Surgery
Many trusts face deficits
NHS trusts in England are creeping deeper into debt, forecasts show.
Over one in three hospitals and primary care trusts, which pay for local services, are not expecting to balance their books this financial year.
But NHS bosses said overall the health service will break even - as promised by Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt.
Health chiefs have built a contingency fund by making savings from training and public health budgets, and holding back money due to the NHS this year.
Forecasts show that the health service will finish £13m in surplus, but this masks the increasing deficits hospitals and PCTs are predicting.
Hospitals and PCTs are predicting a £1.3bn gross deficit - up from £1.2bn three months ago - meaning financial balance can only be achieved by taking money from elsewhere and using the small surpluses some trusts are running up.
We have to ensure that those organistions in difficulties are being turned around, because otherwise we're just storing up problems for next year or the year after that

Andrew Lansley
Shadow Health Secretary
The NHS budget grew by £5.4 billion to £75 billion in 2006-07.
But nearly £2 billion of this has not been passed on to trusts as expected.
Some £698 million was used to pay off deficits from previous years.
Regional health bosses have also top-sliced £1.1 billion of the extra money PCTs were expecting in a bid to off-set the deficits.
Added to this is the £450 million contingency fund.
These measures, coupled with those trusts expecting surpluses, will mean the NHS will finish £13 million in surplus overall, according the the three-quarter year forecasts.
Pledge
David Nicholson, NHS chief executive, insisted the financial situation was improving - but admitted significant numbers of trusts were facing problems.
He said: "These numbers represent the NHS doing what it said it would do - we will get in balance overall."
At the end of last year Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt promised the health service would break even in 2006-07 after posting a £547 million deficit in 2005-06.
Andrew Lansley, Shadow Health Secretary, said: "The government has held back what was intended to be growth money for the NHS of around £100 million and training budgets have been cut by about £350-400 million.
"But we have deficits in trusts across the country. It will probably be about the same situation as last year, with a deficit of around £1.3 billion."
However, Mr Lansley said using money from other parts of the NHS did not address the financial problems being seen in hospitals and primary care trusts.
"We have to ensure that those organistions in difficulties are being turned around, because otherwise we're just storing up problems for next year or the year after that."
Norman Lamb, for the Liberal Democrats, said a lot trusts were being forced to take very tough measures to get their finances back on track.
"The impact on patient care around the country could be very damaging."

Tags: england, health, hospitals, investments
Current Mood: confused

SCHAPELLE Corby's former white knights "Mad Ron" Bakir and Robin Tampoe are being blamed for masterminding the latest scandal to engulf the convicted drug smuggler's family.

The furious family believe mobile phone entrepreneur Mr Bakir and lawyer Mr Tampoe may be behind damaging new drug allegations levelled by Corby's one-time close friend, Jodie Power.
Ms Power told Today Tonight on Monday that she had smoked marijuana at the Corby home and had been asked by Schapelle's sister Mercedes if she would take drugs to Bali.

Ms Power took a lie detector test for the paid story, during which photographs of Mercedes apparently smoking marijuana were also shown.
Mercedes hit back, denouncing Ms Power's claims as "all lies" and agreeing to sit a polygraph test herself.
Ms Power's estranged husband also sided with the Corbys.
The Corbys have pointed the finger of blame at Mr Bakir and Mr Tampoe, who fell out with the family over accusations the businessman and lawyer were trying to profit from her plight.

"It's got their (Bakir's and Tampoe's) fingerprints all over it," an insider said yesterday.
Mr Bakir, who bankrolled Schapelle Corby's initial legal fight, said yesterday he had been "accused of enough things" and would not comment.

Mr Tampoe said the suggestion that he was involved was "hilarious".

"If they want to pursue an allegation like that, do it, because I've had an absolute gutful," he said.

"I've copped enough s... from the family and I'm not interested in giving the story oxygen."

Eighteen months ago, after Corby was convicted of smuggling 4.1kg of marijuana into Bali in a bodyboard bag, Ms Power said that her friend was innocent and that she would "keep on fighting for justice for as long as it takes".
Schapelle Action Support Group founder Rachelle Hamilton also yesterday rubbished Ms Power's claims.

