Jennifer Hudson to Testify in William Balfour Murder Case

Today will likely be one of the most difficult days of Jennifer Hudson's life

As we type, the Oscar winner is taking the stand to testify in the trial of William Balfour, the man accused of murdering her mother, brother and nephew in 2008.

Balfour - who has pleaded not guilty - faces first degree murder charges. Prosecutors believe he flew into a rage and committed these heinous acts after seeing a gift to Julia Hudson, Balfour's ex-girlfriend and Jennifer's sibling, that he thought was from a new man in her life.

The trial got underway this morning.

UPDATE: Jennifer reportedly broke down on the stand twice during her testimony when talking about her family and looking at a photo of her mom.

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UK department store John Lewis launches broadband service, get in on the ground floor

If you live in the UK, and were thinking "If only I could get my broadband from the same place I get my crystal tumbler set" then maybe now you can. Department store John Lewis, a favorite for wedding lists, furniture and homeware is branching out into the British ISP game. The standard package will be £11 a month (not including line rental,) offering "up to" 16Mb speeds and a 20GB data cap. More eager users can pay and extra £7 to remove that download limit. Both bundles benefit from a free phone support, no activation fee and, of course, wireless router. Sound like your kind of deal? Head down to the source link, or past the haberdashery section to find out more.

UK department store John Lewis launches broadband service, get in on the ground floor originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mel Gibson: What I?ll tell my Jewish son about anti-semitic remarks

Mel Gibson is involved in another dustup over alleged anti-semitic remarks, and a Jewish mom contemplates how she'll talk to her son about hatred.

?You Jewish son of a *****,? a boy taunted my brother on the school bus one day as I sat nearby.

Skip to next paragraph Linda K. Wertheimer

Guest blogger

Linda K. Wertheimer, The Boston Globe?s former education editor, writes about religion, education, and family for various publications and blogs at Jewish Muse, A Writer's Blog on Faith and Family. She is a late bloomer:? In her early 40s, she celebrated her adult bat mitzvah, married, and had a son ? in that order.

Recent posts

I was 14, my brother, Kevin, 16. The comment made us seethe, but we let it pass. Then a few weeks later, my family, the only Jewish one in our neighborhood and rural Ohio school, woke up to find swastikas etched in wax on our home windows and cars.

This time, my family did not let it pass. My parents contacted a deputy sheriff, who was friends with my brother through?Boy Scouts. The deputy sheriff went to the doors of the boys we thought were responsible. None admitted to the anti-Semitic act. My family could have told our school, but did not. This was in the late 1970s before it was popular for schools and parents to directly confront anti-Semitism, racism, and other acts of intolerance.

Now a parent, I read about Mel Gibson?s latest insensitive comment about Jews and wonder how to help my son cope with anti-Semitism and prejudice better than I did during my childhood. Mr. Gibson, according to several news reports, quipped, ?Funny, you don?t look Jewish,? in response to a script co-writer?s comment that he was Jewish. Gibson also is in hot water with another Jewish screenwriter for an angry rant that allegedly included anti-Semitic remarks.

I?m heartened that the media is not simply letting Gibson getting away with making offhand comments about Jews.

My 4-year-old son, frankly, would not understand any of this. But at some point in life, he will hear a comment that maligns Jews and wonder why people hate him so. The slur may come from a famous person or worse, from someone he knows.

I do not criticize my parents for not reporting the swastika incident to my school. Our school, at least from the 1970s into the early 1980s, showed little interest in teaching students the importance of respecting all religions. Instead, the school forced religion upon us, through pastors who preached at Easter and Christmas assemblies and through Bible study classes once a week in elementary school.

After our house was covered with swastikas, I was angry and ashamed, ashamed somewhat that I was Jewish, ashamed that I did not know how to fight back against such ignorance. For I think the boy who taunted my brother and the boys who likely put swastikas on our house were more ignorant than anti-Semitic. Gibson, an actor I admittedly adored during his Lethal Weapon days, may be a combination of both.

I look at my son and want to protect him from hearing anything derogatory about his religion, but know I cannot. How should he respond to a direct insult about his faith? Do not shout back, I will urge him as he grows older. But do not take it in silence, either. He should tell the person that it is wrong to malign someone else?s faith that way. If the person brushes him off, he should tell an adult. He should always tell me and his father.

If I sense, as a parent, that some of his peers are not tolerant of other faiths or races, I plan to act to educate rather than focus only on my son. So many resources exist now that did not during my childhood. We can teach our children by showing the 2004 documentary, Paper Clips. Eighth-graders at a rural school in Tennessee collected paper clips for each of the 6 million people killed in the Holocaust. They also created a museum about the Holocaust.

Last night was Yom Hashoah, the international Holocaust Memorial Day. I sang as part of a chorus in a concert at Temple Emunah in Lexington, a Boston suburb. Guest speakers came from Facing History and Ourselves, a course used in schools internationally to teach children how to fight prejudice with compassion. The students learn about the Holocaust and other examples of genocide. They watch videos like one the temple congregation was shown last night ? "The Power of Good" ? about Nicholas Winton, who saved hundreds of Jewish children from the Nazis.

It may be too late for Gibson to reverse many Jews? opinion of him. It?s never too late to teach our children well.

Last night, a soloist sang author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel?s words:

?The opposite of love is not hate, it?s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it?s indifference.? The words haunted and comforted me. How much I want to teach my child not to be indifferent. How much I want to make sure that I never stay silent when I must speak.

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Record Store Day: earth's vinyl days

On?April 21,?the fifth annual?Record Store Day?will get off to a rockin' start when doors open in about 1,000 record stores in some 20 countries.

You remember records, right? Not only are the big 12-inch albums and 7-inch 45s still among us, but so are their landlords, old-fashioned independent record stores, which celebrate their own special day every spring. On April 21, the fifth annual Record Store Day will get off to a rockin' start when doors open in about 1,000 record stores in some 20 countries.

Skip to next paragraph

From Tulsa to Tokyo, San Diego to Sydney, the gritty neighborhood purveyors of the petroleum platter will party with contests, free giveaways, in-store performances by local faves and big stars, and exclusive limited-edition 45 and LP releases. Among those are new singles by Coldplay, Florence + the Machine, Bruce Springsteen, Arcade Fire, comedian Jimmy Fallon, and many more. Exclusive Record Store Day LPs will include new 12-inch vinyl pressings from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and The Black Keys, and rarities from jazz icons Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck.

