Economy, Greece worries weigh on global stocks

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Naptime Review: Favorite Product Fridays #3

Favorite Product Fridays #3!!!? Link up your favorite product or review this week. Tell your friends! Grab our button and let's go shopping! This week?Naptime Review and At Home Take 2?will be randomly selecting a?co-host to join in on the fun. So link up and you might be featured next Friday! Great way to increase your followers and traffic. <center><a href="http://naptimeshopper.blogspot.com"><img border="0" src=" http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w433/athometake2/FaveProductFriday.jpg"/></a></center>?Naptime Review and At Home Take 2 are so excited about this hop! It 's great way to read reviews and maybe do a little shopping ;) Please link up a product review not your actual blog!

Rules are simple! Have fun and PLEASE follow each hostess so they CAN follow back. If you are already following just leave a comment letting them know you are stopping by and visiting. Please grab this button and share it on your blog. Product reviews are a small niche in the blogging world so if you could help spread the word we would appreciate it. The more products to share among friends the better! If you have an active hop and you want to promote it please add it to THE BLOG LOG.

Please Follow each hostess below:?Naptime Review- HostessAt Home Take 2- Hostess??
Since it's a holiday weekend, why not indulge an adult beverage!?My favorite product is called Copa Divino. It is single serving wine on the go. Click here ?to learn more about?this premium wine that?has the look and feel of glass, but is made of 100% recyclable plastic. So what's your favorite product this holiday weekend??? ??

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Denzel Covers AARP The Magazine?s 21 ?Men on Fire? List

The June/July issue of AARP The Magazine hits homes Thursday, May 24th. Denzel Washington is the sizzling cover star and is part of a list of AARP?s first-ever ?Men on Fire? list celebrating 21 sexy stars who have proved that like fine wine, many men get better with age. Other ?Men on Fire? include: George [...]

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Giants?get past A's at home again

By JOSH DUBOW

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 7:05 p.m. ET May 19, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Ryan Vogelsong had all of the answers except for what actually hit him during the San Francisco Giants' key rally.

Vogelsong allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings and drew a disputed hit by pitch in San Francisco's four-run seventh as the Giants beat the Oakland Athletics for the 11th straight time at home, 4-0 on Saturday.

Vogelsong (2-2) retired the first 13 batters he faced and allowed only a soft single to right-center by Seth Smith with one out in the fifth. But he was still locked in a scoreless duel with Tyson Ross before the Giants broke through in the seventh after the umpire ruled a ball hit Vogelsong despite claims from the A's that it hit the bat instead.

"I wasn't acting. Something hit me in the chest, whether it was my bat or the ball, something made contact with me," Vogelsong said. "I didn't know what it was. I thought I got hit."

Buster Posey hit an RBI double and Angel Pagan added a two-run single in the big inning to help the Giants win for the sixth time in eight games. They also extended their home dominance over the A's, who have not won in San Francisco since 2008.

Emmanuel Burriss led off the seventh with an infield single between third base and shortstop. Giants manager Bruce Bochy then called back pinch-hitter Aubrey Huff from the on-deck circle to have Vogelsong try to lay down a bunt.

Tyson Ross (2-4) threw high and tight and home plate umpire James Hoye ruled Vogelsong was hit by the pitch. The A's argued that the ball hit Vogelsong's bat.

"I knew he was bunting. I tried to elevate a fastball to try and induce a popup or maybe get a double play. It kind of got away from me a little bit," Ross said. "I saw it hit the bat but the umpire saw it differently. That was a big spot in the game. Unfortunately he was awarded the base and you know what happened after that."

Grant Balfour came in and walked Gregor Blanco on four pitches before striking out Brandon Crawford for the first out. Melky Cabrera followed with a sacrifice fly. Posey extended the lead with a ground-rule double and Pagan's single made it 4-0.

"You have to capitalize on it," Posey said. "We were able to do that."

Oakland manager Bob Melvin got ejected after arguing again with Hoye on his way to take out Balfour after Pagan's hit. Melvin was also ejected Thursday in Texas after another argument, although plate umpire Laz Diaz later apologized to Melvin after acknowledging he missed the call.

The A's rallied to beat the Rangers in 10 innings in that game, but couldn't overcome a disputed call this time to extend their longest losing streak in one stadium since dropping 12 in a row at Milwaukee from 1992-95.

"At some point you have to move on and continue to play and try to shut it down," Melvin said. "We tried to. They just ended up scoring some runs right there."

The game was scoreless after six innings even though the Giants put 10 runners on base to just two for the Athletics. Ross escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first by getting Pagan to pop up and striking out Brandon Belt to end a 31-pitch inning.

He stranded two more runners in the second when he struck out Crawford. He then induced inning-ending double plays in the fifth and sixth from Cabrera and Joaquin Arias after putting runners on first and second.

Vogelsong was helped early when Cabrera made a shoestring, backhand catch in left-center to rob Jemile Weeks of a hit to lead off the game. That was the closest the A's came to a baserunner before Smith's single. Josh Donaldson, who had five RBIs on Friday night, followed by hitting into an inning-ending double play as Vogelsong faced the minimum 15 batters through five innings.

Vogelsong pitched around a leadoff walk to Daric Barton in the sixth, the only other baserunner he allowed. He has allowed just three earned runs in 28 1-3 innings over his last four starts, lowering his ERA to 2.27, as he has picked up from his breakthrough All-Star season last year.

"I think I need to do it for the whole season," Vogelsong said. "That's a big goal of mine for this season, to have another solid year and kind of put that beside me going forward. I still feel like I have a lot to prove."

