text:
The more films from the early 1990s that I watch, the more I become convinced that it was just a really weird time period where everything was a little off somehow and it just feels mildly embarrassing 20 years later. Sliver is both a part of the erotic thriller era and the yuppie thriller period (although I guess in general, erotic thrillers are generally a subsect of yuppie thrillers, which are just slasher films with legit actors playing people with legit jobs). The film is a big confused mess about a woman and women in one apartment building that are basically terrorized by two men who are prototype versions of the both extremes of Dennis Reynolds - one is a voyeur, the other is a murderer. My friend dug up the Entertainment Weekly cover story about the tumultuous making of the film. Multiple endings were shot because no one could agree who should be the worse creepy guy, and producer Robert Evans was hospitalized twice with chest pain. But on with the "true 90s kid"-ness!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Oscar Wilde, Jude Law's prettiness, and working on my English-Lit degree
Repost from 2010. I think people just like the Mean Girls meme.
Posted by Sarah at 12:07 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: 1990s films, biopics, blogs, dvd, film adaptations, memes, picture of dorian gray, UK
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
The Picture of Dorian Gray (2004?)
Repost from 2010, when I was working on my undergrad thesis on the film adaptations of The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Monday, July 7, 2014
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (II) (1997)
Monday, June 30, 2014
Jane Eyre (1944)
Repost from 2010.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Othello (2001)
Repost from 2010.
Dir. Geoffrey Sax || 2001 || UK (made for TV)
The late 90s/early 00s were a time of modern day re-imaginings of William Shakespeare's plays. Hollywood in particular released at least three re-imaginings set in modern-day American high schools (although in the 1996 Romeo + Juliet, they were apparently home schooled). 2001's Othello cannot and should not be confused with O, also released in 2001. O takes place in an American high school and for some unknown reason stars Josh Hartnett in the Iago role, and the film revolves around the politics of high school basketball. 2001's Othello takes place in modern day London, revolves around the politics of Scotland Yard, and stars Christopher Eccleston in the Iago role (here re-christened as "Ben Jago").
Dir. Geoffrey Sax || 2001 || UK (made for TV)
The late 90s/early 00s were a time of modern day re-imaginings of William Shakespeare's plays. Hollywood in particular released at least three re-imaginings set in modern-day American high schools (although in the 1996 Romeo + Juliet, they were apparently home schooled). 2001's Othello cannot and should not be confused with O, also released in 2001. O takes place in an American high school and for some unknown reason stars Josh Hartnett in the Iago role, and the film revolves around the politics of high school basketball. 2001's Othello takes place in modern day London, revolves around the politics of Scotland Yard, and stars Christopher Eccleston in the Iago role (here re-christened as "Ben Jago").
Posted by Sarah at 7:00 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: 2000s films, books, drama films, dvd, film adaptations, re-imagining, tv, UK
Friday, June 20, 2014
Film Still Friday: The Masque of the Red Death || Dir. Roger Corman || 1964 || UK
Monday, June 9, 2014
Austenland (2013) and Romantic Fantasy vs. Historical Fact vs. the 21st Century
|The facial expression of the foot servant on the left...
My name is Sarah and I studied literature in undergrad, particularly 19th-early 20th Century British and American literature, and Southern literature.
Austenland (2013, Dir. Jerusha Hess) is a fun, cute movie that only seems to peripherally deal with fandom, fluctuating Austenmania, theme parks or theme vacation packages, and dating in the 21st century simply because it is trying to shoehorn in all of those subjects in at once. Keri Russell plays a woman in her 30s who has had an obsession with Pride & Prejudice and particularly Mr. Darcy since she was a teenager. This has been to the detriment of forming a real relationship with any man. Under the old "you're not getting any younger" bit (which is mercifully short), she decides to kill her savings and take a vacation to Austenland in England, which may or may not have been advertised to her as a role-playing game where guests form real relationships by the end.* It is one of the many confusing areas of the film, for both the audience and for Jane, Russell's character.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Sherlock Holmes (2010...no, not that one, the other one)
a.k.a. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes || Dir. Rachel Lee Goldenberg || 2010 || UK & US
Oh, where to begin? To its merit, the 2010 Sherlock Holmes (released direct-to-DVD approximately a month after the 2009 Sherlock Holmes helmed by Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law) is shorter than the Ritchie version (which was too damn long), has a color scheme, and a tiny T-Rex. It's co-produced by The Asylum, makers of Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus and other cheap quickie cash-ins like the soon-to-be-released Battle of Los Angeles, a response to the new film starring Aaron Eckhart Battle: Los Angeles. The former stars Kel Mitchell (of the 1990s Nickelodeon show Kenan and Kel) and Nia Peeples, in case you were wondering where they went off to.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Tank Girl (1995)
I remember liking Tank Girl as a teen in the 1990s, but looking at it now, it's easy to see what a mess this film is. It's not an odd or even fully enjoyable mess, and it's only occasionally amusing. It can't be chalked up to inexperience or disinterest in the source material, qualities that tend to factor into the better comic book films; because Talalay was an experienced director at this point and did like the material. But by all accounts, there was a lot of studio interference with the film because up until this past decade, very few people knew what to do with comic books or graphic novels as source material. The film is live action, but it also has clips from the comic books and animation sequences.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Flesh for Frankenstein & Blood for Dracula (a.k.a. Andy Warhol's Frankenstein & Andy Warhol's Dracula) (1974)
It is advisable to watch Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula back-to-back if possible. It is how they were made and both have the same main three actors (Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Arno Juerging) in similar roles - Kier as Dr. Frankenstein, then Dracula; Dallesandro as the proletariat servant-gigolo, and Juerging as Frankenstein and Dracula's assistants. Although the films appear to take place in different time periods, they also seem to be similar in atmosphere...and that atmosphere is bizarre, trashy, and campy. These are not adaptations to watch if you are looking for faithful adaptations of Frankenstein or Dracula. Both of these films seem to take place in some realm either before or after those stories, or almost a netherworld just outside of the original stories. It is a world that takes some adjustment because while it is laughable in Frankenstein that an actor with an Italian accent and Joe Dallesandro with his heavy New York accent are supposed to be lifelong friends who grew up together in some European countryside; by the time you get to Dracula you just kind of have to accept that Dallesandro is going to stick out like a sore thumb. Udo Kier takes some adjusting as well, although he fits into these films easier than Dallesandro, especially Dracula. For at least the first half-hour of Frankenstein, I could not shake the notion that Tommy Wiseau has been fooling us all along and is just doing a very extended impersonation of a young Udo Kier in Frankenstein. Except Udo Kier actually seems to be mentally present in his scenes, and not in space like Wiseau.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Grad School Residue: Franco Citti wearing hats
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The new Mass Effect, Titanfall, and Battlefield games will be released by March 2017
Announcing... Mass Titanfield!
Jan 29
// Joe Parlock
Looks like EA is in for a busy year, because we're getting the new Mass Effect, Titanfall, and Battlefield games sooner than you might've thought. According to EA's Q3 financial report, the company is planni...
Titanfall dev working on 'new 3rd person action/adventure IP'
Job listing for unannounced project
Jan 12
// Steven Hansen
Titanfall's coming up on two years old, huh? While all the AI robots toil away on deserted servers, developer Respawn is hard at work on Titanfall 2, which may find better longevity while no longer an Xbox console exclusive. ...
Respawn: 'Next year is going to be a very big year for Titanfall'
What do you want to see?
Oct 30
// Vikki Blake
Respawn boss Vince Zampella says 2016 is going to be "a very big year for Titanfall". "We continue to focus on Titanfall," Zampella told Venture Beat. "Next year is going to be a very big year for Titanfall. For us, it is exciting to take this universe we created that is so extensible.
Titanfall mobile
Titanfall on MY phone? It's more likely than you think
Prepare for titansmall
Oct 29
// Darren Nakamura
Titanfall might not have made as big of a splash as it wanted, with its Call of Duty-but-with-mechs gameplay, but it has its following. Those who just can't get enough of the "expansive sci-fi universe" of Titanfall at home m...
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Nexon and EA partner up to bring Titanfall Online to Asia
Titanfall-flavoured free-to-play PC action
Jul 29
// Vikki Blake
Electronic Arts has teamed up with Nexon to bring a free-to-play version of Titanfall to Asia. Details are scant, but we do know it'll be available on PC and called, unsurprisingly, Titanfall Online. Talking to IGN, Nexon pre...
EA Access adding Titanfall and Dragon Age: Inquisition to the Vault
Good choices!
Jun 15
// Zack Furniss
Electronic Art's EA Access subscription-based service ($4.99 per month, or $29.99 annually) is adding Titanfall this week. Not sure how thriving the community is but I never gave it a shot, so now I might! In similarly cool news, Dragon Age: Inquisition will be out for the service sometime this summer. Not a bad deal!
Titanfall 2
Titanfall 2 won't appear at E3 2015
Respawn bringing no games to E3
Jun 01
// Laura Kate Dale
A few months back, we learned that Titanfall 2 exists thanks to a throwaway line said during an interview someone working at Respawn Entertainment. Since this news, many people have been predicting a reveal for the game at E3...
Need speed
New Need for Speed coming 2015, Titanfall and Plants vs Zombies 2016
Who needs to be surprised this E3?
May 05
// Steven Hansen
Electronic Arts is adding to its holiday lineup (sports, Battlefront) with a new Need for Speed, according to EA financials. The company decided to chill on yearly Need for Speeds after going from developers Black Box to Crit...
PSA: Best Buy gives you an excuse to get Titanfall
Xbox One version currently $8
Apr 24
// Robert Summa
For those rare Xbox One owners that still haven't experienced Titanfall, Best Buy is running a sale that certainly limits your excuses for not owning the game. As of now, the game is available for only $7.99. Seems like a good value to me, but I suppose if you hate fun, then it isn't. Titanfall [Best Buy]
GameStop Spring Sale live with $8 Titanfall Deluxe, $20 BF4 Premium
For those who can't wait for a Steam sale
Apr 20
// Dealzon
April showers are upon us, and so are more of the spring PC gaming sales. Just today GameStop launched its PC Gaming Spring Sale with discounts up to 75% off 136 PC digital titles (yes, we counted). Several titles are hitting...
What can save Titanfall 2?
Mar 14
// Nic Rowen
Fine, just go ahead and make a single player campaign As someone who almost never bothers with the single player campaign in a shooter, I applauded Respawn's decision to axe any kind of bloated, roller-coaster ride of narrative mode like I was a 18th century French peasant cheering at the guillotine. I looked at all the stats and figures showing how most CoD players never touch the SP game and thought of my own history of aggressively ignoring most shooter stories since Quake 3 and thought it was a savvy move. A good way to cut down the cost of development while making sure the full focus of the project was placed on the most important part of the game, the multiplayer. And I was wrong. Well sort of. Personally, stubbornly, I STILL think it was a good idea. I was fine with the window dressing of the "campaign multiplayer" mode which added a few lines of story-based radio chatter over the usual MP action, leaving the player to draw in the details. But given the massive popular backlash against the decision, it's clear that the absence of a SP campaign hurt the reputation and perception of Titanfall more than whatever dollars they saved in the process could have. It may be silly, but so many people were offended by the lack of a SP campaign (that they were statistically unlikely to have played) that it killed a lot of enthusiasm for the title. It made Titanfall feel like half a game sold at the price of a full title. Even as just an optics thing, the trade-off wasn't worth it. As much as I hate to admit it, Titanfall 2 should have an SP campaign. Whether it's fair or not, it is something that is seen as part of the complete package for a first-person shooter. They gave it a shot without one and it didn't work, to stick to that stance on principle would be foolish. Besides, I don't know about anyone else, but I could probably stand to learn a little bit more about the history behind the development of the Titans and the lives of the colonists living on those monster-infested planets. Ironically, Titanfall's world is probably one of the only FPS settings that actually could get me to sit through a five-to-eight hour campaign! For God's sake, give us more robots Surprising nobody, the biggest draw about Titanfall was the mechs. I thought they looked cool, had a satisfying weight in the world compared to the pixie-like pilots, and had an intimidating presence on the battlefield. They were powerful and desirable without making the average pilot on foot feel useless. I just wish there were more of them. Three Titans aren't enough. Not by a long shot. I get why, from a gameplay perspective, Respawn might have wanted to keep it simple and stick with "the fast one, the Ryu, and the big one" so players could clearly see the trade-offs of each and easily size up the opposition while wall-running down a four story building trying to aim a rapid-fire rocket launcher. Maybe that was the right call for the first game, but this is the sequel. It's time to add some more wrinkles, some more complexity, some more crunch. I want to see weirder, more specialized Titans. Robots with particular abilities and roles, or weapons that can only be equipped on specific chassis rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. Maybe mechs that can use larger cannons or launchers by deploying in a static position, making themselves an easy target temporarily while they break out the big guns. Or maybe a Titan that has less offensive power but a sophisticated sensor system to compensate, creating a more tactically minded option for coordinated teams. I don't want to get bogged down in imagineering up robots (that's a rabbit hole I could waste an entire day in), but you get the idea. The Titans are supposed to be what sets the game apart against all of the other "hold left-trigger, squeeze right-trigger" shooters out there, they should be front and center and there should be plenty of them. Robot bling While emblems and custom AI voice options for your Titans were eventually added into Titanfall with a patch almost half a year after release, it was a classic case of too little, too late. It's mind boggling to me that those options weren't in the game from the start and that Respawn was so timid with them when they finally added them in. I mean, one little patch on the shoulder of your three story tall robot? Nuts to that. I want to be able to paint my Titan hazard yellow with orange and gold trim, people should recognize me when I come stomping. I want to be able to select between a few different types of leg joints and shoulder pads, give my robot just the right swagger. I want to be able to adjust the look of my individual pilot characters by class and type, deck out my own imaginary crew of jetpack-wearing badasses. This is a futuristic sci-fi setting, why not have some fun with it? Adding in a ton of unlockable cosmetic gear isn't just fun for players, it also solves another problem Titanfall had -- content and progression goals. While I personally liked that there were only so many guns and attachments in the game and they were all relatively quick to unlock, a lot of players complained that it felt like there was nothing to "do" in Titanfall, that they were never working towards a goal (like you need more incentive to climb into the cockpit of a missile spewing robot? I don't understand people). Cosmetic gear could be used to give progression minded players something to shoot for without messing up the pace of weapon unlocks or stuffing the game full of useless sights and foregrips just for the sake of having them. If Respawn sticks to its admirable "no micro-transaction" policy, fancy helmets and mech bling could be a nice long-term carrot for players that who don't hold robot brawling as a self-justifying reward. What do you think? As I said before, I loved Titanfall, so while I have plenty of suggestions on how to improve the game, maybe I'm not seeing what turned everyone else off. So what do you think? Is there anything Titanfall 2 could do to make you interested in a jet-pack/robot deathmatch, or is Respawn doomed to repeat history a second time out?
