| Tipping the Scales Against Obesity |
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It would appear that the popular television show The Biggest Loser, which provides cash prizes to contestants who lose probably the most weight, has 7 Days Herbal Slim nothing on Corporate America.
With what can perhaps best be classified as a lose-win proposition, big companies, such as General Electric (ticker: GE), Oracle (ORCL), and Halliburton (HAL), are increasingly turning to weight-loss contests to improve health and combat the more than $153 billion annually in productivity alone that a Gallup Well-Being Index in 2011 estimated sheds to absenteeism by employees who pack too many pounds.
Apparently, the contest works, because employees possess some figurative--and literal--skin in the game, says David Roddenberry, co-founder of a contest coordinator, HealthyWage. "Loss-aversion is really a powerful principle," says Roddenberry, who notes that participants (who could start adding some members of the family) are loath to lose the $70 both start working to go in the competition, which generally lasts 12 weeks for short-term versions and nine months for long-term ones. Groups of five, some of them executives, are formed, and the successful entrants are the ones who shed a certain percentage of how much they weigh.
Paige Niccoll, HealthAhead operations leader for General Electric's GE Capital, says 5,000 people participated in its first foray into team-losing in April. "Many people gained in the experience," Nicoll says (pun perhaps unintended), having a total of 23,000 pounds being lost. The company awarded the five members of the very best team $5,000 each. With 60% of GE Capital's employees considered obese on bmi, Nicoll adds, the contest would be a "can't-lose type of deal."
The president will require executive action to reform the immigration system, offering to shield as many as five million illegal immigrants and give them work permits. It might represent the most important alterations in U.S. immigration policy in nearly 3 decades. The unilateral move angered Republicans; House Republicans sued the administration on health care reform.
Snap Election Called
Japanese Pm Shinzo Abe said he was delaying a sales-tax increase to keep the economy from foundering, and he required easy election to find a mandate for his decision. The move came after
a second consecutive quarter of monetary contraction was reported.
Muddy Picture
Fed officials grappled with weak international economies, slowing growth forecasts in your own home, concerns about lower inflation, and financial-market volatility in their meeting in October. Although they were reasonably confident about labor conditions, "they remained cautious about sending a tightening signal too soon," wrote Jim O'Sullivan, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics.
Big Mergers
Actavis pays $66 billion in cash and stock for Allergan, apparently thwarting a hostile bid by Valeant. Halliburton said hello would buy rival Baker Hughes for $34.6 billion of cash and stock, for any 31% premium to Baker's pre-bid price.
Fed Reviewing Practices
The Federal Reserve plans a sweeping overview of its practices in supervising big banks, as a result of concerns that its internal culture can quash dissent. Separately, Goldman Sachs Group dismissed two bankers after one of these allegedly brought to the firm secret documents in the Ny Fed. New York Fed President William Dudley defended the financial institution from accusations to be too close to the banks it supervises in a hearing.
Rate Cut in China
In a surprise move, China cut lending rates for the first time in additional than two years amid expectations that it is economy could miss its annual growth target. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi reiterated that the bank was ready to expand its stimulus program. Global markets rallied, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard & Poor's 500 index hitting new highs.
Israelis Killed During Worship
Two Palestinians armed with a gun and meat cleavers killed five Israelis, four of them worshipers in a synagogue. The murder of three U.S.-Israeli rabbis, a British-Israeli rabbi, and a Druse policeman raised fears from the conflict escalating to 1 centered on religion.
Air-Bag Problems Expand
Pressure grew for Japanese air-bag maker Takata to conduct a U.S. nationwide recall. A Takata official testified Meizi Evolution Botanical Slimming the organization knew as early as May 2005 that certain of their air bags had exploded but didn't investigate or warn auto makers from the possible defect for two years.
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11月22日（土）18:47 | トラックバック(0) | コメント(0) | Music | 管理
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