Insight Magazine- November 2012

Insight

Issue 15

•

November 2012

SmackDown: THE RACE TO THE FINISH—PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES 2012 DOES READING IN THE DARK:

DRESS TO IMPRESS:

Harm Your Eyesight?

Fall Poncho Fever

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:

ExelCord

PROPERTY TALK ON THE TOWN

with Jamie!

Michael Vick:

NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOSING HIS JOB AS EAGLE’S QUARTERBACK

Jakub Halik: MAN WITHOUT A HEART Ten Things YOU SHOULD ALWAYS NEGOTIATE

See Inside for Prizes!

November 2012•Insight 1

Editor’s Desk

L

ance Armstrong has been making headlines the past few weeks, as he’s slowly been stripped of anything he could put on a resume or that he’s spent years being able to pat himself on the back for. He’s been stripped of his seven Tour De France titles, banned from further cycling competition, lost his chairmanship of Livestrong, and has been abandoned by advertisers and sponsors. Now, I’m as close to the situation as anyone that can read a newspaper, so I don’t have some sort of scoop for everyone here as to whether he was “doping,” the role of his cancer, or what is going to happen here on out.

I just know that Lance Armstrong is forty-one years old. And, until everything got unglued and fell apart, he had a pretty great story to tell his young children about his successes. But now . . . he doesn’t. Apart from the truthfulness or context of the scandal, that very human element what we think we’ll achieve, what we think we’ll be proud of and what we actually end up with in life is a line of questioning that hasn’t been applied to this situation much.

We work toward things in life — certain goals or aspirations.

Naturally, we don’t always take the fastest, smoothest or best road to those goals, but we each slowly craft our own “minilegacies.” So I think, sometimes, of what would happen if I was able to achieve everything on my grand life “to-do list,” hit my middle age, got comfortable in the pride that comes with accomplishment, and then lost it all? That’s almost as bad as not getting to that point at all. Or, maybe, it’s worse. Then again, maybe it’s not.

Perhaps there is a lesson in it all for us — about taking the honest route to success or something like that. But, the taste the whole situation leaves in my mouth is just anxiousness. Because when I place myself in that situation of great achievement and total loss thereof, I don’t know what steps come after that. I don’t have a second life “to-do” list that I would then start up. Maybe the lesson is to throw the whole idea of a life “to-do” list out the window and be more fluid. Then again, maybe the lesson really is to go about it the honest route and build something you can be proud of, something unquestionable. Isn’t that really always the lesson in one of these stories?

— Maria 2 Insight•November 2 2012

Readers Respond to our October Issue: I was truly pleased reading the executive bio from October, I had no idea that Philadelphia was a prime city for real estate. I also had no clue so many things were happening just minutes from my home, thanks for the Insight!

— Ronald, 28, Fairmount My husband and I have been thinking about home schooling versus regular schooling for our son, who is starting first grade next year. I felt your article on the subject gave me some tips and helped aid my decision.

— Susanna, 34, Queen Village This is relating to the story about vaccines that help you quit smoking, personally, I don’t want to hear nonsense and don’t want others to be fed some BS about vaccines that help you quit. I have been smoking for over 40 years and couldn’t quit with any assistance programs or vaccines. . . . let’s be real people, this isn’t something a shot can fix. To quit smoking you need to do it on your own, no outside source can tell your brain it doesn’t want to smoke.

— Darrell, Fishtown See your comment? Follow instructions on pg. 4 to win prizes! Respond to our November issue on our website (myinsightmag.com), email (insight@myinsightmag.com), Facebook (My Insight Magazine) or tweet us (My Insight Magazine).

“The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

— Gary Player

Our Team

Insight

Maria Goroshovsky Co-Founder/Editor

IN THIS ISSUE:

“Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified?”

Editor’s Desk 2 Letter from the Editor Readers Respond to our October Issue 4 Prizes and Rewards Word on the Street 6 No Access = No Voter ID Law in PA Body Gestures + Elections: Do They Affect Your Vote?

7 Ph-un in Philadelphia 8 Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Is Rapidly Disappearing Myths of Chinese Efficiency 9 Community Spotlight: ExelCord 10 Insight Poll Conversation Starters 11 SmackDown A.K.A the Presidential Debates, Leading Up to the Vote, November 2012 13 Target Stores Earn Top Ethics Honors Harry Potter Author Hits Adult Book Circuit

6

Luba Patlakh Editorial Director “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Angele Douglas Russell Contributing Writer “No one is entitled to an opinion unless they know the facts.”

Olga Astreika Contributing Writer “My goal in life is to help people and have them happy.”

Alla Podolsky Graphic Designer “I am not that creative with words.

Can I offer you a picture instead?”

Healthy Living 14 Clot Nets Aid in Stroke Recovery Air Pollution Damages Cognitive Thinking 15 The Right Drinks for Every Situation Is Reading in the Dark Bad for Your Eyes?

16 Teen Daredevils: It’s in Their Nature Entertainment and Media 17 Top Five Reasons to Go to the Movies in October 18 Men, Here are Our Deal Breakers: Home Edition

14

Issue 15 • November 2012

20 Eat Good Food: Celebrate Stone Crab Claw Season at Del Frisco’s 21 Celeb Tweeting 22 Why Adele’s Someone Like You is a Hit at Funerals 23 Taylor Swift’s Song Bank 24 Dress to Impress: Fall Poncho Fever

24

Real Estate 25 Property Talk on the Town with Jamie!

Sports and Athletics 26 Michael Vick Not Worried about Losing His Job as Eagles Quarterback 27 Philadelphia Flyers Hockey, Sixers Basketball, and Eagles Football Schedules Science and Technology 28 $20 Billion Computer to the Moon?

Samsung Sues Apple 29 Man without a Heart Career and Finance 30 To Leave or not to Leave: A Case for Maternity Leave 31 Is Your Credit Score Accurate?

10 Things You Should Always Negotiate A Dose of Insight 32 Our Advice Column Horoscope 34 November Predictions

15

Marketplace 35 Advertisement

30

19 Embryo Adoption Mom? Or Parent 1?

November 2012•Insight 3

Prizes and Rewards!

We at Insight want to hear from all of our new and old friends! Send us an email and write to us on Facebook. Let us know what you think, what you want, or just how your day is going and get rewards for doing it!

Your Monthly Reward: Insight will look through all our email, as well as Facebook comments, messages and posts.

We will select five comments, at random, to include in the upcoming issue. If you see your post, contact us with the post, the issue you saw it in, and your information within one week of the release of that issue and YOU WIN! What do you win? Well, every issue we will post our “Favorite Things.” These are little things that are new, cool and we feel everyone will enjoy. When you win the post challenge, you get to pick one of our “Favorite Things” from that issue and it’s yours! If, instead, you want to work towards our bigger “Play for Points” prizes, you can instead ask to add five points to your play for points account (see myinsightmag.com for more details).

So, what are you waiting for? Come leave us a message!

Play for Points: We don’t want to be another magazine you gloss over in a hurry; we want to really interact with you in every section and page of Insight. In our attempt to really get you involved, we’ve set up a points game. Throughout the magazine you’ll see small sections that say “Play for Points.” Each section will have its own instruction on how you can email or Facebook us your answers or contributions and earn points.

You can log in and keep a ‘point account,’ so to speak, on myinsightmag.com. You then can add up points to win the prizes that cost a point value ranging from 50 to 1,000 points.

So earn enough points for a $20 gift card, or save as much as you can for a five day paid hotel in Miami, FL, or a new iPAD. See for even more prizes, your account and more information!

1 2 3

Starbucks!

Brrrr. It’s getting cold out there! Warm up with something delicious from Starbucks! $20

Barnes & Noble!

Need a Hobby? How about reading a new book . . . check out Barnes & Noble for a good read. $20

Stratus Lounge!

Bored of the same old thing? Check out the new Stratus Lounge at the Hotel Monaco in Old City and have a drink on Insight! $20 4 Insight•November 2 2012

November 2012•Insight 5

=

NO VOTER ID

P

LAW IN PA

roponents of the new proposed law in Pennsylvania requiring residents to present I.D.’s to cast their vote will have to wait just a little while longer before they can claim victory. According to court documents, the judge blocked a key component of the law, holding that more evidence was needed of procedures to be put in place to ensure voters had access to required documents.

