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A Preface to My Reggio Emilia Study Tour Narratives
I have returned from Italy with a paradigmatic shift in my thinking. Carlina Rinaldi set up a framework for approaching our study tour as she describes a key Reggio Emilia concept of the Teacher as Researcher. As Carlina Rinaldi said during her kickoff keynote, "This is an attitude. A way of being." I came to Reggio Emilia with an eagerness and openness that preempted an absorption of this way of being. I have entered a new era of my life that can be attributed to this new attitude. As I have already spent days in and out of my classroom, I find that I pay attention to different details, and find different meanings in my analysis of these details.
Before I left to Reggio Emilia, I felt that I was only grasping at the fringes of a concept that seemed more magical than real. I had questions, and lots of them. Never in my life had I ever had so many "lightbulb" moments of clarity in such a short period of time; each moment of clarity seemed to come just mere minutes apart from each other. (As a digression, it is curious how when illumination occurs, I encounter more surface area. It is as if I was only holding a match in a room that had all the answers, and now I hold a lantern. I have more to look at now, and that leads me to further depths of darkness and uncertainty).
I want to preface any further reflection or narrative of my study tour experience in Reggio Emilia with a concept that I wholeheartedly accepted while in Reggio Emilia. This concept is of my personal subjective learning. What I experienced and encountered in Reggio Emilia is something that at least 150 other people experienced and encountered as they were colleagues in this study tour. Each of us came with our own personal contexts and understandings, and each of us surely walked away with our own interpretations of what was important. Each of us paid attention to different details. There were concepts that were more pronounced for some than for others. I cannot attempt to recreate these experiences, nor can I stand on higher ground and attempt to tell people how to operate. If I am going to play the role of a change agent, it will be because I will include my voice in the dialogue, and my voice will have behind it these experiences I had in Reggio Emilia. At this particular point in time, I don't seek to play the role of a change agent as much as I seek to do my own research. This is most positively a result of this new attitude I have that is congruent with the Reggio Emilia approach's understanding of dialogue and the teacher as a researcher.
What I hope to do is to do what any good piece of documentation would do which is to leave traces of my subjective learning and understanding. What I hope results from my traces is that new channels for dialogue open up for me and for you. Maddalena Tedeschi, in her description of Loris Malaguzzi's visionary creation of the culture of the atelier, uses the metaphor of a "marketplace of ideas" where people could reciprocally "exchange their wares" from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. May we all come and create our own marketplace then, and may we come to our own shared understandings, and may we hybridize and synthesize the theories that works for own cultural context. May we develop now what Malaguzzi did 50 years ago, and ask generative questions instead of making conclusions. And may we demand a quality of education that we know will ensure a strong place for children, because as Carlina Rinaldi said, "What can be good for children can be good for everyone in life."


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The Rights of UAE Domestic Workers - UAE Labour Law
1: Are UAE Domestic workers required health Insurance?
2: Do housemaids have right to apply for Health Insurance?
3: What about the Insurance for other domestic helpers and workers such as Drivers, Cook?
4: Will Employee need to pay his/her Medical Insurance?
5: What is the Lowest Salary for Medical Insurance?
6: What if someone salary is less than 2000 AED?
Working rights for UAE Domestic Worker
Disclaimer: For all queries, contact UAE Ministry of Labour - mohre directly. GCC LABOURS is not responsible for any changes of these legal guidelines.
- UAE Domestic workers should not work for more than 12 hours a day; he or she should get at least 12 hours of rest
- No domestic worker should be younger than 18 years of age.
- The worker must get paid within ten days of payment due date.
- The employer is responsible to give a round-trip ticket for UAE workers every two years.
- UAE workers must be allowed to keep their personal identity documents including passport and IDs etc.
- Every worker in UAE should get 30 days of paid annual leave and at least one day of paid leave per week.
- He or she should be protected from any physical harm and should not be forced to do anything that is not covered under the contract.
Are domestic workers, such as maids, cooks and drivers, required to have coverage?
Please note that the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced that all residents in Dubai will be required to take part in a health insurance scheme.
Read it again, all residents whether they are businessmen, general helpers, housewives, children, drivers, maids, cleaners or cooks.
They all are required under the Dubai Health Insurance Law No 11 of 2013 to have health coverage.
In case if they fail to do so, the UAE visa will not be renewed or will be penalized.
The legal liability for every sponsor is to provide an essential insurance package, fixed between 550 AED and 700 AED, so that those with salaries under 4000 AED, such as domestic workers, receive adequate cover.
So, according to the DHA, all domestic workers required to have coverage and their sponsor has to pay for it.
