text:
Part C—MEDICARE+CHOICE PROGRAM[341]
Sec. 1851. [42 U.S.C. 1395w–21] (a) Choice of medicare benefits through medicare+choice plans.—
(1) In general.—Subject to the provisions of this section, each Medicare+Choice eligible individual (as defined in paragraph (3)) is entitled to elect to receive benefits (other than qualified prescription drug benefits) under this title—
(A) through the original medicare fee–for–service program under parts A and B, or
(B) through enrollment in a Medicare+Choice plan under this part,
and may elect qualified prescription drug coverage in accordance with section 1860D-1.
(2) Types of medicare+choice plans that may be available.—A Medicare+Choice plan may be any of the following types of plans of health insurance:
(A) Coordinated care plans (including regional plans).—
(i) In general.—Coordinated care plans which provide health care services, including but not limited to health maintenance organization plans (with or without point of service options), plans offered by provider–sponsored organizations (as defined in section 1855(d)), and regional or local preferred provider organization plans (including MA regional plans).
(ii) Specialized ma plans for special needs individuals.—Specialized MA plans for special needs individuals (as defined in section 1859(b)(6)) may be any type of coordinated care plan.
(B) Combination of msa plan and contributions to medicare+choice msa.—An MSA plan, as defined in section 1859(b)(3), and a contribution into a Medicare+Choice medical savings account (MSA).
(C) Private fee–for–service plans.—A Medicare+Choice private fee–for–service plan, as defined in section 1859(b)(2).
(3) Medicare+choice eligible individual.—In this title, the term Medicare+Choice eligible individual means an individual who is entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled under part B.[342]
(b) Special Rules.—
(1) Residence requirement.—
(A) In general.—Except as the Secretary may otherwise provide and except as provided in subparagraph (C), an individual is eligible to elect a Medicare+Choice plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization only if the plan serves the geographic area in which the individual resides.
(B) Continuation of enrollment permitted.—Pursuant to rules specified by the Secretary, the Secretary shall provide that an MA local plan may offer to all individuals residing in a geographic area the option to continue enrollment in the plan, notwithstanding that the individual no longer resides in the service area of the plan, so long as the plan provides that individuals exercising this option have, as part of the benefits under the original medicare fee-for-service program option, reasonable access within that geographic area to the full range of basic benefits, subject to reasonable cost sharing liability in obtaining such benefits.
(C) Continuation of enrollment permitted where service changed.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) and in addition to subparagraph (B), if a Medicare+Choice organization eliminates from its service area a Medicare+Choice payment area that was previously within its service area, the organization may elect to offer individuals residing in all or portions of the affected area who would otherwise be ineligible to continue enrollment the option to continue enrollment in an MA local plan it offers so long as—
(i) the enrollee agrees to receive the full range of basic benefits (excluding emergency and urgently needed care) exclusively at facilities designated by the organization within the plan service area; and
(ii) there is no other Medicare+Choice plan offered in the area in which the enrollee resides at the time of the organization's election.
(2) Special rule for certain individuals covered under fehbp or eligible for veterans or military health benefits, veterans.—
(A) FEHBP.—An individual who is enrolled in a health benefit plan under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, is not eligible to enroll in an MSA plan until such time as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget certifies to the Secretary that the Office of Personnel Management has adopted policies which will ensure that the enrollment of such individuals in such plans will not result in increased expenditures for the Federal Government for health benefit plans under such chapter.
(B) VA and DOD.—The Secretary may apply rules similar to the rules described in subparagraph (A) in the case of individuals who are eligible for health care benefits under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, or under chapter 17 of title 38 of such Code.
(3) Limitation on eligibility of qualified medicare beneficiaries and other medicaid beneficiaries to enroll in an msa plan.—An individual who is a qualified medicare beneficiary (as defined in section 1905(p)(1)), a qualified disabled and working individual (described in section 1905(s)), an individual described in section 1902(a)(10)(E)(iii), or otherwise entitled to medicare cost–sharing under a State plan under title XIX is not eligible to enroll in an MSA plan.
(4) Coverage under msa plans .—
(A) In general.—Under rules established by the Secretary, an individual is not eligible to enroll (or continue enrollment) in an MSA plan for a year unless the individual provides assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that the individual will reside in the United States for at least 183 days during the year.
(B) Evaluation.—The Secretary shall regularly evaluate the impact of permitting enrollment in MSA plans under this part on selection (including adverse selection), use of preventive care, access to care, and the financial status of the Trust Funds under this title.
(C) Reports.—The Secretary shall submit to Congress periodic reports on the numbers of individuals enrolled in such plans and on the evaluation being conducted under subparagraph (B).
(c) Process for Exercising Choice.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary shall establish a process through which elections described in subsection (a) are made and changed, including the form and manner in which Subject to paragraph (4), such elections are made and changed. Such elections shall be made or changed only during coverage election periods specified under subsection (e) and shall become effective as provided in subsection (f).[343]
(2) Coordination through medicare+choice organizations.—
(A) Enrollment.—Such process shall permit an individual who wishes to elect a Medicare+Choice plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization to make such election through the filing of an appropriate election form with the organization.
(B) Disenrollment.—Such process shall permit an individual, who has elected a Medicare+Choice plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization and who wishes to terminate such election, to terminate such election through the filing of an appropriate election form with the organization.
(3) Default.—
(A) Initial election.—
(i) In general.—Subject to clause (ii), an individual who fails to make an election during an initial election period under subsection (e)(1) is deemed to have chosen the original medicare fee-for-service program option.
(ii) Seamless continuation of coverage.—The Secretary may establish procedures under which an individual who is enrolled in a health plan (other than Medicare+Choice plan) offered by a Medicare+Choice organization at the time of the initial election period and who fails to elect to receive coverage other than through the organization is deemed to have elected the Medicare+Choice plan offered by the organization (or, if the organization offers more than one such plan, such plan or plans as the Secretary identifies under such procedures).
(B) Continuing periods.—An individual who has made (or is deemed to have made) an election under this section is considered to have continued to make such election until such time as—
(i) the individual changes the election under this section, or
(ii) the Medicare+Choice plan with respect to which such election is in effect is discontinued or, subject to subsection (b)(1)(B), no longer serves the area in which the individual resides.
(d) Providing Information to Promote Informed Choice.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary shall provide for activities under this subsection to broadly disseminate information to medicare beneficiaries (and prospective medicare beneficiaries) on the coverage options provided under this section in order to promote an active, informed selection among such options.
(2) Provision of notice.—
(A) Open season notification.—At least 15 days before the beginning of each annual, coordinated election period (as defined in subsection (e)(3)(B)), the Secretary shall mail to each Medicare+Choice eligible individual residing in an area the following:
(i) General information.—The general information described in paragraph (3).
(ii) List of plans and comparison of plan options.—A list identifying the Medicare+Choice plans that are (or will be) available to residents of the area and information described in paragraph (4) concerning such plans. Such information shall be presented in a comparative form.
(iii) Additional information.—Any other information that the Secretary determines will assist the individual in making the election under this section. The mailing of such information shall be coordinated, to the extent practicable, with the mailing of any annual notice under section 1804.
(B) Notifications required.—
(i) Notification to newly eligible medicare advantage eligible individuals.— To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall, not later than 30 days before the beginning of the initial Medicare+Choice enrollment period for an individual described in subsection (e)(1), mail to the individual the information described in subparagraph (A).
(ii) Notification related to certain deemed elections.— The Secretary shall require a Medicare Advantage organization that is offering a Medicare Advantage plan that has been converted from a reasonable cost reimbursement contract pursuant to section1876(h)(5)(C)(iv) to mail, not later than 30 days prior to the first day of the annual, coordinated election period under subsection (e)(3) of a year, to any individual enrolled under such contract and identified by the Secretary under subsection(c)(4)(D) for such year—
(I) a notification that such individual will, on such day, be deemed to have made an election with respect to such plan to receive benefits under this title through an MA plan or MA-PD plan (and shall be enrolled in such plan) for the next plan year under subsection(c)(4)(A), but that the individual may make a different election during the annual, coordinated election period for such year;
(II) the information described in subparagraph (A);
(III) a description of the differences between such MA plan or MA- PD plan and the reasonable cost reimbursement contract in which the individual was most recently enrolled with respect to benefits covered under such plans, including cost-sharing, premiums, drug coverage, and provider networks;
(IV) information about the special period for elections under subsection(e)(2)(F); and
(V) other information theSecretary may specify.[344]
(C) Form.—The information disseminated under this paragraph shall be written and formatted using language that is easily understandable by medicare beneficiaries.
(D) Periodic updating.—The information described in subparagraph (A) shall be updated on at least an annual basis to reflect changes in the availability of Medicare+Choice plans and the benefits and Medicare+Choice monthly basic and supplemental beneficiary premiums for such plans.
(3) General information.—General information under this paragraph, with respect to coverage under this part during a year, shall include the following:
(A) Benefits under original medicare fee–for–service program option.—A general description of the benefits covered under the original medicare fee-for-service program under parts A and B, including—
(i) covered items and services,
(ii) beneficiary cost sharing, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayment amounts, and (iii) any beneficiary liability for balance billing.
(B) Election procedures.—Information and instructions on how to exercise election options under this section.
(C) Rights.—A general description of procedural rights (including grievance and appeals procedures) of beneficiaries under the original medicare fee–for–service program and the Medicare+Choice program and the right to be protected against discrimination based on health status–related factors under section 1852(b).
(D) Information on medigap and medicare select.—A general description of the benefits, enrollment rights, and other requirements applicable to medicare supplemental policies under section 1882 and provisions relating to medicare select policies described in section 1882(t).
(E.) Potential for contract termination.—The fact that a Medicare+Choice organization may terminate its contract, refuse to renew its contract, or reduce the service area included in its contract, under this part, and the effect of such a termination, nonrenewal, or service area reduction may have on individuals enrolled with the Medicare+Choice plan under this part.
(F) Catastrophic Coverage And Single Deductible.—In the case of an MA regional plan, a description of the catastrophic coverage and single deductible applicable under the plan.
(4) Information comparing plan options.—Information under this paragraph, with respect to a Medicare+Choice plan for a year, shall include the following:
(A) Benefits.—The benefits covered under the plan, including the following:
(i) Covered items and services beyond those provided under the original medicare fee-for-service program.
(ii) Any beneficiary cost sharing, including information on the single deductible (if applicable) under section 1858(b)(1).
(iii) Any maximum limitations on out-of-pocket expenses.
(iv) In the case of an MSA plan, differences in cost sharing, premiums, and balance billing under such a plan compared to under other Medicare+Choice plans.
(v) In the case of a Medicare+Choice private fee-for-service plan, differences in cost sharing, premiums, and balance billing under such a plan compared to under other Medicare+Choice plans.
(vi) The extent to which an enrollee may obtain benefits through out-of-network health care providers.
(vii) The extent to which an enrollee may select among in- network providers and the types of providers participating in the plan's network.
(viii) The organization's coverage of emergency and urgently needed care.
(B) Premiums.—
(i) In general.—The monthly amount of the premium charged to an individual.
(ii) Reductions.—The reduction in part B premiums, if any.
The monthly amount of the premium charged to an individual.
(C) Service area.—The service area of the plan.
(D) Quality and performance.—To the extent available, plan quality and performance indicators for the benefits under the plan (and how they compare to such indicators under the original medicare fee-for-service program under parts A and B in the area involved), including—
(i) disenrollment rates for medicare enrollees electing to receive benefits through the plan for the previous 2 years (excluding disenrollment due to death or moving outside the plan's service area),
(ii) information on medicare enrollee satisfaction,
(iii) information on health outcomes, and
(iv) the recent record regarding compliance of the plan with requirements of this part (as determined by the Secretary).
(E) Supplemental benefits.—Supplemental health care benefits, including any reductions in cost-sharing under section 1852(a)(3) and the terms and conditions (including premiums) for such benefits.
(5) Maintaining a toll–free number and internet site.—The Secretary shall maintain a toll-free number for inquiries regarding Medicare+Choice options and the operation of this part in all areas in which Medicare+Choice plans are offered and an Internet site through which individuals may electronically obtain information on such options and Medicare+Choice plans.
(6) Use of non–federal entities.—The Secretary may enter into contracts with non-Federal entities to carry out activities under this subsection.
(7) Provision of information.—A Medicare+Choice organization shall provide the Secretary with such information on the organization and each Medicare+Choice plan it offers as may be required for the preparation of the information referred to in paragraph (2)(A).
(e) Coverage Election Periods.—
(1) Initial choice upon eligibility to make election if medicare+choice plans available to individual.—If, at the time an individual first becomes entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled under part B, there is one or more Medicare+Choice plans offered in the area in which the individual resides, the individual shall make the election under this section during a period specified by the Secretary such that if the individual elects a Medicare+Choice plan during the period, coverage under the plan becomes effective as of the first date on which the individual may receive such coverage.
(2) Open enrollment and disenrollment opportunities.—Subject to paragraph (5)—
(A) Continuous open enrollment and disenrollment through 2005.—At any time during the period beginning January 1, 1998, and ending on December 31, 2005, a Medicare+Choice eligible individual may change the election under subsection (a)(1).
(B) Continuous open enrollment and disenrollment for first 6 months during 2006.—
(i) In general.—Subject to clause (ii), subparagraph (C)(iii), and subparagraph (D), at any time during the first 6 months of 2006, or, if the individual first becomes a Medicare+Choice eligible individual during 2006, during the first 6 months during 2006 in which the individual is a Medicare+Choice eligible individual, a Medicare+Choice eligible individual may change the election under subsection (a)(1) of this section.
(ii) Limitation of one change.—An individual may exercise the right under clause (i) only once. The limitation under this clause shall not apply to changes in elections effected during an annual, coordinated election period under paragraph (3) or during a special enrollment period under the first sentence of paragraph (4).
(C) Annual 45–day period from 2011 through 2018 for disenrollment from ma plans to elect to receive benefits under the original medicare fee–for–service program.—Subject to subparagraph (D), at any time during the first 45 days of a year (beginning with 2011 and ending with 2018), an individual who is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan may change the election under subsection (a)(1), but only with respect to coverage under the original medicare fee-for-service program under parts A and B, and may elect qualified prescription drug coverage in accordance with section 1860D–1.[345]
(D) Continuous open enrollment for institutionalized individuals.—At any time after 2005 in the case of a Medicare+Choice eligible individual who is institutionalized (as defined by the Secretary), the individual may elect under subsection (a)(1)—
(i) to enroll in a Medicare+Choice plan; or
(ii) to change the Medicare+Choice plan in which the individual is enrolled.
(E) Limited Continuous Open Enrollment of Original Fee-for-Service Enrollees in Medicare Advantage Non-Prescription Drug Plans.—
(i) In general.—On any date during the period beginning on January 1, 2007, and ending on July 31, 2007, on which a Medicare Advantage eligible individual is an unenrolled fee-for-service individual (as defined in clause (ii)), the individual may elect under subsection (a)(1) to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that is not an MA-PD plan.
(ii) Unenrolled fee-for-service individual defined.—In this subparagraph, the term "unenrolled fee-for-service individual" means, with respect to a date, a Medicare Advantage eligible individual who—
(I) is receiving benefits under this title through enrollment in the original medicare fee-for-service program under parts A and B;
(II) is not enrolled in an MA plan on such date; and
(III) as of such date is not otherwise eligible to elect to enroll in an MA plan.
(iii) Limitation of one change during the applicable period.—An individual may exercise the right under clause (i) only once during the period described in such clause.
(iv) No effect on coverage under a prescription drug plan.—Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed as permitting an individual exercising the right under clause (i)—
(I) who is enrolled in a prescription drug plan under part D, to disenroll from such plan or to enroll in a different prescription drug plan; or
(II) who is not enrolled in a prescription drug plan, to enroll in such a plan.
(F)Special period for certain deemed elections.—
(i) In general.— At any time during theperiod beginning after the last day of the annual, coordinated election period under paragraph (3) in which an individual is deemed to have elected to enroll in an MA plan or MA-PD plan under subsection (c)(4) and ending on the last day of February of the first plan year for which the individual is enrolled in such plan, such individual may change the election under subsection (a)(1) (including changing the MA plan or MA-PD plan in which the individual is enrolled).
