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AUSA hosted numerous members of Congress and key congressional staff members at its 2013 Annual Meeting held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center last week.
Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno outlined the state of the Army to an audience of 700 including 268 Capitol Hill staff members, General Officers and senior AUSA and Army leadership at the Congressional Staff Breakfast.
McHugh discussed the ongoing impact sequestration is having on the Army and warned of the consequences if it continues. He also touched on the shutdown of the federal government and the effect it had on the Army's civilian workforce.
Gen. Odierno's message was much the same. He said what worries him is how the sequestration cuts "affected our ability to properly train soldiers." He would like to see the Congress return to regular order and pass authorization and spending bills in a timely manner.
The breakfast gave the Army's top leadership and the congressional staff members an opportunity to discuss many critical issues facing the Army. After the breakfast, many staff members toured the exhibit hall and viewed the latest technology and programs offered by the top defense industry leaders.
Members of Congress attending other Annual Meeting events included Reps. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.; Roger Williams, R-Texas; Pete Gallego, D-Texas; Mike Turner, R-Ohio; Steve Womack, R-Ark.; Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio; Renee Ellmers, R-N.C.; Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., Jeff Duncan, D-S.C.; Martha Roby, R-Ala.; and Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark.
Several bills related to veteran's issues passed the House of Representatives last week. Under suspension of the rules, House lawmakers backed six bills that members of both parties called "bipartisan" and "common-sense" proposals.
H.R. 1742, the Vulnerable Veterans Housing Reform Act of 2013, offered by Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., would exclude disabled veterans' service-related benefits and expenses related to in-home care from being considered when calculating income eligibility for Section 8 rental assistance and public housing programs.
Veterans' Committee Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla., introduced H.R. 2189, a bill that would establish a commission to evaluate the backlog of veterans' disability compensation claims and recommend ways to reduce the number of pending claims. As of Oct. 21, the number of pending claims reported by the Veterans Affairs Department stood at 717,007— of which over 411,000 have been pending for more than 125 days.
The Veterans Economic Opportunity Act of 2013 (H.R. 2481) would establish the Veterans Economic Opportunity Administration within the Veterans Affairs Department. The administration would be responsible for overseeing programs related to vocational rehabilitation and employment programs, veterans' housing loan programs, veterans' small business programs and educational assistance programs. The bill was introduced by Rep. Bill Flores, R-Texas.
Nevada Democrat Dina Titus' bill (H.R. 1405) would require VA to provide, with notice of each denial on a claim for benefits, a form that may be used to appeal the decision. The bill also would permit employees of members of Congress and state and local governments to access the VA case-tracking system in order to inform veterans of the status of their benefit claims as they are being reviewed.
The Veterans Advisory Committee on Education Improvement Act (H.R. 2011) would extend the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Education by two years, until Dec. 31, 2015. Offered by Rep. John Delaney, D-Md., the bill would also expand the committee's membership to include veterans representative of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Finally, H.R. 3304 would authorize and request the president to award the Medal of Honor to Bennie G. Adkins and Donald P. Sloat of the United States Army for acts of valor during the Vietnam conflict and to authorize the award of the Medal of Honor to certain other veterans who were previously recommended for award of the Medal of Honor. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., introduced the legislation.
After the bills were passed, Chairman Miller said, "Today, in a shining example of how our legislative process is supposed to work, Republicans and Democrats came together to support a range of legislation with two overarching goals: helping veterans, while improving accountability and efficiency at the Department of Veterans Affairs."
Over on the Senate side, a bill introduced by Veteran's that provides cost-of-living increases in veterans' disability payments at the same rate as Social Security benefits passed by unanimous consent.
The Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013 (S. 893) would increase veterans' disability compensation, survivor benefits and clothing allowances by the same percentage as Social Security old age, disability and survivor benefit increases scheduled to take effect on Dec. 1. The bill would also permit the Veterans' Affairs secretary to administratively adjust benefits for veterans who receive compensation other than service-related disability benefits.
National Military Family Appreciation Month
President Obama has again declared November National Military Family Appreciation Month, saying, "Time and again, our service members and their families have sacrificed to protect the promise that defines our Nation -- life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As we work to repay this enormous debt of gratitude, I encourage every American to do their part. Together, let us support our military children as they learn, grow, and live their dreams. And let us keep our military families strong and secure." Read the full proclamation here, and stay tuned to Family Readiness all month long for ideas and local events celebrating military families.
Spouse Membership Now Available
AUSA has a new membership category for Spouses! Sign up today to have the opportunity to make your voice heard, get involved at both the national and local level, pass on wisdom to younger spouses, and get involved in issues that you care about.
View the 2013 AUSA Annual Meeting and Family Forums
Thank you for participating at our 2013 Annual Meeting! If you were unable to view our Family Forums live, or would like to watch them again, they are now available to view via playback. Click the link corresponding with the forum you want to view below.
Commissary to Log Your Info When You Shop
Commissary checkers will soon start scanning your ID card when you make a purchase — and logging for later much of the data it contains, commissary officials said Oct. 31.
The program, which started at Fort Lee, Va. Oct. 22, will eventually come to every commissary worldwide. Officials aim to have all stores taking part by mid-January. The roll-out will be done in batches of 20 stores, although commissary officials were not able to tell me which stores will come next. They said shoppers, however, will see signs about the change well before it happens.
When your ID is scanned the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) will log a bunch of your information so that they can track who is shopping and where. The card ID number, rank, military status, branch of service, age, household size, and zip codes of residence and duty station of each shopper will all be logged.
With the exception of the household size information and ID number that's the same kind of information that is collected when you sign-up for one the commissary's Reward cards. But the Rewards card requires that you opt in for the program — and the ID card scanning program does not.
According to a shopper at Fort Lee who had her ID scanned when she shopped Oct, 30., the process is simple: before your order is processed the checker will scan the back of your ID card on the same scanner she or he uses to scan your groceries. And commissary officials say for those using self check-out the process will be as simple as you scanning your ID yourself. That's it.
Shoppers I talked to yesterday were overall supportive of the program. They said it didn't matter if their data is collected because military already does that anyway. But others thought it was an unnecessary further invasion of privacy.
"Call me a conspiracy theorist all you want, but with that information they collect, is it really that much of a reach that they could soon be reporting it and next thing you know you've got a nutritionist and/or financial councilor knocking on your door to discuss your spending and eating habits?" Kelly Maskell posted on the Fort Campbell Wives Facebook page. "I've got nothing to hide, nor am I doing anything wrong, but is it REALLY anybody's business how my family operates?"
Most grocery stores already collect this kind of data as well through their own card program which they require for use if a shopper wants any given sale. The commissary doesn't do that — their card is only used if you want specific additional coupons which, unlike most other stores, cannot be combined with any other paper coupon. Unless you're shopping at WalMart, which has no card, you're probably already regularly giving all of this information up.
2013 Holiday Mailing Dates
The United States Postal System (USPS) has announced the recommended mailing dates for packages and envelopes going to APO/FPO/DPO addresses. Unlike years past, there are really only two sets of dates.
Priority Mail Express Military Service: December 17th
First Class mail: December 10th
Priority mail: December 10th
PAL mail: December 3rd
SAM mail: November 26th
Standard Post: November 12th
Priority Mail Express Military Service: not available
First Class mail: December 3rd
Priority mail: December 3rd
The New Early Bird Brief is Now Available
WASHINGTON — Fifty years after the Pentagon gave flight to The Early Bird, the popular roundup of global news reports on military, defense and security matters has been sent to the boneyard. The Pentagon's public affairs office suspended its morning email brief Oct. 1 as part of the government shutdown and does not plan to bring it back.
Generations of military and defense-industry leaders, as well as media members who covered them, consumed the Early Bird as part of their morning routine. Now, like caffeine junkies missing their morning Joe, they find themselves looking for that jolt of niche news that kept them abreast of what was going on in their world, all in one handy report.
Enter Early Bird Brief, the aggregation of international defense and military reports compiled by the staffs of Defense News and Military Times. It's comprehensive, independent and free to anyone who signs up.
What you need to know.
The Early Bird Brief is well established
Reporters and editors with Defense News and Military Times, sister publications, have for years culled the Pentagon product to provide subscribers with a concise read of the news vital to their communities. Each daily report includes dozens of items from media outlets around the world — news, features, analyses and opinions. Each story is summarized in a paragraph and includes a link to the originating news outlet, whether it be the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Associated Press, CNN, Fayetteville Observer, The Times of London, or Defense News and Military Times.
What's new
Now the Early Bird Brief is available to everyone, regardless of whether you're a subscriber. Defense News and Military Times staff build it from scratch, with no reliance on any Defense Department clipping service. The process goes on nearly nonstop, with world overnight reports added well before the sun rises over the Pentagon as the daily report takes shape by mixing in news scoops, stories of unique interest, blog posts and and more. That includes the latest from Defense News and Military Times, as well as sister publications C4ISR & Networks, Federal Times and Armed Forces Journal.
Early Bird Brief pulls no punches
As government employees, Defense Department public affairs officials — despite their best intentions — were ultimately subject to institutional oversight of the Early Bird. They worked for leadership often concerned with political sensitivities and public perceptions of DoD-related programs, personnel and activities.
By contrast,the Early Bird Brief is compiled by staff members of the largest independent newsroom dedicated to military and defense news. Key word: Independent. Early Bird Brief story selections are made on news value, period.
No noise. No nonsense. Just news
The Early Bird Brief provides the earliest and most comprehensive roundup of global defense industry and military news of consequence. Most importantly, it keeps the focus squarely on the headlines — no wasting readers' time. The Early Bird Brief starts you off with "Today's Top 5" highlighting key stories of intrigue and importance. Then you roll into the roundup: Scan through the story summaries and open the full read on items of interest to you.