The Insurance System for Advancing Healthcare in Dubai states: "Where a person employee domestic workers on their sponsorship, whether the sponsor is a national or a resident, the sponsor must arrange and pay for insurance coverage".
Is it allowed for Company or Sponsor to deduct coverage fee from employee salary?
No, not at all, there is no Charge on Employees (workers) for Medical Insurance in Dubai.
As per Insurance System for Advancing Healthcare in Dubai: "It is not permissible for employers to deduct premiums from the employee or to reduce salary to mitigate the cost".
What is mandatory for Employees (workers) to pay?
Employees or Domestics workers such as Nannies, Housemaids, Drivers, Cooks, Cleaners, Babysitter and all other General helpers will only pay for the Medical treatment/test cost which are not covered in Insurance Policy.
"As for treatment costs, employees will have to pay only the deductible or coinsurance amounts specified under the terms of the policy as well as any other treatment costs incurred which are not covered by the policy or which are in excess of any policy limits or sub limits".
What if domestic helpers are getting salary less than 2000 AED?
In case if your salary is less than 2000 AED your sponsor (company) or employer need to buy an essential Medical Insurance Plan that meet benefits for such employees.
As per Healthcare System "for these Lower Salary Band (LSB) employees, the employer or other sponsor must purchase a plan that meets the Essential Benefits Plan minimum levels of cover.
"For this segment of the population, these plans can be purchased only from insurance companies who have qualified as Participating Insurers.
"Participating insurers have exclusive access to this segment but in return they cannot deny coverage or impose special conditions."
Please follow below Companies for your Medical Insurance Coverage:
1: Axa Insurance,
2: MetLife Alico,
3: National Health Insurance Company (Daman),
4: Oman Insurance Company,
5: Orient Insurance Company,
6: Ras Al Khaimah National Insurance Company
7: Takaful Emarat.
The beneficiary with basic insurance cover is given a maximum coverage of up to 150,000 AED and has to pay 20% per cent during each visit to the hospital.
If you are sponsor or want to get information regarding how to get insurance for Domestic workers, please visit www.isahd.ae.
Thank You for Your Time, Please share with all Domestic workers especially Filipino workers, as there are hundreds of Female housemaids, nannies and other general helpers are looking for this information.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Dry vans are the most common type of freight trailers hauled by commercial trucking companies. Van carriers move freight that is loaded into a semi trailer. Semi trailers are typically between 26 and 53 feet. A van can also refer to a box-shaped trailer or semi-trailer used to carry goods. Keruing or Apitong hardwoods are the most popular in dry van floors or interiors due to its hardness, low cost, and built in weatherproofing.


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Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December, 2017. To have update about Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December, 2017 with last week's repeal of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate, Vermont is the latest state to explore its own version of the provision. Here all about Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December, 2017. For latest Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December visit bellow, You will have Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December all dates.
Vermont to Consider State Individual Mandate
If the number of uninsured Vermont residents rises, Governor Phil Scott will review a state mandate that requires all citizens to have health coverage or pay a penalty, said Al Gobeille, Vermont's secretary of the Agency of Human Services.
ACA Signups Drop to 8.7 Million
The latest enrollment figure for the federal healthcare exchange has dipped to 8.7 million, about 80,000 fewer enrollees than announced last week. The drop in signups was mostly due to late cancellations.
The latest count also includes 66,000 new last-minute signups. Enrollment has reached almost 95 percent of last year's numbers, even with the enrollment period cut in half.
The final ACA enrollment number will not be available until March due to the longer enrollment period for some states, including California and New York.
Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December, 2017
4 in 5 ACA Plan Enrollees Live in Trump-Backed States
Eighty percent of people who recently enrolled in health plans on the federal exchange live in states that President Donald Trump won in the 2016 election, according to an Associated Press analysis. The analysis also found:
- The president won the four states with the largest number of enrollees—Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia.
- Of the 11 states that increased enrollment from last year, eight were states that Trump won. Those states include: Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Final enrollment numbers for all 2018 ACA enrollments are still incomplete, as some state exchanges continue their enrollment periods through January 31.
Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December 26, 2017
ACA's Individual Mandate Overturned as Tax Bill Becomes Law
President Donald Trump signed the GOP-backed tax overhaul bill into law December 22, eliminating the Affordable Care Act's mandate that all individuals have health insurance or pay a penalty.
As he signed the bill, Trump expressed his disapproval with the mandate. "The individual mandate was very unfair, because you're basically saying, pay for something in order to not have to get healthcare. So you're paying—you're paying not to have healthcare. It was very unfair. Many people thought it should have been overturned at the Supreme Court," he said.
