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IN SPORTS

www.tennessean.com

SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2007

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE VOLUME 103, NO. 125

7 SECTIONS

A GANNETT NEWSPAPER

More people leave the U.S. for surgery ‘Medical tourists’ from Midstate say savings can be big By JOY BUCHANAN Staff Writer

A White Bluff woman had drastic weight-loss surgery in Mexico and saved $21,000. A Murfreesboro man had double hip replacement, saving more than $30,000. And a Franklin couple saved

more than $10,000 on mouthfuls of expensive dental work in Hungary and vacationed in the Eastern bloc, visiting historic cities and dining on local cuisine. These Middle Tennessee residents are part of a growing group of Americans seeking medical care abroad to save money. They say their experiences have been overwhelmingly positive. But some doctors are leery of the practice. “The hospital was immacu-

strongly objects to overseas medical travel. “I obviously have grave reservations about flying to Mexico, staying on the beach and having a gastric bypass,” he said. “What if you don’t do well? What if there’s a complication?” “You get what you pay for,” he said. “A surgeon is not just a technician. They provide follow-up care and extensive monitoring. If you go out of the

Josef Woodman, author of Patients Beyond Borders, offers advice for medical travelers. Search MEDTRAVEL to read his tips.

late,” said Barbara Morris of White Bluff, who had weightloss surgery in Mexico. “The nurses just hovered over you. The doctor e-mailed me 100 times a day. He answered all my questions.” Dr. George Lynch, a bariatric surgeon at Baptist Hospital,

Please see TRAVEL, 6A

SURGERY ABROAD

The most common surgeries for medical travelers are (in order): 1. Dental work (usually cosmetic) 2. Cosmetic surgery 3. Orthopedic surgery 4. Cardiovascular surgery People also travel abroad for cancer treatment, sports injury treatment and reproductive therapy. SOURCE: Patients Beyond Borders: Everybody’s Guide to Affordable, WorldClass Medical Tourism, Healthy Travel Media, 2007

INSIDE DIPTI VAIDYA / THE TENNESSEAN

Barbara Morris is glad she had weight-loss surgery in Mexico.

Reactors return to utilities’ plans after 30-year halt SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Ben Folds performs a live concert streamed on MySpace. Folds’ MySpace page has helped build his fan following.

Fan-hungry indie bands play in whole new world Search MUSIC to find links to popular sharing sites.

Staff Writer

Nashville musician Matthew Ebel’s payout for a 15-date March tour was modest — he took home about $500 between CD sales and tips, playing to crowds of 30 to 50 folks a night. But considering the singer didn’t have to leave his pajamas, much less his ZIP code, the jaunt wasn’t exactly a bust. Ebel’s trek was inside “3-D virtual world” Second Life, where his digital avatar counterpart, avian pianist Hali Heron, provided real-time

CONTENTS

Sections: Local News . . . . . . . . . . .B Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .S Editorials . . . . . . . . . . . .16-17A Faith & Values . . . . . . . .3B, 5B Get Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2D Sports A.M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2C Stocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5E

IN BUSINESS

Some YouTube stars get share of ad money. On Page 1E

visuals for the live, Internetstreamed sound his owner cooked up back in the real world. “It’s not enough to pay the bills,” Ebel says, “but considering they’re concerts that I played in sweat pants in my

house, (there’s a) return on investment.” The growth of social networking — from podcasting networks to MySpace, Facebook and Second Life’s virtual-reality socializing — is, in the eyes of techie indie musicians like Ebel, shifting the music-business model “for the benefit of the independent performer.” It works best, Ebel says, “if you stay on top of it.” For Ebel, smart investing in a music career means keeping !

Please see MUSIC, 10A

Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — Stepping into the rancorous national debate over global warming, the U.S. intelligence community has launched an examination of the security threats that could be triggered by rising tempera-

tures and climate change, officials said Thursday. The review was announced by the nation’s intelligence director even as congressional Democrats and Republicans sparred over whether it was appropriate for the beleaguered U.S. spy services to spend

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Avian pianist Hali Heron is Nashville musician Matthew Ebel’s digital alter ego inside virtual world Second Life.

U.S. spy agencies check for threats from climate changes By GREG MILLER

Sunday — Tennessee roots: Class cutup grows up quickly after becoming a young husband and father. Monday — Political arena: Watergate and a red pickup truck propel him to national prominence. Tuesday — Before the camera: He’s been In the Line of Fire and handed out Law & Order. Could president be his next role? Series starts in Sunday’s Tennessean.

resources studying threats posed by the environment. The review is expected to identify security problems that could erupt if rising global temperatures cause flooding, food shortages, migration shifts and !

On Page 6A

TVA plant signals start of nuclear renaissance

MUSIC MARKETING GOES HIGH-TECH

By NICOLE KEIPER

Find out how you can learn the quality of a foreign hospital.

Please see SECURITY, 8A

FIGHTING FORECLOSURE Since 2005, more than 3,000 Nashvillians have lost their homes to foreclosure. Their experience is a cautionary tale for potential home buyers and highlights the perils and hidden traps of a mortgage industry with few regulations and little oversight. In Sunday’s Tennessean

By DUNCAN MANSFIELD

Nashville 40

Florence Decatur MISS. ALABAMA

Associated Press

KNOXVILLE — For the first time in 22 years, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s oldest nuclear reactor — the site of one of America’s worst nuclear accidents — is expected to be operating soon, after a fiveyear, $1.8 billion restoration. The anticipated reopening of the Unit 1 reactor at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant in Athens, Ala., about 110 miles south of Nashville, marks a revival of the country’s nuclear energy program. The facility is to be reborn as a modern 1,200megawatt atomic generator capable of lighting 650,000 homes. Mothballed since 1985, the Browns Ferry reactor was the

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scene of a major fire sparked by a candle three decades ago. No new nuclear plants have been built in the U.S. since the 1970s, but the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects to receive fast-track construction and operating license applications for 28 reactors at 19 sites by 2009, most in the energyhungry Southeast and Southwest. !

Please see NUKE, 8A

Dirty air on old school buses may jeopardize kids’ health Midstate students say pollution isn’t an issue By APRIL CASTRO Associated Press

Children across the U.S. are riding to school on aging buses, breathing what some activists say is a dangerous brew of pollutants up to five times dirtier than the air outside. Breathing high concentrations of diesel emissions — known as particulates — can cause minor ailments such as headaches, wheezing and dizziness. Studies have found the contaminants can also lead to asthma and lung cancer. Researchers say older buses also let lots of emissions enter through doors and windows. “The exhaust that swirls around the bus gets into the bus and can stay elevated throughout the ride,” said Betin

Santos, an air quality specialist for the nonprofit group Environmental Defense. But pollutants seem to be among the least of bus-related woes in Middle Tennessee, where the state school board has set mandates to ensure air quality on school buses. Leslie Powers said her son, a sixth-grader at Croft Middle School, has never complained about pollution. “We’ve had many more issues concerning behavior on the school bus.” Brittany Hummer, a junior at Antioch High School who rode the bus her whole school life before getting a car last year, said she often found it hard to breathe — but not because of diesel emissions. “The air’s really thick and hot, and everybody’s really nasty,” Hummer said. Staff writer Michaela Jackson contributed to this report.

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