Billboard magazine attributed a seismic 182,000 unit sales to last April's Record Store Day. Rocker Jack White exhorts the rock troops to "show respect for the tangible music that you've dedicated your careers and lives to, and help It from becoming nothing more than disposable digital data."

And speaking of analog, music producer Gary Calamar and Billboard writer Phil Gallo have penned a 240-page companion piece to the annual event, Record Store Days: From Vinyl to Digital and Back Again. It combines a timeline of the evolution of recording media ? from Edison's wax cylinders to today's MP3 files ? with affectionate portraits and reminiscences of America's iconic record shops and chains, some now defunct, some just plain funky. We meet up in the listening booth at Hollywood's long-gone Wallich's Music City to spin the latest from Nat King Cole and Elvis Presley before skipping a half century ahead to pack in like sardines with adoring fans at an in-store performance by Sir Paul McCartney at Amoeba Music, the largest record store in the world. (It's also known as "Godzilla" by the scores of indie record stores it has driven out of business.)

Dusty Groove of Chicago, Denver's Twist & Shout, Grimey's of Nashville, and Minneapolis's Electric Fetus won't hold out forever. Make a pilgrimage April 21 and pay your respects. To locate an indie record store near you, go to www.recordstoreday.com/Venues.

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Benefits Of Physical Therapy | Article Museum

If you really find this article helpful Give it a PLUS from below and help us to spread it.

Physical remedy has quite a few benefits as a way of treating illnesses and dealing with problems and disabilities. Physical remedy helps those that have handicapped permanently and those who are on their way to recovery.

A physical therapist?s purpose or objective is to make it possible for those inflicted with issues or who?ve survived trauma get well and are in a position to rehabilitate. It?s the duty of a bodily therapist to help folks and eventually help them develop into freed from pain and different types of sufferings.

Frequent circumstances that physical therapy help to with be low back pains, arthritis, cerebral palsy, lack of coordination and stability, poor and sluggish development of motor skills in children, scoliosis, sufferers who have undergone surgery or recovering from hurt from an accident.

When you suppose that you?ve got conditions which will need physical remedy but still doubting the effectiveness of the therapy, listed below are some reasons why physical remedy may very well be the therapy for you.

. Most people take into consideration a masseuse performing physical therapy. Contrary with this thought, bodily therapists are medical professionals who?ve sufficient information and experience to deal with completely different ailments and medical conditions. Sufferers who underwent physical therapy was capable of restore operate and mobility of the traumatized part of the body. Not only were these patients in a position to restore movement and adaptability, they were also in a position to enhance their overall health and fitness.

. There are completely different specialization of physical therapy, going to the suitable one would undoubtedly help you in your well-being. Different specializations have different programs every addressing your condition.

. Bodily remedy isn?t just involved along with your physical improvement. For physical therapy to succeed it is vital to have the affected person wholeheartedly take part within the process and the treatment. That is why physical therapy is also about healthy communication, between the therapist and the patient, the therapist and the patient?s physician and the therapist and the patient?s family. The affected person would additionally need family or buddies to support them. The remedy program that a bodily therapist provides the affected person also involves motivation and keeping the patient have a positive outlook.

. Bodily therapists would also advocate an train routine that may increase muscle power and flexibility. There are some who would determine to show and use workout routines on their own and try to rehabilitate themselves. Having a bodily therapist help you would make sure that the workout routines are performed correctly and would not lead to more hurt in the future. We would have to remember that copying what other individuals do to relieve pain and rehabilitate yourself would not help you. We have really different body sorts, every body have its own technique of dealing of healing and recovery.

. Physical therapy has been cited as one among alternative methods of reducing and dealing with pain. There are some sufferers who?re worried of taking medication or medicine to alleviate the ache since they d not want to develop into depending on medication.

. Getting knowledgeable to help you together with your bodily points will not solely heal you, it would also educate you and your family. You would learn quite a bit about coping with pain, disabilities, and different medical problems.

. Having your medical issues addressed by bodily therapy is not going to only alleviate ache and discomfort, it could also take away or reduce the stress brought about by it.

If you would like additional info regarding physiotherapy tralee, pay a visit to Brad Y Dipaola?s Site directly.

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BlackMagic Cinema Camera: Whopping 2.5K Resolution for Under $3000 [Cameras]

Post-production hardware and software company Black Magic Design has just announced their entry in the camera-making business with their Cinema Camera. The cam rocks 2.5K recording in RAW formats, meaning the image won't suffer due to in-camera compression and will presumably preserve extremely broad dynamic range. More impressive, though, is the price tag. More »

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Sprint confirms Galaxy Nexus release date: coming April 22nd for $200, preorders open now

Remember CES? It feels like an age since Sprint went official with the Google flagship, but now it's finally -- almost -- here. Yep, anyone unhappy with the Verizon variant can now lay claim to the Now Network's version of the Galaxy Nexus, which is up for preorder now, priced at a smidgen under $200, and set to arrive next week. As an added incentive, Google Wallet dabblers will get $10 credit from the start, with an additional 40 bucks given after three weeks. Commence throwing that physical money at the screen once you've hit up the source below.

[Thanks Korey]

Continue reading Sprint confirms Galaxy Nexus release date: coming April 22nd for $200, preorders open now

Sprint confirms Galaxy Nexus release date: coming April 22nd for $200, preorders open now originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Red Planet Watch Is a Cheaper Alternative than Traveling to Mars [Watches]

Listen NASA, we understand that 'kind of' being there in person is a better way to explore Mars. But with your recent budget cuts you can save hundreds of millions of dollars by just ordering and passing out a few of these Cyrus Klepcys Mars watches to your scientists. More »

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Shift workers 'risking' diabetes

11 April 2012 Last updated at 17:10 ET By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

Shift workers getting too little sleep at the wrong time of day may be increasing their risk of diabetes and obesity, according to researchers.

The team is calling for more measures to reduce the impact of shift working following the results of its study.