The controversial law, requiring voters to present a state-approved photographic ID to vote, was upheld back in August when liberal groups challenged the law.

Those groups expressed concern over poor people and minority groups’ ability to comply with the law; the State Supreme Court agreed and sent the case back to the lower court to determine exactly how the law would be implemented. The lower court judge then blocked the law until authorities could show liberal access by all groups to fulfill the requirements. However, once that requirement is fulfilled, the law will be in place and valid; but not before this November election.

Pennsylvania is one of eleven states passing voter ID laws. Proponents for the law say it ensures integrity of the election process; liberals disagree, citing voter suppression as the primary effect of the law.

6 Insight•November 2 2012

BODY GESTURES + ELECTIONS: DO THEY AFFECT YOUR VOTE?

T

hink about the last presidential debate you watched? Obama vs. Romney? Did Mitt Romney’s wide embrace gestures make you want to vote for him or, at the very least, view him more favorably? For some, body gestures, particularly during debates, play a big part in how they perceive a presidential candidate.

In a recent New York Times article, Peggy Hackney, a veteran at the NYU Movement Lab, analyzed both candidates’ gestures and was able to discern what each candidate was trying to relay with their hand gestures. For example, when President Obama “waves a ball” (as if holding a baseball), he is often trying to pass on a belief he wants the viewer to embrace.

On the other hand, when Governor Romney does his “embrace” gesture, he is likely conveying that his ideas and logic should be obvious to all people.

Both candidates use the “pointer”, which is used to emphasize strength of conviction.

Whether or not gestures factor into your decision of who to vote for, use this guide during the next debate to get a better insight into the minds of the candidates.

©iStockphoto.com

Word on the Street

NO ACCESS

Ph-un in Philadelphia!

Philadelphia’s got a lot going on in November. Insight magazine is here to make sure you are in the center of all of the action! Check out the shows, events, and exhi-bitions going on now and coming soon.

Through 12/20. Meditation Classes. 7 pm – 8:30 pm. $10 per class. Amitayus Kadampa Buddhist Center, holding classes throughout Philadelphia, was founded on the knowledge that it is possible for everyone to cultivate positive states of mind that will lead to calmness and inner peace.

Amitayus Kadampa Buddhist Center, 1102 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. (267) 702-4083.

Through 04/28/2013. ”American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition” Museum Exhibition. The first comprehensive exhibition about Prohibition, “American Spirits” spans the dawn of the temperance movement in the early 1800s through the Roaring Twenties to the unprecedented repeal of a constitutional amendment during the Great Depression. National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

(215) 409-6600. constitutioncenter.org.

11/08. The Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage. 6 pm – 7:30 pm. Highlighting the history and activities of one of the most active cultural heritage crime units in the world, two Italian military police officers discuss major threats to cultural heritage and how Italy is attempting to combat these illegal activities.

Penn Museum, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia , PA 19104. (215) 898-4000. www.penn.museum.

Through 11/29. Howard Tran: “Drawings and Sculpture.” This exhibition primarily features Tran’s twodimensional work. La Salle Art Museum, 19th St. and Olney Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19141. (215) 951-1000. www.lasalle.edu/museum.

Through 12/01. Tobi Kahn: “Immanence.” Acclaimed artist Tobi Kahn’s work often examines the relationship between the intimate and the monumental. Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art, 615 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19123. (215) 627-6747. www.rodephshalom.org.

11/09–11/11. 49th Annual Delaware Antiques Show. $13 – $15. Sixty of the country’s most distinguished dealers present the finest offerings of American antiques and decorative arts, including furniture, paintings, rugs, ceramics, silver, jewelry, and more. Chase Center on the Riverfront , 815 South Justison Street Wilmington, DE 19801. (302) 425-3929. www.centerontheriverfront.com.

Through 11/16. Various Artists: Art by Architects. The Center’s annual celebration of architects’ creativity.

Philadelphia Center for Architecture, 1218 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. (215) 569-3188. www.philadelphiacfa.org.

November 2012•Insight 7

Australia’s GREAT BARRIER REEF

is rapidly disappearing

MYTHS of

CHINESE EFFICIENCY

8 Insight•November 2 2012

A

lmost everyone stereotypes something in their life and life lived in China is just one of those stereotypes. Many Americans, as well as, Europeans believe that the Chinese live a highly efficient life. However, that may not be the case. To know the truth about a life in a different country, one has to live there for longer than a week. Flying into a nice airport, getting picked up by a fancy car, and being dropped off at a nice looking hotel should not be the only source of judgment that you base your opinion on.

Many of us have heard the motto “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” well this motto fits perfectly here. Though China may look very efficient, it’s not. China runs into business problems where necessary permits are a must, but can be very time consuming, confusing, and hard to come by. Another issue in China is that companies sometimes have to hire employees who deal with nothing but government relations. The Chinese government is far from efficient; they hold so much control over what happens in the economy, as well as, private businesses that people have no room to maneuver around it. Setting policies in China becomes much more complicated, along with the whole political process off it.

While the U.S. is struggling with finances, China is able to build new bridges and fix old roads. That’s what happens when the government tells citizens how many children they can have and nearly half of the population is wiped out. But over time China will become more efficient, once they figure out how to manage a fairly new and developing country.

©iStockphoto.com

A

ustralia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the greatest tourist attractions known to man, but over the last thirty years the corals have rapidly been disappearing. Nearly fifty percent of the reef has disappeared already and if proper action is not taken quickly, a lot more damage could be done. Tourists bring in nearly $1 billion a year when they visit the Great Barrier Reef, but if the reef disappears, Australia will lose out on a lot of the tourist income they benefit from and live off.

If action is not taken promptly another quarter of the reef will disappear with in the next decade.

Forty eight percent of the damage is due to storms and cyclones; forty two percent of it is due to the crowns of thorn starfish and ten percent is due to coral bleaching. Coral bleaching and cyclones are much harder to control. They occur because of global warming, so scientists are focusing on preventing what they could control and that’s the thorn starfishes crowns.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:

E

By Olga Astreika

xcelCord is a special fitness tool used amongst many professional athletes. Matt Zoltak, creater of ExcelCord and President of ProCore Sports LLC, better known as “The leaders in heel based resistance,” sat down with us to tell us a little bit more about how he started what is a success and important athlete based business today.

Starting off at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, Matt Zoltak played varsity baseball for four years before he accepted his scholarship as a pitcher at Clemson University. Zoltak played for the Catham A’s in the Cape Cod Baseball League, but soon transferred to Florida Southern College. While attending FSC, he began to experience pain in his left elbow. Zoltak spoke to a doctor, who suggested he should get an MRI done of his elbow. The MRI revealed that he had ulnar collateral ligament. These types of injures may lead to “Tommy John surgery.” However, surgery is not what Zultak was seeking, so he went for a second opinion.

Zultak underwent a second MRI and this time the doctor told him his elbow was fine, but suggested that he attends physical therapy. “The doctor explained to me that throwing and other athletic movements are a chain reaction starting from the ground up. I was experiencing pain in my elbow because my core and throwing shoulder were fatigued” stated Zoltak. This is when Zoltak sprung into action. Zoltak consulted a friend as to why there were no training devices that would resist a throwing motion from the ground up, then they made several duct tape prototypes, and finally ExcelCord was born! They took the duct tape prototype that they made to a shoe repair in Chestnut hill where they made a leather prototype with a resistance tube attached on the heel. Zoltak then introduced his design to a family friend, who arranged for Zoltak to meet with Dr. William Meyers. Dr. Meyers is the leading sports pubalgia surgeon. Dr. Meyers saw instant benefits in ExcelCord, suggesting to Zoltak to get a patent. In the next few weeks Zoltak searched for products and patents online with heel based resistance. When he found nothing, they applied for a patent.

“ExcelCord is a revolutionary piece of resistance training equipment. Its unique heel-based design allows for dynamic resistance of athletic movements without disrupting the athlete’s mechanics. It features covered resistance cords of different lengths and resistances to accommodate any athlete

November 2012•Insight 9

and any space and can be used with a partner or alone. Coaches like ExcelCord because it’s extremely versatile. It’s easy to incorporate into any practice and be used both indoors and outdoors. It’s also a simple way to help players improve their mechanics. Trainers appreciate ExcelCord because it is extremely user-friendly. In addition to strengthening muscles and reducing an athlete’s risk of injury, ExcelCord can also be used for rehab exercises.” Explained Zoltak.

