The Price is Rigth Auditions in Hurst on Saturday

For anyone who may be interested, CBS' The Price is Right will hold auditions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Carpet One Flooring Outlet Warehouse, 825 Airport Freeway in Hurst. The show is conducting a national contestant search for the first time in the show's history. Applicants should bring a completed application and eligibility forms that can be found at www.cbs11tv.com/contests. Three contestants will attend a taping of the show and one of those three will receive a bidder's spot on Contestants' Row.

Anonymous advice for living life to the fullest

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... it's about learning
how to dance in the rain."

— Anonymous

Health Insurance Reform Reality Check

There seems to be a great deal of rumors circulating the internet and in town halls regarding the health care reform. Below are the facts directly from the Senior Advisor of the President, David Axelrod. If you are interested read up and become well-informed about this critical issue. I know this is a long post but it's very difficult to boil-down this complex of a issue.


8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage

1. Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history.
2. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses.
3. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: Insurance companies must fully cover, without charge, regular checkups and tests that help you prevent illness, such as mammograms or eye and foot exams for diabetics.
4. Ends Dropping of Coverage for Seriously Ill: Insurance companies will be prohibited from dropping or watering down insurance coverage for those who become seriously ill.
5. Ends Gender Discrimination: Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging you more because of your gender.
6. Ends Annual or Lifetime Caps on Coverage: Insurance companies will be prevented from placing annual or lifetime caps on the coverage you receive.
7. Extends Coverage for Young Adults: Children would continue to be eligible for family coverage through the age of 26.
8. Guarantees Insurance Renewal: Insurance companies will be required to renew any policy as long as the policyholder pays their premium in full. Insurance companies won't be allowed to refuse renewal because someone became sick.

Learn more and get details: http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-insurance-consumer-protections/?e=11&ref=hicp

8 common myths about health insurance reform

1. Reform will stop "rationing" - not increase it: It’s a myth that reform will mean a "government takeover" of health care or lead to "rationing." To the contrary, reform will forbid many forms of rationing that are currently being used by insurance companies.
2. We can’t afford reform: It's the status quo we can't afford. It’s a myth that reform will bust the budget. To the contrary, the President has identified ways to pay for the vast majority of the up-front costs by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse within existing government health programs; ending big subsidies to insurance companies; and increasing efficiency with such steps as coordinating care and streamlining paperwork. In the long term, reform can help bring down costs that will otherwise lead to a fiscal crisis.
3. Reform would encourage "euthanasia": It does not. It’s a malicious myth that reform would encourage or even require euthanasia for seniors. For seniors who want to consult with their family and physicians about end-of life decisions, reform will help to cover these voluntary, private consultations for those who want help with these personal and difficult family decisions.
4. Vets' health care is safe and sound: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will affect veterans' access to the care they get now. To the contrary, the President's budget significantly expands coverage under the VA, extending care to 500,000 more veterans who were previously excluded. The VA Healthcare system will continue to be available for all eligible veterans.
5. Reform will benefit small business - not burden it: It’s a myth that health insurance reform will hurt small businesses. To the contrary, reform will ease the burdens on small businesses, provide tax credits to help them pay for employee coverage and help level the playing field with big firms who pay much less to cover their employees on average.
6. Your Medicare is safe, and stronger with reform: It’s myth that Health Insurance Reform would be financed by cutting Medicare benefits. To the contrary, reform will improve the long-term financial health of Medicare, ensure better coordination, eliminate waste and unnecessary subsidies to insurance companies, and help to close the Medicare "doughnut" hole to make prescription drugs more affordable for seniors.
7. You can keep your own insurance: It’s myth that reform will force you out of your current insurance plan or force you to change doctors. To the contrary, reform will expand your choices, not eliminate them.
8. No, government will not do anything with your bank account: It is an absurd myth that government will be in charge of your bank accounts. Health insurance reform will simplify administration, making it easier and more convenient for you to pay bills in a method that you choose. Just like paying a phone bill or a utility bill, you can pay by traditional check, or by a direct electronic payment. And forms will be standardized so they will be easier to understand. The choice is up to you – and the same rules of privacy will apply as they do for all other electronic payments that people make.

Learn more and get details:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/?e=11&ref=myth1
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq/?e=11&ref=myth1

