Redskins rookie running back Alfred Morris, entering his first professional December, said he?s not worried about the rookie wall.
?I was built for this,? Morris said, via Rich Campbell of the Washington Times. ?I was made for this. It?s just the truth. I can take a lot of beating. I don?t think I?ll ever meet the rookie wall.?
He better not, because the Redskins will need him Monday against the Giants.
Morris is 18 yards short of 1,000, and needs just 81 the rest of the way to break Reggie Brooks? franchise rookie record. For a guy who was hoping to fit in wherever this year, it?s a pretty impressive achievement.
?It would mean a lot,? Morris said. ?I didn?t think I was going to even see the field until the fifth, sixth game. For that to happen would be an honor, especially with such a storied franchise. I?d be thankful and still be humble.?
He?s made adjustments to his game, notably in terms of taking care of himself. He said he never considered getting into a cold tub until since-cut veteran Tim Hightower taught him the benefits, and he?s taken other measures to keep himself ready, such as massages.
?It?s not a pleasure massage,? Morris said. ?Those things hurt, but afterwards you feel a lot better.?
That he?s still fresh has caught the eye of coaches, who never know what to expect from first-year players this time of year.
?He?s been good all year ? I think that?s been the most impressive thing about him,? offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan said. ?He has never hit a rookie wall. He runs so hard, and I have never seen him wear down at all. He keeps grinding on everything.?
One day Morris will learn how hard it actually is. But for the moment, the young legs are still carrying him.
FILE - This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Mint shows the President John Adams presidential $1 coin. Congressional auditors say doing away with dollar bills entirely and replacing them with dollar coins could save taxpayers some $4.4 billion over the next 30 years. (AP Photo/US Mint, File)
FILE - This undated file photo provided by the U.S. Mint shows the President John Adams presidential $1 coin. Congressional auditors say doing away with dollar bills entirely and replacing them with dollar coins could save taxpayers some $4.4 billion over the next 30 years. (AP Photo/US Mint, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? American consumers have shown about as much appetite for the $1 coin as kids do their spinach. They may not know what's best for them either. Congressional auditors say doing away with dollar bills entirely and replacing them with dollar coins could save taxpayers some $4.4 billion over the next 30 years.
Vending machine operators have long championed the use of $1 coins because they don't jam the machines, cutting down on repair costs and lost sales. But most people don't seem to like carrying them. In the past five years, the U.S. Mint has produced 2.4 billion Presidential $1 coins. Most are stored by the Federal Reserve, and production was suspended about a year ago.
The latest projection from the Government Accountability Office on the potential savings from switching to dollar coins entirely comes as lawmakers begin exploring new ways for the government to save money by changing the money itself.
The Mint is preparing a report for Congress showing how changes in the metal content of coins could save money.
The last time the government made major metallurgical changes in U.S. coins was nearly 50 years ago when Congress directed the Mint to remove silver from dimes and quarters and to reduce its content in half dollar coins. Now, Congress is looking at new changes in response to rising prices for copper and nickel.
At a House subcommittee hearing Thursday, the focus was on two approaches:
?Moving to less expensive combinations of metals like steel, aluminum and zinc.
?Gradually taking dollar bills out the economy and replacing them with coins.
The GAO's Lorelei St. James told the House Financial Services panel it would take several years for the benefits of switching from paper bills to dollar coins to catch up with the cost of making the change. Equipment would have to be bought or overhauled and more coins would have to be produced upfront to replace bills as they are taken out of circulation.
But over the years, the savings would begin to accrue, she said, largely because a $1 coin could stay in circulation for 30 years while paper bills have to be replaced every four or five years on average.
"We continue to believe that replacing the note with a coin is likely to provide a financial benefit to the government," said St. James, who added that such a change would work only if the note was completely eliminated and the public educated about the benefits of the switch.
Even the $1 coin's most ardent supporters recognize that they haven't been popular. Philip Diehl, former director of the Mint, said there was a huge demand for the Sacagawea dollar coin when production began in 2001, but as time wore on, people stayed with what they knew best.
"We've never bitten the bullet to remove the $1 bill as every other Western economy has done," Diehl said. "If you did, it would have the same success the Canadians have had."
Beverly Lepine, chief operating officer of the Royal Canadian Mint, said her country loves its "Loonie," the nickname for the $1 coin that includes an image of a loon on the back. The switch went over so well that the country also went to a $2 coin called the "Toonie."
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., affirmed that Canadians have embraced their dollar coins. "I don't know anyone who would go back to the $1 and $2 bills," he said.
That sentiment was not shared by some of his fellow subcommittee members when it comes to the U.S. version.
Rep. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., said men don't like carrying a bunch of coins around in their pocket or in their suits. And Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said the $1 coins have proved too hard to distinguish from quarters.
"If the people don't want it and they don't want to use it," she said, "why in the world are we even talking about changing it?"
"It's really a matter of just getting used to it," said Diehl, the former Mint director.
Several lawmakers were more intrigued with the idea of using different metal combinations in producing coins.
Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, said a penny costs more than 2 cents to make and a nickel costs more than 11 cents to make. Moving to multiplated steel for coins would save the government nearly $200 million a year, he said.
