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Health Department Clinics
Important information:
For the fastest service and shortest wait, please call to make an appointment.
- Services and clinic hours may vary by location.
- Fees and eligibility for services vary by program.
- Please visit individual clinic pages for detailed information.
List of clinic addresses and phone numbers:
English | Spanish
Contact sheet for all Health Department locations and
English | Spanish
District Office
District Office
Joseph Willard
Health Center
Mt Vernon
District Office
District Office
Community Health Care Network
Community Health Care Network (CHCN) provides primary health services for low income, uninsured County residents who are eligible at three locations in Fairfax County.
Women, Infants, Children (WIC)
The Fairfax County Health Department operates 8 WIC locations.
Health department services include:
- Pregnancy Testing
- TB Testing (Chest x-ray if required)
- Refugee Health Screening
- International Travel
- Maternity Services
- WIC (Women, Infants and Children)
- Immunizations
- HIV Testing
- STD Testing
- Child Dental
- Speech and Hearing
View Fairfax County Health Department Clinic Sites in a larger map


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Results 1 to 10 of 32
Reality Check: Big Boned BS - Monday Motivation
Of course some people have a larger bone structure than others, just like some people have legitimate hormone disorders, just like some people can bench press 400 lbs. without ever having lifted weights, or win an amateur MMA fight without ever having trained.
These people are the exception, not the rule. So put down the buttered pop tarts and get your bones, big or otherwise, in motion.
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- West Coast
- Posts
- 23,444
Posted On:
5/13/2013 12:22pm
Guy Who Pays the Bills and Gets the Death Threats Style: MMA (Retired)--
People have been known to... yes.
Guy Who Pays the Bills and Gets the Death Threats Style: MMA (Retired)--
Style: stick,Taiji, mountainbike--
I hate the fact that people have been publishing these images about the "big boned" excuse. Because that has been my go-to line for years. So, I've had to up my workout game the last couple years. But that allowed me to get into pullups which has become my favorite exercise.Combatives training log.
Gezere: paraphrase from Bas Rutten, Never escalate the level of violence in fight you are losing. :D
Drum thread
Pavel Tsatsouline: kettlebell workouts give you cardio without the dishonour of aerobics.
Style: Kendo1
When I used to hang around at misc.fitness.weights, the term we had for the "big-boned" was FFID, fat **** in denial.
Took my kids to Disneyworld a few years back, and was horrified/amazed to see parents pushing their fat 8 year olds around in strollers. I mean, if you can't get pumped up at Disneyworld when you are 8, something is seriously wrong. We needed leashes for our kids, who were 7 and 9 at the time.
Every park we went to that trip had deep-fried turkey leg stands. Who needs a 2 lb deep-fried and glazed turkey leg as a snack?
His heart was visible, and the dismal sack that maketh excrement of what is eaten.
- Join Date
- Mar 2006
- Posts
- 7,350
Posted On:
5/13/2013 6:18pm11
Don't even get me started on Disneyworld. Motherfucking fat fucking fucks everywhere in their motorized fucking wheelchairs. Getting to go to the front of the lines in front of six year olds who've been waiting to see some princess for an hour because they're "disabled". Bullshit. They're fat. And lazy. They should lock 'em all up in It's a Small World until they're skinny enough to walk through the park.
That said, I took the kids to Kings Dominion yesterday and ate the hell out of a funnel cake. Damn, it was good. But I walked, so **** the haters.