I've got a few ideas
I absolutely adored Titanfall, but going by the comments and blogs I've read over the past year, it seems like I'm the only person on Earth who did. Every article, news post, or blog written about the game invariably becomes ...
A Titanfall sequel is coming and surprise, it will be multiplatform
Bro, have you seen Titanfall?
Mar 12
// Robert Summa
At last, it looks like PlayStation 4 owners will finally be able to see Titanfall. That initial sting of denial will be wiped away with a second installment as IGN confirmed the same information we already knew -- even if it ...
Titanfall DLC
Titanfall turns one year old, gives away all DLC for free
Tough to argue with free
Mar 11
// Brett Makedonski
Titanfall celebrates the first anniversary of its launch today. There might not be a grand showcase dedicated to everything that's happened to the game over the year, but EA and Respawn haven't forgotten about it altoget...
EA Xbox One sale
Xbox One sale: $10 Titanfall and Garden Warfare, $36 Dragon Age: Inquisition
I'm tempted
Jan 26
// Jordan Devore
It's much easier to stomach Electronic Arts when you're only paying a fraction of the original price, as is the case with these Xbox One deals via Live. Come on, latecomers. This one's for you: Battlefield 4 - $13.20 Battlef...
Respawn working on 'non Titanfall' project
Also some stuff about Titanfall on Steam
Dec 20
// Laura Kate Dale
Earlier this year Respawn Entertainment graced the world with the arrival of Titanfall, a flawed but impressive first-person shooter full of high speed vertical traversal and super cool giant robot suits. Today brings the new...
Titanfall drops an all-inclusive Deluxe edition from the sky
Titanfall's not quite ready to retreat to the dropship
Nov 19
// Brett Makedonski
Surely there will soon be some new pilots in the Titanfall arena looking to rodeo ride some massive mechs. Today, Respawn announced the Deluxe edition of its innovative shooter, which is functionally similar to "game of...
How does Titanfall on Xbox 360 for $5 sound?
That's, like, really cheap
Nov 17
// Brett Makedonski
[Update: They're already out-of-stock, so go on back to not getting Titanfall for really, really cheap.] Sure, the Xbox One or PC versions got the most love. Yeah, the lobbies probably aren't jumpin' jumpin' anymore...
Titanfall horde mode
Frontier Defense: Titanfall live work shopping its sequel
And boy does it need it
Nov 07
// Nic Rowen
Titanfall's new horde mode, Frontier Defense, isn't going to win any awards for originality. Frontier Defense tasks a team of four players with the protection a generic space fuel pump called the Harvester, and dumps escalati...
Titanfall horde mode
Good thing Titanfall is getting a horde mode because there's no one else to play with
Stompy stompy with friends
Oct 22
// Nic Rowen
In a live Twitch Stream today, Respawn announced and demonstrated a new horde-style game mode for Titanfall, yay! Why am I the only one excited? Well, for anyone else who's still playing Titanfall, we can expect a fairly stan...
Titanfall's third, and presumably final DLC comes out tomorrow
IMC Rising
Sep 24
// Chris Carter
Titanfall is set to drop its third DLC pack IMC Rising tomorrow on Xbox One and PC. It'll cost $9.99 (or part of your Season Pass), and will wrap up Respawn's planned DLC offering with three more maps -- though more cou...
Play Titanfall again for free on Origin
Part of the 'Game Time' promotion
Aug 22
// Chris Carter
If you missed the initial free offering for Titanfall on EA's Origin service, you have another chance to try it out. As part of Origin's "Game Time" promotion, you can add Titanfall to your library and give it a cha...
Titanfall final DLC
Titanfall's third and final DLC pack drops this autumn
'IMC Rising'
Aug 13
// Chris Carter
Today at gamescom EA, announced the last map pack for Titanfall -- IMC Rising. The three maps will be titled Backwater, Zone 18, and Sandtrap, and as always, it'll run you $10 or $25 for the Season Pass. The Xbox One an...
Titanfalling in love
Titanfall Newsflash: xXxNoScopeXxX kills 420bro69
Your round-the-clock coverage continues
Jul 31
// Kyle MacGregor
Stay tuned for this story and more breaking news at 11.
Titanfall's Frontier's Edge DLC is another okay, yet underwhelming map pack
Jul 31
// Chris Carter
Titanfall: Frontier's Edge (PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One [reviewed])Developer: Respawn EntertainmentPublisher: Electronic ArtsRelease: July 31, 2014 (PC, Xbox One) / TBA (Xbox 360)MSRP: $9.99 ($25 Season Pass) Once again, Frontier's Edge brings three maps along with it, one of which is Dig Site. This is the strongest map in the group, and both the aesthetic design and layout are reminiscent of the Halo series, which is a good thing. The rock-lined walls definitely give it character, as does the giant saw spinning on the battlefield. There are also a few cool hollowed-out tunnels that remind me of some of the desolate maps from Killzone, but with Respawn's own personal spin on it. The only major disappointment is that some of the higher-up areas are considered "out of bounds," forcing the player to retreat to lower ground or risk instant death -- it makes you wonder why those portions are even there, since most zones don't have that problem. The good news though is that you'll actually remember this map when it cycles in. Haven is another decent addition to the complete pack of maps, even if it doesn't help justify the cost of the DLC. It's similar to Angel City both visually and layout-wise, as it contains tons of buildings with vantage points and windows. It's bright and open for the most part, which is a stark contrast to many of the brown-hued stages that take up half the game. It reminds me of a good Call of Duty map, but with the game's signature future-flair injected into it. It's a nice way to keep the map grounded yet memorable within the confines of the Titanfall universe. Having said that, Haven is so by-the-books that it feels weird once you realized you paid money for it. Export, like Runoff before it, is the clear-cut worthless part of the trio. It's a boring industrial map that's as underwhelming to play as it looks. With a diverse color palette of browns on top of browns (and some muted indoor shrubbery for good measure), Export feels like a disjointed map that doesn't have a cohesive theme or layout. There's lots of nooks and crannies with elevated ramps that make for decent Titan skirmishes, but overall it has that "been there done that" feeling that you really can't have with a pack that only has three maps. At one point I didn't even realize that I was playing a paid DLC map. The Black Market update itself (which again, everyone gets for free) is actually a nice, non-intrusive little addition. Now when you go to browse your Burn Cards, you can simply press the back triggers to sell them, earning credits to invest in new cards or emblems. Now, you can buy packs of cards that suit your needs, all of which are fairly priced, and can be bought by earning credits through normal play. It probably won't reignite the community, but it's a great way for veterans to get back in the action and work towards something when they become bored of prestiging. It's safe from micro-transactions, for now. At the present time however, I cannot recommend the Titanfall Season Pass, even if it discounts the overall package by $5. The first two DLCs simply aren't strong enough to warrant a full purchase, so hang in there for an inevitable Season Pass discount before you go all in. If you can't help yourself and want just one pack though, Frontier's Edge slightly edges out Expedition -- even if it continues the trend of one good, one decent, and one poor map.
Wait for a Season Pass discount
Titanfall was a good game for what it was -- a fun, but not revolutionary shooter. It didn't change gaming (or even the genre) forever, and some players abandoned it weeks after launch, turning many playlists into desola...
Titanfall gets an in-game currency system, but microtransactions are out
Also, the next DLC is out on July 31
Jul 24
// Chris Carter
Titanfall is getting a currency system in the form of the "Black Market," which allows you to buy and sell burn cards and insignia. The system is very simple -- if you don't like your burn cards and participate in normal...
Respawn shows off Titanfall's upcoming Dig Site DLC map
It looks...meh
Jul 16
// Chris Carter
Over at the official Titanfall site, developer Respawn Entertainment has given us a look at Dig Site -- one of the three maps in the upcoming Frontier's Edge DLC pack. It's a mining site over "subtle" elevated terrain, w...
Titanfall DLC 2
Edge! Titanfall's second DLC, Frontier's Edge, doesn't have a release date
Three maps and no release date
Jul 08
// Steven Hansen
Seriously, why announce a $10 DLC pack that's just three maps, and we can't even get a release date? Lame. "Today, we would like to announce Frontier's Edge, the second DLC pack for Titanfall. Pushing the battle to the ...
Titanfall update adding new game modes, Titan Burn Cards
Plus bug fixes and other updates
Jun 24
// Hamza CTZ Aziz
The next Titanfall update will include a a Featured Game Mode that will see new game modes added for a limited time only. The first of which is called Marked For Death, where a player on each team is marked for death. Players...
Origin is doing Steam's 'free-to-play' weekend program now
Starting with Titanfall on PC
Jun 20
// Chris Carter
You know how Steam has been running its "free weekend" program for ages, where you could play a (typically) big release over the course of a few days without paying? Well EA's Origin platform is adopting the same program, sta...
This is the most impressive Titanfall pilot ejection I've seen yet
Ejection perfection
May 30
// Brett Makedonski
I've gone on record in the past to say that I'm not all that enamored by Titanfall. But, one aspect of it that I can appreciate is the way that its mechanics and use of verticality can lead to some pretty nifty feats. Here's one of them, even if it's maybe one part skill and about a million parts luck.
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I don't normally bitch about life on the internet, but I need to vent. It's been a REALLY shitty week. Hopefully life's been treating my fellow 'toiders better.
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Joe Parlock
Ursaring is the best pokemon, followed shortly by Meganium. Duh.
Gotta go with Vaporeon as it is absolutely adorable and makes for a great Water-Type. I'd upload a photo, but my internet is being screwy.
Cool site never heard of before
My new least favorite type of team mate in Heroes of the Storm: they guy that declares the game is over after the enemy succeeds on one objective completion.
Gengar!! Poison type FTW!
Luxray is the only best Pokemon.
The Dyslexic Laywer
Quick post your favorite Pokemon!
Hell yes. Nekro just pulled this from a Pokemon card booster pack. Don't judge me, I find the game to be fun, even if my deck is terrible.
So I decided to tinker around with some assets in Source Filmmaker and make a still image. Kind of a Jurassic Park-inspired thing with dino assets from that Ark game. Care to offer some comments, critique, etc.?
I think I broke it...
I have joined the discord group! Now I can call your waifu shit in more than one place!
Everyone's posting about waifus and I'm just here posting a blog about why I enjoy a recent game instead. This is why I'll never be promoted.
There is a Spelunker themed dungeon in Megadimension Neptunia called Neplunker. It even comes complete with Spelunker music and dying from falling off waist high ledges! 10/10 would game over again.
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The Dyslexic Laywer
You know among all the bosses I've fought I didn't expect Vagina Tooth Dragon to go down like a bitch.
News Tip off for anyone who wants it. Seems Binding of Issac has been banned from the Apple IOS app store.
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Colorado Springs Science Festival
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Colorado Springs Science Festival
This year's Science Festival was another huge success! Thanks to all 19,000+ of you who attended this year. That number includes over 5000 at the Cool Science Carnival Day at UCCS, and almost 6000 at the 2nd Annual Colorado Springs Maker Faire at Library 21c. You will probably be pleasantly surprised to learn, since it is not a listed as a public event, we connected our scientists, engineers, and researchers with 5200 elementary through high school students in their classrooms!
Thank you also to the many volunteers, presenters, and companies who support the Colorado Springs Science Festival and the Colorado Springs Science Center.
We are already beginning to think about next year!
Click HERE to go directly to the Schedule for the Entire Festival
Mark your calendars for October 3-11, 2015.
Click Here If You Would Like To Participate In The
2015 Festival As A Host Or Volunteer.
The Colorado Springs Science Festival Primary Sponsors
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Featured news
RISC processor takes network security onboard
The SH7710 32bit RISC microprocessor features an IPsec accelerator for fast encryption and communication processing. The device also offers two on-chip Ethernet controllers that enable connection to two Ethernet LANs.
Both peripherals make it suitable for security-enabled devices designed for use in networks, such as VPN dedicated boxes, home gateway servers, surveillance cameras and IP phones. The SH7710 is based on a SuperH RISC SH3-DSP CPU core that operates at speeds of up to 200MHz and achieves a high processing capability of 260MIPS. The on-chip DSP supports various kinds of middleware, such as a voice codec and echo canceller, and enables fast execution of multimedia related processing such as VoIP.
[ Read more ]
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Comedian & TV Host Bill Maher Returns To The Islands
Comedian and host of HBO's Real Time, Bill Maher, returns to the islands for a pair of shows around the New Year. He told HPR's Dave Lawrence what fans can expect and shared some island connections.
Bill Maher plays the Hawai`i Theatre on New Year's Eve and the MACC in Kahului January 1st. Hear the complete interview on-demand below.


