MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'banking'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:02:52 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181756&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FU3o8oryzFoM%2F By Steve H. HankeWhen the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and the New York Times agree on the merits of a policy, readers will understandably be confused. At the annual rendezvous of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this past weekend, the IMF’s new managing director Christine Lagarde asserted that Europe’s banks should be recapitalized.  This, she claimed, would make the banks “safer” and improve the chances for European growth. On August 29th, I wrote that Ms. Lagarde had misdiagnosed Europe’s banking problems and is confused.  Indeed, her prescription would be deflationary and put more stress on Europe’s fragile economies. On August 30th, I criticized the Wall Street Journal’s editorial which praised Ms. Lagarde’s recapit... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181756 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:51:40 +0100 5181756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181773&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1565 Thanks to umbilical cord blood cells and a new way to increase the number of cells exponentially, this Colorado mother of 6 is on her way to getting better. After giving birth prematurely she began chemotherapy treatments as well an infusion of  almost 2.3 billion ( thats billion with a B!!) new cells harvested from umbilical cord blood.  It seems that this could be the wave of the future, and although this is still in its experimental stages, there is hope for this mom and many others. You can continue reading here. watch this video for a comprehensive look at umbilical cord blood banking.   {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181773 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:35:25 +0100 5181773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181764&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVpQSml_FhuQ%2F By Mark A. CalabriaI spend a lot of time pointing out government gone wrong.  Sadly it doesn’t take that much effort.  But occasionally you come across someone actually doing their job and trying to protect the taxpayer.  As illustrated in today’s Wall Street Journal, Edward DeMarco, the acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mae,  is such a person. Mr. DeMarco has continued to push back against repeated plans by the Obama Administration to use Fannie and Freddie as off-budget slush-funds (they seem to have forgotten such was one of the reasons we are in our current economic mess). As I explained yesterday, by pushing back DeMarco is simply carrying out the law as it was both written and intended.  It is pa... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181764 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:56:37 +0100 5181764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181767&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fu21IeDZ7E4I%2F By Steve H. HankeYesterday, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial endorsed IMF managing director Christine Lagarde’s call to recapitalize Europe’s banks.  Today, the Financial Times’ leader, “Ugly truths from a bold Lagarde” showers Ms. Lagarde’s proposal with praise. The F.T. speculates that “Perhaps Ms. Lagarde has seen the light with new advisers.”  There is evidence to suggest that this conjecture is not true.  In July 2011, when the IMF filed its Article IV consultation report on Mexico, the IMF made clear that increasing banks’ capital-asset ratios would act as a drag on Mexico’s money supply and economic growth.  In consequence, the IMF counseled Mexico to call a “time out” on increasing banks’ cap... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181767 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:48:13 +0100 5181767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181769&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FO8JYkfthuh4%2F By Steve H. HankeOn August 29th, I penned “Lagarde Confused, Again.” In it, I argued that Christine Lagarde, the new managing director of the International Monetary Fund, misdiagnosed Europe’s banking crisis. Ms. Lagarde’s assertion that Europe’s banks “need urgent recapitalization” is based on faulty economics. While the higher capital-asset ratios that Ms. Lagarde extols are intended to strengthen banks (and economies), higher ratios destroy money and are “deflationary.” This is not what a struggling Europe needs. Indeed, higher capital-asset ratios imposed on Europe’s banks at this juncture would virtually ensure that Euroland would take another dive. In consequence, some of the banks that were made “safer” by Ms. L... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181769 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:45:32 +0100 5181769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181774&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1553       There are days you can soothe your baby and then there are days you can’t.  We have ALL been there, and not just once! Each time your baby cries and can’t be soothed, we are thinking of the next step and solution. Sometimes all it takes is a certain way you are rocking them, or a certain type of music (maybe even your own voice!) Its easy to say either 1) i will pick them up or 2) i won’t pick  them up.  But when it comes right down to it each day and each time he cries and won’t stop is completely different from the time before. Here are some tips to help you cope with a crying colicky baby.  And even if your baby isn’t colicky, here are some suggestions to help you and your baby learn together  how to help each other. Its easy to ma... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181774 Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:57:43 +0100 5181774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174594&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKTSYkgJ3EdA%2F By Steve H. HankeChristine Lagarde, the new managing director of the International Monetary Fund and former French finance minister, is confused, again.  In her speech before the central bankers assembled in Jackson Hole, Wyoming this weekend, Ms. Lagarde asserted that the way forward for Europe was to recapitalize Europe’s “weak” banks.  This, she claimed, would cut the “chains of contagion” and promote growth. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Even the IMF, in its July 2011 Article IV consultations with Mexico, realized that mandating higher capital-asset ratios (recapitalization) for banks, would take some steam out of Mexico’s money supply growth and jeopardize Mexico’s economic recovery. It is rather easy to see why higher capital-... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174594 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:21:06 +0100 5174594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174598&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTCcIdXMaIRQ%2F By Mark A. CalabriaI’ve already mentioned how the rumored Obama plan to re-finance existing underwater Fannie/Freddie loans with new mortgages at as low as 4 percent would not actually do much, if anything, positive for the economy.  Even worse is that such a plan would likely require a massive infusion of taxpayer dollars into Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. First let us start with some basics about the Fannie Mae business.  According to Fannie’s most recent 10-Q (see page 28), Fannie’s current interest-earning assets, mostly mortgages, yield the company 4.59%.  However, Fannie has to fund those assets.  The cost of Fannie’s total current interest-bearing funding is 3.99%, leaving the company a spread of 60 basis points to cover its non-interest expenses.  What ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174598 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:47:13 +0100 5174598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169527&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FiJw-R41i5MA%2F By Daniel J. MitchellI’ve commented on the failure of Obamanomics, with special focus on how both banks and corporations are sitting on money because the investment climate is so grim. Not exactly flattering to the White House. Using Minneapolis Federal Reserve data, I’ve compared the current recovery with the expansion of the early 1980s. Once again, not good news for the Obama administration. And I’ve shared a couple of cartoons — here and here — that use humor to show the impact of bad public policy. But here’s a Bloomberg story that provides what may be the most damning evidence that the President’s big government agenda is a failure: U.S. regulators have asked some banks to take more deposits from large investors even if it’s unprofitable, and ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169527 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:09:27 +0100 5169527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158937&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F-_i5gdxQvno%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe New York Times has gotten Washington all worked up with the suggestion that we can turn around both the economy and the housing market if only Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac gave all underwater borrowers an automatic reduction in their interest rate.  The thinking, as illustrated by that world class economist Matt Yglesais, is  “with a lower monthly interest payment, an indebted household can pay down other debts more rapidly. A less-constrained household will increase its consumption of goods and services.”    What this misses is that a mortgage is one person’s liability, but another person’s asset.  By replacing a mortgage that yields 6% with a mortgage that yields, say, 4%, you decrease the value of that mortgage (or mortgage-backed secur... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158937 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:47:56 +0100 5158937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158944&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FhAxISFCLJSk%2F By Mark A. CalabriaI suspect not everyone looks forward to the latest issue of the Journal of Finance to the same extent I do. After all, most of the articles are fairly technical and generally lack a direct connection to public policy (my primary interest). The August issue, however, was a real exception, having a number of articles on issues related to the financial crisis. More importantly was a paper by Robert Novy-Marx and Joshua Rauh. The paper provides estimates for the unfunded liabilities inherent in our state public employee pension system.    Under fairly reasonable assumptions, the authors calculate that the net present value of unfunded liabilities is between $3.2 and $4.4 trillion. While that might seem small compared to the unfunded liabilities inherent in Medicare and ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158944 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:23:49 +0100 5158944 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158958&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D463 For years, we’ve been told that a woman may experience dental problems during pregnancy.  But popular wisdom has held that any extensive dental care to resolve a problem during pregnancy should be put on hold till after the baby is born to avoid any unanticipated issues with the treatment. Now a study reports that it is imperative to resolve dental problems when they happen and not to wait till post-delivery.  Apparently, the bacteria that may form as a result of dental problems can be transmitted to newborns in a number of ways common to mothering (you know, kissing your baby, feeding your baby, etc).  Infants are not born with bacteria in their mouths and the transmission of such can create “rampant tooth decay” in the child as he or she grows. So don’t avoid t... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158958 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:09:24 +0100 5158958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139704&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1537     According to the Orlando Sentinel, a new bill in Florida last month requires health care providers to educate their clients about cord blood banking options, including public and private banks. In addition, the Florida Department of Health website has now included a link to a non commercial site, www.parentguidecordblood.org which explains the process of collecting cord blood at birth, the options, costs and accreditation.  On this site is a cost comparison chart explaining initial and yearly costs  for some private cord blood banks. Once you have done research on each bank, try to find the one that has no yearly fee, it will ultimately cost much less over the span of 20 years. You can read more about it , here. {Click here for a free information packet and specia... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139704 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:21:42 +0100 5139704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139705&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1523       Whether you’ve known from day one that you’d be asking for an epidural or have your heart set on a medicine-free birth, here’s the lowdown on epidurals and how they can take some of the pain out of labor and delivery. Remember that we are all individuals and our different thresholds of pain span the gamut from high to low.  It is fortunate that for those who want medication, it is available.  Here is a comprehensive article about epidurals, what they are, how they work and who can best benefit from them.  You can read more here.   {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139705 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:34:53 +0100 5139705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5139703&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FIHjvbW8In5A%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe Washington Post is reporting that President Obama has assigned his staff with the task of designing a new set of government guarantees behind the U.S. mortgage market. Although as the Post also reports the “approach could even preserve Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” That’s correct. Despite their role in driving the housing bubble and the already $160 billion in taxpayer losses, President Obama appears to be considering just putting the same failed system in place. Of course, we’ll be promised that it will all work better this time. Perhaps most offensive is that the Post reports that Obama “officials don’t want to punish the thousands of Fannie and Freddie employees who have specialized knowledge about the mortgage market.” Serious... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5139703 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:04:20 +0100 5139703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125715&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_1II2_9D5Tg%2F By David BoazThe New York Times editorializes that the Federal Reserve should be “more aggressive” in pumping more money into the slow economy. A couple of weeks ago the Times was breathlessly hyping the mythical fear of “default” if the debt ceiling wasn’t promptly raised. With that problem out of the way, the paper now quietly recommends a slow default on the national debt: A more aggressive strategy would be letting inflation rise above the Fed’s comfort level of 2 percent or so to, say, 4 percent. That could help the economy by easing the repayment of debt. “Easing the repayment of debt”: that is, paying your creditors less in real terms than they had expected. That’s a slow-mo default. And it’s the path that Scott Beaulier and Pe... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125715 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:39:41 +0100 5125715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125719&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FN7EN95OQlFI%2F By Daniel J. MitchellAllen Meltzer, an economist at Carnegie Mellon University, writes today in the Wall Street Journal about the Fed’s worrisome announcement that it will continue the easy-money policy of artificially low interest rates. Professor Meltzer’s key point (at least to me) is that the economy is weak because of too much government intervention and too much federal spending, and you don’t solve those problems with a loose-money policy – especially since banks already are sitting on $1.6 trillion of excess reserves. (Why lend money when the economy is weak and you may not get repaid?) Meltzer then outlines some of the reforms that would boost growth, all of which are desirable, albeit a bit tame for my tastes: [T]he United States does not have the kind of problems that pr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125719 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:14:25 +0100 5125719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125720&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPNFMyAbivyw%2F By Mark A. CalabriaIt’s a little too early to really tell what is going on here, but it certainly looks suspicious to me that a week after the rating agency Standard &Poor’s downgraded the U.S. government, we now have the Securities and Exchange Commission starting an insider-trading investigation of who inside S&P worked on the downgrade.  This comes on top of an announced Senate probe into S&P’s decision. I’ve long argued for reducing the role and influence of the rating agencies when it comes to financial regulation.  One of the few things the Dodd-Frank Act got correct was pushing for a reduction in regulators’ reliance on the rating agencies.  But still, it is nothing short of hypocritical for the same parties who complained that the agenci... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125720 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:53:37 +0100 5125720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118619&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1506     Being a grandparent is easy, you get to lavish all the love and hugs to your new grandchild and then you get to leave. Or not.  Its a slippery slope being a grandparent these days.  