subset: commoncrawl


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New Best Buy TV ad aimed at bringing Apple Store customers into Best Buy
Best Buy has released a new advert for the holidays called "Everything Apple at Best Buy", and it's aimed squarely at poaching potential Apple Store purchasers and getting them to come to Best Buy's Apple Store . It starts off with a sales representative demonstrating a FaceTime call with an iPad 2. The customer says she didn't know that Best Buy had all of the Apple products. See where this is going? It ends with Santa about to leave his presents under her tree however she has already bought the complete Best Buy Apple inventory; and it's under the tree already!
Source: YouTube
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
Reader comments
New Best Buy TV ad aimed at bringing Apple Store customers into Best Buy
Their service is a little more but it covers physical and water damage which applecare does not, which on an apple laptop is about a thousand times more likely to happen than a hardware failure. It also gives you a battery replacement whenever you want it as part of the plan which applecare does not.
The only advantage to applecare is the phone support which is more for grandma who doesn't know what the thunderbolt port is for than a person with a real problem as every time I have used it they just suggest generic solutions like a hard reset and then suggest I take it to the apple store when it doesn't fix the problem, but the thing is they will help you with the same software issues in the apple store without even having Applecare. Or you will have issues like I did where I was having trouble getting the backup to work properly with a time capsule router and I was on the phone for literally 45 minutes and every response they gave and everything they had me try was like they were picking what to say from a drop down box on their computer as they obviously didn't fluently have any idea what they were talking about and the issue went unresolved and I did a few google searches and had it fixed in about 15 minutes.
As far as turn around time apple stores are great for iphones where they just hand you a refurb. On computers applecare is usually 1-2 weeks but they list it can take up to three, which is about exactly the same as BB, however with physical damage BB usually ends up just issuing a giftcard for the original sale amount for you to go and pick out a new one.
I usually can't afford warranties either way, but from my past experiences with apple stuff it's far more likely to have a problem that would fall under drop/spill coverage than a manufacturer defect. I was always skeptical about the BB warranties until I got talked into it on an ipad 1 and the screen got cracked in my backpack on a trip, I walked into BB and they just exchanged it for a brand new ipad 2 and it took maybe 10 minutes.
"Everything Apple at Best Buy (Except the 'Experience'.)"
Hate this commercial! These commercials from Best Buy have made my 6 year old cry, annoyed my preteen and teen, and my husband, normally a fan of Best Buy, said how ridiculous, rude, and cruel these commercials are. I don't know that Best Buy insulting their customers by making them all out to be materialistic, cruel, vicious moms that don't support the true spirit of Christmas and don't love their pet, is a smart move on their part!
Lots of misinformation around here...
Every Best Buy that sells apple computers has at least one full time Apple employee that works in the store. That apple employee has several Best Buy employees who get nearly the same training that an apple employee gets in an apple store. The apple kiosk is a space that apple literally pays rent on to have their kiosk and apple 'store within a store' set up there. The Apple employee has seminars and gives support just like you would get at an apple store. Not to mention the Apple employee in the Best Buy stores has far more training and responsibility than the 'geniuses' you get at an actual apple store. Not to mention you can buy apple care on the computers you get from Best Buy if that is your choice (which is an extended warranty that the employees in apple stores are also put under a lot of pressure to sell, for those of you bashing a store that sells extended warranty).
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Sunday, June 3, 2012
shakeup at GOOD Magazine
Honestly, I wonder if this isn't prelude to a lot of this sort of thing. I'll be honest: I think that paid online political commentary has been living on borrowed time for a long while. Internet advertising rates are subject to relentless downward pressure thanks to an almost unlimited supply. The cool kid crew is, I'm sure, rallying for these people, and I'm glad for that, but I do wonder if a lot of that set are in for tough times. The American Prospect is in dire straits as well. I don't wish that kind of uncertainty on anybody, and I hope that the laid off GOOD staffers find new positions quickly. Particularly Ann Friedman, who's the business.
Because my readership is so vast and my influence so enormous, I'm sure they'll all see this post and hang on every word. For them, I offer this video of my new kitten, Suavecito, and the powerful reassurance that a broke, disliked part-time rageblogger and grad student thinks they're all talented people who will land on their feet.
Update: If I'm right, and a lot of paid online commentary starts to go away (in part because there's an army of people who will do it for free, and honestly some of the ones who do it for free are better than any who do it for pay), it'll be really interesting to see how the how social dynamic plays out. The essential condition for people in that world has been, for this first decade or so of blogging and Internet commentary as viable professional opportunity, that if enough people like you, you can get work. I'm not saying that's unique to this field, nor am I positing it as any less legitimate than other, subtler forms of networking and patronage. But if there are just less and less chairs to sit in as time goes on, what happens to an occupation where the fundamental mechanism for success has been popularity within the in-group? It'll be interesting.
Fernholz responded to the layoffs by Tweeting about creative destruction. Honey, you have no idea....
8 comments:
GOOD employed Tess Lynch: great!
They had her blog about pot: sort of boring! That's kind of how I felt about GOOD in general.
- June 3, 2012 at 10:16 AM
Is that a lilac-point Siamese kitty? Somebody once told me that Siamese are the prima donnas of cats, and lilac-points are the prima donnas of Siamese. Which pretty much corresponds with the behavior of Marvin, the completely nuts lilac-point we got about two years ago.
- June 3, 2012 at 11:48 AM
- Freddie said...
I believe it's a rag doll but I'm not really sure. My little brother's cats had kittens.
- June 3, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Meh. Everything Ann Friedman puts out there has the same basic point: Ann Friedman is so, so cool. Very grating self-promotion.
- June 3, 2012 at 4:42 PM
- Freddie said...
Hush, you.
- June 3, 2012 at 5:33 PM
Why people still make use of to read news papers when in
this technological world all is accessible on net?
Here is my webpage :: Blackjack for Money
- December 26, 2012 at 9:00 AM
- zai shenlaizai said...
This one is obvious. I sit all day at my desk. I call this the 10-finger workout, in that my 10 fingers are moving and typing,
but not much else is happening. This burns about 80 calories per hour.
Cycling on the other hand burns upwards of 700+ calories, depending on your current weight, fitness and terrain.
Even better, cycling is a low impact sport, meaning if youbike disc wheelsare a little bit on the heavy side, your joints won't suffer as they would if you were running.
They call it the fight or flight response. When stress levels are heightened,
our bodies produce over 30 hormones,
including adrenaline and cortisol that needalloy wheelto be cleared out of the body via some kind of "flight" response.
When we don't do any physical activity to rid our bodies of the horemones,
the stress chemicals sit in our systems and cause damage both physically and psychologically.
Getting out on a nice ride with your buddies is one of the best ways of bonding.
Hey, I don't play golf, so being ableTrack wheelsetsto do something ysbike01 outside of the office that doesn't involve drinking is pretty damn cool.
Cycling is a gentleman's' sport and a hero's sport, so you gain a lot of respect for the folks you ride with for various reasons
whether it be the first time you climb that big hill or that time you pull around and win the sprint for once.
Come now, have you seen the hipster kidscarbon wheelsriding fixies? Well road cycling is full of cool toys and gadgets.
Cool wheels, computers for keeping your mileage, etc.
You can buy cool bike stands for your house so you can tinker around
with the wheels, parts, keeping things clean and buffed and it's way cheaper than fixing cars!
- January 14, 2013 at 9:34 PM
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- January 20, 2013 at 7:19 PM


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To the Editor:
In the July 2 issue of The Valley Reporter, there was a wonderful article about all the outside eateries in The Valley area. I'd like to bring your attention to a great outdoor (and indoor) eatery that was left out. At Mad River Glen the Pub is open Friday, Saturday and Sundays for lunch and dinner. My husband and I have eaten there as often as possible since it opened last summer.
They have the best fish fry this side of the pond, as was heard to be said by a visiting Englishwoman, fish tacos on Saturday and fried chicken on Sundays, along with the standard burgers, portabella sandwich, hot dogs, grilled chicken and salads, etc. It was a shame you missed this in your article; obviously no one from The Valley Reporter has been here. You really don't know what you're missing. Oh, did I mention eight different beers on tap every weekend?
You really should try it.
Deb Steines