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|Photo by Susan Yee of En Pointe Photography.
Thank you for visiting Dancing Branflakes! I'm a dancer, writer, and teacher at the School of Washington Ballet. Here's a quick run-down of the blog:
~Although I do love bran flakes, the title of the blog is a take-off on my last name. It's a little cheesy, but four years ago I was in a cheesy mood and the name just stuck.
~This blog has been featured on Glamour.com. I like to promote healthy body image and Glamour appreciates that. (articles here and here)
~I was a speaker at the 2012 Dance/USA Conference about blogging in the dance world.
~I went on a month long solo trip to the UK where I fell in love with Scotland, so my life goal is to live in Scotland.
~I'm a BYU alumni. I majored in dance (ballet and modern composite emphasis).
~I love what I do.
~ I love to eat.
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Mobile Site You Are Here > PFR Home > Players > P > Art Pharmer > News Archive
News: s-r blog:Help Us Find Out Who Threw The Most Pick-Sixes
Charles Arthur Pharmer
Position: B
Height: 5-10 Weight: 186 lbs.
Born: July 21, 1908 in Spokane, WA
High School: PascoCollege: Minnesota (school history)
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 0 (15060th overall since 1950)
Automatic Player Linking / Statistical Sharing Tool / Basic Player Linking
A Sports Reference Site:
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Atlanta Braves
Bydiscovered by Player FM and our community — copyright is owned by the publisher, not Player FM, and audio is streamed directly from their servers. Hit the Subscribe button to track updates in Player FM, or paste the feed URL into other podcast apps.
21 episodes available. A new episode about every 11 days averaging 25 mins duration.
Series home•Feed


