Meier Architecture Engineering celebrates 30 years of service ? Tri ...

?

By Audra Distifeno for TCAJoB

Even through some tough economic downturns, Meier Architecture Engineering is celebrating 30 years in business this year.

Instead of following national trends, the company continues to grow and has remained an icon in the Tri-Cities region.

In April, Meier expanded to the Vancouver/Portland area with a second office ?to diversify our geographical presence,? said President and CEO Steve Anderson, and will serve to grow and enhance the existing business.

Anderson said the business? key to success is that employees believe in what they are doing and love their jobs, which sends a very positive message to clients.

?We are a service industry adding value to our relationship with personal commitment,? he said.

Terry Meier launched the business in 1982 with Rob Bready, Anderson said. Both men had a great attitude and an extremely strong work ethic

?Building something for the employees was a guiding principle and what followed was both community commitment and enduring client relationships,? Anderson said. ?We are still focused around this very strong foundation for our future.?

Anderson said he?s not sure how much money Meier and Bready made when they started out, but he didn?t think it was much.

?Over the last 15 years, our financial performance has swung wildly,? he said.

To preserve employees and future, Meier was briefly acquired by another company called MACTEC after losing a large federal contract on the Hanford site in the 1990s.

?That was the closest we came to closing shop,? Anderson said. ?We lost about 25 percent of our employees and even more financially. The company then made a very strong push to focus on commercial/private work to help balance our risk over the next year and we had some very good success.?

The tactic worked so well that Terry Meier bought the company back after just a year and Meier has maintained its independence since. In mid-2007, Meier sold a majority stake, 61 percent, of his architecture and engineering firm to his employees in an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP. Three years later, employees purchased the remaining 39 percent of the architecture and engineering company from Meier.

Now the company has nearly 60 architects, engineers and support staff who provide consulting services and have completed more than 6,800 projects locally and abroad.

Meier staff is proud of an array of projects it has been involved in. It has provided full service architectural, civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering and interior design to myriad projects, including: Tri-Cities Community Health (three-story, 39,791-square-foot building in Pasco), Frontier Land Port of Entry (of which over 98 percent of construction waste was recycled), Cascade Natural Gas Regional Headquarters Office (26,000-square-foot brick and stucco building in Kennewick), Cayuse Technologies (a new information technology business center at the Cayuse Business Park, owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation) and Tri-City Business & Visitor Center.

In 2008, Meier received a ?Best Design-Build Innovation? award from Northwest Construction for the Cayuse Technologies facility. The local firm was also nominated for the Seattle AIA Civic Design Award in 2009 for the Tri-City Regional Business & Visitor Center design, a new 14,650-square-foot single-story regional business center in Kennewick.

Following in the tradition of Terry Meier, the company believes in utilizing state-of-the-art technology when it becomes available.

?He was very excited by technology and being on the cutting edge and thinking of what could be,? said Anderson. ?We have tried hard to keep that business strategy going with the latest in Autodesk produces, with the use of REVIT (an industry-leading Autodesk product) and Building Information Modeling.?

Most recently, Meier developed a web-based application database to allow staff to document field construction engineering oversight.

?We can now keep track of all changes, reviews and document engineering construction observations by populating in real time from a standard smart phone, all of these actions,? said Anderson.

This provides more transparency for the client and team members and greater efficiency in collaboration, which saves time and money.

Much of the industry?s equipment is standardized, Anderson said, however Meier was one of the first to utilize 3D modeling and interactive web design tools back in the 1990s, as well as LiDAR technology long before they became required practices ?for capturing existing surface conditions for As-built construction renovation.?

In addition to the diversity Meier offers its clients, a definite boon to the company was when it became employee-owned.

?There is a greater sense, by employees, that this is their business?we have also benefited greatly from our 30-year history. Clients know we are here to stay and can count on us,? said Anderson. ?That is a great comfort to people, especially in difficult economic times.?

Meier currently has 43 active participants in its Employee Stock Ownership Trust (ESOT), of which any employee is eligible to participate after one year of employment. Profits are shared to employee by the company making stock and/or cash contribution to the trust each year based on Meier?s financial success.

?The company is evaluated each year and a value is given to our stock, much like publicly-traded stock,? said Anderson. When an employee taking part in the ESOT leaves or retires, he/she is cashed out.

?There are many federal regulations and plan guidelines (with an ESOT), so this is just a condensed overview,? said Anderson. He maintains more companies could see greater success if they were employee-owned. ?It is not simple to administer, but it has been a great choice for us.?

Meier?s immediate goals include plans to seek diverse federal and state projects that require small business partnerships.

?Long-term, we are focused on steady and controlled growth in the medical, educational, energy and commercial sectors while balancing that with continued Federal services,? said Anderson.

?We?re here for the long haul, so we will continue to provide quality services to our clients and explore opportunities as they become understood,? he said.
?Reflecting on our first 30 years in business, Meier?s executives are deeply grateful to our clients for their confidence in our ability to carry out their design projects,? said Anderson. ?We also want to offer our heartfelt thanks to the employee owners and their families, whose creativity, dedication and sacrifices allowed us to fulfill our commitments while also helping build a strong foundation for future growth within our communities.?

?