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Whey Protein 80 Sample Pack
Our Whey Protein 80 Sample Pack allows you to choose any FIVE of our best-selling Whey Protein Concentrate 250g sample pouches. This unique pack gives you total flexibility to purchase TPW™'s market leading undenatured, premium grade whey protein in absolutely any combination of our critically acclaimed natural flavours. Whether you want to try out some new flavours or you're just looking for convenient pouches for your gym bag, this pack can't be beat. What's more, we've even knocked 40% off for you!
Thousands of Whey Protein Flavour OptionsThe Whey Protein 80 Sample Pack was created after chatting to the TPW™ Community in The Locker Room™ about putting together a comprehensive bundle of all our flavours of Whey Protein 80 (concentrate). So now you don't have the hard task of deciding which of your favourite flavours to get, you can get them all. The Whey Protein 80 Sample Pack literally offers thousands of combinations of whey protein flavours for you to choose from our 16 best-selling, all natural flavours.
About Whey Protein 80 (concentrate)Whey Protein 80 (concentrate) from The Protein Works™ is widely considered to be the highest quality whey protein on the market today. Containing the highest biological value (BV) of any known protein, Whey Protein 80 is micro-filtered and not heat treated to produce ultra pure protein. This process ensures that the protein stays intact and as pure as it can be. It also enables the powder to mix easily and achieve a smooth texture, giving you the perfect protein shake. Whey Protein 80 is rich in both BCAA's and Glutamine. It is the ideal protein to help build muscle size, definition and aid recovery.
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All TPW™ products are designed using the very latest sports nutrition research and technology. Our best-selling Whey Protein 80 is no different. Whey Protein 80 is now formulated with the breakthrough patented enzyme system, AMINOGEN®.
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Whey Protein 80 Quality Assurance
Here at TPW™, you can have supreme confidence in the product quality and supply source of our Whey Protein 80. We personally quality check every supplier and ingredient before giving it the TPW™ quality seal of approval. Traceability, quality, and consistency are the three things we demand on every single ingredient. This is the TPW™ philosophy that flows through every product we make and sets us apart in the world of sports nutrition today. Click on the Product Profile and the Protein Insight to see full product information for absolute peace of mind.
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A. It's ideal if you want to try a range of flavours or if you get bored of the same flavour and want to mix things up throughout the month.
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A. As with so many things in life, if you don't ask the right questions, you won't get the right answers! The quality of ingredient can vary significantly and therefore the potency will do too. In addition, just because a product may be called pure it doesn't mean that it necessarily is. We recommend you read the ingredients and nutritionals on the label to better understand exactly what you are buying. We can assure you that our products are 100% pure.
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A. Bodybuilders and strength athletes. Endurance athletes and those new to weight training. Basically anyone looking to supplement a high protein diet whether for fat loss, muscle gain or better recovery.
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|Values based on:
|per 25g serving
|Energy (kJ)
|Energy (kcal)
|Fat (g)
|Fat of which Saturates (g)
|Carbohydrates (g)
|Carbohydrates of which Sugars (g)
|Protein (g)
|Cholesterol (mg)
|Sodium (mg)
Whey Protein 80 (concentrate) Unflavoured
|Undenatured Whey Protein Concentrate
|Natural Flavourings
|See Whey Protein 80 product page for each individual flavour
|Soy Lecithin (Instantising Agent)
Serving Size: 25g (one large 70ml scoop) of Whey Protein 80
We recommend between 3-5 servings per day of Whey Protein 80, depending upon your own individual needs. It is widely recommended that for optimal benefits, you should take 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.
Add 150-225ml of water or milk into your TPW™ Master Blender. Add one large 70ml scoop (25g) of Whey Protein 80, mix well and drink.
The less liquid you use, the thicker your shake will be, so adjust to suit your own taste.
Typical Daily Usage of Whey Protein 80:
- 1 serving upon waking
- 1 serving 30-45 mins prior to exercise
- 1 serving immediately after exercise
- 1 serving between meals
- 1 serving before bed
Great for cutting and getting into condition!
10/10 product
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All of the flavours I chose were delicious, and that's something I can't say for any other protein brand I've tried! I was worried some would be too sickly or overpowering, but the balance is just right and they manage to be pudding-y yet light and refreshing.
One other very important thing is that this is the first protein shake I've tried where I haven't had to limit myself to one serving a day in fear of Epic Protein Fart syndrome. No such fears at all with this powder - it's very easy on the stomach.
Will definitely be repurchasing :)
Essential for active individuals, and easy to stomach early in the morning when I can't face breakfast but need a protein hit!
I've gone on to convert friends and colleagues to TPW by drawing their attention to this brilliant little sampler pack - at such good value, it's certainly a great way to lure new customers with the opportunity to try all of the flavours!
Vanilla is good for baking and making protein icecream!!! unreal!
Caramel Macchiato tastes amazing by itself or protein bars... flavor kinda fades away if you bake them.
Apple and cinnemon isn't too sweet so pretty good for baking pancake and stuff like that.
I use Mint Chocolate and Coconut Milk Chocolate to blend with my Greek yogurt and I love the texture and Flavor!
You won't get bored of protein powder if you get them! And they last for a while!
Must buy! really good Value
After I realised that the calorie difference between those and the whey 80 is nominal (~5cal per serving), and reading the positive reviews, I decided to try to variety pack. I ordered vanilla creme, strawberries and cream, banana smooth, lemon shortcake, caramel macchiato and holy crap I can't recommend them enough.
I can't possibly choose my favourite flavour! it mixes 1000x better than the diet whey and the texture is much smoother. I mix them with 175ml water, and the flavours are really light and natural-tasting, but my partner prefers them with milk.
the protein works' whey 80 variety easily gets 10/10
- Strawberries and Cream
- Caramel Macchiato
- Choc Mint Brownie
- Banoffee Pie
- Butterscotch Ripple.
I've only tried the first 3 so far and although they are very sweet, when you're hungry they're actually really nice!
I'm only having 1-2 a day at the moment just when working late and need something to keep me going between lunch and dinner and also after a workout.
Only giving 4 stars as I can't give actual results yet but so far very impressed!
- 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Banana smooth is my fave but still have three others to try! Taste great with water but even better with milk.
This is where I will be buying my protein from.
Not only does it taste good but it also gives me great results. I would definitely purchase this product again as it is great value for money.
- 0 of 1 people found this review helpful
- 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
I bought vanilla, butterscotch ripple, mint choc chip, chocolate morello cherry, and cherry bakewell and all are scrummy, I find the butterscotch a little on the sweet side but thats no great problem, the cherry bakewell tastes just like the cake but without the calories!
I have two a day, one for breakfast and one for lunch, with the lunchtime one I throw in a handful of fruit (regardless of shake flavour) and it works for me as a meal replacement and I dont get hungry, so I'm losing a bit of weight at the same time!
The BANOFFEE PIE is brilliant tastes a bit like a zap lolly used to get from ice cream van.
The RHUBARB & CUSTARD flavour is just like the sweets, nice.
The BUTTERSCOTCH RIPPLE is a good smooth flavour.
The JAFA CAKE flavour tastes more like choc orange rather than the biscuit but still really nice taste.
Very good mixability and high quality protein stats.
- 1 of 1 people found this review helpful


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EAGLES EXTRAS: NCCU QB call up in the air
The availability of injured N.C. Central quarterback Jordan Reid for Saturday's matchup with Bethune-Cookman will be a game-time decision, NCCU interim coach Dwayne Foster said Friday.
Reid, a redshirt senior, had been the starting quarterback all season until redshirt freshman signal caller Malcolm Bell got the nod last weekend in what resulted in a 24-10 NCCU win at Savannah State.
A lower-leg injury kept Reid from playing quarterback against Savannah State, Foster said.
NCCU can't afford to lose on Saturday and expect to have a shot at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title that guarantees a berth in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Bethune-Cookman is the defending MEAC champion and this season hasn't lost a single league game. In fact, the Wildcats have been beaten just once, a 54-6 loss to Florida State.


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Judging The Health Care Law
9:40 am
Mon March 26, 2012
Protesters, Spectators Gather Outside Supreme Court
By David Greene
The U.S. Supreme Court begin hearing oral arguments on the health care law Monday. Outside the court, protesters and counter-protesters gathered with signs and chants. Also, people hoping to get in to witness the proceedings started lining up Friday morning.


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Chart of the day: Low and stable inflation
You can't eat low and stable inflation expectations. Which is a shame.
You can't eat low and stable inflation expectations. Which is a shame.
by Alex Hern Published
The Federal Reserve announced today that it would not be starting another round of quantitative easing, due to concerns over inflation. Only two members of the committee thought otherwise, with the minutes recording that:
A couple of members indicated that the initiation of additional stimulus could become necessary if the economy lost momentum or if inflation seemed likely to remain below its mandate-consistent rate of 2 percent over the medium run.
The chart above shows the Cleveland Fed's summation of market expectations of inflation rates (for those of a wonkish tendency, the methodology can be found in this PDF). If it makes one thing clear, it is that at no point in the next thirty years does the market expect the long run inflation rate to even hit 2 per cent, let alone rise above it. The Fed may have information the markets don't (in fact, one would hope they do), but for absent that evidence, their protests look remarkably thin.
Hat tip for both the chart and the headline to Matt Yglesias.