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All of the download codes work fine! It seems to be impossible to locate the unlockable "on-disc" content though! The soundtrack, backgrounds, and weapon camo...where the hell do you find them?
If you check the booklet with all the codes it tells you to go to www.callofduty.com/blackops2ce, log in with your profile details and enter the code that is on the back of the quadrator side of the coin, at the top, hope this helps


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Estée Lauder
'Perfectionist [CP+R]' Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum (2.5 oz.) ($162 Value)
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A powerful wrinkle lifting and firming serum supercharges your skin to dramatically reduce the look of lines and wrinkles. Breakthrough CPR-75 Technology is proven to double skin's natural collagen building power¹. Lines and wrinkles are instantly plumped and smoothed. Skin feels smoother, looks fresher and younger. In just four weeks, skin reclaims a youthful firmness and suppleness.
¹In vitro testing after one week. 96% showed a significant reduction in the look of lines and wrinkles.
'Perfectionist [CP+R]' Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum (2.5 oz.) ($162 Value)
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WATCH LIVE: The owls are back, and they've got two eggs!Click here for more
Book Reviews by Elizabeth A. White
Book reviews with an emphasis on crime fiction, mysteries, police procedurals, and thrillers. CLICK HERE to read more reviews __________________________________________________________________________________
By: Elizabeth A White on June 9, 2010 - 9:44am - Add new comment
"Everyone's patience has its limits." – Rampart
The fourteen tales that comprise author Amy Grech's second collection of short stories, Blanket of White, are all about finding people's limits. Grech takes common themes – love, death, coming of age, sex, family relationships – and drags the reader across the line of comfort on an exploration of the dark side of those familiar situations.
By: Elizabeth A White on June 11, 2010 - 9:46am - Add new comment
"During my career I've found leaders a scarce commodity. The world is full of managers and directors, but they're not leaders." – Colonel Nathan Zinsky, M.D.
By: Elizabeth A White on June 14, 2010 - 1:12pm - Add new comment
I recently reviewed No Hope For Gomez!, a delightfully odd book which is cleverly presented as a series of blog entries.
In my review I compared reading the book to getting sucked down the rabbit hole into Gomezland. Well, I am happy to be able to share with you an interview with the "Mad Hatter" of Gomezland, the author of No Hope For Gomez!, Graham Parke.
By: Elizabeth A White on June 17, 2010 - 7:49am - Add new comment
One more mystery, I thought bitterly. I kept adding mysteries but didn't seem to be making progress solving any of them. – Dani O'Rourke
One wouldn't expect the chief fund raiser for a posh art museum to find herself at the center of a murder mystery, yet that is precisely where Danielle "Dani" O'Rourke finds herself in Susan Shea's debut novel, Murder in the Abstract.
By: Elizabeth A White on June 22, 2010 - 10:37am - Add new comment
"Man, I know our job is to protect and serve, but sometimes I wish we could just let nature thin out the herd." – Terry Biggs
LAPD Detective Terry Biggs can be forgiven for not being overly enthusiastic about the prospect of locking up the killer he and partner Detective Mike Lomax find themselves tracking in Cut, Paste, Kill, the fourth entry in author Marshall Karp's consistently excellent Lomax & Biggs series.
By: Elizabeth A White on June 29, 2010 - 11:03am - Add new comment
I'd been fascinated with serial killers for a long time, but it wasn't until my Jeffrey Dahmer report in the last week of middle school that Mom and my teachers got worried enough to put me into therapy. – John Wayne Cleaver
By: Elizabeth A White on July 7, 2010 - 9:12am - Add new comment
Like a fine wine, Tod Howarth (Frehley's Comet, Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent) demonstrates with his new CD Opposite Gods that in the 10 years since his last solo rock CD West of Eight was released he has improved with age, becoming ever more nuanced and complex.
By: Elizabeth A White on July 9, 2010 - 9:24am - Add new comment
The fact that he was innocent should have been a comfort to him, but it wasn't. – Will Connelly
By: Elizabeth A White on July 15, 2010 - 6:44am - Add new comment
He took a deep breath and walked toward the trunk, preparing himself for the first few seconds he'd spend alone with the victim. The cop and the corpse. A unique and strangely intimate relationship. – The Chill of Night
By: Elizabeth A White on July 20, 2010 - 12:05pm - Add new comment
I didn't know that once you've proven yourself useful to the wrong people, you'll never be free again. – Michael Smith
In the wake of a horrific night of violence that leaves him without his parents or his voice, eight year-old Michael Smith finds comfort in drawing and playing with locks.


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Bridge to asynchronous water
Kevin W. Hammond points out that programming asynchronous webservices (using SOAP over MSMQ) creates a mindcandy for developers used to the RPC style of SOAP over HTTP:
If you want request/response semantics when using SOAP over MSMQ, you must keep in mind that the WSE 2.0 channel model actually requires your client to become a server. Â Your client must listen for incoming SOAP messages and understand how to act upon them to correlate them back to the original request, which is distinctly different from the blocking semantics you get with SOAP over HTTP.[Kevin W. Hammond]
In my opinion this is one of the areas withing SOA that needs more attention. When designing services on different layers of applications, and between applications you will at some point find it reasonable to implement a service asynchronously to ensure scalability and reliability, among other things. Most developers that design UIs will say that they need to be synchronous to respond to their users fast enough to not make the users go do something else.
Kevin also points out that a service invoking an asynchronous method needs, itself, to be a service in order to receive the callback when the message is processed, thus increasing the complexity of the calling service.
One solution for some use cases is datacaching. User Interface services can work towards a cached set of data optimized to reduce potential conflicts. Updates to the canonical data source can then be done asynchronously in the background, creating the illusion of synchronousity. This approach does however demand some form of conflict handling for the scenarios where the canonical data conflict with the cache upon which the update was made.
I am thinking about this these days, and hoping for guidelines. According to subtle signals from the Indigo evangelists they will make the programming models (sync/async) more transparent. For now it' really just a matter of good architecture, and we can probably learn a lot from people that have implemented highly scalable (transacted) asynchronous systems for a long time. However, someone with the knowhow would at least get my appreciation and respect for bridging to the asyncronous waters in my SOA implementations.