?


by Audra Distifeno
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

uc davis pepper spray usc oregon big game jeremy london jeremy london butterball turkey fryer butterball turkey fryer

Is Hosni Mubarak dead? Let's ask Twitter

' ,containerID: 'divGigyaLoginTop' ,showEditLink: 'TRUE' } var login_params_top= { showTermsLink:false // remove 'Terms' link ,hideGigyaLink:true // remove 'Gigya' link ,height: 20 ,width: 125 ,UIConfig: '' ,containerID: 'divGigyaLoginTop' ,pendingRegistration: 'FALSE' } var showSiteFollowBarUI_params= { containerID: 'social-logo', iconSize: 22, buttons: [ { provider: 'facebook', actionURL: 'https://www.facebook.com/globalpost', title: 'Support GlobalPost on Facebook', action: 'dialog' }, { provider: 'twitter', title: 'Follow @globalpost', action: 'dialog', followUsers: 'globalpost' }, { provider: 'linkedin', actionURL: 'http://www.linkedin.com/today/globalpost.com', title: 'Follow GlobalPost' }, { provider: 'googleplus', actionURL: 'https://plus.google.com/117899428893829482065', title: 'Add GlobalPost to your circles' }, { provider: 'rss', actionURL: 'http://www.globalpost.com/feed/list', title: 'GlobalPost RSS Feeds' } ] } // function to populate name and photo box in header of page function renderUI(res) { if(document.getElementById("profile")){ if (res.user != null && res.user.isConnected) { document.getElementById("name").innerHTML = res.user.nickname; if (res.user.thumbnailURL.length > 0) document.getElementById("photo").src = res.user.thumbnailURL; else document.getElementById("photo").src = "http://cdn.gigya.com/site/images/bsAPI/Placeholder.gif"; document.getElementById("profile").style.display = "block"; document.getElementById("gig-logout").style.display = "block"; document.getElementById("gigya-login-message").style.display = "none"; document.getElementById("gigya-login-text").style.display = "block"; } else { document.getElementById("profile").style.display = "none"; document.getElementById("gig-logout").style.display = "none"; document.getElementById("gigya-login-message").style.display = "block"; document.getElementById("gigya-login-text").style.display = "none"; document.getElementById("name").innerHTML = ""; } } } // Logout from Gigya platform. This method is activated when "Logout" button is clicked function logoutFromGS() { gigya.socialize.logout(); // logout from Gigya platform } Drupal.behaviors.gigyaHeaderUserInfo = function (context) { gigya.socialize.showAddConnectionsUI(connect_params_top); gigya.socialize.showFollowBarUI(showSiteFollowBarUI_params); //gigya.socialize.showLoginUI(login_params_top); // get user info gigya.socialize.getUserInfo({ callback: renderUI }); // register for connect status changes gigya.socialize.addEventHandlers({onLogin: renderUI, onLogout : renderUI, onConnectionAdded: renderUI, onConnectionRemoved: renderUI }); }; // // // Publish an Activity Feed internally (only to site scope) // // This method is associated with the "btnPublishAction" click // function publishFeed() { // // // Constructing a UserAction Object // var act = new gigya.socialize.UserAction(); // act.setLinkBack("http://gigya.com"); // Adding a Link Back // act.setTitle("This is my title"); // Setting the Title // act.setDescription("This is my Description"); // Setting the Description // act.addMediaItem( { // Adding a Media (image) // src: 'http://www.cherrybam.com/graphics/graphics-cute/cute004.gif', // href: 'http://www.cherrybam.com/', // type: 'image' // }); // // // Parameters for the publishUserAction method, // var params = // { // userAction:act, // including the UserAction object define above // scope: 'internal', // the Activity Feed will be published interanlly (site scope) only (not to social networks). // privacy: 'public', // callback:publishAction_callback // }; // // // Publish the User Action // gigya.socialize.publishUserAction(params); // // } //end function publishFeed // // // Display a status message according to the response from publishUserAction. // function publishAction_callback(response) // { // switch (response.errorCode ) // { // case 0: // document.getElementById('status').style.color = "green"; // document.getElementById('status').innerHTML = // "Activity Feed item published, and will be presented shortly on the Activity Feed Plugin."; // break; // default: // document.getElementById('status').style.color = "red"; // document.getElementById('status').innerHTML = // "Unable to send Feed item. status=" // + response.errorCode + "; " + response.errorMessage + ";
" // + "Please make sure you are logged in to Gigya. You may log in using the Login Plugin inside the 'Me' tab above" ; // } // } // // // // // Logout from Gigya platform. This method is activated when "Logout" button is clicked // function logoutFromGS() { // gigya.socialize.logout(); // logout from Gigya platform // } //-->

NEW Connect to share and comment

PRIMARY NAVIGATION -->

Hosni Mubarak just can't seem to die. Once again, there are rumors and reports of his death. This time, state media is reporting that Mubarak is "clinically dead." But Reuters says he is merely unconscious. Let's ask Twitter.

[View the story "Is Hosni Mubarak dead?" on Storify]

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/egypt/120619/hosn...

?

alicia silverstone park slope food coop anchorman sequel safety not guaranteed lifehouse al gore la dodgers

Growing up: What a 10-year-old wants to drive when he grows up

Sure, growing up too soon happens to plenty of kids these days. But when our guest blogger's 10-year-old started asking about culinary school and car shopping online? Whoa, kid. Whoa.

By Lauren Parker-Gill,?Guest blogger / June 19, 2012

Growing up too soon, the author's 10-year-old son is already looking online for cars and asking about culinary school. Next he will be looking for apartments. Other kids use cardboard boxes to create a grown-up world with cars and houses, including these Build A Dream Playhouses.

Business Wire

Enlarge

Earlier this week, Grande asked for a Facebook account. No way. (Personally? I think the ?recommended age? of 13 is even too young!) He?s also been asking me about culinary schools (he wants to be a baker, like the?Cake Boss) and has been car shopping online. He?s 10.