Proponents of the repeal claimed it would save the government $338 billion, but the action could allow 13 million people to become uninsured.
GOP Continues Strategy to Repeal, Replace ACA
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said Friday that if Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) can draw enough support for legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, he'd encourage the Senate to vote on the bill.
Noting that the repealed individual mandate was "one of the pillars" of the ACA, McConnell said he would "love to make more substantial changes to Obamacare than we have."
McConnell's comments come a day after he said in an interview that, next year, the Senate will probably focus on other issues besides repealing the law.
Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December 22, 2017
ACA Signups Nearly Equal Last Year's Numbers
The federal healthcare exchange saw a surprising surge of enrollments in its final week, reaching a total of 8.8 million signups. That nearly matches last year's total, despite working with an enrollment period that was half as long.
More than one million new enrollees signed up in the week of December 10. This brings the total number of new enrollees to 2.4 million—almost 30 percent of all enrollees.
The numbers are likely to rise in a final count, as some areas affected by hurricanes and other natural disasters have been given enrollment extensions.
State-run exchanges have enrolled 2.5 million Americans so far. Since 10 states and Washington, D.C., have longer enrollment periods than the federal marketplace, this number will increase.
Congress Retains Medical Expense Deduction
This week's tax overhaul package not only kept the medical expense deduction but temporarily lowered the thresholdfor some people.
Taxpayers can subtract some out-of-pocket medical expenses from their taxes that exceed 7.5 percent of their adjusted gross income for 2017 and 2018. For 2019, the threshold increases to 10 percent.
The deduction will apply to all taxpayers, regardless of age. Currently, the deduction is 10 percent for those under 65 and 7.5 percent for those 65 and older.
Majority Leader Ready to 'Move On' From ACA Repeal
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he wants to focus on stabilizing the insurance marketplace next year rather than try to repeal and replace the law.
"Well, we obviously were unable to completely repeal and replace with a 52-48 Senate. We'll have to take a look at what that looks like with a 51-49 Senate. But I think we'll probably move on to other issues," McConnell said.
McConnell said he wants to focus on keeping insurance premiums from rising. "We want to steady the insurance markets if we can … and I think we'll probably be addressing that part of healthcare sometime next year," he said.
Poll: Healthcare a Top Concern for Americans
A new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 48 percent of Americans named healthcare as the most important topic for lawmakers. That is an increase of 17 points over the past two years.
Of the respondents who named healthcare as a priority, 7 in 10 said they didn't have confidence that government would be able to help. Some of those polled said their skepticism was due to costs not being manageable any more.
Healthcare was the top issue for Democrats and Independents; for Republicans, top issues were immigration, health care, and taxes.
Second Judge Blocks Contraception Executive Order
A second federal judge blocked the Trump administration from enforcing new rules that allow businesses to obtain exemptions on moral or religious grounds for an ACA requirement to provide insurance that covers birth control. The action by California U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam, Jr. comes after a similar ruling from a federal judge in Philadelphia last week.
A Trump administration official hinted that the Department of Justice may appeal the ruling. "We disagree with the court's ruling and are evaluating next steps," she said.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 21, 2017
ACA Stabilization Bills Not Included in End-of-Year Funding Package
Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) have scrapped plans to include two bipartisan Affordable Care Act stabilization bills in an end-of-year funding measure.
The senators hope to instead have the bills be part of an omnibus spending bill in January, they said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
"There is every reason to believe that these important provisions can and will be delivered as part of a bipartisan agreement. And Majority Leader McConnell has told us that he will uphold his commitment to schedule and support the legislation," the statement said.
The two bills would fund:
- cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurers to help offset expected premium increases as a result of the individual mandate repeal.
- reinsurance funding to offset insurers' most expensive customers.
The president supports both bills, a White House spokesperson said Wednesday. "We believe we will work with the House to get those passed. We think that we'll be in a more comfortable place in January to get that passed," the official said.
Passage of the bills became uncertain last week when House and Senate Republicans clashed on including language to ensure that funds would not be used on plans that covered abortions. Negotiations on a resolution are ongoing.
Medical Device Firms Ask Trump to Delay ACA Tax
Trade firms representing medical device manufacturers have asked President Donald Trump to repeal or delay an ACA tax that's set to be reinstated at the first of the year.
The device makers had hoped that a repeal of the 2.3 percent tax on medical device sales would be included in the tax overhaul package approved yesterday. There is proposed legislation in the House that would extend the tax delay for an additional five years.
