text:
In a 5-to-4 decision, the United States Supreme Court recently upheld an Illinois statute that mandates an independent medical review whenever a primary care physician and an H.M.O. disagree on whether a requested treatment is "medically necessary." The ruling, Rush Prudential H.M.O. v. Moran, has widespread implications, because 42 states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation granting some form of outside review when H.M.O. coverage is denied. These statutory requirements are designed to challenge the provision built into most H.M.O. contracts, including those of Rush Prudential H.M.O., that delegates to H.M.O.'s "the broadest possible discretion" to interpret the terms of the plan and to determine which benefits the participants are entitled to receive. Services deemed not medically necessary by the H.M.O. are not covered. More important for the purposes of this case, the Rush H.M.O. plan restricts what is medically necessary to those procedures authorized both by the primary care physician and Rush's medical director. Thus the plan itself, even over the objections of its own affiliated primary care physician, can decline to provide or pay for a recommended medical service.
The ability of H.M.O.'s to determine what is or is not medically necessary is crucial to controlling health care costs. It is the reining in of those costs that was the rationale for the Nixon administration's encouragement of H.M.O.'s in the early 1970's. It is also why Congress, through the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (Erisa), specifically mandated that federal regulation of employee health care benefits pre-empts state statutes. Erisa was designed to be a mechanism both to establish uniform benefits and to control employers' health care costs.
One attempt to achieve that goal was the restriction of H.M.O. coverage to interventions considered medically necessary. A plan-approved physician had to certify the medical need of the requested procedure and also assure that the treatment fell within "the prevailing opinion of the appropriate specialty that the service is safe and effective." Further, the physician had to certify that the omission of the treatment would adversely affect the person's medical condition. Prescription medication to prevent baldness, for example, or liposuction or a tummy tuck—let alone the latest cure shilled on the Internet for the common cold—would not qualify.
But in an age in which consumer choice and patient autonomy have become almost absolute values, physician authority is under constant assault. Patients see and want the latest expensive drug that is relentlessly advertised on television. They come to their physicians with coupons clipped from the newspapers good for a free sample of prescription drugs like Viagra, drugs that are now hawked in the media as shamelessly as cigarettes were once passed out free on street corners. Both practices have the same goal: hook the public into using the product, and you have them for life.
Today the advertising pressure generated for medical products has created consumer demands that extend from Claritin for "all-day relief from allergies" to $1,000, full-body M.R.I. scans to detect a "potentially life-threatening" cardiac condition. Patients then press their physician to declare a medical need to justify insurance payment for the desired product.
The willingness of a sizable minority of physicians to do just that is seen in a recent report by the American Medical Association's Institute of Ethics (Journal of the American Medical Association, 4/12/00). The report found, in a random national survey of practicing physicians, that over 39 percent of those polled stated that within the last year they had exaggerated the severity of patients' conditions, changed a patient's billing diagnosis or reported symptoms that patients did not have to help secure coverage for a desired treatment. Frustration with H.M.O. bureaucratic requirements and H.M.O. second-guessing of physicians' medical decisions led to this willingness on the part of physicians to exaggerate some patients' medical status.
The Case
Against this background of H.M.O. denial of coverage and physician attempts to obtain desired services for their patients, the Supreme Court heard the case of Debra C. Moran, a woman who in 1996 began experiencing pain, numbness, loss of function and decreased mobility in her right shoulder. Her Rush-approved primary care physician, Arthur LaMorne, treated her with physiotherapy and other conservative treatments, none of which relieved her symptoms.
While she was undergoing these conservative therapies, Ms. Moran learned of a Dr. Julia Terzis, a surgeon in Virginia who specializes in microconstructive surgery. Though the record does not reveal how Ms. Moran came to learn of a surgeon practicing a thousand miles from her home, Internet connections now provide instant access to and networking of patients and those who offer solutions to their problems. As noted in an earlier essay on "Ethical Issues in Cybermedicine" (America, 2/12/01), the Internet has radically transformed patient access to health care information. Medical listings, advocacy groups and chat rooms are available for every conceivable ailment. You need but do a Google search to find a solution to your every problem.
After Rush H.M.O. denied Ms. Moran's request for an out-of-network referral, she traveled on her own to Virginia to be examined by Dr. Terzis, who diagnosed her condition as brachial plexopathy and thoracic outlet syndrome ("TOS"). This nerve-compression syndrome is generally mild and responds well to conservative physiotherapy. If these fail, the standard treatment is surgical decompression by way of rib resection. Dr. Terzis proposed a much more extensive and complicated microneurolysis surgery, a procedure that involves removal under microscopic magnification of scar tissue surrounding the injured nerves. She indicated to the patient that she had successfully undertaken the procedure on other patients with a similar condition.
Two Rush-affiliated thoracic surgeons reviewed the proposed surgery and recommended that the patient undergo the standard TOS procedure. Ms. Moran, however, "was not impressed" by the prognosis offered by these doctors. Her primary care physician then asked Rush to approve the more extensive surgery as, in his opinion, "Ms. Moran would be 'best served' by having Dr. Terzis' procedure performed." The two consulting surgeons again reviewed the medical records and the primary care physician's recommendation. They again reached the same conclusion: the extensive microneurolysis procedure was unnecessary. Rush H.M.O. denied coverage for the procedure. Ms. Moran then made a final appeal to Rush's Memberships Advisory Committee. The membership committee upheld the denial.
Ms. Moran elected to undergo the microneurolysis surgery. The procedure took nearly 14 hours and, with post-operative care, cost $94,841.27. Ms. Moran paid for the surgery herself. She later submitted the bill and medical records on the surgery to Rush H.M.O. for reimbursement.
Rush, unlike many H.M.O.'s that deny reimbursement claims for non pre-approved surgery, treated this submission as a renewed benefit claim and opened another investigation as to whether the now completed surgery should be covered. The opinion of two new Rush affiliated surgeons was sought on the claim. They were skeptical of the need for the extensive surgery, but admitted a lack of expertise on the procedure. Rush H.M.O. then asked the chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to review the claim. That surgeon also concluded that Dr. Terzis' extensive microneurolysis procedure was unnecessary. Thus a total of five surgeons who reviewed the case for Rush H.M.O. found the procedure unnecessary.
In the month prior to undergoing the surgery, Ms. Moran filed a claim in state court demanding that Rush H.M.O. comply with Sec. 4-10 of the Illinois H.M.O. Act, a newly enacted state regulation that requires H.M.O.'s to provide a review by an independent physician when the patient's primary care physician and the H.M.O. disagree about the medical necessity of a proposed treatment. That statute mandates that the H.M.O. must provide the proposed treatment in the event that the reviewing physician determines that it is medically necessary. This independent physician acts, as it were, as the final arbiter in any dispute in which the primary care physician and the H.M.O. disagree on the medical necessity of a proposed treatment.
It should be noted that under the Illinois act, there is no requirement that the primary care physician be qualified to assess the need or appropriateness of the proposed procedure. In this case the primary care physician conceded that he was not "an expert in this or any other area of surgery." Nonetheless, he recommended to the H.M.O. that Ms. Moran would be best served by having Dr. Terzis' procedure performed. That recommendation was not a finding of "medically necessary." Nor was it an evaluation of the comparative merits of the conventional TOS surgery versus the more complicated and extensive microneurolysis procedure. It is, at best, a statement that the patient's subjective interests would be met if Rush H.M.O. paid for the treatment the patient wanted.
When Rush H.M.O. failed to act on Ms. Moran's request to invoke the Illinois H.M.O. Act provisions, she brought suit in state court to compel Rush H.M.O. to do so. Because the case involved federal Erisa questions, it was transferred to a federal court. Upon remand to an Illinois court on a complicated issue of insurance coverage, the state court ordered Rush H.M.O. to submit the case to an independent review.
Rush H.M.O. and Ms. Moran agreed that A. Lee Dellon, M.D., an expert in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins, should undertake that review. Dr. Dellon concluded that the surgery, including the microneurolysis, was medically necessary, but he believed that Dr. Terzis should have used a less extensive procedure. On review of the entire case, Rush H.M.O. concluded that the procedure actually performed by Dr. Terzis was not medically necessary. Rush again declined to pay for the surgery. Ms. Moran then sued for reimbursement in a case that eventually made its way to the United States Supreme Court as Rush Prudential H.M.O. v. Moran.
Supreme Court Opinion
Justice David Sauter, writing for the majority, began his opinion by lamenting that the "unhelpful" drafting of the Erisa legislation resulted in seemingly contradictory demands. The legislation pre-empted state legislation regarding employee-provided health care benefits, while at the same time a "saving clause" in the federal statute provides that states retained regulatory control over insurance. This conflicting role with regard to state regulation of H.M.O.'s resulted in differing interpretations of the Erisa preemption by various federal courts. The Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in Texas, ruled that federal pre-emption prevented any state regulation of Erisa health care benefits. The Seventh Circuit Court, which governed the Illinois case, took the position that the "saving clause" granted the states a continuing supervisory role over insurance coverage for health plans and thus the right to regulate H.M.O.'s. The Supreme Court accepted an appeal of that decision to resolve the conflicting circuit court rulings.
By the narrowest of margins and over the bitter opposition of the minority, the Supreme Court determined that the murky Erisa language carved out a role for state regulation of insurance and thus allowed Illinois to mandate independent review of insurance-covered health benefit claims. The court here seemed to be responding to the widespread distrust of H.M.O.'s and to the nearly universal attempts of the various states to provide some outside appeal mechanism when H.M.O.'s deny coverage. It was the broad philosophical concern that patients not be denied necessary medical care, rather than a close reading of the facts in the particular case, that concerned the court.
The minority and the court's critics believe that the resolution of disputes over health benefits covered by Erisa is best left to the Congress. They would have let Congress, through the proposed Patients' Bill of Rights, determine the mechanism for resolving disputes between patients and H.M.O.'s. Instead, the court ruled that the Erisa legislation allowed the various states to have that role.
Under the court's decision, individuals working for the same company and sharing a common H.M.O. plan now have different appeal rights and different statutes governing their coverage. Their benefit claims now depend not on nationally promulgated regulations, but on the legislation of the particular state in which they reside. The Illinois H.M.O. act, for example, directs that when there is a dispute between the recommendation of the primary care physician and the H.M.O.'s on coverage, the independent review mechanism comes into play. If so, the carefully crafted internal review mechanisms—now part of most H.M.O. contract provisions, such as membership committees to review denial of a regulated procedure—are bypassed. Currently treatment decisions—at least in Illinois—are the exclusive domain of the outside independent reviewer.