Skip to next paragraph Lauren Parker-Gill

Contributing blogger

Lauren Parker-Gill is? a wife, mother, purse fiend, gadget girl, chocoholic, and coffee addict who refers to her three boys as Venti, Grande, and Tall in her Spill the Beans parenting blog.

Recent posts

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "off"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Grande:?Mom. There?s this car and it?s only *$20,000. Since it?s not that expensive, I?ll get that one when I can drive.

Me:?Ha! Start saving now, Bud. Also, give it six to seven years. It?ll come down in price.

Grande:?Oh, like it?ll go on sale?

Me:?More like it will be used and it won?t be new, so it will cost less.

Grande:?Oh, I do NOT want a used car!

Me:?Hello? Our van was used when we got it! And if you have to choose between a used car or no car, you?ll probably think differently. WHY ARE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT THIS???

Grande:?I am planning for the future.

I like that he has an idea of what he wants to be when he grows up. He loves helping in the kitchen, with baking and cooking, and I am happy to help nurture that. I?m even looking into cake decorating classes in our area. I?m answering his questions about culinary schools, how long it will take, the different programs, etc. But car shopping? He?s 10! What?s next, apartment hunting?

Take it down a notch, kid.

*For those wondering, he built and configured a?Volkswagen Jetta?SE with convenience package.

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best family and parenting bloggers out there. Our contributing and guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor, and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. Lauren Parker-Gill blogs at?Spill the Beans.

jesse jackson whitney houston funeral video tyler perry whitney houston r kelly r. kelly macular degeneration whitney houston funeral

Without Michael, Jackson brothers prepare to tour

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) ? Guided by a thumping bass line from their backing band, the Jackson brothers strut forward to a row of four microphones, thrusting their pelvises along the way, before launching into "Can't Let Her Get Away," a song their superstar sibling released on his "Dangerous" album. If they had afros and matching powder blue suits, it might feel like 1977 again.

It doesn't. They're casually sporting sunglasses, workout gear and a few more pounds than when they, along with the future King of Pop, were simply known as the Jackson 5. (Also, "Can't Let Her Get Away" was released in 1991 after the group fizzled out.)

Nearly three years since Michael died while preparing for his comeback tour, four of his brothers ? Marlon, Jermaine, Tito and Jackie ? are set for their own return to the stage as The Jacksons. It hasn't been easy.

"The brothers don't know this, but I've broken down several times and cried during rehearsals," said Jermaine during a recent rehearsal break on a soundstage in Burbank, Calif. "I'm so used to Michael being on the right and then Marlon, Jackie, on and on. It's just something we never get used to."

The brothers are launching their "Unity" tour on Wednesday, five days ahead of the third anniversary of Michael's death from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol on June 25, 2009.

"For me, this cycle that comes around every year ? this day, that day ? that doesn't affect me because it affects me every day," said Marlon. "When that day comes around, it's the same. You learn to live with it. I still wake up sometimes and go, 'Jeez. I can't believe my brother's not here.'"

Following Michael's death, the four brothers appeared in the A&E reality series "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty," which chronicled their loss and attempt to stage a comeback before their brother died.

Jermaine said the brothers have wanted to reunite on their own for years, but after Michael's passing, they needed time to heal ? and the tour is another step in that process. They've rearranged their classics to suit their voices, and Jermaine said the group plans to pay tribute to Michael during their shows with a slideshow and medley that will conclude with the tune "Gone Too Soon."

"There's certain songs that make you feel the sorrow," said Tito. "Then again, there are other songs that bring so much joy and happiness, such as 'ABC' and 'I Want You Back' and the up-tempo stuff like 'This Place Hotel.' I just imagine how he used to walk and spin and do all these things. You can feel his presence here."

The Jacksons' tour kicks off at Rama Casino in Ontario, Canada, and is scheduled to end July 29 at the Snoqualmie Casino Amphitheater in Snoqualmie, Wash. Other stops include Detroit's Fox Theatre, Los Angeles' Greek Theatre and Harlem's sold-out Apollo Theatre, where the Jackson 5 won an amateur night in 1969 before rocketing to fame.

Michael later forged unprecedented success as a solo artist. His superstardom was unrivaled, and his brothers couldn't capture similar acclaim or sales with their solo projects or last studio album, 1989's mostly Michael-less "2300 Jackson Street," but their legacy as a group has remained unchanged. The Jackson 5 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.

While various combinations of the brothers have reunited to perform over the years, including at last year's "Michael Forever" tribute concert in Wales, "Unity" will mark the first time the brothers have toured together since their final "Victory" outing in 1984. (Marlon said Randy, who officially joined The Jacksons in 1975, elected not to join the tour but noted that the youngest Jackson brother was welcome at any time.)

"We have a certain magic," said Jackie. "Once we get out here and run it down a couple times, it comes back to you. I'm not (moving) like I used to, but we still got it."

Will the fans think so ? and will they turn out to see The Jacksons, whose ages now range from 55 to 61, perform their hits without Michael?

Last year, Cirque du Soleil launched "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" in Las Vegas. The show featuring dancers and acrobatic acts performing routines set to M.J. tunes has been among the top touring acts this year, and "Immortal" will return to Vegas for a residency at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.

However, Gary Bongiovanni, editor-in-chief of concert industry trade publication Pollstar, doesn't believe The Jacksons will achieve similar success with their smaller endeavor.

"The Jacksons were really all about Michael," said Bongiovanni. "The Cirque du Soleil show was successful because it was Cirque du Soleil and Michael's music. I don't know if that portends much for the remaining brothers and their ability to generate enthusiasm for ticket sales."

