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 'default'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:25:22 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4501576&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcVbgzYorgg0%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThere will be several pivotal fiscal policy battles this year and the fight over the debt limit may be the most crucial. This is a "must-pass" piece of legislation, so it will be a rare opportunity for fiscal conservatives in the House to impose some much-needed spending restraint. But it's also a high-stakes game. If Obama (or Reid) refuses to accept the fiscal reforms approved by the House and there is a stalemate, the federal government ultimately would lose its ability to borrow from private credit markets. And while that notion has some appeal for many of us, it almost certainly would require more fiscal discipline than the political system is willing to accept (i.e., actual deep cuts rather than just restraining the growth of spending). In a bit of reckless demag... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4501576 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 16:08:49 +0100 4501576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3968999&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FlcD6DAc7pk4%2F By Neal McCluskeyYesterday, the U.S. Department of Education released the latest student-loan default data, and along with it offered some good ol’ fashioned profit-bashing. Meanwhile, politically favored schools got off with nary a negative word. The FY 2008 default rates certainly aren’t good. Overall, 7 percent of borrowers whose first payments were due between October 1, 2007, and September 30, 2008, had defaulted by September 30, 2009. And yes, for-profit schools had the highest rate out of non-profit private, public, and for-profit schools, which came in at 4 percent, 6 percent, and 11.6 percent, respectively. To what did Secretary of Education Arne Duncan attribute these results? The overall default rate, he suggested, was but the sad consequence of ”ma... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3968999 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:59:15 +0100 3968999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3913152&cid=t_285806_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F28%2Fwalking-yoga-helps-your-brain%2F Two studies out last week demonstrate connections between practicing yoga and simple walking may work to help improve your brain health. Previous research has linked exercise to helping keep our brains healthy. The two latest studies independently found that walking and yoga may help our brain health in different ways. To study the effects of walking on brain health, researchers followed a group of older adult “couch potatoes” — ages 59 to 80 — who joined a walking group, or stretching and toning group for a year… Researchers followed a group of “professional couch potatoes,” composed of 65 adults ages 59 to 80, who joined a walking group or stretching and toning group for a year. All of the participants were sedentary before the study, reporting less th... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3913152 Sat, 28 Aug 2010 20:10:47 +0100 3913152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3542584&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F6tx3IV4Fd9c%2F By David BoazThe economist Herb Stein famously said, “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.” That’s a good riposte when people wring their hands over something unsustainable. Of course, that fact doesn’t tell you how unsustainable situations will stop, and some ways are less pleasant than others. I thought of “Stein’s Law” when I read former California Assembly speaker Willie Brown’s response to a question about whether California’s lavish public-employee pensions would bankrupt the state: No, it’s not going to bankrupt the state. My guess is that the State of California, like most places involved with pensions, is going to cease to pay them. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3542584 Thu, 06 May 2010 18:06:24 +0100 3542584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3508166&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FyxatCOmKNtg%2F By Mark A. CalabriaMismanaged municipal and state governments around the country are finding a new target to blame for their own self-inflicted wounds:  the growing market for credit defaults swaps (CDS) on municipal debt. A municipal credit default swap would be a derivative that pays off in the event of default by a specific state or a default on one of said state’s debt instruments. As reported in today’s Wall Street Journal, a handful of state treasurers are demanding information from Wall Street firms on who exactly is “betting against” these states. It should come as no surprise, except to state officials, that the major buyers of these CDS are the very bondholders investing in their state.  In fact the availability of municipal CDS will likely increase th... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3508166 Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:11:41 +0100 3508166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3475813&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FbYTh49sJfuA%2F By Mark A. CalabriaIf there is one, almost universal, point of agreement on drivers of the financial crisis, it is that our financial system simply had way too much leverage.  Much of that discussion has focused on financial institutions, leading many to suggest increased capital standards, so that banks have more equity and less debt.  Often lost in the mix is the excessive leverage on the part of home owners. We know, for instance, that the number one predictor of mortgage default is whether the borrower has equity or not.  