There is so much information on the internet about  pregnancy, labor and delivery, cord blood banking, and child rearing that it is dizzying.  Things are different now than they were ‘back in the day’  and as grandparents you must learn to move forward with your child and grandchild in order to promote a successful grand-parenting experience for everyone. Here is a great article about how to do just that. {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118619 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:14:55 +0100 5118619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107487&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMeqx98JbX5Q%2F By Caleb O. BrownCato Senior Fellow Jagadeesh Gokhale argues today that S&P has left little doubt that credit rating agencies’ credibility has suffered because of the recent downgrade of U.S. Treasuries. He argues that the response from the President leaves much to be desired. On the tax increases proposed by the President today to cover entitlement spending, he says It’s basically impossible to tax our way out of this commitment. If we try to impose huge taxes on the backs of workers and younger generations, we will destroy the incentives to work and destroy the incentives to people who can provide capital to provide it in the U.S. They would take that capital and migrate to other shores. In other words, the taxes required to pay for past promises are uncollectible. Listen... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107487 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:45:02 +0100 5107487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107489&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F5kOy3w40Zrc%2F By Alan ReynoldsThe infamous $2 trillion error involved in the Standard and Poor’s downgrade was no mistake.  It was largely the result of an unseemly urge to take sides in the partisan struggle over near-term tax policy, with no weight at all given to longer-term entitlement spending. “Our ratings,” the agency later explained, “are determined primarily using a 3-5 year time horizon,” and “the ratings decision to lower the long-term rating to AA+ from AAA was not affected by the change of assumptions regarding the pace of discretionary spending growth.”  In other words, it’s all about taxes. Amazingly, the S&P analysts adopted the Congressional Budget Office “alternative” scenario as their so-called baseline.  In that scenario all Bush tax cuts remain in pla... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107489 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:34:54 +0100 5107489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107490&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FsIIy7QIG65A%2F By Daniel J. MitchellPresident Obama just spoke about the downgrade and his remarks were very disappointing. He uttered some empty platitudes, offered no plan, (amazingly) called for more government spending, and continued his advocacy of class-warfare taxation. So what does this mean? Other than expecting volatility, I have no idea what will happen in financial markets over the next few days. But I can opine about the downgrade, Obama’s unserious response, and what it means in terms of public policy over the next few years and into the future. Notwithstanding the President’s cavalier attitude, America is in trouble. But while the crisis is severe, we have some breathing room. Our fiscal crisis is akin to a very dangerous, but slow-developing cancer. It is not a car wreck with ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107490 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 18:59:48 +0100 5107490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107496&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1502         So here you are, your baby has arrived and what?? no manual??? We have all been to ‘that place’ where we just don’t know what to do with our) crying baby 2) wakeful baby and 3) always hungry baby. It isn’t as easy as  1) soothe  your baby 2) put y our baby to sleep and 3) feed your baby. Here are some helpful hints and answers to the out of the ordinary  questions about parenting and newborns. {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107496 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:13:39 +0100 5107496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107492&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKTBMGBPk7xM%2F By Daniel J. MitchellEven though I predicted it had to happen at some point because of the Bush-Obama spending binge and America’s giant long-run entitlement crisis, I confess that I’m somewhat surprised that the United States has suffered a debt downgrade for the first time. That being said, I don’t think the downgrade will matter. Everyone knew the U.S. was heading in the wrong direction before the announcement by Standard & Poor. Moreover, big investors have very few attractive options for where to place their money – thanks to a weak global economy. As such, I suspect the federal government will still be able to borrow money at very low rates. What does matter, however, is that the American economy is burdened with a bloated public sector that is sapping the nation’s econ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107492 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:12:13 +0100 5107492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096176&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1496       Expectant parents can announce the good news to their Facebook friends via a brand new Facebook family member status option. We’ve told you about the online blogging FB journal set up by some expectant parents.  This new section allows parents to be to update their pregnancy, including due dates, photos and perhaps the baby’s name.  Once added, the unborn child is listed alongside family members on the user’s profile, and a notification is posted on the user’s Facebook wall. Is this TMI? Or just another way to enjoy your pregnancy?  Its all about social media these days, so it seems appropriate to continue on this road. We are living in the virtual world, why not take advantage of it?? {Click here for a free information packet and special coup... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096176 Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:31:08 +0100 5096176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086151&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1488   If your body is lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, taking prenatal vitamins is a must.  Besides the obvious like calcium and iron, it is very very important to make sure you get enough folic acid. This helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects,such as spina bifida among others.  Making sure you are healthy inside and out during your pregnancy can only increase your chances of a having a healthy baby.  If you are planning on becoming pregnant, make sure to start taking your prenatal vitamins before you try to conceive. It can only help !! For answers from the community of thebump.com, you can read more suggestions and answers here.   {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }   (Source: Cord Blood... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086151 Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:20:02 +0100 5086151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077658&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpP3IYK-CIMs%2F By Mark A. CalabriaPreviously I’ve offered suggested readings for understanding the financial crisis.  Part II focused on “popular” works.  What follows is my list of suggested books, written mostly by academics, that give a more scholarly analysis of the crisis.  Also see my Part I.  They are, by definition, less accessible than the popular works, but they do generally offer consistent frameworks for understanding the crisis and rely more on explaining underlying forces, rather than focus on individuals.  All of these are also written for general audiences.  Again this is a highly selective list based upon the writings I’ve found insightful. 1. Getting Off Track, by John Taylor. (4 stars) Short and focused on role of monetary policy in driving housing bubble... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077658 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 01:24:37 +0100 5077658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077662&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOErsIXsuuXQ%2F By Neal McCluskeyA couple of days ago I blasted President Obama for, in repugnant tradition, using “education” as a political weapon, invoking it to scare Americans into demanding increased taxes for “the rich.” House Speaker John Boehner, thankfully, did not abuse education similarly in his rebuttal. But his proposal for raising the debt ceiling illustrates just how weak the GOP’s commitment is to returning the federal government to its constitutional — and affordable — size. And I say this not because of the relative puniness of his proposed cuts, but what the proposal would do in education, the only area it specifically targets: increase funding for Pell Grants. Now, I know what many people will say to this: Pell is a de facto ent... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077662 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:46:25 +0100 5077662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069452&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1470       Since its inception in December, the Harlem Hospital has collected 20 units of cord blood, well above their expectations and a desperately needed boost in the African-American and Latino communities where donations of bone marrow and cord blood lag severely behind that of whites. Umbilical cord blood has unique characteristics that make it desirable for transplants. Of the 9 million potential bone marrow donors on the national registry, only 650,000  — or 7 percent — are African American. Caucasians make up almost 80 percent of the national donor registry . It’s a disparity that leaves African Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans at risk of dying from diseases that might be treated, said Dr. Edgar Mandeville, director of Obstetrics and Gynecolo... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069452 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:45:06 +0100 5069452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069582&cid=t_125539_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fuse-phrs-remains-weak While the HITECH incentives are intended to move the country toward comprehensive use of EHRs, many HIT proponents have been banking on patient demand for access to their records as the real key to pushing providers forward. The problem, however, is that if the use of Personal Health Records (PHRs) is taken as a good indication of growing patient interest, that demand is still barely registering. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069582 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:14:04 +0100 5069582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062221&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKxQymlbHfrs%2F Last week I offered my suggestion on the one book you should read, if you really want to understand the financial crisis. In this Part II, I offer a list of popular books, mostly written by journalists, along with very brief thoughts.  Part III, to come, will focus on more “scholarly” books. As general rule, these popular books lack a theoretical framework of the crisis. They often have the feel of a “bad people did bad things” narrative. These are only books I’ve actually read (and remember), so its a selective list. Some are insider stories of only a single firm, and hence, somewhat limited in their usefulness. I will also give little evidence behind my judgments, so if you don’t value my opinion, stop reading now.  1. All the Devils Are Here... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062221 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:34:33 +0100 5062221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062226&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FFGsoGrS2IEA%2F I’ve argued that the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill does not end “too-big-to-fail”, that is the belief that certain companies are implicitly backed by the government because policy-makers are unlikely to let said institutions actually fail. By naming some companies as ”systemically important” — as required by Dodd-Frank — the government is actually sending a signal as to who is likely to be bailed out. As evidenced by regulators’ behavior during the financial crisis, the prime beneficiaries would be the creditors of these companies, as even when shareholders and management suffered, creditors generally did not. This should allow such firms to borrow at a cost lower than firms not deemed systemically important. Given this funding... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062226 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:53:37 +0100 5062226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062228&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_DLOOm8e3pY%2F Lost in all the concerns over how Moody’s and S&P will view any deal to raise the debt ceiling and whether such a deal addresses our country’s long term budget imbalances is the fact that at least three rating agencies have already downgraded U.S. government debt.  One of these agencies, Weiss Ratings, treats U.S. government debt as barely better than “junk” or speculative grade. It would be easy to dismiss these agencies as irrelevant and attempting to simply grab attention, but at least one of these agencies, Egan-Jones, has a track record of correctly predicting problems at such companies as Enron, WorldCom, Global Crossing, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers that the major rating agencies missed until it was too late.  Egan-Jones also employs a business mode... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062228 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:49:04 +0100 5062228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057715&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FlXYcBJQ_gTI%2F One commonly heard refrain is that the deregulation of banking caused the financial crisis.  To those of us that have actually spent years working on banking policy, such a claim is met with surprise.  What banking deregulation?  The usual response, with generally an absolute lack of detail or argument, is the repeal of Glass-Steagall by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB).  When the proponents of this claim bother to offer any explanation (in some circles simply invoking the name “Phil Gramm” substitutes for any analysis), it usually goes like this: With Glass-Steagall dead and gone, financial institutions were now free to grow large. That’s taken from the recent book Reckless Endangerment.  What it misses that is that Glass-Steagall placed zero constraints on th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057715 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:45:56 +0100 5057715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050541&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1462     Examiner.com/Grand Rapids MI has just posted a comprehensive article explaining cord blood banking, its uses and what to look for if you are choosing to  bank your baby’s cord blood privately as well as publicly.    The author,  Nancy Zielinski, is an expert in the fields of public and sexual health. You can read more here. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050541 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:11:57 +0100 5050541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050542&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1459       Have you seen the summer forecast across the country???? The heat wave started in the West and is gradually moving towards the East Coast. Here  are a few suggestions on how to have fun, safely, in the sweltering summer heat…. If you go to the beach, earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon after 4:00 are the best times to keep you and your family from sunburn.  Remember, you still need sunscreen  but the sun is at its hottest mid-day. Wearing a hat and a lightweight cover-up are 2 excellent ways to prevent sunburn as well. Wearing a hat can prevent sunstroke, when your body cannot manage its temperature. Re-apply, re-apply, re-apply…..we’re talking sunscreen….. an SPF above 30 or 40 is generally considered adequate. If you go to th... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050542 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:53:09 +0100 5050542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050532&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FR2RynRhlT88%2F When I turned to today’s Wall Street Journal editoral page, I thought it had been replaced by the Onion, for here was Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner offering a version of history that bears little resemblence to the truth.  But then again this is the same guy who claimed he’d never been a bank regulator despite having been President of the NY Federal Reserve (before and during the crisis). Maybe the most humorous lines:   “The president made two key decisions…second, he asked us to write draft legislation rather than propose broad principles. The president did not want the new rules to end up being written by those who brought us to the edge of catastrophic financial failure.”  Then why in the world was Mr. Geithner included in the writing of the bill. ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050532 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:09:51 +0100 5050532 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050543&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1441   An umbilical cord blood transplant is a procedure used to treat various forms of blood disease, such as leukemia, certain types of anemia, and other forms of cancer. The umbilical cord contains stem cells, which can develop into healthy blood cells. Cord blood for an umbilical cord blood transplant can be used from the patient’s own umbilical cord, if it was banked, or from a donor’s cord blood. Banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood is very important in case your child ever needs it. There are many diseases it can help such as cerebral palsy, leukemias, myeloldysplastic syndromes (pre-leukemia) lymphomas, Erythrocyte, and other bone cancers. Read here for  more extensive information on wisegeek.com If you  go to this non commercial site and check out the comp... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050543 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:52:53 +0100 5050543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050538&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGYJccU4NxN4%2F I really couldn’t find anything in John Tamny’s fairly critical review of Reckless Endangerment by Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner to disagree with, but still I liked the book.  That may be because I spent most of the last decade as a staffer on the Senate Banking Committee, and I know that Josh was one of the few raising the early alarm bells about Fannie, Freddie (and FHA). But I’ve also come to conclude that I liked the book because pretty much everything I’ve read on the financial crisis, regardless of who wrote it, has some pretty big flaws.  So now I have a pretty low bar for what’s acceptable.  While Reckless Endangerment has lots of flaws too, it has fewer than the typical book on the crisis. Anyway, in thinking about the many books out there,... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050538 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:36:33 +0100 5050538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036222&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1451         Sometimes, people just say the wrong thing, other times they say nothing at all.  Giving advice to a pregnant woman is never, ever, a good idea, even if you have the best of intentions.  People mean well, but there are times during pregnancy that we just want to make the  important decisions that are right for us.  Topics from having pain medications during labor and delivery, to breast feeding are very personal indeed.   Read here for one woman’s take on getting advice from other new moms, and people who think their advice is the last word.. {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036222 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:29:33 +0100 5036222 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028138&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FyZZPNvIJeBs%2F By Mark A. CalabriaIt’s probably never wise to inject oneself into the middle of a food fight, but since I think both sides actually have something right and something wrong, its been a worthwhile debate to follow.  That is the ongoing debate between Peter Wallison at the American Enterprise Institute and David Min at the Center for American Progress (at least we can all agree we love America) on the role of Fannie Mae (and Freddie Mae) in the financial crisis.  If you can’t guess, Peter says Fannie/Freddie caused the crisis, David says they didn’t. David makes an interesting point, one I’ve actually argued, in his latest retort.  That is, this wasn’t exclusively a housing crisis/bubble.  Other sectors, like commercial real estate, boomed and then went bus... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028138 Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:40:43 +0100 5028138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028162&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1432 Cord-Blood Banking Here is an excerpt from an article on kidshealth.org After a baby is delivered, the mother’s body releases the placenta, the temporary organ that transferred oxygen and nutrients to the baby while in the mother’s uterus. Until recently, in most cases the umbilical cord and placenta were discarded after birth without a second thought. But during the 1970s, researchers discovered that umbilical cord blood could supply the same kinds of blood-forming (hematopoietic) stem cells as a bone marrow donor. And so, umbilical cord blood began to be collected and stored. What are blood-forming stem cells? These are primitive (early) cells found primarily in the bone marrow that are capable of developing into the three types of mature blood cells present in our blood �... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028162 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:20:54 +0100 5028162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028147&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F4231jWwU4m0%2F By Mark A. CalabriaWith the one-year anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Act approaching, it seems a reasonable time to ask if the Act achieved one of its primary stated goals:  ending the too-big-to-fail status of our largest banks.  After all, we are beyond the financial panic and the Act has had a year to work. Now one could simply ask, what does the law say?  Well, to give its proponents some due, Dodd-Frank does suggest in a few sections that large banks, or other companies, will not be rescued.  But then previous laws also said that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac wouldn’t be rescued either.  So much for the letter of the law.  And of course there are various holes in Dodd-Frank that do allow bondholders to be rescued.   Section 204 is very clear that the FDIC can buy the outsta... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028147 Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:33:19 +0100 5028147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028163&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1428 The quiet, the calm, the massage, the alone time…… When you are pregnant, your body can ache, you may get headaches from hormones or exhaustion. You might feel nauseous  and over all malaise.  If you have the time try to get a prenatal massage. During pregnancy, women suffer from all sorts of discomforts.  Unfortunately, traditional medicine offers few ways of alleviating these problems. By learning how to soothe aches and pains with safe, therapeutic massage techniques, moms-to-be can learn to better cope with the changes of pregnancy.   Learning how to take charge of her own pregnancy can help an expecting mom feel healthier, more energetic, and more in-control physically and mentally. You can read more here to learn how to de-stress and take care of YOU!   {Click... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028163 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:08:13 +0100 5028163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028159&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrISi8iwgfnw%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe House of Representatives is scheduled this week, as early as today, to consider an extension and “reform” of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), administered by FEMA. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the NFIP has been about $18 billion in the hole. And this is from a program that only collects around $2 billion a year in premiums, which barely covers losses and expenses in a normal year. So make no mistake, the NFIP is still on course to cost the taxpayer billions more in the future. Even before Katrina, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the NFIP was receiving a subsidy of close to a billion dollars a year. Under CBO’s optimistic projections, the House’s reform bill would increase NFIP revenues by about $4 billion over th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028159 Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:21:28 +0100 5028159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5029257&cid=t_125539_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F07%2Faabb-smartbrief-article-from-mark-poolriversidehealthcarenet.html Studies: Mismatched cord blood, marrow transplants can be effective Results of transplants with unrelated umbilical cord blood or mismatched bone marrow were comparable with results of transplants that used fully matched tissue, according to two studies involving patients with advanced leukemia or lymphoma. The studies, reported in Blood, found that the one-year survival rate for those who had unrelated cord-blood transplant was 54% and 62% for those who underwent mismatched bone marrow transplant. "Taken together, these results set the stage for a multicenter, randomized phase III trial to evaluate the relative risks and benefits" of such regimens, the researchers said. MedPage Today (7/9) (Source: The Daily Sign-Out) The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5029257 Mon, 11 Jul 2011 18:09:16 +0100 5029257 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008136&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FCw0aYNlrScs%2F By Mark A. CalabriaIn the fall of 2008 a considerable amount of ink was spilt arguing that we needed to save the then big-five investment banks, or else our financial markets would come to a halt.  One could easily get the impression from the debate that these five firms were the entire industry.  At the time these five included Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Lehman and Bear Stearns.  Before we go around rescuing companies, it would seem reasonable to ask if the rest of the industry could pick up their capacity.  Of course, if there is no “rest of the industry” then that question is easily answered. So what exactly did the investment banking industry look like in 2008?  The best source of public information we have is the 2007 Economic Census, conducted by the U.... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008136 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 01:54:38 +0100 5008136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008157&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1420       Below is an excerpt from an article in the Orlando Sentinel about cord blood, its uses, and how people can go about understanding its benefits and even why they should bank it in the first place. “On a lawn beneath Florida Hospital’s Walt Disney Pavilion, NASCAR drivers and their cars were on hand Thursday morning to promote a new program that banks umbilical-cord blood. Beyond the cars, cameras and festival atmosphere is a new partnership between the hospital and a group that collects and stores cord blood from new mothers for procedures that can cure as many as 70 diseases. The program at Florida Hospital will allow pregnant women to donate their cord blood after they deliver their babies. That blood is rich in stem cells, the versatile cells that ca... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008157 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:59:25 +0100 5008157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008158&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1412 sci·at·i·ca –noun 1.  pain and tenderness at some points of the sciatic nerve, usually caused by a prolapsed intervertebral disk; sciatic neuralgia. 2. any painful disorder extending from the hip down the back of the thigh and surrounding area. Unfortunately, sciatica is one of the most painful types of back pain and is common in pregnancy. It usually occurs when the baby shifts or moves and lands on a nerve. Tips to alleviate the pain might include, getting off your feet , if only for a little while, while sitting, raise one leg on a step stool or a pile of books.  You can read more here for other tips and helpful hints to ease the pain of sciatica.   (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008158 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:45:44 +0100 5008158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008155&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZM20phiwWic%2F By Daniel J. MitchellI’m not a big fan of the rating agencies. I’ve warned in TV interviews that they generally wait too long before downgrading profligate governments. So when the rating agencies finally catch up to everyone else and lower their outlook for failing welfare states such as Greece and Portugal, one would think that this would be seen as a useful – albeit late – warning sign. But European politicians are not very happy about this development. At the risk of mixing metaphors, they want everyone to keep their heads buried in the sand and to continue complimenting the emperor on his new clothes. Here are some excerpts from a BBC report. The European Commission has strongly criticised international credit ratings agencies following the downgrade of Portugal by Moody�... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008155 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:29:15 +0100 5008155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008159&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1408     July is Cord Blood awareness month. What exactly is cord blood? Umbilical cord blood is the blood collected from the umbilical cord immediately following the birth of a child. This blood provided nourishment for the baby during pregnancy, but once the baby is delivered, umbilical cord blood is no longer necessary. Umbilical cord blood is rich in multipotent hematopoietic “stem cells” (or blood stem cells). These cord blood stem cells produce the cellular ingredients necessary for the blood and the immune system. When the umbilical cord blood cells are transplanted into patients, they can help restore the immune and blood systems to help fight diseases and replace diseased blood. Collecting your child’s umbilical cord blood and saving it in a cord blood ban... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008159 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:45:35 +0100 5008159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992654&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2f2OvaNvszk%2F By David BoazOur friend Alberto Mingardi of the Bruno Leoni Institute in Italy writes about the Greek crisis: In a way, the most surprising element of the Greek disaster is that taxpayers in other European countries aren’t outraged at being called to rescue an economy that has been marching towards disaster for so long. The legitimate fear of contagion affecting other European countries is now being used to persuade the electorates outside Greece that: first, Greece has not manufactured its own fate, but is rather the victim of “locust-like” speculators and, second, a Greek bailout would be an indictment of the European social model, that is, the welfare state. Where European public opinion is collapsing under its contradictions is in the attempt to reconcile the idea of the EU as th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992654 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:53:28 +0100 4992654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992666&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1403       So our SO’s are feeling a little neglected so they came up with a great way to bond and share beer. What could be better? Dad-to-be parties — also called “dadchelor,” or “forefather” parties — have become more popular in the past few years. For the most part, these aren’t sleazy retreads of “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” bachelor bashes. Instead, participants say, this new male-bonding ritual is all about welcoming a major milestone that, for today’s hands-on dads, is even more life-changing than marriage. Read the rest of the article here. These days men are just as excited to become Dads and they have just as many apprehensions as we do. Perhaps given a place to hang as an informal gathering, they can get informati... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992666 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:03:56 +0100 4992666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984704&cid=t_125539_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2011%2F06%2Flower-blood-tranfusion-rates-as-a-metric-for-high-quality-care.html Generally speaking, I think that the amount of blood transfused to a patient can and should be used as a metric for the quality of care delivered by physicians, particularly surgeons. I have long been aware of differences in transfusion rates by hospitals or by regions of the country. Much of this can be explained by local customs and norms rather than well defined standards of care. When I was a blood banker back in the 1970's, one of the hospital cardiac surgeons would frequently transfuse six units of blood for a CABG when type-and-screen was the common blood order for the same procedure at the Cleveland Clinic. Once again, or perhaps still, the amount of blood being transfused is in the news. (see: Too many blood transfusions? New standards urged). Below is an excerpt from a recent... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984704 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:03:47 +0100 4984704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984428&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1400         As any pregnant woman knows, once you’re with child, it seems like everyone’s got something to say. And while it’s often with the best intentions, some people don’t seem to realize that they’re talking to a very hormonal, uncomfortable, and extremely hungry woman-on-the-verge, whose emotions are so whacked out that she’ll either burst into tears or cut you. Right now, it’s not a good time! You can read here for a list of what NOT to say.. {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }   (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984428 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:59:54 +0100 4984428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975830&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F5wSlBN3174w%2F By Daniel J. MitchellIt appears that American taxpayers are about to subsidize another Greek bailout (via the Keystone Cops at the IMF). This is way beyond economically foolish. It is also morally offensive. To turn Winston Churchill’s famous quote upside down, “Never have so many paid so much to subsidize such an undeserving few.” Let’s start with a few facts: Greece’s GDP is roughly equal to the GDP of Maryland. Greece’s population is roughly equal to the population of Ohio. Despite that small size, in both terms of population and economic output, Greece already has received a bailout of about $150 billion (actual amount fluctuates with the exchange rate). Don’t forget the indirect bailout resulting from purchases of Greek government bonds by the European Central Bank. No... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975830 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 15:11:00 +0100 4975830 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975834&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqV6NneC-OkM%2F By Tim LynchOver at NRO, Mark Steyn on last Friday’s order that Conrad Black report back to federal prison: With a system that relies on multiple charges and an ability to pressure everybody else in the case to switch sides, you can win (as Conrad did) nineteen-twentieths of the battles and still lose the war. He’s a wealthy businessman, and nobody has any sympathy for those. But it’s even worse if you’re a nobody. A New Hampshire neighbor of mine had the misfortune to attract the attention of federal prosecutors for one of those white-collar “crimes” no one can explain in English. The jury acquitted him in a couple of hours. Great news! The system worked! Not really. By then, the feds had spent a half-decade demolishing his life, exhausting his savings, wrecking his m... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975834 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:07:55 +0100 4975834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975838&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FvJgnjNUGgPE%2F By Mark A. CalabriaI wasn’t in the mood Friday to celebrate the 73rd birthday of the federal minimum wage, created under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.  Looking at youth unemployment numbers can be a little depressing.   Those figures should, however, sober up anyone who is still drunk under the spell of thinking the minimum wage has no impact on unemployment. The chart above shows the increase in unemployment overall (right axis) and the unemployment rate for workers age 16 to 19 (left axis).  The difference between these two numbers usually runs about 10 percent, even in good times.  Notice that when the minimum wage was raised in July 2009, overall unemployment had started to level off, while youth unemployment sky-rocketed.  We also witnessed a big spike in youth un... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975838 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:12:13 +0100 4975838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968472&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1391     A new study reported by Reuters from the  European Heart Journal describes the effects on children whose mothers smoked while they are pregnant.  The study indicates that smoking in pregnancy can lead to lower levels of  HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol thus making them more prone to heart disease later in life. “Our results suggest that maternal smoking ‘imprints’ an unhealthy set of characteristics on children while they are developing in the womb, which may well predispose them to later heart attack and stroke,” said David Celermajer, a professor of cardiology at the University of Sydney. Read here for more information {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood Ne... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968472 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 20:30:16 +0100 4968472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968468&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7ysC4iXEvsw%2F By Mark A. CalabriaAt the heart of Europe’s bailout of Greece is concern over the solvency of European banks, particularly those in France and Germany.  The largest holders of Greek sovereign debt include BNP Paribas, with over a 5 billion euro exposure, and Societe Generale (didn’t we bail them out of their AIG exposure too?).  Perhaps it is lucky timing that international bank regulators begin meeting Friday to negotiate a revised set of standards for bank capital, under the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.  The previous standards, known as Basel II, played a central role in encouraging European banks to load up on Greek debt.  Under Basel II the amount of capital a bank has to set aside to cover the default risk of any given asset is supposed to be “risk-bas... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968468 Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:36:22 +0100 4968468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960049&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1385     It  never hurts to add one more benefit to  breastfeeding. According to WhattoExpect.com here  is yet another good reason to breastfeed your baby. Researchers found that infants who are even briefly breastfed are 60% less likely to be affected by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than babies who aren’t breastfed at all. And that percentage grows the longer the baby is breastfed. You can read more here..   {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! }   (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960049 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:53:17 +0100 4960049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4960040&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FHTG8W7uWsNE%2F By Mark A. CalabriaOne of the primary reasons the labor market remains weak is that construction activity is relatively low, resulting in a reduced demand for construction workers.  My friends in the building industry argue that because housing starts are at historic lows, we are actually not building enough housing.  While I’m open to that as a possibility, and believe it to be the case in select markets, nationally the evidence suggests otherwise. First of all, the monthly supply of new homes — that is the time that would be required to sell off the current inventory — is still relatively high at just under seven months, as shown in the following figure. Granted this is significantly below the 12 month peak we saw at the beginning of 2009. So without a doubt this number is mo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4960040 Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:10:18 +0100 4960040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952793&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FDGqSypCChvo%2F By Mark A. CalabriaI almost hesitate to suggest that anyone actually read Alan Blinder’s defense of Keynesian economics in today’s Wall Street Journal, except that the piece lays out clearly in my mind why Blinder is so wrong.  The only part you really need to read is: In sum, you may view any particular public-spending program as wasteful, inefficient, leading to “big government” or objectionable on some other grounds. But if it’s not financed with higher taxes, and if it doesn’t drive up interest rates, it’s hard to see how it can destroy jobs. So in Blinder’s world, deficits are explicitly not future taxes, despite what I believe is a fairly strong consensus among economists that some form of Ricardian equivalence holds (see John Seater&#... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952793 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:40:22 +0100 4952793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952804&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F04p9GU35RGM%2F By Daniel J. MitchellOne of the tax increases buried in Obamacare was an onerous and intrusive “1099″ scheme that would have required businesses to collect tax identification numbers for just about any vendor and then send paperwork to the IRS whenever they did more than $600 of business. Send one of your sales people to New York for a couple of nights? They would have to get the tax ID for the hotel and submit a form to the IRS. Buy a printer for the office? The printer company would need to provide a tax ID and the purchaser would have to submit a form to the IRS. o Have a retirement dinner for somebody in the accounting department? Get the restaurant’s tax ID and submit another form to the IRS. This system was seen as a nightmare, even leading to rather amusing cartoons mocking ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952804 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:55:16 +0100 4952804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952807&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FwsPZxFTvNJQ%2F By Steve H. HankeThe rate of broad money growth (M3) in the United States is weak (see the accompanying chart).  The ultra-low federal funds rate (0.25%) has acted to keep a lid on broad money growth and, in turn, economic activity.  Yes, “low” interest rates imposed by the Fed are contributing to a credit crunch and anemic money growth.  But, wait.  This is counter-intuitive.  And if that’s not enough, it’s not what the textbooks tell us, either. While the Fed has pumped huge quantities of so-called high powered money into the economy, the U.S. is paradoxically facing a credit crunch.  Banks have utilized their liquidity to pile up cash and accumulate government bonds and securities.  In contrast, bank loans have actually decreased since May 2008.  And since credit is a s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952807 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:45:07 +0100 4952807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952814&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1374         Here is an article which explains that by saving their sons’ umbilical cord blood, they ultimately saved his life.                                                   The parents of Jesse F.decided to bank his cord blood ‘just in case’.  Lucky for him that they did. They used his own stem cells when chemotherapy  was so intense that it destroyed his bone marrow. Today, Jesse is a thriving 10 year old. Read here for more information. Banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood is very important in case your child ever needs it. There are many diseases it can help such as cerebral palsy, leukemias, myeloldysplastic syndromes (pre-leukemia) lymphomas, Erythrocyte, and other bone cancers. If you  go to this non commercial sit... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952814 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:59:47 +0100 4952814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934123&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1366       We all know about Facebook. We all know that we can re connect with old friends and make new one via this site.  However, the parents of this yet unborn baby have already made a page for her and while doing so created an online journal of their nine months of pregnancy.  Many days  had posts of the baby girl’s progress and the daily accounting of the parents as well.  Although Facebook does not allow underage children to have their own page, this was created, obviously, by her parents for good natured reasons. It became a way for their families to keep in contact with one another as well as with the parents-to-be…read more here Creating a journal helps us remember the little things, like when we first felt a kick or heard a heartbeat. In addition i... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934123 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:24:26 +0100 4934123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934116&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fe1beF_fA0Do%2F By Mark A. CalabriaOne of the biggest inside-the-Beltway battles continues to be over the nomination of Elizabeth Warren to head the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  Recently the White House floated the name of Raj Date, one of Ms. Warren’s hand-picked staffers at the CFPB, as a substitute.  Many on all sides of the issue continue to wonder why the White House doesn’t just nominate Warren and make Republicans (and not a few Democrats) vote against her.  After all she appears to be beloved on the Left.  Perhaps the White House already knew what I had suspected, but only recently confirmed: that Professor Warren is neither as well known or liked as commonly believed.  A recent poll in Massachusetts by Democratic pollsters Public Policy Polling, who tend t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934116 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:08:36 +0100 4934116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934124&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1363     Many factors play a part in predicting gestational diabetes. Being aware of the possibility that you may be at risk is the first step in being able to manage it during your pregnancy.  Women with gestational diabetes have higher overall risk during pregnancy, including higher risk of cesarean delivery, neonatal intensive unit admissions, and overall serious injury at birth. Remember knowledge is power and the more you know the more you can be prepared and have the healthiest pregnancy you can have. Read more: http://technorati.com/women/article/predicting-gestational-diabetes-is-it-possible/#ixzz1PHe6OtfC   {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934124 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:24:17 +0100 4934124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921392&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMFX0MWafTOw%2F By Neal McCluskeyThe following is cross-posted from the National Journal’s Education Experts blog. This week’s topic: Whether new ”gainful employment” regulations for higher education are too little, too much, or just right: I agree largely with Steve Peha — our policies and mindsets have made “college” synonymous with “job training,” and that has led to huge inefficiencies. But there is an even deeper problem: government aid, both to students and schools. The most aggressive opponents of for-profit schooling to have posted thus far appear to agree that taxpayer-funded student aid is what for-profit institutions are after. No doubt the critics are, for the most part, right. But there is another side to this equation: The aid also enables stu... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921392 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:21:39 +0100 4921392 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921396&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKyovaxBLj6s%2F By Neal McCluskeyOver at the New America Foundation’s “Higher Ed Watch” blog, Stephen Burd purports to know “the truth behind Senate Republican’s boycott of the Harkin hearing.” And what is that truth? Republicans are trying to “discredit an investigation that has revealed just how much damage their efforts to deregulate the industry over the past decade have caused both students and taxpayers.” Really? Okay, it is possible that Republicans are trying to save themselves some sort of blame or embarrasment — I can’t read their minds — but if so they’ve done a terrible job. Every time Harkin holds one of his hearings the bulk of the media coverage treats it like it has revealed shocking abuse by the entire for-profit se... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921396 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:54:55 +0100 4921396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911460&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7aevM6o7g8Q%2F By Mark A. CalabriaYou might have heard of Peter Diamond, he recently won the Nobel Prize in Economics and earlier this week withdrew his nomination to the Federal Reserve Board. But maybe you have not heard of Paul Pate. Mr. Pate, former Republican mayor of Cedar Rapids, Iowa was nominated by President Bush in 2003 to fill a seat on the board of the National Institute of Building Sciences. I remember it well, as I handled that nomination as staff for the Senate Banking Committee. So what exactly do Mr. Diamond and Mr. Pate have in common? They were both nominated for positions they could not legally hold. I’ve written elsewhere about Mr. Diamond’s situation. Mr. Pate was barred from serving on the NIBS board due to an ownership interest he had in an asphalt company. Bush&#8217... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911460 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 18:07:13 +0100 4911460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902704&cid=t_125539_155_f&fid=38409&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropathologyblog.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Famerican-brain-banking-network-renamed.html Piotr B. Kozlowski, MD, PhDFrom Dr. Piotr B. Kozlowski, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York City: "The website of the brain banking network formerly known as the American Brain Banking Network (ABBN), is now renamed as the International Brain Banking Network and its website can be found at http://www.intbbn.org/  "Please have a look at this website, still in a nascent state, and if the information regarding your brain/tissue bank needs to be updated, please let me know."Dr. Kozlowski's email address is piotr.kozlowski@touro.edu (Source: neuropathology blog) neuropathology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902704 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:33:00 +0100 4902704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902408&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FvibE5rjCuMw%2F By Mark A. CalabriaToday Nobel Prize-winning economist Peter Diamond announced he is withdrawing his nomination to the board of governors of the Federal Reserve System.  Professor Diamond, in the pages of New York Times, blames the opposition to his nomination on both partisan politics and what he sees as a misunderstanding of the relationship between unemployment and monetary policy.  Mr. Diamond, however, is the one with a fundamental misunderstanding.  We all know unemployment is an important issue and needs to be addressed.  The question is whether it can be addressed with loose monetary policy.  Mr. Diamond apparently believes it can.  There are many who believe it cannot.  If all our labor market problems could be solved with loose money, then we’d already be at full... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902408 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 15:08:29 +0100 4902408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883555&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKW1EQMnEyew%2F By Daniel J. MitchellWay back in February of 2010, I wrote that a Greek bailout would be a failure. Not surprisingly, the bureaucrats at the International Monetary Fund and the political elite from other European nations ignored my advice and gave tens of billions of dollars to Greece’s corrupt politicians. The bailout happened in part because politicians and international bureaucrats (when they’re not getting arrested for molesting hotel maids) have a compulsion to squander other people’s money. But it also should be noted that the Greek bailout was a way of indirectly bailing out the big European banks that recklessly lent money to a profligate government (as explained here). At the risk of sounding smug, let’s look at my four predictions from February 2010 and se... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883555 Tue, 31 May 2011 20:19:10 +0100 4883555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883558&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOQRfT8bXzW4%2F By Mark A. CalabriaOn July 8th, Sheila Bair will step down as Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).  While I believe she’s gotten a lot wrong (such as not preparing the fund for the coming crisis), she has been about the only voice among senior bank regulators for actually ending too-big-to-fail.  With her departure, we might lose that one voice.  Later this year, Kansas City Fed President Tom Hoenig is also scheduled to leave his current position. Hoenig has actually gone beyond Bair in trying to address too-big-to-fail, having called for the largest banks to be broken up.  While I don’t believe that should be our first approach, having an advocate for both the taxpayer and the overall economy at the helm of the FDIC could make a significant difference... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883558 Tue, 31 May 2011 16:09:00 +0100 4883558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883562&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1348 Is saving your child’s cord blood a wise investment for future stem cell therapy?  That is the question many parents are asking when they learn they are pregnant. CNN reports via parenting.com that it is important to do your research carefully and find the appropriate cord blood bank that fits your needs.  According to the article it can cost $3600 or more over the course of your 18 year investment.However, MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories is 55% less costly than other banks which charge a yearly fee to store the blood. The reason? MAZE does NOT charge an annual fee, rather, they have one price which can be paid in full or over time, and that is it.  You can read here for further information. {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Labora... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883562 Tue, 31 May 2011 16:08:52 +0100 4883562 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883561&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_mOCBcVrqZE%2F By David BoazEconomist John B. Taylor reviews Reckless Endangerment by Gretchen Morgenson and Joshua Rosner: The book focuses on two agencies of government, Fannie Mae and the Federal Reserve. The mutual support system is better explained and documented in the case of Fannie, the government-sponsored enterprise that supported the home mortgage market by buying mortgages and packaging them into marketable securities which it then guaranteed and sold to investors. The federal government supported Fannie Mae — and the other large government-sponsored enterprise, Freddie Mac — by implicitly backing up those guarantees and by providing favorable regulatory treatment and protection from competition. These benefits enabled Fannie to rake in excess profits — $2 billion in excess, according t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883561 Sun, 29 May 2011 18:12:19 +0100 4883561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862510&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FYucnq5cUyoY%2F By Jim HarperIf you haven’t seen it already, be sure to give a read to Friedman Prize winner Hernando de Soto‘s recent piece in Business Week, “The Destruction of Economic Facts.” It’s a fascinating perspective on the economic and financial turmoil that is wracking the United States and the world. As de Soto perceives more easily from working in developing economies, an important input into functioning markets is good information—about property, ownership, debts, and so on. The “destruction of economic facts” is one of the roots of instability and uncertainty in Europe and the United States: “In a few short decades the West undercut 150 years of legal reforms that made the global economy possible.” The law and markets are informat... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862510 Wed, 25 May 2011 15:42:19 +0100 4862510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862514&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FBrZgMjl4-q0%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThere’s a great piece in the spring issue of The Independent Review on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke by San Jose State Professor Jeffrey Rogers Hummel.  Although a bit long, its well worth the read for anyone wanting to understand both Bernanke’s thinking and his actions during and since the financial crisis. First, Prof. Hummel discusses the differences between Bernanke’s and Milton Friedman’s explanations for the Great Depression.  Those that debate whether Bernanke’s actions, especially the quantitative easings, would be approved of by Friedman will get a lot out of this discussion.  From this comparison, you get the point that Friedman was concerned about overall credit conditions and liquidity, whereas Bernanke is less focuse... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862514 Tue, 24 May 2011 19:15:18 +0100 4862514 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4847938&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZwzZiYZdhbw%2F In this study Swami Aiyar takes on another bad idea: creating an IMF currency to rival the dollar. The IMF—A Reading List is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4847938 Fri, 20 May 2011 21:08:23 +0100 4847938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841432&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fws-YuYnwqiQ%2F By Mark A. CalabriaWith Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK to his friends and lovers) having finally resigned as head of the International Monetary Fund, the race has begun among those in Europe who wish to succeed him.  First, the real debate should be over how soon can we shut down the IMF, not over who should be reaping the spoils.  Its original purpose under Bretton Woods became irrelevant decades ago.  And while it found a new role as bailout fund for international banks, this new role is not one we should be supporting. Given we are probably stuck with the IMF, the question becomes who should run it.  Europeans are now arguing that the European sovereign debt crisis displays the need for Europe to remain in control.  In fact I believe it demonstrates the opposite: European polit... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841432 Thu, 19 May 2011 15:19:14 +0100 4841432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828862&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FIwlo5uy3QJk%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThere’s a lot of buzz about a Wall Street Journal interview with Stanley Druckenmiller, in which he argues that a temporary delay in making payments on U.S. government debt (which technically would be a default) would be a small price to pay if it resulted in the long-term spending reforms that are needed to save America from becoming another Greece. One of the world’s most successful money managers, the lanky, sandy-haired Mr. Druckenmiller is so concerned about the government’s ability to pay for its future obligations that he’s willing to accept a temporary delay in the interest payments he’s owed on his U.S. Treasury bonds—if the result is a Washington deal to restrain runaway entitlement costs. “I think technical default would... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828862 Mon, 16 May 2011 13:48:30 +0100 4828862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820812&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FjmWaKEP5nYU%2F By Mark A. CalabriaToday the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the consumer price index (CPI) numbers for April, which generally gives us the best picture of inflation.  The headline number is that between April 2010 and April 2011, consumer prices increased 3.2 percent, as measured by the CPI.  Obviously this is well above 2 percent, the number Ben Bernanke defines as “price stability.”  Setting aside the reasonableness of that definition, there is definitely some mild inflation in the economy. Also of interest in the April numbers is that if you subtract housing, which makes up over 40% of the weight of the CPI, then prices increased 4.2 percent — twice Bernanke’s measure of stability.  What has always been problematic of the housing component is that its large... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820812 Fri, 13 May 2011 18:50:38 +0100 4820812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820830&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1340     Two words which become elusive as the months go on. Sleep and Pregnancy.  For a safer pregnancy, make sure to sleep on your left side as it increases blood flow and nutrients to the baby.  For the first twenty weeks it is safe to sleep on your back but after that it isn’t advisable  because of the pressure your body puts  on your arteries.  Also, it’s perfectly fine to use an electric blanket when you’re pregnancy, just make sure your body temperature does not go above 120 degrees. Here are some great tips on how to get the best and safest sleep during your pregnancy. {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood Laboratories! } (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820830 Fri, 13 May 2011 17:52:37 +0100 4820830 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813268&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1330         Finding out you are pregnant is one of the most exciting things about having a baby. But how soon is it to take a test? and how accurate can they be at such an early stage.  Are there some which are more accurate than other?   Woahhhhh!  These are all great questions which can be answered in a comprehensive article written by our friends over at  Whattoexpect.com .Here is an article on the best way to get accurate information on whether you are pregnant or not. Click here for more information. Once your pregnancy is confirmed by a home test you should schedule an appointment with your ob/gyn to start a good vitamin and healthy eating regiment. This is also a great time to start doing research on banking your child’s cord blood.  Click here for a co... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813268 Tue, 10 May 2011 17:22:45 +0100 4813268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803058&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1326     Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer’s  son was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia. He and his wife (at the time) decided to have stem cells transplanted from a healthy sibling to Carmani, who has the disease.  Its  been 4 years since then and all is well with the little boy once diagnosed with the devastating disease. “It teaches you how precious life really is,” Boozer said, remembering the profound effect of witnessing families losing their children. “You can’t really sweat the things that don’t matter.” You can read the entire article here. THere are many diseases that can be treated with stem cells and the list is growing all the time. Read here for a list of conditions treated with stem cells and consider banking your newbo... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803058 Mon, 09 May 2011 19:06:39 +0100 4803058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789206&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqBLMXiSqPJc%2F By Mark A. CalabriaI’ve long suspected that the primary reason much of the residential real estate industry supports subsidies such as Fannie Mae or the mortgage interest deduction is in the belief that such subsidies increase house prices.  And when your income is commission based, higher prices do indeed sound pretty good from the perspective of the industry.  Of course, we also hear that the industry supports these subsidies because they want everyone to be a homeowner, wave the flag and have plenty of apple pie.  Yes, those seemingly industry subsidies are really for all of us.  Perhaps the best one  I heard recently was that homeownership subsidies promoted self-reliance.  Here I was thinking subsidies are the opposite of self-reliance.  Silly me. But if the price of a go... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789206 Thu, 05 May 2011 18:54:26 +0100 4789206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789227&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1316   On the most recent episode of The Doctors on CBS is an awesome segment about stem cells and cord blood. The Doctors answer a question from a women deciding whether she should store her third child’s cord blood. The collective answer was a resounding ‘yes’.  They speak about the overwhelming and positive potential of stem cells and cord blood. If stored, your family is protected should the need  for a stem cell transplant arise. The Doctors call it insurance. Hope that you have it if necessary, just like any other insurance.  They explain that the benefits outweigh the costs and to make sure the company you choose is accredited and approved by the FDA. In addition, they note that some companies charge a yearly fee, however, MAZE Cord Blood Bank charges only a... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789227 Wed, 04 May 2011 19:11:28 +0100 4789227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789220&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fl6rZ5DLuA-4%2F By Mark A. CalabriaLast week I participated on a panel on federal rental housing policy, organized by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies in conjunction with the release of their new report on conditions in the rental market.  In their defense, the report does attempt to avoid offering policy prescriptions.  But the report does come pretty close to suggesting that we spend more on federal rental housing assistance.  In the post-housing bubble  environment, many, myself included, have dared suggest that there’s nothing wrong with someone being a renter, and that maybe we pushed too many into homeownership. But saying we overdid homeowneship is not the same as saying we ignored rental.  In fact the federal government has spent massive amounts on rental housing, yet ac... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789220 Wed, 04 May 2011 18:01:28 +0100 4789220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780300&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1307         IF you are pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant shortly, May is Pregnancy Awareness Month. Created by an author and lifestyle expert, Anna Getty, and  producer and mompreneur Alisa Donner.Four initiatives for pregnancy awareness are education, exercise, nutrition and wellness. The idea was  ’born’ while trying to integrate these elements into our daily lives while we are pregnant. Hopefully they will continue after labor and delivery and become second nature in our everyday lives. Read this article for more information. Remember also to research and choose a cord blood bank where you can store your baby’s umbilical cord blood with no monthly fee. {Click here for a free information packet and special coupon for MAZE Cord Blood ... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780300 Tue, 03 May 2011 20:40:23 +0100 4780300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780292&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F-bKAEJ36A_Q%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe Wall Street Journal has pointed out that in his recent press conference Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke used the words “inflation expectations” (or some variation) 21 times. His argument is that we need not worry about inflation because we will see it coming, and then the Fed will do something about it. Such an argument relies heavily on the ability of inflation expectations to predict inflation. Which of course raises the question, just how predictive are inflation expectations? The graph below compares inflation, as measured by CPI, and inflation expectations, as measured by the University of Michigan consumer survey, the longest times series we have on inflation expectations. Clearly the two move together. For instance, the correlation between c... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780292 Tue, 03 May 2011 17:17:37 +0100 4780292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775371&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FwF5RMZLRSBs%2F By David BoazLast week all the guests on NPR’s Diane Rehm Show said Ron Paul was bad, very bad, to question the legitimacy of the Federal Reserve Board. (Very near the end of the show.) Diane responded by saying that Paul would be interviewed on the show the following week, but the show’s website didn’t confirm that. Now it does. Tomorrow, Tuesday, at 10 a.m. ET, Ron Paul discusses his new book Liberty Defined on the Diane Rehm Show. Expect tough questions and lots of callers. If taxes and inflation make it impossible for you to afford Paul’s new book, you can always read his book The Case for Gold for free online. Ron Paul on Diane Rehm is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775371 Mon, 02 May 2011 15:40:04 +0100 4775371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762756&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1288         The big day has arrived, your contractions are minutes apart, and you’re on your way to the hospital. The idea of finally getting to hold your perfect baby in your arms helps you through the contractions. Already your mind is dancing with visions of your baby’s future — first smile, first tooth, first word, first step, holidays, and sporting events. The furthest thoughts from your mind are the first illness or, should the unspeakable happen, your child ever became seriously ill. No parent wants to think their child might get sick someday but it is wise to consider the possibility. There is a decision available when your baby is born that could greatly influence his future health. It’s the decision to bank your infant’s cord blood. So much media attent... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762756 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:36:40 +0100 4762756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4758742&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqriEL585sqM%2F By Steve H. HankeThe public has finally started to give President Obama’s economic policies a big “thumbs down”.  This shouldn’t surprise anyone who is familiar with the Misery Index. While President Obama sings the glories of big government, it is ironic that he has been marked by the curse of government failure.  One metric that measures how this curse will affect the President’s performance is the Misery Index (see the accompanying chart). The Index is calculated by adding the difference between the average inflation rate over a president’s term and the average inflation rate during the last year of the previous president’s term; the difference between the average unemployment rate over a president’s term and the unemployment rate during the last month... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4758742 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:14:55 +0100 4758742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753665&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FEysqe_Q8ZR0%2F By Mark A. CalabriaApril 27th begins a new chapter in Federal Reserve history: the Fed joins other major central banks in having a press conference after its monetary policy meetings (the Federal Open Market Committee).  Apparently the record lows in public support for the Fed, along with rising gas and food prices, have driven Bernanke to attempt to change the narrative.  After all, his appearance on “60 Minutes” did wonders for the Fed’s reputation.  I’m excited to hear even more about his childhood in Dillon, South Carolina or his time working at South of the Border.  Maybe an enterprising reporter could ask how much menu prices at South of the Border have increased since Bernanke took over the Fed. Perhaps you’ve noticed that I don’t have high ex... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753665 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:57:13 +0100 4753665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753677&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1281           Deciding  what tests you want to have while you’re pregnant can be mind boggling. You can choose no testing at all with the thought that you wouldn’t terminate the pregnancy anyway. Or you can choose blood tests only because they are less invasive. You can also choose to have all the tests with the idea that knowing before hand is a comfort for you.  This is one of the most personal decisions you will ever make during your pregnancy. Usually  a  pregnant women can have a basic screening test followed by a diagnostic test to confirm or deny the earlier results.  They are usually more conclusive. Other tests may include an amniocentesis, where fluid is removed and analyzed for possible genetic defects. In addition, many women have rou... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753677 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:00:58 +0100 4753677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747604&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1282       From the moment you find out that you are pregnant, your mind is going in 1000 different directions.  First and foremost, usually, is how to have a healthy pregnancy, labor and delivery. There are a few things you can do immediately which add to yours as well as your baby’s health.First, drink plenty of water and although you might be inclined to use those nifty water bottles, the truth is that the water in them is not as regulated than that of tap water. Buyer beware. Next, find those vegetables!  Shop local if you can and remember to always wash them right before you eat them. They will stay fresher longer that way. Whenever possible, walk instead of using the car. You will get the exercise you need while helping the environment as the same time.  If you ... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747604 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:34:13 +0100 4747604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747602&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOOz5ZFxMdvA%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThere hasn’t been much good economic news in recent years, but one bright spot for the economy is that the United States is a haven for foreign investors and this has helped attract more than $10 trillion to American capital markets according to Commerce Department data. These funds are hugely important for the health of the U.S. financial sector and are a critical source of funds for new job creation and other forms of investment. This is a credit to the competitiveness of American banks and other financial institutions, but we also should give credit to politicians. For more than 90 years, Congress has approved and maintained laws to attract investment from overseas. As a general rule, foreigners are not taxed on interest they earn in America. Moreover, by not... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747602 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:40:43 +0100 4747602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734055&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fmk_JJ-d9Xfs%2F By Jagadeesh GokhaleYesterday I had an op-ed in Politico suggesting that U.S. lawmakers should consider not raising the federal debt limit (at least for now). I argued that freezing the ceiling would assure investors that the United States is serious about reducing its debt, and that it would serve as a commitment device for lawmakers and President Obama to forge and follow a serious debt-reduction strategy. A financial website writer named Joe Weisenthal strongly disagreed with my column. He seems to misunderstand several of the points that I was making, and so I offer the following response to his comments: From Weisenthal’s post: Another day, another economist advocating that the US default on its debt. The latest is Jagadeesh Gokhale of the Cato Institute, who has a big piece advo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734055 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:31:10 +0100 4734055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734681&cid=t_125539_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2011%2F04%2Fexactly-who-are-served-by-medical-professional-societies.html As a result of the political flap around Dr. Lazar Greenfield and the American College of Surgeons (ACS), he has resigned as the incoming president of the society. Here's an excerpt from the latest article (see: Head of Surgeons Group Resigns Over Article Viewed as Offensive to Women): The president-elect of the American College of Surgeons resigned his position Sunday after weeks of controversy surrounding a Valentine’s Day editorial he wrote touting the mood-enhancing effects of semen on women during unprotected sex....Dr. Greenfield, 78, was the editor in chief of Surgery News when the editorial was published but resigned that position in the wake of the controversy; the entire issue of the newspaper was withdrawn. He is an emeritus professor of surgery at the University of Michig... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734681 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:54:48 +0100 4734681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4723786&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNFg2b0upjHA%2F By Walter OlsonAs Iain Murray points out at National Review‘s “Corner,” there’s no date on the calendar each year that reminds us, the way income tax filing day does, of the huge share of our economic labors that the government commands in the name of regulation. In part this is because the costs of regulation are even better disguised than those of taxation: while paycheck withholding may lull us into complacency about our income tax burden, it is downright transparent compared with the costs of regulation, which the ordinary citizen may never recognize when passed along in the form of higher utility bills or sluggish performance by some sector of the economy. Iain notes the good work done by his colleagues at the Competitive Enterprise Institute: Regulations cost... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4723786 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:19:45 +0100 4723786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4719883&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F34bI-IHWah4%2F By Daniel J. MitchellBy taking advantage of  “must-pass” pieces of legislation, Republicans have three chances this year to restrain the burden of government.  They didn’t do very well with the “CR fight” over appropriated spending for the rest of FY2011, which was their first opportunity. I was hoping for an extra-base hit off the fence, but the GOP was afraid of a government shutdown and negotiated from a position of weakness. As such, the best interpretation is that they eked out an infield single. The next chance to impose fiscal discipline will be the debt limit. Currently, the federal government “only” has the authority to borrow $14.3 trillion (including bookkeeping entries such as the IOUs in the Social Security Trust Fund). This is a ver... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4719883 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 16:57:04 +0100 4719883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714722&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FQ6GH8zSP-7k%2F By Thomas FireyWith gasoline in the United States moving toward (and in some places, above) $4 a gallon and motorists understandably unhappy, there is a growing desire to blame someone for the high prices. Previous gas price spikes in 2006 and 2008 brought blame upon ”Big Oil” (meaning firms like Exxon-Mobil, BP, Royal Dutch/Shell, et al., which really are just mid-sized oil — but whatever), the Bush administration and Republicans, environmentalists, and the federal government. But 2011 offers a new leader in the blame game: speculators. From Capitol Hill lawmakers, to business columnists, to finance websites, to activist websites, to newspaper articles, to letters to the editor and hyper-forwarded emails, people are calling out trading in the oil and gasoline futures ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714722 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 20:03:37 +0100 4714722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4714728&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1269 Choosing where and how to bank your baby’s umbilical cord blood often brings many questions to light. For instance, if a transplant is needed, and you’ve stored your baby’s cord blood in a public facility, finding a match can be difficult. Private banks may charge a yearly fee after an initial payment. You might want to find one that only charges a one time fee.  After all, there are private banks and public banks and each has its own list of positives and negatives. Listed here are answers to some basic questions to help you make an informed decision on cord blood banking. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4714728 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:56:22 +0100 4714728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704636&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1266 During the middle trimester of pregnancy, its important to start coordinating all post birth lists. Choosing a pediatrician can be difficult if you haven’t received a recommendation.  Because we all have different parenting styles  and have different needs, babble.com has come up with 12 questions you might ask a pediatrician as you are interviewing them.  Yes, that’s right YOU are interviewing them!!  You might want to find out their opinion is  on cord blood banking, whether or not they know of certain banks which provide the service without a yearly fee. Or you may want to find out their willingness or unwillingness to prescribe antibiotics, what their opinion of breast-feeding vs bottle feeding is or how their parenting advice compares with your own.  Read he... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704636 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:42:51 +0100 4704636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4704637&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1263 A new study has come out  extolling the virtues of adding a little bit of sunshine and vitamin D to your everyday routine. Pregnant women should have Vitamin D levels tested as there may be a link between a deficiency and diabetes. No need to get your bathing suit on and run to the beach, but just an average walk around the block  or going to a playground may add the necessary VItamin D that the sun provides . This  article has more information on the sun, vitamin  D and pregnancy. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4704637 Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:33:44 +0100 4704637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696608&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPkaC9qB_l8c%2F By Daniel J. MitchellI’m not a big fan of the IRS, but usually I blame politicians for America’s corrupt, unfair, and punitive tax system. Sometimes, though, the tax bureaucrats run amok and earn their reputation as America’s most despised bureaucracy. Here’s an example. Earlier this year, the Internal Revenue Service proposed a regulation that would force American banks to become deputy tax collectors for foreign governments. Specifically, they would be required to report any interest they pay to accounts held by nonresident aliens (a term used for foreigners who live abroad). The IRS issued this proposal, even though Congress repeatedly has voted not to tax this income because of an understandable desire to attract job-creating capital to the U.S. economy. In oth... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696608 Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:00:46 +0100 4696608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693265&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fuh40eOjEgtc%2F By Mark A. CalabriaEarlier this week I repeatedly heard the claim that if the federal government does not guarantee credit risk in the mortgage market, foreigners won’t buy U.S. mortgage-related debt.  Before we test whether that claim is true, let’s first determine just how important are foreign investors in the U.S. mortgage market. For the most part, foreign investors do not hold U.S. mortgages directly, but either hold Fannie and Freddie debt and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) or hold private-label MBS.  As the private-label securities lack a government guarantee, we can ignore that segment of the market.  The chart below depicts the percentage share of foreign ownership of these securities in recent years: The chart illustrates that, at times (particularly around ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693265 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:21:02 +0100 4693265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684284&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1250 This article cites possible problems and answers to these very sensitive questions. It covers all the bases from sexual positions to high risk pregnancies. Remember to include the expectant Dad in the important decisions regarding Cord Blood Banking. Click on the link here for information about it that you might forward to him. Here is a video  by Dr. Michael Werner explaining in detail the process and the successes of umbilical cord blood banking. Read here for more information. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684284 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:05:19 +0100 4684284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676752&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2dyd59SbZYU%2F By Mark A. CalabriaOne of the rationales commonly given for massively subsidizing our mortgage market is that without such homeownership would be out of reach for many households.  Such a rationale implies that more debt should be associated with more homeownership.   (Let's set aside the obvious, how are you actually an owner without any equity?) But is that the case.  The chart below compares the homeownership rate with the average debt-to-value ratio of U.S. households.  (Data on debt-to-value is from the Fed's Flow of Funds and homeownership is from the Census Bureau). By 1960, the homeownership rate was already over 60%, yet debt-to-value was less than 30%, half of the current value.  Even in 1990, when homeownership reached over 64%, debt-to-value was still under 40%.  From... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676752 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 20:24:55 +0100 4676752 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4676768&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1230 In the United States and in countries around the world, Earth Day is a time when adults and children alike honor the planet by learning what they can do to protect and clean up the environment, raise awareness about environmental health issues, and gather public support for positive change. There are many ways in which you can get involved in your own community. FIrst and foremost, Practicing the 4 Rs whenever possible: reduce, recycle, and re-buy and reuse. And speaking of reusing, consider banking your baby’s cord blood for use at a later time if necessary. Cord blood is the blood left over in your baby’s umbilical cord immediately after birth. Your practitioner harvests the blood in a quick, easy, and painless procedure. Just like any insurance, pray that you have it but pray t... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4676768 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:53:54 +0100 4676768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670096&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1246 April Fools Day, April 1,  Social Media giant Mashable.com has come up with a few very funny April Fools videos.You can see them here.  Do you have any funny or endearing April Fools Day stories? Share them with  us! (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670096 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:56:30 +0100 4670096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664158&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1235 Way back, somewhere deep in our memories are those cute little togs which were so easily matched that anyone ( and i mean anyone  ; ) ) could do it???  That’s right, Garanimals. Well, they’ve  grown up, er, they have come of age, the internet age that is.  Thanks to our friends over at I Could Cry but I Don’t Have Time and Amy Z. here is a great blog with lots of information and everything and anything, from Earth Day to everything newborn, to fashion to technology. They include SAHMs, WAHMs, and bloggers who want to make a difference. Read here for more information on Earth Day at Garanimals. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664158 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:17:55 +0100 4664158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658367&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1225 This article acknowledges that just because we know the basics about reading to your child,perhaps a little more information could be helpful, especially if this is your first child. It explains how frequently your should read to your child, how it helps in their vocabulary and listening skills and also their focus and attention skills. A truly helpful article. Read more here. Before you give birth it is highly recommended that you do some of your own reading on birth plans, basic infant care and cord blood banking. For each of these, do  your own research and find the best one for you. When deciding on a cord blood bank, choose the bank that has no yearly costs and is FDA accredited, and read here for a comparison between public and private banks.You can also listen here as ... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658367 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:29:34 +0100 4658367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653319&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1222 Having a “green pregnancy” isn’t about morning sickness. During the nine months of pregnancy, more women are paying attention to what’s going on outside of the womb, in an effort to protect the health of their baby inside the womb. Every day there seem to be more  and more ways to protect yourself and your baby from external health hazards. We all know the hazards from second hand smoke and the  consequences it has. But there are unseen hazards you may be unaware of. From a ‘green’ diet to ‘green’ cleaning products you  can learn more to protect yourself and your LO. This is an outstanding article explaining the green-ness of pregnancy. While your are making sure you have a heathy pregnancy, remember to do your research on cord blood banking. and find... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653319 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:14:23 +0100 4653319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642579&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1219 Cold season is upon us and if we are run down and tired we are more susceptible to infection. Because nature has a way of  preparing your body for pregnancy, your immune system is being suppressed in order keep the pregnancy viable. So building your immune system is the first line of defense to stave off those winter cold germs. From eating germ fighting foods to taking supplements, you can get through your pregnancy with little or no illness. Follow this link for more information. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642579 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 14:59:25 +0100 4642579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642575&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0-9tGgFrTbk%2F By Daniel J. MitchellA previous post of mine at International Liberty addressed the debate over whether Republicans should trim the IRS's budget. The following case study should convince everyone that the answer is a resounding yes. First, some background from a Joe Nocera column in the New York Times. The federal government made a rather troubling decision a few years ago to investigate, prosecute, and ultimately imprison a random home-loan borrower named Charlie Engle for the crime of mortgage fraud. Mr. Engle is far from blameless in this saga, but I noted in another post that it was rather odd that the government would target a nobody while letting all the big fish swim away. This episode certainly paints a picture of a government that has one set of rules for ordinary people, but a... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642575 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:08:00 +0100 4642575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4631462&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fnt-CJoPq2Mk%2F By Mark A. CalabriaToday Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke announced he would hold four annual press conferences, after select meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee.  The first such meeting will be on April 27 and will be webcast. While I generally haven't been a fan of Bernanke's policy decisions, many of his "process" decisions, such as holding these press conferences, have been moves in the right direction of greater Fed communication with the public.  The Fed took some bold moves during and since the financial crisis -- often without a word to the public.  Indeed, it is interesting that this announcement comes only a few days after the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of the Bloomberg suit demanding Fed disclosure of banks assisted during the crisis.  It remain... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4631462 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:26:59 +0100 4631462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4626795&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1213 Genetic diseases affect an estimated 12 million Americans, yet according to a survey of 1,000 people conducted by the Genetic Disease Foundation (GDF), while two-thirds of those surveyed were willing to and saw the benefits of undergoing genetic testing, close to 80 percent had never talked to their physician about genetic screening – an inconsistency that can have serious implications on a person’s overall health and the health of their immediate family members.  Read here for an extensive article about genetic testing and questions to ask yourself and your significant if you should seek genetic testing and what to do with the results. These questions are all part of preparing yourself and your SO for the birth.Other questions may include the decision to bank your baby’s cord b... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4626795 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:24:09 +0100 4626795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615085&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1207 As delayed childbirth becomes more common, more women over 40 are becoming pregnant.  Recent evidence has suggested that there is an increase in complications in the last trimester of pregnancy in women over 40, even when accounting for risk factors such as maternal medical disorders (for example, diabetes and hypertension) and fetal anomalies. There are things we can do try to have  uncomplicated pregnancies in women over 40 years old. To find out more read here. Banking your baby’s cord blood is an insurance plan so that if the needs arises, their own stem cells can be used. Click here for a list of some of the illnesses cord blood may be able to help. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615085 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:23:22 +0100 4615085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615083&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FwQVFtpMI84E%2F By Daniel J. MitchellTo put it mildly, the Federal Reserve has a dismal track record. It bears significant responsibility for almost every major economic upheaval of the past 100 years, including the Great Depression, the 1970s stagflation, and the recent financial crisis. Perhaps the most damning statistic is that the dollar has lost 95 percent of its value since the central bank was created. Notwithstanding its poor performance, the Federal Reserve seems to get more power over time. But rather than rewarding the central bank for debasing the currency and causing instability, perhaps it's time to contemplate alternatives. This new video from the Center for Freedom and Prosperity dives into that issue, exposing the Fed's poor track record, explaining how central banking evolved, and mentio... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615083 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:07:28 +0100 4615083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610794&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F-CmQhTHrVgc%2F By Mark A. CalabriaDebates over the causes of the financial crisis sometimes center on whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were "late to the party" in terms of subprime lending.  As it relates to the recent crisis, I address this question elsewhere.  The GSEs and their apologists do claim to have been big contributors to one party: the expansion of homeownership in the United States.  Yet the facts suggest otherwise. The chart below compares the GSE's market-share, in terms of home mortgage lending (as reported in the Fed's Flow of Funds data), with the national homeownership rate (as reported in the Decennial Census).  The chart makes readily apparent that the largest increases in homeownership occurred before the GSEs played much of a role, if any, in the mortgage market.  For ins... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610794 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:04:15 +0100 4610794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610799&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1203 No matter how painstakingly daddies-to-be pore over the pregnancy and parenting guides, there’s invariably a lesson or two they’ll overlook about dealing with a new baby and a postpartum woman. And, according to some new moms, guys tend to miss the same few things over and over. Here are the top things women wish new dads knew (yes, there’s an entire section dedicated to diapers) The central theme seems to be: communicate. If our SO never learned or doesn’t have that ‘gene to know how to change a diaper,’ talk, talk talk.  Thats the best way NOT to fight or get angry or begin to resent them. Here is an article explaining how empathy can get you through those rough patches.. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610799 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:07:22 +0100 4610799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605814&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1199 In the world today we can do our part to ’save the world.’  If each person takes on just one of these ideas, the world is well on its way to becoming a better place for all of us.  We need to prepare the Earth for ourselves as well as those we are leaving behind, our most important resource, of course, this is our children, our legacy . Care2.com is an amazing website which illustrates wholesome and natural living while combining that our with the everyday  lives.  Here is a great article about the ways in which we, as women (and men) can do our part in helping to save the world. Another very important way to give back is to find a cure for many diseases such as some childhood cancers, cerebral palsy and other spinal cord injuries. We can bank our baby’s umbilical... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605814 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:40:59 +0100 4605814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600516&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FnBZjUjXk7YU%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThanks to Denver lawyer Kevin Evans, who filed the Freedom of Information Act Request, we now know that several employees of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) might have missed the financial crisis because their eyes were glued to their computer screens watching porn. The chart below shows the number of incidents, as reported by the SEC's Inspector General.  What caught my eye was that the number of porn-viewing incidents shows a massive spike in 2008, when the financial crisis was at its worst. It should, of course, be noted that the overall level of incidents was small in number, so we shouldn't draw too many conclusions about the SEC overall.  We should, however, be concerned at at least one of these employees was being paid $222,418 a year.  I might be... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600516 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:51:11 +0100 4600516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600517&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1YSRhz1002k%2F By Neal McCluskeyAn explanation for explosive college prices that's very popular with ivory-tower apologists is that state governments have been ruthlessly "defunding" higher ed for years, forcing schools to raise prices. Two new reports help to make clear -- as I have argued many times in the past -- that this simply doesn't hold water. The first report is the annual State Higher Education Executive Officers' State Higher Education Finance Report.  While it shows that on a per-pupil basis state and local funding has declined over the last few years, total amounts have risen pretty steadily since 2000. Adjusted for inflation, total state and local support dipped from $81.3 billion in 2000 to $78.0 billion in 2005, ballooned to $87.1 billion in 2009, then dropped just a bit to $85.5 ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600517 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:49:04 +0100 4600517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592360&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FV43-r6AbKQI%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe Washington Post is reporting that current Federal Housing Administration (FHA) head David Stevens, who only last week announced he was leaving FHA, is going to be the new head of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). When Stevens was first nominated to head FHA, I have to admit I was concerned.  FHA has a long history of prioritizing the interests of the mortgage industry over that of the taxpayer.  And here was a guy right out of the real estate industry (former Freddie Mac exec).  My expectations weren't exactly high.  Maybe because of that, I've been largely impressed.  As FHA Commissioner, Stevens has taken eliminating fraud seriously, as well as avoiding a taxpayer bailout of FHA (so far). All that said, it is hard to imagine that in under a week's time, ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592360 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:22:09 +0100 4592360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592373&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1194 One of the leading experts on blood and marrow transplantation, Joanne Kurtzberg, MD, was the first physician to use umbilical cord blood from unrelated donors to cure cancers and life-threatening genetic disorders and Duke University. In this recent article she answers many questions about cord blood, its benefits and what the future holds for the science of umbilical cord blood transplantation. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592373 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:35:44 +0100 4592373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592362&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FY7tesAuqJ3E%2F By Mark A. CalabriaAs Congress and the White House continue to debate the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, one of the oft heard concerns is that if we eliminate all the various mortgage subsidies in our system, then the cost of a mortgage will increase.  There certainly is a basic logic to that concern.  After all, why have subsidies if they don't lower the price of the subsidized good.  Of course some, if not all, of said subsidy could be eaten up by the providers/producers of that good. All this begs the question, with all the subsidies we have for mortgage finance, are mortgages actually cheaper in the U.S.?  While not perfect, one way of answering that question is to look at mortgage rates in other countries.   Although every developed country has some sort of government in... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592362 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:19:20 +0100 4592362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592374&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1189 The second trimester is great for traveling, as long as you take a few precautions. Planning a vacation or weekend getaway  is definitely a good way to relax and enjoy your time with your significant other. If you are planning to fly take a few precautions such as drinking a lot of water before during and after the flight and not sitting for too long in your seat. Walk up and down the aisles if necessary. ( You can be sure there will be at ONE trip to the lavatory!) Our friends over at thebump.com have answered some important questions regarding travel during the middle three months of your pregnancy. You can read here are a few tips to keep yourself (and baby!) safe and comfy on the road and in the skies. While you are away, it might be a good time to have ‘those discussions&#82... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592374 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:00:42 +0100 4592374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570534&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1172 We have all been told of the  negative effects of smoking during pregnancy, but here is yet another article stating devastating defects in children whose mothers smoked while pregnant. The new medical study found a connection between smoking during pregnancy and certain defects such as those that obstruct the flow of blood from the right side of the heart into the lungs and openings between the upper chambers of the heart. Therefore, according to a statement released by CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, women who are thinking about having a baby or they are already pregnant should quit smoking immediately as tobacco can affect children’s health.Read here for more information. In addition, consider banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood in the event that he/she will need it i... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570534 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:31:05 +0100 4570534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570527&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGUU2a_74L4w%2F By Mark A. CalabriaWith State AGs and the Federal Government pushing to further extend the mortgage foreclosure process for late borrowers, one might assume that these government officials believe that further delay has no costs, and is at most a transfer from the lender to the borrower.  Judging from the results of a recent working paper, by economists Shuang Zhu and Kelley Pace at Louisiana State, they would be wrong.  Further foreclosure delays impose significant costs, not just on the economy and lenders, but also on other borrowers. Zhu and Pace start with the observation:   "The longer the period between first missing payment and foreclosure sale, the more valuable the default option becomes. The borrower preserves the option to either keep defaulting or cure the default in the f... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570527 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:19:05 +0100 4570527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565891&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1181 Cheers to the women in your life, those who surround you when you need them most, the women who raised you, nursed you, yelled at you and comforted you in times of need.  Yesterday was the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. Not that we needed a day to recognize the power of women because we’ve all seen it firsthand , but just in case you’re having one of those days, the team over at Fitpregnancy.com has a  wonderful article expressing the power of women. Relax and enjoy! Also, remember  those who might benefit from cord blood transplantation. Those whose lives hang in the balance of the hope that cord blood cells collected at birth just might be their only answer. Baby JOhn is such patient. Here is a short video about his successful cord blood transplant. ... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565891 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:24:44 +0100 4565891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560254&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1162 According to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the study indicated an association between use of the drugs and a modest risk of congenital heart defects, as well as a heightened risk for spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis and was reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis was based on the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997 to 2005) including data gathered from across 10 states. CDC researchers found that between 2 percent and 3 percent of mothers who took prescription painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone (Oxycontin) either just prior to becoming pregnant or early in their pregnancy,  the risk of their newborn having a serious heart defect known as hypoplastic l... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560254 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:26:50 +0100 4560254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560613&cid=t_125539_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2011%2F03%2Fblood-bank-personnel-serving-as-epic-consultants-is-this-a-good-idea-.html In a recent note, I discussed the idea that Epic is providing incentives for larger hospitals to serve as hosting sites and consultants for smaller ones (see: Epic Helps Convert Its Large Hospital Customers into Epic Hosting Sites/Consultants).The overarching strategy is obvious for hospital CEOs/CIOs -- it binds the smaller hospital to the larger one. Healthcare reform is stimulating many such mergers/realignments (see: Hospital Executives Search for the Formula for an Accountable Care Organization). However, the question should to be raised whether there are any unanticipated surprises when entering into such relationships. Below is an on-point item copied from a lab/pathology web forum (see: Epic (Beaker) Lab Module): THintz: At our facility we use Epic for our HIS and Sunquest for our ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560613 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:03:11 +0100 4560613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4552152&cid=t_125539_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F03%2Fsolving-the-puzzle-of-henry-viii.html ScienceDaily (Mar. 3, 2011) — Blood group incompatibility between Henry VIII and his wives could have driven the Tudor king's reproductive woes, and a genetic condition related to his suspected blood group could also explain Henry's dramatic mid-life transformation into a physically and mentally-impaired tyrant who executed two of his wives. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303153114.htm# Fascinating medical history article!  The Kell blood group system is probably the third most important blood group system (after ABO and Rh) because Kell antigens are highly immunogenic and Kell antibodies can cause hemolytic transfusion reactions and hemolytic disease of newborn.  Fortunately, only about 9% of whites and 2% of blacks are K positive; so although K an... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4552152 Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:23:00 +0100 4552152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549744&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1155 Here is an amazing story about the success of umbilical cord blood transplantation.  Baby John is living proof that cord blood can be a tremendously valuable safety net for your baby.  Click ‘play’ the youtube video above for the inspiring story. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549744 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:26:46 +0100 4549744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549737&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FVNcSGn3W7Js%2F By Neal McCluskeyBecause the evidence of wrongdoing and evasion is so clear, and the effect has been so damaging, I have devoted a lot of pixels to the GAO's horrendous "secret shopper" report on for-profit colleges, as well as the stonewalling about what caused the initial report to be so biased. A potentially even bigger story, though, is what appears to be the machinations of an unholy alliance of Department of Education officials, Senate HELP Committee chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Wall Street short-sellers hoping to make big bucks off the demise of for-profit schools. This Daily Caller article, and the connected video of Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), are good places to start learning more about this, as is the website of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549737 Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:06:27 +0100 4549737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540547&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7aEPhdahRNY%2F By Mark A. CalabriaA recent piece in the Economists' Voice by Ed Leamer, who runs the Anderson Forecast Center at UCLA (one of the better forecast shops), diagnoses a new mental illness: Deflation Dread Disorder.  Deflation Dread Disorder is characterized by an almost irrational concern over the almost zero chance of actual deflation — that is, falling prices. Professor Leamer briefly addresses each of the usual reasons given for fearing deflation:  impact of falling prices on business profits, impact on nominal debt burdens, and concerns that consumers will delay spending due to an expectation of lower future prices.  The piece demonstrates why each of these concerns is misplaced in the current environment, and it does so in a manner easily accessible to non-economists.   As it ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540547 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:44:14 +0100 4540547 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540550&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F26-13WvS_fA%2F By Alan ReynoldsIn my recent Wall Street Journal article, "The Myth of Corporate Cash Hoarding," I quoted Chris Matthews of MSNBC’s Hardball asking Politico's Charles Mahtesian an apoplectic question about businesses “sitting on their money” just to keep the economy weak and hurt Obama’s reelection chance in 2012.   Then I carelessly added an erroneous superfluity −writing that “Mr. Mahtesian concurred.” My apologies to Charles Mahtesian (and congratulations for having had the good sense to disagree with Chris Matthews). In reality, Mahtesian wisely dodged Chris Matthews’ bizarre interrogation about corporations willfully refusing to spend idle cash until after 2012 election.  Mahtesian instead switched to talking about business going "whole hog" during the 2010 congr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540550 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:41:00 +0100 4540550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540555&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXQm6dn1vw6Y%2F By Daniel J. MitchellEarlier this week, the Washington Post predictably gave some publicity to the Keynesian analysis of Mark Zandi, even though his track record is worse than a sports analyst who every year predicts a Super Bowl for the Detroit Lions. The story also cited similar predictions by the politically connected folks at Goldman Sachs. Zandi, an architect of the 2009 stimulus package who has advised both political parties, predicts that the GOP package would reduce economic growth by 0.5 percentage points this year, and by 0.2 percentage points in 2012, resulting in 700,000 fewer jobs by the end of next year. His report comes on the heels of a similar analysis last week by the investment bank Goldman Sachs, which predicted that the Republican spending cuts would cause even greater... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540555 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:56:44 +0100 4540555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512380&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FShcdYRfdZUs%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe Washington Post reported today that the increase in January home sales was driven mainly by an increase in all-cash sales.  Whereas I would have thought increasing sales, especially driven by cash buyers, was a sign of market strength; the Post and the National Association of Realtors portrayed this as a bad thing.  NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun went so far as to call this portion of the market "unhealthy." Of course, what NAR and the rest of the real estate lobby were complaining about was that home sales and prices were not being driven by easy credit.  For the housing industry, it would seem that the "correct" house price is the price that is propped up by loose credit.  Yun goes on to say that "investors are taking the advantage of conditions to purchas... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512380 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:15:08 +0100 4512380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495189&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1149 This article points to some of the decision points necessary to make the transition smooth and complete. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495189 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:36:32 +0100 4495189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489646&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fkn09vYMttp4%2F By Mark A. CalabriaThe latest canard offered for keeping taxpayers on the hook for mortgage risk is that, without such, homeownership would limited to the wealthy.  Sarah Rosen Wartell of the Center for American Progress stated before the House Subcommittee on Capital Markets, "The high cost, limited availability, and high volatility of pre-New Deal mortgage finance meant that homeownership was effectively limited to the wealthy."  Congressman Al Green repeated the point.  As I've generally found Sarah to be one of the more reasonable CAP employees, and that this is fundamentally an empirical question, I would have expected her to offer some evidence to support such a claim.  Alas, she did not.  So I will. According to the US Census Bureau, at the turn of the century in 1900, the US h... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489646 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:52:02 +0100 4489646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482741&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FL1MuKwILD7g%2F By Mark A. CalabriaOn Friday the Obama Administration released its report on "reforming America's Housing Finance Market."  The report claimed that the Administration would work toward "winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on a responsible timeline."  While the report was silent on what a responsible timeline would be (surprise, no details); I assumed, perhaps naively, that a reasonable timeline would be 5 to 6 years.  So you can imagine my surprise while reading the Administration's budget proposal (see Table S-12 of the summary tables), released Monday, that the Administration is projecting that the government will be receiving, between 2012 and 2021, $89 billion in dividend payments from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  In 2021 alone the White House projects $8 billion in dividend p... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482741 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:18:18 +0100 4482741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482746&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1141 Choosing a name for your baby could be a wonderful exercise for your and your significant other.  Remembering loved ones who have passed or honoring those in our families is one way we choose the name.  This can get very sticky knowing your mother would want to you name him after  uncle Joe  (whom you never even met) or your great great grandmother gladys back in the old country…. Well first of all take a deep breath, luckily you have a few months to calm the waters.  Put together a list of possibilities,even the most outrageous, and put it away for a week or two and revisit it again then.  When you prepare your list of things to do while you’re  pregnant and for the hospital, add it to your list of things  so every time you check something off it will be right there, s... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482746 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:27:04 +0100 4482746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477734&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1118 This article is very clear and gives a lot of information about what to do for pregnancy related back pain.Plan carefully when you decide which method you are comfortable with in order to alleviate your back pain. As with every pregnancy, you need a plan for the unexpected as well as the normal every day ins and outs of pregnancy. Early in your pregnancy, (if not before you become pregnant) find a chiropractor or orthopedist specializing in pregnancy back pain.  This is a good time to start making your “list”, questions to ask the doctor, cord blood banking and all things labor and delivery related. (Source: Cord Blood News) Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477734 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:20:37 +0100 4477734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477707&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F8X7p1dYoGm4%2F By David BoazThe financial crisis of 2008 led to a lot of unfortunate Keynesian and corporatist policymaking, but also to a renewed interest in Austrian economics and particularly to the Austrian theory of the business cycle and the role of the Federal Reserve in creating bubbles and busts. Austrian ideas are most recently examined on BBC and in the Washington Post. Sales of F. A. Hayek's book The Road to Serfdom have soared in the past three years, actually hitting no. 1 on Amazon last summer. The New York Times complained that Tea Party activists had "reached back to dusty bookshelves for long-dormant ideas [in] once-obscure texts by dead writers" such as Hayek, even as its reporters continually urged policymakers to Read. More. Keynes. A rap video on the intellectual battle between Ha... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477707 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:15:53 +0100 4477707 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464486&cid=t_125539_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1125 In general, passion-friendly foods are those that improve blood flow, support the nervous system, increase energy and raise testosterone levels (in both men and women). These are usually foods that are rich in zinc, B vitamins, proteins, amino acids or fatty acids (such as Omega 3).  Eggs, steak and fruit and of course, chocolate……. who would have thought????? We all know that eating healthy during pregnancy is of the utmost importance , read here for extra info, but for a Valentine’s Day treat, why not splurge just a little!!! And speaking of splurging,  when was the last time you took the time to stroke, caress and massage your significant other?  Sometimes, setting the mood right can really help. Candles and oils and creams can make your Valentine’s day extra... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464486 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:03:20 +0100 4464486