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Can't find the Out of Office Assistant to update your contacts for a long July 4th weekend? Well, for Outlook 2010 you find it where you find all of the other options and tools: the Backstage view (click the gold File tab in the upper-left corner of the screen) and then click the Automatic Replies button.
This new video training goes over the basics of setting up Automatic Replies for any occasion (including the most frequent, your out-of-office message). But the training also has a workaround if you don't have a mailbox on Microsoft Exchange, a program that delivers email to Outlook and your mobile devices. Here's the first part of the training and let me explain more below about Outlook and Exchange.
Microsoft Exchange is what many companies use to work with Outlook. However, you may have another service (like Hotmail, Gmail, your Internet provider). If you don't have Exchange, the Automatic Replies tool (and the button, pictured above) does not appear. However, the second course of this training shows you a simple step to create an Out of Office template that will work the same way. (Here are the written instructions for the procedure at Office.com).
You can read more about automatic replies for Outlook 2010, Outlook 2007, and Outlook 2003. Teachers might want to read this blog post in the Office in Education blog.
–Doug Thomas


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International Conferences
APS International Affairs occasionally highlights international conferences and events that promote physics and international scientific collaborations. These are posted as they occur.
Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference
October 23-26, 2014 in Ontario, Canada
Conference Website
Canadian-American-Mexican Graduate Student Physics Conference 2013 (CAM2013)
August 2013 in Ontario, Canada
Conference Website
First Joint Session Between the Chinese Physical Society and the American Physical Society
September 2012 in Guangzhou, China
Conference Overview
Biomass Technology for Sustainable Energy in Western Africa Workshop
February 2008 in Accra, Ghana
Workshop Overview
World Conference on Physics and Sustainable Development
November 2005 in Durban, South Africa

subset: commoncrawl


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Hamilton Robotics has announced that the CytoScan automated target preparation solution from Affymetrix Inc. is built on the Microlab NIMBUS 96 workstation from Hamilton Robotics. The Affymetrix NIMBUS target preparation instrument automates target preparation from the CytoScan cytogenetics solutions, which offers broad coverage and high-performance for detecting human chromosomal aberrations.
The Hamilton Microlab NIMBUS 96 is a customizable instrument platform that offers speed, ease of use, and high-performance pipetting in a small footprint. The flexible system combines accurate liquid measurement with software that provides workflow control, file handling, and integration with third-party devices. The compact, affordable system allows laboratories to process up to 96 samples at a time.
Hamilton Robotics tailor-made the Affymetrix NIMBUS for the CytoScan assay using its custom-build process, which includes system definition, final design and system assembly, factory acceptance testing, and site acceptance testing.
Hamilton Robotics, www.hamiltonrobotics.com


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"Superman Returns" star Brandon Routh has welcomed his first child into the world, after his wife Courtney Ford gave birth to a son on Friday.
Baby Leo James Routh was born on Friday, weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds and 20½ inches long.
Brandon and Courtney, who tied the knot in 2007, announced the pregnancy in March. The actor admitted, "It's been so hard keeping the news to ourselves".
Courtney revealed they lied about the pregnancy in the beginning while they tried to keep it a secret. She was thrilled when she could finally reveal the news to her "Parenthood" co-stars.
Routh can be seen in the television series "Partners" this fall on CBS.
Click thumbnails for larger pictures
Images: wenn.com


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A WEEK after they beat Bradford United 3-0 at Culver Close, Freshford United entertained their near-neighbours on their own patch at Brown's Park and like the previous encounter Freshford took the spoils.
A 7-1 win sees Hughie Fulton's villagers close the gap on Trowbridge Windows & Conservatories-sponsored Trowbridge League Division One leaders Boomsbury to two points with a game in hand.
The evergreen John Williams shocked the home side when he put the visitors ahead on five minutes. Andy Donald got Freshford back on level terms and a first of the afternoon from Steve Roddy gave the villagers a 2-1 lead at the break.
Bradford made a promising start to the second half and were unlucky not to restore parity before a second from Roddy increased Freshford's lead.
Bradford knew it wasn't their day when Phil Little had a goal disallowed and after that a few heads started to drop and the hosts hit the goal trail.
Donald's second of the game made it 4-0, Nick Angell added number five before he bagged his second of the game for 6-0.
The scoring was completed by the prolific Roddy who, after scoring a brace last weekend went one better and wrapped things up wit hhis third of the game.
North Bradley 4 Warminster Town Reserves 3
WITH their own Weymouth Street ground unavailable, Warminster Town Reserves reversed their game with North Bradley to the Peace Memorial Field, in Bradley and although the conditions may have not been the best it gave both teams only their third run out in 2013.
And it was Bradley who after losing to Seend in a seven-goal thriller last weekend came out on top in another seven-goal classic this weekend as they beat their guests 4-3.
The Warminster youngsters found adjusting to village life rather difficult as they came off second best to a committed Bradley side.
After coping with a difficult playing surface and waiting for the ball to be retrieved from gardens Andy McFerran's lads played some pretty football but despite a spirited late comeback could not prise any points from Bradley.
Bradley had weathered some early Warminster raids before their first meaningful attack. Mike Johnson's free kick was met by James Taylor, who capped his first start of the season with a clever backwards header that arched into the top corner for 1-0.
Warminster were back in the game 15 minutes later when they were awarded a penalty, and Matthew Dyer made it 1-1.
While their forward play was strong, the visitors were finding it hard to contain the home strike force of Neil Hannaford and Reuben Spong.
The former hit the side-netting from an acute angle while the latter benefitted from Taylor's precision pass to put the villagers 2-1 up, Spong was denied on two further occasions before half time by last-ditch tackles.
That pairing proved to be the difference in the second half as Bradley absorbed lots of pressure, created in chief by Cameron Allardice and Mark Bailey with ex-villager Pete Drew seeing a lot of ball at right-back.
First Hannaford beat two defenders on the right before finding Spong with a pinpoint cross for 3-1 and Spong touched on Ben Hogg's long pass for Hannaford to run onto and slot past the keeper for 4-1.
The Warminster fight back was started by Allardice who returned a half cleared corner with a 20 yard shot that beat Rob Elliott with the aid of a cruel bobble.
With 20 minutes to go Dyer took advantage of a rare bit of indecision in the Bradley defence to make it 4-3 from close range.
A frantic last 20 minutes saw Hannaford and Spong threaten with decent shots and Dyer head wide for the visitors as Bradley tired but had enough character to keep the lead they'd held for most of the afternoon.
Referee Andy Meaden helped a decent game by handling rising passions with good humour as both teams produced committed football for their respective causes.
Westbury United Reserves 7 Trowbridge Wanderers 0
DUE to maintenance on their own pitch at Lambrok Road, Trowbridge Wanderers' game with Westbury United Reserves was postponed on Wednesday.
But the determination of both clubs to get a game played saw it rescheduled for Westbury's Meadow Lane ground and it was the hosts who with a 7-0 win boosted their chances of lifting the title while heaping more misery on Jake Wayman's relegation battlers.
Westbury were never really troubled after Marc Lanfear put them in front and thanks to a second from Lanfear, a Kane Scott penalty and a first of the season from Joe Maloney they helped themselves to a 4-0 interval lead.
Harry Page, in only his second game for Westbury, added goals five and six before Marc Lanfear rounded off the victory with his third of the afternoon.
TROWBRIDGE & DISTRICT LEAGUE ROUNDUP, STATS AND PICTURES IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD AND FRIDAY'S WILTSHIRE TIMES AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @gazsport and @WTSport


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When she arranged a Star Wars-themed birthday party for her children, Natalie Wreyford thought the presents would be easy - a Luke Skywalker doll for her son and Princess Leia for her daughter.
But after visiting two Disney stores and searching Star Wars shelves filled with Darth Vaders, Han Solos and other male characters, she was unable to find any Princess Leia merchandise.
The 42-year-old film scholar, from Walthamstow, east London, wrote on Twitter to Disney asking why she could not find any toys with the female lead.
She was cheerfully told there were "no plans" for any Princess Leia products at the giant American company's stores.
This prompted an outcry from customers who accused Disney of sexism and unhealthy gender stereotyping in ignoring the key female character.
Two weeks later, what started as a London mother's quest to find a gift for her six-year-old daughter turned into a global campaign.
Disney has now relented, announcing that it will add Princess Leia items to its current collection. Ms Wreyford, who is studying for a PhD at King's College London, said Disney's initial refusal sent the wrong message to youngsters.
"It was suggesting that girls should not like Star Wars and that boys should not be interested in the female character," she said. "I thought, I can't be the only female Star Wars fan out there.
"These things have consequences as children grow up, to make boys and girls think they can only enjoy certain things. "It is important boys are encouraged to be interested in female characters and relate to them and empathise rather than women being these alien other beings."
Disney won the rights to Star Wars when it bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012. It has produced a range of 75 Star Wars-themed items featuring the main male characters Darth Vader, Han Solo, Anakin and Luke Skywalker but nothing featuring Princess Leia.
After Ms Wreyford's victory, a Disney spokesman said: "The current assortment of Star Wars products at the Disney Store, launched earlier this year, is just the beginning of what is to come. We're excited to be rolling out new products in the coming months, including several items that will feature Princess Leia."
The tweets that started it all:
Thank you so much everyone who supported #WeWantLeia. We did it!! http://t.co/F65HTZsSbc — Natalie Wreyford (@nataliewreyford)
June 4, 2014
Just in from The Disney Store. Still refusing to help me get answers to questions about Leia. #WeWantLeia pic.twitter.com/2kDwCsDp17 — Natalie Wreyford (@nataliewreyford)
June 4, 2014
Please sign this everyone; Hey Disney! #WeWantLeia http://t.co/3tKL7VxVY3 via @ipetitions — Natalie Wreyford (@nataliewreyford)
June 3, 2014
Insultingly dismissive replies re Leia products from Disney Customer Services. No one seems to want to answer questions. #WeWantLeia — Natalie Wreyford (@nataliewreyford)
June 3, 2014
Because @DisneyStore thinks boys don't like female characters. Teaching objectification rather than empathy. #WeWantLeia #YesAllWomen — Natalie Wreyford (@nataliewreyford)
May 25, 2014
Looks like we have a hashtag #wewantleia thanks @ManVsPink. — Natalie Wreyford (@nataliewreyford)
May 24, 2014
This is Bantha poodoo. @DisneyStore @StarWars @NatalieWreyford http://t.co/cIz8nptKNq pic.twitter.com/dFz0xbRCOM — Justin T. Grant (@Geek_Zero)
May 23, 2014
The Telegraph, London


