text:
It was one of the few times I have wept over others' misfortunes – especially my patients.
I went into a closet to weep very bitter tears.
The thought of others seeing me so heartbroken was unconscionable, one which I simply could not bear.
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Saturday, November 29, 2014
It was one of the few times I have wept over others' misfortunes – especially my patients.
I went into a closet to weep very bitter tears.
The thought of others seeing me so heartbroken was unconscionable, one which I simply could not bear.
Posted in - Business... None of yours, - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man? | Tagged: AL, Alabama, boys, cancer, Cervarix, cervical cancer, Christianity, Colonoscopy, disease, doctor, education, Expand Medicaid, faith, Gardasil, girls, governor, Governor Bentley, health, HPV, MD, Medicaid, men, Nurse, Oral cancer, ostomy, Physical examination, physician, poverty, religion, RN, Robert Bentley, sex, sexual health, sexuality, sick, surgeon, surgery, teens, throat cancer, Total Pelvic Exenteration, TPE, urostomy, vaccination, women | 1 Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Sunday, October 12, 2014
Open Letter to Governor Bentley
October 10, 2014 at 12:45pm
Governor Bentley,
I need to go to the doctor. But I can't. For some reason I still can't understand you turned down Federal money set aside for people like me.
On June 24, 2014, on my way to see a doctor to determine disability benefits, I had a car accident. My car was totaled and my lip busted. I had hit the steering wheel with my face.
I still almost refused the ambulance ride because I was afraid of the bill. It took a street full of people to convince me to go. I had my lip sewn up, some scans done. I was sent home with a neck brace.
I have $12,000 in bills now, and my disability was denied. I am more disabled now than before the accident. I am waiting on an appeal with no medical care and no income. That hospital bill will never get paid. I wonder how many other people in this state are in the same situation. Sometimes I think Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man?, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: AL, Alabama, Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition, cannabis, children, Christian, compassion, Expand Medicaid, faith, GOP, Governor Bentley, health, healthcare, low income, marijuana, Medicaid, medical, medicine, mother, pain, poor, poverty, religion, Republicans, women, work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, October 10, 2014
Pippa Abston, MD, PhD, is considered by many, to be the preeminent, board-certified general pediatric physician in the Tennessee Valley, and is author of the following commentary, written in response to a news item entitled "Ebola hasn't surfaced in Alabama but state ready, Gov. Bentley says," published October 08, 2014 at 9:03 AM, updated October 08, 2014 at 12:59 PM at http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2014/10/gov_robert_bentley_on_ebola_vi.html.
In his press conference, Governor Bentley said, "In the event that Ebola spreads to Alabama, we are ready and we are prepared to respond."
Thursday, 9October2014, 6:18am
By Pippa Abston, MD, PhD
No, Dr. Bentley, we are in no way prepared.
First and most seriously, people lack insurance or have high co-pays/ deductibles, so they will delay going to the doctor or ER and expose others in the meantime.
Second, our public health infrastructure is underfunded and understaffed.
A couple of years ago I let the local HD (Health Department) know about a new viral syndrome I was seeing, which needed Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: ADPH, adults, AL, Alabama, Bentley, children, disease, doctor, ebola, epidemic, GOP, Governor Bentley, health, healthcare, hospital, insurance, kids, Medicaid, patients, public health, Q&A, Republican, sick, Texas, TX | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, June 6, 2014
As a politician, Parker Griffith has been described as "maverick."
To describe it diplomatically, he has been "somewhat unpredictable."
To be blunt, he's a loose cannon.
His most recent political aspiration includes 2014 candidacy for Alabama governor under the Democratic ticket, challenging first term Republican Robert Bentley (described as "wildly popular"), whom is similarly a retired physician, and former Alabama State House Representative from Tuscaloosa, whom has publicly announced his opinion that he will be re-elected during a tour of Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women, where sexual assaults, and abuses of innumerable kind have become so rampantly commonplace that Alabama's prison system is verging upon federal takeover.
It was during his tour of that prison that "Our kindly country doctor governor toured Tutwiler in early March and quietly said, "we are probably going to have to build some new prisons in my second term.""
Griffith's greatest obstacle is his past. More specifically, the greatest mountain he must conquer is his decision to switch parties (from Democrat to Republican) while in his first term in Congress, which abruptly ended his political aspirations.
The nightmare of his actions still haunts Alabama voters, many whom have not forgotten – including those in his hometown, Huntsville & Madison County. Like the ghastly spectre in Charles Dickens' classic fiction "A Christmas Carol," Parker Griffith must come face-to-face with the Ghost of Election Past, and Bentley with the Ghost of Alabama Yet to Come.
And in this real-life play, Bob Cratchit is played by the people, while 18.1% of the state's population (the state poverty rate) are cast as the sickly child, Tiny Tim. They and others are the ones whom are denied by the Scrooge, played by Governor Bentley and Republican-dominated state legislature.
In reality, Griffith and Bentley play dual roles in this real-life political /social /medical /economic drama.
Is there salvation for Griffith?
Will Bentley expand Medicaid?
Can anyone really help the citizens of Alabama?
Tune in next time! when we hear _?_ say…
Griffith's last foray into politics – as Representative for Alabama's 5th Congressional District – did not bode well, for after the first full year of a two-year term, he announced he was changing political party affiliation, for which he was resoundingly criticized at home by his constituency, in the press for his actions, and then subsequently resoundingly defeated by GOP challenger "Mo" Brooks in the 2010 Republican primary.
When he represented Alabama's 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, Parker Griffith voted against Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: 2014, A Christmas Carol, ACA, AL, Alabama, Alabama 5th Congressional District, Bentley, Bob Cratchit, challenger, Charles Dickens, Democrat, Democratic Party, doctor, GOP, governor, Griffith, health, healthcare, history, Lilly Ledbette, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, Medicaid, news, Parker, Parker Griffith, physician, politician, politics, reelection, Republican, Scrooge, second term, switch, United States House of Representative, United States House of Representatives, vote | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, May 9, 2014
If Alabamians can't work because they're sick, and can't get care because they're poor, they can't be productive citizens.
Should we just throw 'em to the wolves?
What will become of Alabama's present, much less it's future?
By Swaroop Vitta and Davis Bradford
In medical school, our professors often show us maps of the U.S. illustrating where diseases strike hardest and where patient outcomes are the worst. Most of the time, Alabama is red, really red. Red is bad. So bad that over 600,000 Alabamians are uninsured and have limited to no access to health care.
Alabama is our home and this state's spirit of compassion made us who we are. Every Sunday a small group of us with other medical students and volunteer physicians heads to a homeless shelter across from Regions Field that houses our free clinic. As we open our doors to many men and women that could not otherwise see a physician, we see first-hand what life without health insurance in Alabama is like.
A story:
Ms. C, a hardworking Alabamian, came into clinic with a terrible headache. It turned out that it was due to emergently high blood pressure. Ordinarily, this is easily treatable, but because Ms. C had gone without care for so long, she was now in danger of a stroke. Only the emergency room could provide relief. But for Ms. C, like so many others in Alabama, that relief was accompanied by a bill she could never pay with the risk of unsurmountable debt. Ms. C has since become our regular patient. While her health has improved, there is only so much a group of well-intentioned medical students can do.
Had Ms. C received medical care during the years before we saw her, her high blood pressure could have been controlled before it left her with permanent injuries. Despite treatment, the chronic issues from those years without care now leave her unable to work. And at 58 years of age, her options are running low.
Even when work was an option, Ms. C's income was Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man?, - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know | Tagged: ACA, Affordable Care Act, Alabama, economy, governor, Governor Bentley, health, healthcare, heatlh insurance, hypocrisy, industry, insurance, jobs, law, Medicaid, medical, news, Obamacare, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, poor, poverty, PPACA, Robert Bentley, school, students, UAB, University of Alabama at Birmingham | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, December 20, 2013
Did you know? (No, you probably didn't.)
In a report dated August 2013, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) conducted a criminal and administrative investigation and found that Alabama claimed, and was paid millions in unallowable performance bonus payments under the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIRPA).
This FRAUD was because of INCOMPETENCY in Alabama governance.
The HHS OIG found that the Alabama state agency overstated its FYs 2009 and 2010 current enrollment in its requests for bonus payments. The State agency overstated its current enrollments because, rather than Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Business... None of yours, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: abuse, ACA, Alabama, Alabama Legislature, Associated Press, Barack Obama, Bentley, budget, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, children, CHIP, CHIRPA, CMS, Crimson Tide, defraud, federal, Federal government of the United States, fraud, GOP, government, governor, health, HHS, incompetence, incompetency, insurance, Medicaid, Mississippi, money, Montgomery Alabama, news, Obamacare, OIG, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, politics, PPACA, quiet, Republican, Robert Bentley, Robert J. Bentley, State Children's Health Insurance Program, United States, waste | 2 Comments »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Thursday, June 27, 2013
If you had an option, would you rather pay $10/month, or $80/month for a prescription medication that accomplished/did the exact same thing?
Research shows that the results of the 2 differently priced medicines have never been shown to be any better in any way.
Which would you choose?
What if your doctor prescribed the more expensive medication for you based on the fact that Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: $62 billion, abuse, ACA, Affordable Care Act, Archives of Internal Medicine, avarice, Big Pharma, biotech, blood pressure, cardiology, cheat, crime, DO, doctor, drug, elderly, ethics, Forest Laboratories, fraud, GPO, greed, group purchasing organizations, health, healthcare, honesty, kickback, law, lie, manufacturers, MD, Medicaid, Medical device, Medicare, medication, medicine, money, Obamacare, patient, pharmaceutical, physician, PPACA, ProPublica, steal, taxes, taxpayer, teaching hospital, Thomas Aquinas, waste | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, February 22, 2013
Realistically, what does that mean for you, your loved ones or friends if – God forbid – they're hospitalized at Huntsville Hospital?
It means that when you, your loved ones' or friends' are a patient in the hospital, you or they could get an infection, or some other serious bug or problem while being treated for something else entirely different. And by so doing, it could make your stay more unpleasant, and in fact, could increase the risk of complications of your treatment – up to, and including your death – was well as increase the length of your stay, among other factors.
