Post-Election Environmental Update: Preparing for 2013 and ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? January 30, 2013 ? (RealEstateRama) ? Looking ahead, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has committed to an aggressive regulatory agenda and is poised to take action in all program areas?taking up issues like stormwater runoff, fly ash reuse, and the disturbance of lead paint in buildings.? The rulemaking pipeline is full, and the construction and real estate industries are positioned to feel the brunt over the next four years. ?Fortunately, AGC is working year round to keep EPA in check and remains closely engaged with the Agency on nearly a dozen pending rules, all projected to have significant impacts on construction jobs and the economy.? AGC will continue to push for sound, fact?based, decision?making at all levels of government.

During the Obama administration?s first term, EPA issued the 2012 Construction General (Stormwater) Permit, tighter national air standards for particulates and nitrogen dioxide, first-time controls on greenhouse gas emissions from mobile and stationary sources, and new federal emission/notification requirements for stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE).? AGC represented the construction industry?s interests in all of these legal proceedings and provided contractors with information on how to get into compliance, once the rules went final.

Moreover, at a time of great economic stress, AGC was successful in pushing the administration to re-examine (and slow down on promulgating) a host of additional environmental rules that would have increased the cost of critical construction projects and threatened jobs ? without commensurate environmental benefits.? (Most notably, EPA delayed implementation of a ?numeric limit? on the amount of dirt the federal government will allow in stormwater from construction sites.) ?In the months heading to the election, movement on much-anticipated national rulemakings ? like requirements on the use/disposal of fly ash ? was slowed to a halt.

Now that the election is past us, EPA has reactivated its regulatory efforts.? ?Following are some of the most significant rulemakings in the works.? Click here for a PowerPoint slide view of this list.??

• Effluent Limits for Construction Site Runoff ? The original effluent limitations guidelines rule for the ?Construction and Development Industry? (C&D ELG) was issued in December 2009 and contained a controversial numeric discharge limit for turbidity. ?EPA subsequently stayed this requirement. EPA recently announced that it will propose a new rule by April 2013 (final by Feb. 2014) to formally withdraw the turbidity limit and to clarify the ?non-numeric? portion of the 2009 C&D ELG rule. ?New construction activities can expect evolving requirements governing stormwater discharges; any new C&D ELG requirements would be incorporated on a rolling basis into state permits as they expire and are renewed.? See related Observer article.
• Stormwater Discharges from Developed Sites ? EPA has long regulated stormwater discharges from active construction sites but most recently has begun to focus its attention on stormwater discharges from already developed sites. EPA is on track to propose a national rule that would set new performance standards for managing stormwater discharges from newly developed and re-developed sites; require first time retrofit requirements on stormwater systems ? which could include mandates on cities to change existing buildings, stormwater sewers, and streets; and mandate the use of ?green infrastructure? techniques (like ?green roofs,? rain gardens, permeable pavement) to replace conventional stormwater management practices. There remain questions about EPA?s authority to mandate restrictions on stormwater flow (as opposed to limits on pollutants in stormwater), but we can expect to see a proposed rule by the summer of 2013 and a final rule is due out by December 2014.? See related Observer article.
• Definition of ?Waters of the United States? ? After the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in SWANCC and Rapanos, the scope of ?waters of the US? subject to federal control and permitting under the Clean Water Act (CWA) has been an issue of considerable debate and uncertainty. In May 2011, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued draft guidance on the courts? decisions that would effectively increase the agencies? jurisdiction over construction work in nearly all ?wet? areas. ?AGC expressed concerns over the scope of the guidance and urged the agencies to pursue a rulemaking.? A proposed rule is in the works that would revise the regulations that define ?waters of the Unites Sates? and, as such, clarify which bodies of water (or their conveyances) are subject to CWA Section 404 permitting provisions.? It is not clear when, or if, this proposed rule or the guidance document will be published. ?See related Observer article.
  
• Chesapeake Bay Clean-up Plan ? EPA has been working with the states to implement an extensive clean-up plan (Total Maximum Daily Load or TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay, finalized back in 2010.? Key components of that plan are water quality trading programs to be in place by the end of 2013.? EPA will likely use the Bay TMDL and associated trading programs ?model? in the Mississippi River Basin and in other areas with impaired waterbodies; therefore, every step taken in the Bay will determine how similar programs will be adopted nationwide.? Farming and development groups have joined wastewater agencies in defending EPA against recent threats to the legality of its water quality trading (cap and trade) programs.? Industry, state and agency representatives as well as many environmental groups support these trading programs, mostly because of their potential to manage the costs of the Bay clean-up plan while still seeing reductions in pollutants entering the Bay. ?See related Observer article.
• Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) ? EPA is scheduled to tighten the ozone (smog) NAAQS in 2013.? By EPA?s own estimates, the ozone standard the agency is considering would cost $90 billion a year and would push a large portion of the country into non-attainment status for the first time.? A nonattainment status under the Clean Air Act carries serious repercussions for construction in the area(s) so designated ? including potential restriction on the use and operation of equipment, the loss of federal highway funding and the loss of economic development opportunities. See related Observer article.
  
• Revised PM_2.5 NAAQS ? EPA recently revised the fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) NAAQS.? These changes to the PM_2.5 NAAQS come on top of the recent years? tightening of the SO₂ and NO₂ NAAQS. Combined, these new and stricter standards are likely to increase the difficulty of permitting new and expanded facilities.? EPA anticipates attainment/nonattainment designations to be in place by early 2015.? State-level clean-up plans will include enforceable emission reduction requirements that will increase compliance costs for both mobile and stationary sources.? See related Observer article.
• Fly Ash Reuse? EPA continues to evaluate whether or not to regulate coal combustion residuals (CCRs) as hazardous waste, which could cost industry $79 to $110 billion over 20 years.? EPA?s latest reports are that it cannot finalize a rule on how it will regulate coal ash until at least 2014. Industry also awaits the results of EPA?s investigation into the beneficial use of coal ash in construction?in response to an Inspector General report that found EPA promoted recycling of the waste without assessing the potential risks of using those materials.? In 2012, EPA faced pressure both from Congress and the courts.? Lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to pass legislative that would require EPA to regulate the waste as nonhazardous, and two groups initiated lawsuits urging EPA action. See related Observer article.
• Lead-Paint Work Practice Rules ? EPA is currently considering how to expand and strengthen the federal ?Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting? (LRRP) rule to cover construction work that disturbs lead paint in/on the exteriors and interiors of public and commercial buildings. ?EPA plans to finalize its approach by the end of 2016.? EPA recently published a request for information and notice of a public hearing to gather information on renovation activities and possible lead hazards in public and commercial buildings. The hearing will be held on June 26, 2013.? Comments are due by April 1^st.? See related Observer article.
• Climate Change ? According to the Agency?s ?regulatory plan? released in late 2012, EPA will continue to use the Clean Air Act to develop greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for both mobile and stationary sources ? against AGC?s objections. The Administration also has renewed its commitment to explore what actions it can take to reduce GHG emissions across the board.? EPA currently regulates the largest facilities that emit GHGs, but the Agency will consider regulations of medium-sized and smaller facilities by 2016.? Critics argue that the regulatory requirements are strict enough to stop the building of any new facilities, especially power plants.? What is more, the rules would cause the prices for any kind of power to skyrocket.? Many are concerned that EPA will proceed to issue regulations, industry by industry, until virtually every aspect of the American economy is constrained by strict regulatory requirements and high energy prices. See related Observer article.

Significantly, many of the pending rules listed above are the result of ?sue and settle? agreements ? i.e., out of court ?closed door? settlements between EPA and environmental/activist groups.? Such agreements recently have come under fire for going around the public participation and transparency protections of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and for prompting EPA to issue more economically significant regulations than would otherwise be written.