The court's ruling in Rush Prudential H.M.O. v. Moran appears to be a victory for the consumer against the H.M.O.'s. The outcome certainly appeals, as the minority noted, to people who are "naturally sympathetic to those suffering from illness, who seek further options." The remaining issue, however, is at what price was this victory achieved? Disparate state laws and inconsistent external review requirements on applicability, procedures, standards and deadlines will now prevail. The review mechanism can be, as in Illinois, an independent physician agreed to by the patient and the H.M.O., or it could be, as some states have determined, a committee chosen by the H.M.O. or even an elected group of H.M.O. members. There is no uniformity and no national standard.
If in the future patients refuse the standard treatment for an ailment in favor of a promising but unproven and as yet unaccepted therapy, as did Ms. Moran, and manage to get an independent reviewer to declare it medically necessary, the present attempts to control spiraling health care costs by restricting covered treatments to therapies that have proven safe and effective will be thwarted. Whether or not this might drive some employers to drop health care benefits altogether, as the minority opinion warns, remains to be seen.


text:
It has been a long journey, but I can now officially say that I've been breastfeeding E for over a year! (It has actually been over 14 months, this post has taken me a while to write!)
In the past year I've had a few friends that have become new Moms, and they've all had lots of questions, but mostly about breastfeeding. As much as you read about it and try to prepare yourself, the only way to really understand is to try it. It can be difficult to talk about, it's so controversial and there are so many strong emotions involved. But I hope that by sharing my journey I may be able to help out some more new Moms who are overwhelmed by it all.
I was unsure about breastfeeding to begin with, it just seemed so difficult to get my head around something that I had no idea what it would be like. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to, I wasn't sure that I really wanted to and I definitely wasn't sure about doing it in public (or even in front of people at home).
It turned out that E was born to breastfeed, latched on straight away and just wanted to feed day and night. The early days were not easy by any means. I felt like I was constantly feeding him and I did find it quite painful. I think that's the worst part, because your nipples don't get any break, I started feeding on just one side at a time quite early on to give at least one side a bit of a rest.
And as crazy as it may sound, the old wives tale about putting cabbage leaves in your bra when your milk comes in really did work for me! I loved those cabbage leaves! I possibly used them too much in those few days as I constantly had them in. I wouldn't recommend keeping them in while you sleep though, I had a nap and ended up with cabbage indentations on my boobs!
I was in a lot of pain, I asked all of the midwives and health visitors to check my latch and everything seemed ok, they only thing they could say was that E seemed quite "greedy" and that we should try spreading out the feeds (which doesn't really work when you've decided to demand feed). I tried hand expressing early on to relieve some of the pressure and build up, but nothing really seemed to help with the pain. I can remember sitting there in the middle of the night feeding E with tears streaming down my face and biting on my hand to stop myself screaming out in pain.
It turned out, after lots of doctors, midwives and googling that the antibiotics that I was on for the infection in my stitches had given me thrush which I then transferred to E so it was on my nipples and in his mouth. So it meant giving him medication at quite a young age, but it also meant that we both got better and by the time he was about 6 weeks old breastfeeding stopped being painful and we got into a good rhythm of demand feeding approximately every 2 hours.
I was trying to express milk so that my husband could take part in the feeding, but E never really took to the bottle. We tried many different bottles and E just wasn't having it. Plus I absolutely hated expressing, I could never find the time to do it and hating having to sit there and do nothing as it pumped. So we gave up on it and when we tried again after E was 4 months old there was no way he would drink from a bottle. For us it wasn't too bad, as I had a full year off on maternity leave (and am now a stay at home Mom) there was no rush and no real need for him to bottle feed. But for anyone else I would say to be persistent and keep trying if you want your baby to ever drink from a bottle.
When E was about 3 months old the sleep deprivation started really taking it's toll. I was struggling waking up every 2 hours to feed him and thought I needed some help. I read Secrets of the Baby Whisperer and it really helped me. I moved then from demand feeding to a routine (Eat, Activity, Sleep, You time – from the book) and fed E every 3 hours. Then as he got older and we started to introduce solids into his diet we moved to a 4 hour routine.
When he was about 10 months old we decided that he probably didn't need milk through the night and he was eating significantly during the day and it was more of a habit, so we began the process of night weaning. I won't go into detail here as I wrote another blog post about it here.
Since then we dropped the dream feed at around 11 months, then dropped the afternoon feed at around a year, trying to introduce one cup of cows milk a day. He took a while to get used to cows milk (drinking from a cup) but now he likes drinking it and has 2 cups a day. We still have 2 breastfeeds a day, when he wakes up in the morning and before he goes to sleep at night.
Now we look to the future. I thought that we would definitely stop breastfeeding at a year, but then when the time came there just didn't seem to be any reason to stop. Now E is starting to feed for shorter and shorter amounts of time, so he may very well be weaning himself, but I won't make any rush decisions to stop as it may just be a phase he's going though or due to teething or something else. It's very emotional for me to think about no longer breastfeeding E, it is a lovely bond that we have and a fantastic cuddle that I get from him twice a day. My husband laughs at me, for someone who was so reluctant to breastfeed to begin with and now I don't want to stop!
Hope everyone who has decided to breastfeed and is reading this is doing well with it, I know that it can be really difficult in the beginning, but if it's something that you really want to do then persevere, it really is worth it. And I'm happy to answer any questions or just offer support if you need it 🙂
2 responses to "Our Breastfeeding Journey – Celebrating 'Golden Boobies' ;)"
[…] See the original post: Our Breastfeeding Journey – Celebrating 'Golden Boobies … […]
Hello Mommy in London,
I couldn't find your email so I hope it's OK for me to jump straight in like this.
I'm Heather – I hope you don't mind me getting in touch. World Book Day (March 7) is approaching quicker than I can get through a Harry Potter novel, and as a representative of Angels Fancy Dress (www.fancydress.com), I'd like to personally invite you to join us in waxing lyrical about the wonders of the written word.
We make costumes, granted, but some of the costumes have a rich heritage in the world of literature. Speaking of Harry Potter, in our collection we have some of the originals – as worn by Daniel Radcliffe and chums in the Hollywood films.
We'd like to invite you to a complimentary tour of Angels' London costume warehouse on February 13. We've handpicked some of our favourite writers and bloggers to show around our collection. Think of it like a tour of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory – for fancy dress fans. You can read more about what our tours entail here http://www.angels.uk.com/thetour.html.
After that we'll showcase some our best children's costumes – all based on Book Week of course. There may also be an outfit to take back to the kids…and cake.
I don't want to inundate you with details now, but if you are interested please let me know and I can let you know more about the day.
Many thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
5.0 Mustang & Super FordsFeatured Vehicles
1986 Ford Mustang Coupe - New Gear
Jacob Lamb happily changed Engines, classes, and racing styles
It's the cusp of a new year as I type these words. Like most, thoughts of another year gone are ever-present. We reflect upon the past year's events, the challenges, the small victories, and defeats in life. Am I a better person than this time last year? A better parent? A better employee? (Don't answer that, Turner!)
For Jacob Lamb, the owner of this car, we're sure he's having those same thoughts, but he's also asking himself if he's a better racer. We would answer that question with a resounding yes, but for 2013 Jacob will need to excel. He looks to have more competition in the NMRA's Coyote Stock ranks and nowhere to go but up.
Jacob initially built this '86 coupe for NMRA Modular Muscle competition with a Lincoln Four-Valve with '04 Cobra heads, and a Jerico four-speed. Typically his index would be around the 11.0 to 11.1 range in this class, though the car's best time in that form was a 10.82 at 2,700 pounds.
Modular Muscle is an index-style class with legions of tough competitors. Jacob started racing the car at the 2010 Columbus race. He then raced all of 2011 in Modular Muscle, winning the Atlanta race and finishing fourth in points for 2011. During that season, Jacob wanted to change over to a heads-up class, but he wasn't sure what suited him. He didn't want to totally redo the car.
After speaking with several racers, rumors started surfacing about a new class dedicated to the modern Coyote engines. A crate motor class, if you will. Jacob worried about reconfiguring the car's rearend, but in talking to Steve Gifford, Tim Matherly, Joe Charles, and most importantly, the NMRA tech department, he would be allowed to keep the mini-tubs. However, he had to reinstall stock tubs, shock brackets, and spring perches. He also had to use a different housing than in Modular Muscle since it was narrowed to tuck the largest wheel and tire combo under the quarters.
These changes, along with a Mickey Thompson ET Drag slicks in each rear quarter, helped make the ex-Modular Muscle racer Coyote Stock legal. That, and Jacob also had to add a matching Kirkey racing seat to match the driver-side Kirkey racing seat.
With the chassis ready for Coyote Stock, Jacob needed the main ingredient. Turning to MV Performance's Tim Matherly, Jacob ordered the required Ford Racing Coyote sealed crate engine (via Gene Evans Ford), along with a Tremec TKO, a Ram clutch, a Pro-5.0 shifter, and a UPR Products tubular K-member. Jacob let his fingers do the walking when it came to the car's exhaust. He hit up Summit Racing for a pair of Kooks long-tube headers, which exit into Flowmaster mufflers.
For those in the dark, Coyote is the code name of the '11-'13 Mustang GT engine. It's a 400-plus-horsepower, Four-Valve 5.0-liter powerhouse that makes the latest Mustangs the modern muscle cars to beat. The Coyote Stock class based on these engines was designed to fill a gap in the NMRA's program when Pure Street was rolled into the NMCA's Mean Street class. Not to mention, the NMRA knew there were racers looking for a more affordable class. That's where Coyote Stock fits in. If a racer has an existing chassis, building a Coyote Stock car is a piece of cake. A Ford Racing sealed crate engine, an alternator kit, a PCM, wiring, headers, and a K-member are all you need for a 10-second heads-up racer.
That's why Jacob made the switch. He actually built a Hot Street car several years ago, but quickly discovered how much just one engine costs. That was pretty much that. He chose Coyote Stock because he still wanted to race heads-up.
"This is the closest I'll ever get to Pro Stock," Jacob said. He loves the naturally aspirated aspect of Coyote Stock—all motor with a stick. He also chose Coyote Stock because: "It's affordable. It's not cheap, but it's affordable."