What does that mean for the Hospital?
Because insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid have STOPPED paying for the treatment of preventable problems that are a direct result of hospitalization, it means that Huntsville Hospital will be stuck with the bill (the costs of treating their own mistakes upon you while you're there)… and will try to pass the cost along to you to recoup the cost of the loss, which is a DIRECT result of their own sloppiness.
Huntsville Hospital has essentially become a monopolistic monstrosity of an enterprise, gobbling up numerous hospitals in the North Alabama region, including BOTH hospitals in Decatur, the only hospital in Athens, the only hospital in Red Bay, Helen Keller Hospital in Tuscumbia area of the Shoals, and the only hospital in Lawrence county.
Meanwhile, Huntsville hospital has fought tooth-and-nail to keep other hospitals OUT of competition in the Huntsville market, and spent untold millions of dollars in a protracted legal battle against Crestwood Hospital – and continues to spend millions to prevent Crestwood Hospital from offering services that would benefit the entire city and county.
Such anti-competitive practice has all been accomplished by and through the state of Alabama's Certificate Of Need Board.
The commentary of Mr. Burr Ingram – Huntsville Hospital's official mouthpiece – which is contained in this article is entirely and wholly unwarranted, and weasel-like.
Not only that, but Huntsville Hospital is NOT a Nursing Magnet Hospital.
There are many things Huntsville Hospital is not.
And sadly, quality is one of them.
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Consumer Reports magazine ranked the two hospitals in Huntsville as the least safe in Alabama. But the magazine's list of hospitals is far from complete.
"We were kind of perplexed at some of what it reported," said Burr Ingram, spokesman at Huntsville Hospital. "When you think about it, it's fashionable for everyone to rate hospitals. And Consumer Reports is the latest to use public data that is available.
"But at times, it's difficult to know how these ratings come about."
The magazine's August edition lists scores in four safety categories. Both Huntsville Hospital and Crestwood Medical Center received low marks for poor communication with patients and for high rates of infection. Both received mediocre marks for high rates of re-admission and unnecessary scans.
Yet the report ranked Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home., - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: AL, Alabama, battle, Burr Ingram, CEO, Certificate of Need, CMS, CON, Consumer Reports, court, Crestwood, Crestwood Medical Center, David Spillers, disease, doctor, fight, greed, health, Health Reimbursement Account, healthcare, hospital, Huntsville, Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville Hospital System, Huntsville Times, infection, insurance, law, legal, liars, MD, Medicaid, Medicare, money, monopoly, news, Nurse, patient, physician, publicity, reimbursement, RN, sick, sickness, sicko, spokesman, state, United States, wellness | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, December 28, 2012
December 28, 2012
Posted: 12/28/2012 8:44 am EST | Updated: 12/28/2012 12:18 pm EST
RUSTON, La. — With no health insurance and not enough money for a doctor, Laura Johnson is long accustomed to treating her ailments with a self-written prescription: home remedies, prayer and denial.
Over decades, she made her living assisting elderly people in nursing homes in jobs that paid just above minimum wage and included no health benefits. So even as her feet swelled to such an extent that she could no longer stuff them into her shoes, and even as nausea, headaches and dizziness plagued her, she reached for the aspirin bottle or made do with a teaspoon of vinegar. She propped her feet up on pillows and hoped for relief.
"Before I got sick," she said, "I hadn't been to the doctor in 20 years."
After she collapsed last year and landed in in a local emergency room, doctors diagnosed her with congestive heart failure, high blood pressure and hypothyroid. They ordered her not to work. She arranged a Social Security disability benefit, and she enrolled in Medicaid, the government-furnished insurance program for the poor. She used her Medicaid card to secure needed prescription medications. Her ailments stabilized.
But this year, the state determined that the $819 a month she draws in disability payments exceed the allowable limit. By the federal government's reckoning, her $9,800 annual income made her officially poor. But under the standards set by Louisiana, she was too well off to receive Medicaid.
This is how Johnson, 57, finds herself back amid the roughly 49 million Americans who lack health insurance. This is why she must again reach into her pocket to secure her prescription drugs, a supply that runs about $200 a month. That sum is beyond her, so she has gone more than four months without taking her pills on a regular basis. Once again, her feet are swelling and her chest is filling with fluid. Once again, she is confronted with the realization that a lifetime of labor does not entitle her to see a doctor any more than it enables her to gain crucial medications.
"It just doesn't seem right to me," she said. "It just doesn't seem fair."
Johnson is precisely the sort of person who is supposed to Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home., - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: Bobby Jindal, health insurance, Laura Johnson, Louisiana, Medicaid, Obamacare, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Republican Governors Association, South Carolina, United States | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Welcome to Alabama, where the legal concept of respondeat superior apparently does NOT apply.
Some would call this murder.
If a person driving drunk kills someone, nowadays, they're charged with murder – even though they did not plan, or intend upon killing someone (the element of premeditation, or forethought).
But why isn't Huntsville Hospital charged with murder? (It's kinda' difficult to charge a corporation with murder, but it's quite possible that the officers can be indicted or charged.)
And why aren't those directly responsible (those in the Recovery Room who were responsible for Gracie's care) charged with Murder?
It's painfully obvious some things MUST change in Alabama regarding healthcare.
By Challen Stephens | email@example.com on December 03, 2012 at 1:03 PM, updated December 03, 2012 at 4:18 PM
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Four years ago, Gracie knew a few dozen words and had just learned to walk backwards. But Gracie had a little trouble breathing at night. Doctors said it would only get worse, so they decided to remove her tonsils.
The surgery lasted less than 15 minutes.
In the recovery room at Huntsville Hospital, Gracie was standing on her bed calling for her mother. "We were told she was having difficulty coming out of anesthesia," said her father Randy Smith. Nurses said the girl needed to rest to recover. In the recovery room, the family says, she was allowed to stop breathing for more than 10 minutes.
Dan Aldridge, attorney for the Smiths, said Gracie "was not connected to the customary monitoring equipment that sounds an alarm if vital signs reach a dangerous zone." He said the nurses, three of them, were in the recovery room. At one point, her mother voiced concern. "I was told, 'Mom, now don't wake her up, if we get her up, we will never calm her down," said Dee Dee Smith. "My response was she was not breathing."
Dee Dee said one of the nurses touched the girl's foot. It was cold. Aldridge said "code" was called. Medical staff poured into the room. Gracie would spend the next 18 hours in a coma. When Dee Dee finally got to hold her girl again, the girl's eyes were open but Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, End Of The Road | Tagged: Alabama, Athens, Birmingham, Bureau of Labor Statistics, child, Christmas, dead, Dee, died, disabled, fraud, funeral, girl, Gracie, harm, hospital, Huntsville, Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville Hospital System, hurt, immunity, incompetent, liability, limited, Medicaid, PACU, pediatric, peds, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, public, respondeat superior, Santa Claus, Smith, Smiths, surgery, tonsillectomy, twin, unequal | 7 Comments »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, November 16, 2012
Not only are you, Governor Bentley, an embarrassment to the state and nation, but as a physician, you discredit the healing arts & profession, and contribute to sickness, disease and ill health of the people of the great state of Alabama.
By Kim Chandler | email@example.com
on November 16, 2012 at 12:07 PM, updated November 16, 2012 at 5:35 PM
MONTGOMERY, Alabama — At the request of some GOP governors, the federal government is giving states another month to decide if they want to run a state-based health insurance exchange.
Gov. Robert Bentley is saying no thanks to the extra time, saying his decision stands to not set up a state exchange.
"The extension from HHS did not change the governor's decision," Bentley Press Secretary Jennifer Ardis said in an e-mail.
Bentley, as other GOP governors have done, announced Tuesday that he would not set up a state exchange under the Affordable Care Act.
Bentley made the announcement official in a two-sentence letter today to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
"This letter serves as official notification that Alabama will not be setting up a state-based health insurance exchange, nor do I intend to pursue a partnership exchange," Bentley wrote.
Today had been the deadline for states to decide whether they want to set up and run their own state exchange, essentially a marketplace for people and businesses to shop for insurance with some people getting subsidies to offset their costs.
Sebelius sent a letter Thursday to Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia saying that deadline has been extended until Dec. 14.
The governors, on behalf of the Republican Governors Association, had requested more time to make a decision, according to the letter from Sebelius. Both Jindal and McDonnell have said they don't plan to set up an exchange.
"We are confident Governors will have enough time to Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - My Hometown is the sweetest place I know, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home., - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: Alabama, Bentley, Bob McDonnell, Bobby Jindal, exchange, GOP, governor, health, Health Insurance Exchange, healthcare, insurance, insurance exchange, Kathleen Sebelius, Medicaid, news, politics, Republican, Republican Governors Association, Robert Bentley | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Governor Bentley is pulling a George Wallace stand-in-the-schoolhouse-door redux.
What an ignorant ass he is!
It's exceedingly sad that he – as a physician – ordered Alabama's 67 Counties Departments of Public Health to STOP giving Tuberculosis tests, thereby jeopardizing the public health of everyone who eats at a public restaurant, works in healthcare, and more – and was done as super-virulent, drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis are emerging. Gee, thanks, Governor Dr. Bentley. NOT!
Thanks for nothing, you jack-legged nincompoop!
By your defiant actions, Governor Bentley, you will FORCE the Federal Government to do something TOTALLY against your opinion – and that is, to establish a Health Insurance Exchange in Alabama.
You, Governor Bentley, are a lazy, sorry, idiotic jerk, in addition to being a liar, thief, incompetent boob, and contemptuous good-for-nothing.
Pejoratives aside, more than anything, this places the solitary onus of responsibility upon the governor and legislature to 1.) Increase education,; 2.) Increase employment; 3.) Increase Corporate Income Tax rates; and 4.) Increase Personal Income Tax rates on the wealthiest Alabamians who already pay a well-documented rate that is significantly lower than the impoverished.
By increasing educational attainment in Alabama, the governor will be demonstrating a high-quality, high-yield investment in the state's most precious resource – people.