The brothers are undaunted, hoping to release an album of new music then go back out on tour.

"It's like riding a bike," said Marlon. "You never forget, but you do need to tweak a few things."

___

Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang

___

Online:

http://www.thejacksons.com

mad cow pennsylvania primary jerome simpson hand sanitizer obama on jimmy fallon google drive apple stock

Vampires vs. zombies: Who would win?

Photo: Stephen Vaughan / 20th Century Fox

Benjamin Walker plays Abraham Lincoln who moonlights as a vampire hunter in "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter."

By Cody Delistraty

Vampires and zombies will be forever pitted against one another. Between HBO?s ?True Blood? and AMC?s ?The Walking Dead,? this summer?s ?Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter? and next year?s Brad Pitt-vehicle ?World War Z,? the dichotomy is only becoming clearer.

In the Tim Burton-produced film,?Honest Abe?is reimagined as a nighttime?vampire hunter, taking down blood-sucking evildoers. He?s the country?s finest leader during the day and the nation?s greatest assassin come nightfall.

Yet Lincoln himself may fall into the category of "vampire."

Video: Anthony Mackie as Abe Lincoln's sidekick

Like the blood-sucking creatures, he?s smart and charismatic, debonair and independent. He leads with adroit aplomb and destroys evil beings with sexy smoothness?-- his well-worn top hat earns him fashion points while the axe he so gracefully wields creates macabre destruction that?s pleasing to the aesthetically-discriminating eye.

If Lincoln were a zombie, he wouldn?t be able to create the beautiful chaos that Seth Grahame-Smith, author of the book on which the film is based, claims he brought about. He would be a myopic plodder, seeing blurry visions of incoming assailants, unable to retaliate with cunning or with any thought at all.?

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" comes out June 22nd.

?

This is not to underestimate the zombies of our society. While our presidents and philanthropists?are more vampire than zombie,?the world's movers and shakers are often?groups with a?common mission: take Occupy Wall Street, for example, or that?group of angry moms?who want?yet another stop sign in?the neighborhood.?These "zombies" achieve their missions in large groups, taking down mere individuals who stand in their way.??

In Marc Forster?s upcoming movie??World War Z,? the?task of stopping?a zombie?pandemic falls to Gerry Lane, a United Nations worker played by Brad Pitt. While the movie has been having its fair share of budget-related troubles as of late,?a zombie?apocalypse could spell out even greater trouble. Zombies, with their undead arms extended,?wreak havoc en masse, easily collecting a nearly unstoppable group hell-bent on mindless destruction -- a feat that eludes the self-absorbed, hedonistic vampires.

Lincoln may be a vampire but perhaps the real power lies in the masses -- groups that have a common goal, a common faith or a common enemy.

Director of ?Quantum of Solace,? Forster takes on this zombie idea?from?Max Brooks? novel of the same name with a sense of seriousness, telling the Los Angeles Times that the film has ?the grounded, gun metal realism of, say, Matt Damon?s Jason Bourne series tethered to the unsettling end-times vibe of AMC?s ?The Walking Dead?.? In fact, ?World War Z? achieved such a serious realism that the Hungarian Anti-Terrorism Unit raided a warehouse that housed the film?s prop weapons?during shooting in Budapest, thinking they were smuggled weapons.

Clearly, zombies are serious business. So?who would come out on top if zombies and vampires faced off?

Initially, zombies would seem to be at a great disadvantage. Their lumbering, soulless bodies are often too slow and their lack of intelligence or rational thought makes them prone to falling for tricks and cleverness. However, while vampires are fast, seductive and smart, their egos can easily be exploited. They are obsessed with their own desires, putting their wants above any sense of morals or principle goodness; they're?easily corrupted and unable to control themselves.

Indeed, it?s extremely difficult to pick a winner between the two (but that hasn't stopped some from trying). ?World War Z? has an A-list actor and a budget nearly twice that of ?Vampire Hunter,? but that doesn?t mean ?Vampire Hunter? won?t be able to better market its witty concept to outdo ?World War Z? at the box office.

Who, then,?is superior??Heroic individuals like Lincoln? Or the inspired masses??

That's for you to decide, but?both films hold the vampire characteristics of sleek, seductive and funny.?They'll just need to channel their inner zombie?if they want to?attract the necessary hordes of excited theatergoers.

"Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter" opens June 22. "World War Z" was recently postponed until 2013.

Who do you think has the upper hand: vampires?or zombies? Will you see "Vampire Hunter" and/or "World War Z"? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

Who would win in a fight?

Related content:

betty white ed reed football schedule jo paterno dead south carolina tuskegee airmen mike james

Millions still go without insurance if law passes

One of the biggest misconceptions about President Obama's health care overhaul isn't who the law will cover, but rather who it won't.

If it survives Supreme court scrutiny, the landmark overhaul will expand coverage to about 30 million uninsured people, according to government figures. But an estimated 26 million U.S. residents will remain without coverage ? a population that's roughly the size of Texas and includes illegal immigrants and those who can't afford to pay out-of-pocket for health insurance.

"Many people think that this health care law is going to cover everyone, and it's not," says Nicole Lamoureux, executive director of the Alexandria, Va.-based National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics, which represents about 1,200 clinics nationally.

To be sure, it's estimated that the Affordable Care Act would greatly increase the number of insured Americans. The law has a provision that requires most Americans to be insured or face a tax penalty. It also calls for an expansion of Medicaid, a government-funded program that covers the health care costs of low-income and disabled Americans. Additionally, starting in 2014, there will be tax credits to help middle-class Americans buy coverage.