Also worth noting is that President Obama?s environmental agenda will face budget cuts for the third straight year.? The proposed EPA budget for fiscal year 2013 is $8.3 billion, down from $9 billion last year. This year?s request represents a 1.2 percent decrease, or $105 million, from the 2012 enacted level.

For an at-a-glance look at the developing issues above, as well as information on AGC?s other environmental services, click here.

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Source: http://www.realestaterama.com/2013/01/30/post-election-environmental-update-preparing-for-2013-and-beyond-ID018527.html

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Think preventive medicine will save money? Think again

NEW YORK (Reuters) - It seems like a no-brainer.

Since about 75 percent of healthcare spending in the United States is for largely preventable chronic illnesses such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, providing more preventive care should cut costs.

If only.

In a report released on Tuesday, the non-profit Trust for America's Health outlined a plan "to move from sick care to health care" by putting more resources into preventing chronic disease rather than treating it, as the current system does. There is a strong humanitarian justification for prevention, argued Trust Executive Director Jeffrey Levi in an interview, since it reduces human suffering.

But the report also makes an economic argument for preventive care, highlighting the possibility of reducing healthcare spending -- which in 2011 reached $2.7 trillion, just shy of 18 percent of gross domestic product -- by billions of dollars. And that has health economists shaking their heads.

"Preventive care is more about the right thing to do" because it spares people the misery of illness, said economist Austin Frakt of Boston University. "But it's not plausible to think you can cut healthcare spending through preventive care. This is widely misunderstood."

A 2010 study in the journal Health Affairs, for instance, calculated that if 90 percent of the U.S. population used proven preventive services, more than do now, it would save only 0.2 percent of healthcare spending.

Some disease-prevention programs do produce net savings. Childhood immunizations, and probably some adult immunizations (such as for pneumonia and the flu), are cost-saving, found a 2009 analysis for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The vaccines are cheap, and large swaths of the population are vulnerable to the diseases they prevent. The cost of providing them to everyone is less than that of treating the illnesses they prevent.

Counseling adults about using baby aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease also produces net savings. The counseling is inexpensive, the aspirin even cheaper and the costs of heart disease, which strikes one in three U.S. adults, are enormous. Screening pregnant women for HIV produces net savings, too.

Those, however, are exceptions.

HIGH COSTS, NO BENEFITS

One big reason why preventive care does not save money, say health economists, is that some of the best-known forms don't actually improve someone's health.

These low- or no-benefit measures include annual physicals for healthy adults. A 2012 analysis of 14 large studies found they do not lower the risk of serious illness or premature death. But about one-third of U.S. adults get them, said Dr. Ateev Mehrota, a primary-care physician and healthcare analyst at RAND, for a cost of about $8 billion a year.

Similarly, some cancer screenings -- including for ovarian cancer and testicular cancer, and for prostate cancer via PSA tests -- produce essentially no health benefits, causing the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to recommend against their routine use. The task force bases its recommendations on medical benefits alone, not costs.

The second reason preventive care brings so few cost savings is the large number of people who need to receive a particular preventive service in order to avert a single expensive illness.

"It seems counterintuitive: If you provide care to prevent all these expensive diseases, it should save money," said Peter Neumann, an expert on health policy and professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. "But prevention itself costs money, and some preventive measures can be very expensive, especially if you give them to a lot of people who won't benefit."

If preventive care could be provided only to those who are going to get the illness, it would be more cost-effective. "But in the real world, the number needed to screen or to treat in order to prevent one case of illness can be huge," said BU's Frakt, who blogs at theincidentaleconomist.com.

Currently, many people who do not benefit from a preventive service receive it, paying something for nothing. Studies have calculated those numbers, which can be surprisingly high.

For instance, 217 high-risk smokers would have to undergo a CT lung scan for one to be spared death from lung cancer, according to a database of studies maintained by Dr. David Newman, an emergency physician at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. One hundred post-menopausal women who have had a bone fracture would have to take drugs called bisphosphonates in order for one to avoid a hip fracture.

By comparison, only 50 people with heart disease must be treated with aspirin for one to avoid a heart attack or stroke, making this a good buy.

The numbers of people who need to be treated for one to benefit are so high because so few will get the disease the preventive is meant to avert. It's like treating every house for termites, said Neumann, co-author of the Robert Wood Johnson report: The vast majority would never have gotten infested in the first place, so the thousands spent to avoid the infestation is money for nothing.

The failure of many preventive services to improve health, plus the large number of people who have to receive preventive care for one to be spared an illness he or she would otherwise get, limit the economic savings.

MAKING HEALTHCARE DOLLARS GO FURTHER

A better gauge of the value of preventive medicine is bang for the buck; that is, not whether it reduces healthcare spending but whether it buys more health than treating the disease does. "We don't ask whether cancer treatment or heart disease treatment saves money," said Dr. Steven Woolf, professor of family medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond. "But it is reasonable to ask how to make our healthcare dollar go further."

On that score, screening for hypertension and for some cancers (such as colorectal and breast) are good investments, he said, at less than $25,000 per year of healthy life. In contrast, such common treatments as angioplasty cost $100,000 or more per healthy year of life.

There are two glimmers of hope in this bleak picture. For preventive medicine to help rein in the nation's soaring healthcare spending, it should be provided someplace other than doctors' offices.

"Some of the most common chronic, preventable diseases might be best addressed outside the clinical setting," said the Trust's Levi, such as through wellness programs at YMCAs and health education and screening programs at houses of worship. "But that requires Medicaid to be more flexible in who they'll reimburse."

It also requires a more expansive definition of preventive medicine. The Trust suggests such steps as extending bus lines to parks so people without cars can go someplace pleasant for physical activity and other "community-based" efforts. These strategies save more money in healthcare spending than they cost.

For instance, at a program in Akron, Ohio, profiled in the new report, physicians and others coordinate care for patients with Type 2 diabetes. It reduced the average cost of care by more than 10 percent, or $3,185 per year, largely by reducing pricey emergency-room visits.

And at Boston Children's Hospital, an asthma program that sends community health workers into patients' homes to reduce the environmental triggers of asthma has saved $1.46 in healthcare costs for every $1 invested. It has reduced asthma-related hospital admissions by 80 percent and asthma-related emergency department visits by 60 percent, reports the Trust.

The other promising approach is to target preventive care at those most likely to develop a chronic disease, not at low-risk people. Such "smart" prevention increases the chances of preventing expensive diseases and saving money.

In contrast, unthinking expansion of preventive medicine is the wrong prescription, say experts.

"If you start giving preventive care to more people, many of whom won't benefit from it, it's going to be very, very expensive," said Tufts' Neumann.

(Reporting by Sharon Begley; Editing by Jilian Mincer and Douglas Royalty)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/insight-think-preventive-medicine-save-money-think-again-051222908.html

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A Million First Dates: How online romance is threatening monogamy ...

?

Like many Atlantic writers (*ahem* Caitlin Flanagan *ahem*) Dan Slater's pieces are less interesting by themselves than compared to the articles that are written in response to them.

The Atlantic was actually rather anticipating (perhaps even planning) this bit of sensationalism and was ready to go with a full section covering the responses. A bunch of them are better reflections. on online dating than the original article, but the most entertaining for me was Amanda Hess' takedown at Slate.
posted by bl1nk at 12:45 PM on January 29

Meh. Whatever person gets into that mindset isn't worth being in a relationship with anyway.

Maybe the competition for suitable guys who want a monogamous commitment will be fiercer, but at least the guys who aren't monogamously minded can be more easy identified and put aside.