Here's how you get it
The Early Bird Brief is free. Just sign up by entering your email address at defensenews.com/ebb.
The following is a list of Veterans Day discounts on goods, services and dining that have been announced for 2013.
Keep in mind that most businesses require proof of military service, which can include a VA Universal Access Card, Military I.D., DD-214 (Discharge Papers), Veterans Service Organization Card (VSO's include groups like the VFW, DAV, AmVets, MOAA, FRA, and the American Legion), or in some cases businesses will accept a picture of the veteran in uniform.
Note: Not all franchise locations participate in their national chain's Veterans Day programs -- be sure contact your nearest establishment to make sure they are participating.
Sign up for the Military Deals and Discounts Newsletter to get even more discounts and information on how Military Families can save big.
2013 Veterans Day Restaurant Offerings:
Applebees - Veterans and active duty military receive a free meal from a limited menu, on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11.
Bar Louie – On Sunday, Nov. 10 and Monday, Nov. 11, all Bar Louie locations are offering veterans and military personnel a free meal up to a $12 value.
California Pizza Kitchen – Veterans and active military receive a free pizza on Monday, Nov. 11.
Champps -- On Monday, Nov. 11, Champps will offer a free handcrafted burger with waffle fries to veterans and active duty military.
Charlie Brown's Steakhouse – Charlie Brown's is offering a free meal to veterans and active duty military all day on Monday, Nov. 11.
Cheeseburger in Paradise – Veterans and military personnel receive a free All American Burger with fries on Monday, Nov. 11 with the beverage purchase of $1.99.
Chili's – Veterans and active duty can get a free entrée all day from a special limited menu on Monday, Nov. 11.
Denny's -- Active, inactive and retired military personnel can get free all you can eat pancakes on Veterans Day nationwide.
FATZ – Veterans and active duty military can enjoy a free entrée at FATZ, up to a $15 value. Veterans who dine at FATZ on November 11 will also receive a $2 coupon for use on their next visit.
Friendly's – Veterans and active military receive a free Big Two Do Breakfast and coffee on Monday, Nov. 11.
Golden Corral – Golden Corral is offering a free dinner on Monday Nov. 11, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Military retirees, veterans, active duty, National Guard and Reserves are all welcome.
Hooters –Veterans and active duty military receive a free meal on Monday, Nov. 11.
Hoss's Family Steak & Sea House – Veterans eat for free on Monday, Nov. 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Krispy Kreme – Krispy Kreme stores are offering a free doughnut and small coffee on Monday, Nov. 11 when presenting a military ID or wearing a uniform.
Little Caesars – Veterans and active military members get a free order of Crazy Bread on Monday, Nov. 11.
Max and Erma's – On Monday, Nov. 11, participating Max & Erma's locations are saluting veterans and active military personnel with a free Best Cheeseburger in America Combo meal.
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants – On Sunday, November 10, participating McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants will offer a complimentary entree to vets from a special menu.
Menchi's -- All veterans will receive a free 6 oz. frozen yogurt on Monday, Nov. 11.
O'Charley's – Veterans and active duty servicemembers get a complimentary meal from a limited menu on Monday, Nov. 11.
Olive Garden – On Monday, Nov. 11, all veterans and current servicemembers get a free meal from a limited menu. Family dining with them will also receive 10% off their meal.
On the Border – Veterans and active duty military can enjoy a free meal from the "Create Your Own Combo menu" on Monday, Nov. 11.
Paciugo Gelato Caffè – Paciugo is offering a free 12 oz. Gelatte® to veterans and active duty military on Monday, Nov. 11 at participating locations.
Red Robin – Veterans and active duty military get a free Tavern Double Burger and Bottomless Steak Fries on Monday, Nov. 11.
Shoney's -- Shoney's will be offering a free All-American Burger to veterans and active duty servicemembers on Monday, Nov. 11.
Sizzler – Sizzler is offering active duty and retired military members a free lunch from a limited menu on Monday, Nov. 11 until 4 p.m.
Spaghetti Warehouse – On Sunday, Nov. 10 and Monday, Nov. 11, choose one original spaghetti entrée or 15-layer lasagna and get the second entrée free. This deal requires a coupon, which is available starting Nov. 6 at the Spaghetti Warehouse website, the Facebook page, and can be presented from a mobile phone.
Texas Roadhouse – Texas Roadhouse locations nationwide will offer veterans a free lunch on Monday, Nov. 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Offer is good for active duty, retired or former U.S. military.
TGIFridays – Veterans and active duty military get a free lunch from a select menu on Monday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tucanos Brazilian Grill -- Active duty, reserve and retired military and veterans receive a free Churrasco meal on Monday, Nov. 11. They are also offering 10% off the entire bill for veterans and troops who dine with their families, from Friday, Nov. 8 through Veteran's Day, Monday, Nov. 11.
Travel Centers of America -- On Monday, Nov. 11, all CDL drivers who are military veterans eat free at participating full-service restaurants.
Village Inn – All veterans and active military personnel receive a free breakfast on Monday, Nov. 11. Choose between Buttermilk Pancakes, Belgian Waffle, or French Toast.
2013 Veterans Day Travel and Recreation:
Colonial Williamsburg – Active duty military, reservists, retirees, veterans and their dependents receive free weekend-long admission tickets Nov. 8 through Nov. 11.
Knotts Berry Farm – Knott's Berry Farm is offering free admission for veterans and active duty military personnel and one guest from November 4, 2013 to January 5, 2014.
National Parks - On Veterans Day weekend (Nov. 9-11) veterans will have access to over 100 National Parks that require entrance fees for free.
Red Roof Inn - Red Roof Inn is offering 15% off at more than 350 properties nationwide in the month of November to veterans, active duty military and their families.
Sea World Parks and Entertainment – Veterans and active duty military can get 50% off single-day admission tickets through Nov.11, 2013.
World of Coca-Cola -- Military members receive complimentary admission year-round, but in honor of Veterans Day they also may purchase up to four half-price tickets for their friends and family Nov. 9-17.
2013 Veterans Day Retailer Offerings:
Bed Bath and Beyond – Bed Bath and Beyond is offering veterans 20% off their entire purchase on Nov. 9, 10, and 11. This is good for active duty, DoD, reserves, guard, retirees, veterans, and military spouses.
Dollar General – Veterans, active military, members of the National Guard and Reserve and immediate family members get 11% off the total purchase on Nov. 11.
Grace for Vets - Car washes from around the world who join this program offer free car washes to veterans and servicemembers on Nov. 11.
Great Clips – On Monday, Nov. 11, customers who come in for a service can get a free haircut card to give to their favorite veteran. Veterans can also receive a free haircut or get the free haircut card. Haircuts are redeemable until Dec. 31.
Home Depot – Home Depot offers a 10% discount to all veterans during Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day. Home Depot offers the 10% discount year round to for active duty and retirees.
JCPenney – Veterans, active duty and family members receive an extra 20% off in stores Nov. 6-11 with coupon.
Lowe's – All veterans receive a 10% discount on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. The offer is available in stores only.
Massage Envy – Participating Massage Envy locations in the Washington DC, Maryland, and northern Virginia region are offering a complimentary 1-hour massage to active military, veterans and spouses on Monday, Nov. 11.
Sport Clips – Participating locations are offering veterans and active duty servicemembers free haircuts on Monday, Nov. 11.
Walgreens – Walgreens is offering 15% off eligible store items and 20% of Walgreens, Nice! And W brand products on Monday, Nov. 11. This discount is available to all veterans and active duty military personnel.
America's Parade – Veterans are invited to march in this New York City parade on Nov. 11.
Medal of Honor Stamps -- The U.S. Postal Service will issue special Medal of Honor stamps on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Year-Round Veterans Discounts:
Foot Locker – Veterans, servicemembers (active, guard, and reserve), and their immediate families with a Foot Locker Veterans Advantage Card receive a 20% discount every day of the year. That offer is good both online and at any store location, including Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Footaction and Champs Sports — even on sale items.
Home Depot – Home Depot offers a 10% discount (up to a $500 maximum) to all active military, reserve, retired or disabled veterans and their family members with a valid military ID. All other veterans qualify for a 10% discount during Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day.
Lowe's – Lowe's offers a year-round 10% discount offer for all active duty, National Guard and Reserve, retirees and disabled servicemembers and their immediate families. All other veterans receive the 10% discount on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. The discount is available on in-stock and special-order purchases of up to $5,000. The offer can't be used on sales at Lowes.com, on previous sales or on sales of services or gift cards. You must present a valid military I.D. card to receive the discount.
Based on the 2013 Consumer Price Index, military retirees and annuitants will get a 1.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment in their January 2014 retiree checks.
Army and Air Force Exchange customers will not have to wait long to start their holiday shopping as Exchange doors open at 4 a.m. in the United States the day after Thanksgiving. Stores in the Pacific region will open at 7 a.m. while European Exchanges will welcome shoppers at 8 a.m. Authorized shoppers can get a head start on special promotions, updated throughout the holiday season, by visiting the Exchange's "Sale Flyers" page.
