Everything You’ve Been Told About Radicalization Is Wrong – From: Rolling Stone Magazine

Imagine that you live in a bubble and there is only one radio in that bubble which filters all the news and distributes it in the bubble via many mediums and makes it look and sound like many truths–necessary untruths.  Rolling Stone magazine has a very interesting take on the recent media frenzy over American raised terror.

As far back as the times of Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan, and Tamerlane (Timur), ruthless conquerors have struck fear in the hearts of their conquest targets and their progeny.  Much of what passes for news analysis these days is well anointed by ideological and psychological overtones that not be grounded in fact or circumstance. The Policy ThinkShop team invites you to visit the following link to explore a sobering argument addressing recent media handling of the Boston Marathon tragedy and the reasons behind the bombing perpetrators …

Everything You’ve Been Told About Radicalization Is Wrong | Politics News | Rolling Stone.

Filed under: access to education, Blogosphere, Changing Media Paradigm, Community Tragedy, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Culture Think, Mass Media and Public Opinion, News, Policy ThinkShop Comments on other media platforms, Political Facts and Fiction, Pundits, symbolic uses of politics, symbols as swords, domestic terrorism, media and terrorism, terrorism, understanding media coverage of terrorism

Record Share of New Mothers are College Educated | Pew Social & Demographic Trends

Mothers with infant children1 in the U.S. today are more educated than they ever have been. In 2011, more than six-in-ten (66%) had at least some college education, while 34%

via Record Share of New Mothers are College Educated | Pew Social & Demographic Trends.

Filed under: access to education, Blogosphere

Most Muslims in Region Reject Violence Against Civilians – Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life

The Pew Forum on Religion continues to bring us facts and figures to enlighten our view of the religious world which is often clouded by a sensationalist media and the rose colored lenses of young ambitious journalists trying to move up the career ladder or older ones stuck in yesterday’s phobias and mired in a short and myopic view of a changing modern world where the acts of the few motivate and move the masses through the loud megaphone that is our entertainment driven media establishment…. Read the Pew article and tell us what you think…

“A new Pew Research Center survey report finds high levels of concern about religious extremism among Muslims in the North Caucasus area of Russia and the neighboring Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The survey also finds that few Muslims across the region support the use of violence against civilians in the name of Islam, though there is somewhat more support for suicide bombing and similar violence among Muslims in Kyrgyzstan than in Russia or Kazakhstan.”

via Most Muslims in Region Reject Violence Against Civilians – Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

Filed under: News, Discrimination, Racism, Blogosphere, Intolerance, WeSeeReason, Mass Media and Public Opinion, access to education, faith-based, symbolic uses of politics, ideology, propaganda and spin, Pundits, ethnicity in politics, Culture Think, International Relations, Changing Media Paradigm, Policy ThinkShop Comments on other media platforms, Religion, American Muslim attitudes; American Muslim public opinion; Studies show American Muslims don't support extremist muslims;, discrimination, European Muslims, Muslims, perceptions of Muslims, public opinion of Muslims, Religious bigotry

Ensuring the Health Care Needs of Women: A Checklist for Health Exchanges – Kaiser Family Foundation

Latina women lead all groups in the number of babies born, yet are disconnected from a regular provider, health insurance and quality continuos care.  The current healthcare reform may leave many families outside the CAC safety net because they may not qualify for services due to their immigrant status.  Learn more about women’s health at the Kaiser Family Foundation website below…

“To inform the development of the state health insurance Exchanges under the Affordable Care Act, this checklist identifies key coverage, affordability and access issues that are important for women. Based on lessons learned from women’s health research and the Massachusetts experience, the checklist considers essential health benefits, implementation of no-cost preventive services including contraception, provider networks and affordability, outreach and enrollment efforts, and the importance of including gender and other demographic characteristics in data collection and reporting standards. It was jointly authored by policy experts at the Kaiser Family Foundation, The Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health at The George Washington University.”

More via Ensuring the Health Care Needs of Women: A Checklist for Health Exchanges – Kaiser Family Foundation.

Filed under: access to education, Behavioral Health Outcomes, Blogosphere, Children and Poverty, consumers, Culture Think, Discrimination, Health Literacy, Health Policy, Healthcare Reform, Immigration, Latinos, Women's rights, healthcare for the poor; poverty and health needs;Planned Parenthood; Republican budget cuts; Medicaid and reproductive rights; paying for women's reproductive needs; women's health; feminization of p, healthcare policy, Immigration, immigration reform, women's health

Closing the Digital Divide: Latinos and Technology Adoption | Pew Hispanic Center

Given the size, and growing, of the Latino community in the USA, social media, the internet and all things digital are bound to be affected by Latino consumer power….

Also, given the impact of social media on electoral politics and the growth of this community, watch-out for it’s impact in the upcoming electoral challenges…

Checkout the analysis from Pew on Latino digital habits and consumer behaviors….