Time will tell. Plus, sperm banks and vibrators exist and they don't leave fingernails on the coffee table.
posted by discopolo at 12:48 PM on January 29

Monogamy could use some threatening. Then maybe the non-monogamous could feel a tiny bit less othered.
posted by Sternmeyer at 12:54 PM on January 29 [4 favorites]

"I?m about 95 percent certain," he says, "that if I?d met Rachel offline, and if I?d never done online dating, I would?ve married her. At that point in my life, I would?ve overlooked everything else and done whatever it took to make things work. Did online dating change my perception of permanence? No doubt.

Hold on. His dating background gave him enough perspective to see that it was a bad idea to settle for his girlfriend when he was actually unhappy, and now monogamy is under attack? This is how dating is supposed to work. You're not supposed to marry the person you've been dating for 2 or 3 years, just because it seems like the thing to do and you've got nothing else going on. You're supposed to sift through a few people you don't mesh perfectly with, so that you'll know the real deal when you see it.

Moral panic indeed.
posted by Mayor West at 12:56 PM on January 29 [6 favorites]

?I often wonder whether matching you up with great people is getting so efficient, and the process so enjoyable, that marriage will become obsolete.?

Methinks not so much.
posted by ourobouros at 12:57 PM on January 29

This lady went on one and got stabbed and beaten. So.

So, anecdatally, online dating has nothing whatsoever to do with monogamy? If you're gonna be monogamous you're going to be monogamous no matter how you date.
posted by lydhre at 12:57 PM on January 29

And I seem to notice that by "monogamy" they mean some nebulous definition of long-term relationships, not monogamy as opposed to polyamory.
posted by lydhre at 1:02 PM on January 29 [1 favorite] Online dating encouraged me to seek long-term commitment, because it meant I MAY NEVER HAVE TO USE A FUCKING ONLINE DATING SITE AGAIN.
posted by Afroblanco at 1:02 PM on January 29 [18 favorites] So, anecdatally, online dating has nothing whatsoever to do with monogamy? If you're gonna be monogamous you're going to be monogamous no matter how you date.

You can be all kinds of monogamous. You can be a serial monogamist and divorce your current spouse when someone handsomer and more exciting comes along. You could be monogamous and committed for life to one person. You can be monogamous and drift from your spouse.

Monogamy isn't something that's synonymous to lifelong commitment. The latter only time and the opportunity to spend a secret night with George Clooney or Jon Hamm can tell.
posted by discopolo at 1:03 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

I can't help but wonder if this is a set up for next week's Atlantic advertorial: 'Unification Church Offers Simple, Forward-Thinking Solutions to the Problems of Contemporary Dating'
posted by mcmile at 1:06 PM on January 29 Yeah, "Jacob" didn't really sound like much of a catch to begin with, so I reckon 'online dating' is just accelerating his approach to 'dating'. Other people will have different approaches to dating, and will pursue them regardless of whether they meet online or offline.
posted by Kurichina at 1:11 PM on January 29 [1 favorite] and the process so enjoyable

I do not think this is the process he thinks it is. There are actually people out there who find it enjoyable? Christ if someone offered me the perfect partner and I'd never have to online date again but I would have to be water-boarded for 30 minutes, I'd take the water-boarding.
posted by spicynuts at 1:11 PM on January 29 [6 favorites]

I'd guess 90% of my dates have come from OKCupid, and 0% of my actual relationships. And yet, after every breakup... back I go.

I will say, however, that going on a bunch of dates with complete randos has made me a lot more easygoing about the whole dating thing. My first several online dates back in the day, I was a nervous wreck beforehand. Now it's just another night out, with a guy I'll hopefully like, but if not, no biggie. The author of this piece might say that means I no longer take dating seriously at all, but actually it just means that on the few dates that actually have potential, I know how to fucking relax and not be self-conscious. So online dating, in a roundabout way, probably helped facilitate those other, non-online-dating-based relationships.

Online dating encouraged me to seek long-term commitment, because it meant I MAY NEVER HAVE TO USE A FUCKING ONLINE DATING SITE AGAIN.

Yup. I finally realized recently that I'd be perfectly happy if the next guy I dated wound up being my future husband- the idea used to be scary, now it'd be a goddamn relief.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:12 PM on January 29 [6 favorites]

You know, I totally understand the impulse of "People are attracted to me and I used to not feel attractive, so online dating rocks!" And I can see how some good experiences would make the sometimes monotony of day-to-day relationships make the online hunt seem appealing.

But, and maybe I'm showing my age here, but even the possibility of occsaional new hot sex doesn't make the other bullshit of online dating seem attractive -- and I say this as somebody who met pretty much every amazing guy I met in the last 15 years that way, including the one I've been with for 7 years.

(On preview, what Afroblanco said.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:13 PM on January 29

I will say, however, that going on a bunch of dates with complete randos has made me a lot more easygoing about the whole dating thing.

You are a trooper. I ran into an endless stream of randos who want to molest me. They don't even want to know me, just touch me. It's gross and I'm done, and planning a Golden Girls retirement. I've lost all hope.
posted by discopolo at 1:18 PM on January 29 [4 favorites]

An immature (ostensible) adult is unable to manage his own desires in face of temptation? OBVIOUSLY the internet is at fault rather than human nature or a lack of self-reflection! This is the most words with the least content I have ever read, and I have graded college philosophy papers.

Also:
"Another online-dating exec hypothesized an inverse correlation between commitment and the efficiency of technology. ?I think divorce rates will increase as life in general becomes more real-time,? says Niccol? Formai"
What is this I don't even
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 1:18 PM on January 29 [6 favorites]

> Time will tell. Plus, sperm banks and vibrators exist and they don't leave fingernails on the coffee table.
> posted by discopolo at 3:48 PM on January 29 [+] [!]

True, but they don't also walk the dog, diaper the kids, take out the garbage, fix the car, work a full time job, and remember birthdays and anniversaries. I do and did.

I am actually quite curious to know, if I were miraculously transformed back to college age, what KIDZ2DAY would make of me if I acted toward women the way I think gentlemen ought to act. Would I be thought incomprehensible? Bizarre? Creepy? I went to hear the Venice Baroque Orchestra yesterday, and I would certainly have gone at 20--'smy kinda thing. I wore a coat and tie, as I would certainly have done at 20. I would love to have had a female accomplice on this outing. In a farking dress, please. As Roger Angell observed once (in the New Yorker), the vast majority of occasions for pleasant social intercourse between men and women take place with our clothes on.
posted by jfuller at 1:19 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

jfuller...things are SO SO SO different now. it's all sex all the time. You could watch the show Girls for a glimpse, or you could come talk to my friend who is a junior high school guidance counselor on Long Island.
posted by spicynuts at 1:23 PM on January 29 [1 favorite] You are a trooper. I ran into an endless stream of randos who want to molest me. They don't even want to know me, just touch me. It's gross and I'm done, and planning a Golden Girls retirement. I've lost all hope.

Oh, see, this is part of it, cause once upon a time I was like "Oh noes I must impress this guy what if he doesn't liiiiike me," and now I'm just like "Hi dude! Here's me, and what's your deal? Oh, you're gonna be weird and gross like all those other dudes? Ok, toodles!"