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Stroke: Speech and Language ProblemsSkip to the navigation
Topic Overview
Some people have speech and language problems after a stroke. These problems may involve any or all aspects of language use, such as speaking, reading, writing, and understanding the spoken word. Speech and language problems (aphasia) usually occur when a stroke affects the right side of the body. Trouble communicating can be very frustrating. When you talk to someone who has had a stroke, be patient, understanding, and supportive.
The following are tips for helping someone who has speech and language problems:
- Speak directly to him or her—not to a companion, even if that person is an interpreter—and speak in second, not third, person: "How are you feeling today?"
- Maintain eye contact.
- Speak slowly and simply in a normal tone of voice. People who have speech and language problems are not deaf.
- Give him or her adequate time to respond.
- Listen carefully.
- Focus on what the person is saying, not how he or she is saying it.
- Don't fill in with a word or sentence unless you are asked.
- Ask the person to rephrase or repeat something if you do not understand.
- Put the person—not the impairment—first.
- Limit conversations to small groups or one on one. Large group conversations may be difficult for your loved one to follow.
Related Information
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Richard D. Zorowitz, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Current as ofJune 4, 2016
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Next Section:Related Information
Previous Section:Topic Overview
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Current as of: June 4, 2016
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
© 1995-2016 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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This Pancake Day, we want to know how you like your pancakes. Sweet or savoury? Cast your vote here- you could be in with a chance of winning a luxury Le Creuset crêpe pan!
To excite those tastebuds, we have also found some flippin' fabulous pancake recipes to try out at home!
Apple Cinnamon
Spinach Artichoke and Brie with Sweet Honey Sauce
Apple and Greek Yogurt
Green Onion Parmesan with Ricotta, Spinach, Bacon & Mushroom
Red Velvet with Seet Cream Cheese Filling
Gluten Free Chickpea pancakes with spicy roasted carrots, sweet potatoes, and feta
White Chocolate and Macadamia nuts
Ham, Swiss and Asparagus
Cottage Cheese and Blueberry Sauce
A must-have in every kitchen, the Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick Crêpe Pan, (RRP £75.00, 24cm / RRP £95.00 28cm) is the perfect shape for creating delicious pancakes that brown evenly and release from the pan effortlessly. Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick is a sleek range of versatile pans that are all perfect for everyday use. With a tough, reinforced and yet ultra-smooth surface inside and out that can withstand use of metal utensils, the Le Creuset ultimate non-stick coating releases food with ease and cleans effortlessly – perfect for making simple everyday suppers or something a little more special. For the full Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick range click here.


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Soft fleece material protects against cold drafts. Simply attach near cage corner and perch to create a snuggly warm alcove. Great for naps and cuddling. Made of plush polyester. Machine washable. Please specify Green, Purple, or Yellow.
For pet safety, inspect for torn or damaged areas; replace when product is worn, picked apart, or damaged.