(ii) Limitation of one change.— An individual may exercise the right under clause (i) only once during the applicable period described in such clause. The limitation under this clause shall not apply to changes in elections effected during an annual, coordinated election period under paragraph (3) or during a special enrollment period under paragraph (4).[346]
(G)Continuous open enrollment and disenrollment for first 3 months in 2016 and subsequent years
(i) In generalSubject to clause (ii) and subparagraph (D)—
(I) in the case of an MA eligible individual who is enrolled in an MA plan, at any time during the first 3 months of a year (beginning with 2019); or
(II) in the case of an individual who first becomes an MA eligible individual during a year (beginning with 2019) and enrolls in an MA plan, during the first 3 months during such year in which the individual is an MA eligible individual; such MA eligible individual may change the election under subsection (a)(1).
(ii) Limitation of one change during open enrollment period each yearAn individual may change the election pursuant to clause (i) only once during the applicable 3- month period described in such clause in each year. The limitation under this clause shall not apply to changes in elections effected during an annual, coordinated election period under paragraph (3) or during a special enrollment period under paragraph (4).
(iii) Limited application to part dClauses (i) and (ii) of this subparagraph shall only apply with respect to changes in enrollment in a prescription drug plan under part D in the case of an individual who, previous to such change in enrollment, is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.
(iv) Limitations on marketingPursuant to subsection (j), no unsolicited marketing or marketing materials may be sent to an individual described in clause (i) during the continuous open enrollment and disenrollment period established for the individual under such clause, notwithstanding marketing guidelines established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.[347]
(3) Annual, coordinated election period.—
(A) In general.—Subject to paragraph (5), each individual who is eligible to make an election under this section may change such election during an annual, coordinated election period.
(B) Annual, coordinated election period.—For purposes of this section, the term "annual, coordinated election period" means—
(i) with respect to a year before 2002, the month of November before such year;
(ii) with respect to 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005, the period beginning on November 15 and ending on December 31 of the year before such year;
(iii) with respect to 2006, the period beginning on November 15, 2005, and ending on May 15, 2006;
(iv) with respect to 2007 and , 2008, 2009, and 2010, the period beginning on November 15 and ending on December 31 of the year before such year.
(v) with respect to 2012 and succeeding years, the period beginning on October 15 and ending on December 7 of the year before such year.
(C) Medicare+choice health information fairs.—During the fall season of each year (beginning with 1999), in conjunction with the annual coordinated election period defined in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall provide for a nationally coordinated educational and publicity campaign to inform Medicare+Choice eligible individuals about Medicare+Choice plans and the election process provided under this section.
(D) Special information campaign in 1998.—During November 1998 the Secretary shall provide for an educational and publicity campaign to inform Medicare+Choice eligible individuals about the availability of Medicare+Choice plans, and eligible organizations with risk–sharing contracts under section 1876, offered in different areas and the election process provided under this section.
(4) Special election periods.—Effective as of January 1, 2006, an individual may discontinue an election of a Medicare+Choice plan offered by a Medicare+Choice organization other than during an annual, coordinated election period and make a new election under this section if—
(A)(i) the certification of the organization or plan under this part has been terminated, or the organization or plan has notified the individual of an impending termination of such certification; or
(ii) the organization has terminated or otherwise discontinued providing the plan in the area in which the individual resides, or has notified the individual of an impending termination or discontinuation of such plan
(B) the individual is no longer eligible to elect the plan because of a change in the individual's place of residence or other change in circumstances (specified by the Secretary, but not including termination of the individual's enrollment on the basis described in clause (i) or (ii) of subsection (g)(3)(B));
(C) the individual demonstrates (in accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary) that—
(i) the organization offering the plan substantially violated a material provision of the organization's contract under this part in relation to the individual (including the failure to provide an enrollee on a timely basis medically necessary care for which benefits are available under the plan or the failure to provide such covered care in accordance with applicable quality standards); or
(ii) the organization (or an agent or other entity acting on the organization's behalf) materially misrepresented the plan's provisions in marketing the plan to the individual; or
(D) the individual meets such other exceptional conditions as the Secretary may provide.
Effective as of January 1, 2006, an individual who, upon first becoming eligible for benefits under part A at age 65, enrolls in a Medicare+Choice plan under this part, the individual may discontinue the election of such plan, and elect coverage under the original fee-for-service plan, at any time during the 12–month period beginning on the effective date of such enrollment.
(5) Special rules for msa plans.—Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subsection, an individual—
(A) may elect an MSA plan only during—
(i) an initial open enrollment period described in paragraph (1), or
(ii) an annual, coordinated election period described in paragraph (3)(B);
(B) subject to subparagraph (C), may not discontinue an election of an MSA plan except during the periods described in clause (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (A) and under the first sentence of paragraph (4); and
(C) who elects an MSA plan during an annual, coordinated election period, and who never previously had elected such a plan, may revoke such election, in a manner determined by the Secretary, by not later than December 15 following the date of the election.
(6) Open enrollment periods.—Subject to paragraph (5), a Medicare+Choice organization—
(A) shall accept elections or changes to elections during the initial enrollment periods described in paragraph (1), during the period described in paragraph (2)(F), during the month of November 1998 and during the annual, coordinated election period under paragraph (3) for each subsequent year, and during special election periods described in the first sentence of paragraph (4); and[348]
(B) may accept other changes to elections at such other times as the organization provides.
(f) Effectiveness of Elections and Changes of Elections.—
(1) During initial coverage election period.—An election of coverage made during the initial coverage election period under subsection (e)(1) shall take effect upon the date the individual becomes entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled under part B, except as the Secretary may provide (consistent with section 1838) in order to prevent retroactive coverage.
(2) During continuous open enrollment periods.—An election or change of coverage made under subsection (e)(2) shall take effect with the first day of the first calendar month following the date on which the election or change is made.
(3) Annual, coordinated election period.—An election or change of coverage made during an annual, coordinated election period (as defined in subsection (e)(3)(B)) in a year shall take effect as of the first day of the following year.
(4) Other periods.—An election or change of coverage made during any other period under subsection (e)(4) shall take effect in such manner as the Secretary provides in a manner consistent (to the extent practicable) with protecting continuity of health benefit coverage.
(g) Guaranteed Issue and Renewal.—
(1) In general.—Except as provided in this subsection, a Medicare+Choice organization shall provide that at any time during which elections are accepted under this section with respect to a Medicare+Choice plan offered by the organization, the organization will accept without restrictions individuals who are eligible to make such election.
(2) Priority.—If the Secretary determines that a Medicare+Choice organization, in relation to a Medicare+Choice plan it offers, has a capacity limit and the number of Medicare+Choice eligible individuals who elect the plan under this section exceeds the capacity limit, the organization may limit the election of individuals of the plan under this section but only if priority in election is provided—
(A) first to such individuals as have elected the plan at the time of the determination, and
(B) then to other such individuals in such a manner that does not discriminate, on a basis described in section 1852(b), among the individuals (who seek to elect the plan).
The preceding sentence shall not apply if it would result in the enrollment of enrollees substantially nonrepresentative, as determined in accordance with regulations of the Secretary, of the medicare population in the service area of the plan.
(3) Limitation on termination of election.—
(A) In general.—Subject to subparagraph (B), a Medicare+Choice organization may not for any reason terminate the election of any individual under this section for a Medicare+Choice plan it offers.
(B) Basis for termination of election.—A Medicare+Choice organization may terminate an individual's election under this section with respect to a Medicare+Choice plan it offers if—
(i) any Medicare+Choice monthly basic and supplemental beneficiary premiums required with respect to such plan are not paid on a timely basis (consistent with standards under section 1856 that provide for a grace period for late payment of such premiums),
(ii) the individual has engaged in disruptive behavior (as specified in such standards), or
(iii) the plan is terminated with respect to all individuals under this part in the area in which the individual resides.
(C) Consequence of termination.—
(i) Terminations for cause.—Any individual whose election is terminated under clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (B) is deemed to have elected the original medicare fee–for–service program option described in subsection (a)(1)(A).
(ii) Termination based on plan termination or service area reduction.—Any individual whose election is terminated under subparagraph (B)(iii) shall have a special election period under subsection (e)(4)(A) in which to change coverage to coverage under another Medicare+Choice plan. Such an individual who fails to make an election during such period is deemed to have chosen to change coverage to the original medicare fee—for—service program option described in subsection (a)(1)(A).
(D) Organization obligation with respect to election forms.—Pursuant to a contract under section 1857, each Medicare+Choice organization receiving an election form under subsection (c)(2) shall transmit to the Secretary (at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may specify) a copy of such form or such other information respecting the election as the Secretary may specify.
(h) Approval of Marketing Material and Application Forms.—
(1) Submission.—No marketing material or application form may be distributed by a Medicare+Choice organization to (or for the use of) Medicare+Choice eligible individuals unless—
(A) at least 45 days (or 10 days in the case described in paragraph (5)) before the date of distribution the organization has submitted the material or form to the Secretary for review, and
(B) the Secretary has not disapproved the distribution of such material or form.
(2) Review.—The standards established under section 1856 shall include guidelines for the review of any material or form submitted and under such guidelines the Secretary shall disapprove (or later require the correction of) such material or form if the material or form is materially inaccurate or misleading or otherwise makes a material misrepresentation.
(3) Deemed approval (1–stop shopping).—In the case of material or form that is submitted under paragraph (1)(A) to the Secretary or a regional office of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Secretary or the office has not disapproved the distribution of marketing material or form under paragraph (1)(B) with respect to a Medicare+Choice plan in an area, the Secretary is deemed not to have disapproved such distribution in all other areas covered by the plan and organization except with regard to that portion of such material or form that is specific only to an area involved.
(4) Prohibition of certain marketing practices.—Each Medicare+Choice organization shall conform to fair marketing standards, in relation to Medicare+Choice plans offered under this part, included in the standards established under section 1856. Such standards—
(A) shall not permit a Medicare+Choice organization to provide for, subject to subsection (j)(2)(C), cash, gifts, prizes, or other monetary rebates as an inducement for enrollment or otherwise;
(B) may include a prohibition against a Medicare+Choice organization (or agent of such an organization) completing any portion of any election form used to carry out elections under this section on behalf of any individual;
(C) shall not permit a Medicare Advantage organization (or the agents, brokers, and other third parties representing such organization) to conduct the prohibited activities described in subsection (j)(1); and
(D) shall only permit a Medicare Advantage organization (and the agents, brokers, and other third parties representing such organization) to conduct the activities described in subsection (j)(2) in accordance with the limitations established under such subsection.
(5) Special treatment of marketing material following model marketing language.—In the case of marketing material of an organization that uses, without modification, proposed model language specified by the Secretary, the period specified in paragraph (1)(A) shall be reduced from 45 days to 10 days.
(6) Required inclusion of plan type in plan name.—For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2010, a Medicare Advantage organization must ensure that the name of each Medicare Advantage plan offered by the Medicare Advantage organization includes the plan type of the plan (using standard terminology developed by the Secretary).
(7) Strengthening the Ability of States to Act in Collaboration With the Secretary to Address Fraudulent or Inappropriate Marketing Practices.—
(A) Appointment of agents and brokers.—Each Medicare Advantage organization shall—
(i) only use agents and brokers who have been licensed under State law to sell Medicare Advantage plans offered by the Medicare Advantage organization;
(ii) in the case where a State has a State appointment law, abide by such law; and
(iii) report to the applicable State the termination of any such agent or broker, including the reasons for such termination (as required under applicable State law).
(B) Compliance with state information requests.—Each Medicare Advantage organization shall comply in a timely manner with any request by a State for information regarding the performance of a licensed agent, broker, or other third party representing the Medicare Advantage organization as part of an investigation by the State into the conduct of the agent, broker, or other third party.
(i) Effect of Election of Medicare+Choice Plan Option.—
(1) Payments to organizations.—Subject to sections 1852(a)(5), 1853(a)(4), 1853(g), 1853(h), 1886(d)(11), and 1886(h)(3)(D), payments under a contract with a Medicare+Choice organization under section 1853(a) with respect to an individual electing a Medicare+Choice plan offered by the organization shall be instead of the amounts which (in the absence of the contract) would otherwise be payable under parts A and B for items and services furnished to the individual.
(2) Only organization entitled to payment.—Subject to sections 1853(a)(4), 1853(e), 1853(g), 1853(h), 1857(f)(2), 1858(h), 1886(d)(11), and 1886(h)(3)(D), only the Medicare+Choice organization shall be entitled to receive payments from the Secretary under this title for services furnished to the individual.
(3) FFS payment for expenses for kidney acquisitionsParagraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply with respect to expenses for organ acquisitions for kidney transplants described in section 1852(a)(1)(B)(i).[349]
(j) Prohibited Activities Described and Limitations on the Conduct of Certain Other Activities.—
(1) Prohibited activities described—The following prohibited activities are described in this paragraph:
(A) Unsolicited means of direct contact.—Any unsolicited means of direct contact of prospective enrollees, including soliciting door-to-door or any outbound telemarketing without the prospective enrollee initiating contact.
(B) Cross-selling.—The sale of other non-health related products (such as annuities and life insurance) during any sales or marketing activity or presentation conducted with respect to a Medicare Advantage plan.
(C) Meals.—The provision of meals of any sort, regardless of value, to prospective enrollees at promotional and sales activities.
(D) Sales and marketing in health care settings and at educational events.—Sales and marketing activities for the enrollment of individuals in Medicare Advantage plans that are conducted—
(i) in health care settings in areas where health care is delivered to individuals (such as physician offices and pharmacies), except in the case where such activities are conducted in common areas in health care settings; and
(ii) at educational events.
(2) Limitations.—The Secretary shall establish limitations with respect to at least the following:
(A) Scope of marketing appointments.—The scope of any appointment with respect to the marketing of a Medicare Advantage plan. Such limitation shall require advance agreement with a prospective enrollee on the scope of the marketing appointment and documentation of such agreement by the Medicare Advantage organization. In the case where the marketing appointment is in person, such documentation shall be in writing.
(B) Co-branding.—The use of the name or logo of a co-branded network provider on Medicare Advantage plan membership and marketing materials.
(C) Limitation of gifts to nominal dollar value.—The offering of gifts and other promotional items other than those that are of nominal value (as determined by the Secretary) to prospective enrollees at promotional activities
(D) Compensation.—The use of compensation other than as provided under guidelines established by the Secretary. Such guidelines shall ensure that the use of compensation creates incentives for agents and brokers to enroll individuals in the Medicare Advantage plan that is intended to best meet their health care needs.
(E) Required training, annual retraining, and testing of agents, brokers, and other third parties.—The use by a Medicare Advantage organization of any individual as an agent, broker, or other third party representing the organization that has not completed an initial training and testing program and does not complete an annual retraining and testing program.
[341] See Vol. II, P.L. 108-173, §231(e), with respect to a study on the impact of specialized MA plans for special needs individuals.
See Vol. II, P.L. 110-173, §108(b), with respect to a moratorium on the designation of plans and the enrollment in new plans.
See Vol. II, P.L. 110-275, §168, with respect to a MEDPAC study and report on quality measures.
[342] P.L.114-255, §17006(a)(1)(A-B); struck subparagraph (B); restructured to remove subparagraph (A); struck "subject to subparagraph (B)," after "In this title". Effective December 10, 2016.
[343] P.L. 114-10, §209(b)(1)(A), struck "Such elections'', inserted "Subject to paragraph (4), such elections". Effective April 16, 2015.
[344] P.L. 114-10, §209(c) subparagraph retitled, restructured, and clause (ii) added. Effective April 16, 2015.
[345] P.L.114-255, §17005(1)(A-B); A) In heading, inserted "from 2011 through 2018" after "45-day period"; B) inserted "and ending with 2018" after "beginning with 2011. Effective December 10, 2016.
[346] P.L. 114-10, §209(b)(2)(B), inserted subparagraph (F). Effective April 16, 2015.
[347] P.L.114-255, §17005(2); inserted subparagraph (G). Effective December 10, 2016.
[348] P.L. 114-10, §209(b)(2)(B)(i), struck "paragraph (1)," and inserted "paragraph (1), during the period described in paragraph (2)(F),". Effective April 16, 2015.
[349] P.L.114-255, §17006(c)(2); inserted paragraph 1851(i)(3). Effective December 10, 2016.