In the Army & Air Force Exchange Service's latest contest, a picture and 50 words could be worth $10,000. From Nov. 1-Dec. 31, authorized shoppers can enter the "Homeward Bound" contest by submitting a picture or video of a military welcome home experience, along with a 50-word or less description, for a shot at the $10,000 Exchange gift card grand prize. The "Homeward Bound" contest is open to all authorized Exchange shoppers 18 years or older. Complete rules and entry instructions can be found at www.shopmyexchange.com/homewardbound
Military moms will definitely want to enter the Army & Air Force Exchange Service's latest contest. The "Mom and Baby Photo" sweepstakes will award a 14K 1/10 ct. t.w. diamond Juno Lucina pendant in white gold (retail value $329) to the top ten best photos of mother and baby. From Nov. 1-14, authorized shoppers 18 years and older can enter by submitting a photo of mom and baby to firstname.lastname@example.com with "Mom and Baby Photo Sweepstakes" in the subject line. Complete details can be found at www.shopmyexchange.com/patriotfamily. Sweepstakes winners will be announced on or about Nov. 15.
The Affordable Care Act, VA, and You
Enrolled? What You Should Know
Your Enrollment Means You Don't Need to Take Additional Steps
If you are enrolled in any of VA's programs below, you have coverage under the standards of the health care law:
· Veteran's health care program
· Civilian Health and Medical program (CHAMPVA)
· Spina bifida health care program
You don't need to do anything more. The health care law does not change your VA benefits or out-of-pocket costs. You can continue to enjoy VA health care, which means you have:
· Medical care rated among the best in the U.S.
· Immediate benefits of health care coverage. Veterans may apply for VA health care enrollment at any time.
· No enrollment fee, monthly premiums, or deductibles. Most Veterans have no out-of-pocket costs. Some Veterans may have to pay small copayments for health care or prescription drugs.
· More than 1,700 places available to get your care. This means your coverage can go with you if you travel or move.
· Met the new requirement to have health care coverage that meets the minimum standard.
The goal of the VA health care system is to achieve excellence in patient care and customer satisfaction. VA's medical mission is singular — to serve Veterans by providing the highest quality health care available anywhere in the world. America's Veterans deserve nothing less.
It's in the Mail
Enrolled Veterans will also receive this information through the mail. The letter from the VA is another means to inform you that there is no need to take any additional steps to obtain health insurance to comply with the health care law coverage standards going into effect in January 2014.
Letters are being mailed in Priority Group order, starting with Veterans in Priority Group 1 through Priority Group 8. The mailings should be complete by the end of October.
For more information about your health benefits, visit www.va.gov/healthbenefitsanytime or call 1-877-222-VETS (8387), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. or Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Eastern.
VA and Other Health Insurance
If you have other forms of health care coverage, such as a private insurance plan, Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE, you can continue to use VA along with these plans. Remember: it is always a good idea to inform your doctors if you are receiving care outside of VA so your health care can be coordinated.
Health Insurance Marketplace
Beginning in October 2013, the Marketplace is a new way to shop for and purchase private health insurance (for example, health coverage other than VA health care programs) that fits your budget and meets your needs. People who purchase insurance through the Marketplace may be able to lower the costs of health insurance coverage by paying lower monthly premiums. For more information, visit www.healthcare.gov.
Family Members and the Marketplace
Even though you are covered by your VA health care enrollment, your family members who are not enrolled in a VA health care program should use the Marketplace to get coverage. They may get lower costs on monthly premiums or out-of-pocket costs. They could be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Starting October 1, they can submit an application for health care coverage through the Marketplace, and learn the amount of assistance they are eligible for. For more information, visit www.healthcare.gov.
Canceling Your Enrollment…A Word of Caution
If you choose to cancel your VA health care enrollment, you may reapply for enrollment at any time; however, acceptance for future VA health care enrollment will be based on eligibility factors at the time of application, which may result in a denial of enrollment.
VADIP Enrollment in 3-yr Dental Pilot Program Begins 15 NOV
A new VA program will soon allow all enrolled veterans and CHAMPVA beneficiaries to purchase private dental insurance at a reduced cost. Dependents of Veterans, except those eligible under CHAMPVA, are not authorized to participate in VADIP. Those individuals may be eligible for separate dental insurance coverage offered by the carriers. Created by the Caregivers and Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, this three year pilot program known as the VA Dental Insurance Program (VADIP) will offer a wide array of affordable plans to veterans and eligible dependents through Delta Dental and MetLife. Covered services include diagnostic, preventative, surgical, emergency and endodontic/restorative treatment. Delta Dental and MetLife are offering multiple plans. Each participant pays the fixed monthly premiums for coverage and any copayments required, depending on the type of plan selected. Monthly premiums will range from $8.65 to $52.90, depending on level of coverage selected. The initial participation period will be at least 12 calendar months. Afterward, VADIP beneficiaries can renew their participation for another 12-month period or be covered month-to-month, as long as the participant remains eligible for coverage and VA continues VADIP. Participation in this program is entirely optional and dental service connection is not required. Enrollment begins on Nov. 15, 2013, with coverage beginning on Jan. 1, 2014.
For more information call 1-877-222-VETS (8387) or go to http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vadip
Your AKO Email
AccountPlease read this notice carefully. You are receiving it because you have an AKO email address in your myPay Account.
The U.S. Army will close all retirees' and family members' AKO accounts between Dec. 31, 2013 and Mar. 31, 2014. Additionally, you can no longer store email in AKO after Dec. 31, 2013.
If you have listed an AKO email address in your myPay account, you should change it to a personal email account. This is where you'll receive all future notices from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service as well as notification that Army Echoes is available.
To change your email address in myPay, simply log in at https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx. Then click on "Email Address" and look at "Personal Email Address." AKO email addresses end in "@us.army.mil." Change the email address if necessary, and click on "Primary." Finally, click "Accept/Submit."
Commissaries Honor Vietnam Vets With Special Events
During the Veterans Day holiday weekend, commissaries worldwide will honor all veterans, particularly those who served during the Vietnam War, with commemorative events, special sales promotions, giveaways and food demos.The tribute to Vietnam-era veterans is linked to the introduction of the 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemoration Flag, said Rogers E. Campbell, DeCA's executive director of sales, marketing and policy. "The flag recognizes the service, valor and sacrifice of our military members who made it possible for America to remain strong and safe as a defender of democracy worldwide," Campbell said. "We hope that every time a Vietnam War veteran and their family sees this flag, they will know that a grateful nation remembers, thanks and honors them."In addition to commemorative events in the stores, commissary customers will find discounts on name-brand items thanks to special promotions that run from Oct. 24 to Nov. 13. Throughout this promotional period, DeCA's industry partners - vendors, suppliers and brokers - are collaborating with commissaries to offer discounts beyond everyday savings.Companies participating in this super sale include: Lipton, Bertolli, Hellman's, Breyers, Dove, AXE, Country Crock, Kraft Foods, Healthy Choice Frozen Foods, Marie Callenders, Hunts, Gatorade, Quaker Oats, Tropicana, Aunt Jemima, Smuckers', Martha White, Kellogg's, General Mills, Mid-Valley Produce, Ocean Spray, Hormel, Campbell Soup and Del Monte."It is with great honor that your local commissary serves our nation's veterans with dignity and gratitude for everything they have done to keep our country safe," Campbell said. "We cannot thank the Vietnam War veterans and all war veterans enough for what they have done for our country, our Constitution and our families."Customers should check their local commissary for dates and times of commemorative events and the specific sales events offered at their store.You can find more information on this commemorative program at www.vietnamwar50th.com.
2014 Medicare Rates
Medicare officials announced that monthly premiums for Medicare Part B (outpatient care) will remain the same for beneficiaries in 2014. The basic Medicare Part B premium remains $104.90 a month. Beneficiaries with 2012 adjusted gross income (plus tax-exempt interest income) over $85,000 — or $170,000 if married filing jointly — will continue to pay higher means-tested premiums.The means-tested rates also will remain the same in 2014. Means-tested rates range from $146.90 to $335.70 per person per month, depending on income. The Part B annual deductible also will remain at $147.
Officials attribute the flat rates to provider incentives for producing better value for patients, fighting fraud and abuse, and an increase in prescription drug savings.It was also announced the Medicare Part A deductible – which people pay when admitted to a hospital – will increase $32 in 2014 to $1,216. That deductible covers up to 60 days of Medicare-covered inpatient hospital care. Beneficiaries will pay $304 a day for days 61 through 90 in 2014 (up from $296 in 2013) and $608 a day for hospital stays beyond 90 days (up from $592 in 2013). The daily coinsurance rate for days 21 through 100 in a skilled-nursing facility rises from $148 to $152. Please note that because TRICARE For Life (TFL) acts as a supplemental insurance to Medicare, the deductibles for Parts A and B are paid by TFL.
Special Designation For Veterans on New York Driver License
Senator Cathy Young, 57th District provided the following information for veterans of New York
Veterans in New York State can now have a special designation added to their State driver's license providing clear and convenient proof of their service.
Qualified U.S. military veterans who were honorably discharged and have either a driver's license, learner's permit, or non-driver State-issued ID, can have the word "VETERAN" printed on their license above their photo.
This simple addition, which I proudly supported in the State Senate, will allow those who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms to easily prove their veteran status, while also cutting costs for many local counties who supply special ID cards for veterans.
Since many local businesses across New York provide discounts to veterans, having a driver's license with this designation will make it easier for our veterans to present proof of their honorable service and receive the thanks they deserve.
As required by legislation we passed last year, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has finished revising their applications and the new veteran's designation is active and available.