But the governor – bless him – is ignorant, and it is quite painfully obvious that he just doesn't understand such simple concepts. He should understand them, however, because he has said previously, that he used the G.I. Bill to complete his medical training after his enlistment ended.
In stark contrast, Tennessee's Republican governor, Bill Haslam said, "I've always said from the very beginning that anything we [Tennessee] can run instead of the federal government, we are going to run it better and cheaper," The simpler thing to do is to say, 'Here, it's your idea, you run it,' but I'm not convinced yet that that's what's best for our citizens. There's going to be an exchange and ultimately, our citizens — through their insurance companies — are going to pay for the costs of running that exchange. So who do we think can run it cheaper: us or the federal government? I'll bet on us every time. But we have to be convinced that the flexibility they will give us is worth taking the risk of running it ourselves."
For the benefit of the reader who may be unaware of what an Insurance Exchange is, the exchange is designed to allow uninsured people to compare and buy health insurance plans through a single Internet portal. Those who earn up to four times the federally designated poverty level will receive subsidies to pay for the coverage.
Essentially, it's an Internet-based non-business (nobody is making any money), that creates a database of health insurance carriers that all adhere to certain guidelines for efficiency and coverage. The law allows states to join together to run multi-state exchanges – essentially, insurance across state lines – or to exclude themselves.
In essence, make a list of companies that sell health insurance in the state, make a comparison of their plans and prices, and provide a link to the company for folks to buy insurance from whatever company they want.
Not too difficult to figure out, eh?
Here's a link to an informative flyer from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation about what Health Insurance Exchanges are, and what they do.
You may also be interested in reading the informative site http://healthreform.kff.org.
By Kim Chandler | firstname.lastname@example.com
on November 13, 2012 at 1:38 PM, updated November 13, 2012 at 5:19 PM
Bentley, in a show of continued resistance to the Affordable Care Act, said this afternoon that he will not set up a state health care exchange and he will not expand Medicaid under the federal healthcare overhaul.
"I will not set up a state exchange in Alabama," Bentley said during a speech to the Birmingham Business Alliance.
States have a Friday deadline to inform the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if they plan to set up a state-run exchange, essentially a marketplace for people and businesses to shop for insurance. If states don't set up their own exchange, either alone or in federal partnership, then the federal government will step in and design it.
Bentley said he has been in communication with other governors — including peers in Texas, Florida and Louisiana — about the exchange decision. He expected multiple governors to show a united front of resistance to the Affordable Care Act.
"If we stand together, I do believe Congress is going to have to look at this again,"Bentley said.
Bentley said he expected other governors to announce similar decisions.
"That will Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: Affordable Care Act, Alabama, Bentley, Bill Haslam, efficient, exhange, federal, GOP, health, Health Insurance Exchange, healthcare, incompetent, insurance, law, liar, Medicaid, Mike Hubbard, Obamacare, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Republican, Robert Bentley, Roger Bedford, Tennessee, thief, United States, United States Department of Health and Human Services | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Sunday, October 28, 2012
Brer Fox leapt out of the bushes and strolled over to Brer Rabbit. "Well, well, what have we here?" he asked, grinning an evil grin.
Brer Rabbit gulped. He was stuck fast. He did some fast thinking while Brer Fox rolled about on the road, laughing himself sick over Brer Rabbit's dilemma.
"I've got you this time, Brer Rabbit," said Brer Fox, jumping up and shaking off the dust. "You've sassed me for the very last time. Now I wonder what I should do with you?"
Brer Rabbit's eyes got very large. "Oh please Brer Fox, whatever you do, please don't throw me into the briar patch."
"Maybe I should roast you over a fire and eat you," mused Brer Fox. "No, that's too much trouble. Maybe I'll hang you instead."
"Roast me! Hang me! Do whatever you please," said Brer Rabbit. "Only please, Brer Fox, please don't throw me into the briar patch."
"If I'm going to hang you, I'll need some string," said Brer Fox. "And I don't have any string handy. But the stream's not far away, so maybe I'll drown you instead."
"Drown me! Roast me! Hang me! Do whatever you please," said Brer Rabbit. "Only please, Brer Fox, please don't throw me into the briar patch."
"The briar patch, eh?" said Brer Fox. "What a wonderful idea! You'll be torn into little pieces!"
Grabbing up the tar-covered rabbit, Brer Fox swung him around and around and then flung him head over heels into the briar patch. Brer Rabbit let out such a scream as he fell that all of Brer Fox's fur stood straight up. Brer Rabbit fell into the briar bushes with a crash and a mighty thump. Then there was silence.
Brer Fox cocked one ear toward the briar patch, listening for whimpers of pain. But he heard nothing. Brer Fox cocked the other ear toward the briar patch, listening for Brer Rabbit's death rattle. He heard nothing.
Then Brer Fox heard someone calling his name. He turned around and looked up the hill. Brer Rabbit was sitting on a log combing the tar out of his fur with a wood chip and looking smug.
"I was bred and born in the briar patch, Brer Fox," he called. "Born and bred in the briar patch."
And Brer Rabbit skipped away as merry as a cricket while Brer Fox ground his teeth in rage and went home.
Insurance companies spent millions of dollars trying to defeat the U.S. health-care overhaul, saying it would raise costs and disrupt coverage. Instead, profit margins at the companies widened to levels not seen since before the recession, a Bloomberg Government study shows.
Insurers led by WellPoint Inc. (WLP), the biggest by membership, recorded their highest combined quarterly net income of the past decade after the law was signed in 2010, said Peter Gosselin, the study author and senior health-care analyst for Bloomberg Government. The Standard & Poor's 500 Managed Health-Care Index rose 36 percent in the period, four times more than the S&P 500.
"The industry that was the loudest, most persistent critic of this law, the industry whose analysts and executives predicted it would suffer immensely because of the law, has thrived," Gosselin said. "There is a shift to government work under way that is going to represent a fundamental change in their business model."
Health insurers contributed $86.2 million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to oppose the law after Obama administration officials criticized the plans for enriching themselves by raising customer premiums.
"We remain very concerned that Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Business... None of yours, - Did they REALLY say that?, - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Lost In Space: TOTALLY Discombobulated | Tagged: Aetna, Brer Fox, Brer Rabbit, business, Cigna, Coventry Health Care, economy, enterprise, health, healthcare, Humana, insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, news, Obamacare, profitability, research, UnitedHealth Group, Wellpoint | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, October 5, 2012
It's almost like trying to patch a roof while it's leaking.
By Steve Flowers
It is basic public policy that you either have to raise taxes or reduce government services. It has become a cardinal sin in Republican politics to even say the word tax much less enact any increase in revenue. Our legislature is now overwhelmingly Republican and they are real Republicans. They take their no new tax pledge seriously as does our Republican governor. Therefore, when the dicing and crafting of the 2013 budget was being processed, new revenue enhancement measures were not on the table. It is doubtful that you will see any tax increase proposals anytime soon in the Heart of Dixie.
The state's new budget year begins this week. It will be horrendous. There are draconian cuts to basic state services. Alabama has a constitutional amendment that mandates a balanced budget. We are in dire straits but at least we are not deficit spending like other states. California is teetering on bankruptcy.
This past year's budget was bad. Teachers and state employees pay was cut this time last year. However, if you think that last year was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet. This is the year that the chickens have finally come home to roost. The federal stimulus manna from Heaven has provided a lifeline salvation for several years but those dollars are gone. This fiscal year may well be the worst dilemma since the Great Depression.
My contention is that it is worse than the Depression years. During that era the state Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: AARP, AL, Alabama, Alabama Medicaid, budget, disabled, elderly, GOP, governance, government, Great Depression, health, healthcare, Home Care, Home Health Care, Medicaid, Medicare, Nursing home, OpEd, policy, politics, Public policy, Republican, Republicans, Steve Flowers, tax, Taxation, taxes, United States, Welfare | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Recollecting, one of my patients was similarly diagnosed, suffering terminal lung cancer of the small cell carcinoma type, and had one lung removed. He had presented to the ED (Emergency Department) with extreme hypoxia (lack of oxygen), to such an extent that his lips had a distinctive blue cast to them. His oxygenation was so exceedingly poor, that he would turn in bed, and his sats (oxygen saturation level) would drop to 70% – neither a good, nor one that would sustain life.
In conversation with him, I asked him what he wanted to have happen to him, how he wanted things to turn out for him. He wasn't under any misguided notion about his state of well-being or health and wanted to depart the ICU.
He said, "I want to go home to die."
I responded by saying, "We want you to go home too. Let's see what we can do to get you back there." At that point, I began some very simple teaching about his breathing. He was a habitual mouth breather, and he knew it. I'd glance up at him, and his mouth would be gaping open as he watched teevee. Problem was, that every time his mouth opened, his sats dropped, even though he was receiving high flow O2 therapy via specialized nasal cannula.
So I instructed him that by keeping his mouth closed and breathing through his nose, his sats would increase. And barring any other unforeseen circumstance, were his sats to consistently maintain above 90%, that would be the greatest step toward his objective to go home.
At the end of my shift, he was consistently satting 98%.
by Monica Williams-Murphy, MD on September 22nd, 2012, in Physician
I just took care of a precious little lady, Ms. King (not her real name), who reminded me that, too often, we doctors are practicing irrational medicine at the end of life. We are like cows walking mindlessly in the same paths; only because we have always done things the same way, never questioning ourselves. What I mean is that we are often too focused on using our routine pills and procedures used to address abnormal lab values or abnormal organ function, to rightly perceive what might be best for the whole person, or even what may no longer be needed. Our typical practice habits may in fact become inappropriate medical practiceat life's end.Ms. King was a case in point: She was a 92-year-old nursing homepatient on hospice for metastatic breast cancer. Ms King had been transferred to the ER for a sudden drop in blood sugar, presumably due to her oral diabetes medication. Her appetite had apparently been trailing off, as is common at the end of life, and her medication appeared to have become "too strong." Her glucose level had been corrected by EMS during her trip from the nursing home to the Hospital, so when I came into see Ms King she was at her 'baseline.'I opened the door to bed 24 and a grinning little white-haired lady peered at me from over her sheet. "Hi," she said greeting me first."Hi, Ms King," I smiled back at her and picked up her hand.