NOTES: The only longer regular-season win streak over an opponent for the Giants at this ballpark came when they beat the Mets 12 straight times from 2000-03. But New York split two playoff games here in 2000. ...... Vogelsong walked in the second inning, giving Giants pitchers three walks in two games after having just two in the first 38. ... Tim Lincecum, who is 5-1 with a 1.38 ERA in seven starts against Oakland, pitches the series finale against Bartolo Colon.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Where does Wood's 20-K game rank?

CSN: Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game on May 6, 1998 ranks as the 32nd-best since 1920, when the live ball era began. But digging deeper reveals his outing was better than that ranking.

Cubs' Wood returns to Wrigley to say goodbye

CHICAGO (AP) - Kerry Wood's first trip as a retired baseball player Saturday morning was one any dad can appreciate. He went to a little league game, which he described as awesome.

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AdWatch: Romney "day one" vows are missing caveats

WASHINGTON (AP) ? TITLE: "Day One"

LENGTH: 30 seconds

AIRING: Romney is spending roughly $1.3 million to run the ad in Iowa, North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio

KEY IMAGES: Romney does not speak in the ad, which shows video and still photos of him speaking to voters, along with separate images of construction equipment and workers in hard hats, underscoring the campaign's focus on the economy.

SCRIPT: Backed by upbeat music, a male narrator says that Romney would, on "Day One," approve the Keystone XL pipeline to create "thousands of jobs," introduce tax cuts and "begin replacing" President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, which the narrator calls Obamacare. "That's what a Romney presidency would look like," the narrator concludes.

ANALYSIS: In his first television advertisement of the general election, Romney is reinforcing his focus on the economy while attacking two of Obama's more polarizing policies in a nod to skeptical conservatives ? along with some independents ? in battleground states. The campaign also produced a Spanish version of the ad, acknowledging the growing political influence of the nation's Hispanics.

The positive tone is a stark contrast to the latest ad from Obama's re-election campaign, which attacks Romney's business career. The tone is not a surprise, however, for a Republican candidate who is still unknown by large swaths of the electorate. Romney is trying to brighten his image before Obama can define him in a less flattering way.

But Romney's ad oversimplifies complicated issues and exaggerates his potential influence as president. He's outlining plans he can't accomplish on his first day in office without significant cooperation from parties beyond his control.

The narrator promises Romney would issue an order "to begin replacing Obamacare" on his first day in office. While he sometimes gets big cheers on the campaign trail by promising to repeal the law, Romney knows he cannot do away with Obama's landmark health care bill on his own. His use of the word, "begin" gives him some wiggle room but also hedges the "day one" theme.

Romney has outlined plans to issue an executive order allowing individual states to opt out of the federal legislation. While his authority to do so is unclear, it is clear that a full repeal of the law promises to be as much a slog as was its creation. With the help of Congress, Romney could try to strip the law's funding. But congressional cooperation would depend on the balance of power on Capitol Hill next year.

Full repeal of the law would be an even steeper climb. It would require a larger Republican congressional majority to move forward and to clinch 60 votes in the Senate ? all this as the law increasingly takes root in the nation's medical and insurance system.

But Romney's decision to address health care in his premier ad speaks directly to skeptical conservatives who refused to support the former Massachusetts governor during the bitter GOP primary. Their reluctance was due, in part, to Romney's support as governor for a Massachusetts bill that contains the same individual mandate to buy insurance as Obama's bill.

Romney addresses another red-meat issue in going after the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from tar sands in western Canada to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast. Obama blocked the pipeline earlier this year amid questions over its route through environmentally sensitive land in Nebraska.

Obama's decision drew fire from Republicans and industry groups who say it delays creation of thousands of jobs and hampers new oil production that could help reduce dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Romney's statement that he would approve the pipeline on day one is missing some caveats.

For one, it is possible that the project may already be approved before the next presidential term begins in January. If Romney were to be elected and inherit the issue, the need for environmental reviews would still exist, and they may not be completed immediately. The pipeline also is subject to review by Nebraska, whose officials have said their evaluation of a new route will take six to nine months.

Finally, Romney's promise to introduce tax cuts that "reward job creators" oversimplifies a plan that could have huge ramifications for the nation's taxpayers. Tax cuts would add to the federal deficit, which Romney has vowed to shrink. He says any tax cuts would be paid for by closing certain deductions and loopholes but has refused to provide any details on plans that may ultimately affect popular deductions like those on mortgage interest.

___

Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Scarface Learned Child-Support Lesson The Hard Way

'My advice to any father out there is that if you send anything, you send it through the courts,' MC says on 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Scarface on "RapFix Live"
Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV News

Scarface had to learn a hard lesson when he sat in jail from October 2010 to August 2011. The Houston rap legend, who was jailed for failure to pay child support after it was tallied that he owed more than $123,000, cleared the air on Wednesday's (May 9) episode of "RapFix Live." The MC explained that his mistake wasn't that he didn't pay his just due — it was that he didn't keep proper record of his payments.

"In the system, when your kids get grown and you pay all this money direct and it's time for the money to stop being issued out, they gonna want to appeal because there ain't no more money coming in no more," the "I Seen a Man Die" rapper explained to "RapFix" host Sway. "So they may go and say you ain't pay nothing, so that how it go."

Face's logic is that, if he wasn't paying child support for all these years, why didn't his child's mother come after him earlier? "21 years? C'mon, man. You want to do it now, 21 years later?" he rhetorically questioned. "Why you ain't do that 20 years ago, if it really was what it was?"