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Have you ever purchased from PartSelect.com before?
Thank you for helping make our site better.
Part Number WP71003424 replaces: 71003424, 71003424R.
PartSelect Number PS11743900
Manufacturer Part Number WP71003424
Manufactured by Whirlpool
This electronic clock assembly is seven and a half inches long. It is three inches wide and is intended for use with a range's control panel.
This part works with the following brands: Jenn-Air.
This part works with the following products: Wall Oven, Microwave Oven Combo.
This part fixes the following symptoms:
Part Number WP71003424 replaces: 71003424, 71003424R.
1. Turned off the circuit breaker for the oven.2. Opened oven door used a phillips screwdriver to remove four black screws from under the top panel.3. Lifted panel slightly & removed from oven.Removed four screws using 1/4" nut driver to remove old display unit. Disconnected three wire harnesses.4. Connected three wire harnesses to new display unit & replaced four nut screws. 5. Hang the top panel on the top of oven & replace four screws removed in step 2.6. Turn on the circuit breaker for the oven.("Very easy! I'm a 63 yr. old woman!)
Help other customers find the most helpful instructions.
Were these instructions helpful?
First I turned off the power at the breaker. Then I removed the 4 screws holding the panel in. These screws are located under the panel and accessed when the oven door is opened. The only caution is not to take all the screws out. Just the 4 that hold in the front panel.The panel came off by lifting it and pulling it slightly forward. Then I removed the 3 wiring harnesses. I then used a 1/4 inch socket wrench to remove the (4) screws and replaced the clock unit with the new one. I tightened the 4 screws, re-installed the wiring harnesses and swung the panel back in place . I then locked it in place with the 4 screws on the bottom of the panel. When I turned on the power and my wife saw the lit up clock she was so happy! End of story.
This was soooo easy, yes even you Mr. All thumbs, can do it. First it was nice to receive the exact parts I needed from PartsSelect. I needed to take the 4 screws that held the wall oven in place and pull it out about 1". Then, using a battery powered screw driver I removed 4 screws for under the Clocks panel, (you'll need to open the door, can you handle that?). After you've done that simply lift the Glass up and off by grasping the panel and with thumbs on the bottom tilt bottom toward you as you lift up, comes right off. Now disconnect the wire ribbons (4 of them) to seperate the panel from the oven and set the panel down on a towel on the table. Now using a nut driver take out 4 "nuts" and replace the clock card. Be sure to wipe off the INSIDE of the glass panel while you have the card out, and wipe the cards glass so the digital readout will be crystal clear. Re-assemble in the reverse order and you are done. Should take you less then 15 minutes and your wife will think you are a hero! (or you wives can do it and impress the husband!)
Two separate problems. The display gradually dimmed over time and finally went out completely. It was really easy installing the new display module. I analyzed the old one and found an 68uF electrolytic capacitor (<$1) that was bad. Don't know if any other component was bad. In looking at the display module it seems it was way over-priced at over $200. The second problem is that one of the small burners had a open heating wire. The installation of the new burner was OK except the new unit did not have any clips to hold it in place. I couldn't transfer the old clips over. So I just placed it under the holding bracket and hoped that it wouldn't move while I was putting the unit back in place and it didn't. So that is working OK now.
1. Turn off the circuit breaker for the oven2. Open oven and using a phillips screwdriver remove four black screws from under the top panel. 3. Lift panel slightly and remove from oven. Disconnect three wire harnesses.4. Remove the old display unit by taking out the four screws using a 1/4" nut driver.5. Install the new display unit using the four screwsfrom step 4.6. Hold the top panel close to the top of the oven and attach the three wire harnesses.7. Hang the top panel on the top of the oven and replace the four screws removed in step 2.8. Turn on the circuit breaker for the oven.
First I did it wrong-then I came and read how the 64 yr old lady it and she was spot on. First-turn off power to unit. Take off the 4 screws holding the upper part with the clock in it . (OPen the oven door for access) Then lift up slightly and pull the upper unit out. CLock is right there held on by 4 1/4 inch screws. Remove screws, unplug wiring and reinstall using reverse procedures. Then turn power back on. REady to go
Searching the internet, I found the part I needed for the lowest price at PartSelect.com. I reviewed the exploded parts diagram for my oven at PartSelect.com to get a general overview of how the oven was assembled - then I read the customer stories to get some hints from those who had done this repair before. My oven is a combination wall oven with a microwave on top. First, I shut off the power to the oven at the breaker box and then removed the thin, long rails from each side of the oven using a philips screwdriver to remove the 4 screws. This then allowed me to remove the plastic faceplate from around the microwave. Opening the oven door, I found 4 philips pan head screws underneath the control panel and removed them. The control panel will then easily lift up and then out. There are 3 areas where you must disconnect electrical connections on the control module - pay a bit of attention here, but they are sized differently and are not hard to match back up appropriately when you reconnect them to the new module. These connection plugs pull straight out with no tool needed. The old control module is held in place with 4 hex-head screws I removed with a nutdriver. After you remove the old module, it is a good time to clean the inside of the clear diplay area of the front panel with a paper towel dampened with a bit of window cleaner. Allow this to dry and then install your new control module reversing the procdures you used to remove it and reverse the procedures to reinstall the control panel, the microwave faceplate and the side rails. Cut the power back on and sit back as your wife finally thinks you are the genius that you truly are........
Screws removed from below panel. The most difficult procedure was removing the panel from the oven unit to get to the part. After lifting up and out, the panel back was revealed. Disconnected old part by pulling the three connections and replacing with new part.
Replacing the electronic Clock Assembly was a piece of cake - just as earlier DIYers had experienced.The door hinges were not any harder to replace, but it does not affect the behavior of the door. The light stays on unless we keep the door closed with a hook and anchor ( bent piece of metal and a wooden wedge). Not pretty, but effective. Obviously a design flaw... keeping door closed in this way forces all airflow to top and has melted the paint into a wrinkled surface. We had a service person replace the gasket seal and hinges before, but the problem still persists. I did discover that soaking the light cover in a cola drink overnight did a splendid job of cleaning off the gunk.
Turned off power at beaker box. Opened oven door. Removed four screws from botton of display panel. Lifted display panel up and out to remove. Unplugged three wire bundles from back of circuit board. Removed four screws holding circuit board and replaced circuit board. Reassembled panel. Turned power back on. Presto.....saved $200.00 from repair estimate.
Same as the others to get to the bad clock. My old part was a circuit board which was made with white material and manufactured by RoberShaw. The new one was on a green material and by another manufacture. The new one felt a little heavier and look like there were more componets on it. However the plug-in connections and the mounting method was exactly the same. Before reassembly, I used a long handled brush to clean out most of the baking gunk thathad accumulated in this area and I used a clean wipeing cloth to clean the inside glass for the display. The best thing about this was the part came on the Thursday beforeHollowee, I installed it as soon as I got home from work. My wife started baking cookies and cup cakes for trick ortreat and all is well.
I removed the four screws holding the control panel to the oven. I then lifted off the panel and rested it on the the oven rack which I set in the top position and pulled out about a foot. Next, I removed the three plug in cables and removed the two screws from the frame that was holding the clock assembly in place. I put in the new part and reversed the procedure. Total time to replace part was six minutes.
Removed the display panel with 4 screws. Then disconnected the wires and plugged in the new display panel. Turned on the power again and it was brand new.
I took out 4 screws under the display panel. Lifted the panel up and off the oven. It was connected to 3 or 4 plugs on the control panel. I unplugged them and un screwed the control panel and screwwd the new panel in replugged the wires into the panel. walla it worked.
Followed the very clear instructions written by others who also had a combination microwave/oven. Complication encountered because my oven is built into the cabinetry right next to a built-in refrigerator that protrudes by several inches. No room to get a screwdriver in to loosen the screws for the faceplate of the microwave on one side in order to remove the oven's display panel. Luckily had just the tip of a Phillips head and used pliers to carefully turn it just a bit with each turn until screw came out. Also didn't have the right tool to loosen the clock display little hex screws and used pliers for that as well. It was tough to get two of the electrical connections out--had to be careful wiggling them free so as not to break the wires. Finally used a tiny little flathead screwdriver to gently work each side up a bit until the whole connection could be pulled out. Took longer than it needed to.
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The PartSelect logo is a Registered Trademark of Atlantic Laundry Centres, Ltd.
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I'm old enough to kno w firsthand about the days when homes were lighted by kerosene lamps. They were replaced by natural gas lamps before electric lights became common in every home.
I have an old kerosene lamp that we used when our power went out due to bad weather. Our house on Theodore Street had a gas pipe in the kitchen for use with gas lighting, but I never saw it used. My Mom told of how when she was a girl, one of her chores was to clean and refill the kerosene lamp that sat on the dining room table. As a boy, I was familiar with kerosene lanterns used to mark construction sites and warn of the danger of falling into a hole in the street or sidewalk.
What did people do for lighting before kerosene lamps? They used candles.
Candles evolved over a long period of time, beginning with different kinds of portable fires. Torches, made from fiber material soaked with some kind of oil, grease or wax needed only to have someone invent a wick to form the first primitive candle.
The first candles were expensive and not used by poor people. They were soft, melted easily and didn't last very long. They gave off some smoke and unpleasant odors. Some were made of tallow (the fat from a cow), whale oil, paraffin or other kinds of oil. Added ingredients made the candles stronger and less likely to bend out of shape when warmed.
Some candles were marked so they could tell time. As the candle burned down, the marks showed how many hours had passed since it was lit.
An organization known as The Christophers, used a slogan that said, "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." That meant instead of complaining about how dark it is, or how bad something is, it's better to do something about it. Even if that something is very little, it's better than doing nothing.
A longstanding tradition is putting candles on a birthday cake. Usually it's one candle for each year. Sometimes an extra one is added for good luck. I just had a birthday last month and there was no way I was going to have 95 candles on a birthday cake.
Part of the ritual was that the smoke and light rising from the candles would get the birthday person's secret wish granted. I always wished for another birthday.
I remember a real old joke about candles that depended on knowing that candles were expensive and not lit unless there was good reason to do so. It's about a very sick man, in bed, being tended by his younger brother. A candle burned by the sick man's bedside. When the caretaker was retiring for the night, he said to his dying brother, "If you feel yourself slipping away, don't forget to blow out the candle."
Candles, being open fires, were and still are, dangerous. The flame can ignite anything that burns. Curtains, drapes, clothing, tablecloths, furniture, bedding, and all kinds of paper products, can start a fire that will destroy property and kill or injure people.
One use for candles that I never understood why anyone would want to do, is to put lighted candles on a Christmas tree. My Mom often told of how at Christmas time, many homes were set on fire due to candles igniting the needles on a tree that had dried out. She remembered that happening when she was a girl.
I remember hearing of people using a lighted candle to find a gas leak. Not a good idea. Very dangerous. Same with trying to thaw frozen water pipes with the heat from a burning candle. Children playing with candles often either get burned or they start a fire.
One place where candles have been (and still are) used, is in churches and other places of worship. There is a lot of symbolism in the living flame of a candle. Four candles are lighted, one for each of the weeks of Advent. I believe the menorah has seven candles. Weddings use two candles that are used to light one larger candle to symbolize the joining of two people in holy matrimony.
The soft light from a candle can be used to set a romantic tone to a meal or social gathering.
Many people find candlelight soothing and comforting.
One of the more modern recent developments is scented candles. I've heard of people using scented candles while relaxing in a hot tub. That's part of modern aromatherapy.
Putting a lighted candle in the front window of a home was a signal to friends, relatives and even strangers, that they were welcome to visit. It's like turning on the porch light on Halloween to invite little trick-or-treaters to get their handouts.
Modern automobiles have all kinds of electronic gadgets to do various things that were unheard of a century ago. Now, the owners of even the newest cars are advised to carry a few candles in their emergency kit. It takes only one candle to keep the interior of a car, stranded in a blizzard, warm enough to protect its occupants.
One of my favorite toys was a put-put boat. This little tin boat was powered by a tiny candle. The flame heated a small boiler until the water turned into steam. The steam came out the stern of the boat in bubbles and propelled the tiny craft forward as the steam bubbles made a put-put sound. That was lots of fun.
If this was an old-fashioned letter, I could seal the flap with a few drops of candle wax and an impression of my signet ring. If I had such a ring.
Editor's note: Straka can be reached via email at email@example.com.


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Val Kilmer and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson team up in this cliche actioner...
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Most of the time, when a straight-to-video film like Gun appears on store shelves, I ignore it completely. However, when I saw Gun featured one of my favorite all-time actors - Val Kilmer, I had to check it out.
Written by and starring Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and co-starring Val Kilmer, Gun follows gangster-turned-arms dealer Rich (Jackson) who's past comes back to change his life forever when Angel (Kilmer), who saved his life a decade before, joins his crew.
I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for Val Kilmer. I've been a Kilmer fan since I first saw him in Real Genius and, after Top Gun and Willow...well...let's just say I was sold for life. Now, thanks to Kilmer's role as burned out, has been drug dealer Angel and considering up-and-coming rapper-turned-actor Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson both wrote and stars in this, I decided Gun would get 82 minutes of my life.
Unfortunately, I'll never get those 82 minutes back. Gun is exactly what you'd expect from a low-budget, crime film starring a rapper-turned-actor and a "has been." It's one of the most cliche, poorly written screenplays ever made with Jackson taking on the stereotypical role of an inner city gangster looking to score big. In fact, the only real cool thing I really loved was his calling card: using the world's largest handgun (Smith & Wesson's 500 Cal Magnum) to drive his rivals out of business by blasting them to Hades.
Hot on Rich's tail are two cops looking to clean up the streets. However, when Angel, another gangster who saved Rich's skin a decade earlier, shows up looking for work, let's just say besides a solid number of shoot outs, angry words, and laughably bad moments.
While Kilmer used to be a great actor, he's sadly become - like his character Angel - a "has been." His last great film was 2005's Kiss, Kiss, Bang Bang and 2004's Spartan (a brilliant film by writer/director David Mamet). This doesn't mean I don't still love Kilmer's films. As I've made clear, I'll watch anything he stars in, but that doesn't mean it's good or I'll ever watch it again.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), Gun is one of those films I'll never watch again. While maybe not a total waste of those 82 minutes (as handgun fans finally get to see a Smith & Wesson 500 Calibur Magnum get some screen time), movie goers would be better off re-watching classic crime and drug films like Heat and True Romance and re-runs of quality crime and cop shows like The Wire and Southland.
As for special features, the Gun blu-ray includes only one bonus feature, a standard definition film trailer.
While Gun is - essentially - a terrible film, it does show Jackson is at least hard at work pursuing his career as an actor and writer. He's got some talent to build on and, if he puts as much dedication into his acting as he has his rapping, he'll be a force to be reckoned with in years to come. Sadly, Kilmer simply continues to get older, heavier and more tiring to watch.
Gun is available now wherever blu-ray and DVDs are sold and is rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language and a sex scene.
- Jess C. Horsley