She reached over with her free hand to pat me on my forearm, "You sure are a cute little doctor," she said smiling.
I couldn't hold back a little laughter. "Well, you sure are a cute patient too," I smiled and winked at her.
She winked back at me.
"Wow, this is the most pleasant 90-year-old I have cared for in a while," I thought to myself.
As we chatted it became clear to me that she had some mild dementia but had no pain or complaints at the time. She just said, "I think I had a 'spell'" ( a "Southernism" for some type of unusual and undefined episode of feeling ill or fainting); and "I'm not hungry" when I offered her food.
Leaving her room still smiling after our pleasant exchange, I went back to look at her medical record from the nursing home and two things immediately struck me: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Faith, Religion, Goodness - What is the Soul of a man? | Tagged: blog, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, care, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Data Formats, doctor, Emergency Department, End-of-life care, ER (TV series), family, health, healthcare, home, Home Care, home health, Hospice, HTML, ICU, Intensive care unit, KevinMD, king, Life support, loved ones, Markup Languages, Medicaid, Medical School, Medicare, medicin, medicine, news, Nurse, Nursing home, palliative, palliative care, physician, practitioner, twitter, Web Design and Development | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Saturday, September 8, 2012
A few points for the reader to consider:
This fraud was national in scope, involving a $3 BILLION settlement, of which the North Carolina Attorney General was able to recoup $31.8M. Pfizer, Abbott, Johnson & Johnson, Forest Labs, Eli Lilly, Astrazeneca have also all plead guilty to deceptive and fraudulent marketing. It's very likely a drop in the bucket in comparison with the greater scope.
The four most expensive Pharmacy frauds in the United States history have occurred since George W. Bush oversaw the rewriting of the Medicare Part D drug benefit in 2003. In order of their value, they are:
GlaxoSmithKline – $3 Billion, 2012
Pfizer – $2.3 Billion, 2009
Abbott Laboratories – $1.5 Billion, 2012
Eli Lilly – $1.4 Billion, 2009
The so-called "doughnut hole" in the Medicare prescription Part D drug plan was closed by President Obama. That "doughnut hole" was created under the George W. Bush administration, who caved in to lobbyists from BIG PHARMA, and allowed them to write much of that aspect of the 2003 revision of the Medicare Part D law (also known as the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA), and refused to allow Medicaid the opportunity to bargain for prices with pharmaceutical firms.
Advertising is expensive. Advertising for medications on television, radio, Internet, magazines, billboards, buses, and any other place where advertising is sold, is illegal in some nations. It was once illegal in the United States, until the 1980's when the FDA OK'd it under pressure from the Reagan administration.
IMS Health, a medical data firm, calculates that drug companies' business in the United States alone earns more than $300 billion a year.
Last year, GSK had $20 Billion gross profits on $27 Billion in revenue. So don't let anyone EVER fool you into believing that drug companies don't make enough money, don't have enough profits, or enough profit margin.
Pharmaceutical companies spent Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home., - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: abuse, BIG MONEY, Big Pharma, Bupropion, corruption, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, fraud, George W. Bush, GlaxoSmithKline, GOP, lobbyist, Medicaid, North Carolina, Paroxetine, Paxil, Political corruption, Republican, Ronald Reagan, Roy Cooper, United States, waste, wealth, Wellbutrin | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Not only does Governor Bentley send another man out to do his work, but he steadfastly refuses to do the right thing.
And the Huntsville Times REFUSES to cover Dr. Don Williamson's stumping-for-the-governor's "Let me borrow-nearly-a-half-BILLION-dollars-without-a-repayment-plan" appearance at City Hall.
Remember: Whatever you do,
• DO NOT increase tax rates on the wealthiest Alabamians, who already pay a lower rate than the impoverished – who also pay the 3d highest tax rate in the USA (why, even former Republican Governor Bob Riley called for tax change saying, "It is immoral to charge somebody making $5,000 an income tax.");
• DO NOT increase property tax rates on corporate timber landowners who pay a lower rate than homeowners – who already pay 66% less than the national average;
• DO NOT increase severance tax rates on big oil & gas companies who are extracting those natural resources from under Alabama soil; and for goodness sake, whatever you do,
• DO NOT stop earmarking 9 out of every $10 of state tax revenue. God – and Governing Magazine – knows that our 50th place rank among our nation's 50 states for fiscal management is as best as the whole state of retards can do.
Face it, folks. Alabama continues to be anally gang-raped by dogdamn retards, who call themselves "politicians."
And, sadly enough, we apparently like it.
Alabama's chief public health official said Medicaid will be in deep trouble if voters do not approve a Sept. 18 referendum to take more than $437 million from a state trust fund and use it to prevent huge cuts in spending on state programs for three years.
The constitutional amendment, if approved by voters, would take $145.8 million a year for three years out of the Alabama Trust Fund to help balance the budget during a time when tax collections are expected to see little growth.
Some critics say the Alabama Trust Fund was initially set up more than 30 years ago to prevent state officials from raiding oil and gas revenue every time the state has a funding crisis.
State Health Officer Don Williamson, who is temporarily overseeing funding for Alabama's health care program for the poor, said without receiving money from the trust fund the Medicaid program would be $100 million in the red.
He said this could jeopardize programs that provide medicine for poor patients, reduce payments for doctors who treat Medicaid patients, send more poor patients to emergency rooms and eliminate optional Medicaid programs such as providing life-saving dialysis treatment.
"These are life-threatening choices," Williamson said.
Williamson told The Associated Press that Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home., - Read 'em and weep: The Daily News | Tagged: Alabama, Associated Press, Bob Riley, classes, Constitutional amendment, ding dongs, Don Williamson, fiscal, Fob James, fools, GOP, Govenor Bentley, governance, government, Great Depression, Huntsville -Behind The- Times, Huntsville Times, idiots, Medicaid, policy, politics, Republican, Republican stupidity, Robert Bentley, tax, Trust law, United States | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The truth speaks for itself.—
Carolyn McClanahan, Contributor
Physician/Financial Planner. I discuss all things money and medicine.
The purpose of this blog is to educate non-policy wonks on the content of the Affordable Care Act, discuss the practical logistics of how the law will be implemented, and share my perspective on potential "good" and "bad" of the law. The law is far from perfect, but it is the most significant attempt our country has ever made at reforming our costly and inefficient health care system. In case you are a reader who thinks the entire law is "bad," I implore you to learn about the ten sections of the law in this previous post.
In addition to speaking gigs, I also do "talk radio" about once a month. The questions I'm asked give some indication of where education on the ACA is lacking. One refrain I've heard over and over is that Obamacare is a "government takeover" of medicine. This post explores that concept.
"Government takeover" fears seem to take on several different variations.
• Medicine will be a government run entity – doctors will be employed by the government and care will be paid for by the government.
• All of the doctors will be employed by the government, but insurance companies will still exist.
• The government will dictate what doctors can and cannot do.
• The government will make it so onerous to practice medicine that everyone will quit.
• If the government has one iota of involvement in any form, it is a government takeover.
So what really happens with the Affordable Care Act? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in - Did they REALLY say that?, - Do you feel like we do, Dr. Who?, - Politics... that "dirty" little "game" that first begins in the home. | Tagged: ACA, Affordable Care Act, health, health care, health insurance, healthcare, insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, Obamacare, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, PPACA, United States, Wikipedia | Leave a Comment »


text:
April 8, 2013 - Products
Hendrickson's new online Vocational Truck Suspension Selector Tool lets you get Hendrickson's rear suspension recommendations for vocational and severe-service applications.Results are calculated based on selections related to intended application, vehicle axle configuration, gross rear axle weight rating, and suspension type. The recommendations can then be printed for future reference or researched further by following the quick links back to the Hendrickson website for more information on specific Hendrickson suspension systems. Hendrickson says its new Vocational Truck Suspension Selector Tool is ideal for fleet planning, dealer sales people, and general information gathering to learn more about which Hendrickson suspensions are recommended for common types of vehicle applications, configurations and specifications.
Tags: Spec'ing, Suspensions, Hendrickson
Go directly to this company's home page
We offer e-newsletters that deliver targeted news and information for the entire fleet industry.
The expert, Mark Betner from CITGO, will answer your questions
The expert, Rence Oliphant from Hendrickson, will answer your questions
Drones And the Future of Package Delivery
How Will 3D Printing Affect Trucking?
Ultimate Test Drive Video: Brain and Brawn
Ultimate Test Drive Video: Small Block, Big Load
Webasto Releases Advanced Heater Controls
V-Flap II is An Aerodynamic Mud Flap
Cloud-Based In-Cab Video System Launched
Fan Drive Cools Better in Severe Applications

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ask Search Post
Merchandise > USA > NJ > Newark Area
Searches Related to
Merchandise for Sale in 07456Items for Sale on Oodle Newark Used Appliances Newark Used Bags and Luggages Newark Used Books & Magazines Newark Used CDs and DVDs Newark Used Mobile Phones Newark Used Clothes & Accessories Newark Used Computers & Accessories Newark Used Electronics Newark Used Furniture Newark Used Jewelry Newark Used Musical Instruments Newark Used Sporting Goods & Bicycles Newark Used Tools Newark Used Video Games and Consoles Newark Antiques Newark Arts & Crafts Newark Collectibles Newark Baby & Kid Stuff Newark Garage Sales Newark Home & Garden Products Newark Health & Beauty Products
Merchandise for Sale in 07456(1 - 15 of 10,053)
$33 BioLean-Free Natural Weight Loss SupplementSupplements · Staten Island, NYBioLean Free is a dietary supplement designed to reduce body fat, suppress the appetite, provide a healthy feeling of fullness, and impro...Lylle R. · 11 hours ago
$59 wwwidgdesignscom/promotional.html NJ BLINDS REPAIRS, VALANCE, DRAPERIESWindows, Drapes & Curtains · Warren, NJ****THE PROMOTIONAL EVENT HAS BEEN EXTENDED********************** wwwidgdesigns.com/promotional.html idgdesigns.com/index.html idgdesign...Angel G. · 1 day ago
$35 Hid, LedElectronics · Woodside, NYi have couples of set of hid for sale h11 h1 h3 h7 h4 9003 9006 9005 9004 9007 thay 6000k and 8000k $35.00 dollars a set. ...call me mayb...Robbin C. · 1 day ago
$350 bass guitar & bass ampGuitars · Maywood, NJ1980's Hondo fame bass h830 with crate amp b60. These are in very good condition. If interested please call 201-368-2490. Thank for lookingRich B. · 1 day ago
$1,000 One person One Year Disaster Food Supply (25 year shelf life $ Gmo Free)Food & Produce · New York, NYThere's never a bad time to think about preparing for a natural, or even a man-made disaster. Well, except for after it has happened to y...Kc D. · 2 days ago
$7.99 VEIPOR VJ-M00 - MISTRAL: Premium Disposable Electronic Cigarette, Menthol Ice, 0Health & Beauty · Greenwich, CTMISTRAL: The New VJ-M00 disposable vapor cigarette is the result of VEIPOR's uncompromising innovations and designs: ► New and proprieta...