Many coaches will use the same technique on each pitcher for their team. Zoltak calls it the “cookie cutter program.” As a coach who has more than 15 players it can be hard to focus on each player providing them the helpful tips that they would need to play better. However, coaches should take the time to focus on each individual player/ pitcher, as this would only improve their skills. This is why Zoltak worked with Jim McCrossin, who is an athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach for the Philadelphia Flyers. Together, McCrossin and Zoltak created a workout guide for athletes training with ExcelCord. “Filming the strength training DVD was a big step for ExcelCord and ProCore Sports. Expanding this product is something I have always wanted to do but never had the time to do it,” stated Zoltak.

You can find ExcelCord products on their website at http://excelcord.com/index.html.

Conversation Starters:

Insight Poll:

] If 25% of families in the United States used 10 fewer plastic bags each month, then we would save over 2.5 billion bags a year!

Which fall television series are our readers looking forward to?

] The first people to climb Mount Everest were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. ] John F. Kennedy’s favorite food was ice cream with hot fudge and New England Fish Chowder. ] A person who chews 8 to 10 dips of tobacco a day receives the same amount of nicotine as a heavy person who smokes 30 to 40 cigarettes a day.

10 Insight•October November 2012 2 2012

666 Park Avenue Ben and Kate The Mindy Project Nashville Other

47% 9% 13%

7% 24%

Got any other suggestions? Let us know on our website (myinsightmag.com), email (insight@myinsightmag.com), Facebook (My Insight Magazine) or Twitter (My Insight Magazine). And, vote for next month’s poll!

What to SmackDown consider when considering A.K.A the GYMThe ! Presidential Debates, Leading Up to the Vote, November 2012

By Luba Patlakh

W

e have all been eagerly awaiting Election Day, which is quickly approach on November 6, 2012. While the suspense is brewing quite heavily, there’s really no telling who the winner of this race, or shall I clarify, president of the United States will be.

In the running we have Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney. Both have led quite the fight to the finish, but who is better suited to run our country for the next four years? Better yet, who will be the man to dig us out of our economic deficiency and make the right decisions pertaining to international affairs? On one side, we have the Republican Party, who believe that each person is responsible for his or her own place in society. Republican’s feel that Government should enable each person the ability to secure the benefits of society for themselves, their families and for those who are unable to care for themselves. Republicans believe free enterprise has brought economic growth and innovations that have made this country great. Government should help stimulate a business environment where people are free to use their talents. On the other side, the Democratic Party, who believe it is the responsibility of government to care for all individuals, even if it means giving up some individual rights and/or subordinating enterprise and initiative.

Democrats believe that the economy is too complicated for individuals to navigate alone. They believe that business decisions should be guided by government officials and in the best interest of labor unions.

Viewers are shocked at the barbaric behavior of our President, Barack Obama and his Republican opponent Mitt Romney throughout all of the debates. The first and most important debate, which aired Wednesday, October 3, 2012, showed the American people Mitt Romney’s feisty side, as he took over the conversation and led his way to victory of that debate, leaving our President to appear weak and lost. As candidate Romney laid down the issues and wrongs of President Obama’s time in office, President Obama could barely defend himself. “Obama seemed scared, he seemed like he was at a lack for words, I think he was even surprised at what was happening right before his eyes- -a takeover of his own presidency,” said Philadelphia resident, Shane Wayner (undecided voter).

In the initial debate, which brought in a record audience of 67.2 million viewers, there were extremely low expectations for Governor Romney and high expectations for President Obama, but the complete opposite occurred. The first presidential debate discussed Domestic Policy, in which Mitt Romney came out with a punch, challenging President Obama over his health care reform, treatment of the economy, taxes and funding for Sesame Street’s Big Bird. ABC reports, Romney jabbed the president, calling his approach “trickle-down government” and accusing him of spending his time in office concentrating on passing his health care plan at the expense of creating jobs. This debate showed the United States that Mitt Romney is a viable candidate, a man who “loves Big Bird,” and a completely different individual than his negative

November 2012•Insight 11

portrayal by the Democratic negative ads from the summer. Even Liberals like CNN agreed that President Obama did not show up, and that Governor Romney won that first debate! According to the CNN/ORC International survey, two-thirds of 430 registered voters who watched the 2012 presidential debate between Romney and President Barack Obama declared the former Massachusetts governor the winner. The poll indicated a 67 percent to 25 percent win after the first debate.

Besides being crude amongst themselves, both President Obama and Governor Romney were extremely rude to their moderator, Jim Lehrer of PBS; constantly speaking over him, cutting him off, and generally not letting him do his job as moderator.

The second debate, Tuesday October 16, 2012, (65.6 million viewers) brought new hope for America’s Democrats, as the president was crisp in reciting his accomplishments and persuasive in explaining how he has restarted economic growth.

This time around, he did not allow Mr. Romney to get away with a parade of falsehoods and called his opponent wrong.

“Having left many supporters wondering after the first debate whether he really wanted another four years, he finally seemed like a man who was ready to fight for another term.” This debate showed Governor Romney’s attempt to prove the dishonesty of the President, with claims that it took President Obama 14 days before he called the attack in Benghazi an act of terror… which after a short fact check was actually incorrect information. This debate could have better been described as a cat fight, during which both the President and his opponent Governor Romney did not give one another much room to speak, cutting into each other’s sentences and counting each minute to make sure they had an equal amount of time to speak. President Obama tried to portray his challenger as a wealthy, far-right candidate who was masking himself as a moderate in the race’s final weeks in Round two. Obama even suggested that Romney would be a more conservative president than George W. Bush.

Following this, the third debate, which aired Monday, October 22, 2012, (59.2 million viewers) discussed foreign policy; bringing out the fire in President Barack Obama, who defended his policies and challenged Romney on shifting positions on key issues while arguing his Republican rivals proposals, would favor the wealthy if elected on November 6. Romney repeatedly attacked Obama’s record, saying millions of unemployed people and a sluggish economic recovery showed the president’s policies had failed. Forbes states, “Romney did an excellent job of staying on message and he delivered some strong attacks on Obama. However, Obama had the best one-liners of the night when he told Romney that the “80s called and wanted their foreign policy back” and that Romney had a foreign policy from the 80s, a social policy from the 50s and an economic policy from the 20s.” After all was said and done, the outcome stood a final score of 52-48 Obama over Romney.

“Republican Mitt Romney has erased President Barack Obama’s 16-point advantage among women, a new Associated Press-GfK poll shows. And the president, in turn, has largely eliminated Romney’s edge among men. Those churning gender dynamics leave the presidential race still a virtual dead heat, with Romney favored by 47 percent of likely voters and Obama by 45 percent, a result within the poll’s margin of sampling error, the survey shows.”

With both the President Obama and Governor Romney head to head in this race, the anticipation continues to build as we make our way to the final days before Election Day. Who will be the winner and proud owner of the title “President of the United States” for the next four years?

12 Insight•November 2 2012

TARGET STORES

Earn Top Ethics Honors

T

arget Incorporated has recently been recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2012 for the sixth consecutive year. The ranking, conducted yearly by the Ethisphere Institute, a leading international business ethics organization, lauded Target for its ethical business practices and initiatives, commitment to the community, and for raising the bar for ethical standards within the retail industry.

The Minneapolis-based company, founded in 1946, has consistently been acknowledged by top industry publications such as Fortune, DiversityInc, and Corporate Responsibility, but not everyone believes Target is de-

serving of the praise.

Current and former employees of Target criticize the retail giant with unethical business practices, specifically suppressing union activity, which is illegal in the U.S. In fact, earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a federal agency, ruled that the company used illegal intimidation against employees to affect a vote of those employees against having a union.

While Ethisphere’s methodology includes ranking companies with leading ethics and anti-fraud compliance programs based on surveys, it does make one wonder if these illegal union tactics were given any consideration.

My hope is that it did; my gut says probably not.

Harry Potter Author Hits Adult Book Circuit

A

uthor J.K.Rowling, best known for her billion dollar Harry Potter series empire, is now trying her hand at writing books targeted to the adult crowd. Her newest installation, The Casual Vacancy, is a fiction piece centered on a small town in England that erupts into class and ethnic warfare over a parish council election to fill a recently vacant seat. The book’s publisher, Little, Brown and Company, describes the storyline as “blackly comic, thought provoking, and constantly surprising.”