Regardless of what happened in the past, the rapper, who is planning to drop a new solo album later this year, is ready to move on. "It was an experience that I like to touch on and not dwell on," he said. "It was a learning experience, and my advice to any father out there is that if you send anything, you send it through the courts. That's the best way to do, because at the end of the day, you not gonna get no credit for it."

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No deal for Greek coalition with conservative head

ATHENS, Greece (AP) ? Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras, whose party came first in last weekend's elections that produced a hung parliament, has not reached an agreement for a coalition government with the head of the runner-up Radical Left Coalition.

Samaras said he explained to Radical Left leader Alexis Tsipras that his demands for Greece to reject the country's international bailout deal would lead Greece into bankruptcy. Samaras reiterated he was prepared to even back a minority government on condition that the country remain in the European Union's joint euro currency.

The conservative leader said Tsipras' demands meant he was asking Samaras "to accept Greece's exit from the euro and the country's bankruptcy. I will not do that."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) ? Greek socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos said Wednesday there has been no success so far in negotiations to form a coalition government after weekend elections resulted in a deadlock.

Venizelos, a former finance minister whose PASOK party came in third with 13.18 percent, is next in line to take over the mandate of trying to cobble together a coalition and said he would continue the efforts when he is handed the task on Thursday.

Alexis Tsipras, head of the Radical Left Coalition, or Syriza, was leading the talks on Wednesday, and met with Venizelos as well as the heads of other parties on the right and left of the political spectrum. Tsipras has been seeking support for a left-wing government that will reject the terms of Greece's international bailout ? which critics say will lead the country out of the euro.

Sunday's election result was a severe blow to PASOK, which has dominated Greek politics along with the rival conservatives New Democracy for four decades and stormed to victory with a landslide in the previous elections in 2009.

Its popularity suffered from the harsh austerity measures it imposed in return for two multibillion euro international bailouts. The measures, which included salary and pension cuts and repeated tax hikes, have left Greece in a fifth year of recession.

Venizelos insisted it was imperative for Greece to remain within Europe's joint currency.

"Mr. Tsipras asked me if we would address the possibility of supporting a unity government that would freeze the process (of austerity) ... I answered that the country has no time to waste and we cannot examine any option that would prolong the recession," Venizelos said.

"The vast majority of the country wishes to remain in the euro," he added. "And exit from the euro would result in mass poverty, a loss of value of property, income and prospects. Greece would lose many decades."

Tsipras met later with conservative New Democracy head Antonis Samaras, who came first in Sunday's polls with 18.85 percent of the vote and 108 seats in the 300-member parliament.

Given that the Communist Party refuses to join any government and no parties are talking to the extreme right Golden Dawn, which won 21 seats, no coalition can be formed without Samaras.

But the views between him and the radical left remain as wide apart as ever.

All have said they want to avoid another round of elections, which will be inevitable if no coalition government can be formed.

"The result of the elections produces two priorities: the need for stability, and a government solution so that the country avoids another election," Venizelos said. "Prolonging the uncertainty will hurt the country's standing, its economy and ultimately its most vulnerable citizens."

Venizelos said his meeting with Tsipras was friendly, but that no agreement was reached.

"It was clear that in the current stage of this process we cannot reach a solution but that we must continue this effort. So the mandate I will receive tomorrow will have substance and importance," he said. "I will receive the mandate and continue the effort because we have an obligation as a force of national responsibility to provide the country with a government and provide it with safety and prospects."

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WATCH: 'Fifty Shades of Grey Mother's Day Ad on 'SNL'

With rumors swirling that Fifty Shades of Grey is being turned into a major motion picture, the best-selling erotic romance novel is gaining tons of attention. So much so, that it made it's way into a hilarious Saturday Night Live sketch this weekend.

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Jetman swoops across Brazilian skyline (+video)

The Swiss aviator Yves Rossy recently flew across the Rio de Janeiro sky with his jet-propelled wing, parachuting safely to a southern Brazilian beach.

Thursday morning, the Swiss pilot Yves Rossy fell into the blue Rio de Janeiro sky with the backward rolling entry of a scuba diver. He began with a downward plunge toward the Brazilian cityscape, then leveling off and completing a barrel role before vapor-trailing past the Deco statue Cristo Redentor, tracking south and finally pulling his parachute to land safely on Copocabana beach.

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All of this was done with the jet-powered wing that Rossy helped design.

Lasting over 11 minutes, this was only one in a series of flights made by the self-described "Jetman." Over the past half-decade, he has flown across the Grand Canyon, over the Alps and even between actual jet airplanes.

His recent successes have come with some ominous setbacks, though. In 2009, Rossy attempted to fly across the Strait of Gibraltar, which geographically separates Spain from Morocco, but strong winds and engine complications forced him to scuttle into the Mediterranean, where he had to be rescued by?helicopter.?The Spanish coast guard later retrieved his jet wing.

Rossy's wing is the result of over a decade of trouble-shooting, which decade has seen over 15 prototypes of the model. In its current design, the wing is made from carbon-fiber and spans roughly eight feet. Strapped to the back of the pilot, it is propelled by four mounted kerosene jet engines up to speeds of 189 miles per hour.

Classified as a legitimate aircraft by the FAA, the wing was engineered to let Rossy "fly like a bird, with a minimum of instruments but with the ability to steer himself in space," according to the Jetman website. One of the most complex technologies Rossy's wing employs, aside from the engines, are the altimeter, used for safety purposes, and the throttle that Rossy holds in his hand. He uses his body to steer.