Latinos own smartphones, go online from a mobile device and use social networking sites at similar—and sometimes higher—rates than do other groups of Americans, according to a new analysis of three surveys by the Pew Research Center.

The analysis also finds that when it comes to using the internet,1 the digital divide between Latinos and whites is smaller than what it had been just a few years ago. Between 2009 and 2012, the share of Latino adults who say they go online at least occasionally increased 14 percentage points, rising from 64% to 78%.2 Among whites, internet use rates also increased, but only by half as much—from 80% in 2009 to 87% in 2012.

via Closing the Digital Divide: Latinos and Technology Adoption | Pew Hispanic Center.

Filed under: access to education, analytics, Blogosphere, Changing Media Paradigm, consumers, Demographic Change, Latinos, News

Health Policy Brief: Federally Facilitated Exchanges – Health Affairs Blog

The Health Affairs Blog gives us a wonderful overview of the next phase of the Affordable Care Act implementation.  The states are currently “50% in,” which means that half of the country will be dealing with the alternative federally created health insurance exchanges.  Whether you are a potential patient, a physician, healthcare administrator or policy pundit, the following article is a must read… and, incidentally, the Policy ThinkShop blog could be an important resource for you this year…

Join the Policy ThinkShop Blog at: http://policyabcs.wordpress.com

“The latest Health Policy Brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation explores the issues facing the federal government and the states in the establishment and operation of federally facilitated health insurance exchanges. These are the exchanges that will be created under the Affordable Care Act in states that do not elect to set up their own state-based exchanges, or to create and operate an exchange in partnership with the federal government.

At present, 25 states have opted for a federally facilitated exchange. The result is that the federal government will now have a major role in those states in expanding insurance coverage in the individual and small-group insurance markets.

Topics covered in this brief include:

.

Challenges in setting up the federally facilitated exchanges. Because of variations in state insurance laws, it may be difficult for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to tailor an exchange to meet each state’s unique insurance market needs.

The potential of adverse selection: In a federally facilitated exchange, the federal government will only have a direct role in regulating the health insurance plans that are sold through that exchange–and not over other health plans in the state that aren’t sold through the exchange. There is a risk that healthy people in a particular state may opt for cheaper plans outside the exchange, while sicker people opt for the exchange coverage–a phenomenon known as “adverse selection.” There are risk-adjustment mechanisms in the health care law that could mitigate the gains and losses to different health plans, but these may take a while to work.”

MORE via Health Policy Brief: Federally Facilitated Exchanges – Health Affairs Blog.

Filed under: access to education, Blogosphere, Health Literacy, Health Policy, Healthcare Reform, News, Policy ThinkShop Comments on other media platforms, Public Health, Public Policy, Federally Facilitated Healthcare Exchanges, Healthcare Exchanges, healthcare reform, Obama Care, The Affordable Care Act

Summary of New Health Reform Law – Kaiser Family Foundation

The Patient Protection and Affordability Care Act is now the law and every state is rushing to deal with its consequences.  Visit the Kaiser Family Foundation website on health issues to get the facts.  The following link below (Summary (pdf)) is a good place to start.

“On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the comprehensive health reform legislation, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

The summary reflects provisions of the new law, and changes made by subsequent legislation, including provisions to expand coverage, control health care costs, and improve the health care delivery system.

Summary (.pdf)

Implementation Timeline for New Health Reform Law”

More via Summary of New Health Reform Law – Kaiser Family Foundation.

Filed under: access to education, Blogosphere, consumers, Health Literacy, Health Policy, Healthcare Reform, healthcare reform law, healthcare reform; National healthcare; healthcare for all; healthcare law; requiring Americans to retain health insurance; compulsory health insurance; freedom to be sick;

Michael Specter: Is Dr. Oz Doing More Harm Than Good? : The New Yorker

America is disgruntled with its medical system (healthcare system).  It is ambivalent about it’s doctors but real clear on healthcare costs and outcomes–these are clearly seen as problematic by all.  The AMA still does a good job at protecting physicians, their interests, their reputations and their money.  But the healthcare system, itself, though currently under a significant transformation, remains pretty regular at the most important levels: What doctors know and what patients do.

Doctors are overwhelmed by modern medicine and patients continue lifestyles that are more akin to suicide than to living well.  Well managed stress, diet, exercise and access to those physicians is compromised or absent from a majority of American lives.  Dr. Oz seems to be the latest wizard to step into our medical breach and millions are looking and listening.  The New Yorker gives us a nice profile and perspective on this modern genius of medical practice and of the proverbial boob tube….

“One evening a few weeks ago, several members of a television film crew crammed themselves into a tiny examination room on the seventh floor of the Research Medical Center, in Kansas City. The sun had set and the light was …”

MORE via Michael Specter: Is Dr. Oz Doing More Harm Than Good? : The New Yorker.