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If there is a positive aspect about the 5-4 Supreme Court decision ruling that overturned much of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act – more commonly known as the McCain-Feingold Act – it is that it has aroused peoples' awareness of how our political system is being controlled by money and power. Last week's opinion by Gene Bifano laid out several issues shining a light into this practice.
Bifano stated that the proposed amendment to the Constitution to state specifically that corporations are not people will "limit free speech by dissolving corporate personage." There is no corporate personage to dissolve. Nowhere in the Constitution does it state that corporations are persons, nor are corporations ever even mentioned. The amendment is needed to make this fact undeniably clear to courts.
He writes that the amendment "is a veiled attempt to stifle one political view to give the other an advantage." That's exactly what the Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court is doing: giving corporations and unions a huge advantage by allowing them unlimited access to spend as much money as they want to advertise for or against a political candidate up to the minute before an election. There is not a reason that I can think of as to why this is necessary or helpful.
What it can do is corrupt the truth and mislead voters who won't have the time or money to verify the information that's being thrown at them. The first amendment authors did not intend to allow massive amounts of cash to be injected into our political campaigns under the guise of free speech. Bifano also mentions millionaires such as Bloomberg and Lautenberg using their personal wealth to win elections. While this is a common practice of all parties, that also needs to be addressed. The amount of money invested in elections personally by candidates is miniscule compared to corporate cash.
Bifano states, "All businesses would be subject to the capricious and arbitrary whims of government. And clearly that would hinge on what party was in power at the time." For over 100 years now, both for profit and nonprofit corporations have used the Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution to include corporate personhood. Whether the decision went for or against these entities depended on the flavor of the court at the time. Right, left or in the middle, none of us should want our constitution interpreted at the whim of political appointees, albeit supreme. That is why we need this amendment – to do away with this ambiguity, and in the process save billions of dollars in court costs.
Also brought up in Bifano's article is the 14th Amendment, an even more important issue to address. I grew up in Bucks County, PA. In the early 1980s a pump to divert water from the Delaware River to the Limerick nuclear facility was proposed and overwhelmingly voted against by the residents. After years and almost a million dollars in legal fees, the county lost its fight and the pump is today perched on the banks of the Delaware, sending water to the nuclear plant. The fight by the NWRA (Neshaminy Water Resource Authority) based its argument partially on its equal rights protection.
The 14th Amendment was constructed to protect minorities and women from discrimination. It has nothing to do with corporations. As far as I know, corporations aren't male or female, or black or white – sound silly? If they're persons, wouldn't they have such attributes? The kickoff to this ridiculous claim to personhood was in 1886 – Santa Clara County vs. Southern Pacific. The crux of this case was a tax law to enable poor people who had debt to keep their homes through a tax credit by deducting their amount of debt. The railroad sued to be able to claim the same credit and won based on 14th Amendment rights. Since that case, the court has swung in both directions, ruling for and against corporate personhood, again depending on the political bent of the issue and the court.
The Pfizer Corporation – the world's largest pharmaceutical company – has been fined four times over the past decade for illegally pushing drugs, including the largest fine ever imposed for violation of drug laws. Even at that the fine was a mere slap on the hand compared to the astronomical profits of the company. If Pfizer is a person, why wasn't he (or is it she) thrown in jail, like you or I would be? Instead they're right back in business, breaking the same laws.
The question was asked: "If big business controlled the country, would Barack Obama have been elected? Answer: He would have and he was. All one has to do is look at his biggest campaign donors and see that many are the same major corporations that support the Republicans. It's like betting on all horses – that way you can't lose.
If the EPA was running rough-shod – or even doing their job – we would have had viable solar energy worldwide 30 years ago. There would be no fracking or strip mining, or a need for either. Climate change would be a natural occurrence rather than a manmade catastrophe. And as far as civil rights and OSHA fines, the millions that are imposed on major corporations from Wal-Mart to Wall Street are such a small portion of profit that they're often written off as a minor business expense.
I agree with Bifano in not seeing the difference between a non- or not-for-profit and for-profit corporations. This amendment will pertain to all of the above, as well as unions. I've had my own businesses all my life and I'm certainly not anti-business. Corporations do great things: create jobs, support charities, stimulate creativity, etc. But they are not people and don't have the same responsibilities and liabilities that people have; so it follows that they should not have the same protections.
This amendment, if passed, won't be a cure-all for corporate corruption, or entirely solve the issue of the infusion of massive amounts of money into our political system. But without it we have no foundation to start the process of getting back to a real democratic republic. And isn't that what we the people – all the people – really want?
Procaccini lives in Fayston.


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Hurley Creek Senior Apts
Welcome to Hurley Creek Senior Apartments! The most beautiful and affordable senior community in Natomas! All of our units are equipped with plenty of cupboard and counter space, all white electric appliances, and central heating and air. The floor plans also feature exceptionally large bathrooms with linen closets. Each apartment home comes with a private balcony that includes a storage area that can convert into your own private laundry room (washer and dryer hookups). We offer weekly van service (wheelchair accessible) which provides transportation to supermarkets, banks, Wal-Mart and to several retail stores in beautiful North Natomas. We also offer a wide variety of activities such as birthday events, potlucks,Bingo, Zumba and much more. Classes are also offered for computer literacy. Classes often change to fit what our residents are interested in. Our staff is responsive and committed to creating a happy environment for our residents. Onsite maintenance personnel is available for all of our residents. Stop by so our staff can give you a tour of the property and show you one of our spacious apartments. Rent, specials, and/or offers are subject to change at any time. Income restrictions apply.


