in higher benefits when you retire. In addition, individuals will receive delayed retirement credits, which increase each extra year you work after retirement age.

Read more:
Decision Points: Should I Postpone My Retirement?

March 9 (Reuters) - Reaction to the retirement of India batting stalwart and former skipper Rahul Dravid on Friday:

India batsman and team mate Sachin Tendulkar:

There was and is only one Rahul Dravid. There can be no other. I will miss Rahul in the dressing-room and out in the middle.

Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar on BBC Radio 5 live:

He was totally a class act, on and off the field. A terrific role model for youngsters with his work ethic, with the way he carried himself, with the way he applied himself.

Its going to be a bit of a void in Indian cricket now. I think you really wont find anybody playing with the same tactical virtuosity that you saw with Rahul Dravid.

Former India captain Anil Kumble:

Ive enjoyed every moment that Ive played with you. Its been a great honour. Rare are those individuals that hold the unique combination of exceptional talent and commitment.

His ability to concentrate for long hours remains unmatched. He is someone who is constantly in search of perfection.

You are a perfect ambassador for cricket and an ideal team man.

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Reaction to Dravid's retirement

The Senate passed an amendment on Thursday that allows retirement-eligible federal employees to work part time -- a move designed to offset costs of economic-development aid in rural counties nationwide.

The measure, proposed by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., passed the Senate by an 82-16 vote. It was put forward just hours before the vote as an amendment to the Surface Transportation Bill.

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal-employee union, feared the amendment would result in additional, unneeded sacrifices by government workers in a congressional session that already has hit federal pay and benefits -- for instance with a pension-contribution hike for newly hired federal employees passed in February as part of an extension of the payroll-tax break.

While the change to federal retirement -- a phased, part-time retirement-employment concept -- may be acceptable to the federal-postal community after proper analysis and study, it is completely outrageous for federal and postal employees to be required, again, to serve as the automated teller machine for programs having nothing to do with deficit reduction, Beth Moten, AFGEs legislative and political director, said in a letter to senatorson Thursday. She also complained that lawmakers had not made the text of the legislation available.

AFGE spokesman Tim Kauffman further explained that the union was not necessarily opposed to phased retirement, but took issue with the process of the legislation.

What we really have a problem is using the savings that would come from that proposal to fund yet another program thats unrelated to federal employees, Kauffman said.

Our opposition to the Baucus amendment is in how this assistance for rural schools is being paid for, Moten said. Federal employees have paid -- again and again and again.

National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley echoed those sentiments. NTEU supports a phased retirement program for federal employees on its merits, Kelley said in a statement on Thursday. However, we do have serious objections to the use of the projected $450 million in savings from such a program for any use unrelated to federal employees. This includes the rural-schools funding initiative.

The Office of Personnel Management included a similar proposal in its fiscal 2013 budget request. Easing older employees into retirement by offering a part-time work program would save the Obama administration $720 million during the next 10 years, the White House estimates.

Many federal employees are nearing retirement, so part-time work could pad federal agencies coffers if they did not have to replace these employees entirely. Under the proposal, part-time employees would receive partial annuities and could earn additional retirement benefits proportional to the amount of time they work. Older employees also would be required to mentor younger new hires and help preserve agency knowledge.

Link:
Senate-Passed Measure Approves Retirement Work for Federal Employees

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl0S26k5DMY

06-03-2012 12:39 Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

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Bobbed Hair - Dream high 2 JB and Shin's performance - Video

By Jonathan McEvoy

PUBLISHED: 06:55 EST, 9 March 2012 | UPDATED: 15:49 EST, 9 March 2012

The agony was slow to dawn on Jessica Ennis. She celebrated as the screen flashed her name up with the numeral 1 next to it and, then, as the maths was slowly, agonisingly calculated her position was brought up to date and she was declared second.

A joyous smile gave way fleetingly to disappointment. But, ever the professional and positive by nature, she gathered her composure in a flash and the grin returned.

It had been a typically brave performance from the poster girl of the London Olympics, but nothing like what had been billed ahead of the World Indoor Championships pentathlon.

Contrasting emotions: Jessica Ennis thinks she's won... but the scoreboard is then reversed (below)

This was meant to be a showdown between Ennis, the smiling little brunette and the stern statuesque Russian, Tatyana Chernova. But Chernova faded almost from the start. She finished fifth, a shadow of the woman who won the gold medal ahead of Ennis at the World Championships in Daegu last summer.

No, it was the Ukrainian Natallia Dobrynska, the 2008 Olympic champion, who pipped Ennis with an indoor world record of 5,013. Ennis scored 4,965, a personal best and national record.

It came down to the last event the 800m and the facts and figures did not look propitious for Ennis going into it. She needed to run 6.48sec faster than Dobrynska to prevail.

Naturally, as at Daegu, Ennis gave it everything. She won the race stylishly but finished only a fraction over three seconds ahead of her rival. Enough to give her a personal best 2min 8.09sec and second place ahead of Austra Skujyte of Lithuania.

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Ennis settles for pentathlon silver in Istanbul (despite being told she'd won stunning gold)