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision this month on whether to uphold the law completely or strike down parts or all of it. If it survives, about 93 percent of all non-elderly, legal U.S. residents will be covered by 2016. That's up from 82 percent this year.

Still, millions of illegal immigrants won't qualify for coverage. This population will account for roughly 26 percent of those who will remain uninsured, according to Urban Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.

And many legal U.S. residents will go without insurance, too. About 36 percent of the population that remains uninsured will qualify for Medicaid but won't sign up for various reasons. Others likely will make too much money to qualify for assistance but be unable to afford coverage.

Here's a look at some of the groups that will likely remain uninsured if the law survives:

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

More than 11 million unauthorized immigrants live in the United States, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research center. That amounts to nearly 4 percent of the total population. But there are no provisions that address illegal immigrants in the health care law.

They won't be able to sign up for Medicaid. They won't be eligible for the tax credits to help buy coverage. And they won't be able to use online marketplaces that the government will set up in order for people to get coverage in a process that's similar to buying plane tickets on travel web sites. Those online exchanges, much like the tax credits, will require proof of citizenship.

"They will still need to find alternative ways to seek care because nothing in the law really expands coverage and affordable coverage options for undocumented immigrants," says Sonal Ambegaokar, a health policy attorney with the National Immigration Law Center in Los Angeles.

The topic is a politically divisive issue. On one side, there are people who say that the government should provide health care for all U.S. residents ? legal or not. The other side contends that doing so could take valuable resources away from U.S. citizens.

"Because of the limited supply of health care, we're almost in a sociological triage," says Bob Dane, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a national group that calls for stricter immigration laws. "It begs the question, 'Who do we serve, who do we serve first and who is not entitled?'"

Researchers have found that immigrants tend to use the health care system less than legal residents. Illegal immigrants, in particular, tend to avoid using the health care system until they have to, favoring home remedies first or making cash payments to providers when they need care. That population also is younger, so it generally has fewer health care needs, says Timothy Waidmann, a researcher with Urban Institute.

The think tank, using federal government survey data, estimates that illegal immigrants accounted for an estimated $18 billion of the $1.4 trillion spent on health care in the United States in 2007. That adds up to less than 2 percent of total spending.

Some say excluding illegal immigrants from the overhaul will keep some legal residents uninsured, too. Ambegaokar, the Los Angeles attorney, points to parents who are illegal immigrants but have children who are legal citizens because they were born in the United States.

If the parents are not eligible, they may not know that their kids qualify. And in other instances, if one child is legal and the other is not, the parents may decide not to sign up either to avoid playing favorites.

"The goal is to enroll everybody who is eligible," Ambegaokar says. "But when you make systems complicated and require proof of ID, you're going to inevitably keep out people who should be in."

LOST IN TRANSLATION

Medicaid, which currently covers more than 60 million people, is expected to add about 17 million more people to its program by 2016 if the law is upheld, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which researches budgetary issues for Congress.

But people are still expected to fall through the cracks. That's because the requirements and process for signing up for Medicaid can be confusing. And while the overhaul aims to make the process easier, it won't smooth out all the wrinkles.

The problem? Many people don't realize that they qualify for coverage. And that likely will still be the case, albeit to a lesser extent, after Medicaid expands.

Coverage depends on how someone's income stacks up to federal poverty guidelines, which can be obscure to the average person. Plus, because income can fluctuate, someone could qualify one year but not the next.

"Regardless of how much outreach you do ... you're never going to get perfect enrollment," Matthew Buettgens, another Urban Institute researcher, says.

Staying enrolled can be another hurdle. Medicaid recipients have to re-enroll, sometimes more than once a year. They can be dropped if they miss deadlines, submit incomplete forms or if paperwork doesn't catch up with them after they move ? something poor families tend to do more frequently than the average American household.

Leeanna Herman learned this when an unexpected $300 doctor bill arrived in the mail. The Bakersfield, Calif., resident was pregnant and unemployed and didn't know her government-funded health coverage had lapsed.

"I was freaking out," says Herman, 23, who went a month without coverage because she missed the deadline to re-enroll. "How do you expect me to pay that?'"

Experts say online applications and electronic verification of income levels and other things will make this process easier. But deadlines will still matter and some people don't have easy access to the Internet. And there will still be some people who simply won't enroll.

"There will always be that segment that says, 'Aw, the heck with it, I will just wait until I get sick and go to the ER,'" says Stephen Schilling, CEO of Clinica Sierra Vista, a nonprofit that has a network of 27 community health centers in California.

Schilling expects to still see a lot of uninsured patients at the nonprofit group's health centers even if the law is upheld. The center sits in an agricultural area in California's San Joaquin Valley, populated with migrant workers and saddled with an unemployment rate of around 15 percent.

It cares for about 60,000 uninsured people annually, thanks in part to grants and a sliding fee scale for patients based on their family size and income. Schilling says he still expects between 20,000 and 40,000 uninsured patients if the overhaul is implemented.

LIVING IN THE GAP

The overhaul calls for tax credits to help middle-class Americans buy coverage. But some people who make too much money to qualify for the tax credits may have a hard time finding an affordable option for private health insurance

The subsidies can pay a large chunk of the insurance bill. For instance, a 40-year-old person who makes $50,000 in 2014 and needs coverage for a family of four might receive a government tax credit of more than $8,000.

That would cover more than 70 percent of the premium, or the cost of coverage, according to a subsidy calculator on the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation's website. Of course, that estimate depends on the type of coverage the person choses, where they live and whether they can get coverage through work.