Perhaps more interesting than Rossy's innovative technology is the endeavor it embodies. Human flight has always been motivated by the desire to mimic bird flight. The word "aviation," after all, comes from the Latin word for bird, "avis." By attempting to create the most visceral experience of human flight, the Jetman project might be the truest expression of our envy for the utter freedom of the birds that soar overhead.

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Color Partners With Verizon To Bring Livestreaming Audio and Video to iPhone, Android

After a disastrous launch?and a not-so stellar pivot, Color may finally have found its stride and a rather large core user base. Today,?Color and Verizon Wireless have entered a three year deal to bring live streaming video and audio to its fleet of 4G LTE smartphones, including all compatible Android devices and even the iPhone.

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ZocDoc Rolls Out In Tampa Bay; Says Gen Y Is Clueless About Health Care

ZocDoc, the professional booking platform for doctors, is rolling out to another market as of this week: Tampa, Florida - and incidentally, company CEO?Cyrus Massoumi also happens to be a Florida native. But that's not why Tampa was chosen as the next major metro area to join the lineup of ZocDoc's regions served - the company says that it chooses new markets based on demand from both patients and doctors alike. In conjunction with the launch, ZocDoc also released the findings from a new survey it commissioned which highlights why ZocDoc happens to be in such demand: it's solving the frustrating problem of finding a doctor and booking an appointment - something which the youngest generation of patients is apparently the most ill-equipped to handle, at least according to the findings.

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SpaceX test fires rocket bound for space station

A week ahead of what is touted as being the first attempt by a private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, SpaceX test fired their Falcon 9 rocket.?

The private spaceflight company SpaceX successfully test fired the rocket that will launch the first-ever commercial space capsule to the International Space Station today (April 30), after a slight delay that was caused by an apparent computer glitch.

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SpaceX officials conducted the so-called "static fire test" of the firm's?Falcon 9 rocket?today on a second try at 4:15 p.m. EDT (2015 GMT) at Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket is poised on the launch pad, ready to blast off toward the space station on May 7. SpaceX aired the engine test live via the company's website.

A first attempt, which aimed to fire the rocket's engines at around 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT), hit a snag with 47 second remaining in the mock countdown. SpaceX officials traced the problem to a flight computer, but the issue was resolved after a brief delay.

During today's static fire test, the nine Merlin engines that power the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage were ignited for about two seconds, as the booster remained attached to the launch pad.

"So far things look good," SpaceX spokesperson Kirstin Grantham said in a statement. "Engines fired for 2 seconds, as scheduled. Engineers will now review data as we continue preparations for the upcoming launch."

SpaceX is expected to conduct a thorough review of all the data as engineers make final preparations for the upcoming launch, which is currently targeted for May 7.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is a two-stage booster that stands about 180 feet tall (55 meters) and is topped with the company's unmanned?Dragon space capsule. It is the capsule that will be making the trip to the International Space Station, where a crew of astronauts is waiting to pluck the gumdrop-shaped capsule from space using a robotic arm. The Dragon vehicle will be attached to the orbiting complex with the robotic arm.

The Hawthorne, Calif.-based?SpaceX?(short for Space Exploration Technologies, Corp.) has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to conduct 12 cargo missions to the space station with its Dragon spacecraft. ?

"This will be the first attempt by a commercial company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, a feat previously performed by only a few governments. Success is not guaranteed," SpaceX officials said. "If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again."

SpaceX is one of two private companies with contracts to provide unmanned space cargo flights to the space station for NASA. The Virginia-based company Orbital Technologies, Corp., has a $1.9 billion contract to provide eight cargo delivery missions using its own Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket. The first test of that spacecraft and rocket is expected to occur later this year.

SpaceX officials said the?May 7 launch of Dragon?toward the space station will also be webcast live via the company's website.

Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter?@Spacedotcom?and on?Facebook.

Copyright 2012?SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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First solar-powered boat to circle the world pulls into home port, contemplates next move

It's been two years since we last heard of the 98-foot-long solar-powered boat, which at the time was gearing up for its big journey around the world. Well, some 19 months and 37,286 miles after setting sail from Monaco, the MS Turanor PlanetSolar has finally made it home. The PlanetSolar broke four Guinness world records along the way, including the all-important "first circumnavigation by solar-powered boat," and it made stops on six continents to promote solar energy. Oh, and the team fended off Somalian pirates in the process, too. Now that it has a moment to catch its breath and soak up some rays at leisure, the MS Turanor could become any number of things -- from the world's largest solar battery to a "green luxury yacht." The latter option would certainly befit its chichi home port.

First solar-powered boat to circle the world pulls into home port, contemplates next move originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 20:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jobs in Dothan LocalHelpWanted-Business Office Specialist - Home ...