For more information on how to apply, you can check the DMV website at www.dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm
Retiree ID Cards Changed
Before Nov. 1, 2012, a military retiree's ID card had two expiration dates. The date on the front was usually indefinite. The date on the back was the date the retiree's DOD medical benefits expired -- the last day of the month prior to the retiree's 65th birthday. This date was necessary to ensure the retiree enrolled in Medicare and provided that information to DEERS. To eliminate confusion, ID cards now have the same expiration date on the front and back. DOD is also replacing retirees' social security numbers on the front of the ID card with their new DOD ID numbers and adding the retirees' DOD Benefits ID numbers on the back. Retirees are not required to update their ID cards until the expiration date. However, they may choose to do so when it is convenient for them. Spouse ID cards must still be updated every four years until the 75th birthday. When spouse ID cards are renewed, the retiree's DOD ID number will replace the SSN on the front and the spouse's DOD Benefits ID number will be added to the back. For more information about ID cards, please visit https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/appj/site?execution=e1s1 or call (800) 538-9552.
Thousands of "gray area" Soldiers are missing their retired pay
Each month, about half of all retired pay applications the Reserve Retirements Branch at U. S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC) mails to "gray area" Soldiers are returned unopened. This causes a delay in receiving retired pay or no retired pay at all for 400 to 600 Soldiers each month because they did not update their addresses at HRC when they moved. As with active duty Soldiers, Reserve Component Soldiers must apply for retired pay to receive it.
A month before their 59th birthday, HRC sends all "gray area" Soldiers the forms they need to apply for retired pay at age 60. These forms should be completed and returned to HRC no less than 90 days before the Soldiers turns 60 to ensure their retired pay starts on time. Soldiers whose deployments have earned them the right to retire before age 60 must alert HRC to that fact and request their retired pay applications early.
Soldiers who apply for retired pay after the age of 60 may receive back pay, but only for a maximum of six years. The Barring Act prevents paying older claims. "Gray area" Soldiers should update their retired records at HRC every time they move by calling (888) 276-9472 between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST or by sending an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Army plans to close retiree AKO accounts by Mar. 31, 2014
On Sept. 20, the Army published its plan to modernize Army Knowledge Online (AKO). The plan transitions business users to a suite of more secure, interoperable Department of Defense (DOD) services. The improved security requires users to have Common Access Cards (CAC) embedded with users' personal digital certificates.
The Army will close all accounts for military and civilian retirees and family members, who do not have CACs.
The Army plans to close inactive retiree and family member AKO accounts on Dec. 31, 2013. These are accounts that have not had a password change in over 90 days and are not set to automatically forward email to another government account. The Army will also remove email storage for active retiree and family member accounts on this date.
On Mar. 31, 2014, the Army will close all remaining retiree and family member AKO accounts.
To ease the transition, the Army G-6 recently approved an exception to policy that allows retirees and family members to automatically forward their AKO email to a civilian email address until Dec. 31, 2014. However, retirees must set this up in their AKO account profiles before Dec. 31, 2013.
To avoid disruptions to communications and personal accounts, retirees should take the following steps as soon as possible:
• Obtain a personal email address from a civilian provider.
• Replace AKO email addresses in all personal accounts – especially myPay accounts at the Defense Finance and
Accounting Service (https://www.mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx.)
• Obtain a premium DS Logon account. This account allows access to personal benefits records and claims on DOD
and Department of Veterans Affairs websites. See the DS Logon article on the next page for more information.
• Download important emails and files to a personal computer.
The Army has many sources of information that retirees may access in place of AKO. The Army home page (www.army.mil) provides official Army news and information and links to Army social media sites (Army Facebook, Army Twitter, Army YouTube and Army Flickr.) It also includes links to Army images, audio, video, presentations, and Army Live, the official Army blog. The U.S. Army Installation Management Command's home page (www.imcom.army.mil) includes links to individual installations and garrisons that provide local information and services to retirees. The Army's official benefits website is MyArmyBenefits (https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil.)
The Army plan indicated that retirees may share files using free and paid commercial services. The plan also noted retirees may join comment forums at military service organization and commercial websites.
For updated information on the AKO transition, visit http://www.eis.army.mil/ako.
AKO transition affects retirees and annuitants' myPay accounts
The pending Army Knowledge Online (AKO) transition will affect over 350,000 retirees and annuitants' myPay accounts. These Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) accounts include AKO email addresses that will not function when the Army closes the last retiree and family member AKO accounts on Mar. 31, 2014.
Unless they update their myPay accounts, these retirees and annuitants will no longer receive email communications from DFAS. These communications include notices about monthly retiree account statements, annual income tax forms, and other important information.
To update your email address, log in to myPay at https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx. Then click on "Email Address" and look at "personal email address." AKO email addresses end in "@us.army.mil." Change the email address if necessary, and click on "Primary."
Finally, click "Accept/Submit."
If you do not have a myPay account, you can register for one at https://mypay.dfas.mil/mypay.aspx. If you need assistance registering or have questions, call myPay at (888) 332-7411.
TRICARE Retiree Dental Program updates
As you may have already read, the Department of Defense has selected Delta Dental of California to continue administering the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) under a new five-year contract effective Jan. 1, 2014 through Dec. 31, 2018.
To maintain your coverage in the TRDP under the new contract, you do not need to take any action. There have been no changes made to the Basic plan benefit design under the new contract. However, here are a few of the exciting changes that take effect for the Enhanced plan on January 1:
• An increase in the annual maximum amount for each person enrolled, to $1,300
• A new coverage year, which will run from January 1 through December 31
• An increase in the annual maximum amount for dental accident coverage for each person enrolled, to $1,200
• An increase in the lifetime orthodontic maximum amount for each person enrolled, to $1,750
• A third cleaning allowed for children and adults with diagnosed Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes
Your current TRDP enrollment card will still be valid under the new contract. However, beginning Dec. 1, 2013, Delta Dental will no longer have the authority to issue new or replacement enrollment cards. If you wish to receive an enrollment card in the future, you will need to contact the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) at www.dmdc.osd.mil . Since Delta Dental uses the Defense Eligibility Enrollment System (DEERS) to verify eligibility for the TRDP, it is important to keep your personal information up to date for each family member. DEERS information may be updated at https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/address/index.jsp.
Later this fall, all sponsors currently enrolled in the TRDP will receive detailed information regarding the new contract that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014. For more detailed information on the TRDP or to enroll, please visit www.trdp.org or call (888) 838-8737.
TRICARE is minimum essential coverage
FALLS CHURCH, Va. — The Affordable Care Act, also known as the health care reform law, requires you to maintain basic health care coverage—called minimum essential coverage. Beginning in 2014, if you don't have minimum essential coverage, you'll have to pay a fee for each month you aren't covered.
The TRICARE program is considered minimum essential coverage. If you're using any of the following health plan options, you have the coverage required by the health care reform law:
• TRICARE Prime • TRICARE For Life
• TRICARE Prime Remote • TRICARE Reserve Select (if purchased)
• TRICARE Prime Overseas • TRICARE Retired Reserve (if purchased)
• TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas • TRICARE Young Adult (if purchased)
• TRICARE Standard and Extra • U. S. Family Health Plan
• TRICARE Standard Overseas
If you qualify for one of TRICARE's purchased plan options, you only meet the requirements for minimum essential coverage if you purchase it.
Be sure to check that you're getting the most affordable coverage for you and your family that best meets your needs. Compare TRICARE's purchased plan options with your employer's health insurance or other civilian options offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
The Health Insurance Marketplace is a new way to find health coverage that fits your budget and meets your needs. With one application, you can see all your options and enroll. Open enrollment began Oct. 1, 2013 with coverage beginning as early as Jan. 1, 2014. Search online or call (800) 318-2596 to learn more.
Remember, most TRICARE health plan options already meet the requirements for minimum essential coverage.
AUSA's chapters are located world-wide. Their mission is to support our Soldiers and the civilians and families who work alongside of them in the local community. To learn how you can become involved click here.
Find a Chapter
Membership is open to all components of the Army, families, government civilians, companies and concerned citizens. To join click here.
Become a Member
AUSA works diligently on Capitol Hill ensuring that our Soldiers and their families are taken care of. AUSA is also a watch dog for government civilian's issues. To learn more about our work on Capitol Hill click here.
Legislative Action Center
Click here to order back issues of ARMY Magazine or AUSA News, a Family Program's product or buy an item from the AUSA estore.
Visit the Marketplace


text:
Fire this CLOWN, his players hate him and wont play for his BS.... @imseanavery is #winning
Avery tweet about John Tortorella
Posted 30 March 2013 - 11:35 PM
- hillbillywingsfan likes this
"All done? Five bucks." - Pavel Datsyuk after an interview
"Very few cities in the NHL have the history or the following of the Detroit Red Wings." - Steve Yzerman
Be sure and check out my writing on Detroit Sports Nation
#2 Guest_irishock (Guest)
Posted 31 March 2013 - 01:13 AM
Torts should go but Avery needs to shut the f*** up when speaking of clowns.
- thegerkin, evilmrt, MabusIncarnate and 6 others like this
Posted 31 March 2013 - 07:21 AM
Opinions are like an "Avery"; everyone has one.
- thegerkin, Holmstrom96 and BottleOfSmoke like this
"Mess up tomorrow, don't mess up now".
- Harry James Benson, CBE.
Posted 31 March 2013 - 09:26 AM
Avery calling somebody a clown? Coming from a guy that blew his NHL career because he couldnt keep his mouth shut........... There has been something wrong in NYR for a long time. Its not all Torts.
Posted 31 March 2013 - 12:31 PM
Opinions are like an "Avery"; everyone has one.
But Avery stinks more.