text:
Or call us today toll free: 1-8555099159
There's only one surefire way to stay prepared for an unanticipated and expensive problem with the appliances and home systems you use on a regular basis. These units get used on a regular—almost constant—basis, and that wear and tear will eventually take its toll. Even if you have high quality machines and systems and take good care of them, an eventual malfunction or breakdown is inevitable.
When this equipment failure occurs, it will almost certainly throw off your routine. Most people aren't prepared with the knowledge or tools required to handle a home emergency like cracked plumbing or an uncooperative kitchen appliance. Getting a full repair or replacement of a major unit can cost thousands of dollars.
Utah residents know all too well how hectic life can get. Between work, family, and social obligations it's hard to find time for anything else, and the slightest disruption can cause big problems. A major disruption like an uncooperative dishwasher or leaky plumbing can throw your entire life out of balance. Luckily, there's a solution for many common issues you might have with your home systems and appliances. American Home Shield Utah can help take care of all your major maintenance, repair, and replacement needs.
Appliances and systems like your electrical wiring or heating and air conditioning experience constant wear and tear, and could break down at any time. They require periodic maintenance to continue working efficiently, and will eventually break down altogether. Handling these problems can be time consuming and incredibly expensive. Replacing a major appliance like a refrigerator can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.
HomeWarrantyDeals.com has a solution for unexpected home maintenance and repair needs. With a Meadow, Utah home warranty you can rest easy knowing you'll avoid any financial crisis due to your covered home appliances and systems. When a problem arises, a home warranty steps in to take care of it.
A home warranty is a service that ensures that all the essential parts of your home are running correctly so you don't have to worry about them. A small investment on a monthly basis protects you when a problem crops up with your covered home systems and appliances. The home warranty company you choose will take care of any repairs or replacements required in a timely and affordable fashion. Maintaining a home is already tiring enough without having to worry about expensive surprises when a unit breaks down. A Meadow, Utah home warranty is a stress-free solution that lets you focus on the important parts of home ownership.
You can get the peace and security of a home warranty in almost no time at all. First you'll want to choose the provider that best suits your needs. Look for a warranty plan that covers the systems and machines you rely on most at an affordable rate. When selecting a home warranty company, be sure to find one that offers continuous coverage and can give you a free quote so you can get a good idea of how much your service will cost.
HomeWarrantyDeals.com can help you find the best Meadow, Utah home warranty for you. Our partnerships with the nation's best providers give us insight and access to the best available deals. Get answers to all of your home warranty questions on our site. When you're ready to get a warranty service of your very own, simply fill out a form or call.
The support and reassurance of a home warranty is just a call or click away. Don't live not knowing what you'd do if your electrical system malfunctions or your laundry machine breaks. Act now to get a home warranty and avoid complex, expensive repairs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
[Look for the podcast play button below.]
We're back at Seattle's premiere dungeon with the exciting and dangerous Lady Lydia, the nationally renowned and respected dominatrix and educator.
This is a Sex EDGE-U-cation podcasts. In this series we take a look at the world of fetish sex, kink and alternative sexual lifestyles. We investigate topics both familiar and exotic. And we chat with prominent educators, practitioners and advocates of unconventional sexual expressions and lifestyles from all over the world.
If you somehow missed Part 1 of this interesting and oh so edgy conversation, check out Podcast #120 on the Dr Dick's Podcast Page. You'll find a tab for that page at the top of this page. Or simply use my site's search function. Type in Podcast #120 and don't forget the # sign.
Lady Lydia and I discuss:
- Endorphins and adrenaline in power play.
- Sub-space and Top-space.
- Being "old school".
- Aftercare.
- The difference between genital sex and power play.
- Her sexual heroes.
- Searching for kink-positive healing and helping professionals.
Be sure to visit Lady Lydia at her website for more heart-stopping images and information. You can find it HERE!
See a slideshow of Lydia at work. Click on the thumbnails below.
Today's podcast is bought to you by: Fleshlight and FleshJack
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