Business Office Specialist - Home Health

Requisition Number 12-3890
Title Business Office Specialist - Home Health
City Anniston
State al
Description
BE A VISIONARY
Dream big. Think outside the box. See the possibilities. Offer creative solutions - Amedisys listens
Amedisys began more than 25 years ago as a dream in a living room in small-town Louisiana. Since that time, we have grown into a national company with over 15,000 employees and 500+agencies across the country and Puerto Rico, but have never lost sight of why and how we got here.
Amedisys Home Health Services is a leading provider of home health and hospice services. As a national company, we have a far reach and have positioned ourselves as an industry leader in quality care and as the company that is reducing acute care hospitalization.
As our growth rapidly continues, we are seeking dynamic employees to aide in our mission: to provide cost-efficient, quality home care services to the patients entrusted in our care.
REMEMBER WHY WE ARE HERE
We are here to exceed the expectations of our patients, clients, and their families by providing excellent clinical care and premier service
Our patients are our number one concern, and we hire individuals who are passionate about enabling those patients to recover faster, while maintaining and improving their quality of life, in the setting they prefer - at home. As a Business Office Specialist with Amedisys, you will be part of one of the fastest growing segments in the health care market. Our motto, service is our passion, says it all. If you share these goals and values call us today and learn more about joining the Amedisys team!
As aBusiness Office Specialistat Amedisys you will:
·        Be responsible for performance and accuracy of data input
·        Maintenance of patient medical records and data as well as the tracking systems for physician's orders
·        Participate and work in a collaborative manner to assists in the timely and accurate submission of billing and payroll
·        Verify and continuously monitor Medicaid authorizations, approvals, and visits
·        Maintain office supply and medical inventory supply and distribution
·        Participate in Inventory Control processes
·        Schedule all visits based on patient needs, staff experience, and geographical location.
·        Demonstrate a desire to set and meet objectives and find increasingly efficient ways to perform tasks
·        Be positioned for Career Advancements within Amedisys
·        Receive excellent Benefits to include a lucrative salary  
·        Work with team members who share your passion  
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
1. High School diploma or equivalent required.
2. Minimum of two years general office experience, with one (1) of those years having been in data entry or word processing functions.
3. Working knowledge of office practices and procedures.
4. Strong computer/data entry and software skills.
5. Some medical terminology or Health care industry experience preferred.
BUILD CAREERS, NOT JOBS
Promote an environment that fosters continuous learning. Create your own future. Recognize and reward excellence.
Along with a first-rate employee benefits package that includes health and dental insurance, 401K options; and paid time off; Amedisys offers its employees continuous learning opportunities and provides them with all the necessary tools and resources to perform their role to its fullest. We encourage rewarding careers and never want to simply offer someone a job. Unique employee programs allow personal and professional growth. At Amedisys, it all starts here with you
Keywords:homecare, home care, healthcare, health care, home health, OASIS, Medicare, Office Specialist, ICD9 coding, I C D 9 coding, scheduler, customer service, scheduling coordinator, payroll, billing, BOS, Business Office Specialist, clerical, office.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, disability, military status, genetic predisposition or carrier status or any other legally protected characteristic.

More Information ?

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Campaigning over, politicians await critical Greek vote

ATHENS (Reuters) - A ban on campaigning took effect in Greece on Saturday 24 hours ahead of the most uncertain and critical election for decades, a vote that could throw the country's future in Europe into doubt and shake the common currency.

Pollsters say the result of Sunday's poll is impossible to predict, aggravating fears of political chaos that could revive a euro zone debt crisis that Greece first unleashed in 2009.

Local media underlined the importance of the vote as a ban in campaigning came into effect a day before the polls opened.

"With the tough dilemma of staying in the euro or bankruptcy, voters head to the polls in the most crucial election showdown in recent decades," said the centre-left Ta Nea newspaper.

Proto Thema weekly said the vote was the most critical since the fall of a military dictatorship in 1974 while centre-left daily Ethnos said: "What we are being called to do is determine with our vote whether the country will have a future or not."

Greeks are enraged by one of Europe's worst recessions since World War Two and are expected to abandon the two formerly dominant major parties in droves, turning instead to a raft of fringe groups opposed to a hugely unpopular 130 billion euro international bailout that is keeping Greece afloat - but which comes with painful strings attached.

The last polls before a blackout two weeks ago suggested the conservative New Democracy and Socialist PASOK parties, who support the bailout, will come first and second in the poll.

But their support has been ravaged by anger over a crisis that has slashed wages and benefits, pushed unemployment to one of the highest levels in Europe and provoked a rash of suicides by despairing businessmen and pensioners.

If the two parties fail to win a big enough majority to go into a coalition, they will have to woo groups opposed to the bailout, raising fears that Greece will renege on its promises to international lenders and head down a path towards bankruptcy and an exit from the euro, with dire contagion risks for other crisis hit EU states like Spain and Italy.

KINGMAKERS

A record 8-10 parties could enter parliament and four small groups are vying to become kingmakers after the poll.

Antonis Pavlakis, a 40-year-old bank employee said he wouldn't vote for either New Democracy or PASOK.

"Why should I? My salary has been cut, my taxes have gone up and I'm not sure I will still have a job," he said, adding that his pay had been slashed by 15 percent.

PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos appealed to voters to support the bailout to avoid economic disaster. "Greeks are holding in their hands the fate of the country, the fate of the next generation, not just the next four years but the next 20 years," he said in an interview with Ta Nea.

Venizelos negotiated the bailout as finance minister and has managed to claw back some of the support lost by discredited former prime minister George Papandreou. But PASOK's support is expected to drop to 19 percent or less from the 44 percent it took in a landslide victory at the last election in 2009.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras is expected to win about 25 percent of the vote but insists he wants to rule alone. Analysts say that if he comes close to the numbers he needs he may be tempted to push for another snap election.

His last public statement before the vote, in an article in Ta Nea, was typically uncompromising, sniping at PASOK's economic record and showing little inclination to rule jointly with them.

Despite pressure across Europe to temper a drive for austerity - that has worsened recession - with measures to boost growth, EU paymaster Germany warned Greeks they could be forced out of the euro if they did not meet the terms of the bailout.