Researchers controlled the lives of 21 people, including meal and bedtimes.

The results, published in Science Translational Medicine, showed changes to normal sleep meant the body struggled to control sugar levels.

Some participants even developed early symptoms of diabetes within weeks.

Shift work has been associated with a host of health problems.

Doctors at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in the US, were trying to study its effects in a controlled environment.

Lower insulin levels

The 21 health-trial participants started with 10 hours' sleep at night. This was followed by three weeks of disruption to their sleep and body clocks.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

The evidence is clear that getting enough sleep is important for health, and that sleep should be at night for best effect?

End Quote Dr Orfeu Buxton Brigham and Women's Hospital

The length of the day was extended to 28 hours, creating an effect similar to a full-time flyer constantly getting jet lag.

Participants were allowed only 6.5 hours' sleep in the new 28-hour day, equivalent to 5.6 hours in a normal day. They also lived in dim light to prevent normal light resetting the body clock.

During this part of the study, sugar levels in the blood were "significantly increased" immediately after a meal and during "fasting" parts of the day.

The researchers showed that the hormone that lower levels of insulin - the hormone that normally controls blood sugar - were produced.

Three of the participants had sugar levels which stayed so high after their meals they were classified as "pre-diabetic".

They also highlighted a risk of putting on weight as the body slowed down.

"The 8% drop in resting metabolic rate that we measured in our participants... translates into a 12.5-pound increase in weight over a single year," they wrote.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

Clearly, this does not equate to the normal experience of shift workers... it is not possible to conclude that the findings would translate to real conditions in the wider public?

End Quote Dr Matthew Hobbs Diabetes UK

Lead researcher Dr Orfeu Buxton said: "We think these results support the findings from studies showing that, in people with a pre-diabetic condition, shift workers who stay awake at night are much more likely to progress to full-on diabetes than day workers.

"Since night workers often have a hard time sleeping during the day, they can face both circadian [body clock] disruption working at night and insufficient sleep during the day.

"The evidence is clear that getting enough sleep is important for health, and that sleep should be at night for best effect."

The research group called for more efforts to reduce the health impact of shift working.

Artificial world

Dr Matthew Hobbs, head of research at Diabetes UK, said: "This is an interesting study which shows that under extreme conditions involving sleep deprivation and 'tricking' the body clock, participants produced less insulin and therefore had higher blood glucose levels then when they were able to sleep normally and live according to normal daily rhythms."

He cautioned that the laboratory conditions were not the same as working nights.

"Clearly, this does not equate to the normal experience of shift workers who are able, for example, to use bright lights when not sleeping.

"The study also involved only 21 people. For these reasons, it is not possible to conclude that the findings would translate to real conditions in the wider public."

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Importance of Health Care | Womenz Magazine

---

There is nothing more important in your life than your health. Health is something due to which we are able to perform the various activities of life. It is only because of our good health that we perform the daily activities with no problem at all. Health is an integral and foremost part of everything. No matter what we do, looking after ourselves and taking care of our health is very important for all of us. But in a lot of cases, many people are completely ignorant about their health care and do not even bother to take care of their health. In such situations, many companies and organizations are working in order to make people realize the importance of health care.

Diseases, illness and accidents might come at your end any time and they never give any signal before their arrival. So, health care is very helpful in such situations in this way that by looking after your health, you develop a proper and good immune system in your bodies and this immune system helps you fight your diseases and certain injuries quite manfully. Health care should be the top priority in our lives, because without health care, you can never achieve a healthy body. And without a healthy body, it is impossible for the body to function in the best manner.

It feels great to know that health care is becoming very easy with the development in the health sector. Gradually, people are becoming literate of the fact about health care and are willing to take out time for them in order to have better health. One thing that we all know is that without health and healthy body, it is not at all possible to live a happy and peaceful life. You can easily get a lot of information related to health care issues of your body on the internet and this definitely helps you gain more and more knowledge about health care.

Health care do not only mean taking iron, calcium and vitamins on a daily basis, but it should be kept in mind that in order to look after your health, one needs to go for regular health and body checkups. We all should be literate about what is going on inside our bodies and it is good to know about the things that are good for you and your good health. It is a well known fact that ?a healthy mind in a healthy body?. This means that without good health care, even your brain ceases to work in proper order. And if your mind is not sound, it is almost impossible for you to stay healthy otherwise.

?It is very nice that the awareness in people regarding health care has increased to a great degree. Health care on a broader scale also means that you should take some time out one in a while and go to some good salon or spa in your area. You can get regular massages and facials once a month. This helps your muscles relax and is very helpful in health care. Good diet, regular exercise and staying fit are also the key points for health care. The water intake is very important too. So, look after your body and live a healthy and happy life!

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RIM?s Updating Spree Adds BBM Support To Their Facebook, Twitter, Travel And Music Apps

The folks at RIM are no doubt devoting plenty of time and manpower to their long-awaited BlackBerry 10 operating system, but they?ve found the time to whip up a few app updates to please the nearly 55 million BBM users out there. First up on the list are a pair of newly-updated Facebook and Twitter apps ? users will be able to share their sparkling wit with their BBM buddies from within each of the apps, ensuring none of their friends will be able to escape their ironic jabs and repartee. While RIM is smart to tie engagement with these two major social platforms into their own, they haven't stopped there.

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Nokia Lumia 900 arriving in the UK April 27th, dressed in white

Sure, the US has already had its chance at Nokia's Windows-packing smartphone, but UK-based fans of the Lumia 900 won't have to wait too much longer, if the release date on Phones 4u's site is to be believed. The retailer currently has the handset's delivery date listed as April 27th -- a date that includes that white variant we've been seeing pop up from time to time. Also, in spite of some false starts, Carphone Warehouse also has the Metroed handset listed, though its date is the far broader "May 2012." We're sure Kourtney Kardashian is lining up her tickets as we speak.