text: NFL's fantasy island is a gambler's paradise By Norman Chad October 7, 2012 Story Share THIS IS WHAT I love about the NFL: On weekends, it puts on the greatest show on Earth, sporting-wise; then, on weekdays, it puts on the greatest show on Earth, sanctimonious-wise.Case in point - the NFL and gambling.When it comes to gambling, the NFL always has been - how shall we say? - a little bit pregnant. Let me put it this way: If gambling were the preacher's daughter, the NFL would knock her up, raise its hands plaintively as if it had never touched her - and then go to church to pray for her unborn child.If the NFL were around in the 4th century BC, Hypocrisy would've been its commissioner.(Hypocrisy was a spiritual descendant of the Greek god Hypocrates, who never practiced what he preached and purportedly was the first Raiders fan.)The NFL's spectacular growth over the past half-century has been dual-fueled by television and gambling. The league puts out a compelling product greatly enhanced by broadcasters and bookies, yet the league has always distanced itself from the serious and friendly money wagered on all of its games.And, thus, we have witnessed the evolution of the NFL's awkward position - it's enriched by sports betting yet condemns it.The NFL has taken various public stances against gambling interests for years, lobbying, for instance, against sports betting and online poker. Earlier this year, the NFL - along with the NBA, NHL, MLB and NCAA - filed a complaint in federal court in Trenton, N.J., seeking to stop New Jersey from implementing sports betting on pro and college games.But Couch Slouch is tired of this storefront sermonizing. Because while the NFL's left hand is pointing fingers, the NFL's right hand is pocketing money.In fact, at the moment the NFL has both hands in a couple of cookie jars full of gambling dollars.This year, for the first time, the league is allowing teams to display local casino advertising in stadiums, as long as the casino does not have a sports book. "We remain steadfast in our opposition to the proliferation of gambling on NFL games," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy announced. "There is a distinction between accepting advertising in a limited fashion and gambling on the outcome of our games."Let's review both parts of that statement."We remain steadfast in our opposition to the proliferation of gambling on NFL games."Translation: "Where would we be WITHOUT the proliferation of gambling on our games? "There is a distinction between accepting advertising in a limited fashion and gambling on the outcome of our games."Translation: "Casino millions, come on down!!!" By the way, what exactly is "accepting advertising in a limited fashion"? Does that mean they only take small bills in unmarked envelopes. A limited fashion? Isn't it UNLIMITED if you keep accepting it? Hah!Speaking of the proliferation of gambling on NFL games, the league has its own website - nfl.com/fantasy. As in fantasy football.If fantasy sports isn't gambling, then Penthouse isn't pornographic.Fantasy football is as addicting, if not more so, then betting the point spread. It puts a more insidious hook into its practitioners: Sports bettors operate under the delusion they're smart enough to beat the game; fantasy savants operate under the delusion they could be NFL general managers. (For real. I've seen these guys wandering into sports bars on Sundays, with their printouts, clipboards, baseball caps and iPhones. They're all Bill Polian with a Bud Light.)The NFL's McCarthy denounces "gambling on the outcome of our games." Well, fantasy followers are gambling on the outcome of every play.With apologies to Faith Hill, Americans aren't waiting all day for Sunday night, they're waiting all day for fantasy results.This Fantasy Island is a gambler's paradise; Roger Goodell looks almost as sharp as Ricardo Montalban. But it's like a speakeasy: You've got to know the doorman - the NFL - to get in.Ask The SlouchQ. With the NHL canceling two weeks of regular-season games, what will The Slouch do to fill those cold, empty autumn nights? (Patrick Long; Franklin, Ind.)A. Actually, I think this is a brilliant marketing ploy by the NHL - it creates a buzz, like when "Mad Men" extends production time between seasons.Q. When a catcher visits the mound, the pitcher always seems to put his glove up in front of his face. What does your wife put up in front of her face when you visit? (Brian Coffman; Gaithersburg, Md.)A. Usually, a bounced check and a notarized "Dear John" letter.Q. Whatever happened to common courtesy and Southern hospitality? (Matthew Pines; Monroeville, Pa.)A. I'd have to lay the blame at the feet of the SEC.Q. If Bud Selig were poker commissioner, would he add two wild cards to the World Series of Poker? (Mark Pattison; Washington, D.C.)A. Pay the man, Shirley.You, too, can enter the $1.25 Ask The Slouch Cash Giveaway. Just e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com and, if your question is used, you win $1.25 in cash! Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Police seek car driven by woman found dead in Kanawha River 2 Teen pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Oakes Field shooting 3 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 4 Man allegedly cuts father in Rand over argument about a sandwich 5 WV school district apologizes for 'Trump Perry' sign at football game Herd's 2-4 start eerily like 1987 Previous Story Lone Star statement Next Story


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How to Prepare for Emergencies
How to Prepare
The Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management suggests a simple four-step process for residents to prepare themselves, their communities and their businesses for naturally occuring or man-made emergencies. Click on the images below to view useful emergency preparedness information as well as what to do in response to a specific emergency like a hurricane, winter storm or terrorist attack.
When assembling a kit for a possible emergency situation, it's best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth.
Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance: how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.
Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected are the same for both a natural or man-made emergency. Be informed about the potential emergencies that could happen to you.
Get involved with the Fairfax County Citizen Corps to help be better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues and disasters of all kinds.
Business and Family Preparedness Planners
Do you know how to respond if disaster strikes where you live or where you work? If your family is in different locations when the disaster strikes, do you have a plan that shows how you will contact each other and how you can reunite at a safe location? If your business is directly impacted by a disaster, do you have a plan to re-establish business operations at another location? How will you inform your employees of the new operations, procedures and processes?
If you haven't thought about the answers to these questions, take action now by making an emergency plan. Visit Ready NOVA today and make your plans!


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This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=3/3, Sex=2/3, Mature Content=3/3. Can you save the space pirates from doom in this funny comic book adventure ?
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


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A final emotional farewell has been paid to the man who was the country's oldest surviving former Royal Marine.
The village church where he worshipped was packed this afternoon for the funeral service of Albert Joyner.
Appropriately, amongst the medals on the ensign-draped coffin was a wreath of poppies.
Mr Joyner, who died earlier this month aged 102, had raised thousands of pounds collecting in Keighley for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
His Legion colleagues, former and serving marines and young cadets were all present at Riddlesden United Reformed Church to give their comrade a fitting send-off.
A guard of honour was formed outside the church.
They were joined at the service by mourners including the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Keighley councillor Khadim Hussain, the town mayor Coun Sally Walker and Deputy Lord Lieutenant Richard Jackson.
Charlie Hobson, of the Royal Marines Association, told the congregation that Mr Joyner was a "very special man".
"He joined the marines in 1930/31 and loved his time in the corps and everything about what it represented," he said.
"Albert – who was around during that awful war – was steeped in the marines ethos and selflessly did so much for other people day in day out, week in week out and year in year out.
"Remembrance of his fellow comrades who had fallen really meant a lot to him and he was fiercely proud of what and his colleagues stood up for.
"He had courage and determination and was a great example."
Mr Joyner was last year awarded life membership of the association.
Mr Jackson also paid tribute, on behalf of the Legion and the Queen.
"He was a highly distinguished gentleman who was defined by the commando spirit – doing things that the rest of us would deem impossible," he said.
"He radiated character before he had even spoken.
"And the revenues he generated for the Legion in his determination to be the top poppy collector were legendary – he raised £18,000 in his last eight years for the Poppy Appeal.
"But as with so many exceptional people, the exceptional thing about Albert was his humility.
"He experienced incredible things at extremes of the human spectrum, but he had absolutely no ego or sense of personal regard."
The Rev Fred Rich, who conducted the service, said Albert loved dancing and had met his future wife – Rose – at a dance. They married in 1938.
The couple moved to Keighley in 1988 to be near their daughter, Pam.
Rose died in 2000 and Mr Joyner – who was an apprentice tailor before joining the marines – spent several years at the Tonson Court sheltered housing scheme, in Keighley.
Latterly he was a resident at Herncliffe Nursing Home in the town.
Donations given at the service will be split between the Royal British Legion, Royal Marines Association and Cancer Research UK.


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In the West, snow showers are ending across the southern Rockies. Mostly dry weather and below-normal temperatures cover the remainder of the region. The National Weather Service has issued frost advisories, effective early today, for some inland valleys in southern sections of California and Arizona.
On the Plains, locally heavy snow is blanketing western Oklahoma, northeastern New Mexico, and Texas' northern panhandle. Farther east, rain showers are affecting other parts of Oklahoma and Texas. Meanwhile, mild, dry weather prevails across the northern Plains, initiating some melting of snow that has recently fallen.
In the Corn Belt, mostly dry weather accompanies near- to above-normal temperatures. However, some snow showers linger downwind of the Great Lakes. Snow cover exists across roughly the northern half of the region, from the Dakotas to Michigan.
In the South, a broken band of rain showers stretches across the region, excluding Florida's peninsula. Topsoil moisture in Florida was rated 59% very short to short on February 10, only a slight improvement from 62% the previous week. In contrast, some lowland flooding persists in the central Gulf Coast region.
Outlook: An active weather pattern will prevail in many parts of the country through week's end. A developing storm currently over the south-central U.S. will drift eastward, resulting in mid-week rain in the Southeast and some wet snow from the central Appalachians into southern New England. A late-week surge of cold air will trail the storm into the Plains and Midwest. During the weekend, there is the potential for a snow storm in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern States. Regardless of the weekend storm's outcome, cold air will settle across the East by Sunday. Farther west, weekend temperatures will rebound to above-normal levels across the nation's mid-section. Elsewhere, occasional rain and snow showers in the Northwest will contrast with generally dry weather from California into the Southwest. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for February 17-21 calls for near- to below-normal temperatures nationwide. The northern Plains will experience the greatest likelihood of colder-than-normal conditions. Meanwhile, below-normal precipitation in the West will contrast with wetter-than-normal weather in the upper Midwest and from the Mississippi River to the East Coast—excluding Florida's peninsula.


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New from Futures, the Elevon Quad is a revolutionary surf fin made from space age materials that has a price tag to match. Is it all a gimmick? We don't think so. Over seven years in the making, they've got to have come up with something! Watch the video below and decide for yourself.
ěl'ə-vŏn' – The Elevon has a surface combining lift and control. It took seven years of R&D to come up with the unique 3D surface contours that create an unbelievable amount of lift and drive. Use them on your quad to effortlessly carry you through flat sections and find speed to go vertical where you didn't know it was possible. A balanced medium sized template designed to perform in a variety of conditions.