Photo GalleryView Photo Gallery
"Anything that doesn't cost money, I've done it," Jacob added. "Just in the clutch setup, I don't know how many hours in taking it apart, putting it back together, just to see what works."
Any racer worth a racing suit knows an engine alone doesn't make a winning combination—it's the whole package. These guys don't leave any nut, bolt, or rotating component alone. Of course in Coyote Stock, racers can't touch the engine or the tune. However, everything else is fair game. And since he's a production manager/machinist by trade, he has the wherewithal to explore all performance options, and he will, to eek out every little hundreth.
To that end, for 2013, Jacob has changed over from the TKO to a g-Force T5. Again, in searching for every little hundreth, he heard the T5 is worth at least a tenth so that's the move he's gotta explore. The reason he made the transmission swap, and other performance enhancements is he wants to better his points finishing position from 2012. Of the five Coyote Stock racers in 2012, Jacob finished fifth in points.
Reconfiguring the '86 took half of 2012, so if he's able to make every race in 2013, there's no doubt he'll improve his finishing position. He wants to make every race to shoot for a championship, but being a one-man band, he's gotta take it one race at a time. He doesn't have an official sponsor, but he has someone willing to help out a bit with funding.
So 2013 is all about winning the money to make the next race, and earning the points to improve upon that fifth place finish. 5.0
Horse Sense: We've known Jacob Lamb for a few years now. We first met him when he competed in the '06 King of the Street competition ("Royal Rumble," May '07, p. 40).
5.0 Tech Specs
Engine and Drivetrain
Forged steel
Forged steel
Twin Independent Variable
Cylinder heads
Aluminum DOHC w/ four valves per cylinder, variable intake and exhaust camshaft timing
Intake manifold
Tuned composite w/ stock 80mm throttle body, and C&L Performance air intake
Fuel system
Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump w/ Aeromotive regulator, -10 feed, -8 return fuel lines, and stock rails
Kooks long-tube headers w/ Flowmaster mufflers
G-Force T5 w/ Quiktime bellhousing, Ram clutch, Long shifter, and Ford Racing aluminum driveshaft
8.8-in w/ Moser 35-spline axles, Moser spool (Lightened by Jacob), and Richmond 4.56 gears (Lightened by Jacob)
Engine management
Ford Racing Control Pack w/ Ford Racing calibration
Stock, MSD 2-Step
Auto Meter Ultra-Lite
Suspension and Chassis
Front suspension
UPR Products
Anthony Jones Engineering
Anthony Jones Engineering
Anthony Jones Engineering
Strange Engineering
Mickey Thompson
Mickey Thompson ET
Rear suspension
Strange Engineering single-adjustable
Stock V-8
Control Arms
Anthony Jones Engineering
Strange Engineering
Mickey Thompson 15x10-in
Mickey Thompson ET Drag slicks, 26x10-in


text:
Message Board
. Please
Did you miss your
activation email?
Jan 16, 2019, 10:47 AM
Return to website
School of Evolutionary Astrology Message Board
Evolutionary Astrology Q&A
Pages: [
Go Down
« previous
next »
Topic: VENUS (Read 10736 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Posts: 7
Apr 11, 2009, 12:23 PM »
Hi Deva, Rad, and everyone else here
I have questions about Venus. Specifically, I heard Jeffrey lecture years ago about how Venus correlates to our inner relationship to ourself and how that then connects to how we from relationships to other people. Something like that. I would like to know more about this if it is ok ? Thank you, Zuma
Most Active Member
Posts: 28052
Re: VENUS
Reply #1 on:
Apr 13, 2009, 01:31 PM »
Quote from: zuma on Apr 11, 2009, 12:23 PM
Hi Deva, Rad, and everyone else here
I have questions about Venus. Specifically, I heard Jeffrey lecture years ago about how Venus correlates to our inner relationship to ourself and how that then connects to how we from relationships to other people. Something like that. I would like to know more about this if it is ok ? Thank you, Zuma
Hi Zuma,
Yes, as far as I know Jeffrey was the first astrologer to teach about Venus' correlation to the inner relationship that all people have with themselves. He taught why Venus had a double rulership for the signs Libra and Taurus. He said that Taurus and the 2nd House correlated to the inner relationship we all have with ourselves, and that the 7th House and Libra correlated to the types of outer relationships that we form with other people and why. He taught that the planet Venus, of itself, symbolized both the inner and outer relationships within the archetype of Venus itself. A simple example: if a person has, let's say, Venus in Virgo and their inner relationship to themself in one of intense criticism, all the things that are wrong with them, that it shouldn't then be surprising that that person would then 'attract', Venus, others who are then critical of them: the inner reflecting the outer. And that which we attract is a reflection of the inner vibration within us where that inner vibration is a reflection of our inner relationship to ourself.
Or, for another example, let's say that Venus in Virgo person was inwardly experiencing a high degree of 'lack' in their lives which then leads to a sense of being 'empty' from within. That inner relationship to themselves could then manifest outwardly as needing, Venus, many other people in their lives in order to 'fill them up', and needing others to give to them that which they felt they were lacking.
He talked about the natural inconjunct between the 2nd House, Taurus, and the 7th House, and Libra. He taught that this is the natural 'crisis' that exists in all of us that involves the need to be self-reliant and fulfilling our own needs, and how our needs can be projected onto others in such a way as to become dependent on others for the very needs that we need to satisfy within ourselves. And how our projected needs onto others correlates to 'expectations' that we can set up with other people. So what happens when our expectations that are projected onto others does not occur ? For most some kind of crisis will occur where the intent of the crisis is to force the person back upon themselves so that self-reliance in some way can be developed when those expectations have reached a point of excessive dependency on others.
He taught about the need for the EA astrologer to understand the totality of the Venus archetype. Thus, to not only understand the the sign the Venus is in but all the aspects that it is making to other planets, the N. and S. Nodes of Venus in terms of what the past, present, and future of the evolving Venus archetype is in all charts, and to fully grasp the signs on the 2nd and 7th houses as they condition those natural archetypes, and the reasons for that conditioning relative to the ongoing evolutionary intentions of the Soul, and, lastly, the location of the planetary rulers of those signs and the aspects that they are making for the same reasons.
Very Active Member
Posts: 275
Re: VENUS
Reply #2 on:
Apr 13, 2009, 02:48 PM »
Thanks Rad..it is true I have never heard anyone talk about Venus like Jeffrey did, specifically the relationship with the self, ie inner side of Venus (2nd house/Taurus), and the natural inconjunct to the outer side of Venus (7th house Libra) how this impacts our realtionships with others. Also how he incorporated the nodes of Venus to show the bigger picture and the evolutionary intent.
Currently the planet Venus is retrograde in the sky, so you may be able to feel the nature of this archetype intimately, especially the inner side of Venus as it works to help you reconnect with yourself and through extension Spirit. It is a time where your Soul is getting in touch with what holds the most meaning and value. A time to reflect about whether you are getting your essential needs (inner side of Venus) met and a time when your Soul is in the process of making changes to support those values.
Venus just backed into Pisces. Venus is the lower octave of Neptune and Neptune is the ruler of Pisces, so as Venus slows down and slowly stations at the last degree of Pisces, many Souls are searching beyond what holds earthly meaning and searching for ULTIMATE meaning, which can only really be found within...God/Goddess (Pisces/Neptune).
This can also be a time when relationships (outer side of Venus) that are not matching what we need are ending, a time of culmination, Venus in Pisces, and also a time for healing the past, old wounds in relationships that have injured our inner relationship with ourselves, things being cleared so when Venus moves direct and back into Aries, we can be stronger in our self and more clear about our desires and needs (Venus in Aries) and as a result how to move forward with others.
As our inner relationship with our self changes, our vibration also shifts and this will then alter the nature of whom and what we attract.
Here's to more love and less pain.
Last Edit: Apr 13, 2009, 02:58 PM by Kristin
Very Active Member
Posts: 293
Re: VENUS
Reply #3 on:
Apr 14, 2009, 09:19 AM »
Hi Zuma, I also wanted to add the Venus correlates to the psychology of listening. Via the Taraus side of Venus our inner dialouge with ourself is all to often projected (Libra side of Venus) onto others in our relationships. To add to the Venus in Virgo example, the person could project the inner critical relationship/inner dialouge on to other in the form of "hearing" the other critisize or undermine them when this is not the case (the other may be trying to give helpful advice for example). The point is that via the Libra side of Venus we must learn to objectively hear and listen to others from their reality so we do not project in this way, and truly hear what is being said. If you Any more questions like that please ask, and you are sure to get great insight on the forum!
Very Active Member
Posts: 275
Re: VENUS
Reply #4 on:
Apr 14, 2009, 02:40 PM »
Hi all..
Deva..Thanks for reminding us of the inner side of Venus also being the archetype of LISTENING and how those inner tapes may manifest in a Venus in Virgo archetype.
To take this one step further...Since Pisces is the polarity of Virgo, the Soul with Venus in Virgo as we know is always comparing themselves to perfection and often feeling the LACK to greater degrees (as Adina wrote about in the question Ari posted - 'defining the SOUL post' - with respect to Virgo).
The Venus in Virgo can be so self critical that this criticism then can be transferred to the partner, ie not just the self judgment trips or hearing another incorrectly but also then focusing on the partner's inadequacies versus their strengths, ie focusing on their lacks too.
It is impossible to love another (7th House) unconditionally until and unless one can learn to love themselves (2nd house) unconditionally first (wouldn't you agree?), which is the evolutionary intent with a Venus in Virgo ie. the polarity of Virgo being PISCES(unconditional LOVE)..
Last Edit: Apr 14, 2009, 03:07 PM by Kristin
Posts: 7
Re: VENUS
Reply #5 on:
Apr 16, 2009, 12:15 PM »
Kristin, Deva, and Rad
Thank you so much for your answers. This is what I remember from what Jeffrey taught. I am wondering if we can develop this more by using chart examples to do so ? Please let me know.
Very Active Member
Posts: 293
Re: VENUS
Reply #6 on:
Apr 17, 2009, 11:44 AM »
That is a great idea, who is a good chart to post?