Nokia Lumia 900 arriving in the UK April 27th, dressed in white originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Money Tells Stories: ABC'S WEALTH CREATING

ABC'S WEALTH CREATING

Who wants to achieve financial independence? My passion is to coach and help people to build their wealth and achieve financial independence. This way they are able to take control of their lives. The first step to its success, is self-accountability. No one can help you to achieve that end if you do not desire to do so. Everyone needs to know how to fish, which is the only way of having fishes for the rest of your life. So, what is the definition of WEALTH ? To create wealth, it is important to understand its definition correctly. Wealth is not richness as richness is a relative and subjective term without a definite meaning. Wealth is not equivalent to income. Big income does not guarantee that it will generate wealth. It is very much dependent on how you use your income. Wealth or Net Worth is the accumulation of whatever left after you have deducted all your expenses over time. It involves three simple processes, namely ABC : Far more than Amanah, Bersih and Cekap. This is because at the end of the day, you have to take full responsibility of it. You can't blame anyone as you are the one who implement or are in control even if you have leveraged out. No, no to blaming culture as it is a dangerous virus that will destroy you, once you begin to use it. Next, you need to save as much as possible regardless of the quantum of income you make. The golden rule is do not save what is left after spending but spend what is left after saving. My experience of opening my first saving accounts with BSN with RM10 at the age of 14 years old is the very step I begin with. Permit me to use this to illustrate this point in case. At that time, saving this amount of money is near impossible because I was given daily pocket money which was barely enough for my daily expenses. Lots of thing I used is based on logic and a winning formula I learn from my chess game. What I know is that if I want to achieve that desired result, I need to do something different to achieve different end if I wanted to be sane. I skip my meal at the school canteen for a few months so as to save that sum of money after I had learnt from my Commerce teacher that saving accounts in the bank can earn me interest. To overcome peer pressure, I had to create numerous different excuses so as to not join them at the school canteen. Subsequently, I also learn that I realized that I can make my money grow further over times by investing. Where I sub merge myself in coins and stamps as my hobbies and make money from there. Later on, I also learnt that not all assets are of equal value in promoting long-term wealth. The real key to accumulating wealth is highly dependent on your allocation in acquiring assets which will appreciate in value and hence increasing your personal net worth over time. One good example is choice properties which appreciate over time. Therefore, the more money that is spent on Wealth-building Assets, the faster you will achieve a higher net-worth. B. BETTER MONITORING AND MANAGING WEALTH Once you have created several wealth building assets, you need to comprehend their nature of trade and risks profile. This is to take full advantage of their potential and at the same time get the highest possible yield. Needless to say you need the skills and know-how which you may acquire from reading, analyzing and attending courses etc. Here, you need to monitor each type of wealth-building assets in term of their returns, growth in value and potential value vis-?-vis its risks. However, you also need to purchase other type of assets out of necessity, for entertainment or other reasons which do not add value to you directly such as to facilitate your work. . Some of examples of non-wealth building assets are:- To create constant and lasting wealth, you need to use all your resources, such as Resources, Ideas, Capital and Expertise, to create a new source of income. To do so, you not only need to control your expenditure, but to add new source of income at the same time. You have a choice to spend your income away to acquire more luxurious lifestyle. Egos and peer pressure dictate how you spend. Alternatively, you may use it to make investment to create a second source of income. In my case, I constantly invested in educating myself, in all aspects, so as to enhance my income and also to be more effective and efficient. With these knowledge and skill, I believe that I can create more wealth. Creating wealth is a subject many of us fantasize about, but only few will be able to materialize it in their lives. Debts can kill. However, if you know how to use them to generate income which exceeds the cost of borrowing and generate positive cash flow. Then, it makes sense for you to leverage on debts to generate more residual value for you. I hope that you now have some understanding on the true meaning of wealth and the simple three processes of creating, accumulating and managing its growth. This is a very basic and fundamental framework for everyone who intends to build wealth and it is important to get this right in the first place. I wish everyone success in building your wealth and empire and don?t forget to buy me a 5 star dinner then.

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OXLO Systems Releases White Paper to Aid Integration with Health ...

BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 9, 2012 ? OXLO Systems, Inc., a Software as a Service company that provides business intelligence and information technology for the health insurance industry, has partnered with ACA-Solutions, Inc., a consulting firm focused on helping health insurance companies implement ROI-driven solutions for compliance with the Affordable Care Act, to release a white paper entitled ?Rapid Adaptation Strategy for Integrating with Health Insurance Exchanges.? The 35-page paper was written to help health insurance executives clearly understand the data integration requirements associated with the mandated Health Insurance Exchanges (Exchanges).

Exchanges are an integral component of the health care reforms of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Through State-Based Exchanges, Federally Facilitated Exchanges, and Federal-State Partnership Exchanges, individuals and small employers may shop for, select, and enroll in private sector health plans known as Qualified Health Plans (QHPs). The Commonwealth Fund is predicting as many as 30 million enrollees with a total of up to 80 million coming to Exchanges for information about coverage and an estimated 27-30 million people gaining coverage through Exchanges by 2019.

?If health insurance carriers are going to capture a share of the new business generated by Exchanges, they must be ready to interact and exchange data in new ways,? explains Gene Brothers, CEO and President of OXLO Systems. The new white paper uses the business blueprints published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to detail the required automated data integration that health insurance carriers must be prepared to support if they intend to offer QHPs through an Exchange.

According to the white paper?s author, DeLana Anderson, an independent consultant with ACA-Solutions, ?The [Carrier's] ability to exchange data with the various governmental entities will be more successful if their technology closely mirrors the same standards and guidance to which the States must adhere. Carriers will need to receive data from, and send data to, many entities. This will require technology which can easily transform the Carrier?s data to meet the unique file formats and support the transfer protocols of each integration partner.?

?Rapid Adaptation Strategy for Integrating with Health Insurance Exchanges? provides an overview of the data integration needs and requirements for successful Carrier participation in Exchanges, as well as IT recommendations and suggested timelines for implementation. The white paper is available for free download at http://blog.oxlo.com/rapid-adaptation-strategy-for-integrating-with-health-insurance-exchanges/.

Image: www.ereleases.com/pic/2012-OXLO-Exchanges.jpg

About OXLO Systems, Inc.
(Logo: www.ereleases.com/pic/2012-Oxlo-logo.jpg)

OXLO Systems provides competitive business intelligence, secure Internet data integration, and information technology for the insurance and health care industries. The company?s proven IntegrateOnce(TM) technology provides a solution for the complex data integrations required by Exchanges that reduces implementation cost, increases integration quality and shortens implementation times. Additional products and services include the Open Carrier Integration Hub, Health Insurance Insight, Self Service Interoperability, and complex one-to-many enterprise integrations. Visit http://healthinsurance.oxlo.com/health-insurance-exchange-integration-and-compliance/ for more information.