8 Reasons We Need Health Insurance Reform Now

1. Coverage Denied to Millions: A recent national survey estimated that 12.6 million non-elderly adults – 36 percent of those who tried to purchase health insurance directly from an insurance company in the individual insurance market – were in fact discriminated against because of a pre-existing condition in the previous three years or dropped from coverage when they became seriously ill. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/denied_coverage/index.html
2. Less Care for More Costs: With each passing year, Americans are paying more for health care coverage. Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages. In 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680, nearly the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job. Americans pay more than ever for health insurance, but get less coverage. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hiddencosts/index.html
3. Roadblocks to Care for Women: Women’s reproductive health requires more regular contact with health care providers, including yearly pap smears, mammograms, and obstetric care. Women are also more likely to report fair or poor health than men (9.5% versus 9.0%). While rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure are similar to men, women are twice as likely to suffer from headaches and are more likely to experience joint, back or neck pain. These chronic conditions often require regular and frequent treatment and follow-up care. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/women/index.html
4. Hard Times in the Heartland: Throughout rural America, there are nearly 50 million people who face challenges in accessing health care. The past several decades have consistently shown higher rates of poverty, mortality, uninsurance, and limited access to a primary health care provider in rural areas. With the recent economic downturn, there is potential for an increase in many of the health disparities and access concerns that are already elevated in rural communities. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/hardtimes/
5. Small Businesses Struggle to Provide Health Coverage: Nearly one-third of the uninsured – 13 million people – are employees of firms with less than 100 workers. From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. Much of this decline stems from small business. The percentage of small businesses offering coverage dropped from 68% to 59%, while large firms held stable at 99%. About a third of such workers in firms with fewer than 50 employees obtain insurance through a spouse. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/helpbottomline/
6. The Tragedies are Personal: Half of all personal bankruptcies are at least partly the result of medical expenses. The typical elderly couple may have to save nearly $300,000 to pay for health costs not covered by Medicare alone. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/
7. Diminishing Access to Care: From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of non-elderly Americans covered by employer-based health insurance fell from 66% to 61%. An estimated 87 million people - one in every three Americans under the age of 65 - were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008. More than 80% of the uninsured are in working families. Learn more: http://www.healthreform.gov/reports/inaction/diminishing/index.html
8. The Trends are Troubling: Without reform, health care costs will continue to skyrocket unabated, putting unbearable strain on families, businesses, and state and federal government budgets. Perhaps the most visible sign of the need for health care reform is the 46 million Americans currently without health insurance - projections suggest that this number will rise to about 72 million in 2040 in the absence of reform. Learn more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/CEA_Health_Care_Report.pdf?e=11&ref=report

Step 1. Take a leap of faith

Given that my summer break from classes is almost finished and I will soon resume the rigorous schedule of a full-time graduate student engrossed in research, studying, and teaching, I have begun to reflect on my first 6 months in this new phase of my life as a professional student (Round 2). This last six months has brought on many challenges, but I would not change this for anything because I realize that I am living my dream-to earn my PhD. Living in the moment for a time, I considered how blessed I am to have the opportunity to pursue this dream and make it my reality. I considered how countless others have yet to realize their life-long goals, either due to the lack of opportunity or the lack of ambition to pursue their dreams. I do not want to go into a long tirade about the chronic social ailments that prevent people from gaining well-rounded and solid educations or pursuing other individual goals and I certainly do not want to imply that I had to overcome some of the more prohibitive of these obstacles such as destitute poverty or being a refugee from war-torn nation. Rather what I would like to share my thoughts one of the most ubiquitous challenges I think everyone faces when they set out to realize their dreams; the challenge of overcoming fear.

As I see, there is a great deal of fear involved in pursuing dreams. I will be the first to admit that it was very scary to contemplate leaving a steady paying job that supplied the much needed income for me to afford my mortgage and provide the necessary funds to help support my family. We prayed a great deal about the decision for me to return to school but our preparation for change didn't stop there. I'm a firm believer that our Father in heaven may provide you blessings and opportunities but He expects his children to work for it. We researched funding opportunities and met with our financial advisor. We worked up our budget and figured out that we could afford school with grants, loans, and the meager salary I would be paid as Research Assistant.

But the fear doesn't stop at money. I also have my own healthily share of self-doubt and struggle with confidence. I realize though that it is natural to fear the unknown but you will never achieve anything if you are too scared to start. In order to achieve great things you must be willing to step into the unknown. You must embrace your fears and take a leap of faith to set yourself on the path that will allow you to achieve your dreams. I have take this first step and landed on my feet and for that I am forever grateful.

Yet to be completely forthright, I have much larger ambitions than earning my PhD. From a very early age all I knew was that I wanted to save the world through advancing the cause of environmental stewardship and engaging people in efforts to clean and protect our planet. I see now my chance to make this impact is coming to life through my PhD work. I know now that I am on a path that will provide me opportunities to educate people about their natural environment and the perils it faces due to human activities. I can see opportunities opening up as I submit my writing and research and as I help to build the foundations of what my lead professor and I envision to be a national program that will not only protect the environment but will also address and protect many facets of public health. All this because I took that first step.

So it may be difficult; the task may seem to large or your goal to lofty for you to achieve, but I can attest that overcoming the fears of inadequacy, inability, self-doubt, and financial insecurity can be accomplished through prayer and diligent research. The support of family and friends also make an amazing difference in the lives of those who sacrifice to achieve their life-long goals. I am surrounded by people that have encouraged me and helped me get to this point in my life and I am so very grateful to have this network in my life. Most especially my husband, Patrick, who reassures me and strengthens me when time are hard and tests, research, and other rigors of the PhD program seem to be mounting an offensive on my sanity and abilities. His love and support make this whole process possible and I in turn work hard to support him in his dreams and ambitions.

So if there is something out there you want to achieve be it a degree, a job, freedom from addiction, or any other goal whether it be big or small, I would like to remind you that one of the first steps on this new road you've chosen is more like a leap-a leap of faith.

Questions to ponder

"The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born?
Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think
about these once in a while, and watch your answers change."

— Richard Bach (1936- ), American author, in `Illusions,'
1977

And here is yet another question I wish to pose because I just recently had to come up with an answer myself. I learned a few weeks ago that one of our office managers has terminal cancer that has progressed and she now has only a few months. Everyone in the office got together and made her a giant card with funny pictures of everyone she worked with. What do you write on a card that is being given to someone in this position? "Get well" just doesn't cut it at this point.