The Mint's report, which is due in mid-December, will detail the results of nearly 18 months of work exploring a variety of new metal compositions and evaluating test coins for attributes as hardness, resistance to wear, availability of raw materials and costs.
Richard Peterson, the Mint's acting director, declined to give lawmakers a summary of what will be in the report, but he said "several promising alternatives" were found.
Umberto Tassoni advices individuals wanting to be successful in dating to create extra effort for making another party happy and satisfied. For example, in case your partner loves art however, you detest it, for his or her sake, attend a skill exhibition together. Carrying this out means they are feel appreciated and loved. Don?t be the middle of attention constantly.
Associations enjoy adventure and every now and then doing something totally new. Doing exactly the same factor any time you are together can make the connection stale and take away excitement and fun from this. Umberto Tassoni advices couples to understand new and exciting activities to complete together. For example, one suggestion supplied by Umberto Tassoni would be to embark on a have a picnic and merely have some fun both of you. Every now and then surprise your companion with something they didn?t expect.Glucosamine protects against cancer, heart disease, and death from ?
(NaturalNews) The benefits of glucosamine now appear to extend far beyond joint health: latest results from a large cohort study show that glucosamine users had 18 percent less risk of death from all causes, including 13 percent less risk of ?ExcitingAds! Naturals See all stories on this topic ?
Kelsey-Seybold doctors get national recognition for heart disease, stroke care
Thirteen more doctors in Houston's Kelsey-Seybold Clinic physicians group have been nationally recognized for their care of patients recovering from heart disease or stroke, according to a news release. According to a news release, the National ? See all stories on this topic ?
High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy May Lead to Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy May Lead to Heart Disease. Single-child mothers who develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, may be more likely to die from heart disease later in life. Researchers looked at data from more than eight hundred ? See all stories on this topic ?
Contact: Lynn Celmer lcelmer@aasmnet.org 630-737-9700 x9364 American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Increasing sleep time improves daytime alertness and reduces pain sensitivity
DARIEN, IL A new study suggests that extending nightly sleep in mildly sleepy, healthy adults increases daytime alertness and reduces pain sensitivity.
"Our results suggest the importance of adequate sleep in various chronic pain conditions or in preparation for elective surgical procedures," said Timothy Roehrs, PhD, the study's principal investigator and lead author. "We were surprised by the magnitude of the reduction in pain sensitivity, when compared to the reduction produced by taking codeine."
The study, appearing in the December issue of the journal SLEEP, involved 18 healthy, pain-free, sleepy volunteers. They were randomly assigned to four nights of either maintaining their habitual sleep time or extending their sleep time by spending 10 hours in bed per night. Objective daytime sleepiness was measured using the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), and pain sensitivity was assessed using a radiant heat stimulus.
Results show that the extended sleep group slept 1.8 hours more per night than the habitual sleep group. This nightly increase in sleep time during the four experimental nights was correlated with increased daytime alertness, which was associated with less pain sensitivity.
In the extended sleep group, the length of time before participants removed their finger from a radiant heat source increased by 25 percent, reflecting a reduction in pain sensitivity. The authors report that the magnitude of this increase in finger withdrawal latency is greater than the effect found in a previous study of 60 mg of codeine.
According to the authors, this is the first study to show that extended sleep in mildly, chronically sleep deprived volunteers reduces their pain sensitivity. The results, combined with data from previous research, suggest that increased pain sensitivity in sleepy individuals is the result of their underlying sleepiness.
###
The study was supported by the Fund for Henry Ford Health System.
To request a copy of the study, "Pain Sensitivity and Recovery From Mild Chronic Sleep Loss" or to arrange an interview with an AASM spokesperson, please contact Communications Coordinator Lynn Celmer at 630-737-9700, ext. 9364, or lcelmer@aasmnet.org.
The monthly, peer-reviewed, scientific journal SLEEP is published online by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The AASM is a professional membership society that is the leader in setting standards and promoting excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Lynn Celmer lcelmer@aasmnet.org 630-737-9700 x9364 American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Increasing sleep time improves daytime alertness and reduces pain sensitivity
DARIEN, IL A new study suggests that extending nightly sleep in mildly sleepy, healthy adults increases daytime alertness and reduces pain sensitivity.
"Our results suggest the importance of adequate sleep in various chronic pain conditions or in preparation for elective surgical procedures," said Timothy Roehrs, PhD, the study's principal investigator and lead author. "We were surprised by the magnitude of the reduction in pain sensitivity, when compared to the reduction produced by taking codeine."
The study, appearing in the December issue of the journal SLEEP, involved 18 healthy, pain-free, sleepy volunteers. They were randomly assigned to four nights of either maintaining their habitual sleep time or extending their sleep time by spending 10 hours in bed per night. Objective daytime sleepiness was measured using the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), and pain sensitivity was assessed using a radiant heat stimulus.
Results show that the extended sleep group slept 1.8 hours more per night than the habitual sleep group. This nightly increase in sleep time during the four experimental nights was correlated with increased daytime alertness, which was associated with less pain sensitivity.