About ACA-Solutions, Inc.

ACA-Solutions leverages its health insurance industry knowledge, broad insurance operations experience, and Healthcare Reform subject matter expertise to provide innovative, cost-effective solutions that help bridge the gap created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and produce superior results. Visit www.ACA-Solutions.com for more information.

CONTACT:

Martin F. Cody
OXLO Systems, Inc.

303.285.2408
www.Oxlo.com

# # #

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Brain tumors linked to dental X-rays ? - CNN.com Blogs

A study published this week in the journal Cancer shows that people who have had dental X-rays are more likely to develop a type of brain tumor called meningioma than those who have not. This does not prove that X-rays cause tumors, but supports previous research about the connection. Dental X-rays have also been implicated in thyroid cancer.

"It?s a cautionary tale ... we do know that radiation can cause tumors, and we have to be judicious with its use," said Dr. Donald O?Rourke, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the study.

Meningiomas are the most frequently occurring tumor in the head. They are located in the meninges, the tissues covering the brain. The vast majority are "benign" - or noncancerous - but, depending on their location, could cause blindness or other serious neurological damage. Those in the skull base are more difficult to remove in their entirety. Depending on the tumor, surgery may not be required.

Dr. Elizabeth Brooks Claus, director of medical research at Yale University's School of Public Health, led the Cancer study, which focused on patients whose tumors required surgery. The patients were mostly Caucasian because of the regions from which they came; Claus' group plans a follow-up looking at more African Americans, who have a statistically increased risk for meningiomas.

The average age of the 1,433 patient participants was 57, which means their exposures to dental X-rays were likely of a higher radiation doses because of older technology, Claus said. But they ranged between 20 and 79 years old, and came from select parts of the United States. Researchers also looked at data from 1,350 people with similar characteristics who had never had a meningioma.

The meningioma patients had more than a two-fold increased likelihood of having ever experienced a dental X-ray test called a bitewing exam. Depending on the age at which the exams were done, those who'd had these exams on a yearly basis, or more often, were 1.4 to 1.9 times more likely to have had a meningioma.

Four of these X-rays is about the same amount of radiation you're exposed to in a typical day: .005 .millisieverts, according to the American College of Radiology.

Panorex exams, which involve images of all of the teeth on one film, were also linked to meningioma risks. If study participants had panorex exams when they were younger than 10 years old, their risk of meningioma went up 4.9 times. One of these around-the-head X-rays carries about twice as much radiation as four bitewing X-rays.

"My impression is that people get more dental X-rays more frequently than the American Dental Association says," Claus said.

For an adult without cavities and no increased risk for cavities, who is not new to his or her dentist, x-rays are recommended every two to three years. For a child without cavities who's not at increased risk, the interval is every one to two years, according to this chart from the Food and Drug Administration.

There's currently a low threshold for dentists to order dental X-rays, says Dr. Keith Black, director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study. Even if X-rays are not necessary for a procedure, dentists often request them as part an annual exam. Black hopes dentists will pay attention to this research linking the X-rays to brain tumors.

There are important uses for dental X-rays in making decisions regarding certain procedures. But if the teeth are otherwise healthy, Black recommends against the radiation.

There is a latency period - a lag time - of about 20 to 25 years with meningiomas induced by radiation, O'Rourke said. Only about 1% to 5% of meningiomas are cancerous, but in people with known increased radiation exposure, that risk can go up, he said.

But Dr. Otis Brawley, Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society, which publishes the journal Cancer, points out that the study relied upon individuals' memories of how many dental X-rays they'd had, including in childhood, so there is room for error in that regard. And, again, it does not prove that X-rays directly cause tumors.

There are, however, estimates that up to 1% of all cancers in the United States are due to medical radiation, Brawley said.

In response to the study announcement, the American Dental Association also mentioned the study's reliance on individuals' memories.

"Studies have shown that the ability to recall information is often imperfect," said a written statement from the ADA. "Therefore, the results of studies that use this design can be unreliable ..."

The ADA also pointed out that the study included people who received dental x-rays decades ago from older technology that exposed them to more radiation.?"The ADA encourages further research in the interest of patient safety," said the statement.

If you've already been getting annual dental X-rays, there's nothing you can do to mitigate whatever risk you already have. But Black said this research is important to keep in mind when making decisions in the future, and for children.

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10 Brain Health and Fitness New Year's ... - Quick Weight Loss

Copyright (c) 2007 SharpBrains

You have survived the 2007 shopping and eating season. Congratulations! Now it?s time to shift gears and focus on 2008?whether you write down some New Year resolutions or contemplate some things that you want to let go of from last year and set intentions and goals for this year ? as is a friend?s tradition on the winter solstice.

To summarize the key findings of the last 20 years of neuroscience research on how to ?exercise our brains?, there are three things that we can strive for: novelty, variety and challenge. If we do these three things, we will build new connections in our brains, be mindful and pay attention to our environment, improve cognitive abilities such as pattern-recognition, and in general contribute to our lifelong brain health.

With these three principles of brain health in mind ? novelty, variety and challenge ? let me suggest a few potential New Years resolutions, perhaps some unexpected, that will help you make 2008 a year of Brain Health and Fitness:

1. 2008 Primaries and Elections: If you haven?t yet done so, register to vote ? active participation is good for your brain health. But, before rushing out to vote, take some time to think through the criteria you want to set up to evaluate who deserves your vote. Don?t let politicians and their spin doctors set your agenda. Ask yourself, what matters most to me? What type of President do I think we need? Why? I personally find it quite intriguing that no candidate so far is resurrecting the ?It is the economy, stupid? mantra, and proposing solid plans to get our economy back on track.

2. Next time out shopping: Don?t let advertisers treat you as if you were Pavlov?s Dog ? remember the dog that was trained to salivate automatically every time a bell rang. There is a whole industry out there trying to make you buy stuff on impulse. Notice your reactions to a movie trailer or a TV ad Resist. Be the true ?Decider?. For bonus points, once you learn to identify and manage your own buying impulses, try explaining this to your kids?