As a reader, if you’re looking for a whimsical, magical storyline like the one in Harry Potter, think again.

This novel is filled with sex, coarse language, drug use, racism, grief, torment, family ruin, cries, laughter, seedy housewives, evil teenagers … and a partridge in a pear tree (not really, but that seemed appropriate).

The reception for the book has been overall positive, with Time Magazine describing it as “brilliant . . . magnificently eloquent”, while The Guardian described it as “no masterpiece . . . but . . . intelligent, womanlike, and often funny.”

The book, released on September 27th, reached shot to the number one position on the Amazon Book Chart in the U.S. within hours of its release. It also maintained a steady ranking on both The New York Times’ and USA Today’s bestseller lists. While the success of this book is an obvious win for the author, she promises her next book will be “for the children.”

November 2012•Insight 13

Healthy Living

C

CLOT NETS Aid in Stroke Recovery

hances are you know someone who has suffered from a stroke, a blockage of blood vessels that starves the brain of oxygen, and have likely seen the debilitating effects it can have. However, new research has revealed a new procedure, called “clot nets,” shown to nearly double the likelihood of living independently following treatment for a stroke.

Up until now, when people suffer from strokes, clot-busting drugs are used to destroy the clot; in the alternative, the clot can be pulled out with a coil via the groin. The new procedure uses a tiny wire cage that pushes the clot against the artery and traps it in the wires; the clot is then pulled out via the groin. The medical community has described this new procedure as “life saving” and “groundbreaking.”

Clinical research has shown a nearly double increase in patients who have been able to live independently following the new procedure, compared to the current procedures used, likely due to the new procedure’s ability to reopen up to 90 percent of blocked arteries in patients. The Stroke Association says they are “very excited about this new potential treatment.”

Air Pollution

Damages Cognitive Thinking

A

ir pollution is very harmful to our respiratory system, but who knew how much of a negative effect it can have on our cognitive thinking. Over the last decade, researchers have examined the connection between air pollution and one’s cognitive decline. They have found that pollution damages a young child’s cognitive ability, increases the process of cognitive decline for adults and may even be a cause of depression.

The study focused mainly on fine particulate matter, which regards pollution given off by things such as cars, power plants, and factories. These particles are only 1/30th width of a human hair, but cause a lot of damage to humans. Researchers at Rush Medical College studied women between the ages of 70 to 81 over a course of 14 years.

They found that those women who were exposed to fine particulate matter pollution the most suffered from the worst cognitive decline compared to those women who were not exposed to it as much.

Researcher knew that air pollution was harmful to human health, but until this study they were not aware how harmful it really was to the brain. This is a very serious matter and everyone should be made aware.

14 Insight•November 2 2012

The Right Drinks for Every Situation

T

IS READING

IN THE DARK BAD FOR YOUR

©iStockphoto.com

EYES?

©iStockphoto.com

he milk and water in your refrigerator have more use then you would expect.

According to Time magazine these drinks do more than just quench your thirst. m If you’re looking to build muscle, milk is your answer. Protein and casein found in milk helps people build muscle. m Your goal is to lose weight? Try drinking green tea or grapefruit juice. These drinks enhances metabolism and provide weight-loss benefits. m When you’re going out for a run, ditch the boring water and grab tart cherry juice or coconut water. Even though water does provide great hydration, coconut water also provides the same benefits as sports drinks and keeps you hydrated.

Tart cherry juice keeps you from suffering the post-workout muscle pains. m Ginger ale helps ease an upset stomach due to the ginger root that it contains. Ginger root helps with nausea and sticking to clear liquids will make your stomach feel better. m Suffering from constipation is no fun, but aloe will do the trick. Aloe will have the same effect as drinking a laxative and clear you right up. m If it’s 2 in the morning and you just cannot go to sleep, try drinking warm milk or tart cherry juice. Tart cherry juice will increase your melatonin level, which will help you sleep better throughout the night. m If you’re hungry and lunch is not for another several hours, drinking some milk will keep you satiated before you can get your hands on some real food. m If you are suffering from bad breath don’t rush to brush your teeth, just drink some water. Because water is empty of acidity and has no sugar, drinking it will wash the bacteria away, cleansing your mouth.

E

ver hear someone say, “don’t sit too close to the T.V. or you’ll go blind”? Well, there are similar people who believe reading in the dark or in dim lighting will affect your vision just as much. However, while there is conflicting evidence, most doctors believe there is no harm in reading in the dark.

Who reads in the dark, you ask? Well, if you have children, it is likely they do, particularly after bedtime when the only light for reading may be a nightlight. Or perhaps you, in dark restaurant or on an airplane with limited lighting, have struggled with reading in the dark. There are some experts in the field who believe reading in the dark, much like sitting too close to the T.V. causes nearsightedness, particularly in young children, as they may develop an inability to focus on things at a distance.

While there may be some truth to the nearsightedness argument, most experts believe there is no truth to it and that the most harm reading in the dark can do is cause headaches, just like reading fine print. Happy reading!

November 2012•Insight 15

Teen Daredevils: It’s in their

T

Nature

hink about it. You, as an adult, walk up to an unknown lake. Some things that may run through your mind are: “How deep is that lake?”, “Is there anything in the lake that may attack me?”, “Could I get some crazy skin infection if I jumped in?” Because of the risks involved, you may decide not to jump in. Then, on the same day, at the same lake, your teenager walks up to the lake, and without a second thought, jumps right in and has the time of his life, without much regard to the risks. Why the difference in thought processes and risk approach?

Recently, researchers have begun to understand how the teenage brain is wired and have found that the teen brain isn’t just wired to make senseless choices; it is simply getting primed to learn about life and to be flexible. Furthermore, researchers have found that teens have greater tolerance to unknown risks, relative to adults. That is, if they know it’s a terrible idea, they tend to shy away from it; otherwise, carpe diem!

So, the next time your teen does something you deem to be ridiculously risky, just think about things from their perspective and embrace their innate desire to learn!

16 Insight•November 2 2012

to Go to the Movies in November

1

11/2—Flight

Denzel Washington shines as Whip Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot that miraculously lands a plane that was headed straight into a nose-dive, saving nearly everyone on board. Initially hailed as a hero, Whitaker is then subjected to investigations as the public begins scrutinizing what really happened on that plane?

2

11/9—Skyfall

The very-long awaited 23rd installment of the James Bond series brings back Daniel Craig as the famous secret agent. This time around, Bond is torn between his dedication to the agency and his superior, M (Dame Judi Dench). Even putting aside that the James Bond films never disappoint in and of themselves, this time around Javier Bardem’s portrayal of the “bad guy” is impeccable.

3

10/9—Lincoln

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Honestly, need we say more? This wonderful film focuses on the 16th President’s final month’s in office, before his assassination. It follows the president as he attempts to end the civil war, unite the country and abolish slavery.

4

10/16—Anna Karenina

Keira Knightley (Anna Karenina) shines no brighter as an actress than when you put her in a period piece, such as this one. Paired up again with acclaimed director, Joe Wright, the film brings Leo Tolstoy’s famous novel to life as Anna Karenina questions her happiness, marriage and ability to love.

5

10/16—The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

The conclusion to the Twilight series, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz brings to a close an international, fan-favorite tale of vampire meets girl, vampire marries girl, vampire impregnates girl, girl becomes vampire and they now have to fight the whole of the vampire world to keep their child safe — with the help of werewolves, obviously. Sure to be a wild ride!

November 2012•Insight 17

Entertainment & Media

5

TOP REASONS

MEN, HERE ARE OUR

DEAL BREAKERS: Home Edition

E

very woman has her own expectations of the man she chooses to spend her time with and some women are more flexible than others. But , after doing some public research, we’ve found some “deal breakers” that a lot of you Philadelphia females have in common. Now, many of you were absolutely correct in saying that the amount a woman will stick around for is directly proportional to the amount she loves the man. But, even the greatest, most loving or most tolerant of women have their limits. So, gentlemen, take a gander at this list and learn which limits it’s best not to test!