And while that should lead us to debate appropriate downpayment requirements, at least when the government backs the mortgage, we should not forget that our tax code encourages excessive leverage on the part of home buyers.  And there’s no bigger incentive t... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3475813 Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:19:22 +0100 3475813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420443&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FrmtojKKPe6g%2F By Michael F. CannonFrom Robert J. Samuelson’s column in today’s Washington Post: When historians recount the momentous events of recent weeks, they will note a curious coincidence. On March 15, Moody’s Investors Service — the bond rating agency — published a paper warning that the exploding U.S. government debt could cause a downgrade of Treasury bonds. Just six days later, the House of Representatives passed President Obama’s health-care legislation costing $900 billion or so over a decade and worsening an already-bleak budget outlook. Should the United States someday suffer a budget crisis, it will be hard not to conclude that Obama and his allies sowed the seeds, because they ignored conspicuous warnings. A further irony will not escape historians. F... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420443 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:51:16 +0100 3420443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3378459&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FC2a-Db-bt_8%2F By Mark A. CalabriaMoody’s has announced that it will change its methods for rating debt issued by state and local governments.  Politicians have argued that its current ratings ignore the historically low default rate of municipal bonds, resulting in higher interest rates being paid on muni debt, or so argue the politicians. First this argument ignores that the market determines the cost of borrowing, not the rating.  And while ratings are considered by market participants, one can easily find similarly rated bonds that trade at different yields. Second, while ratings should give some weight to historical performance, far more weight should be given to expected future performance.  Regardless of how say California-issued debt has performed in the past, does anyone doubt that Cali... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3378459 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:03:58 +0100 3378459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3338252&cid=t_285806_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F06%2Flearning-about-transcendental-meditation%2F Discussion tab makes clear feuding editors battling for control about tone and focus. I don’t know what to make of transcendental meditation personally, but I find studies like the recently published one interesting. I know people who use it and swear by its positive effects (but I also know people who use other techniques and methods and swear by them as well). I suspect some of the skepticism comes from the pseudo-religious nature of technique, or the fact that it costs money to learn it. But in my experience, many things worth learning cost money (look at my graduate education, for instance). My only concern is that if it is something that is “simple, natural, effortless, and easily learned,” why does it cost $1,500 and an entire day to learn? I’ve read enough t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3338252 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:32:15 +0100 3338252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3033766&cid=t_285806_145_f&fid=35715&url=http%3A%2F%2Fusmlesteps.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fdubai-is-ready-to-default.html No one saw this coming ...From Bloomberg: Dubai Debt Delay Rattles Confidence in Gulf Borrowers Dubai is shaking investor confidence across the Persian Gulf after its proposal to delay debt payments risked triggering the biggest sovereign default since Argentina in 2001....Moody’s Investors Service and Standard & Poor’s cut the ratings on state companies yesterday, saying they may consider state-controlled Dubai World’s plan to delay debt payments a default. The sheikhdom, ruled by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, borrowed $80 billion in a four-year construction boom ... And a few articles from the WSJ: Dubai Starts to Untangle Dubai World FalloutAnd European Banks Seen Exposed To Dubai World Most banks on Thursday said their exposure to Dubai and Dubai World is small or de... USMLE blog for smart people blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3033766 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:28:00 +0100 3033766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2765997&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FB493KuxXxbI%2F The housing boom and bust that occurred earlier in this decade resulted from efforts by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — the government sponsored enterprises with implicit backing from taxpayers — to extend mortgage credit to high-risk borrowers. This lending did not impose appropriate conditions on borrower income and assets, and it included loans with minimal down payments. We know how that turned out. Did U.S. policymakers learn their lessons from this debacle and stop subsidizing mortgage lending to risky borrowers? NO. Instead, the Federal Housing Authority lept into the breach: The FHA insures private lenders against defaults on certain home mortgages, an inducement to make such loans. Insurance from the New Deal-era agency has enabled lending to buyers who can’t make a big d... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2765997 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:23:40 +0100 2765997 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561214&cid=t_285806_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNgWMnomrBTM%2F Today the Obama Administration released a 152-page draft bill to create a new Consumer Financial Product Commission. While intended to protect against consumer confusion and reduce the likelihood of future financial crises, the proposed agency will at best have little impact and at worst contribute to the next financial crisis, with the added effect of decreased homeownership and increased litigation. The president promises that “those ridiculous contracts with pages of fine print that no one can figure out – those things will be a thing of the past,” The president ignores that those “ridiculous contracts” and “fine print” are the result of previous rounds of so-called consumer protections. The disclosures one receives with a mortgage or a credit card are those mandated by so... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561214 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:34:00 +0100 2561214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1773311&cid=t_285806_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F386087073%2F4_kinds_of_companies_that_make.html  The International Herald Tribune  identified 3 kinds of companies that succeed in a sluggish economy. Firms that make good decisions, those that always make good decisions and those that make stuff we’ll buy no matter what. Most people would agree that an economy is never to far gone for good coffee wake up, for instance. There’s also a 4th kind of firm that makes it past a downturn, as I see it. Leaders who survive financial skids also tend to override their brain’s tendency to dim mental lights and stay stuck in one place. It’s more common to stall success over the brain’s basal ganglia than most people realize, but this standstill happens far less in mentally fit workplaces.  Did you know, for instance, that human brains literally default to... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1773311 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:34:33 +0100 1773311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1672161&cid=t_285806_107_f&fid=36585&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FHighlightHEALTH%2F%7E3%2F351674497%2F This article was published on Highlight HEALTH. Other Articles You May LikeIncreased Coffee Consumption Associated with Lower Risk of Liver CancerDid You Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables Today?More Education Decreases the Risk of Death Remembering Lunch Can Help Reduce the Desire to SnackTired? You May Not Be Getting Enough Sleep (Source: Highlight HEALTH) Highlight HEALTH blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1672161 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:19:42 +0100 1672161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1594067&cid=t_285806_158_f&fid=36160&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeinstitute.com%2Fcaregivingminutes%2F%3Fp%3D99 A reverse mortgage is an avenue for additional income for seniors age 62 and older. While the income is far from “free money,” a reverse mortgage does not require any work on the senior’s part. The biggest responsibility for a would-be reverse mortgage borrower is researching the reverse mortgage beforehand and ensure they do not default on the loan. The income from a reverse mortgage can be used by a senior borrower for any purpose. The mortgage income can help with daily living needs, health and medical care expenses, legal expenses, home management, and paying for other life needs. Key to maximizing the use and purpose of a reverse mortgage is to develop a senior budget to make reverse mortgage income last. One major talking point in reverse mortgage commercials is paying for th... CaregivingMinutes™ by Pope Institute blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1594067 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:40:45 +0100 1594067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1594069&cid=t_285806_158_f&fid=36160&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeinstitute.com%2Fcaregivingminutes%2F%3Fp%3D97 A reverse mortgage is a loan that allows a home owner to convert a portion of the equity in their home to cash. The loan is specifically designed for senior home owners; age 62 and older. The reverse mortgage program began as a way to help seniors remain in their homes for the long-term. The reverse mortgage is considered a loan because a banking institution agrees to allow a senior home owner to borrow a portion of the equity in their home. A portion of the home equity is paid to the senior borrower in installments, lump sum, or a combination of installment and lump sum payments. The income from a reverse mortgage is not taxable. Learn more about What a Reverse Mortgage Does including the uses and benefits. Why is the income not taxable? Essentially, because the money you used to build ... CaregivingMinutes™ by Pope Institute blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1594069 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:36:50 +0100 1594069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=728420&cid=t_285806_109_f&fid=34699&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscienceblogs.com%2Fcorpuscallosum%2Fimages%2F300px-Lycopene3D.png The FDA just can't win.  When they restrict something or say something negative, they are being too restrictive or complicit with big pharma.  When they approve something too slowly they are insensitive to the needs of patients.  When they approve something too quickly they are not protecting the public.   In fact, I've criticized them on all of these counts, all the while knowing that it very difficult to know when the FDA is being fair and balanced. Now, we see headlines about a health claim that the FDA has denied.  It concerns lycopene, a chemical found in red fruits (note that "vegetables" with seeds are, technically, fruits).   What is the fuss about? ... Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: The Corpus Call... The Corpus Callosum blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=728420 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:08:47 +0100 728420