Posts: 8
Re: VENUS
Reply #7 on:
Apr 17, 2009, 12:23 PM »
Sounds like fun! If we want to approach it first from the Venus in Virgo archetype, here are a few famous people with Venus in Virgo: Leonard Cohen, Roger Federer, Julia Roberts, Sting, Vin Diesel, Carrie Fisher, Heather Locklear, Sean Penn, Robert Redford, John Lennon, and J.K. Rowling. And interestingly enough, BOTH Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith (who are married to each other) have Venus in Virgo!
Birth data for all can be found on the now-FREE astrodatabank web site:
Most Active Member
Posts: 28052
Re: VENUS
Reply #8 on:
Apr 19, 2009, 08:58 AM »
Quote from: Sajani on Apr 17, 2009, 12:23 PM
Sounds like fun! If we want to approach it first from the Venus in Virgo archetype, here are a few famous people with Venus in Virgo: Leonard Cohen, Roger Federer, Julia Roberts, Sting, Vin Diesel, Carrie Fisher, Heather Locklear, Sean Penn, Robert Redford, John Lennon, and J.K. Rowling. And interestingly enough, BOTH Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith (who are married to each other) have Venus in Virgo!
Birth data for all can be found on the now-FREE astrodatabank web site:
Hi Sajani,
Well why don't we go with Leonard Cohen. I think this would be a good choice because there is so much biographical information available on him, plus of course he lyrics within his songs. Can you post his birth chart here ? If you can please do and we can start this.
Posts: 8
Re: VENUS
Reply #9 on:
Apr 19, 2009, 09:40 AM »
You must have been reading my mind, Rad. That's the one I would have chosen, too!
Leonard Cohen: Sept. 1, 1934; 6:45 AM EDT; Montreal, QU, Canada. As I recall, Wolf said his evolutionary stage is 1st stage spiritual.
Biography from Astrodatabank:
Canadian novelist and songwriter-folksinger who became a Buddhist monk, shaving his head and living part-time in a monastery on Mount Baldy, outside of Los Angeles, CA. Cohen separated from his wife, Painter Suzanne Elrod, in the mid-'70s. Though he spoke for years of his interest in Zen, it was still a surprise to the establishment when the highly successful songwriter and poet left his finely tailored suits for modest robes, and Hollywood mansions for a small cabin with a narrow cot. The pop icon, whose classic takes include "Bird on a Wire" and "Suzanne," does the cooking for the small community.
Raised by a well-to-do couple in Montreal, Leonard grew up in a house filled with music. As he grew older, he enjoyed a wide range of musical styles from commercial country and folk to synagogue music. During his teens, he had his first stint with a country group, "The Buckskin Boys." As a student at McGill, he gravitated toward poetry and prose, eventually gaining acclaim in Canada for his poems and two novels. The books did not sell well, so for income, Cohen returned to songwriting. Judy Collins soon bought his "Suzanne" for her 1966 album, "In My Life." His creaky baritone was distinctive enough that he was signed to a record contract himself by Columbia with a debut album in 1968, "Songs of Leonard Cohen." Sales were modest but critics hailed the collection.
During a period of deep depression in the '70s, Cohen began to embrace Zen. Turning to a friend who had an aura of calm, he was introduced by the friend to an old Zen teacher. He found the spiritual training rigorous. For a time, he worked in both worlds, the commercial world of music and the spiritual world of striving, until he finally yielded completely and moved to the Zen Center.
Cohen stopped recording in 1992 and touring in 1993 when he moved up the mountain. With enough time, he is working on an illustrated book of poems and songs for a future album. His workroom contains an old computer and a synthesizer, tools for his music and his graphic art. He rises at 3:00 AM for morning meditation and to begin preparing the day's menu. His graceful, confessional songs have been described as "elegant, bittersweet mood music for the dark nights of the soul." A tribute album was released by A&M Records on 9/26/1995, "Tower of Song."
For his worldly involvement, Cohen heads down the mountain to visit his daughter in the Wilshire district or his son, Adam, who began making his own mark in the music field in 1998 at the age of 25. In July, Adam released his debut album, "Adam Cohen," to critical applause.
Last Edit: Apr 19, 2009, 11:07 AM by Steve
Most Active Member
Posts: 28052
Re: VENUS
Reply #10 on:
Apr 20, 2009, 12:58 PM »
So for those of you who want to work with the Venus archetype as applied to the birth chart of Leonard Cohen let's start by analyzing his inner relationship to himself, and what his 'inner dialog' is about. After we do this we will then move on to the next step: the types of external relationship that he forms and why those types of relationships. From there we will discuss how he goes about supplying his own needs that can lead to self-reliance, and how he goes about supplying his external needs and what those needs are. Within that we can discuss how he 'hears' other people. So for those that wish to do this let's have a go at it !
ari moshe
Most Active Member
Posts: 1198
Re: VENUS
Reply #11 on:
Apr 21, 2009, 07:50 PM »
wow, i really like that method of analyzing venus. im excited to give it a shot...
let's start by analyzing his inner relationship to himself, and what his 'inner dialog' is about.
he desires to purify all aspects of himself in order to serve life. the inner dialog is about issues with ego and guilt of being separate from source. at his evolutionary state, there is a longing to devote himself to Truth in order to actualize his core values of devotion and service. the inner dialog is between his desire to adopt a value system that will applow for a complete surrender to the cause of truth, but simultaneously feeling too dirty and unfit for that.
After we do this we will then move on to the next step: the types of external relationship that he forms and why those types of relationships.
As a result, he will naturally attract relationships in which he can in some way actualize his need to find perfection and harmony with existence. Bc of his inner needs for perfect surrender- his relationships with people will bring out all tendencies of escapsim in which he is not actually relating with other- but rather relating to a deified other that he NEEDS to serve in some way. he may attract people that are highly critical/abusive of himself, or others that need him in some way, or others that force him to create more SELF DEFINITION and awareness of how he uses serving/fixing others to find greater self-adequacy. ultimately, his relationships are meant to show him the way to a higher path of intimacy. in this higher path is the recognition that to be in harmony with his spiritual values, he must learn how to flow with CONSTANT adjustment in order to understand the difference between who/what he thinks he is relating to in AND who/what he is actually relating to.
From there we will discuss how he goes about supplying his own needs that can lead to self-reliance, and how he goes about supplying his external needs and what those needs are.
eventually he has learned to take space and time in order to know himself and not get lost in someone else's or some sort of cause that doesn't truly reflect his higher spiritual values. Self reliance for him is linked to spiritual integrity. finding himself getting closer everyday, step by step towards purified integrity. creating healthy boundaries in which he can devote himself to a spiritual cause that is not a sole creation of his need for perfection. boundaries, patience and knowing how to let things be as they are are key.
Within that we can discuss how he 'hears' other people
depending on where he's at in his process- he may hear people relative to his desire to be of use/service. when others relate to him, he will naturally project his need to sacrifice himself, martyr himself, give himself entirely to serve other. he will see other as either chastising his imperfectness, or he will see other as needing/expecting him to help them in some way. he is learning how to hear other in complete neutrality, such that he can really help when and where it is appropriate- all the while maintaining balanced healthy exchanges.
i just read a bit more about him in wiki- (im not too familiar with him) and it seems that social justice was a big one for him (aquarius leo nodes) he's 74 and started touring last year after 15 years!
Very Active Member
Posts: 293
Re: VENUS
Reply #12 on:
Apr 23, 2009, 09:15 AM »
Hi, I wanted to add that with Venus conjunct the Sun (planetary ruler of the South Node) and Neptune in the 12th house the dyanmic of "seeing the best" or the "potential" in other and wanting the other to be that, or actualize that (Venus in the 12th conunct the Sun) mostly likely lead to some very painful dissolutionments within relationships. Prehaps he was "hearing" the other from the standpoint of the other wanting to actualize themselves as well, and that the otehr wanted to change patterns that were damaging/destructive in nature. The idealism that ari is talking about was project upon him as well, and the dissolutionment occured when the partner did not want to accept him as he was (Pisces moon in the 6th house opposing his Neptune/Venus/Sun in Virgo. In other words, the partner most likely "esacped" facing these issues through creating yet another realtionship. The dynamic of discrimation (6th house Pisces Moon opposing the Stellum of Virgo planets in the 12th) is critical, and of knowing who to serve and whom not. Establishing a primary relationship with the Divine is emaphasized, and of course will be the only way that the ultimate meaning that he is seeking will be found, and that self-reliance within relationships will manifest. Certainly his music/art/poetry was a way of connecting with the creater, and being of service to others.
Very Active Member
Posts: 275
Re: VENUS
Reply #13 on:
Apr 23, 2009, 12:16 PM »
hi guys..
good sharing Ari and Deva....
Yes...Venus in Virgo is about learning DISCERNMENT with who he gives his heart
(and pocket book to - Venus does rule $)
There can be such a natural innocence with Venus in the 12th..the feeling of EVERY TIME IS LIKE THE FIRST TIME. This is true in love and in loss..LIKE HE NEVER SEES IT COMING..
He has been burned over and over not only in love but in his finances too..so his relationships with all people. Venus rules the second house..finances... Venus in the 12th conjunct Neptune ..innocently trusting others..seeing the good and the God in others..The necessary lesson now to learn to discriminate between who has his best interest at heart and who has their own interest in mind.
Money has gone through his hands like water..12th house/Neptune..I think I recall hearing this had been a repeating pattern with him, someone who earned a great deal yet had nothing to show for it because he had literally been robbed...stripped down to nothing....maybe also this was necessary in order to force the focus IN..to depend 1ST on that SOURCE of sustenance..nothing in the outside world to hold onto..I know he spent time in retreat at zen monastery years ago and remember Wolf saying he ended up living at one...
also the lesson to SEE PEOPLE CLEARLY..
Last Edit: Apr 24, 2009, 08:20 AM by Kristin
Posts: 8
Re: VENUS
Reply #14 on:
Apr 25, 2009, 10:58 AM »
Good observations, everyone. I'd like to add that Cohen's Venus rules his 9th, and Neptune and Venus are in a balsamic semi-square to Jupiter in Libra in 1, so Cohen's inner relationship with himself, in relation to his belief systems is in an utterly mutational phase, and thus the back and forth, back and forth, between relationships (Neptune also rules the 7th) and solitude (Neptune/Venus – the lower octave of Neptune both in 12). These symbols also point to his need to return to an understanding of the NATURAL God, rather than the patriarchal one we've all been conditioned by. This would lead to an acceptance of himself because of knowing that even god isn't perfect, so he doesn't have to be. Once he accepts himSELF, of course, his relationships with others will change.