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Peeps-Flavored Milk Will Ruin Your Child's Sense of What Milk's Supposed to Taste Like
This is as useful as Go-Gurt.
This is as useful as Go-Gurt.
Hold onto your bonnet.
Flamenco shows, bunny sausage, Sicilian soup, and Thumper cocktails in local restaurant can turn this holiday into one you won't forget.
Plus: spring wine classes at Terroir, and more, in today's Leftovers.
Perbacco's got a special Seder sipping cocktail menu!
These spring holidays do sneak up!
Drama is hatched.
Grub Street's roundup of Easter Sunday specials.
Easter-egg hunts in Florida apparently involve helicopters.
Dickson's Farmstand Meats is selling milk-fed half-lambs.
Kulich, paska, and smoked chicken are readily available to enhance your spring feasts.
Get 15% off Easter purchases and a free chocolate egg for saying our name.
The seasons' most intricate offerings.
Chef John Tsakinis of Aqualis Grill makes a traditional Greek dish for the holiday.
A swarm is predicted to destroy farmers' bounties, while scientists find junk food to be powerfully habit-forming.
From cacio e uovo soup to broccoli rabe.
Get a prix fixe brunch or dinner at restaurants all over town.


text:
See other Utrecht properties
Stone Hotel & Hostel
Biltstraat 31, Utrecht, Netherlands, Distance from city centre: 1.4km
Real Reviews
Real reviews from fellow travellers
These are trusted reviews from guests who have actually stayed here. We hope you find them helpful.
Note: we only give a property a rating once it has received a minimum of 3 reviews.
- Page:1/1
- " Clean, with lovely staff and within a walking distance from the city center! "
- 28 Dec 2015 Loukia Greece
- " Good equipped hostel with friendly staff in a nice location, but my mattress was saggy and the bathroom (of room 10) should get a ventilation system for reasons of hygiene. "
- 22 Nov 2015 Anonymous Germany
- " friendly staff, excellent location, familiar atmosphere, things were easy, international (young guests from different parts of the world) "
- 15 Oct 2015 Holger Germany
- " wifi is just too slow. had to wait 5 minutes from one page to another. it's like not having wifi "
- 16 Sep 2015 Anonymous USA
- " Nice hostel and nice staff. We stayed only one night, it was full due to students looking for a flat to rent. "
- 10 Sep 2015 Davide Italy
- " They have a really nice dog and a nice common room. They also have a good selection of teas. However, they need more lockers in the rooms. "
- 24 Jul 2015 Jessica USA


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(4.5 out of 5, based on 6 reviews)
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My gerbils love them
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My gerbils really like these and they're good for their teeth. They are natural and contain no paint or anything else that could harm them.
Pros: Good for my gerbils
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June 8, 2015 | By Lynn
I've used this product on rescued dogs for years. My last large dog rescued had been an outdoor dog her entire life, living among Lamas where she picked up tapeworms. This product expelled several 2 … more ›
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July 14, 2013 | By Xiaoxiao111
Pink is my favorite color these are wonderful.I will recommend a good website fou you: www.9footballshirt.org


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Sol Roots is a fierce guitarist, bassist, and soulful singer who has toured around the world with many roots, funk, and blues legends. Sol and his band create a unique blend of energetic rock, raw blues, reggae, and funk, all delivered with deep soul.
Sol Roots (Sol & Funk Root) have performed at many premier festivals and venues across the east coast US, and the band includes musicians that have worked with Tommy Castro, Hobex, Corey Harris, Deanna Bogart, Jah Works, Mike Zito, Squirrel Nut Zippers and more.
Paying homage to the greats, Sol seeks to push musical boundaries and bring Roots Music to a new generation of listeners.
"Sol is an impressive guitar player! Sol has an assured, confident voice that matches well with the bravado of his guitar playing. The album 'Freedom' proved to be quite a discovery for me.... "- J. Evan Wade - Home Grown Music Network
"Sol is an exceptional guitarist & a wonderful spirit....with an extraordinary ability to fit the perfect approach and composition."- Fred Cannon - a Senior VP at BMI
top cover photo on the reverbnation page credit: Josh Brick Photography


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The golf course is currently closed. If you are interested in purchasing a Gift Card for the Holidays please call the golf shop at 608-527-2315 and we will be happy to mail one to you.
Thanks for making 2015 a great golf season. We look forward to serving you again in 2016.
Edelweiss Chalet Country Club is a challenging 18 hole semi-private golf club which was constructed in 1968, with a nine hole addition in 1990. Edelweiss is located only 30 minutes from Madison, WI. Edelweiss features the rolling hills, mature landscape and the beautiful views that have made New Glarus a favorite amongst millions of tourists. The golf course has been designed and maintained to accommodate players of all skill and patience levels. We also have a fully stocked, full service golf shop to meet and exceed your expectations. Edelweiss offers every amenity you would expect to find at a private country club without the private country club prices. In addition to a full service golf shop, we also offer a full service bar and both men's and women's locker rooms with showers. All at no extra cost to you! Edelweiss also has the ability to seat up to 300 guests in our banquet area, so if you are planning a wedding reception, holiday party or need a place to hold an event, give us a call. 608-527-2315
New Members Special!
Membership including cart for Single $995, Married Couple for $1595, or Family for $1695.
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sift heads by PurpleShyMoonWatch
©2014-2016 PurpleShyMoon
I forgot to sign my name!!
they all look awesome
I'm freaking out over here!! This is just AHHHHH!! It's PERFECT! Outstanding! Awesome! Spectacular!
Another wonderful piece of art, my friend! Well done! I love it! <3
Awesome. I love Kiro's hoodie you gave him.
kiro is so...........-w-
OMG ! I love Vinnie with his new suit...
You don't make new Sift Heads pictures ?
I most like to drawing some character which is from my head .
Hmm... Alright. I have a great idea !
Urban Sniper, that's not cool ?


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Corporate counsel work with sales, marketing, and operations by offering appropriate legal and non-legal advice. These professionals are generally retained to work as a legal agent for the business entity.Read More...
Within a legal context, corporate counsel perform a variety of tasks in many areas of law. Some typical areas of law in which the corporate counsel may work are securities law, corporate and business law, intellectual property law, employment law, tax law, product and service liability, insurance law, and environmental law. In acting as legal counsel, these professionals act as an attorney, drafting and answering legal complaints, representing the business in court, and acting as an advocate during trial and appeal. Corporate counsel must also work with various the business and relevant external entities proactively to ensure compliance with the law.
In providing non-legal advice, corporate counsel must be knowledgeable in all aspects of a business; because they are involved in all of the aspects of the business, the counselor often has a global perspective of the business's activities and can often provide high-level directional advice and leadership.
Corporate counsel, like all lawyers, must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and have passed the bar for the jurisdiction in which the counselor will represent the business.
Add this chart to your site: 640px 300px
For Corporate Counsels, progressing to a Vice President and Associate General Counsel role may result in a significant raise. On average, a Vice President and Associate General Counsel can earn $194K annually. It is quite typical for Corporate Counsels to transition into roles as General Counsels or Associate General Counsels, where reported median earnings are $34K and $20K higher per year.
Corporate Counsels seem to wield many skills on the job. Most notably, skills in Intellectual Property, Corporate Governance, Securities and Exchange Commision Experience, and Real Estate are correlated to pay that is above average. Skills that seem to negatively impact pay include Mergers and Acquisitions, Legal Research, and Legal Document Review. It is often found that people who know Contract Negotiation are also skilled in Regulatory Compliance.
Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.
For many Corporate Counsels, more experience generally translates to higher pay. Respondents with less than five years' experience take home $93K on average. In contrast, those who have been around for five to 10 years earn a noticeably higher average of $131K. Corporate Counsels with one to two decades of relevant experience report an average salary of approximately $144K. Individuals who report more than two decades of experience seem to make only slightly more than folks in the 10-to-20 year range; the more senior group sees median earnings in the comparatively modest ballpark of $153K.
Surpassing the national average by 29 percent, Corporate Counsels in Seattle receive some of the highest pay in the country. Corporate Counsels can also look forward to large paychecks in cities like Los Angeles (+26 percent), New York (+26 percent), San Francisco (+25 percent), and Washington (+24 percent). Minneapolis ranks last in the field for pay, reporting salaries 13 percent below the national average. A couple other locations with smaller-than-average paychecks include Denver (11 percent lower) and Atlanta (10 percent lower).
|Extremely satisfied
Rated 5 out of 5
based on 221 votes.
46 %
54 %