3. Reading habits: If you usually read non-fiction, try something new this season. Pick up a good fiction book. Or vice versa. For bonus points, subscribe to or simply read a new magazine, perhaps one that your partner craves? It will help you understand another perspective.

4. Learn about the Brain: Pick up one of the books in the Science section in your bookstore. In the unlikely scenario that you read as many brain-related books as I do, pick up some Russian poetry book and let?s discuss this instead.

5. At work: Find, or create, an intellectually and socially stimulating new job for yourself at your current workplace or a new one. Engaging work has been shown to contribute to lifelong cognitive performance. At the very least, go out of your way to make whatever job you have more stimulating: try talking to a new colleague or client everyday and learn a new thing about them. You will not remember everything, but surely more than if you don?t even try.

6. Gratitude vs. the Subprime mess: With increasing coverage of economic woes, the subprime mess, recession risk, the falling dollar and a ballooning deficit, it is easy to lose perspective and become depressed. Which doesn?t help anyone, much less our brains. To put things in perspective, it pays off to devote some time to keep a Gratitude Journal and simply scribble a few notes a day. For bonus points: do this while you are watching TV news and share your notes with your partner.

7. Cultivate your Critical-thinking abilities: Ask yourself, ?Where is the evidence?? at least once a day ? see points 1&2 above. Don?t just believe this article. Even if it had been endorsed by 20 Harvard Medical School researchers and doctors, nothing substitutes your own brain in action. And the more you practice, the more you refine your judgment.

8. Participate in creating a better environment. Our planet, our families, our communities, our schools, all can benefit from our help. What project do you care enough to commit some of your time to in 2008? If you have school age kids, have you considered joining the school board?.

9. Computer-based programs: With the growing number of ?brain training? products, you may be thinking of giving one a try, either for you or for a loved one. As mentioned in point number 2 above, it makes sense to do some research before making a purchase.

10. Where to start? OK, now you have read many suggestions, resolve to keep at least one of them?which one will you choose?.

Enjoy a Happy and Fruitful 2008, for you and your loved ones!

Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO and Co-Founder of SharpBrains.com, which provides the latest science-based information for Brain Exercise combined with fun Mind Teasers. SharpBrains has been recognized by Scientific American Mind, MarketWatch, Forbes. Alvaro holds MA in Education and MBA from Stanford University, and teaches The Science of Brain Health at UC-Berkeley Lifelong Learning Institute. You can learn more at http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog

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Green Day to induct Guns N' Roses into Rock Hall

CLEVELAND (AP) ? Green Day will welcome fellow hard rockers Guns N' Roses into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Rock Hall spokesman Todd Mesek said Monday that Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool will induct Guns N' Roses at Saturday's ceremony at Cleveland's Public Hall.

Mesek says it's not yet known if the original Guns N' Roses lineup will reunite and perform. Mesek say he believes frontman Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and other band members plan to attend. The group split in 1996.

Guns N' Roses stormed onto the music scene in the mid-1980s, awakening an industry then dominated by pop and dance music.

This year's Hall of Fame class includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Donovan, Laura Nyro and The Small Faces/The Faces.

Associated Press

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Iran not interested in nuclear fuel swap: atomic chief

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has no interest in reviving a failed nuclear fuel swap deal with Western powers, but might scale back production of higher-grade enriched uranium once it has the material it needs, the head of the country's atomic energy organization said.

U.S. officials say that getting Iran to suspend high-level uranium enrichment and close an underground nuclear facility near the holy city of Qom are priorities for talks between Iran and world powers that are due to resume on Saturday.

Iranian media also quoted Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Monday as saying that Tehran would not agree to world powers imposing pre-conditions before the nuclear talks which will resume in Istanbul after collapsing more than a year ago.

"Setting conditions before the meeting means drawing conclusions, which is completely meaningless and none of the parties will accept conditions set before the talks," the Iranian parliamentary news agency quoted him as saying.

The United States and its allies suspect Iran's nuclear program is hiding attempts to develop an atomic weapons capability and Washington has not ruled out military action against Tehran if diplomacy fails.

Iran says the program is solely for power generation and medical needs, adding that it needs to enrich uranium to 20 percent to produce medical isotopes from a Tehran Research Reactor for the treatment of thousands of patients.

Iranian media on Monday quoted nuclear chief Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani as dismissing a revival of the swap deal to supply Iran with fuel enriched abroad for peaceful purposes at a Tehran research reactor but which collapsed in 2009.

"The Islamic Republic won't turn back and has no interest in receiving 20 percent fuel from other countries because it has made an investment," Abbasi-Davani said during a Sunday night television interview, the Iranian state news agency reported.

"We made the investment because they (Western powers) blocked us. If they had given us fuel, there would be no problem and our (Tehran) reactor would have been working," Abbas-Davani added.

Iran started enriching uranium to 20 percent purity in early 2010 to refresh the dwindling fuel stock at a Tehran research reactor. Tehran has repeatedly said it had no other choice after the swap deal failed to secure uranium to keep the reactor running.

However, Abbasi-Davani raised the possibility of converting fuel back to 3.5 percent purity, the level of enrichment required for reactors producing nuclear power.

"Once the necessary fuel is obtained, we will scale back production and maybe even convert it to 3.5 percent," he said.

Trying to find a way to halt Iran's higher-grade uranium enrichment capability has become the focus for Washington and its allies which believe Tehran is developing all means and components required for a nuclear bomb in isolation.

Crude oil prices slipped on Monday following news that the talks would resume between Iran and the P5+1 countries - the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany. Brent Brent crude futures were $1 a barrel lower.

Western experts say Iran has enough 3.5 and 20 percent-enriched uranium for around four bombs if the material is refined to more than 90-percent purity. While Iran has refused to suspend its enrichment activities it has at times appeared more flexible regarding 20 percent enrichment.

It is unclear what it would expect in return, but its demands would revolve around the lifting of sanctions against its financial and energy sectors which have caused increasing financial hardship within the country.

On Sunday, Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak also emphasized that the key to successful talks would be on the basis of Iran halting enrichment to 20 percent.