"Unfortunately, while Congress worked with you to advance this major legislative undertaking, they have failed to address a punitive tax that singles out the American medical technology industry, threatening jobs in the U.S. and future innovations for patients, and washing away the benefits of tax reform for our companies," said Advanced Medical Technology Association CEO Scott Whitaker in a letter.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 20, 2017
Congress Repeals ACA Individual Mandate
The Republican tax overhaul bill that included the repeal of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate was approved by Congress today after a House vote of 224-201. No Democrats backed the bill, and 12 Republicans voted against it.
The ACA provision stipulated that all Americans must have health insurance coverage or pay a penalty. After President Donald Trump signs the bill into law, the repeal will go into effect in 2019.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that repealing the mandate will reduce government spending by $300 billion over 10 years; however, it will increase premiums by 10 percent and raise the number of uninsured people to 13 million in that same timeframe.
Some GOP lawmakers and Trump believe that the elimination of the mandate is the beginning of dismantling the ACA, a measure they were unable to pass in a repeal-and-replace bill a few months ago.
Senate Majority Whip: Mandate Repeal Makes ACA 'Unworkable'
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), the Senate's Majority Whip, said the repeal of the ACA's individual mandate could push Democrats into negotiations to replace the law.
"Arguably, doing away with the individual mandate makes the Affordable Care Act unworkable—not that it was particularly great beforehand. Hopefully this will precipitate the bipartisan negotiation on what we need to do as an alternative," Cornyn said.
House and Senate Clash Over ACA Stabilization Bills
House Republicans are pushing back against a Senate plan to attach the Alexander-Murray stabilization bill that funds cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments in a year-end spending package.
The clash between House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) could cause a government shutdown if not resolved by the end of the week.
McConnell made a promise to Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) that the Alexander-Murray bill would be included in the spending package. Conservative Republican House members want to add abortion prohibition language into the CSR-funding bill, which Senate Democrats oppose.
It's unclear how Ryan intends to negotiate a solution. Negotiations are ongoing.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 18, 2017
Some States Weighing Whether to Implement Individual Mandates
With congressional Republicans prepared to repeal the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate in their tax reform legislation, some states are weighing state-level measures.
Democratic-leaning states such as California, Connecticut, and Maryland are beginning to create strategies to preserve the law that all Americans have health coverage or face a penalty.
- In California, the chief executive of Covered California recently floated the idea of a state mandate as one of several possibilities to help stabilize the state's marketplace.
- In Connecticut, Democratic officials considered the option during a recent meeting with four state legislators.
- Maryland Senator Brian Feldman said, "I'm fairly confident there will be a bill if the tax plan results in a repeal of the individual mandate."
- Officials in Washington and New Jersey are exploring whether their states would implement individual mandates.
- Massachusetts is the only state that has an individual mandate already in place.
Federal Judge Blocks Order Against Contraception Coverage
A U.S. judge in Pennsylvania on Friday ordered the Trump administration not to enforce a new rule that would expand the types of employers that could claim a religious or moral objection to providing birth control for employees.
Judge Wendy Beetlestone temporarily halted the law, which overrode an Affordable Care Act provision that most employers provide contraception at no cost. The judge's injunction said that the new rule puts employers' religious beliefs over women's constitutional rights.
Her ruling is in effect while the case brought by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro moves forward in the courts.
Medical Device Trade Group Pushes Lifting ACA Tax
The CEO of a medical device trade group wrote Congress last week asking that the Affordable Care Act's device tax be delayed.
The 2.3 percent tax is scheduled to go into effect January 1, unless Congress includes the delay in its end-of-year spending package. The House Ways and Means Committee has proposed a five-year delay.
"Addressing the device tax now will provide medical technology innovators with the certainty necessary to support future job growth and sustainable, cutting-edge R&D that will ultimately lead to the next generation of breakthroughs in patient care and treatment," wrote Scott Whitaker, CEO of AdvaMed.
Prolife Groups Urge Congress to Amend Stabilization Bills
Anti-abortion groups, including Susan B. Anthony List and National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), are asking lawmakers to revise the language in the two bipartisan healthcare stabilization bills that are expected to be in the end-of-the-year spending deal.
The groups want assurance that the bills specifically stipulate that funds will not be used on health plans that cover abortion. The requests primarily refer to the Alexander-Murray bill, which extends cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments. The NRLC also would like to add the restrictions to the Collins-Nelson reinsurance bill.
CSRs already include the provision that the funds can't be used to cover abortions, but the prolife groups don't believe the language is adequate.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 15, 2017
ACA Enrollees Who Receive Hold Messages Can Still Get Coverage
Some consumers who call the federal exchange phone line to sign up for coverage by today's deadline may receive a message that says a representative will return the call.