$7.99 VEIPOR VJ-R12 - (Breeze) Disposable Electronic Cigarette - Regular Flavor - 12mgEverything Else · Greenwich, CTBREEZE: The New VJ-R12 disposable vapor cigarette is the result of VEIPOR's uncompromising innovations and designs: ► New and proprietar...
$225 DECO EMERSON TUBE RADIO 1930s LOOKAntiques · Wayne, NJNice restored deco Emerson model AX217 tube radio made in 1938. Looks and works great. Buyer can pick up or pay for shipping.Rich B. · 3 days ago
$50 3/8" DrillDrills · New York, NYSears Model No. 315.11360 Craftsman 3/8" Electric Drill Double Insulated, Variable Speed. Reversing Feature and 0-1200 RPM INCLUDED: ...Raxian D. · 3 days ago
$1,900 MODALART Shipping & Storage ContainersEverything Else · Stamford, CTMODALART SEA AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS OFFERS 20 foot, 40 foot, 40 foot High Cube, and Refrigerated SHIPPING / STORAGE CONTAINERS at 57 lo...
$1,250 Antique Regency Empire Love SeatAntiques · Greenwich, CTGorgeous antique empire love seat with bear paw feet, front and rear. The upholstery boasts colors of deep green/ochre, tan, and green/br...
$7.99 VEIPOR VJ-M12 - (Mist) Premium Disposable Electronic Cigarette - Menthol Ice - 1Health & Beauty · Greenwich, CTMIST: The New VJ-M12 disposable vapor cigarette is the result of VEIPOR's uncompromising innovations and designs: ► New and proprietary ...
$225 Western Electric Antique Wall TelephoneAntiques · Wayne, NJThis is a nice Western Electric crank wall telephone model # 317N. The crank turns and the bell rings. Missing the original 3 batteries i...Rich B. · 3 days ago
$500 Quality reclining sofa with cup holder tableSofas · Morristown, NJUsed reclining sofa with dropdown table. Originally went for $1400. Great sofa, but I'm getting ready to move and want to keep my truck r...Dan P. · 3 days ago
$150 We do kids party and other event, clown, face painter, balloonist, cartoon charaKids Books · Brooklyn, NYwww.globalclown.com ( 718.672.5177 ( Refer a friend and get a coupon and use it for your own party. Call us & ask how you can save! ) (Fr...Allison L. ·7 listings · 3 days ago
More Listings on Oodle Marketplace Atlanta Merchandise | Columbia Merchandise | Hartford Merchandise | Lakeland Merchandise | Las Vegas Merchandise | Manchester Merchandise | New York Merchandise | Providence Merchandise | Raleigh Merchandise | Richmond Merchandise | San Diego Merchandise | San Jose Merchandise | San Francisco Merchandise | Saint Louis Merchandise | West Palm Beach Merchandise. Oodle Marketplace is a great place to find used cars, used motorcycles, used RVs, used boats, apartments for rent, homes for sale, job listings, and local businesses.
Safety Tips
Safety Tips
- Meet the seller in person and inspect items before paying.
- Be cautious of underpriced offers.
- Don't wire money or take advance payments.
- Only pay for shipping if you know the seller.
To learn more, visit the Safety Center. Report suspicious listings by clicking on .


text:
New to Typophile? Accounts are free, and easy to set up.
I want to start a collection of information on type design. It can be anything from papers written by designers, type specimens in PDF form, helpful books I can purchase, anything relevant to type design.
I will soon be without internet access. Sadly, this will mean that I will no longer regularly visit this site, if at all, and I would like to collect as much information I can take with me so I can continue my growth as a graphic designer and my growth to becoming a REAL typographer ( I've come to realize that I'm far from calling myself this and to do so now would only insult those who are real typographers).
So if it's not too much trouble, I would really appreciate the help from my fellow typophiles.
Thank You
designing typefaces
i bought this a while ago. it has some nice interviews and speculating about type design process and the history of some typefaces,for example including zuzana licko and jonathan hoefler.


text:
Release Date: 2013 |
Pretty good review, will have to check sometime.
Digging: Nayru - Recollections
Death to false metal
Album Rating: 4.5Sick band!
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


text:
Got 9 citrus trees, need advice
I bought 9 citrus trees from Home Depot on sale two or three months ago. I recently moved them inside due to frost. They sit in front of a large 8ft x 4ft south facing window. Now they are of varying health. I'm trying to figure out the best way to grow them. So far, all I've done is water them about once a week.
1. What kind of soil should I use? I searched around and it seems like the 5-1-1 mix (pine bark mulch, sphagnum peat moss, perlite + some lime) is a good way to go?
2. What kind of fertilizer should I use? I bought this stuff locally but haven't used any, is it any good?
3. They are in 8x8x6 hexagon plastic containers, should I repot them (remove trees, remove all dirt, prune large roots, put back in 5-1-1 mix, add fertilizer) back into the same containers?
4. Why are the leaves turning yellow on some trees? Do they need fertilizer?
5. Most of the trees are flowering or producing some fruit. a). is this a good time repot? b). is this a normal time to do this or are the trees dying?
Here are pictures and summaries of all the trees. I labeled them T1-T9 so they are easy to reference (ex: T3 is going to die you idiot!)
Help would be greatly appreciated...
1. 511 is good, gritty mix might be better farther up north with cooler weather.
2. Jobe's fruit&citrus fert looks ok. didn't see any micro nutrients listed in the link, but the reviews seem good.
3. the trees look about ready to get bigger pots. but i'd wait till spring. you can repot them if your weather is going to be sunny for a couple days.
4. they could probably use a low dose of fert, especially the meyer and calamondin. i like to use 50% recommended strength.
5. in their natural environment there is no cold weather, just dry seasons and wet seasons. and many of them bloom and fruit twice a year. are you planning to provide artificial lighting? without sufficient light, the fruits will be a burden on your trees.


text:
Oprah Winfrey interviewed the entire Kardashian ÔÇśklan,ÔÇÖ but it was Kim and her abrupt marriage to Kris Humphries┬áthat peaked her interests the most. Winfrey admits that she had never seen any of the Kardashian reality shows, making her question all the more why they have become such a cultural phenomenon and the cause of much media speculation. People reports that Winfrey took to Facebook to express her thoughts and wrote, ÔÇťThis interview I'd say was another level of forthrightness and honesty. Why did she leave after 72 days? Her answer leveled me." WeÔÇÖll have to wait for Kim to open up about her much-talked-about divorce when the highly anticpated interview airs on OWN.
How do you avoid getting married before youÔÇÖre ready?
Cupid's Advice:
Many people like Kim Kardashian get lost in the fairytale perception of marriage when, like relationships, it comes with ups and downs for which you have to be prepared. Here are some ways to avoid rushing into marriage:
┬á1. DonÔÇÖt say 'yes' just because your partner proposes: Proposals are most often unexpected, which means you donÔÇÖt have time to think about the consequences of your answer because you are caught up in the moment. If you feel any hesitation, do not say 'yes.' It doesnÔÇÖt mean you donÔÇÖt love your partner; the timing could be wrong. Explain your reasoning, and they will understand.
2. Focus on the present, not the future: When youÔÇÖve been dating someone, itÔÇÖs easy to get lost in the romance and talk about your hopes for the future. These talks could be giving your partner false hints and hope. Do not get carried away in talking about marriage and children to a person you are not sure you want to marry or have kids with.
3. Set a goal: Set a goal, and stick to it. Plan a certain age that you would like to be married so that when the time and age comes, you will know you are making a reasonable decision.
How would you avoid getting married too early? Tell us below.


text:
Winter White
While most of us have a go-to favorite wine taking permanent tenancy in the 'most preferred' zone, often we explore other varietals-- particularly when entertaining or in my case, looking for the just-right pairing. Entertaining and pleasing guests with diverse palates, seasonal influences, even extreme weather can bring wine-drinking-enjoying challenges. When it is 100 degrees and the mercury is soaring it can be a test to feign enthusiasm about a glass of inky rich Cabernet for the thick Porterhouse grilling on the 'cue. Likewise, when you spy frost on the pavement and the windshield is icy, a chilled crisp white wine may be less than heart-warming. What to do when some of the satisfying hearty wintertime favorites are rich and creamy and just screaming for…. well….not a red wine.
My winter white is chardonnay. Specifically, Castello di Amorosa Bien Nacido Vineyards Chardonnay. This is not the 'Castello sommelier' pontificating on the many virtues of this award winning chardonnay, this is me, the 'wine drinker' who is generally not excited about most California chard.
Castello's Bien Nacido Chardonnay is different—this fruit is exceptional. The vineyard is located on the central coast of California and exposed to the Pacific. The coastal morning fog provides cool temperatures early in the day but warm late afternoons drenched in the Pacific sun. This gives the slow ripening grapes longer hang time on the vines while enjoying the real estate and the luxurious coastal influence. The juice shows its mettle when barrel fermented but not over manipulated so the gorgeous bright backbone of zippy acidity shines through. This balanced chard displays a soft nuttiness with fruit and focus. Juicy Comice pear, white peach and light vanilla flavors; full bodied and rounded--perfect for the rich creamy cold-weather foods we crave.