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Thursday, March 17, 2011
Diane smashed the portrait she'd painted of Tim and herself against her knee. She pulled drawers, swept the night stand, got rid of every memento and gift that reminded her of him. The anger still boiled. I'm just not attracted to you anymore.
She yanked clothes he bought for her from her closet, ripped each into rags. No loss on those; he still bought her clothes from two sizes ago. For when you get back to yourself, he'd said. She slid the wedding gown from the back, but stopped herself in the nick of time. Mom's wedding gown. Diane's first fitting was supposed to be Saturday. I'm just not attracted to you anymore.
He had yet to promise for better or for worse. He had opted out. Her finger throbbed from tugging off the engagement ring. He'd slid that on her finger two sizes ago.
Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse. I'm just not attracted to you anymore.
Tim got her through mom's funeral. So what if she spiraled a bit after that. Missed classes, lost her art students, lost the downtown studio. Lost her figure. She caught her reflection above the bureau.
Frizzy auburn curls framed her splotchy pale skin, lids swollen over hazel eyes, mascara sliming down puffy cheeks—and two chins, neck folds, the beginning of a matronly uni-boob. She couldn't erase his expression from her mind. There was no remorse. Only pity. I'm sorry, I'm just not attracted to you anymore.
She could handle not being pretty to him anymore (though it hurt). She could handle him not loving her anymore (she'd try). But she could not handle him believing her insignificant (a non-person). If she bumped into him on the street, he wouldn't say hello. Only people who thought themselves superior doled out pity. To him, she would be invisible.
She could show him. She mattered. She could be thin again. Pretty again. Diane raced to her attic studio, slammed a blank canvas on the easel. She slipped on her apron, tied her hair into a ponytail. She'd show him the real her, the perfect Diane.
She mixed paints, brushed bold lines across the blank white. First the hair, blue-black and flowing. She added dots of white then blurred them to give shampoo-commercial shine. She outlined a heart-shaped face, widow's peak a point on the smooth forehead.
Her arm tingled as she shaped eyebrows, arched and haughty. Not something she'd felt before, but yes, if she could feel haughty, she could get over the hurt. Cerulean irises under luxurious lashes, only the faintest hint of laugh lines.
Diane watched her hand fly across the canvas. The collar bone, sleek, visible, not cushioned by fat. Sculpted arms, graceful wrists, elegant fingers all appeared. She hadn't felt such inspiration since her mother started chemo. Painting felt good again. She added flesh tones, filled in shadows, gave the Diane in the picture dimension. A warmth spread from her fingertips to her hands, from there to her entire body, exciting her, arousing her, spurring her to give life to the woman on the canvas. Show a part of herself that Tim....
Diane lowered the brush. In her artistic frenzy, she had forgotten. He had dumped her. Pitied her. Deemed her insignificant.
She stared at her self-portrait, the portrait of the better self she wanted to be. The one Tim wanted her to be. One that Tim could be attracted to.
The woman was not Diane.
From the eye color to the erect nipples on melon-shaped breasts, to the perfect cheerios navel dotting the pilates-structured stomach, to the curly black triangle between full hips, to the muscular legs....
Diane could never be the goddess on the canvas. The nude woman looked too real. The woman was taller, shapelier, bolder—Diane realized she had painted a nude Wonder Woman. Diane reached for more blue pigment to cover the nudity. She couldn't believe she had painted every hot-blooded teenaged boy's fantasy woman. Her fantasy.
Tim's fantasy.
How could lines and paint be more attractive than flesh and blood? Diane stared at the statuesque image. Her fantasy, his fantasy—regardless, not real. Not Diane.
She put down her palette. This hurt too much. What was she doing to herself? Before she could become jealous of this non-person, Diane turned around to look for the gesso. Start fresh, begin again, all that happy horseshit—as long as she didn't have to stare at someone she could never be. Gesso—artist's white-out.
Something yanked her ponytail.
Diane screeched and slapped the arm holding her hair. It did not let go. She slammed into the canvas. Another arm reached over her shoulder, snatched the gesso. She recognized the hand. She had just painted it.
"You're not real" she shouted. Diane twisted and pulled, tried to free herself. In a flash, Wonder Woman's leg grew in dimension until it kicked Diane.
She crumpled to the floor. The canvas ripped as Wonder Woman pulled free. Diane crawled toward the door, but the comic heroine was bigger, stronger. She pinned Diane as she coated a spatula with gesso.
Diane balled her fist but before her punch made contact, it disappeared in a smear of white. Two more swipes and Diane's body was gone. The thick white goo touch Diane's cheek. Then she felt nothing at all.
29 comments:
- FARfetched said...
Wow, that was dark. And I felt it. Very well done!
- March 17, 2011 at 7:14 PM
- Eric J. Krause said...
Good story! At least she hadn't lost her touch in painting, right? Well, before her portrait destroyed her, I mean...
- March 17, 2011 at 8:38 PM
- John Wiswell said...
Feels brisker than your other stories since you returned to us. The ending had a rare real gutpunch feeling for me, rare for the effects of flash.
- March 17, 2011 at 10:21 PM
- ~Tim said...
Is Diane related to Dorian?
- March 17, 2011 at 11:28 PM
- Carrie said...
Great description here. Wonder Woman. Peg...what have you been doing? Curious to what inspired this. Great stuff.
- March 18, 2011 at 4:49 AM
- Deanna Schrayer said...
Absolute brilliant description throughout Peg! I love the "Cheerios belly button" among others. And the wham-pow ending? Stunning! One of your best.
- March 18, 2011 at 10:00 AM
- Tony Noland said...
The descriptions of the Wonder Woman were great, but the emotional jagged edge... done to perfection.
- March 18, 2011 at 11:39 AM
- Sam Pennington said...
Yeah, good story, very unnerved by the ending though, will give all paintings a wide berth for a few days, methinks!
- March 18, 2011 at 12:13 PM
- Raven Corinn Carluk said...
Art is a dangerous thing. Especially when you bring it to life.
- March 18, 2011 at 2:37 PM
- Chuck Allen said...
I totally did not see that coming. Great story!
- March 18, 2011 at 7:19 PM
- fmd said...
This totally didn't go where I smugly thought it was going to go, you wicked bad writer, you.
I'm still laughing, too, over the uniboob.
- March 18, 2011 at 7:54 PM
- Adam B said...
As Tony said, emotionally jagged and so poignant. The ideals we have established are dangerous for both genders.
Adam B @revhappiness
- March 18, 2011 at 7:56 PM
- Al Bruno III said...
Great story. Very well done. And us men folks have got to stop letting Madison Avenue tell us what is and is not attractive!
- March 19, 2011 at 3:03 AM
- Steve Green said...
I really felt for this girl, you evoke a vivid image of her pain, rejection , and anger.
Really cool ending too.
- March 19, 2011 at 5:38 AM
- Alan W. Davidson said...
OK, so it's not really a ghost story but it should still be added to that growing 'collection' towards an anthology...
Fantastic job, Peggy. I liked how she came to realize, during the painting of that woman, that she wasn't THAT woman. Only to have the woman 'erase' her. Very well-told and thought provoking.
- March 19, 2011 at 6:49 AM
- flyingscribbler said...
Be careful or you might just get what you wish for.
Sadly, she learns this the hard way. But what happens to Wonder Woman? Does she take the wedding dress?
- March 19, 2011 at 8:10 AM
- K said...
Peg, the ending was a real shocker, a real punch in the face, a real wake me up? I was captivated throughout and loved the way you brought us right into Diane's heart and mind. She was so sad and defeated and then literally wiped out. This could be such a strong social commentary about how we see ourselves and about how we women need to redefine what we term as beauty. If not us, then who?
- March 19, 2011 at 12:24 PM
- Cathy Webster (Olliffe) said...
Well, first of all, screw him. Glad she wasn't marrying such a shallow, self-centred, stupid man. Better to be rid of him without the added pain of paying for a divorce, or dealing with children.
But isn't she just as bad? Thinking the only way to feel better is to be Wonder Woman?
Sadly there are too many people in the world like this. I feel sorry for them.
Oh, and good-on-you for writing a story that was so good it pissed me off!
- March 20, 2011 at 6:42 AM
- AidanF said...
Love the premise. I like to imagine it takes great passion in your paintings (or art) to bring them to life. I feel sorry for Diane, but look forward to Wonder Woman playing with Tim. The story builds nice tension as it works towards the release of wonder woman.
- March 20, 2011 at 9:28 AM
- ABSOLUTELY*KATE said...
Holy happy horseshit gesso, Peg! You've painted white-out and wipe-out from cerulean irises to surreal taunting twist in simultaneous brush/keystrokes.
Haughty over hurt as a healing handling was as superb as your apt title's haunting. But the rueful refrain past the him of Tim? Tough femme insight/impacts, reinforcing such a sink-into storyline.
Brava the psycho-drama Ms Peggy,
~ Absolutely*Kate
- March 20, 2011 at 9:37 AM
- ABSOLUTELY*KATE said...
Just read your LABELS! - Damn, you're "on".
- March 20, 2011 at 9:39 AM
- brainhaze said...
Love the descriptive words you use - dark piece, but i liked it a lot
- March 20, 2011 at 12:55 PM
- Stephen said...
When her arm started tingling, I was thinking: Dorian Gray. Then, you twisted it and gave us the artist's white-out. A nice touch to a cool story. Thanks for sharing.
- March 20, 2011 at 1:30 PM
- Icy Sedgwick said...
I absolutely love Wonder Woman so I'm sad to see her turn on another woman, but this is a very dark piece. Artists have to be careful what they create!
- March 20, 2011 at 3:03 PM
- Timothy P. Remp said...
- March 20, 2011 at 5:51 PM
- Mike Robertson said...
"The thick white goo touch Diane's cheek." ...touched...?
Amazing power you're displaying here Peg.
- March 21, 2011 at 11:00 AM
- Bukowski's Basement said...
Damned near perfect on ever level ... tone, pace, dialogue...
Great one, Peg!
- March 21, 2011 at 12:42 PM
- Bukowski's Basement said...
BTW ... (Sorry I haven't been around much -- been in the writing [and movie watching] cave)
- March 21, 2011 at 12:44 PM
- KjM said...
For a while I thought we were heading in a Dorian direction - and you brought us elsewhere.
Excellently done. I liked the emotion that ran through this.
- March 22, 2011 at 11:30 PM