But the tax credits will go to people with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or $44,680 for an individual this year. People just above that level may have a hard time finding affordable health insurance.

Angela Agnew Laws worries that she might remain uninsured like she has been for the past eight years even if the health care law is upheld.

Laws, who lives in Leesburg, Va., runs a small business that cleans and maintains commercial buildings. She hopes her income will climb to about $60,000 by 2014, which would be too high for tax credit help.

A plan that offers more than just basic protection against big medical expenses could cost as much as $10,000 annually for Laws. She could find less extensive coverage for a lower premium, but that may only save about $1,000.

Laws, 58, figures that she'll remain uninsured if she can't find an affordable coverage option that fits a monthly budget already crammed with payments of $1,203 for rent $530 toward her car.

"It's a scary prospect for me," she says.

kaye stevens michael jordan engaged kid cudi notre dame football breedlove florida state football florida state football

Why Scientists Should Publicize Their Findings-?for Purely Selfish Reasons

Recent debate over the role of scientists in public outreach efforts has been heated, to say the least. Some say scientists should make more of an effort to engage with the public on science-related issues, which is fair. Some say scientists have no business doing outreach work, because that?s not what they?re trained to do. Also fair. Some say it would be great to do outreach, but they just don?t have the time. You can?t argue with that.

I want to highlight some purely selfish reasons that scientists should engage in at least one kind of outreach ? publicizing their findings. And I?m focusing on selfish reasons because scientists are, we can all agree, human. We could talk about the need to inspire the next generation of scientists or addressing the paltry state of science literacy, but if we?re going to ask people to take time away from other obligations we?re going to have to do better than that. We need to explain what?s in it for them.

First off, what do I mean when I talk about publicizing research findings? I mean anything beyond publishing those findings in a peer-reviewed journal. This is important because, for most disciplines, there are multiple journals that publish work in the field. Each journal has multiple issues per year, consisting of multiple articles. From talking with researchers, it?s clear that it is virtually impossible to read all of the relevant literature in one?s field in any sort of timely way. That limits impact WITHIN the field, to say nothing of potential interdisciplinary work. Anything we can do to remedy this, by making research findings more broadly accessible (in terms of both language and visibility) would be a good thing. That?s the altruistic reason.

Here are a few reasons for the self-interested scientist to promote his or her work ? reasons that can support his or her work moving forward. To be clear, these are all things that have actually happened. While all of these things don?t happen every time someone makes an effort to promote his or her work, these are not purely hypothetical benefits.

Finding grad students. Good graduate students make your lab better. But those students won?t apply to be part of your program if they don?t know you exist ? or if they?re not aware of how their field of interest overlaps with your field of interest. I?ve worked with researchers who have told me how grad students have applied to work in their labs after first reading about the work those labs do in mainstream media outlets.

Making funding agencies happy. There?s a reason that most grant proposals include a section asking how you plan to disseminate your findings. Most federally-funded agencies want the public to know about the work they are supporting. It helps give agencies the political support they need to get additional funding in the future. The National Science Foundation (NSF), for example, uses its Science360 site to share a wide variety of science stories ? including stories about research findings that weren?t funded by NSF. Obviously the work that you do under a grant is paramount, but doing a good job of publicizing that work will also stand you in good stead with the agencies. Yes, program officers notice.

Informal networking. You want other people in your field, and in related fields, to know what you?re doing. I can think of dozens of examples of scientists who have been contacted by researchers at other institutions after publicizing their work. Sometimes it?s just a pat on the back, which is nice. But sometimes those contacts can include tangible benefits ? such as proposals to share data that will advance the efforts of all parties involved. These contacts can also include a lot of questions and ideas, which lead to the next potential benefit?

Creating opportunities for formal collaborations. I can think of several instances where publicizing the findings of one research project has led to an invitation for a researcher to be part of a new or emerging research project. Very often, these take the form of interinstitutional and/or interdisciplinary grant proposals. In case you haven?t noticed, words like ?interinstitutional? and ?interdisciplinary? are increasingly popular with the folks who review grant proposals these days. Funding is thin on the ground, and opportunities to participate in viable grant proposals are valuable.

Getting interest from the private sector, policy makers and non-governmental organizations. Not every research project will be of interest to these groups ? and not every researcher wants to work with them. But they can be valuable. For example, if new research findings have ramifications for bridge-builders, landfill operators or policy-making bodies that oversee those fields, it makes sense to get that information into the hands of people who can use it as quickly as possible. The findings may not be ready for immediate application. They may simply offer a glimmer of possibility, which needs to be explored further. But getting that information into the broader world creates opportunities for research partnerships (and potential funding) that may not otherwise come to light.

And publicizing your work doesn?t have to be particularly time-consuming. If you work for an institution that has public information officers (AKA press officers, flacks, etc.), let them know about forthcoming findings in a timely way. They can help. If you?re interested in social media or blogging (and many aren?t), that can be an effective way to take your science to the people. If you have friends or colleagues who have been successful in promoting their work, ask them how they did it. You?re scientists. You can figure this out.