While winter white may not conjure up warm cozy images outside--
when you are inside, winter white can be an absolute delight!
Quick and Easy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
½ lb. fettuccine, uncooked
1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4tsp. flour
1-1/4cups chicken broth
4oz. Mascarpone ( sub cream cheese)
1/2 cup Grated Parm, divided
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1/4tsp. white pepper
Cook pasta to slightly firm. Sautee chicken in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 5 to 7 min. or until done, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet. Mix flour and broth in same skillet with whisk. Stir in Mascarpone, 2 Tbsp. Parm, garlic powder and pepper; cook 2 min. or until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken. Drain pasta; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining Parm.
Five Easy Pieces
This is an extremely busy time of the year and I don't see a clear window of nothing-much-going-on until 2015 (yikes)! Aside from standard work activity along with not so standard work activity (see link below), November brought birthdays (including mine!), weddings, anniversaries, and, of course, the big one--Thanksgiving. Factor in necessary travel and shopping for these celebrations and it adds up to 'I don't have time to insert activity here'.
This is also the season for parties and entertaining; from the office to the dining room holiday festivities are everywhere. Some of this merrymaking is planned but others are more…well… impromptu. While pop-up happenings are intended in the spirit of cheerful tidings these bombshells… er, I mean pleasant surprises.. can be stressful and hectic. To facilitate the fun and merriment while reducing the stress, keeping just a few indispensible items in the fridge and pantry make last minute entertaining truly entertaining. I keep an arsenal of all 'the fixings' on hand throughout the holiday season. When these easy apps are paired with the right wine you are transformed into an accomplished and relaxed holiday-entertaining pro.
I call these go-to bite-sized nibbles 'Five Easy Pieces'.
Check out the provided link for a 30 minute interview about the Castello and the food and wine program; 'The Royal Pairing'. This was a fun radio segment on CRN Digital talk radio.
The ammo; hummus, pesto, mascarpone, goat cheese, mushrooms, ground sausage, dried fruit and nuts, deli roast, sliced chorizo, baguette, crackers, creamy horseradish sauce. These items have a long shelf life and perfect to keep on hand.
Serve roasted red pepper hummus with a chilled glass of Castello's Rosato de Sangiovese, Gioia.
Now that is what I call a joyful tiding!
As long as the Gioia is chilled serve a sliced baguette with a light spread of mascarpone topped with chorizo. A spicy bite for sure but so delicious with this bright and sassy rosé.
For this topper I browned sausage and then added sauteed finely chopped mushrooms sauteed in butter. To the final mixture add a couple generous tablespoons of chopped nuts and cranberries and brown a bit more. Served on crostini this tasty bite almost mimics a deconstructed holiday stuffing.
This is a crowd pleaser, even if it is a small crowd! I rolled deli roast beef around a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella and a generous smear of creamy horseradish. Heat in the oven until the cheese is melted. Delish with a full-bodied red blend like the 2010 Il Brigante.
If you have ever tasted with me at the Castello on the Royal Food and Wine Pairing you know how delicious a cracker with pesto and goat cheese can be. The Castello 2013 Pinot Grigio is bright, succulent and juicy; a perfect yet simple mouth-watering duo.
And.....you're welcome!
Planning your summer visit to Napa Valley
Summer is a beautiful time to visit Napa Valley. Well let's face it, with our mild, Mediterranean climate pretty much any time of year is great to visit, but soaking up the sunshine while surrounded by vibrant green vineyards, rolling hills, and a glass of wine in hand is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon in the warm summer months. Here are a few ways to maximize your fun in the Napa Valley sun in the summertime:
♦ Pick 1-2 "can't miss" wineries, and fill in the gaps with others as your day progresses. Keep in mind that each winery will pour you roughly the equivalent of one glass (5 oz) of wine, so it's good to limit yourself to 3-4 wineries per day. Trying to plan tastings at more than 3 wineries for one day can leave you feeling rushed, and wine country is all about relaxing. You're on vacation, after all!
♦ Plan on spending 1-2 hours at each winery. This goes along with the "choose 3-4 max" rule of wineries per day (especially if you're planning for winery tours). Most wineries in Napa Valley open around 9:30am and close around 6:00pm in the summer, so figuring out how early you want your day to start/ where you're travelling to can be a big factor of how much time you have to actually taste. Pace out your day and take the time to enjoy each winery you visit without feeling you need to jump to the next.
♦ Look for specialty tours. Many wineries throughout the valley offer experiences beyond the standard tasting, and these are a great option to take advantage of, especially with the larger wineries as it allows for a less crowded and more personal experience. Cheese pairings, food and wine pairings, and guided tours are a fantastic way to learn more about what goes into each winery's philosophy and connect you even more with the delicious vintages being poured for you!
♦ Have a designated driver. If nobody wants to take the keys, it might be a good idea to look into hiring a driver for the day. Napa Valley has many car and limo services that cater to the thirsty traveler (and even a Wine Train!), and if you're staying in Calistoga, their shuttle is a great option for getting around the northern end of the Valley!
♦ Bring a water bottle/ snacks. Hydration is important! You'll want to drink roughly one 8 oz glass of water for each tasting if you're looking to avoid feeling too groggy by the end of your day, and it's never a good idea to taste on an empty stomach! Keep in mind that most Napa Valley wineries cannot offer picnic facilities per county ordinance, so plan on snacking in the car or finding a park if you wanted to have a full picnic (our sister winery V. Sattui is one of the few wineries to offer picnic facilities, located just south of St. Helena).
♦ Start your day at the winery farthest away from your hotel/ dinner location and work your way back towards it. This helps to insure that you're not stuck with a long drive when you're all tired out from a full day of exploring the valley.
♦ Wear comfortable shoes (LADIES I'm talking to you here). Girls, I know you love those three inch heels, but I promise you will not be loving them after a day of walking on uneven surfaces/ in vineyards/ touring wineries/ standing at tasting bars. You don't want to be the one drinking just to get to that point where you can't feel your feet anymore.
♦ Bring a light jacket. Daytime temps in Napa Valley tend to range from mid-70s all the way to low 100s, but it does drop down to the 50s in the evenings here, which can be a bit of a shock if you're out in shorts and flip flops. Also keep in mind that most caves/ tasting rooms are around 50°-60°F (10°-15°C) to help keep the wines cool for aging (and pouring). Wine only helps to warm you up so much!
♦ Make reservations whenever possible. Whether for restaurants or winery tours, it never hurts to call ahead (especially if you are a big group!!). Summer is the busiest time of year in Napa Valley, and many winery tours/ restaurants book up quickly!
♦ Expect some traffic. I'm not talking full-blown rush hour madness, but don't expect to be cruising down the highway at 80mph between wineries in the middle of the day. There are only two main roads to get through the valley (Hwy 29 on the west and Silverado Trail on the east), and since both are mostly 2 lane roads, you can imagine how easy it would be for either to back up quickly due to congestion, construction, accidents, or that person who slammed on their breaks because they almost missed their winery (on that note: please don't be that person. Make a U-turn!!). If your winery or restaurant reservation is at 2:00, plan to be there 15 minutes early to check in. You won't want to miss a thing!
♦ See if any events are happening while you're here. Wineries throughout the Valley love to host special events year-round, and it's always a great idea to check out what's going on while you're visiting! From concerts in the park to winemaker dinners or themed parties like the Castello's Midsummer Medieval Festival or Hot Havana Nights, summer evenings are packed full of great opportunities to sip, swirl, & savor after the tasting rooms close!
And most importantly…
♦ Remember: it's a wine TASTING, not wine DRINKING. Pace yourself! Relax, and enjoy your visit to this world-famous wine growing region. With beautiful wines and incredible views all around you, you'll be mapping out your next visit before you leave!
So grab that Napa Valley map and get to planning! With over 400 wineries and so many fantastic restaurants and things to do from Carneros to Calistoga, you have some important decisions to make!
Adventure (and wine) is out there!
Castello di Amorosa wins big at this year's San Francisco International Wine Competition
Last month, a panel of 58 judges gathered at the Nikko Hotel in downtown San Francisco to taste their way through a record 4,570 wines from 26 states and 31 countries at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. This was the first year we have entered our wines into this prestigious competition (at which our Director of Winemaking, Brooks Painter, won Winemaker of the Year for our sister winery, V. Sattui last year), and our wines were very well received by the judges. Overall, we received a Best of Class, Double Gold, 4 Gold, 7 Silver, and 3 Bronze medals!
2013 Dry Gewurztraminer - BEST OF CLASS
2010 Il Passito Late Harvest Semillon/ Sauvignon Blanc - DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL
2010 Il Barone Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - GOLD MEDAL
2010 Napa Valley Sangiovese - GOLD MEDAL
2011 Zingaro - GOLD MEDAL
2013 La Fantasia - GOLD MEDAL
Cheers to our fantastic winemaking team!
Bringing Wine Country Home: How to Throw a Wine Tasting Party
A great perk of living/ working in wine country is the opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of wines and winemaking styles. One of the obvious ways to expand one's palate in this area is going out and exploring the myriad of tasting rooms and wineries available (and with over 375 in Sonoma County and 400+ in Napa Valley, there are many important decisions to make!). Basically, we in the wine world lead a rough life of roaming around beautiful rolling hillsides and valleys covered in leafy green and gold beauty searching for whatever our taste buds desire.
Just another day at the office...
Like I said, life's hard sometimes.
But what about experiencing wine after hours? Or what if you don't have the ability to drive 20 mins to an hour to get to the nearest winery? Well there are plenty of opportunities to explore new vintages and varieties from the comfort of your own home. Why not try hosting a wine tasting party?