I also feel he is coming from some lifetimes where he lived in monasteries and ashrams, etc. (Neptune,Venus, Sun all in 12, Sun ruling S Node and Mars in 11), probably in a leadership position (Pluto in Cancer in 10 in crescent semi-square to Venus/Neptune in 12), thus it takes incredible self-effort to enter INto intimate (Pluto) relationships with others – to leave behind the past of these lifetimes of isolation (12th house planets, and Venus ruling 2) IN those ashrams. If I remember correctly, the crescent phase is what wolf called the "burr under the saddle," so in this case, that burr creates discomfort within intimate relationships, which then drives him back within himself and/or a monastery, etc.
There's one "psalm" (in particular) in his autobiographical book,
Book of Mercy
, that I think speaks to what I've written above:
"I lost my way, I forgot to call on your name. The raw heart beat against the world, and the tears were for my lost victory. But you are here. You have always been here. The world is all forgetting, and the heart is a rage of directions, but your name unifies the heart, and the world is lifted into its place. Blessed is the one who waits in the traveler's heart for his turning."
Pages: [
Go Up
« previous
next »
Jump to:
Please select a destination:
=> Evolutionary Astrology Q&A
Study Materials
=> Misc.
===> In the News
Powered by SMF 1.1.14
SMF © 2006-2011, Simple Machines LLC
design by Crip


text:
Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida: The 15th season will officially open with a contemporary program that includes the modern piece "Danzon" by choreographer Yanis Pikieris. Also on the program will be "Four Seasons" with music by Verdi (not Vivaldi) and dance created by Maestro Vladimir Issaev, who choreographed "Fuga con Pajarillo," which will conclude the program using music by the famed Venezuelan composer Aldemaro Romero. Performances are Oct. 6-7 at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center and Oct. 13-14 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
Repertory Dance Theatre Ensemble: It's all about diversity, with a heady mix of emerging and established artists, classically trained multi generational dancers and a wide array of genres presented in solos, duets and dance for the camera at Florida Atlantic University's Boca Raton Campus Feb. 1-3.
The Pilobolus Company: A little over 40 years after its inception, this contemporary dance company and its signature anthropomorphic movement is still going strong. They perform at Parker Playhouse. March 23, 2013.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: If men in ballet drag doing a campy take on the classics is your idea of an evening's entertainment, this is your show. The company will be at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts May 2, 2013.
The Harid Conservatory: The spring performances showcase an entertaining selection of classical and contemporary ballets featuring Harid's 2013 graduating class. The performance will be staged at the Countess de Hoernle Theater in Boca Raton May 24-26, 2013.


text:
FedEx settles Independent Contractor lawsuitJanuary, 2009 --FedEx recently announced that it has agreed to a $26.8 million settlement with California drivers who alleged they were employees rather than contractors.
FedEx doesn't expect the California settlement to change the company's system of using independent contractors for ground package deliveries, according to company sources. FedEx still faces legal challenges to the contractor model in Washington state and in federal court in Indiana.
Since the lawsuit was filed, FedEx has converted many single-route contractors to multiple routes to undermine the argument that the workers are employees in future cases.
NY State Finds Long Island Employer Unlawfully Deducted Hundreds of Thousands From PaychecksALBANY, NY - November 2008 -- State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith ordered a Long Island cleaning firm to repay 70 employees more than $300,000 for illegal paycheck deductions, plus a civil penalty of $59,645. A state investigation determined that Icon Cleaning, owned by Richard Bag, had made illegal paycheck deductions for uniforms, equipment, an employee "security deposit," customers' bounced checks, and customer discounts.
An state investigation rof a Long Island cleaning service by the New York State Department of Labor's Division of Labor Standards revealed a series of illegal deductions from worker paychecks, announced today. Approximately 170 cleaners, deemed "technicians" by Amityville-based Icon Cleaning, spent up to 12 hours a day and 60 hours a week cleaning air ducts and carpets in privately-owned residences and businesses. After numerous unlawful deductions were taken into account, some workers brought home less than $100 in a given week.
In announcing the action, Commissioner Smith commented, "I have never seen such an inventive list of absurd and illegal deductions from workers' wages. It's inexcusable to think that in these tough economic times, employers choose to balance their books on the backs of their workers."
In New York and most states, employers can only make deductions from employees' paychecks for a narrow, specified list of reasons, including payments for insurance premiums, pension or health benefits, charitable contributions, payments for union dues, court-ordered deductions, and similar payments for the benefit of the employee. In addition, the employer must have the employee's written permission for most deductions.
Icon Cleaning also classified the workers as "independent contractors," even though they wore the company uniform, took direction from company management, and used equipment and materials supplied to them by the company. Because the workers were probably misclassified, the case has been referred to New York's Joint Enforcement Task Force on Worker Misclassification.
Nokia Settles Misclassification SuitSeptember 2008 -- Nokia has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit with a group of workers who alleged they were misclassified as independent contractors. The employees, who were paid through a staffing company, were working as engineers at a field support center, providing tech support to other Nokia employees.
The lawsuit was based on the Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires employers to pay proper overtime. The Texas suit sought to collect unpaid back wages, attorneys fees and costs.
The workers alleged that they were "employees, because they worked only for Nokia, at Nokia facilities and used Nokia equipment. The plaintiffs, who were paid by the staffing company, also alleged that the staffing entity misclassified them.
Third Phase of Southern California Public Permatemps SettledFebruary 2008 - A California Superior Court Judge recently gave final approval to multi-million dollar settlement in a class action suit filed in 1997 on behalf of over 3,900 employees who were labeled as district temporary, agency temporary, and consultant workers by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD).
The recent settlement (known as the CalPERS Pension Benefits Settlement) provides for certain pension rights and benefits in addition to the non-pension benefits covered by the previous settlement (the MWD Ad Code Settlement). Attorneys for the workers are engaged in representing the nearly 2,000 individuals who are timely CalPERS claimants in a lengthy, interactive process with MWD and CalPERS to ensure that they receive the relief that they are entitled to under this settlement. This complex process is expected to continue until the end of 2009, at the earliest.
More information about the lawsuit can be found at www.c-blaw.com.
Wal-Mart Still Tops State Health Care Subsidy ListSeattle December 2007 - Two state surveys show Wal-Mart still ranks number one in Washington State for the number of employees using public health care programs, even though it is not one of the states largest employers.
An analysis of the report by Seattles Center for a Changing Workforce projected the total cost to taxpayers at $18.2 million for 2006, including both state and federal tax dollars, based on state survey reports released this month.
The January and June 2006 surveys by the Health Care Authority and the Department of Social and Health Services counted 3,194 Wal-Mart employees either enrolled in Medicaid or the Basic Health Plan (BHP), or with enrolled dependents. There were an additional 2,943 dependents enrolled. The agencies placed the total cost to taxpayers at more than $1.5 million per month, based on 2006 budget figures.
While Wal-Mart is once again the largest beneficiary from state health care programs, it is not the largest employer in the state. Boeing, Microsoft, Safeway, and Kroger each have more employees, but all four of the largest employers combined have fewer employees using public health care programs than Wal-Mart.
The cost of Wal-Marts Washington State taxpayer health care subsidies for 2006 exceeds:
The combined cost of health care subsidies to all of its major discount store competitors: Home Depot, Costco, Sears, K-Mart, and Target.
The combined cost of health care subsidies to all of its major grocery store competitors: Safeway, Fred Meyer, Albertsons, QFC, and Haggens.
Workforce Study Points to Hidden UninsuredSeattle - The number of uninsured Americans may be greater than the commonly reported figure of 46 million, according to a study released by the Center for a Changing Workforce and the Iowa Policy Project (IPP).
The study, Nonstandard Jobs, Substandard Benefits, was completed with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor and Commonwealth Fund.
In a household survey of fringe benefits available to U.S. workers in part-time, temporary, contract and on-call positions, the authors found that medical discount cards were commonly mistaken for health insurance. It also found that such nonstandard jobs provide few fringe benefits such as health insurance.
The study suggests that the official government survey tracking health insurance coverage nationwide understates the number of Americans without health insurance. That survey fails to identify individuals who report having insurance but in fact possess only a medical discount card.
Discount cards, as opposed to health insurance policies, offer very limited benefits and consumers are responsible for paying all claims and the full cost of services up front.
If the governments survey on health insurance coverage is going to remain relevant, they must find a way to include questions about new types of health insurance and non-insurance products, said Peter Fisher, research director of the IPP. Fisher co-authored the report with Elaine Ditsler and Colin Gordon of the IPP and David West of the Center for a Changing Workforce in Seattle.
The report also shines a new light on Americas hidden permatemp workforce employees who are labeled as temps and contractors, but who work year-round without benefits, said David West. The study estimates a minimum of 3.3 million permatemps working in Americalong-term workers misclassified as temps, contract workers and independent contractors.
Some employers who hire large numbers of part-time workers (Wal-Mart alone has over 300,000 part-time workers) without affordable insurance are effectively shifting the burden to other employers, said West. Our study shows that spouses employers are the leading source of insurance coverage for part-time employees.
With about 1 in 4 workers in a nonstandard job, nonstandard work has contributed to the decline in job-based health insurance and the increasing numbers of uninsured Americans since 2000, the survey found.
Among findings of the report:
* Almost 1 in 5 nonstandard workers had a medical discount card and no health insurance. All but 1 percent of these workers mistakenly reported that their discount card was health insurance.
Wal-Mart's new healthcare plan goes from bad to worseREPORT: Wal-Mart and Health Care: Condition Critical
SEATTLE -- A study released in 2006 reveals how Wal-Mart, the nation's leading retailer with over 1.3 million employees, is considering even less health care coverage for its employees as a cost-saving measure. A company memo, leaked to the New York Times and published today, provides a vivid backdrop for this new study revealing how Wal-Mart's new plans will wreak havoc on the lives of its workers.
Center for a Changing Workforce (CFCW), a Seattle nonprofit employment research and policy organization today releases Wal-Mart and Health Care: Condition Critical, a study showing how Wal-Mart health care plans, formulated to cut costs, will wreak havoc on the lives of company employees and will affect all workers as it serves as a universal model for any business looking to cut costs.