text:
PLATFORMS: Android, Linux, Debian, MacOS, Windows
EXPERTISE: Open source, database solutions, Android and Cloud Computing
Expert software programmers and consultants
We specialise in the development of business software solutions that work.
Our expertise is open source, database solutions, android and cloud computing.
We have the skills and the experience to work with you in transforming your ideas into successful software solutions.
Read more about Treshna…
Treshna Enterprises Ltd
EPIC Sanctuary.
78-106 Manchester Street
Christchurch Central
New Zealand
New Zealand: 0800 894149
Australia: 03 9111 0323
International: +64 3 366 3649
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
MESA, Ariz. — Launched by a bitter debate, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are powering into a crucial stretch of the Republican presidential campaign, one man badly needing money and the other anxious to win over conservative voters.
Romney is focusing his attention on Michigan, his birthplace and the site of an unexpectedly tight race with Santorum, by courting conservative support at a tea party rally Thursday night. He has campaigned with such confidence in Arizona that he hasn't aired any television ads in the state.
Santorum, flourishing in the polls, isn't doing as well in the money chase. For the moment he's focused on beefing up a cash-strapped campaign he hopes can stage an upset in Michigan. That would cap a rebound that began two weeks ago when Santorum won caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado and a nonbinding primary in Missouri.
The 20th debate of the primary season on Wednesday night offered the GOP hopefuls their final face-to-face outing on a national stage before contests over the next 13 days that may well winnow the four-man field. After the Arizona and Michigan primaries on Tuesday come Washington's caucuses four days later. Then 10 states cast ballots on Super Tuesday, March 6.
Polls show Santorum leading the field nationally and in several states. Romney and rivals Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich used the televised debate in Arizona to challenge Santorum, who repeatedly found himself in the hot seat over his record on spending, home-state projects known as earmarks and support for a federal education law.
Romney criticized Santorum for support of spending programs when he represented Pennsylvania in Congress, where he served both in the House and Senate. Romney said Santorum voted five times to raise the government's ability to borrow, supported retention of a law that favors construction unions and supported increased spending for Planned Parenthood. He said federal spending rose 78 percent overall while Santorum was in Congress.
Santorum retorted that government spending declined as a percentage of the economy when he was in the Senate, and he noted that when Romney was asked last year if he would support a pending debt-limit increase, "he said yes."
The former Massachusetts governor also went after Santorum on earmarks, the specialized spending bills directed to a particular state or program.
"You voted for the Bridge to Nowhere," Romney said to Santorum, referring to an infamous bridge proposal in Alaska that would have been built with millions in federal funds. "I would put a ban on earmarks."
Paul went further, calling Santorum a "fake" conservative. Gingrich dismissed the argument over earmarks as "silly" but said his years as House speaker made him best equipped to bring reform to such Washington practices.
Santorum, for his part, said he had differentiated between "good earmarks and bad earmarks" and supported only those that funded defense and other needed projects.
He also noted that Romney had sought earmarks to fund the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. And he blamed Romney anew for championing a health care law in Massachusetts that became the prototype for President Barack Obama's health care law, which is detested by conservatives.
"It would be a difficult task for someone who had the model for Obamacare — the biggest issue in this race — to be the nominee of our party," Santorum said.
In rebuttal, Romney said Santorum actually bore responsibility for passage of the health care law that Obama won from a Democratic-controlled Congress in 2010, even though he wasn't in office at the time. Romney said that in a primary battle in 2004, Santorum had supported then-Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who later switched parties and voted for the law Obama wanted.
Santorum also took his lumps from the audience, which booed when he said he had voted several years ago for the No Child Left Behind education legislation even though he had opposed it.
"Look, politics is a team sport, folks," he said of the measure backed by Republican President George W. Bush and other GOP lawmakers.
In the hours leading to Wednesday night's debate, Romney called for a 20 percent across-the-board cut in personal income taxes as part of a program he said would revitalize the economy and help create jobs. The top tax rate would drop from 35 percent to 28 percent, and some popular breaks would be scaled back for upper-income taxpayers. However, aides provided scant details.
"We've got to have more jobs, less debt and smaller government, they go together," Romney said in an appearance in nearby Chandler.
Santorum's rise in the race has left Paul and Gingrich on the outside looking for a way in.
Paul has yet to win any primaries or caucuses. He is airing an ad in Michigan, though, that challenges Santorum's claim of taking a conservative line against federal spending.
Gingrich, the former Georgia congressman, is pinning his hopes for a comeback on that state on March 6.
His campaign announced plans Wednesday to buy 30-minute blocks of television time in upcoming primary and caucus states for an infomercial on reducing energy prices.
In all, 518 Republican National Convention delegates are at stake between Feb. 28 and March 6, three times the number awarded in the states that have voted since the beginning of the year. It takes 1,144 to win the nomination.
Fouhy reported from Washington. Follow her on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bfouhy Follow Kasie Hunt on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kasie


