Paul Ryan Medicare Plan 2012, In April of 2011, after Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan had been House Budget Chair for only a few months, he convinced nearly the entire House GOP caucus to vote for a laissez-faire budget resolution that would slash education, raise taxes on the middle class, and destroy Medicaid’s promise to provide health care to the most vulnerable Americans. Like his running mate Mitt Romney’s tax plan, the Ryan Plan also combined austerity for the poor and the middle class with large tax cuts for the rich.

The Ryan Plan that passed the House in 2011 is most famous, however, for its multiple step plan to phase out Medicare. Let us say that again so we are perfectly clear about what the Ryan Plan does to Medicare. It does not just “end Medicare as we know it” and it certainly does not “reform” Medicare.” The Ryan Plan simply ends Medicare, although it admittedly takes some time for it to achieve this goal.

Bullied teen gets plastic surgery,A Georgia teen goes under the knife in hopes of putt,ing an end to the bullying she says she's endured for years.What may seem trivial for most teens is a really big deal for 14-year-old Nadia Ilse.
Six weeks post-surgery, Nadia likes what she sees.

Gabrielle giffords moving back to tucson, Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband are moving back to Tucson on Sunday, a year and a half after she moved to Houston to undergo intensive physical and speech therapy after she was wounded by a gunman at an event outside a grocery store.
Giffords' husband, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, told the Arizona Daily Star (http://bit.ly/NqMY9P) that his wife will continue therapy in Tucson but says it's not going to be the six to eight hours per day she'd been doing in Houston.
"You know, it's time for her to get back to as much of a normal life as possible after this type of catastrophic injury," Kelly said. "Obviously, a big thing for her is to come home."
Giffords was among 19 people who were shot in the attack. She and 12 others survived, while six people died.
Jared Lee Loughner pleaded guilty on Aug. 2 to the shooting rampage as part of an agreement with prosecutors that will send him to prison for life and spare him a possible death sentence. His sentencing is set for Nov. 15.
Kelly told the Daily Star that Giffords has barely any memory of those first weeks after her injury, but after she was moved to Houston and realized she wasn't in Arizona, she kept talking about returning home.

Social Security Surplus Gone By 2033, As millions of baby boomers flood Social Security with applications for benefits, the program’s $2.7 trillion surplus is starting to look small. For nearly three decades Social Security produced big surpluses, collecting more in taxes from workers than it paid in benefits to retirees, disabled workers, spouses and children. The surpluses also helped mask the size of the budget deficit being generated by the rest of the federal government.

Those days are over. Since 2010, Social Security has been paying out more in benefits than it collects in taxes, adding to the urgency for Congress to address the program’s long-term finances.

“To me, urgent doesn’t begin to describe it,” said Chuck Blahous, one of the public trustees who oversee Social Security. “I would say we’re somewhere between critical and too late to deal with it.”

The Social Security trustees project the surplus will be gone in 2033. Unless Congress acts, Social Security would only collect enough tax revenue each year to pay about 75 percent of benefits, triggering an automatic reduction.

Lawmakers from both political parties say they want to avoid such a dramatic benefit cut for people who have retired and might not have the means to make up the lost income. Still, that scenario is more than two decades away, which is why many in Congress are willing to put off changes.

John McCain Supports Paul Ryan, Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain on Sunday praised the choice of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as the Republican vice presidential candidate, calling him an “excellent choice” and supporting his tough-minded budget ideas amid continued attacks by Democrats. “Nobody knows this issue better than Paul Ryan,” McCain said on “Fox News Sunday.”

McCain, the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, also turned the focus on Democrats, dismissing their argument that Ryan’s budget proposals will end Medicare and “push granny off a cliff.”

Democrats, McCain argued, have yet to come up with their own specific budget plan.

The attacks were led Sunday by Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Obama senior campaign adviser David Axelrod, who both argued that Ryan’s two budget proposals would end Medicare for seniors.
“Ryan One or Son of Ryan still leave seniors in dire straits,” said Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. Paul Ryan and his budgets would leave seniors with “massive gaps in coverage.”

Axelrod on CNN’s “State of the Union” said President Obama thinks Ryan is a “genial and bright guy,” but his policies would drive Medicare into the ground.

“Congressman Ryan is a right-wing ideologue, and that’s reflected in the positions he’s taken,” Axelrod added.

Former Minnesota GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty defended Ryan’s House GOP-backed budget proposals, saying they preserve Medicare but change the program in a “realistic way.”

“He’s taking an adult approach,” Pawlenty said on ABC’s “This Week.”