Tags: drugs, people, society

Identity theft is one of the fasting growing high-tech crimes of this century, yet most people are taking a very lax view of it in terms of ensuring that they are protecting themselves against it. At least until they discover to their absolute horror that they have become a victim of identity theft. At that point, it is too late and that victim is going to spend a significant amount of their personal time and likely a fair chunk of money in order to straighten out the mess.

What is identity theft? Simply put, that is when a thief steals your identity. In other words, the thief obtains some of your personal information - enough of it to allow them to open credit card accounts or apply for loans as if they were you. Are you starting to see where the problem comes in? So the thief has opened a couple of Visa accounts, get a new car loan approved, and is last seen driving off into the sunset with a new car and credit cards charged to the hilt, never to be seen again. Meanwhile back at the ranch, the car dealership and the Visa companies are calling you to ask when you are going to start making payments.

How can this happen? In today's world of credit cards and debit cards, it is unfortunately all too easy, and if you are not careful, you could easily become the next victim. Think about all the places that enough of your personal information appears, and what you do with that information. For example, say you get the same junk mail that most people get where you are offered car insurance or pre-approved for a new credit card. If you are like most people, you throw the mail in the trash. That is mistake number one. NEVER throw that stuff in the trash. That stuff will almost always contain your name and address, sometimes also your phone number, perhaps your driver's license number, and sometimes even your social security number. In other words, more than enough information for someone digging through the trash to temporarily become "you" and commit an identity theft crime.

The answer is to get a paper shredder. These are incredibly cheap, like under $50 at just about any office supply store like Best Buy, Office Max, etc. SHRED that junk email if it contains any information about you personally.

Another word of advice is to RARELY use a debit card. The rules of a debit card are vastly and totally different than the rules of a real credit card, even though the debit card probably still sports the Mastercard or Visa logo. With a debit card, you usually cannot dispute a transaction like you can with a credit card. With a credit card, your liability is usually capped at $50 (depending on the card), but a thief can drain your entire debit card bank account and you will have no recourse. Never allow the waiter in a restaurant to walk off with your debit card for exactly this reason. If you are in a restaurant and paying with plastic, either use a real credit card or walk up to the register yourself if you must use a debit card. And when given a choice by the establishment asking if you want to use your debit card as a credit card or debit card, ALWAYS choose the credit card option.

There are multiple more things you should do to protect yourself against identity theft, but the key is to start doing them NOW as a normal part of your life so that you can lock in those habits and avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.

Tags: identity theft, personal sequrity.
Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: Nickelback

The blasts in Shorja also caused heavy damage to buildings
At least 55 people have been killed in three bomb attacks in market areas of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Two bombs went off in quick succession at the Shorja market, killing more than 46 people and wounding about 150.
Half an hour earlier a parcel bomb exploded at the Bab al-Sharqi market, killing about 10 people.
The blasts came either side of a 15-minute pause to commemorate a bomb attack on an important Shia shrine in Samarra one year ago.
The Samarra attack - on 22 February, but a year ago by the Islamic calendar - triggered an upsurge in sectarian violence which still grips the country costing thousands of lives a month.
My store was completely burned, I lost $100,000 dollars. The government officials sit calmly in their offices, stuck on their chairs
Shorja market trader
Shorja market was once Baghdad's main shopping area, but amid the violent division of Iraq's religious communities it is now mostly a Shia Muslim area, and a target for Sunni extremist groups.
Bab al-Sharqi is a rarer phenomenon in Baghdad, correspondents say, in that it is still frequented by Sunni and Shia traders and customers.

Security drive
The Shorja blast almost coincided with the end of a quarter of an hour's pause starting at midday (0900 GMT), when Iraqis had been urged by Prime Minister Nuri Maliki to stop work to mark the Samarra attack.
Mr Maliki at the same time ordered thousands of extra security forces onto the streets as part of a much-heralded joint Iraqi and US security plan.
One report said two cars packed with explosives were detonated in quick succession at Shorja market, obliterating a building and setting shops on fire.
Eyewitnesses described debris and mannequins scattered in thick pools of blood on the floor of one building used as a clothes store. Angry and distressed shopkeepers vented their frustration that the government's apparent inability to combat the wave deadly bombings.
"My store was completely burned, I lost $100,000 dollars. The government officials sit calmly in their offices, stuck on their chairs," said Mohammed Haider.
The Bab al-Sharqi blast half an hour earlier was caused by a bomb hidden in a bag planted near a popular take-away falafel restaurant.
The two markets are little over one kilometre (less than a mile) apart on east side of the River Tigris.
They have both been targets for bomb attacks in the past.