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When you say, "It's time for math," do your students roll their eyes? What teacher hasn't dealt with that? It doesn't have to be that way. In this course, you'll master model drawing, a revolutionary technique for teaching problem-solving to middle school math students.
Model drawing is a core part of Singapore Math, a base-10 math program that forms the foundation of math instruction in Singapore. When you introduce model drawing into your classroom, your students will succeed with word problems, build math skills, and develop self-confidence. And they'll even look forward to math!
You'll learn how to use model drawing with many different types of word problems, including part-whole problems, word problems involving comparisons, and before-and-after word problems. You'll also master advanced techniques to help you model more complex problems, and gain insights into how to guide students as they grapple with consecutive integers, remainders, percents, and problems involving rate and distance.
Finally, you'll put it all together as you create your own word problems based on models provided in the course. You'll even learn how to train parents in the basics of model drawing so they can help their kids continue to build their problem-solving skills.
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Note: To receive 25 hours of instruction in the State of Oregon, please ensure your school is eligible to issue professional development units, and that the course is approved by your professional learning coordinator.
A new session of each course opens each month, allowing you to enroll whenever your busy schedule permits!
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The Final Exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the Final Exam has been released, you will have 2 weeks plus 10 days to complete the Final and finish any remaining lessons in your course. No further extensions can be provided beyond these 10 days.
Today, we'll focus our sights on problems involving consecutive integers—that is, numbers that follow each other in sequence. In addition, you'll learn how to model problems involving consecutive odd or even integers—and you'll discover some secrets for making sure your learners have a strong math vocabulary.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio - Gas prices are slightly lower as the new work week gets under way.
A gallon of regular gas in Ohio was listed at an average of $3.53 in Monday's survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express. That's 3 cents less than last Monday's average of $3.56 -- and it marks a decrease of 17 cents in the past two weeks.
The national average for regular gas is about $3.59 per gallon, down about 4 cents from a week ago and an 11-cent drop from two weeks ago.
The Ohio average is 8 cents lower than at the same time last month, and 26 cents lower than the same time in 2012.
Check gas prices every day at our gas price page -


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The new version of DB2 Express-C, version 10, is out, and it's more flexible and powerful than ever before! Starting from the fact that it now allows you to use 4GB of RAM instead of 2GB, this will boost different database operations. The database size is still unlimited (compared to 11GB for Oracle XE, or 10GB for SQL Server Express). Speaking of Oracle, DB2 Express-C includes the "Oracle compatibility feature", which means that as much as 98% of code written for Oracle could run with no changes on DB2 Express-C!.
There are other cool new features in DB2 Express-C that you can use and configure with minimal effort. For example, "Time Travel Query" allows you to develop "time-aware" applications with minimal effort. This is helpful for audit purposes, governance, and to solve problems because this feature will let you query your data as it was in a given period of time that you specify. This can help you to easily and quickly create charts like the ones you see for stock prices, for example.
Check out the article "DB2 Express-C 10: Even more value" for more details, and download and try DB2 Express-C 10! It's free!


text: 9/23/08 9/23/08 POPSUGAR Fashion Raf Simons Raf Simons Sees the Benefits of Fringe for Jil Sander Spring 2009 September 23, 2008 by POPSUGAR Fashion News 0 Shares Chat with us on Facebook Messenger. Learn what's trending across POPSUGAR. View On One Page Photo 1 of 46 ADVERTISEMENT () Start Slideshow Share This Link Copy What's Your Reaction? Thanks for your reaction Don't forget to share this with your friends! ← Use Arrows Keys → 1 0 previous images 15 more images Previous Next Start Slideshow Spring 2009 Milan Fashion WeekA Little Turn On The CatwalkRaf SimonsSpring 2009Jil SanderMilan Fashion Week


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Birth & Midwifery in Iceland
Resources for parents and practitioners
Connect with many more midwives and birth enthusiasts from around the world by joining IAM, the International Alliance of Midwives!
Some of the following sites may not be in English; an online translator may be useful.
Birth Situation Room Report
Midwifery Today Country Contact*
*To learn what a Country Contact is or to reach any Midwifery Today Country Contact, click here.
Kristbjörg Magnúsdóttir is a midwife at the National University Hospital in Reykjavik. She works part-time in the delivery ward. The University Hospital has about 2800 births per year out of 4000 in Iceland. She works for the Icelandic Midwifery Association, negotiating for higher wages and better benefits for midwives in Iceland who work for the government (all the hospitals are government run). She has three children, two of whom were born at home.
The State of Midwifery in Iceland
Thank you for your commitment to midwifery, a great Web site, interesting blog and truly amazing magazine.
I am still very passionate about homebirth. I gave birth to my fourth child (third homebirth) in September 2008, so I am quite busy at home, but I started doing homebirths again in April 2009. The Icelandic midwife who has been doing most of the homebirths where I live in Iceland (Reykjavik and surrounding areas) took some time off this summer and homebirths are still on the rise, so I am really busy. I attended 24 homebirths in 2009, compared to four in 2007 and 2008.
In Iceland, in 2008, there were 61 homebirths out of 4,766 births (1.28%). The number of homebirths is rising. We were aiming at the 2% mark in 2009, but didn't quite make it.
Icelandic midwives are lucky to be able to do homebirths without having the mothers pay (except if they are outside the Icelandic health system). The health care system here pays for up to three visits before birth, the birth and up to 11 postpartum visits in the first 7–10 days. All antenatal care (from 11 weeks) and births are free of charge. But if you see an OB early in pregnancy you have to pay. Midwives do all antenatal care and attend all births.
I still hold a part-time job at the big university hospital, but I am hoping that I can just do homebirths and hopefully antenatal care. Many midwives in Iceland are, for the first time—mainly because of the recession, unemployed. Many of the 12 midwives who graduated in 2009 have not found work in midwifery. This is the first time in the 90 year history of the Icelandic Midwifery Association that members are facing unemployment.
— Kristbjörg Magnúsdóttir
Hafnarfjordur, Iceland


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Rob Papen has another soft synth out called Blade. It has some morphing additive XY tricks. I haven't tried it myself yet but most of the Papen is stuff is good especially because all the products come with a zillion presets. I'm not sure ir it's true or not but interestingly it says on the Rob Papen site he's a Christian Music artist.
"At the heart of BLADE, ready to twist and transform your musical mind, lies the Harmolator. An additive synthesis system, which rather than using the system of changing additive partials, uses global controls which capture the essence of additive synth in an intuitive way making the creation of sounds much easier than using other additive synths. The nine Harmolator controls allow you to create a vast range of sounds so you get all the amazing sounds that additive synthesis can generate with the added simplicity of traditional subtractive synthesis. The Harmolator allows oscillator spreading, fattening the sound and also square / sine wave sub-oscillator. What's more, the sound can be modified further by the 21 per-voice distortions types and 14 filter types." – robpapen.com
For more info: robpapen.com/blade


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Murphy maintains top spot in lineup
NEW YORK -- Seeking some sort of production out of the first spot in his lineup, manager Terry Collins solicited advice following Saturday's loss in Chicago. Bench coach Bob Geren presented the winning suggestion, revisiting an idea that the team had broached several times in recent years: Daniel Murphy, leadoff man.
"I said, 'OK, but we've got to have somebody hitting behind him,'" Collins said.
That assignment initially went to Justin Turner, who was in Sunday's lineup with the Mets facing a left-handed pitcher. On Monday, Collins went with a more unorthodox choice, slotting Rick Ankiel behind Murphy.
Ankiel offers an interesting dynamic because he possesses more power than a typical second hitter, but he also has a much higher propensity for strikeouts. Then again, Murphy is already an atypical leadoff man thanks to his streaky hitting and lack of speed.
At this point the Mets are willing to try any configuration that works.
"He's a veteran guy," Collins said of Ankiel. "He certainly should know how to handle some things in the second hole."
Moving Murphy to the leadoff spot paid immediate dividends for the Mets, who watched him launch a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning of Sunday's game, a 4-3 win over the Cubs. As a result, he will stay there until "someone else steps forward and says he should be the leadoff guy by getting on base and scoring runs."
"I think Dan Murphy's a good hitter," Collins said. "I think if you hit him fifth, he's still going to be a good hitter and probably drive some runs in for you. But I sure like the fact that he gets on base the way he does with David [Wright] coming up. David's shown with runners in scoring position, he'll drive them in."
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Any weight or condition.
Also looking for:
Sirius Scorpiuses in solid, non-white colors
light blue Ti Wasp
orange and maybe blue freak-stamped S-PD's
reg. champion leopards w/ tourney stamps
blue, orange, and red 10th anny z Buzzzes
stiffer JK Aviars, or slightly softer KC Aviars w/ tourney stamps
Plenty to trade, just let me know what you like.