Maybe you find these arguments compelling. Maybe you don?t. But the fact remains that outreach is important, and that obstacles exist that make it difficult for scientists who WANT to do outreach to act on that impulse. So let?s stop finger-pointing and start proposing solutions.

~~~

Photos: North Carolina State University

si swimsuit 2012 westminster dog show abe lincoln vampire hunter jeremy lin xi jinping matt bomer westminster kennel club dog show

Young city sticker artist celebrated in Washington D.C

Young city sticker artist celebrated in Washington D.C

4:29 p.m. CDT, June 19, 2012

? A Chicago teen's design for a Chicago city vehicle sticker didn't make the cut last year because of its controversial interpretation, but his art work is now hanging in the nation?s capital.

Herbie Pulgar's drawing beat-out more than 200 other entries in a city-wide art contest for the city vehicle sticker.

? However, city clerk Susana Mendoza yanked it because of a possible gang connection in the art.

Now, Chicago congressman Luis Gutierrez chose Pulgar's design as his district's entry in the annual congressional art contest for high school students nationwide, saying it "represents a positive vision of our city."

? Pugar and his mom went to Washington Tuesday to see the drawing unveiled in the hallway between the capitol and the cannon house office building.

heart shaped box lucid 2012 ncaa tournament bracket matterhorn chris harrison girl scouts printable bracket

Union

http://www.rssmicro.com/?q=Union&f=0 ; RSS feed search results for UnionTue, 19 Jun 2012 23:17:36 GMT
Media_httpwwwrssmicro_mfqwk
http://www.rssmicro.com 1440http://www.abc6onyourside.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.oh/2d45d73a-www.abc6onyourside.com.shtml <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.abc6onyourside.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />%reldate(2012-06-19T19:19:32 ...</p>http://www.abc6onyourside.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.oh/2d45d73a-..., 19 Jun 2012 22:49:38 GMThttp://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_20892902/mt-diablo-school-board-approves-union-contracts-administrator?source=rss <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.insidebayarea.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />Trustees appoint three elementary principals, OK one-time bonuses totaling $5.7 million ...</p>http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_20892902/mt-diablo-school-board-approves..., 19 Jun 2012 22:26:22 GMThttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47881250/ns/local_news-delaware_valley_pa_nj/ <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.msnbc.msn.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />A Bristol Township <b>Union</b> official said recent layoffs and reduced hours involving township employees "may expose taxpayers to over $2 million in unfunded liabilities." ...</p>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47881250/ns/local_news-delaware_valley_pa_nj/Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:47:42 GMThttp://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/18/2857443/miami-springs-police-union-at.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.miamiherald.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />Miami Springs and its police <b>Union</b> have failed to see eye to eye on benefits for the city?s officers. ...</p>http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/18/2857443/miami-springs-police-union-at.h..., 19 Jun 2012 21:47:26 GMThttp://stage-v2.wtopnews.com/?sid=2910669&amp;nid=111 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.wtop.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />United Airlines is paying to remove a gate from some of its newest planes that's meant to protect the cockpit from intruders, according to the <b>Union</b> for its pilots. ...</p>http://stage-v2.wtopnews.com/?sid=2910669&amp;nid=111Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:02:30 GMThttp://www.pqbnews.com/news/159468465.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.pqbnews.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />New possible source of seafood revenue touted in Deep Bay ...</p>http://www.pqbnews.com/news/159468465.htmlTue, 19 Jun 2012 20:48:47 GMThttp://www.katu.com/news/business/Large-union-endorses-Oregon-Cannabis-Tax-Act-UFCW-159618765.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.katu.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />The United Food and Commercial Workers <b>Union</b>,?Local 555, voted to support the proposed ballot measure, which would tax and regulate cannabis in Oregon. ...</p>http://www.katu.com/news/business/Large-union-endorses-Oregon-Cannabis-Tax-Ac..., 19 Jun 2012 20:33:48 GMThttp://www.globest.com/news/12_375/philadelphia/office/Eastern-Union-Commercial-Mortgage-Co-Open-Philly-Office-322576.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.globest.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />PHILADELPHIA-The company has expanded its Northeastern presence by opening an office at 100 South Broad Street in the heart of downtown Philadelphia. ...</p>http://www.globest.com/news/12_375/philadelphia/office/Eastern-Union-Commerci..., 19 Jun 2012 19:11:00 GMThttp://www.forexfactory.com/news.php?do=news&amp;id=369301 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.forexfactory.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />BREAKING ...</p>http://www.forexfactory.com/news.php?do=news&amp;id=369301Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:57:55 GMThttp://www.euroinvestor.com/news/2012/06/19/lockheed-martin-union-plan-talks-in-effort-to-end-strike/12024885 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.euroinvestor.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />By Ben Kesling and Nathan Hodge Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) will start talks with <b>Union</b> leaders on Wednesday in an effort to end the eight-week strike that has slowed production of the much-delayed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The U.S. aerospace group will meet with representatives of the.. ...</p>http://www.euroinvestor.com/news/2012/06/19/lockheed-martin-union-plan-talks-..., 19 Jun 2012 17:51:00 GMThttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_16/~3/ZG-O9pP0rPQ/energy-transfer-drops-down-interest-in.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.bizjournals.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />Energy Transfer Equity LP (NYSE: ETE), a Dallas-based natural gas pipeline company, is reportedly dropping down its interest in its Houston-based subsidiary Southern <b>Union</b> Co. , which transports, stores and processes natural gas. Reuters reports that Energy Transfer Equity will transfer Southern <b>Union</b> to be controlled by its related company, Energy Transfer Partners LP (NYSE: ETP). The new transferred unit will be called ETP Holdco Corp., and it will include other assets acquired when Energy? ...</p>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_16/~3/ZG-O9pP0rPQ/energy-transfer-dro..., 19 Jun 2012 17:30:32 GMThttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/us/teachers-union-to-open-lesson-sharing-web-site.html <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.nytimes.