"All done? Five bucks." - Pavel Datsyuk after an interview
"Very few cities in the NHL have the history or the following of the Detroit Red Wings." - Steve Yzerman
Be sure and check out my writing on Detroit Sports Nation
Posted 31 March 2013 - 12:41 PM
I've suspected that the Rangers players have been tuning out Tortorella for a while. He's not a bad coach, he has a lot of hockey sense, but he is such an abrasive personality that it's only a matter of time before he wears thin. Still, Avery calling anybody a clown is rich.
Posted 31 March 2013 - 01:27 PM
Tortorella saw Avery for what he was, pushed him out of the lineup constantly and ultimately treated him like a non-NHL caliber player, not shocked at all that Avery has sour feelings honestly, regardless if the comments are true or not. Something is going wrong in New York, they have a skilled team that right now is struggling to hang onto a low seed playoff spot.
In memory of Steve Shoen, Rest in peace.
Posted 31 March 2013 - 02:37 PM
Hardnosed and stubborn coaches are having a very short stint and Torts is the best example of a coach demanding too much and being stubborn. Read a poll where players stated him and Wilson would be the last coaches they'd be willing to play for.
The Offseason of truth ...
Welcome to hockeytown Jonas aka Lundquist 2 Gustavsson!
blank cheque for The Captain or Jim Star Nil please..
<< Win it for Mr. Hockey ! Ariana G. - One Last Time DO IT FOR THE MAGICMAN!
"..Coaching in the NHL is great, but coaching an original 6 franchise is unbelievable.." Mike "Babs" Babcock
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text:
Quotable: People don't just need jobs
When you boil charity down, it's really a wealth transfer mechanism. It's good for what it's good for, but it's not creating wealth, it's not creating prosperity. It's keeping people from tragedy or disaster, which is its proper role.
What lifts people out of poverty are jobs, and not just any jobs, but jobs that they can be proud of. What creates jobs are businesses, and what businesses need to expand is investment.
- John Coors, president of CoorsTek. Coors is also the founder of One Thousand and One Voices, a private equity fund. From "No More Charity: But Do Markets Deliver For Africa's Poorest?" in Forbes.
Learn how Mercy Corps approaches economic development around the world.


text:
Different Jobs, Different Qualities...
I recently started working part-time for a local private contract company during my days off of the full-time Federal gig. The
part-time job pays the minimum wage of $9.19 per hour in Washington State...and I don't mind a bit. The job site is a small,
isolated county port in the middle of nowhere next to a large river. It's comprised of nothing but grain silos, docked grain
barges, and railroad tracks crisscrossing out into the country. For part of the night my duty is to monitor the deviant
activities of a group of longshoremen hell-bent on disrupting the barge traffic of some of the grain companies at the site.
Despite the seemingly lack of glamour, I've come to realize that the job itself is...therapeutic. The job entails performing
walking patrols of one of the grain company properties, as well as vehicle patrols of the barge docking area for eleven hour
As far as the unexpected qualities that I've come to enjoy about the job...where do I start? I genuinely enjoy the small
details like the moonlight reflecting off of the river on clear nights, listening to the waterfowl and their concerts on the
moonlit water, and the herds of deer patrolling the property alongside me, to name a few. I even enjoy watching the
longshoremen on their boats who are, in turn, watching me on the shoreline. I guess I'm posting this random rambling for
a couple of reasons. The first reason is to ask all of you if you've ever had a job that had unexpected perks. The second
reason is to ask all of you what those specific perks are or were. I'm looking forward to hearing your responses."The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
- Thomas Jefferson
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence."
— Vince Lombardi
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
IX. Strive to attain professional competence.


text:
This weekend's modestly budgeted performers yielded a weak total. The top ten grossed around $87 million, about 20% down from last year (continuing the trend for 2013 so far) and closer to 30% off from last weekend.
On a Sunday when studio films look to take home most of the top Oscars (not always the case), their new pictures aren't playing well with audiences. Only three studio pics make the top ten, while mini-majors and independents carry most of the weight. The continued success of such companies as Weinstein, Lionsgate, Relativity and Open Road is healthy for the overall industry, but the lack of top-draw breakout hits from the studios is significant, even iduring their first quarter off-season. This drives grosses lower, with exhibitors continuing to bear the brunt of the pain.
1. Identity Thief (Universal) Week 3 - Last Weekend: #2
$14,100,000 (-41%) in 3,222 theaters (+57); PSA (per screen average):; Cumulative: $93,700,000
Returning to #1 in its third week -- a rare accomplishment, and a position that earlier Melissa McCarthy-starring "Bridesmaids" didn't achieve during its great run -- this is a strong showing for the film, if not a stellar gross to lead the top ten.
"Bridesmaids" achieved its $169 million gross by keeping its early week drops to around 20% as much better word of mouth carried it to months of success. It also opened in May, against early summer behemoths, then outlasted them by a wide margin.
"Identity Thief" at this point looks like it could come much closer to the "Bridesmaids" total than anyone expected ($150 million isn't impossible), particularly if upcoming new releases continue to underperform like most others this year.
What comes next: This could be Jennifer Lawrence's night, but Melissa McCarthy is now a major female comedy star in the right property.
2. Snitch (Lionsgate) NEW - Cinemascore: B; Metacritic score: 53
$13,000,000 in 2,511 theaters; PSA: $5,177; Cumulative: $13,000,000
Performing as expected, this $5 millon Lionsgate acquisition (before marketing costs) continues the distributor's strong 2013 (this is their sixth wide release). This father-saves-son action drama is performing closer to the level of The Rock's earlier "Walking Tall" than his franchise successes ("Journey 2" and "Faster") or comedies ("The Other Guys"), but its lower budget makes it a decent performance.
The film was made by Exclusive Entertainment, which has found distribution partners elsewhere ("End of Watch"/Open Road, "The Woman in Black"/CBS FIlms), showing that working outside the studio system can work for independents making mid-level budget films with proven stars. For director Ric Roman Waugh, a stuntman from his late teens, this is a big step up from his earlier-directed film "Felon."
What comes next: Unless word of mouth kicks in, this recouper will fall quickly.
3. Escape from Planet Earth (Weinstein) Week 2 - Last Weekend: #4
$11,013,000 (-31%) in 3,353 theaters (+65); PSA: $3,285; Cumulative: $35,144,000
Continued decent gross for this overperforming animated film for the year-round audience looking for something to see. Timing can be everything for box office success, and this fed the hungry family crowd.
What comes next: With all the concentration of Weinstein's Oscar presence, this comes as a nice alternative success for them irrespective of what happens at the Dolby on Sunday.
4. Safe Haven (Relativity) Week 2 - Last Weekend: #3
$10,600,000 (-50%) in 3,223 theaters (unchanged); PSA: $3,289; Cumulative: $48,062,000
This latest Nicholas Sparks' adaptation, aided by its strong Valentine's Day opening, already is close to $50 million in only 11 days. Though it took a big second weekend drop, the $28 million production, already presold to most of the rest of world, looks like a significant success for Relativity.
What comes next: This should head to around $75 million.


text:
A Wall Street Journal article asks:
Where Have All the Good Men Gone?
Read it and see if you agree.
Latest Posts
A Wall Street Journal article asks:
Where Have All the Good Men Gone?
Read it and see if you agree.
Yesterday, I posted the following on an item from John Delingpile (martin_lack):
A larger percentage of humankind is already dangerously vulnerable to trivial disruptions in the social and physical networks that sustain them. Ask yourself this: how do you acquire life essentials – water, food, warmth, shelter? How long could you sustain yourself if any of those supplies were suddenly disrupted? If you do not know, if you do not have a plan, then you and those you love are at risk. In recent years we have seen flood, fire, storm, earthquake, social turmoil, severely affect populations in various parts of the world. In some places, such as Christchurch, NZ, and Queensland, the disruption has been minimized by astute social organization. Populations in other places, such as Haiti, have not escaped so lightly.
Today this: Christchurch Devastated By Another Earthquake
Point taken?
(Honey Badger)
We all know that high financiers, bankers, and politicians together made mistakes that caused the Meltdown. We strongly suspect that at least some of them committed crimes. So why have there been so few prosecutions?
ROLLING STONE is investigating.
But don't expect a happy ending . . . at least, for taxpayers.
I thought that was Watney's . . .
What's the gayest beer you know?
But I thought you might enjoy reading about another immigrant culture that claims special status.
North America hosts over 20 million illegals from Latin America. But, apparently, it's all the fault of the US and Canada if there are problems in the immigrant community – just as it is all our fault that Latin America cannot seem to solve its own problems . . . which is why so many migrate north.
Then again there are a large number of latins who came to the US quite legally, and are now full US citizens – as well as those who were already living here when the US took over former Spanish and Mexican territory. The difference seems to be whether individuals think of themselves as being American or something else.
A majority of Swiss voters and 20 of 26 cantons rejected changes to Swiss firearms laws.
The German and Italian cantons outvoted the French-speakers. I guess the Francophones were hoping to make it easier to surrender . . .
Long may the Swiss cling to their stubborn independence.
Isn't it interesting that climatologists have, so far, not been linking this year's unusual weather with last year's Icelandic volcano? Well, it looks like we may be able to experience a repeat performance. Another Iceland hotspot is getting ready to pop:
I wonder if we'll be seeing major disruptions to air travel again – just in time for the Royal Wedding. I also wonder what effect the eruption might have on food crops in the Northern Hemisphere. Time to stock up on provisions, I think.
Two of the world's largest oil exporting nations are Venezuela and Nigeria. We've heard a great deal about Venezuela and Chavez. Somehow that wealth misses improving the economic circumstances of the general population.
The NY Times has an article about Nigeria. Somehow the profits from oil are failing to improve that nation much, either.