1

Lava Lamps. Random right? We though so too! But, so may women we spoke with said that when they’re seeing a new man’s home for the first time and they see this “psychedelic” décor, they’re instantly turned off. “It’s just like, why?” asked Miranda, 24. Jennifer, 28, adds that “the porn scene vibe of lava lamps wasn’t cool even when it was cool. A guy that still holds onto stuff like that is just weird to me.”

2

The classic “toilet seat left up” issue. We actually got several different reasons for finding this disgruntling. Carol, 31, said: “I like the toilet lid closed, even when it’s just me. It’s just more hygienic. When men leave it completely wide open, I feel like I can literally see the bacteria floating up and landing on my toothbrush.”

Britney, 26, even did some math for us about the unfairness of men leaving the seat up: “Think about it, both men and women do two things in the bathroom. Three out of four of things require the seat to be down. Only one, men peeing, require the seat to be up. So, it’s mathematically stupid to unfair to leave it up.” Well, we never knew

there was math behind it but a lot of women got pretty passionate about

this classic pet peeve.

3

No toilet paper. “The worst is sitting, mind (doing) your business at your guys house and then realizing — for the thousandth time — that he has no toilet paper. What’s worse than having to holler to be brought

a roll while you’re sitting there, pants at your ankles? When he doesn’t hear you calling

and you’re stranded.” That is the plight of Melanie, 27, and so many more. Christine, 28 just

doesn’t understand “how in the world men never have toilet paper in there? Seriously, what do they do with it? Play mummy? What happens when they are the ones who need it?”

4

Video game, instead of book, library. After a certain age (probably soon after we graduate from university) women tend to be less humored by the male inclination toward every new version of Halo or Call of Duty and more impressed by that guy quoting that great book we females think he should have read. Men don’t seem to lose their taste for these games, however. That’s why women, like Carla, 26, vent “When I go to a new mans home and I find bookshelves stocked with video games instead of, well, books, I can’t help it, I judge him a little. Maybe that’s nit picky but, I know a lot of women say the same thing.”

18 Insight•October November 2012 2 2012

EMBRYO ADOPTION

H

ave you ever thought about adopting a child? What about an embryo?

I’m willing to assume your answer to the second question is “no.”

Certain evangelical couples that are a part of the personhood movement would actually say “yes.” This group believes that life begins at conception and that couples using In Vitro Fertilization to conceive several embryos they then freeze are actually creating several lives. So, to do their part, these evangelical couples are adopting some of these frozen embryos, unfreezing them and implanting them in evangelical wombs.

The Huffington Post has reported that during a decade-long stretch of federal funding to promote embryo adoption, evangelical organizations received most of the $21 million given out. Though that funding was cut in July of this year, leaders of these evangelical organizations are spreading the word.

Want to advertise in Insight?

Visit myinsightmag.com to learn how.

MOM? OR PARENT 1?

P

roposed French legislation seeks to both legalize same-sex marriage and given homosexual couples the right to adopt children. More interestingly, it seeks to replace the terms “mother” and “father” in legal documents (including birth certificates) with the terms “parent 1” and “parent 2.” Justice Minister Christiane Taubira said the legislation seeks to “secularize the bond of marriage” and allowing same sex couples to adopt children under the same conditions as heterosexual couples. In a poll released Thursday by the French Institute of Public Opinion, 61 percent of respondents said they favored same-sex marriage, but only 48 percent said they backed adoption by homosexual couples. The Catholic church, however, is livid, viewing this proposed legislation as an unnecessary questioning of the “natural order of things.”

November 2012•Insight 19

Eat Good Food:

CELEBRATE STONE

CRAB CLAW SEASON at

By Luba Patlakh

F

rom October 17 until May 15, enjoy a seasonal delicacy that is only offered at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House in Philadelphia, based on availability. The crab claws are sweet, firm and succulent, not widely available, and are only appearing on the menus of select restaurants outside of their native Florida.

When the time comes each season, these delicious stone crab claws are flown fresh from the Florida Keys, one of the only regions where they are available. Once harvested, the claws are cooked fresh on the boat, then promptly chilled — never frozen — and then flown fresh to the restaurants. Not only is this item so special because it’s seasonal, Stone crab claws are also considered highly sustainable, as one claw is harvested from the crabs and the crab is then returned to the sea so it can regenerate the claw. Additionally, claws must be at least 2.75 inches long to be harvested and claws cannot be taken from egg-bearing females.

Regional Manager, Richie Furino recommends pairing your stone crab claw dinner with, “a Sauvignon Blanc or great little Italian white called Vermentino for its minerality and salty overtones as it hails from Sardinia, an ocean climate.”

Dining at Del Frisco’s is always a treat, especially when they are running their seasonal specialties. Guests may share claws with their table as an appetizer, enjoy them as their main entree or even add them as an accompaniment to the wide variety of steak and seafood items. Claws are cracked fresh to order and are served with a traditional Dijon sauce and fresh hot towels.

The service at Del Frisco’s is impeccable as always, from the second you are greeted at the door to the smiling faces walking around triple checking that you are ok and have everything you need. You truly feel like royalty dining here.

Del Frisco’s is the place to bring family, friends, a special date, or to celebrate any occasion. Make your reservation tonight and get in to try the mouth watering stone crab claws!

Del Frisco’s, 1426-28 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia.

20 Insight•November 2 2012

CELEB

WEETING 50cent: “Speaking of MILF. I wanna do something that impacts kids in a positive way, that’s why im opening an abortion clinic. Ima call it 50/50 chance”

W

e’ve all had our share of “foot-inmouth” moments where we’ve said the wrong thing. And, we’ve had our blonde moments that we wish could be unsaid.

Luckily, not all of these are emblazoned upon the internet’s memory and left for millions of people to see.

Such isn’t necessarily true for so many celebs, for whom “tweeting” is practically mandatory.

And though we can give them the “they’re human, it happens” defense, it’s still more interesting when they screw up in this arena on us.

Kourtney Kardashian: Do ants have dicks?

Tony Hawk: “If your kids are fighting in the backseat, is it wrong to make a hard turn so the instigator hits the door? Purely hypothetical, of course.”

Mary J. Blige: “Why is that people always try to understand estimate my intelligents?! They should never do that! I haven’t been on (cont.) http://tl.gd/u6vo

Tyrese: “Here’s the real question. If you were to have sex with YOU. Would you cheat on yourself with that sex?? Do YOU think your sex is good?”

November 2012•Insight 21

WHY ADELE’S

SOMEONE LIKE YOU

IS A HIT AT FUNERALS

A

ccording to NME, Adele’s hit “Someone Like You” is #22 on the Co-Operative Funerlcare’s chart of songs played at funerals. Granted the song is beautiful; but, if you get beyond its beauty and listen to the words, the song’s purpose is to tell your lover how replaceable they are .

Above Adele on the “funeral playlist” are songs like Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” (at #12) and “Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers (at #18). While these songs are also akward selections to comment on the passing of the love one, as they are break up and/or love songs, they at least get to the idea of everlasting love. The sentiment is somewhat closer than Adele’s when she croons “nevermine I’ll find someone like you.”

If you’re curious about the remainder of thefuneral playlist and how “on point” the song messages are, here’s the top of the list: 1. Frank Sinatra “My Way” 2. Sarah Brightman/Andrea Bocelli “Time To Say Goodbye” 3. Bette Midler “Wind Beneath My Wings” 4. Eva Cassidy “Over The Rainbow” 5. Robbie Williams “Angels” 6. Westlife “You Raise Me Up” 7. Gerry & The Pacemakers “You’ll Never Walk Alone” 8. Vera Lynn “We’ll Meet Again” 9. Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” 10. Nat King Cole “Unforgettable” 11. Tina Turner “The Best” 12. Whitney Houston/Dolly Parton “I Will Always Love You” 13. Monty Python “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life” 14. Luther Vandross “Dance With My Father” 15. Louis Armstrong “Wonderful World” 16. Daniel O’Donnell “Danny Boy” 17. Eva Cassidy “Fields Of Gold” 18. Righteous Brothers (and various) “Unchained Melody” 19. Westlife “Flying Without Wings” 20.Eva Cassidy “Songbird” 22 Insight•November 2 2012

Taylor Swift’s

“W

SONG BANK

rite what you know.” Isn’t that the advice given to authors and poets – that if they draw from their lives they will create true personal and successful works. Someone must have said that phrase to Taylor Swift once and she must have really taken it to heart. Swift is unabashed in the fact that so much of her success is built on her ex boyfriends. The songstress notoriously draws from her break ups for her lyrical hits like “Love Story” and “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

Swift, herself as confirmed, in the latest issue of Marie Claire, “It’s not my fault if someone gets into a relationship with me and then cheats and I write a song about it…” More recently, while promoting, her new (already #1) album, “Red,” Swift said “I take these songs and these people who inspire these songs on a case-by-case basis. If there were someone who was a good person, I’m not going to write something bad about them. But if they handle a situation in a way that really messed up my life for a while, that’s what I’m going to write about…I’ve never had a guy say to me, ‘I was thinking of asking you out, but I was afraid I would end up in that song.’ I have had a guy say, as we were breaking up, ‘You better not write a song about this.’ At which point, I proceeded to write an entire album about it.”