In the extended sleep group, the length of time before participants removed their finger from a radiant heat source increased by 25 percent, reflecting a reduction in pain sensitivity. The authors report that the magnitude of this increase in finger withdrawal latency is greater than the effect found in a previous study of 60 mg of codeine.
According to the authors, this is the first study to show that extended sleep in mildly, chronically sleep deprived volunteers reduces their pain sensitivity. The results, combined with data from previous research, suggest that increased pain sensitivity in sleepy individuals is the result of their underlying sleepiness.
###
The study was supported by the Fund for Henry Ford Health System.
To request a copy of the study, "Pain Sensitivity and Recovery From Mild Chronic Sleep Loss" or to arrange an interview with an AASM spokesperson, please contact Communications Coordinator Lynn Celmer at 630-737-9700, ext. 9364, or lcelmer@aasmnet.org.
The monthly, peer-reviewed, scientific journal SLEEP is published online by the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The AASM is a professional membership society that is the leader in setting standards and promoting excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Former strip miner Ed Wiley looks up at mountaintop-removal operations near Peachtree, W.Va. When his granddaughter Kayla became sick while attending Marsh Fork Elementary School, located in the shadow of a Massey mountaintop-removal site, Wiley became an activist. He walked 455 miles to Washington, D.C., in 2006 to speak to Sen. Robert C. Byrd about the health impacts of mountaintop-removal coal mining. Wiley's Pennies of Promise campaign built support for a new school, which will open to students soon.
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
A mountaintop-removal blast on Kayford Mountain sends toxic dust over the communities below. Every day, 5.5 million pounds of explosives?a mix of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate?are used to blow up the mountains of southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. Communities near these operations have long complained about the dust raining down on them. Studies suggest that breathing in dust from these sites may lead to an increase in birth defects, cancers, liver and kidney disease, and pulmonary heart disease.
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
Frankie Moonie wipes the oily, gritty residue off his home below the massive Twilight mountaintop-removal mine. The residue contains diesel fuel, ammonium nitrate, and silica dust. Recent studies by the U.S. Geological Survey have detected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, some of which are carcinogenic, in the soil and water around mountaintop-removal operations. Moonie, a retired coal miner, worked on his hands and knees for 38 years mining ?low coal? in seams no higher than 40 inches. He lost one lung when he was crushed in a mining accident. He died in January 2011 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
Maria Gunnoe and her daughter, Chrystal, near their home in Bob White, W.Va. Since a mountaintop-removal operation moved in in 2000, Maria Gunnoe has tried to protect her home and community from the effects of mountaintop removal coal mining. In 2003, flooding induced by the mine above her home carved a 67-foot-wide gully through her property; her well is now contaminated with selenium, rendering the water from her faucets unsafe. She has endured death threats from local strip miners and their wives. In October, the University of Michigan awarded her the Wallenberg Medal for humanitarian action for her efforts to stand up to the coal industry.
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
Bo Webb and Vernon Haltom speak with Rep. Dennis Kucinich after a symbolic anti-Environmental Protection Agency bill passed in the House Oversight Committee on July 13, 2011. Webb and Haltom are leaders of the Appalachian Communities Health Emergency (ACHE), a campaign to stop mountaintop coal removal because of its impact on human health. On June 29, Kucinich, Rep. Louise Slaughter, and several others introduced the Appalachian Communities Health Emergency Act (H.R. 5959), a bill that would "place a moratorium on permitting for mountaintop removal coal mining until health studies are conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services."
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
Roy Maynor Jr. of Buffalo Creek, W.Va., sits along the creek near his home. Early in the morning of Feb. 26, 1972, approximately 132 million gallons of liquid coal waste broke through a dam on Pittston Coal Company?s facilities. A wave of coal sludge 30 feet high flooded 16 communities down Buffalo Creek Hollow. It killed 125 people and left 4,000 homeless.?
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
Sunset on Coal River Mountain near Hazy Creek in the Coal River Valley, W.Va. Mountaintop-removal coal mining has destroyed 500 mountains, buried thousands of miles of headwater streams, and wiped thousands of Appalachian communities off the map.?
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
Mountaintop-removal and valley-fill coal mining at Massey Energy's Edwight site in Sundial, W.Va., on April 16, 2009. A drilling rig sits atop a dissected mountaintop stripped of trees and dirt. Massive bulldozers push earth and rock off a blasted-away mountain into the valleys below. The fill buries the headwater streams and serves as a toxic sieve of ground-up rock and dirt that will leech heavy metals into the ground water.
Photograph by Antrim Caskey
Coal River Mountain, W.Va. The Appalachians stretch from Maine to Alabama. Coal was first discovered in 1742 by John Peter Salley along the banks of the Coal River in Boone County, the location of the most intense mountaintop-removal mining today.
Getty Images
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_sTdg2siTDW02QKUARHtwmU4Mkkd2P_yUU1wjDgccFdU_88Hbo9_f-IoCNQlaJZWoQPNdP8u2_ntDsi6S2UZHbUsrOVb9mbkP1UDDoACa8=s0-d){kind=small}
Public release date: 1-Dec-2012
Share ] 