How many of you will click?
On this page


text:
|Berkeley Parents Network
|Post a Msg
|What's New
Low Milk Supply
I have had milk supply issues from the start of nursing my first child. She is
now just 7 months old and we have been giving her a combination of formula and
breast milk for a while. I am recently finding that since I started
menstruating (2 cycles) my supply has dropped even more. I try to nurse her as
often as I can but she loses interest/ gets distracted very easily so that
doesn't seem to be helping increase supply. I'm getting pretty depressed about
it. I don't know if it is just sadness at the loss of this time in her life,
if it is hormonal, and if there is nothing I can do about it but let it go.
This is all not to mention all the stuff about feeling like I have failed her
because I can't give her all the breast milk she needs for the first year.
Bummed about milk
That being said, I felt a bit emotional about the situation too. I really wanted to continue nursing but also knew that it was getting frustrating for my daughter. I was also sad to let the closeness go and wondered if I was failing her in some way. You could do what I did and go through all the work of trying to increase lactation through the various approaches, like increased frequency of nursing and taking fenugreek, etc. In the end, I was exhausted and it wasn't making enough of a difference to be worthwhile.
Please don't feel guilty about this. You haven't failed her! You've nursed for a significant amount of time and she will be all the better for it. It's now three months later for me and I can say that my daughter is incredibly happy and healthy, loving and cuddly. And while I do still miss that time of her life a bit, this new phase is wonderful in different ways. Also, you mention the hormonal side of this. I hadn't really thought about it, but I think that nursing did affect my emotions, so it might change if you stop trying to nurse. Good luck. anon
In any event, what's done is done. There's nothing wrong with your body, you *can* make enough milk to nurse your daughter as long as you wish, and there ARE good ways to recover from a supply sabotaged by mistakes based on poor information or past bad advice. The very first thing to do is ditch the formula. Completely. If she's getting a significant amount of it, you may have to do this gradually. Talk to a lactation consultant, a La Leche League leader, or a breastfeeding-knowledgeable doctor for specifics. Nurse as often as possible and DON'T use bottles. (At this age, even if you work and she needs pumped milk or, if you can't pump, formula during the workday only, you can try switching to a sippy cup; it may help if part of the problem is bottle preference.) The best way to increase milk supply is to increase milk demand.
The next thing to do is make sure you are drinking plenty of water, and as much rest as you can, especially around 'that time of the month' (which does often cause a little dip in milk supply). And if you need a little boost, try eating oatmeal (cookies count!), drinking ''Mother's Milk'' tea, and/or taking fenugreek capsules. (Fenugreek will make you smell like maple syrup. But it works.) If all of that isn't enough, consider getting some domperidone, which is a galactagogue drug you'll have to order from outside the States -- it isn't generally available here, but it *is* considered very safe and is commonly prescribed in Canada and Europe for increasing milk supply.
You can get a lot more advice and support for the asking on the
Usenet group misc.kids.breastfeeding (look it up on Google
Groups if you don't know how to access Usenet directly).
I am breastfeeding my 6-month old daughter and working full time. I have a very low milk supply due to breast surgery - I typically come home with about 3 oz. after pumping 3 times a day for 10 minutes ea. at work. I have two concerns:
1. I love the closeness of breastfeeding, and that my baby is getting SOME of the good stuff, but I am wondering if its really worth trying to stick to it for another 6 months (my original goal) if she gets so little from me.
2. My husband and I will be taking a 5-day vacation to New York in a couple months sans the kids. I was thinking I would pump a few times a day, freeze the milk (provided the hotel has a freezer), and bring it back with me. However, my husband says that would be a hassle and I should just ''pump and dump'' to keep my supply up, ''if you think its even worth it''. So, I feel like I am not getting a whole lot of support from him. I am wondering (a) if I should even continue to breastfeed, and (b) if I do, how I should deal with the trip away from my baby? Thank You.
As for your trip, only you can answer the question of whether
pumping and storing the milk would be ''too much hassle''. I
personally would not TAKE a 5-day trip without my 8-month-old
baby, so the question simply wouldn't arise, but I know many
parents are more comfortable with that sort of thing than I am.
I do know that pumping and dumping, particularly for women who
have a hard time pumping, can be very heartbreaking. So I would
suggest you at least make the attempt to keep your milk for your
daughter. Breastmilk can usually be kept at room temperature
for up to 10 hours and in a refrigerator for 5-8 days, so you
may not need to freeze it in order to bring it home. The hotel
mini-fridge, and a cooler with ice pack for the trip home, may
be sufficient.
Feeling that your husband isn't entirely behind you on this, is
hard. Try talking to him again & again both about how good
breastfeeding is for your baby and how important it is for your
relationship with your child. My husband took a long time to
'get it', but now is quite supportive. Sometimes, bringing out
lots of facts & statistics can also help.
Could you pump longer at work? Sometimes the let-down will only
start after about 10 minutes, so pumping for longer may help your
supply. New legislation does protect your right to pump & that
the employer must provide a decent place for you to do it in.
If you talk with a lactation expert or La Leche, they can also
see if your pump suits you etc... There is a yahoo group called
pumping moms who also have lots of advice & encouragement.
Good luck!
|Home | Post a Message | Subscribe | Help | Search | Contact Us
BPN is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit and we are transitioning to a new website: BerkeleyParentsNetwork.org


text:
Dear Alice,
I am a 20 year old foreign student and I am new to the United States. One of the first things I learned about the American way of life for women is that tampons seem to be used by my sister students more often than pads. I was not familiar with them before I arrived here and am rather worried about trying to use tampons myself, despite the advantages claimed for them. Maybe you can help by answering a few of my questions, as I find it embarrassing to talk about this as frankly as some American girls do.
- 1. Should one use pads or tampons?
- 2. What kind of pads or tampons are recommended, as I am not familiar with the brands in the stores here?
- 3. What particular advantages do these types have over others?
- 4. I have seen some pads described as "overnight." Does that mean very absorbent? Is it possible to wear a pad and a tampon at the same time?
- 5. What are panty liners? Do you also use them with pads and with tampons?
- 6. I have heard that tampons are sold to girls as young as 13. How is it possible that they can use them?
- 7. Are there any risks or dangers in using tampons?
— New to Playtex
Dear New to Playtex,
You ask some great questions that many American women have as well. Wearing pads or tampons is a matter of personal preference. Women choose different products and brands depending on the heaviness of their flow, personal preference, and what fits their lifestyle.
Pads, or sanitary napkins, are made of absorbent materials that are placed on the inside of the underwear to soak up menstrual blood. Pads come in varying sizes from panty liners, which are the thinnest pads, to "super" or "overnight" pads that are made to be worn when a woman's flow is heavy. Some pads have extra material that fold over the sides of the underwear called "wings." These wings help to hold the pad in place and to prevent leakage.
Tampons are made of soft absorbent material and are inserted into the vaginal opening, resting in the vaginal canal to absorb menstrual fluid. Tampons come in various sizes and absorbencies, with or without deodorant, and with or without applicators, which can be plastic or cardboard. They may be used with pads as backup in case the tampon leaks. Women, of all ages, can use tampons even if they haven't ever had sexual intercourse, and using tampons does not affect virginity.
To answer your question about dangers and risks, here are a few tips. There is no reason to use deodorant tampons or pads. In fact, they can be irritating to many women. Also, if a tampon is hard to pull out or shreds when you remove it, the tampon you are using is too absorbent and you will need to switch to one with a lower absorbency rating. Tampons need to be changed frequently to prevent toxic shock syndrome (TSS), a rare but serious condition. You can read more about TSS in the Go Ask Alice! Q&A, Lost tampon.
It may take some time to decide which tampon or pad is the right size, comfort level, and fits your lifestyle. You can also speak to a healthcare provider about tampons or pads, and find what works.
Hope you find what works for you!Alice!


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With over 4 billion mobile devices in use around the world, mobile browsing is rising fast. We can no longer assume that our sites will be viewed on a desktop monitor with an average resolution. Perhaps we never could.
The answer, proposed by Ethan Marcotte, is Responsive Web Design. Instead of building separate sites for each device, we build one site that adapts to each device. However, the current approach to responsive design is still based on a few popular devices and, as a result, is likely to become obsolete as fast as they do.
What if we could create a truly universal design that was device independent – one that, no matter what device you viewed it on, looked like it was designed just for that device? At New Adventures, Mark Boulton talked about designing from the content out, rather than the canvas in, and we think this makes good sense. Perhaps the only way to create a design that will work on any device is to forget about the device altogether.
The current approach to responsive design binds the design to the device. It uses pixel widths based on the dimensions of the most common devices, but we don't think this approach is good enough. It results in designs that are based on two big inconstants:
There are thousands of different devices out there, with millions of potential contexts. We can't support them all, so we end up choosing a few popular devices, basing our designs on their resolutions, and ignoring the rest of the products on the market. When technology moves on and resolutions increase, our sites will look as outdated as a 600×400 site does now.
Pixels sizes aren't constant – or at least the display of them isn't. 16px text on an iPhone can be ~60% the size of 16px text on a Macbook. Basing designs on pixel measurements creates inconsistency in viewing size across devices and can negatively affect readability and usability.
So how do we do as Mark Boulton suggests and go about designing from the content out? In practice, it means starting with the most common form of content, the paragraph element, and building up to a full layout.
It's tempting to first set the body font size. But the manufacturer or the user has already set the browser's default size for readability, and we don't think you should mess with it without good reason.
However, if you base your entire design on this base font size (using ems), then as it increases or decreases, so will your design. Using ems allows your designs to be resolution independent.