A group of us at the Castello get together on a regular basis for wine tastings, and it always ends up to be an enlightening, delicious, and fun way to try new wines and hear impressions from everyone. We've had evenings dedicated to a specific varietal (such as Pinot Noir), winemaking styles (Old World vs New) and wine regions around the globe. Our most recent tasting focused on the wines of Spain. We sampled Riojas, Priorats, and Tempranillos with Spanish cheeses and Tortilla de Patata, a classic Spanish egg and potato appetizer made by our very own resident Spaniard, Maria!
Spanish wine tasting night with the Castello crew (and friends!)
Throwing a wine tasting party can be fun and easy, and is a great way to connect with friends over a few bottles of delicious vino! Here are a few tips for planning your own wine tasting night:
What you need:
♦ Wines (obviously) – Make sure to have enough wines for your party to taste! It's generally a good idea to keep these get-togethers between 6-12 people so everyone has a chance to sit around the table and share their thoughts and stories about the wines being poured, and it's a good plan to allot about a half bottle's worth of wine per person at the tasting, though having an extra bottle or two on hand never hurts "just in case"! Keep the pours around 2 ounces for each wine, especially if you have a wider selection to taste through.
♦ Glasses – Always make sure to have enough glasses for all guests present. It's usually nice to have at least 2 glasses per guest, especially if you want to evaluate your wines side-by-side. It's fine to reuse the glass for multiple wines, as long as you're not going from a red to a white or sweet (you don't want to make your own "rose")
♦ Dump Bucket – Have a vase or pitcher off to the side for people to dump any wine they don't want to finish (remember, the more wines you consume, the less you'll be able to taste!)
♦ Water – Place a water pitcher on the table with glasses for guests to sip from between tastings. Sparkling water is even more helpful in warding off the dreaded "palate fatigue"
♦ Snacks – Small bites make a delicious centerpiece at the table. Try to find foods that pair with the wines you'll be trying; cheeses and charcuteries with a fresh baguette are always a good idea, and you can even ask your guests to bring an appetizer they think would complement the wines.
♦ Wine charms/ glass markers – These are helpful to keep track of which wine is in which glass. If you're on the third round of tastings and trying a California Cabernet next to a French Bordeaux, it definitely doesn't hurt to have a little reminder to keep you focused on what's in front of you. If you don't have wine charms, dry erase markers or even stickers work well (as long as they peel off easily)
♦ Notepads/ pens – These are especially useful for guests who want to remember which wines were tasted and which were their favorites. Great to hang on to for the next time you're trying to remember a delicious wine you had to pair with dinner!
You can even segment notes to help guide your guests through their tasting with categories like Color, Nose, Taste, and Finish
Things to avoid:
♦ Perfume/ cologne – Remind your guests to refrain from wearing any strong scents, as this can detract from the overall tasting experience (as nice as your Chanel No 5 may smell, nobody wants to be drinking it)
♦ Scented candles/ flowers – Same reasons as above (nobody wants to be picking up "essence of Pumpkin Spice" in their Pinot Bianco)
Who needs candles when you can make your own centerpiece from corks and Champagne cages?
There are plenty of great themes you can have with a tasting party. Here are a few to start you off with:
♦ Varietal tasting – Pick a grape and see how the results differ based on where it's produced and who is making it. Examples: Try Pinot Noirs from Burgundy, Sonoma, Carneros, and Oregon to see how terroir affects the outcome
♦ Old World vs New World – Choose wines from a specific "Old World" region (think Europe) and compare them with their "New World" counterparts. Examples: Italian varietals (Sangiovese, Barbera, Pinot Grigio) vs. their California counterparts
♦ Vintages – Pick a specific wine from your favorite winery and see how that wine changes with each year. Examples: A vertical tasting of Castello di Amorosa Cabernet Sauvignon from 2008 – 2010
♦ Blind Tasting – Break out the brown paper bags and test your senses! See if you can spot the difference between a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Riesling vs Moscato. The sky's the limit!
And finally, the most important part of a wine tasting party: Have fun!! Whichever wines you choose, you'll be sipping, swirling, and savoring a great evening with good friends!
So many glasses, so little time…
Castello wines win big at SF Chronicle Wine Competition!
Results are in from the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and once again Castello di Amorosa's wines shone brightly among the competition!
This year's competition included a record number of 5,825 wines entered from over 1,500 wineries from over 25 states, making this the largest competition of wines in America.
We are proud to announce that this year three of our wines received the Best of Class distinction, and we received one Double Gold Medal, six Gold Medals, four Silver Medals, and one Bronze Medal! Here are our winning wines:
2012 Pinot Bianco – BEST OF CLASS
2012 Dry Gewurztraminer – BEST OF CLASS
2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – BEST OF CLASS
2010 Napa Valley Merlot – DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL
2010 "Il Barone" Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – GOLD MEDAL
2009 "La Castellana" Reserve Super Tuscan – GOLD MEDAL
2012 Bien Nacido Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay – GOLD MEDAL
2012 Napa Valley Chardonnay – GOLD MEDAL
2011 "Zingaro" Zinfandel – GOLD MEDAL
2010 Napa Valley Sangiovese – GOLD MEDAL
2012 Anderson Valley Reserve Pinot Noir – SILVER MEDAL
2011 King Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir – SILVER MEDAL
2012 Los Carneros Pinot Noir – SILVER MEDAL
2009 "Il Brigante" Red Blend – SILVER MEDAL
2012 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer – BRONZE MEDAL
You can attend the public tasting event taking place in San Francisco at Fort Mason on Saturday, February 15th, where over 800 wineries will be pouring from 1:30 – 5:00pm. Be sure to find us among the crowd to taste our award winners!
You can check out ticket information and view the full list of winners at www.winejudging.com
Experience Taste
While enjoying a 'Royal Pairing' at the Castello, it happened. Once again, the stage was perfectly set. The winter wind was blowing and the unending sunshine had temporarily given way to much-needed rainfall. Through looming clouds the late afternoon sun peeked out just enough to splash a bright ray of light dazzling the Vaca Mountains. During this tasting experience….it happened…we fully experienced the tasting and the afternoon was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Is a wine tasting experience simply a contemplation of taste? To savor or enjoy on our palate? Or, is how we taste influenced by all of our senses and emotions subject to and affected by our surroundings? Wine tasting is defined as the "palate's examination and evaluation of taste". I can't find fault with this scientific and clinical definition, but, it does seem sterile. When tasting wine our sensations of taste and smell are fundamental, however, by setting the stage we can taste not just what is in the glass, but, we can savor the entire experience; experience taste.
A wine tasting experience is visual- demonstrated by Castello president Georg Salzner and Dario Sattui
Not only by examining the content of the glass....
a beautiful environment impacts our enjoyment of an experience.
The room was picture-perfect, warm and inviting. The glasses were glistening and the candles were glowing.
Many chefs are fond of the saying, "we eat with our eyes first", and there is research to support this. Studies have shown when we find food visually appealing, not only do we enjoy it more, we also absorb more nutrients from it.
What we hear also has impact. Music evokes emotions and feelings and can be far more powerful than spoken language. Andrea Bocelli gets me every time...
The most important element is to surround yourself with friends and people you love. Create a tasting experience whenever you want and wherever you are and you will truly experience taste.
Castello team members Alison, Jason, Kylee and Melissa sharing laughs and great vino!
My husband and I sharing a moment....salud!
"Stay Rad Wine Blog" reviews our 2012 Pinot Grigio and 2011 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Recently, Jeff of "Stay Rad Wine Blog" came "back to the Castle" to review our 2012 Mendocino County Pinot Grigio, pairing it with a scrumptious looking Mac n' Cheese. Here's what he had to say:
"Color: Very pale yellow. Think of the color of hay.
"Nose: Massive amounts of honeysuckle (maybe due to the 3.8 g/L of residual sugar) create a nice backdrop for the green apple and honeydew fruits. The nose isn't overly sweet. There are plenty of wet rocks to balance everything out.
"Taste: There is a surprisingly nice petrol note to this wine which provides for a very fun, viscous mouthfeel. As with most Pinot Grigios, there is a brightly acidic backbone to this wine that delivers a variety of citrus fruit flavors of lemon and lime zest. There is a nice combination of honey and minerality at play here too.
"Score: I get it. Castello di Amorosa makes wines consisting of mainly Italian varieties of grapes, and no self-respecting "Italian" winery would ever label a bottle as "Pinot Gris", but… This is not one of those ordinary, 20-dollar, flat-lemon-lime-soda-tasting, Italian Pinot Grigios that have been taking over your local super market in recent years. This drinks like one of those rich, subtle, and intriguing Oregonian Pinot Gris that I have been grooving on in recent months. Stylistically, these guys have done everything right with the grape they call the "Grey Pine". At 87+ points, you may want to introduce this Pinot Grigio to your favorite housewife."
Check out the rest of his review on his blog here, and be sure to scroll down to see his fantastic comments about our 2011 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir as well!
SipSwirlSavor reviews our "sensible Sangiovese"
Our thanks to SipSwirlSavor for reviewing our Sangiovese:
A sensible Sangiovese from the Napa Valley
Italian grape varieties are fairly uncommon in the Napa Valley. That being said, the few Napa Sangioveses I've had in the past have tasted less like their Italian counterpart and more like a Napa Cabernet. Which made me wonder why a Napa winery would even bother making anything besides Cab. And yet, Castello di Amorosa has committed itself to producing Italian-style wines from Napa-grown grapes.
Charmed by the architecture and the chickens roaming the landscape, I felt transported to Tuscany when I visited the Castle in Calistoga for a brief tasting in 2010. Since then, the winery has hired a new consulting winemaker and the vineyards have matured in ways that do the Tuscan varieties justice.
I recently opened a bottle of the 2009 Castello di Amorosa Napa Valley Sangiovese. Upon my initial quaff, the wine was tight and restrained. I poured a little more through a WineSoiree and swirled it around in the glass while my eggplant parmesan warmed up in the oven. It wasn't long before this wine started singing a beautiful tune.
The perfume of rose petal, dried herbs and red cherry hits a very similar note to that of Chianti Classico. On the palate, notes of cranberry and currant shine alongside excellent acidity and dusty tannins. Despite it's Calistoga birthright, this wine definitely has an Old World sensibility.