"If Greek voters were to vote for a majority that does not honor those agreements, then Greece will have to bear the consequences," said German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

His remarks reflected wide concern in Europe about the consequences of the Greek vote but were likely to stoke the rage of Greeks who have burned German flags and carried effigies of Chancellor Angela Merkel in Nazi uniform because of Berlin's tough insistence on austerity.

The troika of IMF, European Union and European Central bank lenders funding Greece's bailout fear the election could put at risk the fiscal cuts and reforms it must deliver in exchange for the money it needs to stay solvent, including 11.7 billion euros of new savings due in June.

If Venizelos and Samaras fail to win a big enough majority to form a stable government, they are likely to turn first to the Democratic Left party of Fotis Kouvelis, most moderate of the four parties vying for third place.

If he refuses, they would have to woo even smaller groupings in what could be a long-drawn and uncertain period of negotiation after the vote.

(Writing By Barry Moody, editing by Mike Peacock)

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Boosting Business With Autoresponders

These days, most everybody is familiar with an autoresponder, even if a lot of dont learn why they are beneficial to corporations. If you arent familiar with autoresponders, you would possibly see yourself amazed with them. An autoresponder could support your business by automatically emailing your clients and customers with a preset message that will assist to improve your income.

An autoresponder could assist your list of clients grow, even send every single of them their individual customized email message. If you pick, you could also follow up every unique email with repeated emails, varying the content whenever you wish. These systems will also let you to keep track of conversations, and send out broadcast email messages whenever you have details or fledgling things to provide your clients.

As exploration in the past has shown, tailored email from autoresponders is a good approach to improve your business. When you send a tailored email to single of your clients, the autoresponder by could address him or her by their brand which always makes a buyer hold see. While you can do this yourself using traditional email, it can hold you some hours if you have a long list of customers

Autoresponders create sending tailored email a snap. All you require to do is setup your email template, then choose where you like the popularity to go. You could add everybody in your purchaser list to the autoresponder, which makes sending emails a snap. One time you have anything ready to go, all you require to do is send out the emails with single easy click. Finest of all you dont have to set it up again when you involve to send out broadcast messages.

Even though there are a few individuals who will acquire points after single or two emails, most persons involve about seven or eight emails before they will acquire everything. Autoresponders could definitely support you there, as they will do all of the emailing for you. You dot have to keep sending manual emails or everything like that. All you involve to do is setup the email address, model in your preset message, and then sense zero cost to send it as a lot of times as you like.

Via the employ of an autoresponder you could definitely raise your business. If you run an Online promoting business, this tool will prove to be invaluable. You could invest less period sending messages and extra period doing what you enjoy. If youve never tried an autoresponder before, you owe it yourself to test out anything they will do for you and your business. Internet corporations could take many emails on a each day basis which is where the autoresponder will truly begin to shine and exhibit you just how good of an asset it truly is.
If you find this article useful, feel free to visit us at our business blogs to get more guides. We also own several online business about model gamis, baju tidur murah, and pakaian anak tanah abang. Have a great day

Tags: advice, business, Small Business, tips

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Quinton ?Rampage? Jackson and the UFC: Can this relationship be saved?

Lately, Quinton Jackson has been complaining about how he doesn't want to be in the UFC any more, and it appears the feeling is mutual from the UFC. They have become the couple that everyone knows should break up. Inexplicably, they stay together and annoy everyone around them. It's time to break this down, women's magazine style.

Cagewriter asks, can this relationship be saved?

Jackson says:

"After I leave the UFC, I'm done with them! ... The UFC's just throwing me all these boring fighters, these game planners, these wrestlers. I'm the type of fighter who you should match up with people who want to fight excitingly. You know what I'm saying? Cuz I'm gonna be the type of fighter who puts butts in seats."

UFC president Dana White says:

"I'll have a conversation with 'Rampage' and think we're cool, and then I'll read other stuff," he said. "We've been good to everybody we've ever dealt with. We've never screwed anybody over, including 'Rampage.' And you want to talk about a guy that we went to bat for ? we've gone to bat for him many times. I feel like [expletive] (Derek) Jeter when it comes to 'Rampage.' If he's unhappy with us, doesn't like us and doesn't want to be with us anymore, then the feeling is mutual."

Cagewriter responds, NO. This relationship cannot be saved. Jackson is miserable and will not be quiet until he is free from the UFC, so UFC? Let him go. Give him a quick fight to finish out his contract, or just cut him. White says both sides don't want to work with each other any more. Why prolong the agony?

Not all (business) relationships are built to last. Tear this one down.

--

Follow Cagewriter on Facebook and Twitter.

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EPA official resigns over 'crucify' flap

Al Amerdariz, the top EPA official for Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, has drawn fire for referring to Roman?crucifixions?in saying he'd make examples of environmental offenders.

The Obama administration's top environmental official in the oil-rich South Central region has resigned after Republicans targeted him over remarks made two years ago when he used the word "crucify" to describe how he would go after companies violating environmental laws.

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In a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson sent Sunday, Al Armendariz says he regrets his words and stresses that they do not reflect his work as administrator of the five-state region including Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

The environmental engineer apologized last week for his remarks. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject, told The Associated Press that Armendariz has since received death threats. His resignation was effective Monday. Sam Coleman, a career official who led the agency's response to Hurricane Katrina and served as Armendariz' deputy, took over as acting regional administrator.

QUIZ:?How much do you know about Earth Day?