Today's New York Times report on the confidential memo (leaked by Wal-Mart Watch ) reveals the company's motives behind the new cost-saving cuts and admits the company's insurance is too expensive for workers. The memo also cites the large numbers of uninsured Wal-Mart workers on Medicaid.
"These Wal-Mart practices will spread like a virus and decimate what we know as health care coverage in America," said David L. West, executive director of Center for a Changing Workforce. "Hard working families, who deserve to be treated better, will be susceptible to its brand of deficient and defective health care coverage."
Center for a Changing Workforce's Wal-Mart and Health Care: Condition Critical examined the company's employee health insurance practices using the retailer's own documents and Federal Government filings. The report's main conclusions were:


text:
BETHESDA, MARYLAND -- I am writing to you in an effort to get resolution to a problem with a Compaq Presario Notebook that I purchased on Nov. 13, 2003 from a Best Buy location in Rockville, MD. Within just a few weeks I had two hardware problems arise. The ac power cord when plugged into the computer would not work. It appeared to be a loose connection in the back of the notebook. Also, the main cooling fan would not spin when triggered by the thermostat control in the unit, thus causing it to shut down due to over heating.
I contacted the HP Support on December 21, 2003 and the associate who handled my case was excellent in letting me know that the unit was defective and he made all the arrangements to have Fed-Ex pickup my unit the very next day. He told me the repair was covered under warranty and I would receive my repaired unit on Friday, December 26, 2003. As I would be traveling on that date he told me I could elect to have the unit shipped to an alternate address on that date.
On Friday, December 26, 2003 the unit did not arrive at the alternate address and I called the support number to inquire. I was told that the policy on warranty service was 5-10 business days for the repair and I should not expect my unit back until the following week. I explained that I would no longer be at the alternate location the following week. They told me to call back on Monday, December 29, 2003 to see if the unit had shipped yet. If it had not, I could change the return shipping address back to my home address with no problems at all.
On Monday, December 29 I contacted HP support again and was told the unit was still under repair. I explained the situation regarding the need to change the shipping address and the associate who assisted me was very kind and again said that I could change my return address with no problem. With that comfort, I changed the return shipping address to my home address.
On Wednesday, December 31 I received a call from the location in New York that I was no longer at. They told me that Fed-Ex was at the door with my laptop. Well I was now 400 miles from that location and could not take receipt. I spoke via telephone to the Fed-Ex associate and asked that he return the shipment back to HP since they delivered to the incorrect address. He explained that he could not do that. If I chose to refuse the delivery it would go back to HP with no further instructions on how to delivery to the correct address. So in fear of losing my pc in the process I had the Fed-Ex delivery left at the New York location.
I then called HP Support and explained what happened. The young women on the phone was very nice and pulled up my record. She showed the new correct address in the system and could not understand why it did not ship to the new address. After putting me on hold for 5-6 minutes she came back and admitted that the gentlemen I spoke to on Monday did the shipping address change, but failed to do all the proper updating and that is why it went to the wrong address.
I then explained to her I was no longer at that New York address and that I needed HP to arrange for Fed-Ex to pick it up at the incorrect New York address and deliver it to my home address. She said that even though they, (HP), had made the error, now that it was delivered they were no longer responsible for it. After many minutes of disagreeing with her to no avail I asked to speak to a supervisor. She placed me on hold for a few minutes and then came back and told me he was busy with another customer. I insisted that I wanted to wait to speak with him or her. She placed me back on hold.
I then waited over 10 minutes when she returned and explained that he was too busy to speak to me and there were no other supervisors that I could talk to. I insisted that I wait to speak with someone and she rudely placed me on hold and I then waited over 30 minutes. Finally after 40 minutes I hung up.
I then contacted the Hp support number again to try to speak to someone who could satisfy my complaint. After being routed through many automated menus and speaking to 3 different individuals I was given the telephone number to the Executive Office in Palo Alto, California. I spoke to one of the Executive Assistants and she was very gracious in listening to my frustrations. She also accessed the records of my repair and was also surprised as to why the mistake was made and could not understand why the unit was shipped correctly.
I explained to her that my only frustration was that HP Support acknowledged they made the mistake and would not rectify it. She gave me a Fed-Ex billing number so that the persons in New York could ship the notebook to me and not have to pay the fees. I was very pleased with this resolution. Although I had lost faith in HP/Compaq at this point, I was again won over with her compassion and assistance.
On Monday, January 5, 2004, I received the notebook from the previous location. Upon initial receipt everything appeared to be in order. I was first surprised to see that included with the returned product was a check list that is filled out by the HP technician detailing all the repairs and tests that were completed on my notebook. NONE of this form was completed. It did not have dates, technician name or I.d., or any other comments in regards to the work that had been completed.
Upon using the notebook the problem with use of ac power was corrected and the connection appeared to be working fine. However, within 20 minutes the same problem arose regarding the malfunctioning of the cooling fan. To say the least I was irate at this point.
I called the same HP support number and went into great detail with the technician. This was very frustrating as this person had very poor English dialect and we could not communicate effectively. He explained that I will need to again send the unit in. I asked that the part be shipped to me and I would have a computer specialist at my place of work (Marriott International Headquarters) switch the part out. He told me that would not be possible and my only option within warranty is to ship the unit back for repair.
After explaining how this was unacceptable he assured me that if I sent it back I would receive 4 day Door to Door Repair Service and the unit would be returned by Monday, January 12, 2004. I hesitated but since the unit was only 6 weeks old I felt I had no choice.
The unit was picked up by Fed-Ex on Tuesday, January 6, 2004. I monitored the process of the repair on the CSO website. On Monday, January 12, the day I was to receive the unit back, I check the website and it showed the unit still under repair. Not surprised by this I waited a few days and checked later in the week. Again, on Friday, January 16 it showed the unit being under repair. I called HP support.
The technician placed me on hold so he could get more info on the status of the repair. He came back on the line and told me the unit was repaired and that they were performing diagnostic tests. He also stated I would receive it in just a few days. Although I did not believe him I thanked him for his help and agreed to wait.
On Monday, January 19, I again went to the CSO website to check the status of my repair order and it stated that the repairs had been completed and they were preparing the product for shipping. I assumed that this went within 24 hours.
On Tuesday, January 20, I again tried to go to the CSO website and received a reply that the web page was not available. All other web pages are working fine so I know it is not with my computer and also attempted from both my home desktop pc and my work pc. I then used the internet based HP Web Chat Support to see if someone could check on my order. They checked the status and told me the unit was still under repair and I would have to call 1800-OKCOMPAQ. I tried to explain that I had done that and I needed a better level of service but they offered no additional resolution.
On Wednesday, January 21, I again tried to go to the CSO website and received a reply that the web page was not available. I the tried again to get a status update from the HP Web Chat Support. ** assisted me and gave me the same response that the unit was under repair and that I would have to call the 1800 number. I expressed my frustration and told her some of the history behind the repair. I told her I was very upset at this point and asked for a name or phone number for the department that assists customers that are having challenges. She again reiterated that I would have to call customer service or the 1800-OKCOMPAQ number.
Today is Thursday, January 22 and I called the customer service number for an update as the web site is still not working. I was told the unit was in repair, preparing to ship but did not have a ship date, but assured me I would get it in 1 2 days. How in the heck would he be able to say when I would get it if he did not know when it would be shipped out? The technician asked if that answered my problem and I said no. I gave him a brief history of the problems I have had with this process and he again reiterated he was sorry but rest assured I should have the unit in 1-2 days. So now we have gone to Will have the unit in 1-2 days to Should have the unit in 1-2 days.
At this point I am absolutely at my wits end with HP/Compaq customer service. As a loyal HP customer I purchased my Desktop Pavilion PC last year and have purchased many HP ancillary products over many years. Although I have been encouraged by many friends and colleagues to look at other brands such as Dell and Gateway I have always considered HP a great product and worth my loyalty. I was a bit concerned about purchasing a Compaq product and how well that would be supported. I see now that I have been correct in that assumption.
I can fully understand that making a high quality product is not a perfect science. Parts are parts and will always be subject to failure through no ones fault. However, customer care and service is always in each associates ultimate control and to date I have experienced very little of that.
To recap here are my outstanding issues: 1. My 2 month old Presario Notebook is in repair for the same problem for the 2nd time in 30 days because it was not repaired correctly the first time it was sent. It has now been in HP support or shipping possession for more days then I have had it since I bought it on November 13, 2003; 2. On both repairs I was told I would receive 4 day Door to Door service. The first repair took 10 days and was not door to door. The second repair has been going on for 17 days and I still have not received my unit;
In closing I would like to request a prompt update from a leadership member of the HP team on the current state of my notebook and assurance that it is going to be returned to me fully repaired within the next few days. If this can not be achieved I feel I am entitled to an immediate replacement of a new unit and the unit under repair may stay in your possession. I appreciate your time and assistance in this matter and look forward to a quick and satisfactory response.
Called spent 5 hours on phone called and spoke with some guy from India (couldn't understand half-of-the-things he said, after being-hung-up 3 times just to get a recovery disk). I finally got hold of someone in support in the USA and finally told him the ordeal I went through. He said sure and said I would get it in next business day. Well that took 2 weeks, never again. I gave the HP notebook to my friend and went out and bought an apple.
I bought a refurbished laptop in 2005. After about a month it started shutting off and showing a weird text screen. I called tech support and was routed to a "Foreign" call center. Let me say this: These people follow a script like robots when answering your questions. They literally cannot or are not allowed to think for themselves. To get them to act you must get them "off script". Here is what worked for me. I began insulting them using extremely foul, vulgar language, not personally insulting the individual but directing the insult at the tactics they were using, and the company in general.
I kept up my tirade until they were so offended they were happy to put their supervisor on the phone, then when I got nowhere with THEM, I started my tirade again but more intensely, knowing that they are trained at a little bit higher tolerance and skill level.
They just plain do not know what to do, or how to respond. They get very nervous and threaten to terminate the call and I just cuss and really let them have it. I actually was able to get to about the fourth level of supervisor, and then was connected to what sounded like an American supervisor. I immediately changed tactics and used courtesy and logic to state my case, and at that point I got a response that almost was rational.
Ultimately, it was a small RAM or WiFi card that was not plugged in all the way and the manufacturer did not fix it. However, I managed to get past the customer service "suit of armor" they put up by using a calculated, scripted, technique of my own. If you do this BE CAREFUL, BE ARTICULATE but be ugly, mean and nasty. It's funny because they freak out. I guess there is some advantage to graduating public school.