Tags: iraq, politics, usa, war
Current Mood: annoyed

Sperm represents a man's bodily fluid (circa 7 grams) aimed to be ejaculated within female's vagina. The warm fluid rushes in 6 jets with a speed of 18km per hour. After 10 seconds everything is over up to the moment when another ejaculation comes.

7grams of sperm contain 500 million spermatozoids on average - twice more than the population of USA. During the whole life a normal man's body eliminates circa 20 liters of seminal fluid or approximate 1.5 trillions of spermatozoids. From theoretical point of view this individual could become the father of the entire planet's population multiplied by 200. Fortunately, only 3 of 288 sexual intercourses on average finish with pregnancy.

What does sperm consist of?

Sperm's ingredients list looks like a label attached to a vitamins' box. It is very strange, but amazingly true. Sperm consists of at least 2 vitamins: C and B12. It also contains important minerals, including such elements like calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphor. 2 sweet substances are included in sperm's composition. They are the fructose and the sorbitol. Besides the other obvious ingredients the sperm has, it contains also proteins. They make the sperm to be an exceptional nutritional supplement but will never substitute a balanced diet. It is worthy to mention about the existence of a significant amount of cholesterol and sodium in sperm.

Can vegetarians do oral sex?

A friend of mine, Jenny is a nutritionist and a convinced vegetarian. She eats none of animal products and doesn't buy even clothes made of animals' leather. At the same time she eagerly prefers the oral sex. One day she realized what she likes to do doesn't deal with the vegetarianism.

Bill, her husband was simply shocked because of this news. Although both partners like blowjob, it was clearly defined that it was against Jenny's principles. Nevertheless they had solved the problem. Jenny likes playing with Bill's phallus and is still doing. She doesn't swallow the sperm. Neither a drop! And family's problem was solved. Also Jenny is a fiery adept of sex toys that brought hilarity in Bill's and her sexual life.

But this is not the only risk of oral sex. The average ejaculation overcomes a little bit more the amount within a spoon and contains circa 15 calories. Those women who eagerly count calories should take into consideration this fact. Sometimes they are absolutely focused on their weight and are terrified only when thinking about oral sex.

If you react afflicted regarding this problem, stop a while and relax! However you can find a great solution!
Sex toys, for instance! They are perfect for everyone. Sex toys do not scatter any fluid protecting from pregnancy! Sex toys match our tastes and do not exude any smell. Women are given the opportunity to find and trust that toy she really likes and needs. The incredible wide range of sex toys makes women be satisfied and dominating over masculinity!

Indeed, did you ever try mutual masturbation? I mean masturbation together with your partner in presence of each other. I tried and I liked it very much, it was very exciting.

Actually, I never enjoyed partner sex. Well, I found it very pleasant but I never achieved orgasm, and I was really sad about this matter as I wanted to share my partner's enjoyment, but I did not cum in spite of all my partner's efforts who did everything to please me. He could caress my erogenous zones for hours, but everything was in vain and only I knew what my problem was.

In fact I can orgasm, I knew this because I began masturbating when I was about 15. At first I stimulated my clitoris with my fingers, then I tried vaginal stimulation - I inserted fingers in the vagina and moved them here and there. When I began earning money I started masturbating with sex toys - I remember my first sex toy, this was a realistic dildo. Then I bought a rabbit vibrator, after that I purchased a G-spot vibrator. I will not mention all my sex toys, I just want to say that I still buy sex toys, I enjoy them and I always find something new for myself.

It happened so that I could cum only when masturbating, but no one knew about this peculiarity. Once I met a guy whom I dared let know about this fact. I must say he was not very surprised and he did not say I was a pervert. Instead he suggested mutual masturbation. I agreed immediately as I wanted to achieve orgasm at least once in my life in the presence of a man. We sat opposite each other and masturbated. I used my vibrator whereas he stimulated his penis with hands.

We looked at each other and orgasmed simultaneously, this was really exciting! By the way, after that experience I had orgasm through partner sex. Didn't you try mutual masturbation? Than try it, it is really worth trying!

Tags: adult education, livejournal, sex toys, shopping., welcome
Current Mood: creative
Current Music: FRNK Radio