The last-minute surge of consumers has caused hold times to grow. Today's enrollees who need to wait for a callback will still be able to receive coverage that goes into effect January 1.
Health Groups Ask States to Override Trump's ACA Executive Order
Several healthcare groups have written a letter to state insurance commissioners urging them to override an executive order from President Donald Trump that seeks to expand short-term insurance plans.
The letter warns that extending cheaper, short-term plans from three months to one year would lead to "higher premiums for consumers, particularly those with pre-existing conditions."
Members of the coalition who wrote the letter include the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and America's Health Insurance Plans.
California State Exchange Extends Deadline for ACA Plans
Covered California announced Thursday that healthcare enrollees now have until December 22 to sign up for coverage that starts January 1. Formerly, the deadline was today.
Enrollment in the state exchange continues through January 31. California consumers who sign up after December 22 will receive coverage that starts February 1 at the earliest.
Healthcare Enrollment for Florida Residents Extended
Due to damage caused by Hurricane Irma, most residents of Florida have been given an extended deadline of December 31 to sign up on the federal healthcare exchange.
To receive the extension, Florida residents must call the exchange to request it. Enrollment counselors in the state recommend using navigators, also called enrollment counselors, to help streamline the process.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 14, 2017
Study: ACA Helped Millions Gain Access
The Affordable Care Act has had a direct impact in increasing access to medical care, particularly in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility, according to a new report from the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund.
Some of the findings in the report include:
- The uninsured rate for adults declined in all states between 2013 and 2016, with 47 states seeing at least a 5 percent drop.
- The largest reduction of people who delayed care due to cost concerns was most pronounced in states that expanded Medicaid and launched significant enrollment efforts.
- In Oregon, the percentage of people who delayed care due to costs was cut in half from 35 percent to 17 percent.
- The percentage of those at risk of being in poor health who had not seen a doctor in at least two years was reduced in 37 states.
- The largest coverage gains were seen in California, with uninsured working-age adults dropping from 24 percent to 10 percent.
- Children's uninsured rates declined by at least two percentage points in 33 states.
GOP Compromise Tax Bill Retains Repeal of ACA Individual Mandate
A compromise tax bill from Senate and House negotiators would repeal the Affordable Care Act's mandate that all Americans have health coverage or pay a penalty.
Also, the bill would lower the amount consumers need to spend on health-related costs before deducting those costs. Under the bill, the amount would be 7.5 percent of the consumer's income, instead of the current 10 percent.
The new bill now moves to both houses of Congress for approval.
More Than 1 Million Sign Up in Week 6 of ACA Enrollment
During the sixth week of the Open Enrollment Period, the federal healthcare exchange signed up more than 1 million people, including 389,000 new enrollees. That surpasses the 823,000 signups from the previous week.
Overall, more than 4.7 million people have signed up for 2018 plans on the federal healthcare exchange.
Maryland Extends ACA Enrollment to December 22
Maryland's state-run healthcare marketplace has extended its enrollment deadline from December 15 to December 22.
"While enrollments have been very strong so far this year, we want to ensure that everyone in Maryland in need of 2018 health coverage has additional time to shop and enroll," Howard Haft, interim executive director for the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, said in a statement.
Alabama Senate Election Result May Curtail ACA Repeal Efforts
The election of Alabama Democrat Doug Jones to the Senate this week might have hindered the GOP's plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2018.
Jones reduced the Republican majority in the Senate to a slim 51-49. With the failure to pass a repeal effort over the summer due to the opposing votes of three GOP senators, the chances of future success have been greatly reduced.
Even with the smaller margin, the Trump administration said on Wednesday that it would like Congress to continue with ACA repeal efforts next year.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 13, 2017
Senate Democrats Ask for ACA Enrollment Deadline Extension
Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) have asked the Trump administration to extend the healthcare enrollment deadline to January 31.
The senators argue that the administration's decision to cut the Open Enrollment Period in half compared to previous years is not enough time for people to enroll.
"The Administration's decision to depart from years of agency policy by ending Open Enrollment on December 15th is compounded by the many other efforts by this Administration to destabilize the insurance market, making it likely that many consumers miss this deadline and forgo insurance next year — all despite clear indications that consumers are highly interested in seeking coverage for 2018," the senators wrote.
Neither the Trump administration or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) gave any indication whether an extension would be granted.
"The deadline for people to shop and pick a plan for the upcoming year is December 15. We continue to encourage people to make plan selections by that deadline so that their coverage can begin on January 1," a CMS spokesman said.
Actuaries: Mandate Repeal Would Damage the Marketplace
The American Academy of Actuaries sent a letter to Congress saying that a repeal of the ACA's individual mandate will raise premiums and cause people with individual insurance to lose coverage.