text:
So Smackdown is moving to the Syfy network, and they've been promoting it with a few commercials. In two of them I spotted something familiar.
In the first video you see Cody Rhodes delivering the Crossrhodes to someone looking alot like Scorpio Sky. In the second video Kofi Kingston does his finisher to whom seems to be Ryan Taylor.
Can anyone confirm this?


text:
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus ● 197 E. Gay Street ● Columbus, OH 43215
614-228-2457 ● firstname.lastname@example.com
Throughout its website, the Offices of the Diocese of Columbus link to other websites solely for the user's convenience. By providing these links, the Diocese of Columbus assumes no responsibility for, nor does it necessarily endorse, these websites, their content, or their sponsoring organizations. All content property of the Diocese of Columbus, copyright 2015.


text:
Rogue Wave Software has announced a pre-release version of its TotalView massively parallel, interactive, and automated debugging tool optimized for the IBM Blue Gene/Q-based Sequoia supercomputer. Partnering with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and IBM, the three organizations have worked in parallel to define the debugging interfaces and port the TotalView debugger simultaneously alongside the development of the Blue Gene/Q hardware.
Due to be unveiled later in 2012, Sequoia is expected to deliver 20 petaflops at peak performance levels, double the speed of the fastest system currently on the TOP500 list. LLNL plans to use Sequoia's computational capability to advance the understanding of fundamental physics and engineering questions that arise in the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) program to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the United States' nuclear deterrent without testing.
Rogue Wave describes TotalView as a comprehensive parallel source code debugging and memory error detection tool designed to enhance developer productivity by simplifying the process of debugging parallel, data-intensive, multi-process, multi-threaded, or network-distributed applications.
"Our software development teams create some of the most sophisticated computational models of physical systems anywhere. These models represent many physical effects and span large scales in both time and space," says Jim Rathkopf, associate program director of computational physics at LLNL. "Understanding what's happening in these large, multi-physics codes running on thousands of processors is really hard, especially when things aren't working correctly. We rely on tools provided by folks like Rogue Wave to help us develop our codes and verify that they are working correctly, but also to find problems that come up both in development and production."
As LLNL takes delivery of the Sequoia system and works to move it into production, they will be migrating applications that have been running on earlier systems (Blue Gene/L and Dawn, or Blue Gene/P) to the newer architecture, Blue Gene/Q. This is a period of intense activity for the software teams as they gain experience with the new hardware and software environment. Providing debugging capability on the Blue Gene/Q architecture involved collaboratively designing an interface called CDTI (Code Development and Tools Interface), which was then implemented by IBM and used by Rogue Wave in porting TotalView.


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Thanks Kenobro.
No, it really is Fink. Look at his toast count.
It's ok to call us gods.
Oh come now, Lurk.The internet is a magical place, where linguistic and dialectic possibilities are endless. Why not embrace those variations and see where they lead you.
I, for a fact, quite like Keno[tai]. He's my favorite.
This is silly.u guys r silly.What teh?Argh.
Quote from: Will Wright link=kilter=15901.msg688798#msg688798 date=1238542775It's ok to call us gods.Heyeth! Whoeth Iseth thiseth Willius Wrightius goderatoruth puteth beforeeth useth hence!
Quote from: Bagder Man 22 link=kilter=15901.msg688781#msg688781 date=1238542411Change it back. I can't understand a damn word anyone is saying.Can it even be changed back? Will all references to "employees" be changed to "c r e a t u r e s" once tehy fix it?
Change it back. I can't understand a damn word anyone is saying.
Guys, teh solution is simple, just put teh rehearsed birds insect ur new toasts.Damnnit!
Page created in 0.087 seconds with 22 queries.


text:
THIS CLEMENT WORLD Makes World Premiere at St. Ann's Warehouse, Now thru 2/17
St. Ann's Warehouse welcomes back Cynthia Hopkins-having commissioned and presented the artist's work since 2004-for the world premiere of her new song cycle extravaganza, This Clement World. Featuring original avant-folk songs performed by a seven-piece band and a choir, documentary footage Hopkins shot on an Arctic expedition with Cape Farewell, and the artist inhabiting three fictional characters on-stage, This Clement World offers a poetic but urgent perspective on global climate change.
Fourteen performances of This Clement World will take place at the new St. Ann's Warehouse (29 Jay Street) tonight, February 5-17, 2013 (see above schedule).
This Clement World illuminates the ways in which humanity is rendering its habitat inhospitable to itself, and points up the changes of behavior necessary to maintain a habitable climate for future generations. The new work takes Hopkins' signature approach to narrative, blending music, songs, text, movement, visual display and design.
This Clement World interweaves three storytelling forms. The first is a documentary film that Hopkins shot during a three-week Arctic expedition funded by Cape Farewell, a non-profit organization that pioneers a cultural response to climate change. The second is a folk opera for solo voice and chorale. The final element is Hopkins' portrayal of three fictional characters: the ghost of a Native American woman of the Cheyenne tribe who was murdered during the 1864 massacre at Sand Creek; a neutral alien observer visiting from the far reaches of outer space; and a child from the not-so-distant future who has traveled back in time to visit the present. Each character offers a unique perspective on the fragility of our currently clement world.
The ensemble includes Hopkins on lead vocals and multiple instruments, Wil Smith (piano), Kristin Mueller (drums), Matt Wigton (bass), Sam Kulik (trombone), Ben Holmes (trumpet), Karen Waltuch (viola), and Philippa Thompson (violin/guitar) and vocalists Charlotte Mundy (soprano), Gideon Crevoshay (tenor), Michael Zegarski (bass) and Paul Pontrelli (bass).
St. Ann's Warehouse's commissioning (with the Walker Art Center and Les Subsistances) and premiere of This Clement World follows St. Ann's development and premiere of all three shows comprising Hopkins' highly acclaimed Accidental Trilogy. The ambitious project, a hybrid of intergalactic narrative, emotive music, innovative orchestral environments and immersive video, explored themes of amnesia, nostalgia and shifting identity, in a search for solace.
Cynthia Hopkins is a writer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and theater artist. She creates and performs unique multi-media performance pieces that intertwine truth and fiction and have won her a host of awards, including the 2007 Alpert Award in Theater and a 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship. Through the process of making performances, she attempts to alchemize disturbance into works of intrigue and hope that simultaneously stimulate the senses, provoke emotion, and enliven the mind. She is dedicated to creating groundbreaking original works that investigate innovative forms of communication, melding music, text, technical and theatrical design, and video with unbelievable fact and outrageous fiction. Her mission is to obscure the distinction between edification and entertainment through the creation of works that are as philosophical as they are entertaining, as intellectually challenging as they are viscerally emotional, as deeply comical as they are tragic, and as historically aware as they are immediately engaging. Please visit cynthiahopkins.com to learn more.
In addition to creating multi-media performance works, Ms. Hopkins also produces concerts and albums of music. She formed a band called Gloria Deluxe in 1999 that featured a revolving cast of musicians, performing hundreds of concerts and releasing five full-length albums. During its ten year existence (from 1999 until 2009) Gloria Deluxe developed an enthusiastic following for its unique blend of folk, cabaret, rock, blues, and country music, opening for legendary artists including David Byrne and Patti Smith.
In addition to Gloria Deluxe albums, Ms. Hopkins has also released three full-length albums of music under her own name. In addition to her work as a creator, Ms. Hopkins has also worked as a composer, musician, and performer for many projects, including Big Dance Theater's Another Telepathic Thing (for which she received a 2001 Bessie award for composition and a 2000 OBIE award for performance).
Tickets are $30-$45 can be purchased online at www.stannswarehouse.org, by phone at 718.254.8779 (Tue-Sat, 1pm-7pm) or 866.811.4111 (Mon-Fri, 9am-9pm; Sat and Sun, 10am-6pm) and in person at the St. Ann's Warehouse Box Office at 29 Jay Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn (Tue-Sat, 1pm-7pm).
St. Ann's Warehouse season Memberships are also available. In addition to the opportunity to buy ahead of the general public for all shows, Members benefit from exclusive discounts, waived service fees, and ticket exchange privileges. Beginning at $50 and completely tax-deductible, memberships are available at www.stannswarehouse.org and at 718.254.8779 (Tue-Sat, 1pm-7pm).
For over 30 years, St. Ann's has commissioned, produced and presented an eclectic body of innovative theater and concert presentations that meet at the intersection of theater and rock and roll. Since 2001, the organization has helped vitalize the emerging Brooklyn waterfront neighborhood, DUMBO, where St. Ann's Warehouse has become one of New York City's most important and compelling live performance destinations. After twelve years at 38 Water Street, St. Ann's has activated a new warehouse at 29 Jay, which will be home for the next three years, while the organization designs and raises funds to adapt the Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park into a thriving cultural center.
Through its signature multi-artist concerts and groundbreaking music/theater collaborations, St. Ann's Warehouse has become the artistic home for the American avant-garde, international companies of stature and award-winning emerging artists. Highly acclaimed landmark productions include Lou Reed's and John Cale's Songs for 'Drella; Marianne Faithfull's Seven Deadly Sins; Artistic Director Susan Feldman's Band in Berlin; Charlie Kaufman and the Coen Brothers' Theater of the New Ear; The Royal Court Theater's 4:48 Psychosis; The Globe Theatre of London's Measure for Measure; Druid Company's The Walworth Farce, The New Electric Ballroom and Penelope; Enda Walsh's Misterman, featuring Cillian Murphy; Lou Reed's Berlin; the National Theater of Scotland's acclaimed Black Watch; and Kneehigh Theatre's Brief Encounter. St. Ann's has championed such artists as The Wooster Group, Jeff Buckley, Cynthia Hopkins, Enda Walsh, Emma Rice, and Daniel Kitson.
St. Ann's Warehouse has been awarded the Ross Wetzsteon OBIE Award for the development of new work. The OBIE Award Committee honored St. Ann's for "inviting artists to treat their cavernous DUMBO space as both an inspiring laboratory and a sleek venue where its super-informed audience charges the atmosphere with hip vitality."