Now that Swift has broken up with summer romance, Connor Kennedy, we can’t wait for the songs that will result.

Meanwhile, here are her ex-inspired songs thus far: “TIM MCGRAW”: Taylor told USA Today that this was a song inspired by an ex-boyfriend that “bought the album and said he really loved it, which is sweet. His current girlfriend isn’t too pleased with it, though.”

“PICTURE TO BURN”: This song written about an ex-boyfriend, whom she calls a redneck, and says he never let her drive his pick-up truck.

“SOULD’VE SAID NO”: The song was written about an ex-boyfriend, Sam, that cheated on her. In fact, in the CD booklet, ever S, A and M was capitalized if it was in the correct order.

“FOREVER AND ALWAYS”: This song was written about ex, Joe Jonas, who broke up with Swift over the phone. The song was a last minute addition to her album. Swift also wrote Last Kiss about him and Better than Revenge is about his ex-girlfriend, Camila Belle.

“BACK TO DECEMBER”: After a break-up with Twilight hottie Taylor Lautner, reportedly because he was more into her than she was into him, Swift wrote this song, allegedly as an apology to Lautner. At the end of the song she asks for his forgiveness “WE ARE NEVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER”: This song is allegedly written about Swift’s brief romance with actor Jake Gyllenhaal — who purportedly broke up with Swift via text message.

November October 2012•Insight 23

Dress to Impress FALL PONCHO FEVER

Trendy Prints Elegant and sophisticated

WO M E N

Ultra Modern Bold

A

lthough most typically relatable to Mexican culture, the Poncho, a late fashion element has become THE fall item most people can’t do without. A poncho is light enough to avoid overheating yet warm enough you won’t catch frost bite on those brisk fall into winter mornings and evenings. Not into the poncho scene? Check out these styles, you never know you might just like what you see.

MEN

When It Rains Laying Around Poncho Coat

24 Insight•October November 2012 2 2012

C

with Jamie!

onsider Owner Occupied Home Ownership to obtain that perfect living situation in a perfect neighborhood. . .

Whenever I travel outside the city I am bombarded with questions, and looked at sideways once I reveal what I do for a living. Real Estate has gained a bad wrap in many cities, and Jamie Reibenbach then I realized that many people that live here are lead to believe that what they see on the news points to our City of Brotherly Love. Well, I’ve got new for ya . . . It doesn’t. Has the economy affected us all? Of course it has, but the rise of our growth and continuous developments is astonishing! I do not believe that you can go more than a few blocks without noticing foundation freshly laid down, bulldozer’s on the move, and beautiful New Construction sold Pre Construction. I believe there is a reason for that!

Are you itching to get creative with your finances? Have an entrepreneur spirIt? Tired of condo ownership or high rise living? If you are looking in the mirror and saying yes that sounds like me then there just one more question to ask are you a multi-millionaire with unlimited funds in a bank account? Wait was that last one the crash and burn question that just brought you back to reality? Well don’t give up just yet or toss your wish lists aside as an unobtainable goal, consider purchasing a 2-family or multi-family home and living in one unit!!!!!! That’s right. . . . This arrangement, known as “owner occupied” housing, seems to be catching on a bit more these days. As an example, a homeowner purchases a duplex, lives on one side and rents out the other to a tenant. Thanks to low interest rates and the willingness of lenders to apply a sizable portion of that tenant’s rental amount towards the buyer’s income, this can result in getting a whole lot of house for a great price in a great neighborhood, and the ability to use the rent to pay the mortgage!

Living in your own rental property carries other advantages. Some two-unit buildings sell for the same price as a singlefamily home, but will be lessexpensive to carry because the mortgage will be offset by the rent you receive from your tenants. The savings you reap can be invested in more property, or saved for a down payment on your very own dream house. There are no guarantees with anything so if that is what you seek than sticking to a Conservative stock might be what works best for you. But, if you are one of those people paying a ridiculously high rent to your landlord who then reaps the rewards. Try being the Landlord for once, talk to your accountant and get informed about Real Estate Tax Benefits.

HIGHLIGHTED PROPERTY OF THE MONTH IN GRADUATE HOSPITAL: a stunning 5 yr old custom home in the heart of the much sought after Graduate Hospital area. This house is truly a HOME that exudes warmth and charm. With high end finishes and thoughtful touches throughout, it features every possible amenity including 1-car garage which is extremely difficult to find in this area. It also boasts an eat-in gourmet kitchen w/ granite, S/S appliances and breakfast bar, gas fireplace, hardwood flooring, rear yard oasis off kitchen for grilling, patio off master bedroom for morning coffee, roof deck w/ expansive skyline views, convenient 2nd fl. laundry rm, palatial master bedroom suite with sitting area, 2 walk-in closets, jetted tub, sep. shower & toilet rm, tons of natural light, two other bright, spacious bedrooms, partially finished basement with plumbing for 1/2 bath. A classic home in a wonderfully redeveloped area of the City.

For more information contact: Jamie Reibenbach/ Addison Real Estate Co. www.addisonre.com. 215.519.7075. jamier@addisonre.com November 2012•Insight 25

Real Estate

PROPERTY TALK ON THE TOWN

MICHAEL VICK NOT WORRIED ABOUT LOSING HIS JOB AS EAGLES QUARTERBACK

out there and get the job done. We’ll see what happens.”

For all the discussion about what the Eagles must do to improve on their 3-3 record after the bye week, there is no player whose performance will be scrutinized more than Vick. It’s the reality for any quarterback, but especially one with Vick’s struggles and the stakes of the Eagles’ season.

Vick took the bye week “to get away.” He said he cannot worry about Reid’s evaluations, instead focusing on how to play better on Sundays. Vick spoke with Reid on Monday morning before the Eagles’ first practice of the week. He did not divulge the details of the conversation but said it was “about his feelings and his thoughts and my feelings and my thoughts about certain things.”

Part of Reid’s evaluation included looking at the offense’s difficulties scoring. This could affect the plays designed for Vick, although Reid and Vick already meet on the Saturdays before games to discuss what should stay in the playbook and what should be left out. Reid did not speak with reporters on Monday.

One constant with Vick has been his teammates’ confidence in him, and that remains despite the quarterback’s struggles.

Neither wide receiver Jeremy Maclin nor running back LeSean McCoy anticipated a quarterback change. Maclin was not taken aback by Reid’s ambiguous endorsement of Vick last week, responding that Vick’s standing as the starter is the only endorsement needed.

“I’m not sure anybody in the locker room was wondering that,” McCoy said.

THE LUXURY LIFESTYLE “We all pretty much knew that Mike was A dedication to fulfilling my clients’ wishes and a passion for the the quarterback. He’s our guy and he’s Philadelphia landscape give me an edge in the world of real estate that our leader.” places my clients second-to-none. So please allow me to fulfill your real Vick said it’s not the first time in his estate dreams, as well as the opportunity to go above and beyond to career that he has endured criticism. exceed your expectations.

Former Eagles quarterback Donovan Jason Kravitz McNabb dealt with similar questions Realtor Licensed in PA & NJ late in his tenure in Philadelphia, and he Fluent in English and Russian offered Vick advice last Thursday during 226 West Rittenhouse Square #102, Philadelphia, PA 19103 his weekly appearance on Comcast O.215-735-2225|C.267-324-4141| E.RealtorJK@gmail.com SportsNet: “Play [ticked] off.” Vick does not expect that to be a problem. “I always play [ticked] off,” Vick said. “More so now than anything.”