The tax overhaul bill currently being reconciled by House and Senate leaders includes the repeal of the provision that levies a fine to individuals who do not have health coverage.
The group says the two proposed stabilization measures would not be able to offset the damage that a repeal would trigger in the health insurance market.
"Insurers would likely reconsider their future participation in the market. This could lead to severe market disruption and loss of coverage among individual market enrollees," according to the letter.
House Committee Unveils Bills to Delay ACA Taxes
Republican members of the House Ways and Means Committee released several bills on Tuesday that delay or halt some Affordable Care Act taxes and lift the employer mandate. The proposed rollbacks are separate from the tax overhaul bill currently being reconciled.
The bills' recommendations include:
- Delaying the medical device tax for five years.
- Halting the 2018 health insurance tax (HIT) to insurers that provide premium rebates.
- Halting HIT for all insurers in 2019.
- Lifting the employer mandate retroactively for the past three years and for 2018.
- Delaying the "Cadillac" tax for one year.
- Temporarily lifting the ban on paying for over-the-counter drugs from health savings account funds.
Credit Report Freeze Can Cause a Holdup in ACA Enrollment Process
Consumers who put security freezes on their credit reports this year may experience a delay in the enrollment processon the federal healthcare exchange.
During enrollment on the website, users are asked to confirm their identities via questions that are tied to their credit histories. If there is a freeze on their credit data, applicants may have to call a marketplace help desk or call center before being able to continue with enrollment.
Instead of suspending the freeze on their credit reports, consumers can upload or mail in documents to the exchange.
In the event of an identity glitch, consumers should be able to complete the enrollment process as long as they start their applications before the December 15 enrollment deadline.
Lawmakers Ask to End ACA Program Operating in Only One State
Representative Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) have called for the elimination of the Affordable Care Act's Multi-State Plan program.
The program requires that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) contract with two national health plans to compete with existing state plans. Only Arkansas is scheduled to participate in 2018.
Johnson said in a statement: "The program has failed to meet statutory requirements and is diverting necessary resources from what should be the OPM's priorities, such as retirement and security backlogs. Congress needs to let the OPM focus on its job, eliminate this failed program and work to ensure healthcare is more affordable for all Americans."
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 12, 2017
ACA Funding for Community Health Centers Extended by HRSA
Several community health centers that received funding through a provision of the Affordable Care Act have had their funding extended by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Funding for the centers expired September 30 and has yet to be renewed by Congress. To help cover the shortfall, the HRSA will provide funding from fiscal 2018 discretionary appropriations and remaining mandatory funds. This will continue on a month-to-month basis until the program is reauthorized or the funds run out.
HRSA sent funds for January and February to the 25 percent of community health centers that have grant periods beginning January 1. The agency plans to soon send out one month of funding to the 17 percent of community health centers that have grant periods beginning February 1.
Healthcare Enrollment Sees Small Glitch in Illinois, Final Push From Obama
Some consumers in Illinois received an erroneous message Monday when they tried to sign up on the healthcare.gov website in the final week of Open Enrollment.
The website incorrectly generated a message that said health plans were not available in the area. The computer glitch occurred after enrollees completed their application for government subsidies.
Despite the error, the federal exchange website has operated efficiently for users throughout the Open Enrollment Period.
To help draw more people to the federal exchange, former President Barack Obama joined healthcare navigators and volunteers on a conference call to help encourage their efforts.
"So far, we've gotten more people covered this year than in past years, which is incredible given that there's been so little advertising or outreach from some official quarters to remind people when and how they should get covered," Obama said.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 11, 2017
ACA Enrollment Enters Final Week
The last day for consumers to sign up for healthcare coverage on the federal exchange ends Friday. Those seeking coverage must be enrolled by midnight (Pacific time) December 15.
Due to disruption from recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida, people in affected areas can get a deadline extension to December 31.
Typically, the final week is one of the busiest, but the Trump administration has said little about any contingency plans.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has not announced if it will continue an Obama administration policy of creating a grace period for people who started an application prior to the deadline but didn't complete it in time. In prior years, this extension enabled hundreds of thousands to receive coverage.
Heavy traffic could lead to delays on the healthcare.gov website, but so far there have been no reported problems.
Government Shutdown Could Hinge on Extending CSR Payments
The Alexander-Murray stabilization bill, which extends cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurers for two years, has become an issue in avoiding a government shutdown.
Congress is negotiating a spending package to keep the government funded past December 22. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) wants to include Alexander-Murray in the spending bill as part of a promise made to Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) for her vote on the tax overhaul bill.