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- I bought a Compaq 1720US laptop from Compaq a month ago for 1,599 dollars. About 2 weeks later while I was typing, the plastic surrounding the screen cracked. The computer still work perfectly except I don't like the look of it. Since I have a major project for my school, I use it for a few more days and it got a bit worse, then I called tech support and he said they will fix it for free and I received an empty box the next day to put my laptop in. I waited 7 days and they haven't call me yet so I called Compaq the next day.
The tech told me that the LCD screen crack, not the plastic. I told him I'm not stupid and I know what got cracked. He told me I have to pay a fee to fix the LCD screen. I argued with him, but he told me he hadn't seen my laptop, he only read it off the screen that a repair tech put. I got mad and told the tech I'm not expecting to do business with Compaq anymore and hung up the phone. I don't appreciate Compaq trying to cheat its customers. Please help!
I was trying to check up on some Quick Restore CD's I purchased, and after telling my predicament to 4 people, (and one hour later) I was told that they cancelled my order because they no longer sell those CD's. There was no attempt to contact me, so all my waiting was in vain. They tried to sell me a new computer (this one works just fine, thanks) and I asked to speak to the manager. 3 1/2 hours later someone picked up (not a manager) and so I asked for the manager again. They put me on hold, and no one picked up.
I finally had to disconnect (the next morning) so my cell phone would not be charged. I like my computer, I'm just missing one driver for my PCI card. I'll burn in hell before I purchase another COMPAQ or HP computer. I hear Dell is the best.


text:
Fearless Muckraking
Since 1993
Recent Articles
Current Issue
Back Issues
Subscriber Access
Search Authors
March 11, 2015
WE are MANY
AAAdmin CounterPunch
Join the debate on Facebook
More articles by:
AAAdmin CounterPunch
New from
January 21, 2019
W. T. Whitney
New US Economic Attack Against Cuba, Long Threatened, May Hit Soon
Jérôme Duval
Macronist Repression Against the People in Yellow Vests
Dean Baker
The Next Recession: What It Could Look Like
Eric Mann
All Hail the Revolutionary King: Martin Luther King and the Black Revolutionary Tradition
Binoy Kampmark
Spy Theories and the White House: Donald Trump as Russian Agent
Edward Curtin
We Need a Martin Luther King Day of Truth
Bill Fried
Jeff Sessions and the Federalists
Ed Corcoran
Central America Needs a Marshall Plan
Colin Todhunter
Complaint Lodged with European Ombudsman: Regulatory Authorities Colluding with Agrochemicals Industry
Manuel E. Yepe
The US War Against the Weak
Weekend Edition
January 18, 2019
Friday - Sunday
Melvin Goodman
Star Wars Revisited: One More Nightmare From Trump
John Davis
"Weather Terrorism:" a National Emergency
Jeffrey St. Clair
Roaming Charges: Sometimes an Establishment Hack is Just What You Need
Joshua Frank
Montana Public Schools Block Pro-LGBTQ Websites
Louisa Willcox
Sky Bears, Earth Bears: Finding and Losing True North
Robert Fisk
Bernie Sanders, Israel and the Middle East
Robert Fantina
Pompeo, the U.S. and Iran
David Rosen
The Biden Band-Aid: Will Democrats Contain the Insurgency?
Nick Pemberton
Human Trafficking Should Be Illegal
Steve Early - Suzanne Gordon
Did Donald Get The Memo? Trump's VA Secretary Denounces 'Veteran as Victim' Stereotyping
Andrew Levine
The Tulsi Gabbard Factor
John W. Whitehead
The Danger Within: Border Patrol is Turning America into a Constitution-Free Zone
Dana E. Abizaid
Kafka's Grave: a Pilgrimage in Prague
Rebecca Lee
Punishment Through Humiliation: Justice For Sexual Assault Survivors
Dahr Jamail
A Planet in Crisis: The Heat's On Us
John Feffer
Trump Punts on Syria: The Forever War is Far From Over
Dave Lindorff
Shut Down the War Machine!
Glenn Sacks
LA Teachers' Strike: Student Voices of the Los Angeles Education Revolt
Mark Ashwill
The Metamorphosis of International Students Into Honorary US Nationalists: a View from Viet Nam
Ramzy Baroud
The Moral Travesty of Israel Seeking Arab, Iranian Money for its Alleged Nakba
Ron Jacobs
Allen Ginsberg Takes a Trip
Jake Johnston
Haiti by the Numbers
Binoy Kampmark
No-Confidence Survivor: Theresa May and Brexit
Victor Grossman
Red Flowers for Rosa and Karl
Cesar Chelala
President Donald Trump's "Magical Realism"
Christopher Brauchli
An Education in Fraud
Paul Bentley
The Death Penalty for Canada's Foreign Policy?
David Swanson
Top 10 Reasons Not to Love NATO
Louis Proyect
Breaking the Left's Gay Taboo
Kani Xulam
A Saudi Teen and Freedom's Shining Moment
Ralph Nader
Bar Barr or Regret this Dictatorial Attorney General
Jessicah Pierre
A Dream Deferred: MLK's Dream of Economic Justice is Far From Reality
Edward J. Martin
Glossip v. Gross, the Eighth Amendment and the Torture Court of the United States
Chuck Collins
Shutdown Expands the Ranks of the "Underwater Nation"
Paul Edwards
War Whores
Tells the Facts and Names the Names
Published since 1996
Copyright © CounterPunch
All rights reserved.
Mailing Address
PO Box 228
Petrolia, CA 95558
1(707) 629-3683
Jeffrey St. Clair, Editor
Joshua Frank, Managing Editor
Nathaniel St. Clair, Social Media
Alexander Cockburn, 1941-2012
Becky Grant
Business Manager
Deva Wheeler
Subscription and merchandise fulfillment


text:
Communicate with USB port of computers!
Shipping cost in USA with UPS/DHL is $10. Shipping cost to other countries will be calculated case by case.
If your computer don't have a RS232 Port to connect with Controller,Maybe you need a USB to RS232 Converter.
Serial RS232 to USB adapter/converter. Use your serial devices with your USB equipped computer. Serial port connector is DB9.
Windows XP or Windows 98, Windows ME and Windows 2000, and Vista.
Package Content:
Software:USB-Serial driver on CD-ROM
Product Features:
USB Specification Rev1.1 and 2.0 Compliant
© Copyright by KellyController.com
Back to Top


text:
Canon law
This article or section is a stub (i.e., in need of additional material). You can help OrthodoxWiki by expanding it.
Articles and Books on Orthodox Canon Law
- N. Athanasiev. "The Canons of the Church: Changeable or Unchangeable?" St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, 11(1967), pp. 54-68.
- Lewis J. Patsavos. The Canon Law of the Orthodox Catholic Church (Mimeographed Notes). Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Bookstore, 1975.
- Henry R. Percival, Ed. The Seven Ecumenical Councils. "Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers," Second Series, Vol. 14. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956.
- Erickson, John H., The Challenge of Our Past: Studies in Orthodox Canon Law and Church History (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press 1991).
- The Stand of the Orthodox Church on Controversial Issues by Stanley Harakas
- B. Archondonis. "A Common Code for the Orthodox Churches," Kanon I (1973), pp. 45-53.
- The Theology of Oikonomia and Its Implications for Sacramental and Ecumenical Perspectives by Sabu John
- The Canonical Tradition of the Orthodox Church by Lewis Patsavos
- The Russian Canonical Territory - some comments from an Orthodox historico-canonical perspective
Online Source Texts
Related Articles on OrthodoxWiki
Parallels in other religious groups
- Byzantine Catholic canon law - Code of Canons for the Oriental Churches
- Roman Catholic - Catholic Encyclopedia article on Canon Law (outdated, but informative)
- In Judaism, see w:Halakha
- In Islam, see w:Sharia, w:Fatwa, and w:Fiqh
Categories > Church History
Categories > Church History > Canon Law
Categories > Church History > Councils
Categories > Church History > Councils > Ecumenical Councils
Categories > OrthodoxWiki > Articles in a series > Intro to Orthodox Christianity series


text:
22 February 2007 16:45
Jos Coffee Blog » Blog Archive » Jo's South is XL cover story!
"Any given day is a funky parade at Jo's Hot Coffee on South Congress Avenue. Its location at the foot of the "SoCo strip" and its layout — open shed seating, walkup-window, tables — make Jo's perfect for marathon people watching. It's one of th
1 (1 marks)


text:
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls
Please use the form below to order a new text only. If you are not sure if your text is eligible to be replaced, please contact the Textbook Services manager.
To let us know what books you would like issued to your students that Textbook Services already owns, please use the Book Request Form.
If you are aware of a solutions manual or study guide that is available for the text, and you would like to have it on Reserve in the library, please make note of it in the comments section.
Submitting this form assists us in complying with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA). HEOA mandates that bookstores post textbook information when students are registering for classes or as soon as it becomes available. Below are two links to learn more about HEOA.
Textbook Provision of HEOA provided by Follett
*Required fields
Fall: April 15th
J-Term: October 15th
Spring: October 15th
Summer: March 15th
1. In order to be HEOA compliant, we need to post textbook information when students are registering or as soon as possible.
2. We need time to source the best pricing for textbooks (for new orders).
3. If additional copies of a book are needed, we need time to order, ship, and process them.


text:
Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Producing Artistic Director, Todd Schmidt-Managing Director) is pleased to announce a wide array of classes and performance opportunities for adults. There is still time to sign up for the diverse adult class Theatre School offerings. For more information or to register for Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre Classes, please call Mickey McNany at 973-315-1669 or fill out a registration form on Paper Mill's website www.papermill.org.
A new SENIOR PLAYERS ACTING WORKSHOP emphasizing positive reinforcement will be offered on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., April 9 through May 21 at the Paper Mill Playhouse under the guidance of stage, television and movie veteran Ed Schiff. The Senior Players Workshop will see the actors work through basic acting exercises and evolve into monologue and scene work through positive guidance from Mr. Schiff.
"The 'reality of doing' is one of the basic tenets of truthful acting and the participants in the Senior Players Workshop will find great fun and stimulus in the six weeks of 'doing' stage presentations," said Mr. Schiff. Mr. Schiff's philosophy of teaching, directing and acting is "always stay positive. The good director and acting teacher never says anything negative – he has to find a positive way of improving things or just keeping quiet until he finds a way to improve the elements."