26 Insight•November 2 2012

via Philly.com/Sports

©GettiImages.com

Sports & Athletics

M

ichael Vick’s seemingly tenuous grip on the Eagles starting quarterback spot was not so tenuous in his eyes. The $10 million franchise player has more turnovers than touchdowns this season, and last week’s tepid endorsement from coach Andy Reid invited speculation that Vick could lose his job.

“It was never a time when I didn’t know whether I was going to be the starter or not,” Vick said. “Quite frankly, I know what I can do when I’m out there, and I know what has to happen when I’m out there on the football field. That’s just my approach now, to go

Flyers Hockey Schedule 11/03 vs. Anaheim, 1:00 pm 11/04 vs.NY Rangers 7:00 pm 11/06 vs. Buffalo 7:00 pm 11/08 vs. Carolina 7:00 pm 11/10 vs. Carolina 7:00 pm 11/13 vs. Minnesota 7:00 pm 11/16 vs. Buffalo 7:00 pm 11/17 vs. Buffalo 7:00 pm 11/21 vs. Ottawa 7:00 pm 11/23 vs. Winnipeg 3:00 pm 11/24 vs. NY Rangers 1:00 pm 11/28 vs. Toronto 7:00 pm 11/29 vs. NY Islanders 7:00 pm

Sixesrs Basketball Schedule

Eagles Football Schedule 11/05 vs. New Orleans 8:30 pm 11/11 vs. Dallas 4:25 pm 11/18 vs. Washington 1:00 pm 11/26 vs. Carolina 8:30 pm

Think you know who will win?

Email or Facebook message us with your information and guesses. Right answers get a point towards our annual prize (see Editors Desk for more detail).

1 11/4 vs. Knicks 11:00 am 11/5 vs. Knicks 7:00 pm 11/7 vs. New Orleans 8:00 pm 11/9 vs. Boston 7:30 pm 11/10 vs. Toronto 7:00 pm 11/12 vs. Milwaukee 7:00 pm 11/14 vs. Detroit 7:00 pm 11/16 vs. Utah 7:00 PM 11/18 vs. Cleveland6:00 pm 11/20 vs. Toronto 7:00 pm 11/21 vs. Cleveland 7:00 pm 11/24 vs. Oklahoma City 7:00 pm 11/25 vs. Phoenix 6:00 pm 11/27 vs. Dallas 7:00 pm 11/30 vs. Charlotte 7:00 pm

SPORT AND EXERCISE MEDICINE

A

lthough many sports team have their own employed physician, there is also sport and exercise medicine. Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) has only been around since the late 20th century, but has become a distinct entity in the health care. Most SEM jobs are located and focused in the United Kingdom.

In the past SEM has mostly accepted general practitioners because most Sports and Exercise Medicine doctors are specialists who have done their residency in a specialty. The minimal qualification one must obtain to be able to work for SEM is a diploma from Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine. FSEM focuses on developing and promoting medical specialties SEM. Some injuries that Sport and Exercise Medicine doctors focus on are concussions due to a sport injury, muscle cramps, and ankle sprains.

November 2012•Insight 27

Science & Technology

$20Billion COMPUTER Chang’s Lunar supercomputer complex Image: Ouliang Chang

T

TO THE MOON?

wenty billion dollars. That’s how much a new proposed “supercomputer” will cost to construct and operate on the moon and NASA is clearly buzzing about it. The lunar supercomputer idea is the brainchild of a University of Southern California graduate student, who presented his idea at a California space conference just a few weeks ago. The main goal of the device would be to alleviate deep-space network traffic, allowing for more efficient data recovery.

Currently, data from outer space devices is gathered and transmitted in a network of thirteen giant antennas (the Deep Space Network) located in the U.S., Australia, and Spain. However, scientists have long complained that the bandwidth available for the network is inadequate, requiring data to get back to earth to process before it’s analyzed. With the new ‘supercomputer’, that could change. The device, running within the moon’s craters, would allow for super-efficient data processing and would communicate with spaceships and earth using a system of inflatable, steerable antennas.

While the price tag and gigantic logistical concerns will likely halt the progress of this project, many scientists in the space community are excited about it, as they feel it addresses a real and pressing space problem. Currently, there are similar projects being tested, including MIT’s Laser Network.

SAMSUNG SUES APPLE…

AGAIN!

I

n August of this year, a jury awarded Apple over $1 million against Samsung for copyright and patent infringement. Now, Samsung is suing Apple for copyright and patent infringement related to many of Apple’s products, including the new iPhone 5.

In the most recent court documents, Samsung accuses Apple of infringing on eight of its patents (two standard and six features), particularly related to functionality and design. The trial, scheduled for 2014, will involve both new and older iPhone models, as well as the iPad and the iPod Touch.

As a result of the prior suits, Android users can expect an increase in costs for their phones due to licensing fees; however, there is no telling how consumers will be affected by the current lawsuit. Either way, consumers lose, as all of the litigation costs will be paid for in monthly phone bills.

28 Insight•November 2 2012

Jakub Halik

MAN WITHOUT ©iStockphoto.com

A

I

HEART

t is not unknown that you cannot survive without a heart, as it is the primary source organ that pumps blood throughout your body. So how did Jakub Halik a Czech

man survive for six months without a heart?

Halik’s heart was completely removed and instead replaced by a mechanical pump. He is only the second person to undergo a surgery where one’s heart is completely removed and replaced with an inhuman artificial machine. A man in Texas was the first man to undergo such a dangerous procedure in 2011. However, he died a few weeks after.

Doctors discovered a large tumor growing on Halik’s heart and they had to immediately remove the heart. Since medicine is required for a heart transplant, Halik was unable to go along with the procedure due to him being a cancer patient. But doctors were able to provide Halik with two mechanical pumps instead. The procedure lasted for nearly eight hours.

The only big difference between having an organ and a pump is now Halik does not have a pulse at all.

Besides that he functions as a perfectly healthy male would.

Although, Halik did get placed on the waiting list for a heart We Book: Cruises, Hotels, Packages, Contact us: transplant, but waiting for Airfare, Car Rentals, Honeymoons, CruiseLandAir@Gmail.com Destination Weddings, and Groups those types of surgeries can 215-322-5696 take up to eight months.

We take care of you before, during, and after your trip

Want to advertise in Insight?

Visit myinsightmag. com to learn how.

Extensive research and travel tips for every client Russian/English speaking agents $25.00 OFF your first booked cruise or vacation package with this advertisement

ou Y h WisereHere W XOXO November 2012•Insight 29

Career & Finance

To Leave or Not To Leave:

A Case for Maternity Leave

H

aving a baby can be one of the best times in your life; it can also be one of the most stressful, particularly when it comes to balancing work with new parenthood right after delivery. To date, the United States is the only industrialized country that doesn’t require paid time off for new parents, but the trend may be changing in the future, albeit distant future.

Currently, on the U.S. federal level, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1983 (FMLA) mandates up to twelve weeks of (often unpaid) job-protected leave for workers. However, some states have started to mandate paid family leave. For example, California offers six weeks of paid medical leave at 55% of base pay; D.C. requires employers to provide workers with paid days of absence. Other states mandating paid paternal leave include New Jersey, offering six weeks of paid leave at 66%, Puerto Rico with 8 weeks at 100%, Hawaii with a base of 58% and New York at 50% pay for days of absence.

Some have argued that the debate surrounding mandating paternal leave should be a part of the national debate in the upcoming presidential election. One quick search on the Internet will reveal numerous petitions and campaigns to bring the topic to the national forefront; yet, it doesn’t seem to be at the forefront of the national conscience, save for the conversation surrounding Yahoo’s new CEO, Marissa Meyer, and her rise to the post during a pregnancy.

So, the next time a candidate asks you what you believe in, consider adding mandatory paternal leave to your list and help make history. If not for you, at least for generations to come.

30 Insight•November 2 2012

IS YOUR CREDIT SCORE

Accurate?

A

ssuming you’re one of the responsible people in this world, checking your credit score is an annual occurrence. But, what if you found out the score you purchased was not accurate? That your actual score fluctuated up or down up to a couple hundred points? A new research study has discovered that may just be the case.