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Review: Kicker iK100 -- small system, surprisingly big sound
Ralph Graves is one of Crutchfield's blog editors, and part of the company's social media team. He writes about home audio/video gear, specializing in Apple-related and wireless technologies. Ralph holds a master's degree in music composition, and his works have been released on various labels. He's served as product manager for an independent classical and world music label, produced several recordings, and worked extensively in public broadcasting. Since 1984 he's hosted a weekly classical music program on WTJU, and is also active as a blogger and podcaster.
More from Ralph Graves
Heads up!Welcome to this article from the Crutchfield archives. Have fun reading it, but be aware that the information may be outdated and links may be broken.
Free space on my desk is always at a premium. So I'm actually interested in two things from the desktop speakers I'm asked to review:
1) Sound quality
2) Size of the footprint
This ain't Big Foot
I had a chance to try out the Kicker iKick iK100 iPod® powered speaker system recently, and those two criteria were top on my list. When I opened the box, I knew at the iK100 would pass at least one of tests. This speaker system is tiny. It's only 8-7/8" wide by 4-11/16" deep. I had no problem finding a place for it on my cluttered desk. Take a sheet of notebook paper and fold it into thirds, and you'll have a good representation of how little space the iK100 takes up.
Simple operation
Everything about the iK100 was stripped-down and simple (except the sound — more on that later). The iK100's dock sits on top of the speaker system, which could be a precarious perch. But Kicker thoughtfully included an adjustable back brace that supported my iPod just fine. I could even operate the controls directly on the player without stressing the pin connector.
There are only two controls on the iK100's cabinet — loud, and soft. These are touch-sensitive controls, and I was amazed at how responsive they were. I could just tap the "plus" button and the volume audibly raised. If I held my finger on the "minus" button, the volume quickly faded. I could have been quite content to use just those controls and my iPod's click wheel. But Kicker also included a remote.
A remote that actually controls
Most small speaker systems come with a remote that handles a few basic functions on the iPod: play, pause, skip, stop. Kicker's was a little more sophisticated, and I appreciated the differences. It had all those same basic play functions, of course, as well as volume control for the iK100 itself. But it also had a mute button. That came in handy several times when I had to take a call, or answer a quick question.
It also had a menu button that allowed me to navigate through my iPod's menu. I found myself looking at my iPod from time to time to see what was playing. But I had set the backlight to turn off after 10 seconds to save battery power, so I was continually looking at a dark screen. As an experiment, I used the Kicker remote to change that. No problem. The "menu" button got me into the iPod's menu, and by using the remote's directional buttons I could move up and down the listings, hitting the "enter" button to dig further into a category. Within a minute I had changed the backlight setting to "always on," And all of this while my iPod continued playing. Nice!
Big sound from pretty small speakers
The system has stereo 2-1/2" full-range speakers, and a flared bass port on one side. One of the things Kicker promises in their literature is "high-fidelity playback through the entire volume range." According to Kicker, a digital signal processor controls the built-in amplifier, making continual adjustments to ensure maximum output and premium sound.
Well there's a statement that seemed simple enough to verify. I tested that assertion by running through the entire volume range of the iK100 while letting my iPod play. The songs were a mix of rap, power pop, Americana, third-stream jazz and some vintage metal and soul tracks.
At average volume level, those selections sounded pretty good. Although the speakers sit less than eight inches apart, they provided a reasonably open sound field for what they were designed for: close-in listening. The bass port also did a nice job filling out the sound. For a desktop system this small, I was very happy with the level of detail I was hearing and the fidelity of the audio.
Grabbing the trusty remote, I went through the selections again, this time turning up the volume. The music got louder, but it didn't distort. The bass tended to be punchier at high volume levels (especially on the rap and metal tracks), and the sound field expanded slightly, but it still sounded like the music I was familiar with. At maximum volume, I still didn't hear any distortion. I did, however, find it uncomfortable to listen to sitting so close to the speakers.
Make no mistake: the iK100 is a desktop system designed to be listened to while sitting just a few feet away from the speakers. It will not give you room-filling sound. But it did have more than enough power to handle my listening needs at my desk, which meant the system never had to work very hard for me to enjoy my music.
And the iK100 performed equally well going the other direction. Turning the volume way down, the music got very soft, but there was still enough detail for me to tell what was going on. Which meant I could use the iK100 for background music when I needed to, and really let it blast when I wanted to (good thing I have a home office).
Different styles, same results
I tried out different genres with the iK100, and found that the results were pretty consistent. At this point I only have Apple lossless files loaded on my iPod, so I knew there was a lot of detail contained in the tracks. Could the iK100 deliver?
I tried some mainstream jazz (Ella Fitzgerald singing "It's Only a Paper Moon"). The instruments sounded natural, without the edge cheap speakers sometime give them. Ella's voice was as warm and inviting at it should be, and I could even make out the brushwork of the drummer.
Next up was "Down the Crooked Road" by the bluegrass group Dixie Bee-liners. The acoustic instruments had a realistic sound, even at higher volume levels, and the amount of bass I was entirely appropriate for the style.
From completely natural, I went to competely artificial and played "Agra, the Emerald Mix" by Paul Horn (remixed by DJ Cheb i Sabbajh). The electronic instruments had a proper edge to them, and at average volume levels and above, I heard a lot of crisp detail, especially after the track really got rolling. Some instruments had reverb, others didn't. The iK100 reproduced it all accurately.
I tried a lo-fi selection from a 60's funk collection I had, David Batiste's "Funky Soul," The sound quality of the original recording isn't the best, but I still heard the bass pumping away, and the guitar licks and B3 organ came through with the right amount of grit and punch.
Of course I had to finish up with a classical selection. In this case it was Edward Elgar's Second Symphony with Yehudi Menuhin conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The iK100 came through beautifully. The orchestra didn't sound pinched at either the high or low ends. As the music ebbed and flowed, I still heard plenty of detail at both high and low volume levels. Plus the brass had presence without having an unnatrually harsh edge.
A nice little system — very nice
The iK100 easily met both my criteria. It didn't take up much space on my desk, yet it performed better than I expected from a desktop speaker system that small. All in all I was very happy with the Kicker iK100. Regardless of what type of music I selected, it did a great job, and was a welcome (albeit temporary) addition to my work area.


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Hi Guys! This blog isn't really a review of SmackDown this week, as such, but more of a general rant/discussion about the show itself.
Now I don't tend to watch SmackDown but this week I thought I would. Then I remembered why. SmackDown seems to be in an absolute state these days and is nowhere as near as good as the days when it was formed as part of the Brand Extension scheme/story.
© 2011 eWrestlingNews, All Rights Reserved.


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NEW ORLEANS -- Daniel Lurie turned a corner in the French Quarter and came face-to-face with his potential future.
It was a giant painted football, alongside a row of stages for various television networks, one looked over by a large Mardi Gras clown statue. Music tents were under construction. Banners covered fences. The nearby convention center was filled of NFL exhibits and media.
In other words, the Super Bowl was successfully executing another nonhostile takeover of an American city.
Lurie absorbed it all and took mental notes. He is here to scout and learn. He is the point man for San Francisco's bid to host the Super Bowl in three or four years, after the new 49ers' stadium is finished in Santa Clara.
"It's massive," Lurie said, surveying the landscape. "But from what I've seen ... I haven't been overwhelmed yet. Our region was built to host events like this."
He said it emphasizing the word "region," which was no accident.
"If there's one thing I want to be clear about, it's that this is a Bay Area effort," Lurie said. "It's a San Francisco bid. But our slogan is, 'Bring The Bowl To The Bay.' "
Hmmmm. Interesting. Everyone who loves football or big events seems to agree that it's a wonderful notion to have the Bay Area play host to another Super Bowl, which would be the first since the 1985 game at Stanford. But the politics of it are sensitive, if not downright dicey.
Here's why: When the 49ers chose to build their stadium in the South Bay, feelings were hurt in San Francisco. The team attempted to make amends by assuring Mayor Ed Lee that his city would be at the forefront of any Super Bowl pursuit. That choice also made sense given San Francisco's status as a popular tourist destination.
However, voices in Santa Clara and Silicon Valley have expressed legitimate questions about whether they might be left out of the most lucrative Super Bowl fun. If fans all stay in San Francisco and all the big parties and ancillary events are held there, what's left for the South Bay?
"I hear those people who worry about it," acknowledged Lurie, who was appointed to his volunteer/nonsalaried position by Lee. "But the promise is to have events throughout the region. ... We really believe people who come to the Super Bowl will want to spend a full week in the Bay Area. That could include everywhere from Napa Valley to Carmel and in between."
Also, as Lurie pointed out, the San Francisco bid calls for the two competing Super Bowl teams to be housed while utilizing practice facilities at Stanford and San Jose State. And the NFL's game operations/security force will be housed for weeks at South Bay hotels.
First things first, though. The San Francisco group must secure the game itself by winning approval from the NFL owners. This will involve -- you guessed it -- more politics.
"There are no guarantees," Lurie said. "It's going to be tough competition."
He is uniquely equipped to build all the necessary bridges. In his "real" life, Lurie is the chief executive officer of Tipping Point, a San Francisco philanthropic organization that connects donors and grant money to worthy causes that fight poverty. He's used to working with others to build consensus.
This time, Lurie must build fast. The deadline for submitting his committee's bid package to the NFL is May 7. Team owners will meet May 21 in Boston and hear 15-minute presentations from the three cities vying to host a future Super Bowl -- San Francisco, Miami/South Florida and Houston. Votes will be held later that day.
There will be multiple winners. San Francisco is bidding for either Super Bowl L (the 50th anniversary game in February 2016) or Super Bowl LI (the following year). But for logistical reasons involving other scheduled events in 2017, Miami/South Florida is seeking to land only Super Bowl L. Houston is bidding merely on Super Bowl LI.
The election is difficult to handicap. But owners usually find a way to reward franchises who build new stadiums. And the 49ers, with team president Gideon Yu on the bid committee, have been talking up the bid with the right league people behind the scenes.
Still, Lurie wants to cover every base and paint every yard line. Two representatives of the Santa Clara Police Department are here to gauge security needs. He's also set up a series of meetings here with representatives of other Super Bowl cities who have hosted the game successfully.
They definitely come at a price. The NFL asks bid cities to raise money and pay for much of the event staging. It also seeks certain tax breaks in the actual host municipality -- in this case, Santa Clara. Indianapolis spent $25 million to land the game. Dallas forked over $38 million two years ago. The return on investment, though, runs into nine figures.
Thus, Lurie and his committee are busy soliciting their own funds, with the idea of making sure Santa Clara is made whole at the end of the day.
"We're trying to offset as many costs as possible," Lurie said.
"But I'm trying to be coy about how much we hope to raise, because we don't want to tip our hand to the competition."
Jamie Matthews, Santa Clara's mayor, is not in New Orleans because his city's ethics policy forbids expense-paid junkets -- and Matthews decided not to pay $850 or $950 for a game ticket. But he said by phone from his office that he's squarely on board with Lurie's effort.
"I think it's nearly impossible to beat us if we're all working together," Matthews said. "And I'm very pleased with the relationship I have with Mayor Lee and his people."
Matthews also intends to organize a summit of South Bay and Peninsula mayors, along with top business people, to discuss the Super Bowl bid plan with Lurie. That will probably happen in late February.
Lurie, meanwhile, will keep soaking up the sights here this weekend, paying particular attention to the charitable activities surrounding the game that are close to his heart.
"I didn't take this just to throw one big party," Lurie said. "We want ours to be the most philanthropic Super Bowl ever and benefit the community as much as possible."
If that includes clown statues, he's down with it.
Contact Mark Purdy at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/MercPurdy.