So then, when the guy I met through mutual friends asked me out, I was still thinking "Hi dude! Here's me, and what's your deal?" So, in conclusion, thanks internet weird guys!
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:23 PM on January 29 [3 favorites]

This would be more of a problem for me if I could actually get dates off OkCupid. I made a few friends off the site but once I gained a few pounds I turned invisible. I'm pretty jealous of people who go on enough dates to have a choice.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 1:38 PM on January 29 [2 favorites] Online dating is threatening monogamy. Monogamy has perpetuated the idea of people as sexual property and contributed to overpopulation. What is the problem again?
posted by tripping daisy at 1:42 PM on January 29 [1 favorite] Seems like so much pearl-clutching.
posted by adamrice at 1:55 PM on January 29 Monogamy has perpetuated the idea of people as sexual property and contributed to overpopulation. What is the problem again?

Meh. I'm pretty monogamous by nature in part because I could never muster the energy to have more than one relationship, so it's mostly about my comfort and less about seeing my partner as property. Also, a monogamous couple is going to have a lot less kids, yes, even if they Duggar it up, than some polygamous man+harem arrangements that produce small armies of offspring.

(Note, I know that polygamy isn't the only non-monogamous relationship arrangement, but it seems to be the more common one globally. Put the poly outrage away, I get it.)
posted by Kitty Stardust at 1:56 PM on January 29 [2 favorites]

I keep hearing online dating has become a much more viable way to meet nice people than when it first started.

When I tried online dating about ten years ago, it was a fantastic way to meet... horny, damaged people who lied about their age, occupation, weight, and relationship status.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:04 PM on January 29 [2 favorites]

things are SO SO SO different now. it's all sex all the time. You could watch the show Girls for a glimpse, or you could come talk to my friend who is a junior high school guidance counselor on Long Island.

I'm in my mid-twenties and my single friends' dating lives are definitely not "all sex all the time."

Then again I don't live in Long Island.
posted by Aizkolari at 2:08 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

Anecdata to the extreme, but online dating encouraged me to start trying to seek out long-term commitment.

After being one of those monogamy is for sheeple and sell-outs, maaaaaan! douchebags for roughly half my life, it took precisely two (2) OK Cupid dates for me to decide that a) my burgeoning faith in humanity has been all but destroyed and b) it turns out that what the sheeple are doing is what I want to do, too.

Unfortunately, without a real-life version of OKC's handy-dandy sorting mechanism, there is no way for me to know which men are willing to date a permanently nulliparous woman. After the OKC nightmare, I went on a semi-blind date where an otherwise very attractive, nice, intelligent, promising dude waited several hours to pull the good old "So, when do you think you might want to start raising a family?" card. He dumped me on the spot -- like, "Check, please! Good luck in all your future endeavors! Fare thee well!" -- after I responded with a look of slow-dawning horror and replied, "Uh, never?"

So... can all the childfree dudes out there (there's more than one or two of you, right? right?) maybe start wearing buttons depicting, perhaps, a diaper covered with a big red X or something? I am fairly terrified of navigating the dating world at age 30 knowing that most men around my age -- and indeed, most humans; pesky biological imperative -- are going to want to have children, and this is a major stumbling block en route to my selling out.
posted by divined by radio at 2:18 PM on January 29 [3 favorites]

That article cracked me and my partner up - The Atlantic isn't even bothering with a veneer of respectability these days; it's classic tabloid moral panic.

I love that the guy they picked as somehow representative is basically a colossal asshole, and has the temerity to blame online dating for his being a complete tool. Heavens to betsy, I don't know any guys who are like that, and never use online dating IN OPPOSITE LAND, WHERE EVERYTHING IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS.

Additionally the idea that "people stayed in shitty, unhappy relationships before! Everything was better!" is fucking bizarre. God forbid the Atlantic, I don't know, look at some census data, and stuff, try to make a case using evidence and the like. That would be too close to actual journalism.
posted by smoke at 2:26 PM on January 29 [4 favorites]

I'm being imprecise with my words. I'm pretty sure I was talking about marriage and not monogamy... anyway, serial monogamists that I know seem to have less desire to have children. There is less pressure to settle down and pop out kids in their twenties because they're having a great time boning people and not having kids. Combine that with safe sax and birth control measures and we are at our lowest birthrate in recorded history.

Less traditional relationships, less children, more boning, more chance at surviving the 21st Century... I don't see too much wrong with the way we do consensual relationships in the States. People who want an online meat market know where to go. Christian singles know where to go. eHarmony is there for people who want to get married and can endure the apparently miserable application process.

What is wrong is the focus on sex and physical appearance on some of the sites, and sure, having a box for your ideal height and eye color can quickly turn things superficial. But humans are superficial. In A Time Before The Internet I knew people who had very specific requirements about eye color, income, height, and so on. There's a little magic lost in excluding the love of your life because they didn't put their income level in, but if you're already excluding by those criteria, you probably aren't interested in magic, and that's cool. I think most people get what they want out of those sites... that's why they signed up and continue using it.

Related: I decided to see if there was a stoner dating website. There is. And it's running a little behind schedule. The proprietor is not pleased.
posted by tripping daisy at 2:33 PM on January 29 [2 favorites]

True, but they don't also walk the dog, diaper the kids, take out the garbage, fix the car, work a full time job, and remember birthdays and anniversaries. I do and did.

You're rare. An awful lot of women have to do all that and more, while working full-time without participation from husband, even if husband works a full-time job. It's rare to find a real partner. Even so, the wife will always get stuck doing more, investing more, and expending more energy, without much of a guarantee of full partnership or lifelong commitment.
posted by discopolo at 2:33 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

Unfortunately, without a real-life version of OKC's handy-dandy sorting mechanism, there is no way for me to know which men are willing to date a permanently nulliparous woman.

It's not a whole lot easier to find childfree women. And even then, "well-meaning" friends will, 99% of the time, try their best to sow seeds of doubt with, "Well, that's what she's saying NOW ..." And I dunno, maybe this is something people change their minds about? So whether you possess a Y chromosome or not, it's good to ask yourself if the person you're talking to is committed to being childfree, or if they're essentially saying, "Oh that's just so far away, I can't POSSIBLY imagine myself as a parent." The latter are probably more likely to flip.

As a sidenote, I was always annoyed by the profile options OKC gave me for "Children". Like, my choices were : "I have children", "I like children", or "I don't like children". But saying "I don't like children" makes me feel so heartless -- even though it's completely true! Why can't they just give you a "Children are okay I guess, I just don't want any of my own" option?
posted by Afroblanco at 2:34 PM on January 29 [4 favorites]

So... can all the childfree dudes out there (there's more than one or two of you, right? right?) maybe start wearing buttons depicting, perhaps, a diaper covered with a big red X or something? I am fairly terrified of navigating the dating world at age 30 knowing that most men around my age -- and indeed, most humans; pesky biological imperative -- are going to want to have children, and this is a major stumbling block en route to my selling out.

Check your friendzone. Not a snarky suggestion.
posted by tripping daisy at 2:36 PM on January 29

As a sidenote, I was always annoyed by the profile options OKC gave for "Children". Like, your choices are : "I have children", "I like children", or "I don't like children". But saying "I don't like children" makes me feel so heartless -- even though it's completely true! Why can't they just give you a "Children are okay I guess, I just don't want any of my own" option?

How does anyone know if they even want kids without sizing up the partner they're with? I'd have kids if I found the right partner, but not if I didn't think my partner didn't have the right temperament to be a father.

Check your friendzone. Not a snarky suggestion.

Ugh, we put men in the friend zone because the thought of having sex with them makes us barf. How is this so hard for guys to understand?
posted by discopolo at 2:39 PM on January 29 [5 favorites]

No, I didn't RTFA beacuse it's from the Fucking Atlantic. Why does every article from that rag seem to make it here?
posted by repoman at 2:46 PM on January 29 Ugh, we put men in the friend zone because the thought of having sex with them makes us barf. How is this so hard for guys to understand?