Adam Lambert Huge New Arm Tattoo, If you haven’t already heard, Adam has a new tattoo! It’s a lazy “8? lying on its side — the standard symbol for infinity. I suppose you could also say it stands for eternity. But what does it mean, lying there directly above/below his eye of Horus tattoo? If you look at the eye straight on, the infinity tat looks like it’s below the eye of Horus. So even though the new tattoo is above the older one as your eyes would travel up Adam’s arm (and whose eyes wouldn’t?), I’d say the new infinity tattoo — the lazy 8 — is officially below the eye of horus.

So what does that mean, if anything? Why not put the infinity symbol on the other wrist? My guess is that the two together have significant meaning for Adam.

The eye of horus is an Egyptian symbol associated with Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris. In a divine battle, Horus’ left eye (which was the moon) was plucked out. (Horus’ right eye was the sun.) When the eye was healed and restored to Horus, he found out it had great powers to heal and protect. Since then, the eye of horus has symbolized healing and protection.

Woman Stabs Fiance To Death, A woman in Pennsylvania stabbed her fiance to death during an argument on their wedding day. Na Cola Darcel Franklin cried, “I did not kill him on purpose.” Billy Rafael Brewster was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The gruesome scene was discovered by the pastor who was supposed to officiate the wedding. He came to the apartment when he was unable to get in touch with either of them.

And if this story isn’t awful enough for you, a 31-year-old Brooklyn man stabbed his mother 41 times in an argument Saturday night. Basically, stay as far away from knives as possible during fights.

Left handers day August 13 is International Left-Handers Day.
Founded in 1976 by Left-Handers International, International Left-Handers Day promotes awareness of the inconveniences left-handers face in a predominantly right-handed world: tasks such as using scissors and can openers designed for right-handers, and writing on the right side of a spiral notebook. Left-handers, also called southpaws, avoid instances where they might clash elbows at the dinner table with right-handed companions. Once seated at a table, they need to move the water glasses waiters always put on the right side of the plate to their more convenient left side.
About 10 percent of the world’s population is left-handed.
Noted left-handers include President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron, above; as well as Chilean President Sebastián Piñera; former U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton; Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg; artist Leonardo da Vinci; television and film star Oprah Winfrey; and musicians Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix.

Connor Cruise First Major Film Role, Connor Cruise, the 17-year-old adopted son of actor Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman has debuted in his first major film role as a cast member of “Red Dawn.” The “Red Dawn” trailer is out and features Connor Cruise portraying a Midwestern teenage boy who is forced to defend his home from North Korean invaders.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that Connor Cruise plays a gun toting teen who joins forces with The Wolverines,( who is named after their high school mascot,) a group of young adults who fight their way through a North Korean invasion.

The original 1984 “Red Dawn” film starred Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey.

Unauthorized condoms breaks Olympic sponsor rules, Unauthorized condoms breaks Olympic sponsor rules – Don’t mess with the official condom of the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

That’s essentially the message being sent by LOCOG, the organizing committee of these games, after a bucket of unauthorized condoms was discovered in the Olympic Village.

Condom-gate came to light when Australian BMX cyclist Caroline Buchanan posted a photo of the bucket on her Twitter account, according to The Guardian newspaper.

The bucket was adorned with a sign bearing the message, “Kangaroos condoms, for the gland downunder,” and a photo of a boxing kangaroo.

Organizers of the London Games, following a tradition started in Barcelona in 1992 and backed by the IOC, placed 150,000 free Durex condoms in dispensers for the more than 10,000 athletes competing this summer. Durex paid for the right to supply the condoms.

Winehouse ex Blake in a coma - He was rushed into hospital two nights ago after suffering from multiple organ failure.

And although he's still in a coma Blake Fielder-Civil's girlfriend is continuing to keep a bedside vigil and is convinced he's starting to make a slight improvement.

Amy Winehouse's former husband was put into a medically induced coma after being treated for multiple organ failure and remains on a life-support machine after an alleged drink and drugs binge.

But his girlfriend Sarah Aspin, the mother of his 15-month-old son Jack, said she believed he was beginning to wake up in the hospital in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

Fielder-Civil, 30, who has long battled drug addiction, was found choking in bed by Miss Aspin last Friday – just weeks after the first anniversary of Miss Winehouse’s death.

The 34-year-old, who met him in rehab, said: ‘He needs to come out of this, if not for me or himself then for Jack. Jack is only young but knows something is wrong.

Terrorist threat against Madonna – The US embassy in Russia has received information of a terrorist threat to Madonna’s concert in St. Petersburg tonight (August 9).

An official statement reads: “US citizens are reminded to remain vigilant regarding their personal security, and to be aware of their surroundings at all times, especially in crowded areas.”

It is unclear whether there has been a specific threat to Madonna herself but the situation is thought to relate to the singer’s vocal support for jailed Russian punk band Pussy Riot.

The feminist group, currently facing up to seven years in jail for ‘hooliganism motivated by religious hatred or hostility’, have attracted support from a variety of music stars including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jarvis Cocker and Sting.