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Online Resource Guide for Enrolling Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Clients in Health Coverage
Online Resource Guide for Enrolling Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Clients in Health Coverage
This resource guide is for anyone helping Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) clients apply for health insurance, particularly RWHAP staff who are helping clients through the entire enrollment process. It lists the enrollment steps and has links to resources, tips, and tools to help enrollment assisters with each step.
Look at the resources before working with clients. Most are for enrollment assisters, not clients.
Step 1: Get started
Step 2: Address client questions, concerns, and fears
Step 3: Fill in application
Step 4: Submit application
Step 5: Follow up on submitted application
Step 6: Use benefits
Step 7: Stay enrolled
Step 1: Get Started
|Figure out what coverage a client should apply for and how the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) can help.
|Eligibility Decision Tree
Decide if client should enroll in the Marketplace, with Medicaid, or neither. See how ADAP fits with other coverage.
Source: ACE TA Center
|ADAP Eligibility & Insurance Assistance Resources
List of weblinks for state ADAP programs, including formularies and cost assistance programs when available.
Source: ACE TA Center
|Contact Information for State ADAP Programs
Links to contact information for state ADAP programs.
Source: TARGET Center
|Find out how much financial help a client can get.
|Coverage and Help Calculator
A calculator to see how much help a client can get for monthly insurance costs.
Source: Get Covered America
|ACA Premiums, Subsidies and Eligibility Calculators
A collecton of calculators to see how much help a client can get for monthly insurance costs.
Source: TARGET Center
Step 2: Address client concerns, questions, and fears.
|Address RWHAP client concerns.
|Common Questions and Suggested Responses for Engaging Clients in Health Coverage
Discussion guide for talking with RWHAP clients of color about enrollment questions.
Source: ACE TA Center
|Understand concerns and outreach approaches for specific communities.
|LGBT Cultural Competency and Enrollment
Guide for conducting culturally competent outreach and enrollment to LGBT communities.
Source: Community Catalyst
|Specific Concerns for Native Americans
Summary of special benefits and considerations for Native Americans in the Marketplace.
Source: Healthcare.gov
|Frequently Asked Questions for Latinos
Answers to questions often asked by Latinos about enrollment.
Source: Enroll America
|Cultural Competency with the Latino Community
Guide for conducting culturally competent outreach and enrollment to Latino communities.
Source: Community Catalyst
|Effective Messaging to the Latino Community
Guide for talking about enrollment with Latino communities.
Source: Enroll America
|Outreach Guide for African and Afro-Caribbean Immigrant Communities
Guide for conducting outreach to African and Afro-Caribbean Immigrant Communities.
Source: Enroll America
|Cultural Competence & Sensitivity Around the African American Community
Guide for conducting culturally competent outreach and enrollment to African American communities.
Source: Enroll America
|Effective Messaging to the African American Community
Guide for talking about enrollment with African American communities. Source: Enroll America
|Address immigration concerns/questions.
|Eligibility for Families with Mixed Immigration Status
Information about immigrant eligibility for health insurance and how to reach immigrant groups.
Source: Enroll America
Frequently Asked Questions: The Affordable Care Act & Mixed-Status Families
|What do Immigrant Families Need to Know About the Marketplace?
Summary of immigrant eligibility for Marketplace insurance & financial help, and Medicaid.
Source: Healthcare.gov
Health Reform Issue Brief: Immigrants and the Affordable Care Act
Step 3: Fill in application.
|Address language barriers.
Plain Language Glossary of Health Care Enrollment Terms
|Tip: Healthcare.gov and many state Marketplace websites have a Spanish version.
|Tip: Clients can call 1‑800‑318‑2596 to get personal assistance and help in languages other than English
for Marketplace applications.
|Gather required information and documents.
|Tip: Experts agree that one-on-one assistance is most helpful. If possible, get enrollment assistance from clinics or other organizations that your client already goes to.
|Find Out Who Might be Providing Assistance in Your State
Information on the types of organizations helping with enrollment assistance in your state.
Source: Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS)
|Get help with enrollment.
|Required Information
A summary of income and household information needed to apply for insurance.
Source: Healthcare.gov
|Required Documentation
A summary of documents needed to apply for Marketplace insurance. Note that some state Medicaid programs
may have additional requirements. See "Get more detailed help" for more information.
Source: Healthcare.gov
|Choose a plan and fill in application.
|Tip: Your state ADAP program may have HIV plan selection guides specific to your state.
See ADAP Eligibility and Insurance Assistance Resources.
|Health Care Plan Selection Worksheet
A tool for listing a client's health and medication needs, health care providers, and plan options to help choose a plan.
Source: ACE TA Center
|A Guide for LGBT People Choosing Healthcare Plans (Page 5)
Includes questions LGBT may want to consider when selecting a plan.
Source: Strong Families
Step 4: Submit application.
|Figure out where and how to submit the application.
|Applying for Medicaid in Your State
Use the "Get State Information" drop-down to get contact information for your state Medicaid program.
Source: Healthcare.gov
|Applying for the Marketplace
Choose a state from the drop-down to access its Marketplace application.
Source: Healthcare.gov
|Get more detailed help.
|Enroll America State Map with Links to Exchange Websites and Enrollment Assisters
Get the link to your state's Exchange Website. Find more information about enrollment funding and initiatives in your state.
Source: Enroll America
|Topics to Consider When Assisting People with HIV to Enroll in Health Care Coverage
A fact sheet for enrollment assisters who don't have experience working with people living with HIV.
Source: ACE TA Center
Step 5: Follow up on submitted application.
|Track application status.
|Tip: Be sure clients record their password and submission information to Marketplace and Medicaid enrollment websites. In many states clients can get information on their application status through the site or from a call center staff person.
|Tip: Sometimes clients can authorize an enrollment assister to get information on their behalf.
|Tip: For clients who move a lot or don't have an address, you may suggest they use the enrollment assistance site address for correspondence.
|Appeal a decision.
|Appealing a Marketplace Decision
Lists the kinds of Marketplace actions that can be appealed (asked to be reviewed), and the process. Note that Medicaid appeal processes vary from state to state. See "Get more detailed help" for more information for your state.
Source: Healthcare.gov
Step 6: Use benefits.
|Help RWHAP clients use health insurance to get the care they need.
|ACA & Ryan White: Using Your New Coverage
Considerations for RWHAP clients to keep in mind when using their new coverage.
Source: TARGET Center
Fact Sheet: So you have insurance! Now what?
Fact Sheet: Have a New Health Plan? Here's How to Make Sure You Get Your Meds
Exceptions and Appeals: Knowing Your Patients' Rights
|Speak Up!
This project monitors problems experienced by people with HIV in the new health care system and works to address them. You can report a problem with Speak Up! by clicking the "click here to report a problem" button on the project homepage.
Source: HIV Health Reform
Step 7: Stay enrolled.
|Report changes.
|Tip: Remind clients that they are responsible for reporting changes to the Marketplace or Medicaid. Requirements for Medicaid vary by state. See "Get more detailed help" to find more information for your state.
|Tip: Make a note of the Medicaid or private insurance renewal date so you can help clients re-apply (unless you are acting as a navigator, because navigators can't keep client information).
|Report Changes to Marketplace
Summary of life and other changes that clients must report to the Marketplace if they are covered.
Source: Healthcare.gov
|Talk to the client about when and how to renew coverage.
|2015 Marketplace Plan Renewal Deadlines and Flowchart
A guide including a timeline and key questions to guide the renewal process for 2015 coverage.
Source: ACE TA Center


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Today is the 4th of 4 new Ritter Sports that I got as free samples from Euro-American Brands at Sweets and Snacks. The Coconut was described on the wrapper as "with tropical coconut flakes in a coconut and milk filling."
This was a standard 16-squared filled Ritter – a milk chocolate shell with a textured white coconut filling. The milk chocolate was the usual Ritter fare, sweet with dusky caramel notes, softly pliable, and thickly melting.
The coconut flakes were tiny and lightly crunchy. They added a great grit and a sweetly nutty coconut flavor with a floral undertone. The rest of the filling was sweet with the dairy notes of a fresh buttercream.
I found this Ritter to be delicious. It was, however, quite rich, so that a square or two was enough to satisfy. An OM.
I really enjoyed the Ritter Sports that I nabbed at the Expo, and I can't wait to see them on the shelves here in the U.S. Especially the Cocoa Mousse one!