Perhaps divined by radio has a friendzone with more criteria than "makes me want to barf when naked."
posted by tripping daisy at 2:48 PM on January 29

How does anyone know if they even want kids without sizing up the partner they're with?

Because that's what being childfree means? I don't want children ever ever ever, not with anyone. EVER.
posted by Violet Hour at 2:54 PM on January 29 [5 favorites]

Perhaps divined by radio has a friendzone with more criteria than "makes me want to barf when naked."

Well, you never know. And she could always get drunk beforehand. That might help.
posted by discopolo at 2:55 PM on January 29

bl1nk: but the most entertaining for me was Amanda Hess' takedown at Slate.

That one's pretty on-target (she points out the original article relies on interview with a miniscule pool of male-only online daters - one, in fact).

Here's a better criticism: Not one single datum was revealed in the article to support the thesis. There are vague allusions to "experts" and "studies", but without tangible references that's just another way of saying "I asked both of my coworkers."

Just another bullshit fluff-piece about how X is going to ruin us all.
posted by IAmBroom at 3:06 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

From now on, The Atlantic should change all its headlines to BUY OUR MAGAZINE YOU STOOGES.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 3:09 PM on January 29 I'm still waiting for the Atlantic article about how reading relationship articles in the Atlantic is the #1 threat to heterocentric breeder monogamous relationships.
posted by Skwirl at 3:21 PM on January 29 [1 favorite] Check your friendzone. Not a snarky suggestion.

Perhaps divined by radio has a friendzone with more criteria than "makes me want to barf when naked."

Really? Because this as a whole feels like snark.

Besides. The friend zone is a myth made up by bitter beta guys who didn't have the balls to ask a girl out, get rejected and move on with their lives.
posted by Talez at 4:12 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

"You can be all kinds of monogamous. You can be a serial monogamist and divorce your current spouse when someone handsomer and more exciting comes along. You could be monogamous and committed for life to one person. You can be monogamous and drift from your spouse."

Conversely, you can be all kinds of polyamorous. In fact, your relationship patterns can look practically the same as it would look in a monogamous relationship... only without the lying and deception.

I have quite a few monogamous friends my age who I met back in college, but I'm the one with the longest active relationship... and at 7 years and two years and counting for my other live-in relationships, I am doing pretty well there too, considering.

I find that I have learned a lot more about finding and maintaining healthy relationships in general by not being monogamous. It's not all about playing the field. It's more about being honest to who you are as a human being.
posted by markkraft at 4:18 PM on January 29

Besides. The friend zone is a myth made up by bitter beta guys who didn't have the balls to ask a girl out, get rejected and move on with their lives.

This thread is sounding more and more like a fratire brainstorming session.
posted by tripping daisy at 4:27 PM on January 29 [3 favorites]

discopolo said "in the friend zone because the thought of having sex with them makes us barf."

Oh. Then I have a friend who put his wife in the friendzone.
posted by surplus at 4:38 PM on January 29

This thread is sounding more and more like a fratire brainstorming session.

You don't have to be a frat boy to not want to join in the latest sad meeting of "Lonely Hearts Anonymous". Some of us figured out that women aren't responsible for our own romantic misdaventures and grew up out of silly shit like the Friend Zone and the Ladder Theory. Then we chilled out, looked around and grew relationships out of common interests and mutual attraction instead of pining longingly for an idealized version of an unrequited crush.
posted by Talez at 4:45 PM on January 29 [2 favorites]

discopolo: How does anyone know if they even want kids without sizing up the partner they're with?

Quoted because I thought I was the only one who thought this way.

Could we drop the friendzone derail and get back to the "how much The Atlantic sucks" derail, because I've still got more material.
posted by Skwirl at 4:46 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

> Some of us figured out that women aren't responsible for our own romantic misdaventures and grew up out of silly shit like the Friend Zone and the Ladder Theory

Which is both a great feeling in and of itself, and a relief when you look back. But the beta/alpha thing is the same deal.
posted by postcommunism at 4:51 PM on January 29

Well, if by needing more data, you mean more dates, chalk me in to sacrifice my life for SCIENCE!

You know, just sayin'.

Somebody's got to do it and it might as well be me...
posted by Samizdata at 5:45 PM on January 29

> because the thought of having sex with them makes us barf.

Lie back and think of England :)
posted by jfuller at 5:46 PM on January 29

I went to hear the Venice Baroque Orchestra yesterday ...

If you take me to see the Venice Baroque Orchestra, I'll wear a farking dress. (Or to the Balearic Folk Orchestra. I'm not a picky date.)
posted by octobersurprise at 5:50 PM on January 29

When I tried online dating about ten years ago, it was a fantastic way to meet... horny, damaged people who lied about their age, occupation, weight, and relationship status.

Where can I find these people and why won't they respond to my messages!
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 5:51 PM on January 29

You don't have to be a frat boy to not want to join in the latest sad meeting of "Lonely Hearts Anonymous". Some of us figured out that women aren't responsible for our own romantic misdaventures and grew up out of silly shit like the Friend Zone and the Ladder Theory. Then we chilled out, looked around and grew relationships out of common interests and mutual attraction instead of pining longingly for an idealized version of an unrequited crush.

Not everyone's friend zone is based purely on sex. I have people in the friend zone who are there because they are long distance, or because they are preoccupied with their career, or because I don't think we could reconcile our political or spiritual views, or because I don't think they are quite over their ex. I'm even crazy enough to believe that some people aspire to grow out of separating others into "will fuck" and "will not fuck." So I suggested to someone that they take a look at their friend zone.

I thought that was a simple, practical piece of advice for someone looking for more than random chance. Perhaps I am wrong, and categorizing everyone else into "fuckable" and "unfuckable" tests the limits of the exploration of human affection for most people. It honestly wouldn't surprise me.
posted by tripping daisy at 6:06 PM on January 29

I think I've solved the childfree dating problem: simply wait until I am too old to have babies before I date again. Then nobody can insist that I am going to have any.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:07 PM on January 29 The friendzone totally exists, but it's men who put themselves there. The girl just happens to be The Wrong Girl For Him. When I was single, I learned how to always avoid the friendzone. For me to befriend a woman, she had to meet one or more of the following criteria :

1) I wasn't attracted to her
2) One or both of us was in a stable, long-term relationship
3) We were just so completely incompatible that the idea of a relationship would never even come up

If she didn't meet any of the above criteria, I'd usually try to date her. And if she turned out to be The Wrong Girl For Me, I'd just break it off and that would be that.

"Can't we be friends?"
"I enjoyed our time together, but I have a really busy life. Best of luck."

Bam. Friendzone avoided.

You could say I potentially missed out on a lot of friends that way, and you'd probably be right. But I've never been short on friends, and I know better than to befriend someone I may develop an unwelcome crush on.
posted by Afroblanco at 6:56 PM on January 29 [2 favorites]

the wife will always get stuck doing more, investing more, and expending more energy, without much of a guarantee of full partnership or lifelong commitment.

Now that you've identified the ways in which every married man is an inferior contributor compared with his spouse, can you tell me what every married man's favorite color is? I need to buy some gift ties and the variety is astounding.
posted by Winnemac at 8:07 PM on January 29

I can't speak for straight people, but the internet and dating social media are the BEST things that have happened for queers ever. We can find each other in the first place, no matter how isolated geographically or culturally we may be. We can show our incredible diversities in safe spaces, before we launch into possibly dangerous territories. One of the factors making same-sex marriage a recent reality, after languishing for decades as a lesser lesbian/gay agenda, are the sheer numbers of queers who've come out, and queer couples who've met, due to the internet.

