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28 Mar 2011 10:34

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U.S.: Protip: Don’t hang out in the reptile house of the Bronx Zoo

  • Has anyone seen an Egyptian Cobra? The Bronx Zoo says that a poisonous Egyptian Cobra has disappeared from his cage, which (as you might guess) has some a little concerned. They don’t think he’s gone far, though. “Based on our knowledge of the natural history and behavior of snakes, we know they seek closed-in spaces and are not comfortable in open areas,” a statement from the zoo says. So, they’ve closed the Reptile House, assuming the snake’s in there. If they’re wrong? Well, then, that bites. (photo via edenpictures) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Feb 2010 10:32

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Politics: Jim Bunning getting empathy, not support, for unemployment move

  • All Senator Bunning was saying is that it should be paid for. It will pass, though, because it’s a temporary extension.
  • Sen. Jon Kyl • Discussing Jim Bunning’s infamous blocking of an unemployment benefits extension. Both Bunning and Kyl claim that the bill didn’t pass because it wasn’t agreed upon as part of the PAYGO extension – in other words, the government didn’t have a way to pay for it. Bunning, who this Fox News article calls an “outcast,” for his part blames Harry Reid for blowing up the bipartisan bill. “All of the programs that you have talked about could have been extended and for much longer periods if Senator Reid, your leader, had not blown up the bipartisan job bill,” he noted. Still doesn’t not make you a jerk, dude. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Mar 2009 11:18

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U.S.: COBRA insurance got more affordable, thanks to the stimulus

  • 65% of the cost will be covered by the government. If you get laid off between September 1, 2008 and December of this year, you’re eligible for a new program designed to make COBRA health insurance payments actually affordable. The program, designed to let people continue to have health insurance even while unemployed, has famously cost way too much. But for many with pre-existing conditions, it’s the only option. Big ups for the Obama administration. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Jan 2009 14:22

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U.S.: COBRA insurance on unemployment: Is it worth it?

  • One group says no Families USA, a non-profit health consumer group, blasted the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, which provides health care to the unemployed, but at a significant cost.
  • The breakdown About 18-26 percent of people with COBRA available as an option use it, according to a report published by the group. Many are stuck with the expensive insurance because most healthcare providers won’t cover pre-existing conditions.
  • A passionate attack“The right to COBRA health coverage is a tragic ruse for millions of families whose breadwinner was laid off,” says the group’s executive director, Ron Pollack. With a rising unemployment number, he notes, many more people will be faced with the undesirable dilemma of using COBRA. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink
 
 
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