But Republicans in the House aren't interested in including the Alexander-Murray bill in the measure. "None of us voted in favor of Obamacare, so supporting it, sustaining it's not exactly a high objective," said Representative Tom Cole (R-OK.).
If the Senate includes Alexander-Murray in the spending package, it could cause a legislative stalemate that would trigger a shutdown.
ACA's 'Cadillac Tax' Slowing Bipartisan Healthcare Negotiations
The ACA's so-called Cadillac tax has become an obstacle in Congress' attempt to delay certain healthcare taxes before the end of the year.
The Cadillac tax is a 40 percent excise tax on employer plans exceeding $10,200 in premiums per year for individuals and $27,500 for families. It's currently scheduled to begin in 2020.
Democrats want to include delaying the Cadillac tax into the year-end spending package. Republicans prefer the delay of only the healthcare insurance tax and medical device tax, which go into effect in 2018. Negotiations are ongoing.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 8, 2017
House Lawmakers Consider the Fate of ACA Taxes
Republican tax writers in the House are in discussions about delaying or suspending the Affordable Care Act's health insurance tax (HIT), medical device tax, and the "Cadillac" tax as part of a year-end government funding bill.
Lawmakers are considering suspending HIT for all markets in 2019 but delaying it in limited markets next year. However, small businesses and private Medicare plans would still be subject to HIT in 2018.
HIT charges a 4-to-6 percent tax on every insurance plan sold. It can raise premium rates by up to 2.6 percent.
House lawmakers would also like to delay the ACA's medical tax device tax for two years and the ACA's Cadillac tax, which is a 40 percent excise tax on employer-funded health insurance plans that cost more than $10,200 for individuals and $27,500 for families.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 7, 2017
Bipartisan ACA Bills Reduce Health Plan Premiums
If two bipartisan ACA stabilization bills are enacted, health insurance premiums for 2019 would be reduced by 18 percent, according to an analysis by Avalere Health.
The Alexander-Murray bill, which would fund cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments to insurers for two years and increase flexibility for states to change ACA rules, would reduce premiums by 14 percent. The Collins-Nelson bill, which would provide funding for reinsurance, would reduce premiums by 4 percent.
If the ACA individual mandate is repealed in the tax overhaul bill, these reductions would help offset an expected 10 percent premium increase.
The bills may be included in an end-of-year government spending package, but support for the measures is not clear.
On Wednesday, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) said he'd be open to supporting the Alexander-Murray bill if Senate Democrats would agree to back increased defense spending.
ACA Plans Showing Profitability
Many insurers will see a profit on ACA plans for the first time, according to a Politico analysis of 31 regional Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.
On average, insurance companies spent 78 percent of their premium revenue on medical claims through September 2017, which is seven points over the break-even threshold.
The turnaround comes after three years of losses. In 2015 and 2016, carriers lost more than $12 billion, which resulted in many leaving the federal exchange marketplace.
ACA Enrollments Increase in Week 5
Healthcare sign-ups on the federal exchange during the fifth week of Open Enrollment outpaced the previous week, but overall numbers may be down from last year.
For the week of November 26, there were 823,180 sign-ups compared to 504,181 for the week of November 19. There were 271,207 new enrollees compared to 152,243 in the prior week.
Overall enrollment during this year's Open Enrollment Period totals about 3.6 million people. That is about half the number of sign-ups during a comparable point from last year, according to Avalere Health.
With only one week left to enroll, experts expect this year's final numbers to decrease 20 percent from last year's 9.2 million sign-ups.
California State Exchange Enrollment Increases 28
Covered California has currently signed up more than 102,000 new enrollees, which is a 28 percent increase over last year. In addition, almost 400,000 existing California consumers have switched coverage for 2018. The state's Open Enrollment Period ends January 31.
Consumers Using Supplemental Coverage as Health Insurance
With rising premium costs making plans unaffordable to some consumers, many brokers are selling a combination of supplemental packages as an alternative.
Even though the mix-and-match supplemental approach does not give full coverage and is not exempt from the ACA's individual mandate penalty, some consumers find it an affordable option.
Brokers are typically combining fixed-benefit indemnity, critical illness, and drug discount cards to help families have a minimum amount of health coverage for around $900 to $1,000 a month.
Though consumers may find the option attractive, in many cases purchasing a marketplace plan would have a lower premium, fewer out-of-pocket expenses, and provide full coverage.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 6, 2017
Repeal of Individual Mandate Sees Strong Push in House
As the tax overhaul bills from the Senate and House are being reconciled, the House Republican Study Committee(RSC) and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) are pushing to assure inclusion of the repeal of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate.