text:
Sweet And Spicy Chicken Wings Recipes
View All | View Summaries
Super Bowl Snack: Chicken Wing Recipe
01.30.13 by Jackie
Chicken wings aren't really a popular snack in France, so I only had the chance to really experience them when I moved to the US. I love their versatility and they're one of the best choices for party finger foods, assuming you don't mind getting your digits a little dirty.
I made this batch using an Asian-style sweet and spicy marinade, and I used beet juice as natural red (49er-friendly) food coloring. The last step was basting the chicken wings with the thickened marinade using arrowroot starch. I can already picture us in the TV room this Sunday watching the Super Bowl game. My husband will be staring at his favorite team, the Niners, and I'll have my eyes on the chicken wings!
Full Recipe...


text:
If you farm in the Upper Midwest or Northern Plains, the chance of more rivers flooding is very high this summer. NOAA's National Weather Service issued a warning today that rivers in these areas are at high risk for flooding throughout the summer.
Rivers are running at high levels and soils are completely saturated. Just a small amount of rain will trigger more flooding, including areas that have already been flooded, NOAA says.
Above-normal rain is being forecast in these vulnerable areas during the next couple of weeks by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. Continued above-normal rain also fills the forecast for the one- and three-month outlooks. In addition, higher temperatures in the Rockies will melt more snowpack and release more water.
"The sponge is fully saturated; there is nowhere for any additional water to go," says Jack Hayes, NOAA's National Weather Service director. "While unusual for this time of year, all signs point to the flood threat continuing through summer."
As a result, forecasters suggest that this season will rival the great flood of 1993 when the Upper Midwest endured persistent, record-breaking floods. More than nine states sustained $25 billion in flood damage (adjusted for inflation).
Throughout the rest of the summer, the highest flood risk areas include:
* Souris River in North Dakota
* Red River in North Dakota and Minnesota
* Minnesota River in Minnesota
* Upper Mississippi River in Minnesota and Iowa
* Des Moines River in Iowa
* Lower Missouri River in South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri
* James and Big Sioux Rivers in North Dakota
* Lower Ohio River Valley, including the White, Wabash and lower Ohio Rivers
* North Platte River in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska
* Yellowstone River in Wyoming and Montana
* Utah and Colorado
Visit NOAA's National Weather Service at weather.gov.


text:
The key to overhauling the image of government may lie within agencies themselves.
The key to overhauling the image of government may lie within agencies themselves.
It's not surprising that young workers in the United States would pick Google, Apple and Facebook among places they would most like to work. What may be surprising is that they also rate three federal agencies highly: the State Department, the FBI and the CIA.
But that's what a recent survey showed. Research firm Universum asked 6,700 professionals under age 40 with one to eight years' work experience for their views on the best places to work. The State Department came in fourth (just above Walt Disney), while the FBI took the seventh slot, and the CIA ranked 10th. Other firms in the top 10 included Amazon, Microsoft and Sony.
The federal agencies that made the list tend to have a reputation for world-changing work. And they, along with other government organizations, could be viewed as safe havens in an uncertain economy: "Stability is still very much a concern and people equate government jobs with stability," Universum's Chris Cordery told The Wall Street Journal.
Still, with the country's political class working overtime to tear down government's reputation, these and other survey results are an encouraging sign that some agencies still have strong brands in the public eye. For example, when Universum asked college students their views on where they'd like to work, some federal agencies fared very well.
In the engineering field, for example, NASA came in No. 1, ahead of Google, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The Energy Department ranked eighth and the Environmental Protection Agency was 14th. In the natural sciences, federal agencies dominated the top 10 rankings, with the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Peace Corps, EPA, NASA and the FBI all listed in the upper ranks. Even in the information technology field, where private sector companies have long captured the imagination of many young people, five agencies grabbed slots among the top 20 potential employers: NASA, the FBI, National Security Agency, the CIA and the Defense Department.
That's a ray of hope in an era when, as Charlie Clark points out in this month's cover story, the overall brand of government has been severely tarnished in the public eye. The percentage of people who say they have confidence in the federal government has dropped below 30 percent after rebounding briefly following the 9/11 attacks. According to the Pew Research Center, only 11 percent of Americans say they're "basically content" with their government.
When you compare these results to the surveys of agencies as potential employers, it seems clear-and not at all shocking-that the dissatisfaction stems largely from the political process. To the extent federal agencies have a perception problem, it's due mostly to guilt by association. When Americans look at Congress and the White House, they see dysfunction playing out on a grand scale. The problem is, the dysfunction also extends to a "blame the bureaucracy" mentality among the political class that has been in place for decades.
To counter that image, federal labor unions, good government groups and other organizations are working overtime on brand-building exercises, from awards programs to placards on buses. We'll see how much impact they have. But what government really needs over the long haul is a fresh group of committed, dedicated employees who can tell their friends and families about the exciting, challenging work they get to do at mission-driven federal agencies. And all that requires, in turn, is agencies that provide such opportunities.
That may not be easy, but at least it's an area in which agency leaders can exercise some degree of control.


text:
Project Sweet Life (Hardcover)
HarperTeen, 9780060824112, 288pp.
Publication Date: February 3, 2009
For most kids, fifteen is the year of the optional summer job: Sure, you can get a job if you really want one, but it isn't required or anything. Too bad Dave's dad doesn't agree! Instead of enjoying long days of biking, swimming, and sitting around, Dave and his two best friends are being forced by their fathers into a summer of hard labor.
The friends have something else in mind, though: Not only will they not work over the summer, but they're determined to trick everyone into believing they really do have jobs. So what if the lifeguard doesn't have a tan or the fast-food worker isn't bringing home buckets of free chicken? There's only one problem: Dave's dad wants evidence that his son is actually bringing in money. And that means Dave, Curtis, and Victor will have to get some . . . without breaking the law and without doing any work!
Project Sweet Life is designed for the funny and lazy bone in all of us—a true comedy of errors (without any effort!) from seasoned storyteller Brent Hartinger.
About the Author
Brent Hartinger has been a full-time author for many years, writing novels, plays, and screenplays. He lives in Washington State. Among his books are Geography Club and its sequel, The Order of the Poison Oak, as well as The Last Chance Texaco and Split Screen. Like Dave and his friends, as a teenager he resisted getting a job for as long as possible but finally was forced by his parents to go to work as a lifeguard at age sixteen. He still smells like coconut sunblock.
Praise For Project Sweet Life…
— ALA Booklist
"A hilarious story filled with mishaps, close calls, and outrageous adventures. It will keep readers laughing and engaged."
— School Library Journal
"An irresistable setting with humorous episodes tinged with mild danger, and a light–hearted mystery."
— Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"The boys' friendship, lightly and expertly depicted, drives the book, while their smartly plotted moneymaking schemes are creative, highjinks–filled, and hilariously almost effective."
— The Horn Book


text: Writing under other names, PJ Adams is a successful novelist, with several novels published by major publishing houses and optioned for movies. As PJ Adams, she writes in the genre closest to her heart, erotic romance - love stories with that added heat, including the popular series, The Object of His Desire. Working as Polly J Adams, she writes best-selling erotica, relationship stories crammed full of explicit sex. Among Polly's most popular stories are the Knee-tremblers and Indulgence series about a young woman's relationship with the wealthy owner of a New England sex club.