Filed under: access to education, Behavioral Health Outcomes, Blogosphere, consumers, Culture Think, Health Literacy, Health Policy, Healthcare Reform, behavioral health, Dr. Oz, healthcare policy, modern medicine, popular medicine, tv medicine

Islam and science: The road to renewal | The Economist

A Spiritual Paradigm Shift for Islam?

The secular world moves forward on its empiricist ethos….  but what about the spiritual world?  What about other cultures whose historical conditions have not benefitted in tandem with the protestant reformation, the protestant ethic and western education?  The London Economist raises the topic of the “Islamic Scientific Spring” we might say….

“THE sleep has been long and deep. In 2005 Harvard University produced more scientific papers than 17 Arabic-speaking countries combined. The world’s 1.6 billion Muslims have produced only two Nobel laureates in chemistry and physics. Both moved to the West: the only living one, the chemist Ahmed Hassan Zewail, is at the California Institute of Technology. By contrast Jews, outnumbered 100 to one by Muslims, have won 79. The 57 countries in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference spend a …”

MORE via Islam and science: The road to renewal | The Economist.

Filed under: access to education, Art and Culture, Blogosphere, Culture Think, News, The Western Imagination, WeSeeReason, a spiritual paradigm shift, Science

Keeping Blood Pressure in Check – NYTimes.com

Our modern diet and sedentary lifestyle is killing us.  We eat way too much salt, animal fat and sugar.  We are polluting our blood and coronary disease is a leading killer in our society.  This does not have to be.  Most of us don’t listen until the damage is done… often it is reversible but much of the time there is permanent damage or death.  Read the following NYTs article and read the book recommend …. Save your life or a loved one’s .. really!

“Hypertension and You: Old Drugs, New Drugs, and the Right Drugs for Your High Blood Pressure …”

MORE via Keeping Blood Pressure in Check – NYTimes.com.

Filed under: access to education, Behavioral Health Outcomes, Blogosphere, consumers, Culture Think, Death and Dying, Health Literacy, Healthcare Reform, diet and exercise, Diet and health, heart disease, heart health, hypertension, Your health

Brain Aging Linked to Sleep-Related Memory Decline – NYTimes.com

Remembering to sleep and sleeping to remember …

How does the AARP know our 50th birthday before anyone else?  Aging is inevitable but for the baby boomers  who are aging today, it is a nightmare.  Of course, getting proper rest and sleep is necessary for most bodily functions and functioning well every day is dependent on sleeping well every night.  The NYTs shares a new study on sleep, memory and other baby boomer concerns…  baby boom away!

“Scientists have known for decades that the ability to remember newly learned information declines with age, but it was …

MORE via Brain Aging Linked to Sleep-Related Memory Decline – NYTimes.com.

Filed under: access to education, Aging, Behavioral Health Outcomes, Blogosphere, Health Literacy, aging and sleep, health and rest, memory, sleeping well, the mind and the body

Obama’s Proud Liberalism : The New Yorker

The Obama second term, or second popular victory, is certainly a turning point in our modern history … A baby boomer of a boom at the heart of our inner conscience.  What now?  After an incredible four year tug of war term, preceded by a contested election, a divided country and a “car in a ditch” economy, the President finds himself at the wheel, perhaps on the road to economic recovery with most of his nemeses in his political rearview mirror as road kill.  A Southern politician, in the usual colorful way, once said: “The only thing you find in the middle of the road is yellow lines and dead skunks!”  Obama is on the road to recovery and he’s not driving in the middle and he certainly is not driving on the right.  This has much of the country in an interesting moment of suspense wondering what’s next?

As the nation finds itself well beyond the national trauma of September 11th and in recovery mode from the most radical recession in recent memory, all eyes are on this two term President who only yesterday was seen as a neophyte and an unlikely, perhaps by many impossible, Presidential winner.

It appears that Obama has beaten all his nemeses and all the political cannon fodder that has been thrown at him.  He has also triumphed in the face of all the papal bulls, edicts and intellectual cannons that were aimed at the very possibility of his success.  The country now stands poised to see what this man will do with all that glitter and glory at the door of economic recovery and America’s return to world stature and purpose.

We at the Policy ThinkShop think that this next Presidential term will be decisive for our political culture, our political fabric and for our national imagination.  We commit to continuing to send important links and articles your way that will help all of us to figure out America’s direction in this important century and our individual place in it.  Stay with us this year as we continue to learn and share with you…

Thank you for your readership and following these past three years… the best is yet to come..

The New Yorker lends its pages to the lighting of this important discourse.

“After Barack Obama had been sworn in for the final time for his final term—and after he had delivered his final Inaugural Address, and after he had turned to leave the podium atop the …”

via Hendrik Hertzberg: Obama’s Proud Liberalism : The New Yorker.

Filed under: access to education, Blogosphere, Civic Engagement, Culture Think, Election 2012, New American Electorate, New Electorate, News, Obama's second term, President Obama, The next American Century