Madonna was initially muted in her support, saying simply that she was “sorry” to hear of their plight but has become increasingly vocal in recent days.

Ebola virus spreading in Uganda, Health officials work to control spread of the deadly disease, which is highly contagious and often fatal.

New flu strain in seals may pose risk to humans, A new influenza strain found in New England harbor seals could potentially threaten people as well as wildlife, new research suggests.

Scientists cautioned that viruses like the newly discovered seal flu must be monitored in order to predict new strains and prevent a pandemic flu emerging from animals.

The report was published online July 31 in mBio.

"There is a concern that we have a new mammalian-transmissible virus to which humans haven't been exposed yet. It's a combination we haven't seen in disease before," report editor Dr. Anne Moscona, professor of pediatrics and of microbiology and immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, said in a journal news release.

Another expert agreed that the flu strain could someday pose a threat to people.

Emma Watson 'Fifty Shades of Grey' movie, Who should play Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades of Grey movie?

Since Universal Pictures and Focus Features acquired the film rights for the wildly popular book, there’s one big question on everyone’s minds: who should play Ana in the flick?

Fans of E. L. James’ erotic novel have been throwing around names of different Hollywood hotties around while countless others express hopes that they would cast a relatively unknown actress to bring Christian Grey‘s girl toy to life.

As much as I’d like a fresh face, I think Lily Collins (Mirror Mirror) or Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) would be a good choice because they both look what I imagined Ana to be. But, as of now, the frontrunner is rumored to be…Emma Watson.

Stradivarius violin discovered in lost-and-found, A forgetful musician was in luck when the lost Stradivarius violin was found at Switzerland's Bern train station's lost and found after he absentmindedly left it on a Swiss train two days earlier.

The unnamed musician had borrowed the priceless instrument from a friend and accidentally left it on the train when he stepped off in Bern, Switzerland.

Transit staff searched the train to no avail, and authorities were contacted to review surveillance tapes. According to The Telegraph, another passenger was spotted leaving the train at a different station with the rare violin in hand. Although authorities reportedly launched an appeal for help to locate the lost property, a good samaritan turned in the precious item to Bern train station's lost and found on Sunday.

While the actual value of the instrument is up for debate, one thing is known for sure -- the Stradivarius violin, named after its creator, is very rare. About 600 violins created by Italian craftsman Antonio Stradivari in the late 1600s and early 1700s remain in existence today.

Thief steals about 500,000 bees from B.C. property - Police in Abbotsford, B.C., are searching for a thief with sticky fingers, but it's not money or jewels that has gone missing. About 500,000 bees, as much as 3,600 kilograms of honey and 100 hive frames vanished from a remote Fraser Valley property, east of Vancouver, sometime between July 7 and 26. Total value of the brazen bee burglary is estimated at $100,000. Police say the targeted hives were set far back from the road, on property along the Canada/U. S. border south of the Abbotsford airport, and the keeper had last checked his bees in the first week of July.

Officers said equipment and trucks would have been needed to make the gooey getaway, and they hope someone saw something that could make charges stick. Bee-keeping expertise would likely be needed to move that number of potentially belligerent bees.

Source:http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/lookout+Police+search+sticky+fingere

$100 Million New York City Penthouse Up For Sale, What will $100 million buy you in New York City’s real estate market? Apparently, a really good view. An exclusive listing is offering an octagon-shaped penthouse in midtown-Manhattan that boasts three floors of living space, panoramic views of the city, six bedrooms, nine bathrooms and a wine room for 1,000 bottles.

And that’s not all. The 743-square-meter apartment on West 56th Street has its own elevator and wraparound terraces on three floors. It is possible to see nearly all of the city’s bridges from its 135 windows.

The penthouse is being sold by Long Island real estate developer Steven Klar, who purchased it for $ 4.5 million in 1993 and spent at least as much renovating it.

Klar told The New York Times he has decided to sell it because his 5-year-old son “could potentially get out on the terraces”.

The triplex, occupying the 73rd through the 75th floors, is the exclusive listing of Raphael De Niro, a broker with Prudential Douglas Elliman and the son of actor Robert de Niro. He said the terraces offer the highest outdoor residential space in the city.

Famous August birthdays: August marks the birthdays for a famous astronaut, a celebrity chef, and a former first lady. Celebrities and others who will be serenaded with “Happy Birthday to You” this month.

Birthdays in August 1
Herman Melville(1819)
Jerry Garcia (1942)
Dom DeLuise (1933)
Yves Saint Laurent (1936)
Coolio (1963)

Birthdays in August 2
James Baldwin (1924)
Lance Ito (1950)
Myrna Loy (1905)
Carroll O’Connor (1922)
Peter O’Toole (1932)