Monday Morning News

Facebook is taking over the world. The latest news? They plan on coming out with a full email product!

At this point the unrolling of an e-mail product is pure speculation, however could fast become a reality if sources are spot on with their assessments. Popular technology blog, TechCrunch, seems to indicate the rumors about what has been referred to in the past as “Project Titan” are indeed true; the blog is well-known in the industry as a reliable source for breaking news in technology.

Is social networking changing our lives in a negative way? Email me your thoughts at littleisisisbada$$@facebook.com.

Having problems with hair loss, graying or just need to grow out your hair a little bit? Rosemary oil is the solution.

A study conducted in Scotland showed that rosemary can work for alopecia areata in helping to grow hair. Participants of the study rubbed a mixture of rosemary oil along with other essential oils such as cedar wood, thyme, and lavender onto their scalps. You can make your own rosemary hair tonic by purchasing these essential oils form your local health food store, and they can be directly applied to the scalp to prevent hair loss and graying. One such concoction calls for rosemary oil to be mixed with apple cider vinegar, and after shampooing, it can be used as a rinse to help strengthen your hair.

Some people do not wish to use prescription medications and chemicals which are now available for the treatment of hair loss, and this is a natural treatment. For those who are adverse to using drugs and are looking for a more holistic approach, the use of rosemary oil is worth a try. Pregnant women should avoid using rosemary oil as it can harm the fetus and possibly cause a miscarriage. Please consult with your doctor before using rosemary oil.

I’ve personally found that natural remedies tend to work better than drug store products. And since I look fantastic, I’d say I’m a reliable source. Rosemary is also excellent for relieving sinuses and headaches.

Friday Morning: What’s Happening?

Good morning everyone! These are the news stories that caught my eye this morning. Be sure to add your own links in the comments.

The All-Encompassing Health Care Nightmare

Boston Globe: Democrats oppose tax in health bill

To pay for the 10-year, $856 billion bill Baucus wants to tax high-value insurance plans, those worth $21,000 for a family and $8,000 for an individual. The Montana Democrat says those are “Cadillac plans’’ enjoyed by a small minority of Americans. Aides said about 10 percent of plans and 8 percent of taxpayers could be affected.

The tax, which President Obama embraced in his speech to Congress last week, is a major source of revenue for Baucus’s bill, bringing in an estimated $215 billion over 10 years. Baucus and other supporters of the measure say it would help drive down health care costs over the long term by encouraging companies to move toward less expensive health plans and workers to use less care.

But other Democratic senators fear that the tax would reach deep into middle-class pocketbooks, and labor unions are upset. Senators John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, members of the Finance Committee, say they want to limit the tax before signing off on the bill.

“We need to make it fairer to working people so that working folks don’t get dragged into this at a level where they just don’t have the incomes to support it,’’ Kerry told reporters after a closed-door committee meeting to discuss the bill.

Insurers and business groups also oppose the new tax and other fees in the bill, and the US Chamber of Commerce is wasting no time making its objections known.

New York Times: Rockefeller stands up for liberals on health care

All summer, the White House deferred to Senator Max Baucus, the Democrat from Montana who heads the Senate Finance Committee, as he negotiated with two moderate Democrats and three Republicans. Their failure to agree on a bipartisan bill left the administration scrambling to pass an overhaul with Democratic votes alone.

And that has emboldened liberals like the 72-year-old Mr. Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat. He heads the health subcommittee of Mr. Baucus’s panel, and yet he was relegated to the sidelines as the so-called Gang of Six talked and talked. Senate liberals are now pushing for an overhaul fully on Democratic terms — legislation more like that in the House, where liberal Democrats dominate.

Washington Post: Affordability Is Major Challenge for Reform

How to make insurance more affordable to the estimated 30 million uninsured people who would be required to buy coverage under the Baucus proposal is emerging as a central challenge as the long-awaited plan advances to full committee debate Tuesday. Democrats and Republicans alike worry that a bill intended to address one source of financial hardship — the skyrocketing cost of health care — could lead to another, in the form of hefty premiums.

“It’s very clear that the driving issue of this debate is affordability, particularly for middle-class folks. And the Democratic caucus is very much committed to getting this issue right,” said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a Finance Committee member who said he will offer amendments next week in an effort to improve affordability and choice.

Some Senate Democrats, along with a key moderate Republican, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (Maine), are now discussing ways to increase assistance for individuals and families who could face premium costs of up to $15,000 per year by 2016. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa), the ranking Republican on Baucus’s committee, is suggesting government assistance to insurance companies to help them control premium costs. And lawmakers in both parties are questioning whether Baucus’s main revenue source, an excise tax on insurance companies for their most generous insurance policies, would simply be passed on to consumers.

Silly Video Open Thread

h/t tweet from Synchronize23

Has anyone seen Rico? I could use a seltzer with lime.