Mr. Schiff is a veteran with over 200 professional credits in film, television and movies as an actor, director and producer. He has also taught acting, directing and theater history in conservatories and universities, most recently as the Resident Professional Theatre Associate at Cornell and as the Distinguished Artist at Bergen Community College. Mr. Schiff's professional acting credits range from Broadway (i.e., "The Black Picture Show") to major motion pictures (i.e., "War of the Worlds") to daytime television (i.e., "One Life to Live") to primetime TV (i.e., "Grapevine") and most recently to documentary work as Andrew Carnegie on the History Channel's "The Men Who Built America" and the Biography Channel's Ernest Hemingway. He has directed more than 50 professional productions on stages from ranging from Off-Broadway ("I Hate Hamlet") to regional theater ("The Redwood Curtain") to university theater ("The Good Doctor") to local professional productions featuring the likes of Tovah Feldshuh, Broderick Crawford and Robert Morse. Mr. Schiff is also an award-winning playwright ("How Many People Have You Slept With – Teen AIDS Awareness" and "A Eulogy for Vincent".)
There will be limited enrollment, so students are urged to reserve spaces in the Senior Players Acting Workshop as soon as possible.
Another new offering is the Broadway Workout class. This class is a great way to move to your favorite Broadway show tunes and get in shape while doing it! Get your "jazz hands" ready to combine simple Broadway steps to this gentle aerobic workout.
For those who find inspiration in song, Paper Mill Playhouse's Theatre School offers a Community Chorus that meets for six weeks on Monday evenings from 7:45-9:15pm, and culminates in a showcase performance as well as touring opportunities. This past season The Paper Mill Playhouse Community Chorus performed for nursing centers, civic associations and sang the national anthem in front of 2,000 people at a community event.
THE PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE COMMUNITY CHORUS will be directed by Meg Zervoulis. Zervoulis is an Arranger, Pianist and Music Director. She has worked off-Broadway on Chuckleball at the Snapple Theatre. Regionally, Zervoulis served on the music team for Rated P...for Parenthood at SOPAC (Midtown Direct Rep). Workshops and concerts include: Kooman and Dimond's Dani Girl in the ASCAP/Disney Workshop with Stephen Schwartz. Zervoulis provided musical direction for many special events including collaborations with Ms. Lauryn Hill, Max Weinberg and Christine Noll among others. Zervoulis also arranges and accompanies many Paper Mill Playhouse special events including master classes, New Voices concerts and benefit galas. Zervoulis is also a Musical Director and Adjunct Keyboard Professor at Montclair State University. Zervoulis attended Carnegie Mellon University for piano performance and conducting. Meg was selected internationally as one of 20 musical directors for the inaugural Goodspeed Opera House Musical Direction Intensive.
Back by popular demand is ADULT ACTING, an six-week course held on Saturdays from 10:00am-11:15am, suitable for those from all walks of life. The Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School also offers a MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITIONS class that meets for six weeks on Saturdays from 11:30am-12:45pm. No auditions are necessary for either class."Paper Mill's Adult Theater Classes are perfect for those who have always wanted to give acting a try, to those simply seeking to polish presentation skills and gain experience and comfort in front of audience," says Mickey McNany, Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre School Director. "Surprise yourself!"
The Adult Acting and Musical Theatre Audition courses will be taught by Tom Frascatore, a theatre coach and director with twenty years' experience in the theatre including such productions as The Taming of the Shrew at the Homdel Theater Co. in Holmdel, NJ, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, RENT, The Producers, and High School Musical at Phoenix Productions in Red Bank, NJ, and The Misanthrope and Woyzeck at the Serious Stage Company in New York, New York.
Seniors can enjoy the popular BREAKFAST AT PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE that gives participants an inside look at Paper Mill, complete with visiting guests, lively discussions, and a backstage tour. The breakfasts are held on the first Monday morning of each month from 10:00-11:30am.
In 2011, Paper Mil Playhouse was voted favorite place to take and arts class in the Discover Jersey Arts People's Choice Awards. "It's not surprising considering Paper Mill's inclusive nature, its commitment to education, and the caliber of professionals that devote their time and passion to Paper Mill Playhouse," stated Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill's Education Director.
For more information or to register for Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre Classes, please call Mickey McNany at 973-315-1669 or visit Paper Mill's website www.papermill.org for the registration form.
(ages 18 and up)
Whether you are taking your first acting class, looking to polish your presentation skills or seeking more comfort in front of an audience, this class is for you. Working to develop basic acting and communication skills that can be used in any walk of life, this class creates a fun and safe environment for you to explore your creativity.
6 weeks - $200
(ages 18 and up)
Learn the actor's tools beyond musical phrasing that will help you connect with a song, develop the point of view that makes your performance compelling ,assess a song both in and out of show context ,and help you pick and develop the 16 or 32 bars of a song that showcase you best.
6 weeks - $225
(ages 18 and up)
Members of this company will participate in ensemble singing as they explore the unparalleled world of American popular music. Holiday, contemporary songs, standards and Broadway tunes will be part of the repertoire. Semester will end with a showcase performance.
6 weeks - $60
(ages 18 and up)
This new class is a great way to move to your favorite Broadway show tunes and get in shape while doing it! Get your "jazz hands" ready to combine simple Broadway steps to this gentle aerobic workout.
6 weeks - $100
(ages 18 and up)
Start the week off right with this lively discussion group! You'll meet new friends and celebrate the joys of theatre each week as a Paper Mill staff member or visiting guest artist leads the discussion on a unique aspect of the live theatre experience. Backstage tours and special performances highlight the sessions! A continental breakfast is served.
8 weeks - $10 per week (payable weekly)
(ages 18 and up)
This once-a-week seminar provides seniors with the opportunity to explore and discuss all aspects of theatre performance and production. The group will select a one-act play to use in class and will analyze the script, develop characters, and rehearse the piece for an informal performance at the end of the session.
6 weeks - $160
(ages 18 and up)
Individual attention helps students learn breath control and vocal placement in a nurturing one-to-one environment. Exercises are used to strengthen and protect the voice, and both popular and theatre songs are rehearsed. Lessons are for one half-hour and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis.
6 weeks - $265
(ages 18-adult)
Individual coaching sessions for the actor wanting to enrich his or her personal process for plays, performance and other artistic goals.
6 weekly half-hour lessons - $265
(lesson times are scheduled on a first come, first served basis)
30 mins. between 4:00pm
For more information or to register for Paper Mill Playhouse Theatre Classes, please call Mickey McNany at 973-315-1669 or visit Paper Mill's website www.papermill.org for the registration form.
PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE, a not-for-profit arts organization, is one of the country's leading regional theatres. Paper Mill Playhouse programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, A Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by generous contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. Paper Mill Playhouse is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the National Alliance for Musical Theatre, the Council of Stock Theatres, and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance.


text:
Oak Ridge is very fortunate to have two outstanding incumbent candidates running for re-election to the Oak Ridge Board of Education.
Oak Ridge is very fortunate to have two outstanding incumbent candidates running for re-election to the Oak Ridge Board of Education.
Keys Fillauer has served on the Oak Ridge Board of Education for the past eight years and is currently chairman of the Board. Many people knew Keys as an outstanding teacher and coach at Robertsville Middle School and later at Oak Ridge High School. As superintendent of the Oak Ridge schools at the time, I felt very fortunate to have Keys on the staff. Keys developed and implemented some very unique classroom programs to actively engage students in learning. His efforts in the classroom and in other areas of school life brought much positive recognition to the Oak Ridge schools.
Keys has continued to demonstrate initiative and strong leadership skills as a member and chairman of the Board of Education. He has excellent organizational and communication skills. He has adeptly guided the Board of Education through some very difficult periods for public education. Keys is also very active in other areas of community life, currently serving as foreman of the Anderson County grand jury and president of KFI Inc., which provides substantial support to the Ronald McDonald House.
Angi Agle has served on the Oak Ridge Board of Education since 2003. Although I have only known Angi for a fairly short time, in hearing her speak on occasion and talking with her personally, I've been very impressed with the breadth and depth of her general knowledge about key issues facing public education and the Oak Ridge schools. In particular, she is very knowledgeable regarding school finance. She has been a strong advocate for expanding technology in the classroom. Angi had three children go through the Oak Ridge schools with one currently at the high school. Over the years, she has been an active participant in many school related activities and currently helps out as a volunteer tutor. She has been recognized as a Level Four Board Member by the Tennessee School Boards' Association.
Both Keys and Angi have worked hard to maintain the excellence of the Oak Ridge schools in spite of significant cutbacks in state funding for education. They have demonstrated their commitment to public education, the Oak Ridge schools and the children through their years of service on the Oak Ridge Board of Education. Hopefully, the community will recognize their service and commitment by re-electing them to their positions on the Board of Education.
Bob Smallridge
Oak Ridge


text:
migya wrote:#32 wrote:But I wouldn't bet Diogu for him. Especially to the Lakers, who already have Andrew Bynum! Can we say: 'Twin Towers'???
Can we say HAHAHAHAHAHA
Small chance Bynum ends up anything good!
Seen the kid play lately, migya?
Bynum's averaging 12 PPG (shooting an astronomical 66% from the field!... 78% from the line), 7.2 RPG, and 1.3 BPG... in only 21 minutes a night!
Two nights ago, he demolished the hell out of KG. In 29 minutes, the kid put up 20 points (6/9... 8/10 from the line), 14 boards, and 3 swats. Your boy, Garnett, finished with 26 points (10/18... 6/6 from the line), 9 rebounds, and 0 blocks in 39 minutes (aka, 10 more floor minutes than Bynum). So, all in all, Bynum put up a BETTER game than KG... in LESS time.
Yeah, he's a reeeeal nobody.


text:
Packshot Backgrounds Collection by steve314
PACKSHOT Backgrounds Collection, is a post-production useful AE CS4 or above project, ready to get imported in your own AE project.
21 backdrop environments (floor backgrounds) for your product's shots!
Drag & drop the composition you choose, under your product!
Move the horizon upper or down, and easily colorize all backgrounds.
No extra plugins needed. (only cycore fx – standard with AE)
Present your products in a beautiful way!
Products, titles & music in preview are not included in main project.
Photographer's Logo Intro!>
Stylize your videos with these stop motion elements!
> Follow future projects from Steve314