Next, use max-width to set the line length of the paragraph to be as readable as possible (~66 characters per line). This will vary from font to font, but something around 30em usually does the trick. This sets the width of your single column layout, making it 'just right' for readability.
Now, no matter which device your design is viewed in, the space available will be bigger, smaller, or just right, and you can use media queries to make the most of it.
If there is substantially more space than the single column width, then you can consider moving to a multi-column layout. For example, if the single column width is 28em (plus 1em margin on either side), and the screen width is more than 45em, then you have enough room to move to a three-column layout with 13.5em columns and 1em gutters, with the main content spanning two columns (so remaining the optimum width for readability).
If there's less space than what's required for optimum readability, then you need to make the most of the space you have. For example:
If the space available is just right for your single column, then you've nothing to worry about. Your work here is done. Go make a cup of tea.
We're not saying that a single column layout is the best layout for every site. We don't know which layout a user will be viewing, so our sites need to work just as well in a single column state as they do with multiple columns. However, in practice, we've found that it helps to get the single column state right and then work up or down.
We think this approach has a quite a few benefits.
With the current approach, even if you only designed for Apple devices (lucky!), you would require up to five different states:
The Edenspiekermann site seems to take this approach and does it very well, but it's just not a scalable solution. With the Goldilocks approach, you only have to consider three states:
By taking the device resolution out of the equation, you get layouts that should work across all devices and contexts, even ones that haven't been invented yet. If, for whatever reason, a user has their base font size set to 80px, then this approach should still produce an appropriate layout for the space available. Talk about device independence.
And finally, technology changes, but the human body has stayed pretty constant for the past few thousand years. By designing for human constraints (readability) rather than technological constraints (device size and resolution), your layouts won't date any time soon.
And so the designers lived happily ever after…
Responsive design requires a new way of thinking, and there's still plenty of discussion and exploration to be had before we can settle on what is 'best practice'. We've found this approach to work well for us, but how do you think it would work for you? Let us know in the comments.
Well put, Chris. Great to hear design agencies thinking like this, and being vocal about it too. Whilst I don't work in an agency any more, my previous experience was of a fairly linear, rigid process: plan → IA → design concepts → design development → template build → CMS integration.
I'd be interested to hear more about how your "Goldilocks" approach works as part of the larger workflow at Front. In what format are design concepts 'signed off' by clients, and how do you go about explaining to your clients the way a site will adapt without actually building it? Is there even a design 'sign off' milestone, or do you work in a more agile way, prototyping and gathering constant feedback as you go? If so, how does that impact on the difficulty of estimation and budgeting?
Sorry if this stuff is a bit outwith the scope of the article! Perhaps an article in itself? :)
1 year, 10 months ago
Yeah there's probably another article in that!
*makes note*
In brief though, this has had an impact on every part of our process, and to be honest we're still working it out.
The aim of all this is to find an efficient way to build sites that are responsive by default, just as we build standards-based sites by default (without budgeting extra to make them standards-based). We're not there yet, but that's the goal!
Some techniques we've found helpful are Pattern Translation (how does a design pattern that works well in multi-column translate to a single column state?) and using a Modular Scale (so the designers and developers are singing from the same hymn sheet).
1 year, 10 months ago
First, let me say that I love the analogy to Goldilocks! :-P
There are unfortunately some problems with the "device doesn't matter" approach. I do agree that the device doesn't matter in the sense that there are now (and will continue to be) too many devices for you to identify each one and try to design for it. You do unfortunately need to design for the bandwidth context and the performance capabilities of the device.
This is the primary problem with RWD as a *sole approach* to supporting multiple devices. There are already far too many examples of RWD sites that serve 1-3MB of content to a mobile device because while the layout may now be flexible, the content has an inherent fixed weight. This is hugely deceptive for users who are experiencing an appropriate layout but still downloading inappropriate content. It's also tricky to entirely rely on client-side adaptation to swap these and other elements such as scripts (e.g. jQuery libraries that may work on the desktop but not on the device).
So even if you design 'mobile first' ie. start with the most lightweight representation and use each style sheet to enhance for the larger/wider context, you are still left with images, scripts and other media that are designed for one layout and end up being carried over to the next (usually simply left unused in other contexts or hidden using display:none). This is unsustainable as a long-term approach.
So in the end, we're finding that an approach that combines both server and client-side adaptation (e.g. layout progressively adapted on the client but using the server to swap media/images and adjust the occasional markup) still yields the best results.
Some reference material you may find useful:
if you're interested there's also a great conference coming up on the topic of mobile web http://mobilism.nl/2011
1 year, 10 months ago
Some great points Stephanie, thanks!
However I still think the device doesn't matter, but context does. The distinction is important.
We absolutely need to find a way to provide the best content for the context, but even on a single device the context can vary hugely. Mobiles and tablets can be used on mobile networks or over wifi, so device resolution isn't a good indicator of what size of images we should serve up. Neither is it a good indicator of whether we should use a touch-based or cursor-based UI – just because I have my browser window small doesn't mean I need buttons to be bigger. We need to find a better way of defining context.
That said, we have to be practical. Device independence is the ideal, and hopefully we'll get there, but in the meantime each device is going to have it's quirks and – depending on the needs of the project – you may need to support one device a bit better than another. However the idea is to at least have a basic level of support for all devices by default and – as we get better at it – increase that basic level over time. Progressive enhancement, effectively.
1 year, 10 months ago
Yeah…the context issue is a thorny one. Going forward, we need to provide a multi-device user experience baseline (e.g. reasonable layout, content and page weight as default). Ideally some aspect of context would be part of that baseline.
Certainly the context of touch vs non-touch needs to be (although by rough estimates, about 30% of devices are multi-manipulation anyhow). APIs to detect battery life are already being discussed and many of us are involved in the various standards bodies to discuss other useful, contextual APIs.
There's a browser manufacturer panel at the Mobilism conference that I expect will get pretty heated on the subject of context APIs! :-P
1 year, 10 months ago
I'm sorry, but this isn't much better than applying IE6 hacks. The real problem is device manufacturers who alter website's appearances. Android has done a brilliant job at standardizing the OS, and therefore the browser, and Apple is pretty much there too.
With my smart phone I can view a website as if it were on a desktop computer, so there isn't any need for special design for those devices. It's the 20/30% who use devices which render websites like 1998 WAP.
1 year, 9 months ago
In parallel with the challenge presented to the designer by responsive design, there is a challenge also in managing the client's expectation of how their site should appear in a small screen. We have had at least one comment, on seeing a site reform itself for a small viewport, that "the site is broken"... A discussion for another day perhaps.
We clearly have some way to go until best practice is set in stone for this, and I would share at least one of the views that Stephanie has raised. But it is a hugely exciting time to be working in the industry as these changes take hold, and this piece is a very constructive contribution to the wider discussion.
1 year, 9 months ago
Thanks Rick. I agree, we need to work out how best to involve our clients in discussions around responsiveness, and communicate it's benefits (shouldn't be too difficult) so it isn't a surprise to them.
When we're designing layouts with different states in mind it definitely impacts our design decisions (i.e. solution X works for multi-column but not for single column, solution Y works for both so we go with it). If we're not effectively communicating what has influenced these decisions then they could appear arbitrary – never a good thing!
1 year, 9 months ago
Re: "It's the 20/30% who use devices which render websites like 1998 WAP."
iPhone users surf *far* more than other smartphone users and I routinely speak to companies with 75% iOS traffic (then followed by Android, BlackBerry and Nokia…frequently but not always in that order..depends on the country) however smartphones are still only about 25% of *all* the phones out there (globally). Even in the US, smartphone penetration is less than 50%.
There is lots of data to show that the other 75% of people (even ones with really bad browsers) are using the web (or at least trying to). In countries where smartphone penetration is very low (sometimes as low as 2-5%) there is high use of Opera Mini as it's free and can give you an excellent web experience on even a basic phone. Opera Mini hasn't caught on quite as fast in the US and EU so right now, these users pretty much get no experience at all. As a result, it's becoming harder and harder for brands to justify completely ignoring non smartphone users.
1 year, 9 months ago
If you check out the stats you'll find that Symbian (and iPhone) web users are dramatically falling. More users are turning to Android - phones which render websites as if they were on a desktop. If the trend sticks in a few years those devices will just be a fraction compared to Android, which can supply a standard mobile web experience.
Using Opera Mini on a Blackberry for years before buying an Android I can say the browser is far from "an excellent experience" as you put it. But it's very commendable that Blackberry is allowing browsers which try to come as close to the standard as possible. And as I said, that's what is needed.
1 year, 9 months ago
@stephanie out of interest, what is the rate of adoption for smartphones vs stupidphones (or whatever they're called :D)? I assume that someday all phones will be smartphones… is this the case and if so how long do you think it will take?
@Peter the point of this approach, and responsive web design in general, is that it doesn't matter what device they are using, they are given a layout that is appropriate to their context.
1 year, 9 months ago
One thing I'd like to see here is a working example. I see a lot of people talking about their ideal spin-offs of responsive design, but I rarely see them progress to an example or a case study.
I think Robbie's thinking earlier was spot on though; if you were to adopt a technique such as this, you'd have to make some serious fundamental changes to your processes.
1 year, 9 months ago
Hi Russell, we have used it successfully on a recent client project but unfortunately it's not live yet. We're working on an example now actually, will post an update when we have it ready.
We're also writing a follow-up article on how we've adapted our process, and some techniques we used and developed. Keep an eye on our twitter feed for updates!