text:
Busy day of baseball in Boston
A few observations, quotes and notes picked up from today's events:
* Ryan Westmoreland will not participate in the rookie development program that starts Monday. He will instead head to Fort Myers this coming week to ramp up his rehab from a broken collarbone suffered in late August.
Westmoreland had surgery on a torn labrum in his right arm in 2008 and now is getting over the broken bone in his left shoulder. But the good news is that he feels fine and is ready for his first full season of pro ball.
Westmoreland hit .296 with 25 extra-base hits, 35 RBI and 19 stolen bases over 60 games for Lowell last season. He had a .401 on-base percentage and impressed scouts with his range in the outfield.
"It was a good learning experience. I had never really played every day," Westmoreland said. "It's a lot different than a 20-game schedule in high school. The first couple of weeks were tough physically and mentally. But I think I settled in."
Check out the paper tomorrow for a full story on Ryan.
* Casey Kelley is listed as 6-foot-3. He's probably 6-foot-4. "He has grown since we drafted him," Theo Epstein said. "He's a big kid."
Kelly and I talked a little about the BCS title game (he was a Tennessee quarterback recruit) and about his decision to pitch full time. "It's good to have just one thing to focus on," he said. "Right now, it's just a matter of getting innings."
Kelly looks the part of a star, which sounds silly but sometimes you can just tell.
* Jeremy Hermida was at the Jimmy Fund event. He is spending a week in Boston, taking the time to look for a place to live and get a sense of the city. He seemed like a good guy. He was sitting at the same table as Josh Reddick, which struck me as funny as the addition of Hermida probably pushed Reddick back to Pawtucket for 2010.
* Peter Gammons moderated the Hot Stove Cool Music roundtable discussion at Fenway Park. But beforehand, he was recognized for his charity work by having four college scholarships given to Boston Public School kids by Riso, Inc., of Danvers named in his honor.
City Council president Mike Ross was on hand to read a resolution naming this "Peter Gammons Day" in the city. It was nice to a see a guy who cares so much about the game and other people honored.
* Theo Epstein talked about how the Sox have charged Alex Ochoa with mentoring young Cuban shortstop Jose Iglesias this season. While there certainly will be an adjustment needed to life in the United States, Iglesias has impressed the Sox with how fast he has picked things up, even facts about U.S. history.
* Sometimes you fans can get more info out of the team than we can. During the Q&A session, a question was asked about Cuban lefty Aroldis Chapman and the interest the Sox had in him. Epstein revealed that the Chapman threw for the Sox in October with Terry Francona and John Farrell watching and that they think he has a high ceiling.
He did not say whether they were bidding for him. The Blue Jays, rumor has it, may be the favorite. They are reportedly willing to pay $23 million and the Sox may not be so inclined. There are questions about Chapman's control and secondary pitches and he may well project to be a reliever.
* Mets GM Omar Minaya took time out of his schedule to participate in the event. He said their medical reports on Jason Bay were clean and they expect him to handle Citi Field fine.
That's about it. It was a fun day and thanks to all those who said hello. It was good to talk baseball on such a cold day.


text:
Christmas snowman dess up
by: goodgameStudio | 4
by: goodgameStudio | 4
Christmas dress up game, this is the best gift to give children in the Christmas and New Year.
Christmas, outside under the snow, Christmas trees superstructure surface covered with thick snow, kids shaping a snowman in the yard, to get the kids dressed to the snowman, snowman can be make-up as Santa Claus, a magician, a beautiful girl, and so on. Let the kids play to their imagination, children's aesthetic exercise capacity and dressing.
I wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Tags: dress up snowman games
from 4 reviews
Free - V1.0 - 745K
Sorry ...
This app is no longer available.


text:
A updated online publication geared toward helping military make the transition into the civilian world gets a hands up from Military Spouse. With titles like, "Getting Out can be Awkward," and "Life Tip #36: Start a Hobby Today" the G.I Jobs redesign is sure to appeal. Jamie Reno continues to hammer the Phoenix VA Health […]
VA Benefits Available to Veterans Living AbroadVeteran Benefits September 12, 2008
Last week I discussed the phenomenon of thousands of our brothers and sisters choosing to live out side of the US. I say thousands, but the number is probably in the tens of thousands because obtaining an accurate count is impossible. It is impossible because many, even most, of us maintain a US mailing address where we show up as residents of these communities. We pay taxes, vote, have our autos registered, and keep our driving licenses in these states where we have a mail box and a bank account. We do this because the US government refuses to "direct deposit" our pension checks to a foreign country and to have a US bank account, we are required to have a US address. So we have a stateside presence while living our daily lives in a foreign country. This is all possible due in most part to the availability of the Internet. The Internet all but completely does away with the need to even visit the US for years at a time.
Virtually all of the benefits available to stateside veterans are available to veterans living abroad. The problem most of us face is that these services are not always available where we live. I have copied the short versions of the most common benefits directly from the VA web site: www.vba.va.gov
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Monthly monetary benefit payable to surviving spouses, certain children, and low-income parents of service members or veterans who died from: a disease or injury incurred or aggravated while on active duty or active duty for training, or an injury incurred or aggravated in the line of duty while on inactive duty training; or a disability compensable by VA.
Pension Veterans with low incomes may be eligible for this monetary support if they have 90 days or more of active military service, one day of which was during a period of war. The veteran must be permanently and totally disabled for reasons traceable to neither military service nor to willful misconduct
Death Pension Surviving spouses and unmarried children of deceased veteran with wartime service may be eligible for a non service-connected pension based on need.
Education Monetary assistance is available to veterans, surviving spouses and dependent children through the Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty), Montgomery GI Bill (Selected Reserve), Veterans' Education Assistance, and Dependents Education Assistance programs.
Vocational Rehabilitation & Counseling An eligible service-connected disabled veteran may receive employment assistance, self -employment assistance, training in a rehabilitation facility, and college and other training needed to overcome an employment handicap caused by his/her service-connected disability. While in training and for 2 months after completing training, eligible veterans may receive subsistence allowances in addition to their disability compensation or retirement pay. Outside of the United States, the veteran must be training in a degree-granting college or university.
Burial Benefits Eligible veterans may be entitled to a burial allowance, a burial flag, a headstone or grave marker, a Presidential Memorial Certificate, and burial in a National cemetery.
Insurance Two regular and two disabled insurance programs are currently open for new policyholders.
Servicemen's Group Life Insurance is open to active-duty members of the uniformed services.
Veterans' Group Life Insurance is available to individuals released from active duty after August 1, 1974, and to reservists.
Service Disabled Insurance is available for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
Education Programs Abroad VA's Education Service may approve certain education programs for veterans living abroad.
The other US agency that is valuable to the veteran living abroad is the Department of State. These are the people who man the Consulates and Embassies around the world. In a crunch they can make contact with our families and coordinate emergency medical evacuations, if, God forbid, something catastrophic happens. There is a slight catch, however. Veterans, or anyone living abroad for that matter, are asked to register with the nearest consulate. It's very easy to do and can be done in a few minutes over the Internet. The form asks for simple biographical information and your address where you live. If you have a phone you can list it. Most importantly, you are able to make special notes on the form. I listed my wifes medical situation on our form (Oh, by the way, couples can register on one form). The return email I received from the State Department indicated that the information was noted in the file started on us. And that's the catch, we now have an opened State Department file. My friends tell I'm being naive to believe that they didn't have one opened the minute I applied for a Mexican resident visa last year in Philadelphia and then flashed my passport at the border.
There may other benefits I am not aware of. And, the benefits I have listed in this article are subject to change without notice. This is the US government, after all.