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Some Americans refuse to give up on Confederate flag
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San Japan animates downtown
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U.S. & World
Man killed when storm slams tent down on crowd near Chicago
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iHeartMedia Inc. reports second-quarter loss
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12 courses of modernist love in special dinner
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Psst, S.A.! Norman Lear planning Latino 'One Day at a Time'
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21 of S.A.'s hottest fitness coaches
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2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco — another competitor in the midsize sedan field.
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'Big Bang Theory' star buys $9 million home
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The annual Fiesta de San Fermin, featuring the famous Running of the Bulls wrapped up on Sunday; here's a look back.
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Norwich solves Castleton 6-1By TOM HERZIG
CORRESPONDENT | February 08,2013NORTHFIELD - Norwich spotted Castleton State a shorthanded goal and then scored six unanswered goals to record their 19th victory and improve
their ECAC East record to 14-1 on Friday night..
Castleton's leading scorer, Josh Harris, broke in for the shorthanded goal, his 14th at 5:07, after Norwich misplayed the puck up top on the
power play.
The Cadets' first shot on goal came at 7:00. Two minutes later, Erik Lyrvall tested Spartan goalie Erick Cinotti and two minutes after that,
Kyle Thomas tied the game 1-all.
Blake Forkey's shot from the left circle bounced off Cinotti's blocker and dropped at Thomas' feet as he was passing across the top of the crease - one sweep of the stick and Thomas had his ninth goal of the season.
Chris Duszynski and Forkey were credited with assists. Norwich took the lead on a memorable scoring play that began by Colin Mulvey's effort to keep a loose puck alive. He was rewarded seconds later when Tory Allan held the puck while swerving out to the top of the slot and feeding back across the grain for Mulvey's team-leading 16th goal at 15:48 of the second period.
Dean Niezgoda struck next for Norwich at 13:56. The , Mass., picked the puck out of a four-man pile-up in front of the net and flipped it in. Shane Gorman and captain Pier-Olivier Cotnoir, making his return after missing seven games with a shoulder injury, drew the assists.
Niezgoda was pleased to have Cotnoir on his line. "That was great. I'm all for that," he said. "We wanted to build off Thomas' goal. They were coming at us real hard in that first period and that's tough to do for a whole game."
Norwich upped the pressure and contested loose pucks harder as the game wore on. The Cadets had power plays which weren't productive, but kept scoring anyway.
Forkey, a senior, scored the fourth goal off a rebound of Duszynski's wraparound attempt at 6:41 of the third period. Forkey had two swipes at the puck and Cinotti went down on the first one.
Niezgoda and Cotnoir set up a goal for Shane Gorman at 7:43. Norwich goalie Chris Czarnota (14 saves) stopped Spartan Ross Herzog's close-range shot just as the Cadets' fourth power play ended.
Kyle Thomas finished the scoring off a pinpoint, two-line pass from Gorman in the final minute. "That first goal woke us up," Thomas said. "We want to start playing playoff hockey."
"They checked us hard and we were a little sloppy and did some watching and waiting in the first period," Cadets coach Mike McShane said. "We had more discipline as the game went on. I think the third goal was a big goal for us. Tomorrow's a totally different day. It's tough to win back-to-back games with a quick turnaround. I'm sure Skidmore will come after us."
The Cadets and Thoroughbreds will face off here at Kreitzberg Arena Saturday at 4 p.m. Norwich will begin the day with a 19-2 record overall. Castleton State
now stands at 13-8-2 and 8-7-1 in the ECAC East.MORE IN This Just InNEW YORK Yes, your mutual fund may own some Greek stocks. No, most likely not a lot. Full StoryWHITE RIVER JUNCTION A Springfield man who was captured Friday evening after he took off... Full StoryLoan program launched for owners of flood damaged apartment houses Full Story
- Most Popular
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- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day 1739, 'Richard Palmer' identified in prison at York Castle as the notorious outlaw DICK TURPIN; IN 1836, Battle of the Alamo begins near San Antonio de Bexar, Texas; 1896, the Tootsie Roll invented by LEO HIRSCHFELD.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1472, Orkney, Shetland islands put up as collateral by Norway to Scotland in lieu of dowry for MARGARET OF DENMARK on her marriage with JAMES III, king of Scotland; 1962, JOHN GLENN first American to orbit Earth.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: City mayoral candidates debate campaign issues; Hartford, Conn., woman still missing; Neal Goswami reports attempts to legislate suicide; local woman loses 100 pounds through TOPS program.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1878, JOHN TUNSTALL murdered near Lincoln, New Mexico, by the outlaw JESSE EVANS; in 1930, ELM FARM OLLIE first cow to fly in aircraft, first to be milked airborne; 1955, nuke test WASP; '79, snow in Sahara.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Rutland Herald News Editor Alan J. Keays and staff writer Gordon Dritschilo discuss stories planned for the February 18, 2015, edition of the newspaper: Winter budgets maxed, legal marijuana, Springfield bank job, USPS slowdown
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1249 AD, ANDRE of LONGJUMEAU is dispatched by LOUIS IX of France to meet the KHAGAN, ruler of the Mongol Empire; in 1804, during 1st Barbary War, STEPHEN DECATUR scuttles the pirate-held USS Philadelphia in Tripoli.


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Toddler Grover and his Sesame Street friends are just beginning to learn about potty training. This interactive board books talks directly to readers and allows them to "flush" a potty at the end. A perfect introduction to the issue of toilet training for toddlers and their parents and care givers!
Reading level: Ages 1-3
Board book: 12 pages


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Widget and Gadgets Support
Jitian, China
Welcome to the WeatherBug Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and product support page for the WeatherBug family of weather widgets and gadgets. If you have a product question or issue that is not addressed here, you may want to visit the WeatherBug Forum to search related topics for posted feedback and discussion threads from users and WeatherBug representatives. Otherwise, please fill out a Support Request Form.
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No problem. Actually it's interesting to see how a hype can be created, all those articles on the net, and loads of people on Twitter etc.
I guess it's nice to have a bit of publicity, I was just worried that people might be disappointed when they find out it isn't quite true.
Let us know when your correction is up.


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Great for dress-up play, this kid-sized wardrobe has our safe acrylic mirror attached to one side and a separate storage section for shoes, hanging items, hats or gloves on the other side. All these features make this wardrobe ideal for dress-up play. Sturdy Birch laminate construction. Ships fully assembled. Made in USA. GreenGuard Certified. Lifetime Warranty.Features:
- Perfect for dress-up play.
- Ships fully assembled.
- GreenGuard certified.
- Made in USA.
- Lifetime Warranty
Minimum Suggested Age (months): 30Maximum Suggested Age (months): 72Maximum Suggested Weight: 100
Dimensions: 20"L x 18"W x 49"HWeight: 54lbs.Shipping Note: This item ships directly from the manufacturer within contiguous United States only. Cannot be shipped to AK/HI, PO boxes, US territories, or APO/FPO addresses.