Later Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went further, saying the P5+1 representatives to the talks should demand an end to all enrichment activity, the transfer of all enriched material out of Iran and the closure of the nuclear facility near Qom.

(Reporting By Marcus George; editing by David Stamp)

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Photoacoustic Imaging Uses Sight, Sound For Cancer Detection

An anonymous reader writes "A new imaging technique combines light and sound to create detailed, color pictures of tumors deep inside the body. It's hoped the technology, called photoacoustic tomography, will help doctors diagnose cancer earlier than is now possible and to more precisely monitor the effects of cancer treatment ? all without the radiation involved in X-rays and CT scans or the expense of MRIs. By combining sounds and light, the technology can penetrate the body's tissues to visualize tumors at depths never before possible."

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Syria demands guarantees; rebels say peace plan doomed

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria on Sunday demanded written guarantees insurgents will stop fighting before it pulls back troops under the terms of a U.N. peace plan, and a rebel leader said the initiative was doomed.

"The regime will not implement this plan. This plan will fail," Free Syrian Army (FSA) chief Riad al-Asaad told Reuters.

Escalating violence has already raised questions over the ceasefire. Opposition activists said dozens of people were killed and wounded on Sunday when President Bashar al-Assad's loyalists shelled a rebellious area near the border with Turkey.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, seeking to end a conflict that has killed more than 9,000 people in the past year, said the latest bloodshed violated the guarantees he had been given and urged Damascus to keep its promises.

The deal Annan brokered calls on Syria to begin the pullback of troops from around towns and cities by Tuesday and for a truce to start 48 hours later.

While emphasizing that would happen, Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi said in a statement that Syria also wanted the written guarantees.

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For graphic on fighting http://link.reuters.com/zan47s

For Interactive timeline http://link.reuters.com/pyt37s

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"Syria has a plan for military pullback already in place and being implemented, but completing and achieving the main goal would definitely require the guarantees from the other side and those supporting them to abide by the terms of calm," he said.

"(Annan) has not delivered until now written guarantees regarding the approval of terrorist armed groups to end violence and readiness to lay down its weapons," he said.

Syria also sought guarantees that Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey - outspoken in criticizing Assad - would not fund the armed groups.

Annan made no specific reference to the new Syrian demands in a statement from his office in Geneva.

He expressed shock at the "surge in violence and atrocities". Each side has accused the other of intensifying assaults in the run-up to the truce.

"As we get closer to the Tuesday 10 April deadline, I remind the Syrian government of the need for full implementation of its commitments and stress that the present escalation of violence is unacceptable," he said.

FSA leader Asaad said his group had not been asked to deliver written guarantees to end violence.

"We have given our word that if the regime commits to the plan then we will too," he said. "We are honest."

"Nobody has asked us for anything written. Nobody has discussed with us handing over our weapons. We will never hand over our weapons."

Colonel Qassem Saad al-Deen, spokesman for the joint command of the FSA inside Syria, said the rebels would respect the deadline to cease fire.

"We will commit to the deadline even if they (government forces) do not pull back, we will cease fire as we have pledged to the U.N.," he said.

"But if they fire we will pick up arms again and fight them," he told Reuters from inside Syria.

"When the regime asks Kofi Annan for written guarantees that we will drop our weapons it is actually mocking the United Nations. This is a joke."

He said at least 1,000 people had been killed during last week's violence in Syria, most of them civilians.

The Syrian government says its opponents have killed more than 2,500 troops and police since the unrest began in March 2011.

ARMY OFFENSIVE

Dozens of people were killed and wounded on Sunday when Assad's tanks shelled an area in the rebellious province of Idlib, near the border with Turkey, opposition activists said.

Fighters from the rebel Free Syrian Army were surrounded in the village of al-Bashiriya, activists said.

"The army is shelling al-Rouge with tanks, and helicopters are firing rockets at al-Bashiriya. Tens of people have fallen dead or injured but we cannot get to them because the bombardment is heavy," said activist Mahmoud Ali, with the sound of helicopters audible on the phone.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 21 people were killed on Sunday in shooting and shelling in Homs, Deraa, Idlib, Deir al-Zor and Hama province, and that security forces had detained at least 200 in raids across the country.

It said that separately, at least 12 government soldiers were killed in clashes.

The Syrian army has launched an offensive to seize back large swathes of Idlib that had fallen under rebel control. Thousands of Syrians have fled to Turkey.

No comment on the fighting was immediately available from Syrian officials. The government has placed tight restrictions on media access, making it hard to verify witness accounts.

A team led by Norwegian Major-General Robert Mood has been in Damascus since Thursday discussing how around 250 U.N. monitors might oversee a ceasefire.

Annan said he was in constant contact with the Syrian government and urged "all states with influence on the parties" to exert it now to help ensure an end to the bloodshed and the beginning of a political dialogue.

The former U.N. Secretary-General plans to go to Tehran on April 11 for talks with senior Iranian officials. Iran is a key ally of Syria.

(Additional reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis in Antakya, Turkey and by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Editing by Andrew Roche)

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Quick Hints for Good Customer Service for Internet Marketers ...

Don't underestimate the importance of customer service, even if you only sale products online. In some ways, it's even more crucial to emphasize customer service if your business is online. On the internet, you are competing with at least hundreds of similar websites who are all trying to sell in the same niche. What can you do to prove that you are better than all your competitiors? The best way to set yourself apart is to offer the best customer service! If you are able to communicate well with your customers and make them feel appreciated, they are more likely to continue buying from you. Many internet marketers have their businesses so automated that there is no personal contact with people at all, and then they wonder why they aren't doing well. If you follow these suggestions, you will be able to start giving your visitors good customer service.

If you are in a service oriented business, keep track of your clients. The best way to do this is by either using customer management software or by creating a database of your own. When you send notices and emails to your clients, address them by name, using either their first, last, or both names. When you use people's names to address them in your emails, it will make you seem more personable to them. It is, after all, much more personable than "Hello". If increasing http://www.epictrafficbots.com is something that appeals to you in your net business, then be very sure you get all the details about it prior to a full campaign. Take your market audience, for instance, you have to know them but lots of IM marketers seem to overlook doing basic research about that. Nothing beats this kind of research for the advantage it gives you with your marketing and advertising efforts. The competitive edge will be much sharper and in your favor with the knowledge you will gain. There really are no two ways about this; you must take your cues from what is known and use it skillfully. Even in the shortest marketing message, your words must still be able to build that bridge through strong identification with what you say and how you say it.