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Traveled with the family (2 adults, 3 young kids) on their (not my) first trip to Paris. This hotel was a DISASTER. Rooms were not bedded as they had committed. As a result, my wife and I had to stay in separate rooms (each of us with one or two of our kids) because our rooms ended up being on different floors, and there was no hotel security (e.g., night desk clerk didn't even look up when room key was requested, so ANYONE could have gotten our room keys). Then, one morning, woke up to find NO RUNNING WATER. Forget about showers; there wasn't even water to flush the toilets!
Additionally, maids would enter our rooms even if "do not disturb" signs were on door, and continue to enter, apparently oblivious to the fact that we were all still in bed. The rooms themselves were in terrible disrepair (e.g, door handles coming off in our hands,TVs received only a handful of channels, and several of those are either only in black and white (!) or without sound, the bathroom in one of our rooms had a broken showerhead and mirror light, and the other had a non-functioning bidet. Hallway lightbulbs were out. "Full American breakfast" came with powdered eggs, a limited supply of orange juice (which would "run out" well before breakfast ended each morning), and dirty tablecloths. Maids failed to replace soap and shampoo, or wipe down counters, and even REMOVED extra pillows we had obtained when we arrived (and failed to replace extra towels). Oh, and did I mention the hotel had no concierge? Only a front desk clerk with limited English-speaking ability.
This place is a nightmare. Do yourself a favor and tell your travel agent you want NOTHING whatsoever to do with it.
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Engineering Geology Review Articles
The latest review articles published in Engineering Geology.
Early stage sinkhole formation in the Acque Albule basin of central Italy from geophysical and geochemical observations
29 May 2015
A. Argentieri | R. Carluccio | F. Cecchini | M. Chiappini | G. Ciotoli | R. De Ritis | M. Di Filippo | M. Di Nezza | M. Marchetti | S. Margottini | V. Materni | F. Meloni | A. Nardi | G. Rotella | V. Sapia | A. Venuti
Sinkhole occurrence along the Tyrrhenian margin of the Central Apennines is of great importance for applied research, land management and civil protection. This study reports on GPS-altimetry magnetic,...
Investigating landslides and unstable slopes with satellite Multi Temporal Interferometry: Current issues and future perspectives
23 May 2014
Janusz Wasowski | Fabio Bovenga
Multi Temporal Interferometry (MTI) stands for advanced synthetic aperture radar differential interferometry (DInSAR) techniques, which include Permanent/Persistent Scatterers Interferometry — PSInSAR™/PSI...
Advances on the investigation of the hydraulic behavior of compacted GMZ bentonite
4 February 2014
W.M. Ye | N.C. Borrell | J.Y. Zhu | B. Chen | Y.G. Chen
Studies on the hydraulic behavior of GMZ bentonite have been performed since 1980s. Based on a review of the former studies, achievements on experimental and theoretic results obtained on the hydraulic...
Large deformation and failure simulations for geo-disasters using smoothed particle hydrodynamics method
16 January 2014
Yu Huang | Zili Dai
Geo-disasters result in serious loss of life and property, and prediction and prevention of these disasters is of great importance. The smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, a mesh-less hydrodynamics...
Temperature influence on the physical and mechanical properties of a porous rock: San Julian's calcarenite
17 December 2013
V. Brotóns | R. Tomás | S. Ivorra | J.C. Alarcón
This work discusses the results from tests which were performed in order to study the effect of high temperatures in the physical and mechanical properties of a calcarenite (San Julian's stone). Samples,...
Design of rockfall protection embankments: A review
28 February 2013
S. Lambert | F. Bourrier
Rockfall protection embankments are elevated massive structures designed to stop falling rock blocks. This paper discusses two specific facets of their design: their ability to control a block's trajectory...
Fickian diffusion of radionuclides for engineered containment barriers: Diffusion coefficients, porosities, and complicating issues
18 January 2013
Charles D. Shackelford | Stephanie M. Moore
A review of the literature was undertaken primarily with the goal of discerning the types of diffusion coefficients that have been reported with respect to diffusion of radionuclides through engineered...
Multicriterial analysis in the investigation of favorable areas for edifications with shallow and deep foundations in the Municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
13 November 2011
A.N. Costa | H. Polivanov | M.G. Alves | D.P. Ramos
The Municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes is located on the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The city developed on a floodplain and as a consequence of this occupation it has experienced problems...
Flexible systems anchored to the ground for slope stabilisation: Critical review of existing design methods
10 October 2011
E. Blanco-Fernandez | D. Castro-Fresno | J.J. Del Coz Díaz | L. Lopez-Quijada
The aim of this article is to review and analyse the different hypotheses assumed in the calculation methods for flexible systems used in slope stabilisation....
Changes in late Pleistocene–Holocene sedimentary facies of the Mekong River Delta and the influence of sedimentary environment on geotechnical engineering properties
10 October 2011
Minh Hoang Truong | Van Lap Nguyen | Thi Kim Oanh Ta | Jiro Takemura
The aim of the study was to characterize a variety of sedimentary facies from the Mekong River delta (MRD) and to determine their geotechnical properties. The paper furthermore discusses the influences...
Toward the next generation of research on earthquake-induced landslides: Current issues and future challenges
12 September 2011
Janusz Wasowski | David K. Keefer | Chyi-Tyi Lee
Although, thanks to the new developments in investigation techniques, modeling, and data analyses, much progress has been made in our understanding of collateral seismic hazards, important new lessons...
Ring shear test for transform mechanism of slide–debris flow
24 March 2011
Ming Zhang | Yueping Yin | Ruilin Hu | Shuren Wu | Yongshuang Zhang
The paper investigates the transform mechanism of slide–debris flow. The investigation is based on a case study of an actual transformation from landslide to debris flow event. The event occurred on...
Seismic site amplification induced by topographic irregularity: Results of a numerical analysis on 2D synthetic models
10 August 2010
Vincenzo Di Fiore
This study concerns the evaluation of seismic site effects and their relation to the local topographical characteristics of a slope. The seismic amplification (SA) on the free surface is calculated...
Contribution of electrical resistivity tomography to the study of detrital aquifers affected by seawater intrusion–extrusion effects: The river Vélez delta (Vélez-Málaga, southern Spain)
8 October 2009
J. Martínez | J. Benavente | J.L. García-Aróstegui | M.C. Hidalgo | J. Rey
The coastal aquifer of the Plio-Quaternary delta sediment deposits of the Vélez river (province of Málaga, Spain) presents a highly irregular basement morphology and widely varying fill thickness (10–80 m...
The Tsaoling landslide triggered by the Chi-Chi earthquake, Taiwan: Insights from a discrete element simulation
28 May 2009
Chao-Lung Tang | Jyr-Ching Hu | Ming-Lang Lin | Jacques Angelier | Chia-Yu Lu | Yu-Chang Chan | Hao-Tsu Chu
In the village of Tsaoling (in Yunlin County, Taiwan), a major landslide was triggered by the Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999 with more than 125×106 m3 of rock displaced. The kinematic behaviour of this...
Geomorphological features and 3D modelling of Montelparo mass movement (Central Italy)
9 June 2008
D. Aringoli | M. Calista | B. Gentili | G. Pambianchi | N. Sciarra
The ancient village of Montelparo (Marche region, Central Italy) is affected by a large translational mass movement. The relief is modeled on arenaceous and arenaceous-pelitic units overlying pelitic-arenaceous...
Engineering properties of loess in Algeria
9 June 2008
M.S. Nouaouria | M. Guenfoud | B. Lafifi
Loess in North Africa has been investigated using samples from Algeria. The specific gravity, Atterberg limits, grain size distribution and dry density were determined. The hydro-collapsibility properties,...
Field occurrences of liquefaction-induced features: a primer for engineering geologic analysis of paleoseismic shaking
January 2005
Stephen F. Obermeier | Scott M. Olson | Russell A. Green
Discussed in this paper are the factors that control the typical manifestations of liquefaction that are found in continental field settings. The factors are given mainly in terms of the local geologic...
Geotechnical analysis of paleoseismic shaking using liquefaction features: a major updating
January 2005
Scott M. Olson | Russell A. Green | Stephen F. Obermeier
A new methodology is proposed for the geotechnical analysis of strength of paleoseismic shaking using liquefaction effects. The proposed method provides recommendations for selection of both individual...
Engineering geologic and geotechnical analysis of paleoseismic shaking using liquefaction effects: field examples
January 2005
Russell A. Green | Stephen F. Obermeier | Scott M. Olson
The greatest impediments to the widespread acceptance of back-calculated ground motion characteristics from paleoliquefaction studies typically stem from three uncertainties: (1) the significance of...
A second review of the international status of engineering geology — encompassing hydrogeology, environmental geology and the applied geosciences
July 1999
Allen W Hatheway | George M Reeves
Engineering geology, in 1996, worldwide, was experiencing considerable turmoil due to the uncertain nature of national economies and the general situation of inadequate funds to meet the demands of...
Instrumentation for observation of induced seismicity
June 1977
E.R. Kanasewich
Instrumentation for observations of seismicity and ground acceleration near artificial reservoirs is evolving rapidly at the present time. Data recorded between 1936 and 1970, generally with only 1–3...
Alkali-aggregate reactions in concrete
December 1975
J.E. Gillott
Concrete durability is adversely affected by expansive reactions between cement alkalies and certain rocks and minerals sometimes used as aggregates. Present trends towards production of portland cements...
Some slope stability problems in soils derived from the Ecca Shales of Natal, South Africa
September 1975
P.M. Maurenbrecher | A.R. Booth
Shales of the Lower Ecca stage of the Late Palaeozoic Series are actively degrading in the particular topography and climate of Natal. The failure of a large road embankment near Pietermaritzburg and...
A brief review of the alkali-silica in concrete and their applications to Iraqi aggregates
September 1975
Sahil A. Alsinawi | Abdul Hamid Al-Bazzaz
Cracking, expansion, deterioration and decline in strength and elasticity of concrete may result from cement-aggregate reactions after setting and hardening. These reactions occur as a result of using...
Degree of weathering in the identification of laterite materials for engineering purposes — a review
October 1974
M.D. Gidigasu
Laterite materials include a large succession of reddish, tropically weathered, decomposition products starting with fresh rock and ending with sesquioxide-rich pedogenic rock (cuirasse). Identification...
The role of rock and clast fabric in the physical performance of crushed-rock aggregate
October 1974
D.M. Ramsay | R.K. Dhir | I.M. Spence
Crushed rock aggregate responds in a rational and predictable manner to the two tests designed by British Standards for assessing aggregate strength, i.e., Aggregate Impact (IV) and Crushing Values...
Anisotropy in a natural soft clayey silt
October 1974
R.H.G. Parry | V. Nadarajah
Undisturbed specimens of a soft clayey silt have been taken vertically, horizontally and at 45° to the vertical at the base of a trench and submitted to consolidation and undrained triaxial compression...
Review of a new shear-strength criterion for rock joints
Nicholas Barton
Barton, N., 1973. Review of a new shear-strength criterion for rock joints. Eng. Geol., 7: 287–332....
Soft, stiff and servo-controlled testing machines: a review with reference to rock failure
October 1972
John A. Hudson | Steven L. Crouch | Charles Fairhurst
Testing machines have become increasingly sophisticated and versatile since they were first introduced in the early eighteenth century. Two recent advances in testing machine technology are of particular...
A review of the relationship of rock weathering and climate and its significance to foundation engineering
October 1970
M.K. Saunders | P.G. Fookes
This paper is a preliminary review of the large field embraced by climate and engineering aspects of the weathering of rock....