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Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Summerville Music Club will meet on Mon, Dec. 2, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 206 Central Avenue at 7 p.m. Laquavia Alston, soloist, will be in concert.
Alston is a 2011 graduate of Charleston Southern University. She holds a bachelor's in Music with an emphasis in Voice Performance. In the spring of 2012 she completed CSU's Artist Certificate program. Repeatedly praised for her stage presence and majestic voice, Alston has made quite an impression on Charleston and surrounding areas.
She has received numerous awards, honors, and recognition. As a member of concert singers, Alston performed internationally throughout Italy and England. In the summer of 2012 she joined them as Canterbury Cathedral's Choir member in Residence. No stranger to the concert scene, she has appeared as a featured and guest soloist with many of Charleston's leading ensembles.
Her guest solo credits include, but are not limited to the 2009 Piccolo Spoleto Festival with the CSO Spirituals Ensemble in their Moses Hogan Tribute. In June, Alston was featured in the 2013 Piccolo Spoleto Festival as a part of the prestigious Spotlight Concert Series. Alston has also been featured as a soloist with Summerville's own Singers of Summerville and Summerville Community Orchestra.
She will be accompanied by Kendrick Moses, a Summerville native who has been performing since the age of seven. Moses has found his calling as a very talented and sought after worship leader and artist.
The concert is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted for the club's music study scholarships.
For additional information call Nancy Shows, 843-873-0827.
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Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources
This page features scheduled and on-demand emergency preparedness and response training resources offered by CDC, other federal agencies, and COCA partners. If you have questions about this page, please write to us at email@example.com
COCA Resources
Learning Connection/Emergency Management (CDC)
CDC Learning Connection features emergency preparedness and response learning products for public health professionals and clinicians that were developed by CDC and CDC partners.
National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health (NCDMPH)
The NCDMPH leads federal, and coordinates national efforts to develop and propagate core curricula, education, training and research in all-hazards disaster health.
Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response Partnerships (CDC)
This site is designed to provide valuable, relevant information to current and potential partners by sharing ongoing initiatives to highlight opportunities for collaboration.
Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers (CDC)
CDC provides funding for 14 PERLC across the U.S. PERLC provide training to state, local, and tribal public health authorities within self-defined service areas and meet partners' unique workforce development needs in the area of public health preparedness and response; specialized training, education, and consultation.
Travelers' Health Resources and Training (CDC)
On-Demand training, travel resources, and video presentations for clinicians.
Federal Resources
Emergency Management Institute (EMI/FEMA)
Emergency Management Institute is the emergency management community's flagship training institution, and provides training to Federal, State, local, tribal, volunteer, public, and private sector officials to strengthen emergency management core competencies for professional, career-long training.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Center for Domestic Preparedness Resident Training: Healthcare
Scheduled classroom and simulation courses are offered on a rotating basis. Emergency training for participants of varied disciplines and varied levels of responsibility in FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness. All-hazards preparedness training for state, local, or tribal government emergency responders is fully funded, including travel, meals, and lodging, by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Independent Study Program
The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities and the general public. All are offered free-of-charge to US citizens.
National Terrorism and Preparedness and Preparedness Institute (NTPI) Training Opportunities (FEMA/USDHS/USDJ)
First responders enrolled in National Terrorism and Preparedness Institute (NTPI) online courses can earn continuing education units (CEUs) from St. Petersburg College. First responders can access online courses via the ANGEL system. A user account is required as well as verification that the course participant works for a first responder agency.
Medical Reserve Corps
MRC volunteers train through coursework, drills, and exercises; Continuing Education credits are available for some programs. MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists. Many community members – interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors, and others – can fill key support positions.
National Association of County and City Health Officials Advanced Practice Centers (APC) Training Web sites
The National Association of County and City Health Officials' APC promotes innovative and practical solutions that enhance the capabilities of all local health departments and the public health system to prepare for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies.
National Nurse Emergency Preparedness Initiative (NNEPI) (USDHS)
NNEPI is a highly-interactive, web-based course that provides emergency preparedness training for nurses working in hospitals/acute care, schools, public health, ambulatory care, hospice/palliative care, long-term care, occupational health, and home health settings. This web-based training focuses on providing opportunities for dynamic and interactive application of both theory and practice through scenario-based learning.
Disaster Resistant Communities Group Just In Time Disaster Training Library (DRCG)
The purpose of this on-line library is to provide a single, easy to search source in which individuals, agencies and organizations can access Just In Time Disaster Training materials. The materials found in this library cover disaster related preparedness, response and recovery training for a wide variety areas.
Tracking and Reunification of Children in Disasters: A Lesson and Reference for Health Professionals
This online lesson provides steps on responding to an unaccompanied child at a disaster scene. After thoroughly reviewing the lesson's core material, learners will then solve three case studies with their acquired knowledge. The lesson also contains a downloadable reference card that the learner can use during an all-hazards event. The National Center designed this learning object for a wide range of health workers. NCDMPH is currently working on their next learning object which focuses on radiation exposure in children. The tracking and reunification lesson is available at the NCDMPH.
Partner Resources
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Educational Tools
The AAP offers a collection of curricula, training courses and webinars on disaster preparedness.
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) EMS and Disaster Preparedness
ACEP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers resources that may help local or state health officials prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the health effects of bombings and other mass casualty events. They also have information for health professionals about treating injuries and stress in patients affected by mass casualty events.
American College of Physicians (ACP) Bioterrorism and Disaster Preparedness
CP's bioterrorism and disaster preparedness section covers resources for a wide variety of topics, including pandemic flu, anthrax and smallpox.
American Trauma Society (ATS) Trauma Resources
ATS has developed resources to help trauma centers in several ways.
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Disaster Preparedness Training
AVMA provides training resources for veterinary emergency preparedness, as well as preparedness and safety training resources for non-veterinary learners in online, classroom, and simulation activities.
Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) Teaching Emergency Preparedness
A collaborative effort between APTR and the Columbia University School of Nursing, Center for Health Policy.
Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) Homeland Security/Emergency Response – Centralizing Access to Resources
The purpose of this project was to evaluate the feasibility of developing self-sustaining volunteer emergency response programs that will include radiation protection professionals, primarily by incorporating radiation professionals into existing volunteer registries and programs, rather than creating entirely new volunteer groups.
Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Emergency Preparedness Resources
The ENA encourages members to participate in efforts designed to prepare health care facilities for all types of hazardous situations.
DISCLAIMER: Links to non-federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the federal government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
- Page last reviewed: March 14, 2014
- Page last updated: May 27, 2015
- Content source:
- CDC Healthcare Preparedness Activity (HPA); Division of Strategic National Stockpile (DSNS); Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR)
- Maintained By:


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Hallie Pickhardt (301) 734-0602
WASHINGTON, June 21, 2007--The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to amend its current citrus canker regulations to eliminate the pre-harvest grove inspection for all Florida citrus moving interstate and instead focus on sampling each lot of citrus at the packinghouse to ensure the fruit is disease free.
APHIS is proposing this regulatory action because a recently completed risk management analysis (RMA) concluded that a mandatory packinghouse inspection of commercially packed fruit provides an effective safeguard to prevent the spread of citrus canker.
"Despite the fact that Florida is dealing with a serious citrus disease, USDA in cooperation with the state and industry has developed a science-based solution to preserve Florida's vital citrus market while continuing to protect against the spread of this disease," said Bruce Knight, undersecretary for USDA's marketing and regulatory programs mission area. "As Congress works on the 2007 farm bill, USDA will continue to push for science-based regulatory approaches that create opportunities for specialty crop producers, such as citrus growers, to expand market opportunities here in the United States and abroad."
Fruit shipped within Florida would not require sampling and inspection as described in the proposed rule. Florida citrus exported to other international markets must still meet all import requirements of the destination county.
For more information on citrus canker, please go to www.aphis.usda.gov and click on the citrus canker hot issues link.
This proposed rule is published in the June 21 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before July 23. Send an original and three copies of postal mail or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0022, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1238. If you wish to submit a comment using the Internet, go to the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov, select "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service" from the agency drop-down menu; then click on "Submit." In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0022 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and may also be reviewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment reading room, please call (202) 690-2817.
Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Go to the APHIS news release page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom. Also, anyone with an e-mail address can sign up to receive APHIS press releases automatically. Send an e-mail message to firstname.lastname@example.com and leave the subject blank. In the message, type subscribe press_releases.