Offer a giveaway to the people on your list. People will take the incentive to contact you. You needn't offer something to each person who returns your message. You can make the contest run in any manner you choose. People get very happy when they win. You could offer a free service to someone who offers a response. The winner could be chosen randomly. You could ask a simple trivia question or ask for feedback on your business. Get ready to get a lot of responses, no matter what question you ask. You might even get mail from people who are not on your list yet! There is no question, by those with experience and success, that Success With Anthony can accomplish a lot for your business. If you found your self nodding your head because it seems all too obvious, then you have to keep in mind all those who do not have your level of expertise. If you are just entering the world of IM, then it is a great idea to network with experienced marketers so you can ask questions. All we have time and space for are cursory overviews of the various methods and points we discuss. The very best thing is to maintain an open mind, and look to see if there may be something you can extract and apply it in your business.

Offer your buyers a way to get in touch with you so that they can ask questions or leave feedback about the products they have just purchased. If there is no obvious way to make contact with you, people are less likely to buy anything from you. Without any support or contact information, a site appears to be fly-by-night and not someone to trust.

Your customers want to know that you are a real person who is available if you need them. You have to give people a form or e-mail address where they can contact you if they want. This does mean a little more effort on your part, but if it means more sales, isn't it worth it? Sometimes it takes that level of personal contact to turn a looker into a buyer.

There are so many ways to offer customer service to your clients and buyers. It is the fear of being taken in by scammers or getting poor customer service that keeps some people from shopping online at all. When you show that your business is one that gives people good and personal service, you can help them to overcome these fears. Rest assured, you have just received an introduction about these techniques. You can and definitely should augment your learning on the subject of One Minute Commissions Review with additional research because there is not enough room in an article to talk about everything. One thing we like to do is combine powerful methods as well as some helpful tips in all of our articles.

It is fun to find out about new things in IM because it fills you with hope and dreams, but just be sure you pull your self out of it and use that knowledge.

Do not forget that you are here for a reason, and that is to take all that information and put it to good use. People, and we are sure this applies to you, know in their minds they have to create in business even if it is just a website; but so many have trouble with even that.

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Scruggs' dad prays she'll know ?beauty comes from within?

As her deeply religious family gets set to celebrate Easter, the parents of injured model Lauren Scruggs are giving thanks that their daughter is alive to celebrate the holiday.

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?Four months ago, we were just praying that God would spare her life,?? Jeff Scruggs, Lauren?s father, told TODAY.

The 23-year-old model and fashion blogger from Plano, Texas, has made a remarkable recovery after walking into a spinning plane propeller in darkness on Dec. 3, 2011, after going to view Christmas lights in the Dallas area. She had her left hand severed and lost her left eye, which was replaced by a prosthetic one. She is expected to get a prosthetic arm in about a month, according to her parents, and has already returned to blogging and tweeting about fashion.

Scruggs reached a settlement last week with the insurance company representing the plane and the pilot that was not publicly disclosed by the family but was reported to be more than $1 million. Scruggs? parents are grateful that their daughter has returned to health after they were told by her neurosurgeon that the possibility existed that she may no longer be able to speak in complete sentences and could have a whole new personality.

?That we can go to church together and worship this Easter and just look that we?ve got our family together and that she?s got the same personality and the same spunk that she always had and that same inspiring spirit ? it?s just going to be an Easter like never before,?? Jeff Scruggs said.

New photographs capture recovering model's smile

Throughout the ordeal, the couple did not question why this happened to their daughter.

?I never questioned God in any of it,?? said Cheryl Scruggs, Lauren?s mother. ?I don?t feel any anger towards God or anything and if anything, it just provided me with strength and peace?through this whole journey.?

?I?ve never questioned God,?? Jeff said. ?I think the thing is God tells us his ways are higher than our ways and he?s got a plan for her life and that doesn?t mean his plan is going to line up with what my plan is. We?re just faithful in knowing that God is faithful and Lauren?s going to have?a different life that what we planned.?

Despite her physical injuries, Lauren, nicknamed ?Lolo,?? has maintained her sunny disposition and fighting spirit.

?I pray that she?ll know her beauty comes from within,?? Jeff said. ?She?s got so much enthusiasm for life and a beautiful smile, and that encourages me, and I know it encourages others as well.??

Inured model settles insurance claim from pane accident

?For everything that she?s been through and the journey that she and us are still on, she?s doing remarkable,?? Cheryl said. ?She?s a fighter. She?s concentrating pretty much on her rehabilitation at this point, and she?s healing. She has a lot of strength, she has a lot of courage, and tons of determination.

?We would not have chosen this, but she wants to inspire other people, so that?s a big thing.??

The Scruggs were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends, family and strangers in the aftermath of the accident. Cheryl said she ?didn?t cook for 10 weeks?? and received a steady stream of inspiring text messages as well as comments on the page she created to update Lauren?s recovery on CaringBridge.org. When they were at Lauren?s bedside for weeks at a time during her recovery at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, friends helped maintain their home by mowing the lawn, doing the laundry and more.

?People just did everything for us,?? Jeff said. ?Everything you can imagine, we didn?t have to worry about any of that. Just friends just showing up with their presence and their prayers and all that stuff, it?s so powerful and when you?re going through something like this.??

Cheryl would regularly update the CaringBridge.org site with Lauren?s progress. As much as it was therapeutic for her, it also had a more profound effect on strangers than she had initially considered.

?What I realized I didn?t know was happening was that it began to encourage other people as well, and so for me that?s what was so powerful - the encouragement that it could bring to other people?s lives,?? she said.

Lauren will be writing a book about her experience, titled ?Still Lolo,? that will be published by Tyndale Momentum in November, according to a report by People.com.

?This is going to be a truly inspiring book for anyone who has faced adversity themselves or struggled with the value our society places on physical beauty,?? publisher Jan Harris said in a statement.

? 2012 MSNBC Interactive.? Reprints

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