"I have come to the conclusion that my continued service will distract you and the agency from its important work," Armendariz wrote in the letter, which was obtained by the AP.

Republicans in Congress had called for Armendariz' firing after Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe highlighted the May 2010 speech last week as proof of what he refers to as EPA's assault on energy, particularly the technique of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

President Barack Obama appointed Armendariz in November 2009 at the urging of Texas-based environmental groups.

The agency, perhaps more than any other, has found itself in the GOP's crosshairs. Republicans ? including presidential contender Mitt Romney, who has called for Jackson herself to be fired ? have blamed the agency for high gasoline prices and clamping down on American energy.

Armendariz, who was based in Texas, frequently found himself at odds with the state government and the oil and gas industry, which are often aligned.

The scientist and environmental activist had long been frustrated by the government's inability to clean up Texas' notoriously polluted air, and he had testified on behalf of activist groups about just how badly the EPA and state environmental agencies had botched things.

Ken Kramer, director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, said "the only people who will celebrate his resignation are the polluters who continue to foul Texas air and the politicians who serve those special interests."

Several disputed contamination cases in Texas in which Armendariz was involved helped stoke environmental concerns over fracking, a technique in which oil and gas producers inject water, chemicals and sand underground at high pressures to fracture rock so gas can come out.

In one case, the EPA issued an emergency order in 2010 accusing Range Resources of contaminating an aquifer west of Fort Worth and giving it 48 hours to provide clean drinking water to residents. Armendariz said he went around the state because it wasn't responding quickly enough. The order later was withdrawn after a state court ruled evidence that fracking had caused the contamination had been falsified.

"He was flat wrong," wrote more than two dozen lawmakers in a letter to Jackson sent Friday, calling for Armendariz' firing.

Armendariz' speech was made in Dish, a small town northwest of Dallas, where testing has shown some groundwater contamination and elevated toxic air pollution after operators began fracking.

Referring to how the Romans once conquered villages in the Mediterranean, Armendariz said, "...they'd find the first five guys they saw and they'd crucify them."

"And so you make examples out of people who are in this case not complying with the law," he said. "Find people who are not complying with the law and you hit them as hard as you can and make examples of them."

QUIZ:?How much do you know about Earth Day?

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Skylar Laine on American Idol Elimination: Sad, Not Surprised

Skylar Laine is putting a positive spin on her American Idol elimination.

"I'm just relieved right now. No more stress," she told reporters soon after hearing Ryan Seacrest announced her name, adding that she really was "not surprised" to get the boot.

Skylar Laine - "Born This Way"

Ironically, Laine was eliminated on the same night Carrie Underwood performed. Many viewers saw similarities between these two country gals. ("I'm just ready to go into country music, y'all!," Laine exclaimed backstage.)

"I'm sad, but I just want to go home. I want to go home to my family, my friends," Skylar said. "I don't have any regrets from this whole experience. I've shown what kind of artist I want to be, I've shown who I am, and I know what kind of album I want to make in the future if I get the chance."

What did the judges say as a farewell?

"Jennifer didn't say much to me at the end, she just said 'I'll see you later,' but then Steven - Steven's a fan of mine, I really love Steven -- [he] and Randy both told me I'm going to have a long career hopefully."

We feel the same. What do you think of Laine's elimination? Did it come at the right time?

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DataSift Raises $7.2M For Powerful Social Data Analysis And Business Intelligence Platform

DataSift, a data analysis company that provides developers and third parties with access to Twitter, Facebook and other social data sources, has raised $7.2 million in a follow-on Series A round from existing investors GRP Partners and IA Ventures. This brings DataSift's total funding to $15 million. For background, developers, businesses, media companies and organizations can essentially use DataSift to mine the Twitter firehose of social data, as well as Facebook, YouTube, blogs, forums and online message boards. But what makes DataSift special is that it can sort through billions of social interactions then filter this social media data for demographic information, online influence and sentiment, either positive or negative.

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SpaceX test fires rocket bound for space station

A week ahead of what is touted as being the first attempt by a private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, SpaceX test fired their Falcon 9 rocket.?

The private spaceflight company SpaceX successfully test fired the rocket that will launch the first-ever commercial space capsule to the International Space Station today (April 30), after a slight delay that was caused by an apparent computer glitch.

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SpaceX officials conducted the so-called "static fire test" of the firm's?Falcon 9 rocket?today on a second try at 4:15 p.m. EDT (2015 GMT) at Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket is poised on the launch pad, ready to blast off toward the space station on May 7. SpaceX aired the engine test live via the company's website.

A first attempt, which aimed to fire the rocket's engines at around 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT), hit a snag with 47 second remaining in the mock countdown. SpaceX officials traced the problem to a flight computer, but the issue was resolved after a brief delay.

During today's static fire test, the nine Merlin engines that power the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage were ignited for about two seconds, as the booster remained attached to the launch pad.

"So far things look good," SpaceX spokesperson Kirstin Grantham said in a statement. "Engines fired for 2 seconds, as scheduled. Engineers will now review data as we continue preparations for the upcoming launch."

SpaceX is expected to conduct a thorough review of all the data as engineers make final preparations for the upcoming launch, which is currently targeted for May 7.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is a two-stage booster that stands about 180 feet tall (55 meters) and is topped with the company's unmanned?Dragon space capsule. It is the capsule that will be making the trip to the International Space Station, where a crew of astronauts is waiting to pluck the gumdrop-shaped capsule from space using a robotic arm. The Dragon vehicle will be attached to the orbiting complex with the robotic arm.