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Twenty-four years ago we experienced a month of July so similar to this one. It rained and it rained and it rained. Every single day. I was desperate and disheartened for I was planning my wedding. I had visions of disaster, rushing through a downpour to get to City Hall and arriving there drenched. No lovely bride in a flowing white dress, hair perfectly coiffed, gorgeous bouquet of roses and lavender would stroll into the Grande Salle to be joined to her dashing Frenchman. No, I saw ruined shoes, the beautiful violet suede matted and smeared. I could almost feel the silky material of my coat soaked through and bunched up in an unattractive mess, the uncomfortable dampness clinging to my skin. I was horrified at the thought of my masses of thick, curly hair frizzing up into a great black billowing puff around my head, the size of a mushroom cloud, framing a face flushed and splotchy.
Yet I woke up bright and early on that long ago July 23rd to a magical, bright Thursday morning. I allowed the sun to pull me out of bed, an ersatz mother of the bride come to awaken me. We were to be there at 11:00 sharp in that grand golden room, married in the rays of light filtering through the windows. Laughter filled the streets as we, a mere handful of family and friends I had never before met, walked, danced, trotted happily in the warmth of a midsummer day, weather fit for a bride, worthy a marriage day. As I walked alongside my soon-to-be husband, I glanced up at the sky in awe and wondered how I could have been so lucky as to deserve the one sunny day an entire month had to offer. How could I have foreseen this break in the weather those weeks ago when I had stood at the counter in the dark office of City Hall and selected a date to be wed? Luck or destiny or just a mere whim of nature, I have ever appreciated and never forgotten this gift.
Twenty-four years later and the same July, the same grayness has hung over the city for weeks like a shroud, the same rain spattering down angrily day after day. As my wedding anniversary approached, the same miserable thoughts flit through my head, the same dejection colored our plans. Although no ceremony was planned, no invited guests or fancy outfits to be ruined by a downpour, nonetheless, we were in the mood for festivities. A few days before the date, JP asked, mischievous grin playing on his lips, if I wouldn't enjoy an anniversary lunch at La Mare aux Oiseaux. He suggested we make a day of it: a drive out to the country, a stroll through Le Jardin du Marais and lunch at this much-talked-about one-star restaurant in the middle of the marais, La Grande Brière, the marshland to the west of Nantes. Now I had long dreamed of eating at La Mare aux Oiseaux ever since I had attended last year's Les Goûts Uniques and seen the young, talented chef demonstrate not only his talents, but his passion, his philosophy. And a garden? I would have to give him that if he was to bring me to this great gastronomic lieu.
But it was raining and raining every day. We had already been so lucky as to have a break in the weather for our bike trip. Who was I to tempt the forces of nature, to dare request benevolence twice? Each time the sun had broken through the clouds or we had awoken to luminous, blue skies, as soon as we had slipped on our shoes and stepped outside, the gray came rumbling in, clouds dark in anger at our brazen assumption that the day was ours to trifle with as we pleased. And it would begin, once again, to rain. Yet that Saturday morning broke brilliant, a radiant sun wishing us great joy and promising a glorious anniversary day.
As you know, I rarely do restaurant reviews, but La Mare aux Oiseaux was everything we had imagined and deserves to be talked about. Tastefully decorated in cream and chocolate with touches of jade reflecting Chef Eric Guérin's passion for nature, the dining room was at once bright and airy, subtle and calming. The staff was young, friendly, knowledgeable, accessible and professional, the perfect balance not often found in restaurants of this caliber; there was nothing staid or invasive, no hovering or condescension. The dishes arrived one after the other, each astonishing in their presentation, but this we expect nowadays in a starred restaurant. But each mouthful startled and amazed; the selection of ingredients is at once clean, sharp, natural in its simplicity yet the combination of flavors was utterly astounding, spectacular, completely uncomplicated yet abounding in creativity and imagination, showing both thought and ease. Who would ever have expected the cheese course to be a luscious combination of mascarpone and Forme d'Ambert blue cheese sandwiched in between paper-thin layers of white chocolate crowned with a dusting of truffle? There is absolutely nothing chi-chi about Chef Guérin's cuisine; his is based not on some trendy mélange of spices or herbal concoctions, there are no puddles, foams or beads of unrecognizable contrivances. Rather he turns to the beauty of nature blended elegantly with his artistic bent. Although each dish surprises, nothing shocks, nothing jars in discord. Whether a dish is traditional or absolutely contemporary, his food, the combination of ingredients is understandable, showing an absolute respect for nature and a search for the best products she has to offer and combining those ingredients to bring out and highlight each. Truly one of the best meals either one of us has ever eaten. (Chef Guérin's menus can be found here and photos of a selection of dishes here)
A perfect lunch to celebrate, we left entirely content, brimming over with compliments for the young chef and his staff, enamored of his cuisine and even promising ourselves to return for a romantic dinner and a night in his small hotel upstairs from the dining room. We even discussed the possibility of bringing Clem and Simon for a family lunch. That's how much we loved it.
But the day was not yet over. Barely 3:00, we strolled through the village and along the water's edge as our meal settled, not wanting to hop straight into the car and drive away, savoring the flavors that lingered on our lips and the wonderful experience. The sun was now blazing and we slipped off our coats as we walked hand in hand, enjoying the picture-postcard quaintness of the thatched roofs of the homes huddled together looking for all the world as Breton as they were. We finally headed back to the car and off in search of our next stop, le Jardin du Marais.
Nestled in the marshy zone of the Grande Brière outside of Nantes, the vegetable and ornamental gardens of Yves and Annick Gillen are certainly a sight to behold and a must to visit. Fervent environmental activists, they began their completely organic gardens and self-sustained, natural lifestyle over twenty-five years ago. This passionate couple live not to control nature, but to live in rhythm with it, respecting it and its forces. Energized by solar panels, windmill and zeal, they plant, tend, create in a space dense and green where nature reigns, coaxing up peaches, apples, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, roses and hydrangeas from the earth in joyful union. We spent a delightful, informative and incredibly inspiring afternoon with Yves as he led us and about twenty other souls through the different areas of the garden, soaking up every word with relish as he explains in his spitfire fashion, arms waving, eyes glinting, how everything works, the organic way to garden and to live, how we all, working together, can better the world. His passion and excitement ooze out of his every pore and we are swept away, his humor and emotions infectious. We finally duck out just before the talk on compost in order to dash home to Marty who had been home alone all day.
All in all, it was a perfect 24th wedding anniversary and we were happy, tired and well pleased with the entire day. And thrilled that the weather had been so kind to us, a gentle yet well-appreciated gift from the heavens.
And a little, tender gift to my husband who has stuck by me through thick and thin, taking the brunt of the worries on his slender shoulders. In exchange, I try and make him laugh everyday and bake for him as often as I can before he cries "Uncle!" 24 years and counting: I swore to him that we still had at least 30 more together.
J'ai apporté du lilas
J'en apporte toutes les semaines
Madeleine elle aime bien ça
Ce soir j'attends Madeleine
On prendra le tram trente-trois
Pour manger des frites chez Eugène
Madeleine elle aime tant ça
Madeleine c'est mon Noël
C'est mon Amérique à moi
Même qu'elle est trop bien pour moi
Comme dit son cousin Joël
Ce soir j'attends Madeleine
On ira au cinéma
Je lui dirai des "je t'aime"
Madeleine elle aime tant ça
(nota bene: Although the sun was shining on that long-ago wedding day, the breeze warm and gentle and not a drop of humidity was to be felt, the bride's hair did indeed frizz up into a great black billowing puff around her head, alas, much to her chagrin.)
La Mare Aux Oiseaux, Parc National de Brière - 162, Île de Fedrun
44720 Saint Joachim FR - Tél. +33 (0)2 40 88 53 01
Le Jardin du Marais, Hoscas - 44410 Herbignac Tél : 02 40 91 47 44
Open from mid-May to mid-September/Ouverture : mi-mai à mi-septembre
I have adapted this classic recipe from one in my December 2010 issue of (French) Saveurs
This recipe makes about 60 mini-Madeleines (1 ¾ - inch / 4 ½ cm at their longest point).
9 ½ Tbs (135 g) unsalted butter
2 large eggs
Scant ½ cup (1/2 cup – 1 ½ tsps / 90 g) granulated sugar
1 Tbs (30 g) liquid honey
Scant ¼ cup (1.35 fluid oz / 40 ml) milk
1 cup – 2 tsps (135 g) self-rising cake flour
1 vanilla pod
Pinch ground cardamom (optional)
Prepare the Madeleine batter the night before baking:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Continue heating until the butter turns a dark hazelnut brown color and smells nutty. Remove from the heat and allow to come to room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, honey and the milk until homogenous. Using a small, thin-bladed, sharp knife, split the vanilla pod down the center and scrape out all of the seeds. Add the seeds to the batter. If you don't have a vanilla pod, simply add about a teaspoon of liquid vanilla extract.
Sift the flour onto the batter and whisk to blend. Whisk in the melted brown butter: try not to add the dark dregs the settle to the bottom of the pan.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare the Madeleines:
Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C). Lightly butter the shell-shaped cavities of a mini-Madeleine mold (the easiest way to do this is using a pastry brush and either softened or melted butter).
The batter right out of the refrigerate will be thick and easy to work with: simply place about half a teaspoon (if using bigger molds, simply fill each shell no more than three-quarters full) in each shell cavity.
Place the Madeleine tin directly on the oven rack and bake for about 8 minutes. Do not overbake the Madeleine or they will be dry: take them out when puffed up and the center forms a large bump, the edges are golden but the center is still pale.
Once out of the oven, very gently lift the Madeleines from the molds using a knife and place on a rack to cool.