text:
Personalized Kids Birthday Jumbo Hershey Candy Bar Favors
Hershey 5 oz. bars. Order wrapped bars or wrappers only. Add some elegance with cellophane and ribbon (only for wrapped bar orders).
Please Note: Flavors can be mixed (min. 12 each flavor).
Weight: 5.0 oz.
Min. Order Qty. 12 pcs.
Wrapped Bars: $4.00 ea.
Wrappers Only: $2.00 ea.


text:
Candy Cane Cake
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
water, vegetable oil and egg whites (as per box directions)
1/2 teaspoon red food color
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
White Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, if desired
Decoration: Crushed candy canes or crushed hard peppermint candies
1. Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.
2. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour about 2 cups batter into pan. Into small bowl, pour about 3/4 cup batter; stir in food color and peppermint extract. Carefully pour pink batter over white batter in pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over pink batter.
2. Bake as directed on box or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate; remove pan. Cool cake completely, about 1 hour.
3. In small bowl, mix icing ingredients. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Spread icing over cake. Sprinkle top with crushed candy. Store loosely covered.


text:
LifeTopix 8.2, My.Agenda 3.2, Pro.Inbox 1.2 and Pro.Calendar 1.1 Guided Tour
Team LightArrow is excited about the new updates of LifeTopix 8.2, My.Agenda 3.2, Pro.Inbox 1.2, and Pro.Calendar 1.1. Our new updates include several new features to maximize your productivity at home, work and while you're on the go. Keep reading to learn how you can take advantage of the latest features.
Note: The Pro.Inbox update will be available soon.
iOS 8 Readiness
LightArrow apps are updated to work with iOS 8 and the new larger iPhone screen sizes.
Calendar View Improvements
The calendar views are now more readable with clearer views and better text sizing.
New Settings Options
The following options are now available in My Settings to provide you with more flexibility and default behaviors.
New Setting – Selectable Font Size
You're now able to change the text size to Small, Regular, Large, and Extra Large. You can accomplish this by going to the Font Size selection in My Settings as shown below.
Examples of the new choices are shown below (Small, Regular, Large, and Extra Large).
New Setting – Automatically Remove Complete Items from Hot List
Your Hot List contains your "Favorites." It displays your most commonly used categories and items allowing you to quickly access them. Using the Hot List saves you time in navigating to frequently used items or categories. For example, if you created a Log Form for logging activities related to Triathlon training, you could add this form directly to the Hot List so you can quickly access it every time you complete a new training item, such as a run, biking session, or swimming session. You can access the Hot List from the left navigational pane of the main view by tapping Hot List.
There is now an option in My Settings that allows you to choose whether or not completed items are automatically hidden from showing in the Hot List as shown in the example below.
New Setting – Account Transactions Display Order
In My Settings, you can now determine the order (Ascending or Descending) of transactions. These transactions are found in the Finances topic when you access an account and view the transactions associated with the account. This option is shown below:
An example of Descending Transactions is shown below.
An example of Ascending Transactions is shown below.
New Setting – Themes for Graph View
In My Settings, you can now choose a dark or light background for graphs that are available in the Health + Goals topic. This option is shown below.
Examples of the dark and light themes for graphs are shown below.
New Setting – Default Task Creation Type for New Repeat Schedules
For tasks, there are different methods for creation of repeat schedules. You can create all the tasks at once or you can ask the app to only create the following task in a series when the previous task is completed or cancelled. Now, you can set the default behavior in My Settings by using the choices shown in the example below.
Maximum Text Items in a Locker
In the Bookmarks + Lockers topic, you are now allowed to add up to 12 text-based items to a locker. Previously, the maximum number was seven.
Add Photos to Payments
In the Finances topic, you are now allowed to add photo(s) to a payment. This allows you to take photos of receipts, invoices or other supporting information associated with a payment.
You can accomplish this by accessing the payment and tapping Add Photos at the bottom of the Payment view and adding a photo, as shown below.
New Graph Ranges
In the Health + Goals topic, date ranges are now available when viewing graph data from activities, etc. You can view data from the last week, last 30 days, last 60 days, last 90 days, or last year. An example is shown below.
In addition, labels for multi-metric graphs now show labels on the Y-axis for forms that contain items with the same types of units. The new labels are shown in the example below.
Text Message Sharing of Checklist Items
You can now share checklists via text message with items included in the text message up to 140 characters. Simply choose the checklist you wish to share, then tap Share and select Text Message as shown below.
The text message appears as shown below.
Reminder Sets – Custom Templates for Local Notification Sets
You can now create custom local notification sets for items such as social events, meetings, and other items you wish to remember. This way, you can set several notifications for items at specified intervals to help you remember. Custom Notification sets are available for Projects, Tasks, Appointments, Trips, Visits, Events, and Reminders. To create a reminder set, access the item for which you wish to create a reminder set; tap the iOS Calendar tile, and then select Custom Notification Sets as shown below.
The Custom iOS Notification Sets screen appears (as shown below), which allows you to create custom notification sets. Simply tap the plus sign to get started.
In the New Notification Set view, tap the plus sign to create a notification set. From the New Notification Criteria list, you can select three criteria for the alerts, which include a number; minutes, hours or days; and before or after (the item). An example is shown below.
After you save the reminder sets and the item for which you wish to add the items, you must add the reminder set to the item. Add the set by tapping the iOS Calendar tile for an appointment or other item, and then tap Manage iOS Notifications as shown below.
When the iOS Notifications view appears, tap the plus sign and choose the reminder set that you created from the list of selections as shown below. Keep in mind that you cannot add reminder sets to items in the past. In addition, you must add reminder sets individually to items (they do not apply to each item in a recurring series.)
Pro Contacts Pack Enhancements
If you've purchased the Pro Contacts Pack, you can enjoy the following enhancements.
Contact Logs
In the People + Services topic, you can now create contact logs for your contacts to keep track of when and how you contacted them. Simply open a contact record in your LightArrow app, and you'll see a new section called, "Contact Log" as shown in the following example.
To add items to the Contact Log, Simply tap the new section shown in the image above to access the Contact Log for the contact. There are several options available in this section. The Quick Log, shown below, allows you to quickly add a date and time (as the current time). This includes choices for email, text, Facebook, Twitter, and phone calls. The call log also includes the ability to add free-form text, audio, video, photos, and drawings. You can also reorder the items by tapping the Reorder icon in the top-right section. In addition, you modify the text and journal time of any Quick Log that you create by tapping it.
Call Lists
In the People + Services topic, you can now add a list of people to contact directly from your list of contacts (similar to a checklist). To begin, simply tap the Call Lists tile in the People + Services topic, as shown below.
When the Call Lists view appears, tap the plus sign. The following view appears allowing you to select contacts you wish to call, email or text. In addition, you can contact them directly from your Call List.
Additional Information and Computed Metrics for Contacts
The Grid view (Spreadsheet-Like view) for contacts now provides additional information for contacts including Last Contact (date and time of last contacted); Task Owner (number of open tasks); Tasks For (number of open tasks); and Since Last Contact (computed number of days since last contacted). To see this new information, tap the Filter icon at the top left of the grid view and then switch the slider to ON for the options shown below (with the blue slider set to Show).
An example of the new options with computed metrics is shown below:
New Filter Settings to Utilize Last Contacted Date
The options in the following section are very useful when you're managing sales leads, clients and other types of contacts with your LightArrow app. You can now filter on the number of days since you last contacted someone in your list by setting a filter. To create the new filter, access the Contacts view, choose the Filter drop down, and tap New Filter as shown below.
Next, add a title and comment for the filter, and then tap the New Criteria button in the New Filter view. Choose an Attribute from the list such as "Last Contact"; choose an operator such as Equals, Not Equals, Less Than, Greater Than or Contains; and then choose a value (such as the number of days).
An example of a filter for number of days exceeding 5 for last contact date/time is shown below.
Once you select this filter in the Contacts view, you can easily locate clients, potential clients, or other contacts that you have not contacted in a specified period of time. An example is shown below.
Free "Pro Work Pack" Features
A new free pack is now available for improved project and task management. The following sections describe the new features.
Task Hierarchy for Projects and Other Topics
You can now create a task hierarchy for project tasks or other items in your LightArrow app. You can only work with task hierarchies within a project or other item that supports tasks. To create a task hierarchy, access or create tasks for a project or other items that support tasks.
To get started, choose Group by Hierarchy as shown in the following example (at the left side of the view). After the Tasks view is displayed and the view is grouped by "hierarchy," tap Arrange Hierarchy at the right side of the view.
Next, tap a task and choose Add New Item as a Peer or Add New Item as Child to create a new peer or child item. These options are shown below.
After you create your tasks, you may wish to re-arrange them. To do so, access to the group of tasks via the project or other item. Tap and hold a task. You can move the task by dropping it, or you can choose Make Peer or Make Child as shown in the following example.
Convert Tasks to Projects, Events, Trips, and Visitors (can add more data)
It is now possible to convert Tasks to Projects, Trips, Visitors and Events. Simply access the task through the Projects + Tasks topic, then tap Convert. Select one of the choices (as shown below) and complete the conversion. This deletes the task and creates a new project, trip, visitor or event – depending upon the selection. This conversion is only available for non-recurring, single tasks.
Convert Appointments to Projects, Events, Trips, and Visitors (can add more data)
It is now possible to convert Appointments to Projects, Trips, Visitors and Events. Simply access the appointment through the Events + Appointments topic, then tap Convert. Select one of the choices (as shown below) and complete the conversion. This deletes the appointment and creates a new project, trip, visitor or event – depending upon the selection. This conversion is only available for non-recurring, single appointments.
Free "Pro Checklists" with Notes + Files Topic
In the Notes + Files topic or from the Agenda view, you can create checklists/to-do lists with mixed types of items, which are referred to as "Pro Checklists." Previously, these lists only included text-based, plain lists items. Now, you can add appointments, reminders, activities, nutrition items, health stats, medication, and wellness entries to Pro Checklists. The Pro Checklist items are automatically added to your agenda.
To get started, open a checklist or create a new checklist. Next, tap Convert to Pro Checklist, as shown below.
Once you tap Convert to Pro Checklist, the following selections become available.
A Pro Checklist can contain plain items, tasks, appointments, activities, medication, nutrition items, reminders and shopping items as shown in the example below.
Event View Allows Direct Contact to Invitees and Co-hosts
The Event View now allows you to contact invitees and co-hosts via call, text or email directly from the Event view. To take advantage of this new feature, go to an Event in the Events + Appointments topic. You will notice a section in this view with buttons for calls, text messages, and email (as shown below). Tapping these buttons allows you to automatically contact the invitees and co-hosts of the event that you planned. For email, an email is created that includes all of the invitees and co-hosts as recipients. For text and phone calls, a list of invitees and co-hosts is displayed, which allows you to contact each person individually.
Your Turn
We hope you enjoy the new features! Please comment and let us know if you have any questions or comments about your LightArrow app.