The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) conducted a study of over 200,000 credit files and discovered that in up to 24% of the cases, the score difference between the purchased and actual scores were significant enough that the score itself jumped up or down at least one credit category. Moreover, the CFPB found that the scores used by lenders (the actual scores) were not sold to the consumer public and that there was no way for consumers to know what those scores actually are.

This poses obvious hurdles and complications for those affected, particularly when it comes to qualifying for loans and other services. In response to the study, the National Consumer Law Center is pushing for legislation giving Americans the right to access all scores, not just the ones sold by the credit bureaus.

So, if you are ever denied for a loan, don’t fret. It could be that the lenders are seeing something you are not; the battle comes in trying to figure out what they based the decision on.

10 Things

You Should Always

Negotiate

I

f you’re like me, you hate price negotiating. I’d rather just walk in the store, pay for what I want, and hope that I am getting a fair deal. However, there are some items that are so overpriced that a little negotiation may be worth it. Here’s the list: Phone/TV/Internet Service – simply request the best deal. If you don’t think you’re getting it, threaten to walk away.

Cars — same as above, except it pays to do your homework on this to compare prices.

Insurance Rates – likely, your first quote was not the best one. Be informed and ask for something that suits you.

Health Care — same as above.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Subscriptions/Memberships – definitely get those application/initiation fees dropped.

Rent — if you are a good tenant, you should be rewarded, especially if you offer to extend your lease.

Credit Card Fees — all it takes is a request and pointing out you are a valued customer.

Anything Used — come on, it’s used. Definitely lower the price.

Vacation Packages — usually, these include things you don’t want to do. Customize your vacay to lower prices.

Furniture — a given; threaten to go somewhere else and see the prices tumbling down.

November 2012•Insight 31

A Dose of Insight

By Angele D. Russell

M

y college applications are due in the upcoming months and I’m having a panic attack. I don’t think I’ll get in anywhere. My SAT score is ridiculously low and my GPA doesn’t make up for it. I’ve done the research and most schools would simply be a waste of money to apply to. My parents have sent me to private school my entire life and expect me to go to some amazing school, but it simply doesn’t seem like a reality. How do I tell them that they’ve essentially blown their lifelong scholastic investment in me? — Chris, Southampton, PA ✽ First off, Chris, you didn’t ‘blow’ their investment. I am certain they invested in a good education so you could have options. And guess what? You DO have options, despite your apparent dismal performance on the SAT. What are those options, you ask? You could take the ACT, which is the counterpart to the SAT; many times, students perform better on the ACT and

colleges often accept that score in lieu of the SAT. Another option is to attend a community college, do REALLY well, and then apply to a prestigious school; happens all the time. At the end of the day, I am certain your parents are proud of you and just want you to do what works best for you, even if it means taking time off to really figure out what you want to do. Good luck!

M

©iStockphoto.com

y mother has been pressuring my wife and I to have a kid since the day we got married — a week and a half ago. And it’s not in that cute “I want to be a grandma” kind of way; it is more in a persistent “you two are failing me” kind of way every single time she is on the phone with or sees either of us. It’s making my wife uncomfortable and I’ve repeatedly told my mother that it isn’t her place to be so pressuring, but it’s like I’m talking to a wall. How do I make her understand? ✽ Honestly, there’s no way to make her understand. It’s obvious her entire life’s purpose at this point is to have grandchildren and, to her, you are the only one who can make that happen.

Personally, nothing makes me more upset than for people to pressure others to do something that they think is a good idea, despite what the other person thinks. My advice is for you to 32 Insight•October November 2012 2 2012

let it go … both you and your wife. The issue here is not necessarily your mother’s insistence on having kids; it’s the effect it’s having on you and your wife’s emotional well-being. As such, it is just best to choose to not be affected by it and chalk it up to your mother’s ways. Otherwise, you will just go crazy and that benefits no one.

Good luck!

M

y husband has always been a critical guy — over his work performance, over others, over himself, and over me. A lot of the time it has pushed me to be better. But, sometimes he is just mean.

I recently gave birth to our daughter, about a month ago, and he has literally been poking at my hips and stomach, telling me that it’s time I “took care of it.” Since our daughter is only a month old, I’m still nursing her and am up all night, and physically don’t have the time to work out anymore. I’ve tried to tell him that he is being unnecessarily demanding, but he doesn’t seem to get it. How do I get through to him how unkind he is actually being? — Doris, Warminster, PA

✽ Well, first, you should communicate to him using feeling words like “feel,” as in “your words make me feel insecure and worthless.” If that doesn’t work, my suggestion is to go to counseling because, sometimes, loved ones respond to

criticism better from someone else than from the person in front of them. Nevertheless, the comments he is making to you amount to emotional abuse and should not be tolerated. Get the situation fixed, immediately. Good luck!

M

y boss’ boss sets impossible quotas for our office.

So, naturally, it makes my boss absolutely crazy, to the point where he threatens firing everyone that doesn’t make the quota every week. It’s been about three weeks and each week, sure enough, at least a couple people are fired for not making these quotas — but not all of them.

Now, I’m starting to think that this is my boss’ excuse to fire those employees he simply does not like. To be perfectly honest, I’m pretty sure he simply does NOT like me. How do I avoid the chopping block? Also, is he even allowed to fire us on fake pretenses like that? ✽ Unfortunately, if you live in a state where you can be fired for any reason, then you may be out of luck. These “at-will employment” states allow employers to discharge employees for any cause at all within the confines of federal laws (antidiscrimination statutes, Equal Pay, etc). My advice

to you is to document everything, do well at your job, and look for other employment options. After all, working in that type of environment is not conducive to success on any level; find a better environment. Good luck!

November October 2012•Insight 33

Horoscope

Aries (March 21-April 20). The pressure of relationships has been unrelenting, but this month you have the choice to turn it to diamonds or gold. Do not give up on your goal and achieve what you can.

Standing up for your beliefs will get you where you want to be this month.

Libra (Sept. 23rd–Oct. 23rd). This month pay attention to your finances. You may be tempted to act carefree in certain situations, but don’t give into the temptation. Also consider resolving any previous issues you may have had in the past to prevent issues from getting out of hand.

Taurus (April 21st–May 21st). Focus on your relationships this month. The first three weeks expect to reassess your financial situations and make adjustments in your personal life. During this month you may also find your self reconnecting with old friends.

Scorpio (Oct. 24th–Nov. 22nd). November 14th may mark one of the most special days for you.

Prepare to change your self-image completely.

Though the change may not be noticed right away, but it will open up more doors for the future you.

Gemini (May 22nd–June 21st). Consider putting your relationship issues on the back burner this month.

Review your plans for the future and possibly even reconsider them. You may feel worn out and grow frustrated, but don’t. Everything will work out in the end.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23rd–Dec. 21st). You may want to keep your impulses in check this month! It starts off filled with excitement, but your patience is fairly low too. Consider starting a new relationship and moving ahead with your life.

Cancer (June 22nd–July 22nd). If you feel that the path you are wandering on is not the right path for you then stop following it. Do not let your heart be fooled by your mind if you do not feel it. Do not stretch your work load anymore than you could handle.

Capricorn (Dec. 22nd–Jan. 20th). You thought that the past was in the past, but this month old issues may arise again. During this month consider who your true friends are and analyze your professional relationships.

Leo (July 23rd–August 23rd). The beginning of the month may be a little hectic at first, but be optimistic and look at all of the adventures ahead. If you want to carry out your plans reconsider your assumptions and revise your tactics.

Aquarius (Jan. 21st–Feb. 18th). This month you may be busy with your professional issues. Being instructed on what to do by those above you will have you second guessing your current position. Consider looking elsewhere for fulfillment on the job.

Virgo (August 24th–Sept. 22nd). Rather than rushing ahead this month, go back a few steps. This will only make your plans come about better. Review and revise what you have already done, especially in your family life. If you eliminate the negative forces in your life everything will work out.

Pisces (Feb. 19th–March 20th). You have been pushing your self from quit some time now. Use this month to relax and reset your priorities. Though this may set you a little, but at least you will be able to restore your energy and continue unfinished project better.

34 Insight•November 2 2012

NCMEC-4.75x5-CMYK:Layout 1

1/6/12

3:43 PM

Page 2

Marketplace

Want to advertise in Insight?

Visit myinsightmag.com to learn how.

November 2012•Insight 35

36 Insight•November 2 2012