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Delays on the A2 going towards Blackwall Tunnel
Melissa Hills, deputy news editor / / News
DRIVERS on the A2 are experiencing delays from the Danson Interchange going towards the Blackwall Tunnel.
This is due to earlier emergency repairs which over-ran and there are currently long tailbacks.
All three lanes of the road have now been re-opened.
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Once upon a time not long ago
When people wore Adidas and lived life slow
When laws were stern and justice stood
And people was behaving like hip-hop was good
Lyric Meaning
The song starts out almost identical to Slick Rick's Children's Story, upon which this song is based. This mirroring is continued through out the rest of the song.
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Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy:
Additional Efforts Would Help Social Security Improve Outreach and Measure Program Effects
GAO-07-555: Published: May 31, 2007. Publicly Released: Jun 20, 2007.
Additional Materials:
- Highlights Page:
- Full Report:
- Accessible Text:
(202) 512-5491
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), which created a Part D outpatient prescription drug benefit that enables Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in competing private drug coverage plans. The benefit also offers a subsidy administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to assist certain low-income Medicare beneficiaries with out-of-pocket costs. GAO was asked to review (1) SSA's progress in identifying and soliciting applications from individuals potentially eligible for the subsidy; (2) SSA's processes for making eligibility determinations, resolving appeals, and redetermining beneficiaries' eligibility; and (3) how the subsidy has affected SSA's workload and operations. To conduct this study, GAO reviewed the law, assessed subsidy data, and interviewed SSA and other officials.
SSA approved about 2.2 million Medicare beneficiaries for the low-income subsidy as of March 2007, despite barriers it faced in identifying the eligible population and soliciting applications; however, measuring the success of SSA's outreach efforts is difficult because there are no reliable data on the size of the eligible population. In 2005, SSA mailed 18.6 million subsidy applications to Medicare beneficiaries who were potentially eligible for the subsidy. SSA knew that this mailing was an overestimate, but took this approach to ensure that all who were eligible would be contacted. SSA had hoped to more specifically identify the eligible population using IRS tax data, but current law restricts the use of taxpayer data unless an individual has already applied for the subsidy. Further, SSA conducted a campaign of about 76,000 events held nationwide to educate people about the subsidy and how to apply for it. Since the initial campaign ended, however, SSA has not developed specific performance goals and measures to assess the progress of its continuing outreach efforts. SSA's efforts to solicit applications were hindered by beneficiaries' confusion about the difference between the subsidy and the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, and the reluctance of some individuals to share personal financial information, among other factors. While the early subsidy participation rate compares favorably to those of some other low-income programs, the lack of reliable data on the size of the eligible population means that the extent to which SSA has signed up the eligible population for the benefit is unknown. While SSA has established processes for making subsidy eligibility determinations, resolving appeals, and conducting redeterminations, it has not established some key management tools to monitor the progress of all of its efforts, as specified in GAO's internal control standards. For example, while SSA tracks various results from its appeals process, it does not currently have a performance goal to assess the timeliness of appeals decisions, but agency officials told us that SSA plans to establish a goal of processing 75 percent of appeals in 60 days. Also, while SSA tracks the status of its redetermination decisions, officials do not believe that it is necessary to measure the time for processing individual redetermination decisions because they said that the time to complete the overall redeterminations cycle provides adequate information. SSA's implementation of the low-income subsidy did affect the agency's workload and operations, but according to SSA officials, the additional workloadhas been manageable overall as a result of increased funding that the agency received to carry out MMA activities. SSA hired 2,200 field office staff, and 500 headquarters staff to handle its new subsidy workload, as well as to carry out other activities for the program. In 2006, SSA staff spent the equivalent of 2,190 work years on low-income subsidy implementation activities, with about 50 percent of the time spent on subsidy applications. While there were periods of high subsidy application activity, SSA officials told us that subsidy program activities did not have an adverse impact on other SSA workloads. The officials attributed the minimal impact of Part D to several factors, including the highly automated subsidy application process and the $500 million congressional appropriation that SSA spent on MMA start-up costs. SSA estimates that its costs for low-income subsidy activities are $175 million annually.
Recommendations for Executive Action
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: In it initial comments on our draft report in May 2007, SSA stated that it had begun discussions with IRS to evaluate how such a study might be designed. The IRS stated that it agrees that a test should be conducted and is willing to work with SSA in that effort, with the understanding that present law prohibits the IRS from sharing tax information as part of the test. In December 2008 issued, IRS issued the report from the study.
Recommendation: The Commissioners of SSA and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) should work together to assess the extent to which IRS tax data may help SSA to better target individuals who might qualify for the subsidy, possibly aiding SSA in better targeting its outreach efforts. This effort could also aid in developing more precise estimates of the eligible population and help to better inform the Congress on legislative proposals to allow IRS to share tax data with SSA to assist the agency with its outreach efforts.
Agency Affected: Department of the Treasury: Internal Revenue Service
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: SSA initially reported that the data it collects on processing time for the overall re-determination cycle provides adequate management controls for operational data. Also, while SSA stated that it had established a performance standard for assessing the timeliness of appeals, in a follow-up discussion with agency officials after receiving their comments, they told us that the goal did not exist, but that the agency planned to establish a goal of processing 75 percent of appeals in 60 days. However, in August 2009, SSA stated that it had established the performance goal for appeals, and that it had implemented a monthly processing goal report that captures data for the fiscal year. We believe that SSA's actions significantly address this recommendation.
Recommendation: To improve SSA's outreach efforts and its ability to measure the effectiveness of the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy application processes, the Commissioner of Social Security should direct staff to begin collecting data on the processing time for individual redetermination decisions, and establish performance standards for processing time for the appeals and redetermination decisions.
Agency Affected: Social Security Administration
Status: Closed - Not Implemented
Comments: In its response to our report, SSA stated that it believed that its National Strategic Communications Plan serves as a comprehensive plan for its outreach efforts agency-wide, but that it would not be able to implement specific goals and measures due to the lack of reliable data on the eligible population. While we agreed that SSA's National Strategic Communications Plan serves as a comprehensive plan for describing the agency's outreach efforts, we stated that we did not believe that data on the potentially eligible subsidy population, while useful, were needed for SSA to establish specific performance goals and measures to assess the effectiveness of its outreach efforts. Although SSA has taken a number of actions to make more people aware of the subsidy, such as mailing a notice to approximately 6 million low-income Medicare beneficiaries informing them about the subsidy, it has not established the performance goals and measures we recommended.
Recommendation: To improve SSA's outreach efforts and its ability to measure the effectiveness of the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy application processes, the Commissioner of Social Security should establish specific performance goals and measures for SSA's outreach activities to provide the agency with a means to assess their effectiveness in soliciting applications from additional individuals who qualify for the subsidy, but have not yet applied.
Agency Affected: Social Security Administration
Status: Closed - Implemented
Comments: In its initial comments on our draft report in May 2007, SSA stated that it had begun discussions with IRS to evaluate how such a study might be designed. In December 2008, IRS issued the report from this study.
Recommendation: The Commissioners of SSA and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) should work together to assess the extent to which IRS tax data may help SSA to better target individuals who might qualify for the subsidy, possibly aiding SSA in better targeting its outreach efforts. This effort could also aid in developing more precise estimates of the eligible population and help to better inform the Congress on legislative proposals to allow IRS to share tax data with SSA to assist the agency with its outreach efforts.
Agency Affected: Social Security Administration
Explore the full database of GAO's Open Recommendations »
Feb 11, 2016
Veterans' Health Care:Preliminary Observations on VHA's Claims Processing Delays and Efforts to Improve the Timeliness of Payments to Community ProvidersGAO-16-380T: Published: Feb 11, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 11, 2016.
Feb 10, 2016
Medicaid:Changes to Funding Formula Could Improve Allocation of Funds to StatesGAO-16-377T: Published: Feb 10, 2016. Publicly Released: Feb 10, 2016.
Jan 19, 2016
Medicare and Medicaid:Additional Oversight Needed of CMS's Demonstration to Coordinate the Care of Dual-Eligible BeneficiariesGAO-16-31: Published: Dec 18, 2015. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2016.
Medicaid Managed Care:Trends in Federal Spending and State Oversight of Costs and EnrollmentGAO-16-77: Published: Dec 17, 2015. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2016.
Jan 14, 2016
Drug Safety:FDA Expedites Many Applications, But Data for Postapproval Oversight Need ImprovementGAO-16-192: Published: Dec 15, 2015. Publicly Released: Jan 14, 2016.
Jan 5, 2016
DOD and VA Health Care:Actions Needed to Help Ensure Appropriate Medication Continuation and Prescribing PracticesGAO-16-158: Published: Jan 5, 2016. Publicly Released: Jan 5, 2016.
Dec 18, 2015
Defense Health Care:Research on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderGAO-16-154: Published: Dec 18, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2015.
Medicare:Increasing Hospital-Physician Consolidation Highlights Need for Payment ReformGAO-16-189: Published: Dec 18, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 18, 2015.
Dec 7, 2015
Medicaid Financing:Questionnaire Data on States' Methods for Financing Medicaid Payments from 2008 through 2012 (GAO-15-227SP, March 2015), an E-supplement to GAO-14-627 [Reissued on December 7, 2015]GAO-15-227SP: Published: Mar 13, 2015. Publicly Released: Mar 13, 2015.
Dec 2, 2015
Centers of Excellence:DOD and VA Need Better Documentation of Oversight ProceduresGAO-16-54: Published: Dec 2, 2015. Publicly Released: Dec 2, 2015.
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