Data point: In the last two decades, ALL of my partners but two (both of whom I had met pre-internet but didn't connect with until the web was popular), I met online. Although I have had less time to devote to social in my 30s and 40s than I did in my teens and 20s, I have connected with almost 4x as many people due to online opportunities. Most of those people were/are very distant geographically, didn't know anyone in common, and didn't share hobbies or occupations leading to travel.

Long live internet dating (and its progeny, I can hardly wait)!
posted by Dreidl at 9:32 PM on January 29 [1 favorite]

? Older Andrew "bunnie" Huang (previously) offer...??|??Ryan Cordell told his kids the... Newer ?

Source: http://www.metafilter.com/124375/A-Million-First-Dates-How-online-romance-is-threatening-monogamy

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Morning Markets January 28 - Business Insider

Markets are pretty tame this morning.

US futures aren't going anywhere.

Europe is mixed with no real sense of direction.

The bigger action was in Asia.

Japan fell 1%.

On the other hand, China surged 2.4%.

The cause of said surge is unclear.

This is going to be a pretty huge week for the economy, with plenty of data coming out each day.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/morning-markets-january-28-2013-1

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Home prices continue to climb in November: S&P/Case Shiller

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Single-family home prices rose in November, building on a string of gains that points to a housing market that is on the mend, data from a closely watched survey showed on Tuesday.

The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas gained 0.6 percent in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, in line with economists' forecasts.

Prices on a non-adjusted basis slipped 0.1 percent. The non-adjusted numbers showed prices fell in about half of the cities covered by the survey, with the winter months typically a weak period for housing, the survey said.

"Housing is clearly recovering", David Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P Dow Jones Indexes, said in a statement.

Prices in the 20 cities rose 5.5 percent year over year.

It was the 10th month in a row that prices have increased, the longest string of gains since before the market started to turn down in 2006.

The housing market became a bright spot for the economy last year as prices rose and inventory tightened. The sector is expected to contribute to economic growth in 2013.

(Reporting By Leah Schnurr; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/home-prices-continue-climb-november-p-case-shiller-140149370--business.html

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Iran cracks down on media before election

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian authorities have arrested more than a dozen journalists in the past two days over their links to "anti-revolutionary" media, Iranian media reported, in what appeared to be a coordinated crackdown on the press.

With a presidential election five months away, Iran's clerical leadership appears to be tightening its grip on the media to avoid a repeat of the widespread protests that erupted after the disputed election in 2009.

Journalists working for reformist newspapers Arman, Bahar, Etemaad, Shargh, and the Aseman weekly - and Iran's economy-focused ILNA labor news agency - were arrested on Sunday for cooperating with Persian-language "anti-revolutionary" news outlets, Mehr news agency reported late on Sunday.

In Iran, anti-revolutionary means those who work against the Iranian leadership and its 1979 Islamic revolution.

The exact numbers were not known, but several outlets reported the arrests, with Fars news agency saying around 11 journalists were detained on Sunday on the orders of the judiciary. In addition, the opposition Kaleme website said a reporter for Bahar and one from ILNA were held on Saturday.

In a separate report later on Monday, Fars said two other journalists were arrested. The Fars report named the two men but did not say where they worked.

While not calling for outright dissent, the outlets have reported on an economy struggling under Western sanctions imposed over Iran's disputed nuclear program, and often feature criticism of Iranian government policies.

Shargh was banned for several months in 2012 for publishing a cartoon deemed insulting to veterans of the Iran-Iraq war, while ILNA closely follows news of layoffs in Iran's factories - bad news for the leadership in the run up to June's election.

The economy has taken a battering since the introduction of U.S. banking sanctions a year ago that virtually severed links to the global financial system. Iranians have seen the price of food and goods soar and their spending power slump, especially on imports that are directly affected by the weakening rial.

HOUSE ARREST

Last week, Iran's judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei warned of the threat the Islamic Republic faced from some of its own journalists.

"Based on information I have from reliable sources, unfortunately a number of journalists, as well as writing for the nation's newspapers, work hand-in-hand with Westerners and anti-revolutionaries," he said at the time.

The Iranian leadership regularly accuses Western governments of trying to foment social unrest through subversive media activities but says that such plans will never succeed.

However, the latest crackdown appeared to go further than just targeting reformist news organizations, with the conservative website Tabnak also offline on the orders of the Tehran prosecutor's office, the state body that determines which websites to filter told the ISNA news agency on Sunday.

Reporters Without Borders, which advocates press freedom, called on Monday for the "immediate and unconditional release of all journalists currently detained in Iran".

It said that in addition to those arrested over the weekend, other journalists had been sent summonses to appear before revolutionary courts in the coming days.

Opposition candidates Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi said the 2009 election was rigged in favor of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They have been under house arrest for nearly two years.

The government denied vote rigging and said the protests were stirred up by Iran's foreign enemies to overthrow the Islamic Republic's system of government.

Analysts say reformist candidates may be allowed to run this time if they distance themselves from Mousavi and Karoubi.

But the authorities are mindful of more protests, and hardliners have warned against the possibility of a second "sedition", the term officials use for the 2009 demonstrations.

Iran is one of the world's worst countries for jailing members of the press, along with Turkey and China, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. A CPJ tally in December 2012 said there were 45 journalists behind bars in Iran.

(Additional reporting by Zahra Hosseinian; Editing by Marcus George and Alison Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-cracks-down-media-election-162138301.html

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Lawmakers see immigration overhaul this year

WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican and Democratic lawmakers were cautiously optimistic Sunday that a long-sought overhaul of the nation's immigration system that includes a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the country will clear Congress this year, the result of changes in the political landscape shown in November's election.

"We are trying to work our way through some very difficult issues," said Illinois' Sen. Richard Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate. "But, we are committed to a comprehensive approach to finally, in this country, have an immigration law we can live with. We have virtually been going maybe 25 years without a clear statement about immigration policy. That's unacceptable in this nation of immigrants."

Sen. Robert Menendez, who along with Durbin and Sen. John McCain, is part of the six-member, bipartisan Senate group working on a framework for immigration legislation to be announced this week, said current politics dictate that a pathway for citizenship must be included.

"Let's be very clear: having a pathway to earned legalization is an essential element. And I think that we are largely moving in that direction as an agreement," said Menendez, D-N.J.

But the package "will have the enhancement of the border security," he said, nodding to Republicans' priority to tighten borders to prevent future illegal immigration.

He also said the package would have to crack down on employers hiring undocumented workers.

Arizona Republican McCain has returned to the issue after having led a failed push to fix the nation's broken immigration system ahead of his 2008 bid for the White House.

McCain said: "What's changed is, honestly, is that there is a new, I think, appreciation on both sides of the aisle -- including, maybe more importantly on the Republican side of the aisle, that we have to enact a comprehensive immigration reform bill."

Despite making little progress on immigration in his first term, President Barack Obama won more than 70 percent of the Latino vote, in part because of the conservative positions on immigration that Republican nominee Mitt Romney staked out during the GOP primary. Asians, who immigrated to the U.S. in higher numbers than Hispanics in 2010, also overwhelmingly backed Obama. Latino voters accounted for 10 percent of the electorate in November.

Obama is to press his case for immigration changes during a trip to Las Vegas Tuesday: a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants that includes paying fines and back taxes; increased border security; mandatory penalties for businesses that employ unauthorized immigrants; and improvements to the legal immigration system, including giving green cards to high-skilled workers and lifting caps on legal immigration for the immediate family members of U.S. citizens.