The wine's high acid was the perfect match for the tomato sauce with my eggplant parmesan. It was a delightful pairing that continued to get better as the wine continued to flourish. By the end of my meal (and my second glass of wine), sweet aromas of black cherry and ripe plum dominated the nose of this medium-bodied Sangio. Rhubarb and cocoa became more pronounced on the palate, and the finish lingered with juicy cherry and spicy vanilla.
Perfect Pairings Dynamic Duo
The first time I saw the man who would eventually become my husband I was dumb-struck (quite a confession those who know me will attest). Just my type; tall, dark (it was summer), and handsome. After a chat over a glass of vino (what else?), I made the fatal mistake of telling him I thought he was smarter than I was. I say fatal mistake as it is now 24 years later and he won't let me forget that statement.
Our friends often tell us they have never met 2 people more suited for each other, meant to be together. Better together as 1 than separate as 2. Like peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, peas and carrots……it just works.
Perfect pairings certainly enhance and intensify and one thing which is singularly good, but with food and wine, perfect pairings take on a new meaning. If you have ever been on the Royal Pairing Tour at Castello di Amorosa you may have experienced a few of these perfect pairings. A rich pate' with Castello's award winning Il Passito comes to mind. Sommeliers agree this match is perfection. Popular wine writer Karen Macneil says "this luxurious pairing comes perilously close to maxing out the human tolerance for pleasure". An endorsement like that certainly piques the imagination. But, must perfect pairings always be so lofty, and quite candidly, so costly to be perfect? Does perfection have a price? A rule of thumb, pair rich with rich and humble with humble. One of my affordable favorites, a simple roast chicken (any grocery store's rotisserie is fine), and a bottle of Pinot Noir. The rustic flavors of a simple roast chicken, a loaf of crusty bread and the earthy tones of Pinot Noir are magical together. When selecting your pinot go for light and fruity bottlings from Sonoma. For my dollar Castello's Los Carneros Pinot Noir is the perfect choice with a hit of clove balanced with bright fruit. This Valentine's Day, a day dedicated to perfect pairings, celebrate this dynamic duo with your honey. Light a couple of candles, put in your favorite music, pour a couple glasses of vino and relax.
Throughout the year, connect with your inner match-maker; go forth and discover new and exciting pairings.
And remember, perfection is in the eyes of the beholder……
Cheers and Happy Valentine's Day
Mary Davidek C.S., C.S. W


text:
Pools very nice. A nice little bar/restaurant area 1 block away if you want to get a bite to eat. Beautiful beach.
The bathroom was not up to far also stepped into tub/shower and it was very slippery and fell on my butt. Paid for a beach front room and it was more like a beach front room behing the trees. Also front desk staff was a little unfriendly.
It was on the island
It was a dump. Noises coming from the pipes above the bathroom that kept us up all night
Very clean and the staff was amazing
Wifi strength could have been better
Great location. Only 2 blocks from the Village and the pier. Covered parking. Quiet.
Minor cleanliness issues which boiled down to finding some hairs on the bed sheets. Clear shower curtain had some age on it and was stained with soap and water spots. Neither of these issues really indicate that the room wasn't clean, just the perception
Convenient location. An easy walk to the pier and the restaurants and shops in the 'Village'.
1. Parking spaces very tight. 2. Room was near to reception area, where they also served the continental breakfast; therefore very noisy early in the morning.
Majority of the staff is lazy and very rude.
WiFi does not work what so ever
all there extra amenities were non existent
The hotel was close to the interstate and quite a few places to eat.
I had to be relocated from room 222 which smelled like urine. Some of the room was outdated.
We liked everything about this hotel. The people behind the front desk were super nice and the lady helping with breakfast was so cheerful and pleasant that I think she should have a bigger tip jar. If I may I would like to single out Katrina as a refreshing, helpful, and solid asset for the front desk and in addition to her sense of humor which is delightful she made us feel special and at home.
A pleasant place to stay. A little difficult to find, but once there all was what should be expected from a Best western. A reasonable value for the money and less than 12 hours of stay.
A better sign or notation of location of hotel!
Small, quaint hotel in the middle of the village. Pub is very cozy and has a neighborhood feel to it. Great live music each night. Wonderful continental breakfast.
Not really.
Bed and Quite
The location was great and the cost was outstanding. The staff was very friendly. The room was quiet, the bed very comfortable, and the parking was convenient.
The TV in the room did not operate properly and instead of addressing the issue, they asked if I wanted to move to another room. I declined as I had already unloaded my things. The carpet was dirty requiring me to re-clean my feet before putting on shoes. The product they used to leave a "clean" smell in the room was a bit strong. I left6 my door open to let it air out!
Bed, breakfast, cleanliness, staff.
Fan in bath broken, towels left a lot to be desired, no fliers for vacationers.
Staff was awesome and friendly. My wife forgot some items in our room and the front desk lady looked forever to find them.
Here's why:
We're not the seller
At KAYAK we don't set prices, so it's not possible for us to guarantee what other companies are selling.
We aggregate tons of data for you
Our service lets you quickly and easily compare results from hundreds of travel sites at once. In this sense, KAYAK is a search engine and we don't guarantee prices we find.
Why aren't prices accurate 100% of the time?
Prices on airline seats, hotel rooms and car rentals can change frequently. Several people may also be trying to buy the same travel option simultaneously. As a result, you may find on occasion that certain prices are no longer available.
More questions or if you have a bad price to report to us
Please send us an
and someone from our team will get back to you promptly.


text:
Residents and environmentalists are concerned over the impact of a sewage collection well, which is under construction near Madipakkam lake, on the waterbody.
Preliminary works on the well, part of the underground drainage project of the Pallavaram Municipality, began a week ago. A huge pit was dug and as there was a hard rocky surface, workers used explosives to blast them, residents complained.
As part of the project, it has been proposed to construct pumping and lift stations at different locations in addition to a main pumping station in Keelkattalai. Work on the well began recently, much to the shock of residents of Madipakkam Village Panchayat and tail-end areas of the Pallavaram Municipality at Keelkattalai.
They said the Madipakkam Lake, which was originally spread over 100 acres, had now shrunk due to encroachments. Contamination in the form of draining of sewage into it was also on the rise. Construction of the collection well of the sewer project would irreversibly damage the waterbody, which serves as a source of drinking water for entire the Madipakkam Village Panchayat, they added.
The rural local body had sunk more than two dozen borewells around the lake and water tapped from here was pumped to six overhead tanks and then supplied to residents of the panchayat.
Members of civic groups said that while plenty of 'poramboke' land was available, government agencies had chosen to destroy fringes of the lake, especially its inlet point.
Since 2007, Madipakkam and Keelkattalai residents had been protesting the absence of attempts by the government agencies to protect the inlet point and water channels draining rainwater run off into the lake.
Officials of the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply allayed fears of residents stating that there would no scope for sewage seeping into the lake or overflowing from the well and entering into houses nearby. The well would have a capacity to collect a few lakh litres of sewage generated in and around Keelkattalai area and would be pumped immediately to the main pumping station.
The project was launched in January 2006 and the estimated cost then was Rs. 36 crore.
After revisions due to cost escalations, it stands at Rs.75.33 crore. Scheduled to be completed by 2008, it had already missed several deadlines. Officials and elected representatives are confident of commissioning at least a part of the project at the earliest.
Keywords: Madipakkam, water management


text:
Your cart is empty!
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Acacia gum, modified cellulose gum, stearic acid, colloidal silicon dioxide, and magnesium stearate. Contains soy.
2 to 4 tablets as needed in response to environmental stress, or as recommended by your health care professional.
If you are pregnant, may become pregnant, or breastfeeding, consult your health care professional before using this product.
I originally bought SAM-e to keep my joints strong, but then later wondered why I was in such a great mood every day, and read more about SAM-e to learn that it was the SAM-e that was making me feel so happy every day. Healthy and legal too? Thats hard to believe! So now I tell all my friends about it.
I LOVE THEM!! Good value too!
I have taken Stresstabs for 30+ years and now as I approach my 70th birthday, I can tell you that the pep, clear mind and good health that I enjoy is because of taking a Stresstab daily.
Formulated to help you stay healthy. Great product.


text:
Shop now and get Free Value Shipping on most orders over $49 to the contiguous 48 states, DC and to all U.S. Military APO/FPO/DPO addresses.
We want to ensure that making a return is as easy and hassle-free as possible! If for any reason you decide that your purchase just isn't for you, simply return the item within 30 days of receipt and we'll cover the cost of return shipping. Learn more about our Return Policy.
Take your shooting experience to incredible levels using the Kleen Bore Kb Shotgun T Handle Sub Assemb. Made using durable and enduring components, these Weapon Accessories from KleenBore offers you years of handy and dependable use. Here at OpticsPlanet, we make the effort to be positive you obtain the product that you've been looking for, and the Kleen Bore Kb Shotgun T Handle Sub Assemb is one which we are excited to carry. Traditionally, KleenBore has been devoted to producing high-quality products that are perfect for shooters from virtually any walk of life. The Kleen Bore Kb Shotgun T Handle Sub Assemb is the immediate end result of their lifetime commitment to their art and consideration for the consumer. For a tremendous way to equip yourself with the best possible products for all of your shooting desires, go for the Kleen Bore Kb Shotgun T Handle Sub Assemb.
Kb Shotgun T Handle Sub Assemb Kb Shotgun T Handle Sub Assembl
The Kleen Bore Kb Shotgun T Handle Sub Assemb is a quality addition to the KleenBore lineup. For more great deals on Weapon Accessories by KleenBore, please browse our Kleen Bore Weapon Accessories page.
Connect with OpticsPlanet
Become our fan, follow us, & subscribe for the latest updates and deals
Subscribe to our email list
Sign up and receive $5 Off and get exclusive access to promotions, sales
events, pre-order sales & more!
Contact Information
Toll-Free: 800-504-5897
Intl.: 847-513-6201
Fax: 847-919-3003
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Hours of Operation
7AM-8PM CST Mon-Fri9AM-5PM CST Sat-Sun
Our Guarantees