1 year, 9 months ago
Actually, in the meantime, our Project Planner landing page uses this approach: http://www.designbyfront.com/resources/planning-a-web-project
1 year, 9 months ago
Hi Russell,
Our web site uses a modified approach of responsive web design that addresses many of the issues raised in the comments. A description of what we've done (and why) can be found at http://yiibu.com/about/site.
We also know of 3-4 large organizations that are working on or planning a responsive web redesign of their site and plan to incorporate improvements such as image and content adaptation for various contexts.
I think that by the end of the year there should be far more examples available for the community to draw on.
1 year, 9 months ago
Hi Chris (sorry…just noticed your question today.)
Smartphone penetration is rising quite fast in some markets but far more slowly in others. What is often happening in developed economies is an increase of about 100% each year (but that's from values like 5% penetration a few years ago…so that type of increase can only continue for so long…similar to the 3000% increase of Android in year one which inevitably levelled off).
What is also happening is that featurephones are getting smarter. Many now have a version of webkit and many now have touchscreens. So generally, phones are getting better but globally we're still at less than a quarter penetration, which leaves about 4 billion people with featurephones. It's highly unlikely (especially when you consider cost factors) that all 4 billion people will upgrade to smartphone level devices any time soon.
There are some useful stats for this starting on slide 14 of this presentation:
In regards to a past comment about the likelihood that everyone (or most people) may have an Android in the near future, that is also a bit unlikely. There is already too much fragmentation and Android volumes still don't compare to those of Nokia and the combined volume of several Asian manufacturers. Some of these manufacturers have been using Android but as Google has recently put restrictions on the platform, almost everyone has started considering other options (and there are at least a few other options to consider). Android is also already fragmented and it sounds like it may get worse as some manufacturers are already purposely adopting older versions (and forking them) rather than play by Google's most recent rules.
Interesting times…
1 year, 9 months ago
Dear Chris,
I just read your article several times. In our company we discussed the "Goldilocks Approach to Responsive Web Design" a lot during the last week.
But still there is one thing that we didn't understand and I would be very glad if you could answer it: What exactly is the advantage of using em instead of pixels as a unit for widths and heights?
I know that it scales with the base font size and we already use it for font-sizes and the margins of text. But we never thought about using it as the unit for widths and heights.
Again, I would be very glad if you could answer this question (of which I know that it is a few months too late, sorry.
1 year, 7 months ago
Hi Wiebke, thanks for the comment!
The point of using a relative unit (ems or %) for width and height is so that the layout is independent of the device resolution. Once you set a dimension in pixels, you guarantee that some day it will look too small, as resolutions keep increasing (remember when 640px was big for a website?).
Whether you use ems or % for widths and heights depends on the project. For the text-heavy sites this approach is aimed at, I prefer ems because the layout is then based on what is right (and most readable) for the text, rather than defining a grid based on the device size and squeezing the text into it. For sites that are more image-focused % may be a better unit to use.
Did that make any sense? :D
1 year, 7 months ago
Very interesting approach. Thanks for writing this down and sharing it. I'm definitely going to look more into this combination of em-based layouts and media queries.
There's one thing though: in Firefox (v5) when you increase the font-size enough, at some point the media query kicks in and the third column drops down. Exactly like when you would decrease the browser window size. And exactly like you would want it to work, in my opinion. This solves the problem I normally have with em-based layouts: when increasing the font-size enough, you get both a horizontal and vertical scroll bar. I find that very annoying (and not very usable, imho).
However, in quick tests in both Safari and Chrome, increasing the font-size at some point makes the columns overlap each other. Instead of the media query adjusting the layout. That's definitely not acceptable. Have you given that scenario a thought?
Maybe setting the columns in a % and the content (text) in ems is a solution, I'll have to do some experimentation with that.
1 year, 7 months ago
Excellent approach. KISS is just what Responsive Design needs to gain quicker adoption + this approach seems more future proof then most.
One thing we often forget in terms of "context" is we already have an excellent resource to query…. the person. Seriously. Give them the option to change to either of these 3 layouts via javascript. Make "smart" assumptions up front with media queries… but always include controls for the user to take back control.
Also I love that by using EM's you have a natively "zoomable" UI by increasing fontsize ... this could work wonders then scaling up to TV size displays.
Responsive Images (+ video & audio & other assets) do still need to be considered when thinking "moile first"... but at least there are now only 3 layouts to accomodate for… and bandwidth speed is only going to improve with time - where as viewports are only going to become more and more fractured.
Great work!
1 year, 4 months ago
Hi Chris, that's a great idea about giving the user controls to change context. It would be great if this was a browser control though, like standard zooming in.
And yes, there's just so many benefits to using ems once you bite the bullet, easy scaling being one of them. Actually working on something interesting to help with this, watch this space… :D
You're right though, Goldilocks only focuses on one part of responsive design, the responsive layout. Responsive images are a whole other problem we need to deal with :D
1 year, 4 months ago
Oh, I should point out that even tho I compare this to being basically layouts of 960px, 480px and <480px fluid… it's important to remember that you haven't based this on the device widths - it's focused on the "content" width. "Content" being paragraphs… so the the container width is based on optimum reading width for the font-size used on that paragraph (aprox 66 characters per line @ 16px font-size).
1 year, 4 months ago
One last piece of feedback… I found on the iPad in Portrait orientation the single column layout at first seemed like perhaps it has a little too much left/right white space; but was clearly still an excellent reading experience (very content focused). But what what I really enjoyed was that with a simple Double Tap on the first paragraph the iPad does it's native zoom in. I like to have a larger font-size on the iPad when reading so this suited me very well + baked right in ^_^
1 year, 4 months ago
If interested in responsive images, here are a couple things you might want to look at:
Large two-part retrospective of responsive image techniques just published by Cloud Four in Portland.
Part 2 (coming soon) will include a detailed analysis of known techniques (preview available here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AisdYBkuKzZ9dHpzSmd6ZTdhbDdoN21YZ29WRVdlckE&hl=en_US)
Some specific details of approaches that use both server and client can also be found here:
1 year, 4 months ago
@Chris great feedback thanks, gives me an idea… :D
@Stephanie wow those are fantastic thanks! What techniques have you found yourself using?
1 year, 4 months ago
Hi Chris,
We combine server and client. Basically…do some detection/filtering/adaptation on the server, which ensures the device only downloads something appropriate..but then accept that appropriate may not be the *best* thing, so back this up with additional client-side detection and further adaptation if needed (most common scenario being the re-orientation of the device..which may require new assets but you could also adapt aspects of the DOM client-side if needed).
So overall, the approach is "heavy lifting" on the server and "tweaks" on the client.
1 year, 4 months ago
Hi Chris,
Here is part two of that series on responsive images.
A part 3 is also apparently in the works. :-)
1 year, 4 months ago
Brilliant, thanks! Some weekend reading for me there… :D
Re: your Nokia site, it's interesting that the webfonts don't appear until a certain size. Would love to hear your reasoning behind that :)
1 year, 4 months ago
@Chris Jacob The iPad portrait problem is a known bug related to the settings in the meta viewport tag. Scott Jehl has a nice writeup about it, http://filamentgroup.com/examples/iosScaleBug/
It drove me insane but I found a feasible fix, (https://gist.github.com/901295).
@Stephanie I read the yiiibu about page awhile back and following your techniques, developed a desktop/mobile form that uses server side detection to push specific content based on device. No unnecessary scripts, css or fields. No extra overhead.
Currently revolves around UA detection, but as mentioned here is not a scalable solution. From what I've been reading feature detection is better.
The Nokia dev site suggests using multiple server/client adaptations to limit problems but I'm curious if anyone has played or can offer some insight on HTML5's caching and network information API techniques.
1 year, 1 month ago
On your demo, the right side column fits directly underneath the first paragraph when viewed on an iPhone. How can I get this to appear at the bottom of the main content?
1 year, 1 month ago
@Neil positioning the <aside> element below the main <article> element in your markup should do the trick?
1 year, 1 month ago
Hi Chris,
We actually use very little UA detection per se. We use a device database (which uses UA detection mapped to 1000s of UAs) to deal with the first load only. Based on the information we can glean from the database, we make any initial decisions/adaptations (typically regarding image sizes but can be all sorts of other stuff) then store this device info as properties in a cookie.
We then query the device (at/during first load) and feature detect as much as we need, saving all that back to the cookie. So server and client now have the same info. The device typically has the final say (over the database) especially given that certain parameters such as viewport size are bound to change with use (e.g. reorientation).
All feature detection still has issues however given that the response it typically pass/fail. There is no real granularity so 'knowing' that Canvas is supported doesn't necessarily reveal what is well implemented vs. barely functional. This is still a big problem regardless of whether you use a device database, run your own tests or use a toolkit such as Modernizr. We attempt to make up for this by implementing final tweaks based on 'stuff we know' rather than stuff the device has implicitly told us. Ideally, you want to do this as little as possible but it can be very handy.
Don't have much experience yet with caching but I do know it's still quite flaky. Steve Souders has completed some excellent research on the subject. Look for the video of his talk at the Breaking Development conference in Nashville last year.
1 year, 1 month ago
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Before becoming a freelance writer in 2005, Joanna spent five years for covering religion, education, and politics for California newspapers from Lodi to Los Angeles. Her stories have appeared in Modern Bride, Sunset, Science & Spirit, Comstock's, Faith & Form, Our Sunday Visitor, Sacramento Business Journal, and Sacramento magazine. In addition to a bachelor's degree in history from Bryn Mawr College, Joanna holds a master's degree in journalism from Stanford University and a certificate of theological studies from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley. You can learn more about her at www.joannacorman.com.