In an opinion piece published online Sunday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sen. Marco Rubio, also a member of the bipartisan Senate group, laid out his proposal to address the issue. The Florida Republican, son of Cuban immigrants, wrote that "significant progress" on enforcing immigration laws must be certified before unauthorized immigrants now in the country are allowed to apply for residency and "get in the back of the line."

Rep. Paul Ryan, the 2012 Republican candidate for vice president, said he backs Rubio's proposal.

"Immigration is a good thing. We're here because of immigration. We need to make sure it works," Wisconsin's Ryan said.

If Republicans fail to act, they will pay the price in elections for generations, McCain warned.

"Well, I'll give you a little straight talk: Look at the last election... We are losing dramatically the Hispanic vote, which we think should be ours for a variety of reasons," McCain said.

McCain and Menendez spoke with ABC's "This Week," Durbin appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and Ryan was on NBC's "Meet the Press."

------

Associated Press writer Philip Elliott contributed to this report.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/political/lawmakers-see-immigration-overhaul-this-year

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5 Ways to Enhance Your Relationship Every Day | World of ...

The everyday ? filled with its supposedly inconsequential interactions and circumstances ? is actually quite consequential when it comes to romantic relationships.

That?s because relationships are cumulative, said Nikki Massey-Hastings, Psy.D, a psychotherapist who specializes in couples. ?Each seemingly insignificant daily interaction with one?s partner builds upon the interactions from yesterday, last week, and last year? for better or worse.?

A couple with a history of loving interactions and success solving daily problems is more likely to have a securely attached relationship, Massey-Hastings said.

And that?s a great thing. Couples with a secure attachment are able to rely on each other, turn to each other for comfort and traverse potentially tough times, she noted.

In other words, positive daily interactions create buffers against future challenges.

Take parenting, for instance. One of Massey-Hastings?s clients told her: ?We finally had dinner and watched a movie last night for the first time since we brought the baby home. At the end of our night, we smiled at each other and said ?see you in 3 months! Miss you.??

This couple was able to joke about their situation because they had years of wonderful interactions and success dealing with mundane problems like decorating their bedroom and deeply emotional ones like figuring out treatments for their autistic son, she said.

Silvina Irwin, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist who also works with couples, described relationships as ?living bonds.? According to Irwin, ?without regular tending and attention, [the relationship] will wither and suffer.?

But you might be worried that working on your relationship is another time-consuming task to heap on an already overflowing pile of responsibilities. However, as Irwin said, ?tending to your relationship can be woven into the fabric of your everyday life with a little extra thought and intention.?

Below, she and Massey-Hastings share five suggestions for enhancing your relationship every day.

1. Create connection-boosting rituals.

?Create a meaningful way to connect that meets both partners? needs for connection that you can count on each day,? Massey-Hastings said. For instance, when she was just beginning her career, she and her husband would eat dinner together almost every night.

But then her schedule changed, and that was no longer possible. ?One week of this shift and we were both in tears ? we didn?t realize how much that ritual structured our time to connect,? she said. So they revised their routine. Today, they have a snack when she gets home.

?Eating together and talking about the day, for couples and for families, is a very powerful ritual of connection,? she said.

Rituals don?t need to be elaborate, either. It could be something as simple as rubbing each other?s feet every night, which Massey-Hastings and her husband also do. It?s a minute but meaningful ritual they look forward to, she said.

If you have kids, you can create rituals after they?re in bed. For instance, Massey-Hastings works with a couple who cuddles in bed for 30 minutes after putting their child to bed.

2. Be affectionate when you say hello or goodbye.

?A time that lends itself naturally to acknowledging your bond is around moments of separation and reunions,? said Irwin, who also leads workshops for couples. She suggested asking yourself: ?Do I hug and kiss my partner when we greet each other or say goodbye??How about in the evening when we say goodnight??

If you?ve been together for a long time, you might not. But this can contribute to ?couples feeling more like roommates than lovers,? she said. Whether it?s a hug, kiss or touch, daily physical attention can greatly enhance your relationship.

3. Let your partner know they?re on your mind.

Send your partner a text, leave a loving note or give them a quick call during the day, Irwin said. As she noted, these seemingly small gestures communicate an important message: ?You matter to me.? ?This can be especially meaningful when folks work long hours or experience prolonged periods of separation,? she said.

4. Acknowledge how much your partner means to you.

Let your partner know the things they do or say that are meaningful to you, Irwin said. Maybe your partner gives you a massage every night or cracks a joke after you?ve had a tough day at work. Maybe they make you coffee every morning or always wash the dishes after you cook dinner.

?[This] shows that you aren?t taking your partner for granted, and lets them know that they make a difference in your life,? she said. ?A wonderful positive spiral that can ensue when we take a moment to point out the way we appreciate our partner,? she added.

5. Check in with each other.

?Make it an intention to slow down, make eye contact, sit near each other, touch one another and check in,? Irwin said. Even just asking your partner ?How are you?? is a beautiful way to bond.

?These conversations bring a significant point of connection in couples? sometimes-busy, seemingly parallel lives.?It?s saying to each other ?In our crazy lives, the person I want to talk with at the end of the day is you!?? she said.

Relationships certainly take work. But nourishing your partnership every day isn?t painstaking. Instead, it gives you the opportunity to build your bond. Plus, helping your relationship blossom on a daily basis helps you cope better as a couple with the inevitable challenges of life.

Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. is an Associate Editor at Psych Central and blogs regularly about eating and self-image issues on her own blog, Weightless.

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. (or subscribe to their feed).

????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 28 Jan 2013
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Tartakovsky, M. (2013). 5 Ways to Enhance Your Relationship Every Day. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 28, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/01/28/5-ways-to-enhance-your-relationship-every-day/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/01/28/5-ways-to-enhance-your-relationship-every-day/

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Daily antiseptic baths slash risk of bloodstream infections in critically ill children

Jan. 25, 2013 ? Daily baths with an ordinary antibacterial cleanser can safely reduce the risk of dangerous bloodstream infections in critically ill children, according to a trial conducted in five pediatric hospitals and led by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

A report on the findings of the research -- the first of its kind in children and one of the largest infection-prevention trials to date -- will be published online Jan. 26 in The Lancet.

Conducted among more than 4,000 children hospitalized in 10 pediatric intensive care units in five U.S. hospitals, the study compared standard soap baths with antiseptic baths with diluted chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), a commonly used cleanser that kills viruses, bacteria and fungi.

Children bathed with the antiseptic solution had a 36 percent lower risk of bloodstream infections, compared with those given soap-and-water baths.

Traditionally, bedside bathing has been viewed as nothing more than a comfort measure, the researchers say, but the study findings show that the simple, often overlooked procedure can also be a powerful infection-prevention tool.

"Daily bedside baths with an antiseptic solution may be an easy, quick and relatively cheap way to cut the risk of a potentially life-threatening infection in these vulnerable children," says lead investigator Aaron Milstone, M.D., M.H.S., a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

Bloodstream infections, a common occurrence among critically ill patients, can lead to serious complications, including organ damage and even death. Beyond the human toll, each infection can cost up to $39,000 in additional treatment, the investigators say.

Notably, the researchers add, daily antiseptic baths appeared to reduce bloodstream infections of any origin.

In recent years, patient safety initiatives have focused on -- and made great strides in -- preventing one particular subtype of bloodstream infections, those caused by central venous catheters. But because bloodstream infections often occur even in children without such devices, the protective effects of antiseptic bathing may go beyond catheter-related infections, the researchers say.

"Bloodstream infections, catheter-related or not, occur in many critically ill children and cause a lot of morbidity, so our efforts should be on reducing bacteremia of any and all origins," says Trish M. Perl, M.D., M.Sc., an infectious disease expert and lead epidemiologist of the Johns Hopkins Health System.