The Hawthorne, Calif.-based?SpaceX?(short for Space Exploration Technologies, Corp.) has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to conduct 12 cargo missions to the space station with its Dragon spacecraft. ?

"This will be the first attempt by a commercial company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, a feat previously performed by only a few governments. Success is not guaranteed," SpaceX officials said. "If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again."

SpaceX is one of two private companies with contracts to provide unmanned space cargo flights to the space station for NASA. The Virginia-based company Orbital Technologies, Corp., has a $1.9 billion contract to provide eight cargo delivery missions using its own Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket. The first test of that spacecraft and rocket is expected to occur later this year.

SpaceX officials said the?May 7 launch of Dragon?toward the space station will also be webcast live via the company's website.

Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter?@Spacedotcom?and on?Facebook.

Copyright 2012?SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Why 'The X Factor' Should Try Playing Hard-To-Get

The FOX show's very long and public search for judges is making it look desperate.
By John Mitchell

<P>On Wednesday (May 2) we learned that <a href="/news/articles/1684289/demi-lovato-x-factor-judge-miley-cyrus.jhtml">Demi Lovato, Avril Lavigne and Miley Cyrus</a> are all being courted as possible replacements for Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger on "The X Factor" judging panel.</P><P>But don't get your knickers in a twist &#8212; "The X Factor" originated in Britain, after all &#8212; <a href="/news/articles/1680782/britney-spears-x-factor-judge-offer.jhtml">Britney Spears is reportedly</a> still in the game too, though reports that she "insisted on various perks that have bogged down negotiations" are floating around.</P><P>So to be clear, Britney might still be in, Demi is close to a deal and Miley and Avril are on the table. A few months ago, we could have replaced the Demi with Janet Jackson and Miley with Mariah Carey. And prior to her tragic passing in February, Whitney Houston was also being considered for the panel, according to remaining judges <a href="/news/articles/1679472/american-idol-voice-x-factor-simon-cowell.jhtml"> L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell</a>.</P><P>Never before has the casting process for a reality television show judge been so exhaustingly long and public. Sure, before Jennifer Lopez signed on to "American Idol" there were rumors that she was being pursued, but no public statements were made until she had signed on the dotted line. And while the constant stream of potential candidates being leaked to the press or talked about openly by Reid or Cowell may itself be a negotiation technique &#8212; most likely to try to ambush Spears into signing on for fear of being replaced &#8212; is also doing something <i>very</i> specific to the troubled signing competition.</P><P>It is making "The X Factor" look desperate. <i>Really</i> desperate.</P><P>With the FOX upfronts just two weeks away and filming on the production scheduled to begin early this summer, it's not exactly encouraging that the show cannot secure above-the-title talent. An upfront is a showcase hosted at the start of important advertising sales periods by network executives, and they are attended by the press and, more importantly, major advertisers.</P><P>"The X Factor" is a costly show for FOX, and the deal on the table for Spears, <a href="/news/articles/1682881/britney-spears-x-factor-deal.jhtml">reported to be $15 million per season</a>, certainly isn't bringing the budget down. Watching the never-ending parade of potential judges unfurl and then walk away &#8212; and keep in mind that the show is also casting about for two hosts to replace Steve Jones &#8212; cannot be serving the show well with eagle-eyed advertisers watching closely to see where their money will be best spent.</P><P>Conducting contract negations so publicly is always a risky endeavor, but in this specific case, "The X Factor" has backed itself into a corner. The show looked silly when talks with music legends Jackson and Carey fell through after <a href="http://newsroom.mtv.com/2012/02/17/janet-jackson-x-factor-rumors-perfect-fit-for-show/">so much public discussion</a>, and in making the details of Spears' deal public and then failing to (at this point) lock her in, execs at "The X Factor" look borderline inept.</P><P>There's been some discussion that by tossing Miley, Avril and Demi's names into the ring, the show is trying to make Spears seem replaceable and get her to back down on her alleged "various perks."</P><P>It's a dirty way to conduct business and ultimately doesn't speak well of what is going on behind the scenes in the show's search for its new panelists. If that is indeed the case, it's like the show is grasping at straws. And that's not the best look when you are walking into the FOX upfronts seeking advertisers on the heels of an underperforming first season.</p>

Related Artists

• Britney Spears

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EchoStar outs its HDT-610R Ultra Slim Box, says it's 'world's slimmest' DVR

EchoStar has come a long way since unveiling that HDS-600RS early last year, and today the European company's taking the wraps off of its newest DVR, the Ultra Slim Box HDT-610R. Keeping true to its moniker, the 610R measures in at a slim 14mm thin, while weighing in at just under two pounds. Physical features aside, EchoStar's managed to stuff a 500GB hard drive inside the DVR's scrawny body, as well as a couple of USB 2.0 incisions and single Ethernet and HDMI ports. On the software end, the device is equipped with a Freeview+ HD feature that offers subscription-free access to over 50 "high quality" and four high-def channels -- though, you will have to pay a one-time fee for the service. The HDT-610R will be available for pre-order starting May 4th, with Amazon, John Lewis and Maplin being the first online vendors to have it for up for grabs. No word on pricing yet, but in the meantime all you Euro folks can gander at the PR below to soak up the rest of the deets.

Continue reading EchoStar outs its HDT-610R Ultra Slim Box, says it's 'world's slimmest' DVR

EchoStar outs its HDT-610R Ultra Slim Box, says it's 'world's slimmest' DVR originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 19:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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