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During the 25 years I lived in Decatur, Illinois, one of the largest events in this city of 94,000, with 150 churches and surrounding smaller towns and rich farmland, was the annual city-wide Thanksgiving Dinner.
It was an event I always looked forward to and one of long tradition in this beautiful and friendly city. Usually one of the five high school choirs or Millikin University choir would sing. Descendants of the Mayflower passengers were recognized, foreign exchange students attended with their Decatur families and one of the well-known pastors delivered the appropriate message for the Thanksgiving celebration.
One ten-minute segment titled "For this we give thanks" was read. Someone from the radio or television stations, known as superb news personalities like Orv Graham, Dick Westbrook, Downey Huey, Bob Billman or Loren Boatman, would narrate this brief litany of things for which we were thankful.
I was asked to be the speaker three different times for this event that would draw approximately 800 citizens each year. One year when visiting in Japan in early October, I received a phone call at about 3:00 a.m., from Decatur asking if I would be the speaker for this event. I sleepily accepted.
When I moved from Decatur to Scott Depot, WV, arriving in my home state on December 28, 1989, I brought that idea with me. In the spring of 1995, a Rotary Club was started in our Putnam County area. I became a charter member of that club and for the first three years served on its three-person program committee. Our whole county has close to 55,000 people.
I presented the idea of a county-wide Thanksgiving Dinner to the program committee, then to the Board of Directors and to the total membership where it was enthusiastically received. On November 13, 2012, we had our 18th Annual County-wide Thanksgiving Dinner. It was one of the best we have ever had. Legendary football and strength coach, Leon McCoy, was our guest speaker. Every available seat was filled.
I was interviewed by the media, newspaper and television stations. They wanted to know what the real value was of such a meeting. My response included these words, "This event brings important segments of our county together. Some we may not see except at this meeting while others are seen often in our churches, schools and places of employment. The leaders of county government, education, business, churches and families come together to express our gratitude for God's blessings upon us all."
Sponsoring agencies over the years have included such service clubs as Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and the Putnam County Commission. Tina McComas, President of the Rotary Club, said in welcoming guests, "As our country faces serious challenges, all of us can find much to be thankful for. We give thanks to God from whom all blessings flow." The Rev. Dr. Melissa Pratt, led the audience in singing "God Bless America" and later, accompanied by guitarist Randy Parsons, sang beautifully our state song, "My Home Among the Hills."
What was started in 1621, 391 years ago at the first Pilgrim Thanksgiving continues in our day. In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November to be the official "National Thanksgiving Day." We celebrate that every year and have our annual County-wide Thanksgiving Dinner, a blessing borrowed from Decatur, Illinois.
Psalm 50 speaks of "The Mighty One, God the Lord … Offer to God thanksgiving" (50:1, 14). God has blessed us beyond all expectation and abundance, but He is also the Righteous Judge. We will be judged. Be thankful. Thanksgiving is best when translated into Thanksliving.
Dr. William "Bill" Ellis of Scott Depot is a weekly syndicated columnist who writes on a wide variety of subjects. Ellis has spent 25 years as a radio and television broadcaster and as a guest speaker and teacher on college campuses.


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