The Johns Hopkins Children's Center initiated antibacterial baths in its intensive-care unit as an infection-control measure in 2011.

For the study, children in half of the 10 intensive-care units were bathed with washcloths soaked in CHG solution, while those in the other half received standard soap-and-water sponge baths. Midway through the yearlong study, the researchers swapped bathing procedures across units so that the wards performing soap-and-water baths switched to antiseptic baths and vice versa. Doing so, the researchers say, further ensured that any decrease in infection rate was due to the antiseptic baths rather than chance.

Most children experienced no side effects: 12 children had mild reactions to the solution, such as skin irritation.

A staple of hospital infection control since the 1970s, CHG solution is commonly used as a pre-surgery scrub and to prepare a patient's skin for surgery. It also is available over the counter as an at-home skin cleanser. The researchers caution that additional studies are needed to determine whether the benefits of antiseptic baths extend to children hospitalized outside of the ICU.

The other hospitals participating in the study were St. Louis Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Seattle Children's Hospital and Children's National Medical Center.

The research was funded by Sage Products Inc., with additional support from the National Institutes of Health. Sage manufactures the prepackaged pre-soaked, one-time washcloths used in the study.

Financial interest disclosure: Milstone and Perl have received grant support from Sage Products Inc., the manufacturer of the antiseptic washcloths used in the study.

NOTE: The antiseptic solution, chlorhexidine gluconate, is not manufactured by Sage. It is produced by multiple manufacturers and is available over the counter.

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Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/e_WuIoVEVDo/130126092601.htm

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Korver has 27 as Hawks top Celtics 123-111 in 2 OT

ATLANTA (AP) ? Kyle Korver scored 27 points and the Atlanta Hawks overcame a 27-point deficit in the first half to beat Boston 123-111 in double-overtime on Friday night, handing the Celtics their sixth straight loss.

Jeff Teague had 23 points for Atlanta before fouling out in the first overtime. Al Horford had 24 points and 13 rebounds. Josh Smith, who opened the second overtime with a three-point play, had 17 points and 14 rebounds.

Kevin Garnett had 24 points and 10 rebounds but fouled out in the second overtime as the Celtics were left with their longest losing streak in six years. Rajon Rondo had 16 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season.

Korver had all of his career-high eight 3-pointers in the second half, setting a franchise record, and five in the fourth quarter.

Korver's eighth 3, with 2:26 remaining in regulation, cut Boston's lead to 98-96. Horford's two free throws with 1 minute remaining tied the game at 98-all to set up the first overtime.

With the game tied at 105-all in the first overtime, Courtney Lee's steal from Horford set up Lee's two free throws to give Boston the lead, but Smith tied the game with a jam.

Paul Pierce, who had 12 points, missed a jumper at the end of the first overtime.

The Hawks outscored the Celtics 16-4 in the second overtime.

Jeff Green had 17 points for Boston. Courtney Lee had 16 points and Avery Bradley had 14.

Boston appeared headed for a rout when it led 48-21 in the second quarter. Atlanta trailed 57-38 at halftime following a modest recovery.

The Hawks' comeback gained strength as they outscored the Celtics 21-2 to open the second half, including a 19-0 run for a 59-all tie. Korver had three 3-pointers in the run.

There were two more ties in the third quarter, the last at 69-all, but each time the Celtics answered to prevent Atlanta from taking the lead.

Horford made two free throws less than 3 minutes into the final period to give Atlanta a 77-75 lead ? its first advantage since the opening minutes.

The Hawks led 80-77 after Korver's fifth 3-pointer, but the Celtics regained the lead on back-to-back baskets by Pierce and Courtney Lee.

The Hawks made only 4 of 23 shots while being outscored 29-10 in the first period.

Horford started after missing one game with a sore left calf, and Devin Harris had 14 points in a backup role after missing two games with a sprained left ankle.

NOTES: The Celtics' last six-game losing streak was April 4-15, 2007 ... The 10 points were a season low for first-quarter points for the Hawks. ... Korver extended his streak of games with at least one 3-pointer to 37, the longest of career and longest active streak in the NBA. ... Hawks C Zaza Pachulia returned after missing one game with a sore right Achilles.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/korver-27-hawks-top-celtics-123-111-2-034005701--spt.html

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A Bouquet Of Web Development Services To Bejewel Your Online ...

Posted On: Sat, January 26th, 2013 | Comments: 0 | Views 6 | Word Count: 468

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Source: http://www.freearticlesinc.com/view_article-id-86971-at-A-Bouquet-Of-Web-Development-Services-To-Bejewel-Your-Online-Presence.html

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#SciAmBlogs Friday - Glassfrogs, Age of Miracles, bad smells, Rotifer in Motion, chemophobia, Geodesign and more.

About the Author: Bora Zivkovic is the Blog Editor at Scientific American, chronobiologist, biology teacher, organizer of ScienceOnline conferences and editor of Open Laboratory anthologies of best science writing on the Web. Follow on Twitter @boraz.

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Bioidentical | What Thyroid Gland Does, Why It's Vital - Fitness ...

MIDDLEBURG, HEIGHTS, Ohio ? Every cell, tissue, and organ in the body is impacted by the thyroid, so its health is critical to one?s overall well-being. But what exactly does this often-ignored gland do, and why does it need to stay in peak operating condition?

January is National Thyroid Awareness Month. It?s estimated that 30 million Americans may have an unrecognized or under-treated thyroid condition contributing to a long list of illnesses and disease.

?The thyroid is integral to the body?s overall function. So if the gland isn?t working very well, then chances are you aren?t functioning very well either,? said Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, D.O. and founder of Tenpenny Integrative Medical Center (TIMC) in Middleburg Heights.

?January is a good time for health resolutions. It?s crucial to realize how important it is to have optimized thyroid function. An extensive evaluation of thyroid health can resolve a long list of health disorders all year long. ?

The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland found immediately below the Adam?s apple on the front of the neck. It is brownish-red in color and, when normal in size, it can?t be felt.

The thyroid functions within a narrow normal range. When dysfunctional, problems include:

- Hypothyroidism is an underactive thyroid. Common symptoms include weight gain, constipation, unclear thinking, depression, body pain, and slow reflexes.

Decreased thyroid function can lead to elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, infertility, and muscle weakness.

- Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid. Those diagnosed with this suffer from increased blood pressure and heart rate, vision problems, insomnia, rapid weight loss, and anxiety.
- Goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. Patients can feel tenderness, tightness, or swelling in the neck, along with hoarseness, coughing, and difficulty swallowing.
- Thyroid Cancer, which includes possible symptoms such as a lump in the throat/neck, swelling of the lymph nodes, and changes in voice quality.

?Thyroid testing involves a simple blood test,? Tenpenny said. ?Our assessment includes overlooked parameters such as iodine level, selenium level, thyroid antibodies and we also frequently test adrenal function. This way, we can choose a course of action that can optimize the entire endocrine cascade. ?

TIMC is a multi-disciplinary health center that partners with each patient to deliver personalized, holistic medical care, helping them achieve optimal health.

The Center offers a wide variety of integrated health services that make people well without pharmaceutical drugs.

Along with thyroid expertise, the board-certified medical doctors at TIMC focus on bioidentical hormones and breast health; asthma, allergies, ADD/ADHD, and eczema in children. The Clinic also offers a gluten-free, 5-week detoxification program.

For more information on thyroid health, contact the Tenpenny Integrative Medical Center at 440-239-3438, or visit their website, www TenpennyIMC.com. For more information on the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, visit www.aace.com.

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Source: http://healthy-tips.net/bioidentical-what-thyroid-gland-does-why-its-vital/

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