text:
101G is a herbal hair tonic suitable for both men and women who has Normal/Dry Scalp. 101G is an all natural formula developed by the world-famous dermatologist, Dr. Zhangguang Zhao.
NOTE: 101G has two types of package, we will ship one of them randomly UNLESS you specify it by email us or leaving note in the checkout.
Usage and Dosages: 2-5ml lotion (depending on the size of hair-loss area) should be applied to the scalp once or twice per day and left on for several hours. It needs to be applied twice daily and then the frequency of application can be reduced.
To use combination of 101D and 101G can have the maximized benefits. Suggest using at least 2 months
Ingredients: The active ingredients derived from naturally occurring nutritional substances. Radix Ginseng ,Red-rooted Salvia, Kuh-seng Iron Fist Ginseng, Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae, Radix Sorphorae Flavescentis, Flos Carthami, Radix Saposhnikoviae,Radix Polygoni Multiflori, Flos Chrysanthemum, Radix Gentianae, Ethyl Alcohol, Water.
Caution: For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. Individual allergic to alcohol should use it with care.


text:
The tectonic plates of all the various things I have to get done by August are starting to grind into one another and creating mindquakes and jitters. I am still some way from organising all the material for Sunday's Meaning of Life show, though have a fair amount of stuff. I thought it would be fun to do the Hamlet bit from WAGTD! but with an actor playing Hamlet and so started typing up the script for this (so far it's only existed in my head). On copy and pasting the To Be or Not To Be speech I realised that I had missed out quite a crucial line in all previous performances. I am amazed that nobody has ever picked me up on it. It's one of the famous bits - "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all". I don't think I've ever said it. And it's really hard once you've got a memory based routine worked out to insert something new (I believe that I made a similar mistake early on with the begat routine in Christ on a Bike - leaving out a name or two and it was hard to insert them once the trail had been laid down). It's made particularly tricky as the next line is "And thus the native hue of resolution". So Shakespeare basically starts two consecutive lines with the word "thus" which is very poor writing. I don't know why people rate him so much.
Those last few lines had been the hardest to learn as well. I had had to get that line in my mind by imagining Hugh Grant in a Man Friday costume, vowing to give up smoking on January 1st (the native Hugh of- new year's- resolution). Now the line comes out without that image, but in the early days it was a useful way to remember. But now I've got to remember to put the "thus conscience does make cowards of us all" first. It should be easy as it's such a famous line, but I bailed on it in Windsor tonight.
I also had to write 100 word fringe guide entries for both my new shows, but managed to geet them together in the dressing room before the show. Goodness knows if any of the stuff I wrote will make it into the stand-up show, but here's what I've got.
Richard Herring – Lord of the Dance Settee. After covering weighty issues like death, love, religion and spam javelins, "The King of Edinburgh" (List) is in a frivolous mood with this show about daftness, whether the term "cool comedian" is an oxymoron, bouncing joyously on the sofa and how Herring's whole career is a failed attempt to top a piece of visual slapstick comedy he came up with at 16. Can he revisit the joke thirty years on or will it smash his old bones? "Dependably funny" Chortle. "A new Richard Herring show is a never-ending cause for delight" The List
The Rasputin one is a bit easier as I have a stronger idea about what it's about and what's going to happen. Here it is:
I Killed Rasputin – a new play by Richard Herring. American Journalist EM Halliday visits the aged Russian Prince and conspirator in the murder of Rasputin, Felix Yusupov, improbably still alive in 1967. The former richest man in Russia, now reduced to making money from his tall tale, is haunted by the Mad Monk, who even 50 years on refuses to die. Will Yusupov finally reveal the truth? "I don't know of an instant in modern history where so many reputable as well as disreputable historians have solemnly repeated such a patently improbable story as if it were gospel." EM Halliday.
E M Halliday will be a character in the play. He genuinely interviewed Yusupov in 1967 and I've long thought that this was a great device to explore the truth about Rasputin's death and the extraordinary life of Yusupov. It's almost unbelievable that this relic from a destroyed past would still be alive in the 1960s and with him so close to the end of his life there was a chance that he would reveal the truth. And Halliday's unusual scepticism about the story is crucial. Alas in reality Yusupov was not too forthcoming (though did drop a couple of hints) and once I finally tracked down the magazine with the interview in it, it was disappointingly short and sparce on detail. In a sense that gives me more scope to create the play and there is plenty of other material that gives us a sense of Yusupov and what he might and might not have done.
It's not important that the E M Halliday of the play is similar to the real one, as he serves the purpose of being a dramatic device, but I would like him to have something of the real journalist in him. I hadn't done too much research on him as yet, concentrating on Rasputin and Yusupov, but I googled him today. Not too much came up. He was once the editor of American Heritage and he wrote a few books, but as a largely twentieth century figure the internet is not full of biographical detail about him.
I had assumed that Halliday was long dead, so my heart jumped a little when I saw that one of his books was published in 2003 and then I came across this short bio on the Harper Collins website, which says "he lives in New York City". Suddenly I was presented with the previously unthought of possibility that Halliday might still be alive. If he'd been in his twenties in the sixties he'd be in his seventies now. It had seemed impossible that a pre-revolutionary Russian Prince would have been able to listen to the Beatles, I realised that I had made the same stupid assumption about this man. Might I meet him and ask him about what he remembered of the interview?
Alas a little bit more research and it became apparent that Halliday had died in 2003 at the age of 90. Annoyingly I had the idea for this play before then so if I had got my act together I might have met him. I should be able to track down his obituary in American Heritage, but if anyone has any info on Halliday or a contact for anyone in his family then do let me know. As I say, it's not really going to be about him exactly (though I love the quote above), but it would be nice to get a slither of the real man into this.
The gig in Windsor was a little bit odd with a slightly spiky feel from the audience, as if they didn't know what they were coming to see. I've always had good ones here before so I don't know if I was imagining this, or whether my recenJust A Minute appearances had brought in an older crowd. But things had got off to an odd start. There are very few cues in the show, just three CDs with audience walk in music, opening music and closing music. There are three points where I need a black out and there is a little bit of timing involved with one of those. I always go through these with the tech before the show and though the instructions are simple I make a point of going over it a couple of times. And I explain why I am doing this saying that although you'd think this would be easy enough, somehow mistakes are often made. In one tour show the technician managed to mess up every single thing he had to do, which is quite impressive. But this means I can state something quite simplistic without being too patronising. And I do explain that as long as the final black out happens at the right point (and I am not left standing there like a lemon) then it doesn't really matter if other mistakes are made.People make mistakes and I understand that. It's an unfamilar show to them. That's why I go over it in a bit of detail.
But actually tonight's error did throw me. I come on to a rousing chorus from Verdi's Requiem and I am used to that giving me a little burst of adrenaline and it also creates a certain atmosphere and expectation for the crowd. Tonight though the tech played the music that is meant to go at the end of the show as I entered. It shouldn't really have mattered, but it didn't give me the lift, it slightly confused me and the show started with a splat rather than a punch. I didn't say anything about the error as, of course, no one else would have noticed it (and neither did the technician until I told him in the interval), but it put me on the back foot. And I don't say this to have a go at the guy. He just picked up the wrong CD and he had worked very hard on setting everything up and seemed like a decent person. But it took me a few minutes to get back into the swing of everything, at least in my head, and a small change like that might have sunk the show.
I think the audience were more reticent about the crudeness of some of the material than worried about the start music not being portentuous enough, but it was interesting that it did make a psychological difference. This shit isn't just thrown together, it seems.
After a run of rather good performances of this show, this one didn't feel like it connected with everyone (though at least a few of the audience enjoyed it). Maybe it was all because I had found out that EM Halliday was alive and then found out he was dead. I had foundhim and then lost him in the space of five minutes. My heart could not recover so soon.