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />The American Federation of Teachers has joined with a British publisher that will allow teachers to download simple work sheets or full-course outlines. ...</p>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/us/teachers-union-to-open-lesson-sharing-we..., 19 Jun 2012 17:27:17 GMThttp://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/577466/s/20831eaa/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cnews0Cuknews0Cscotland0C934250A60CAlistair0EDarling0EEnglish0Eunlikely0Eto0Ewant0Ecurrency0Eunion0Ewith0Eindependent0EScotland0Bhtml/story01.htm <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.telegraph.co.uk --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br /><img src="http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/577466/e/1/s/20831eaa/l/0Li0Btelegraph0O0Cmultimedia0Carchive0C0A18630Cdarling0I1863175i0Bjpg/darling_1863175i.jpg" & width="150" & height="94" style="margin: 5pt 10px 0px 0px; float: left;" border="1" align="left" alt="" />The English are likely to reject an offer of a currency <b>Union</b> with an independent Scotland but Alex Salmond has failed to even ask them, Alistair Darling has warned. ...</p>http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/577466/s/20831eaa/l/0L0Stelegraph0..., 19 Jun 2012 17:02:54 GMThttp://twitter.com/LambdaLegal/statuses/215126360287490048 <p><font color="Gray">Source: twitter.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />LambdaLegal: [VIDEO] LaKeesha & Janean, 1st couple to get civil <b>Union</b> license in Cook County, suing for marriage in #Illinois http://t.co/v5m5qQNb ...</p>http://twitter.com/LambdaLegal/statuses/215126360287490048Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:58:15 GMThttp://www.facebook.com/SpotlightonPovertyandOpportunity/posts/379228705458687 <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.facebook.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />Times <b>Union</b>??Tough sell on food stamp cuts?: "U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is fighting an uphill battle to restore a $4.5 billion reduction in food stamps, arguing that low-income families should not bear the burden of cutting the nation's budget deficit." Tough sell on food stamp cuts www.timesunion.com WASHINGTON ? U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is fighting an uphill battle to restore a $4.5 billion reduction in food stamps, arguing that low-income families should not bear the burden of cutting the nation's budget deficit. Gillibrand's amendment to the Farm Bill restoring the $4.5 billion cu... ...</p>http://www.facebook.com/SpotlightonPovertyandOpportunity/posts/37922870545868..., 19 Jun 2012 16:54:52 GMThttp://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/national/~3/K0UoazQuuTA/ <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.foxnews.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />One of the nation's most politically active labor unions plans to focus its resources on fewer states this year while working to help re-elect President Barack Obama. The Service Employees International <b>Union</b> said Tuesday it will target its massive field campaign on turning out voters in just eight battleground states ? about half the number it focused on in 2008. At the same time, the 2.1 million-member <b>Union</b> hopes to get 100,000 of its members to volunteer in its political program, twice as many as in the last presidential race. Overall, the <b>Union</b> is expected to spend at least $85 million to help Obama win, similar to what it spent in 2008. "It's a matter of figuring out where we can have the greatest impact," said Brandon Davis, the <b>Union</b>'s national political director. "You'll see an expansion of what we're able to do on the ground by being more efficient with our resources." The eight states are considered crucial for an Obama victory: Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Virginia. Davis said the <b>Union</b> expects to make 13 million phone calls, knock on 3 million doors and have 1 million one-on-one conversations with voters in those states. Despite a major setback for organized labor in the Wisconsin recall election on June 5, <b>Union</b> households still make up about 25 percent of the national electorate and could be a decisive factor in states with large numbers of <b>Union</b> members. The SEIU play ...</p>http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/national/~3/K0UoazQuuTA/Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:43:58 GMThttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47875980/ns/local_news-milwaukee_wi/ <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.msnbc.msn.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />WASHINGTON (AP) -- One of the nation's most politically active labor unions plans to focus its resources on fewer states this year in an effort to re-elect President Barack Obama.The Service Employees International <b>Union</b> says it will target its massive field campaign on turning out voters in just eight battleground states -- about half the number it focused on in 2008.The 2.1 million-member <b>Union</b> also hopes to get 100,000 of its members to volunteer in its political program. That's twice as many as in the last presidential race.Target states include Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia -- each considered crucial for an Obama victory.Overall, the <b>Union</b> is expected to spend at least $85 million to help Obama win, similar to what it spent in 2008. ...</p>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47875980/ns/local_news-milwaukee_wi/Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:17:57 GMThttp://twitter.com/mikster/statuses/215113353985671170 <p><font color="Gray">Source: twitter.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />mikster: Codecademy Plans Global Code-Teaching Expansion With $10M From Branson, Milner, Kleiner, Index, <b>Union</b> Square http://t.co/oGpmCy9O ...</p>http://twitter.com/mikster/statuses/215113353985671170Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:06:34 GMThttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47875538/ns/local_news-pittsburgh_pa/ <p><font color="Gray">Source: www.msnbc.msn.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />The National Labor Relations Board has rejected a request for a religious exemption by Duquesne University in Pittsburgh to head off a vote by its part-time faculty members to unionize. ...</p>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47875538/ns/local_news-pittsburgh_pa/Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:48:09 GMThttp://twitter.com/4closureFraud/statuses/215108398725861376 <p><font color="Gray">Source: twitter.com --- Tuesday, June 19, 2012</font><br />4closureFraud: <b>Union</b> Co. Illinois Sues Big Banks, MERS (VIDEO) http://t.co/9vJCTKt8 ...</p>http://twitter.com/4closureFraud/statuses/215108398725861376Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:46:53 GMT

texas chainsaw massacre uk vs louisville university of kansas buckeye west side story final four 2012 bridesmaids