The Senate version of the bill includes the repeal, the House version does not. A committee will reconcile the differences in the two bills and merge them into a single bill.
On Tuesday, the RSC sent a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee urging for the repeal. "Including language to repeal this harmful policy will return personal decisions about health care choices to patients, fulfilling a key promise we have made to the American people," the group wrote.
Also on Tuesday, Brady said the repeal is popular in the House. "We'll be asking our members where do they want us to be on that position. I suspect there will be strong support," he said.
Support of Stabilization Bills Not Guaranteed in House Vote
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) said on Monday that he has not entered into an agreement to support two bipartisan bills that could help stabilize the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) promised Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) that the two measures would be included in an end-of-month government funding bill. Support in the House is now unclear.
One stabilization bill extends cost-sharing reduction subsidy payments to insurers for two years and gives states flexibility to change ACA rules. The other provides two years of funding for reinsurance, which "helps pay for the costs of sick ObamaCare enrollees with the intent of bringing down premiums."
Adding to doubts about passage, the House Freedom Caucus expressed its opposition to the bills last week, and Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) said Monday that there were not enough votes in the House to pass the measures.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 5, 2017
Funding for Reinsurance Bill Grows by $5.5 Billion
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) announced that she has increased the amount of funding for the reinsurance bill she authored with Bill Nelson (D-FL) from $4.5 billion to $10 billion over two years.
The bill sets aside funds to reimburse insurance companies for customers with the biggest medical problems.
"We know from experiences in the states of Maine and Alaska that high-risk pools can help to lower premiums substantially — by an average of 20 percent," Collins said in a statement.
Last week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) promised Collins that he would add the reinsurance measure to an end-of-year spending bill in exchange for her vote for the tax overhaul bill.
Collins raised the funding amount in response the tax bill, which repeals the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the repeal would cause 4 million people not to have insurance in 2019 and would raise premiums 10 percent.
Poll: ACA Individual Mandate Supported by Majority of Well-Informed Voters
A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that even though the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate is the least popular part of the law, a majority of voters support it once they understand how the provision works.
Previous polling showed that 42 percent of voters supported the mandate that requires all Americans to have health coverage. But opinions rose when told of the impact from a repeal.
- When told that people with insurance from employers, Medicare, or Medicaid already have coverage required by the mandate, support rose to 62 percent.
- When told that repeal would increase premiums by 10 percent, support rose to 60 percent.
- When told that 13 million Americans would lose coverage, support rose to 59 percent.
- When told that low-income people who can't afford coverage do not have to pay the penalty, support rose to 59 percent.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 4, 2017
Senate Passes Elimination of Individual Mandate
Republicans in the Senate narrowly passed a tax overhaul bill early Saturday that includes the repeal of the Affordable Care Act's requirement that all Americans have health coverage or pay a penalty.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the repeal of the individual mandate would cause insurance premiums to rise. It would leave about 13 million people without health insurance coverage.
The bill will go through a reconcile process with the House, which is expected to be completed sometime next week.
Healthcare Reform News Update for December 1, 2017
Health Plans for 2018 More Restrictive, Have Higher Deductibles
Seventy-three percent of 2018 health plans sold on the federal exchange have more restrictive networks and an average deductible of almost $4,000, according to a new analysis from Avalere.
The percentage of health plans on the marketplace that use restrictive Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) or Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs) has risen significantly over the past three years. In 2015, 54 percent of plans were HMOs or EPOs; in 2017, it was 68 percent.
HMOs and EPOs limit coverage to exclusive in-network providers and specialists, whereas Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) and Point of Service (POS) plans offer broader coverage.
Deductibles for silver plans have also risen. In 2015, the average deductible was $3,703; for 2018, it's $3,937. Deductibles for bronze plans have dropped over the past three years, mostly as a consequence of cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments for lower-income consumers. Platinum plan deductibles have also lowered.
"For the most popular exchange plans, we see an increase in deductibles for 2018. This trend helps reduce premium costs but may increase what consumers must pay out-of-pocket for their care," said Avalere Senior Vice President Elizabeth Carpenter.
House Conservatives Against Marketplace Stabilization Bills
Some conservative Republican members of the House said they probably would not support a short-term spending billif it contains provisions to stabilize the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
In a deal reached this week between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), bipartisan bills that extend cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments for insurers and provide funds for state reinsurance programs would be included in the spending bill in exchange for Collins' vote for the tax overhaul bill.
House conservatives believe the stabilization efforts are bailouts to insurance companies and the measure wouldn't pass in a House vote. "For me, I think probably largely for many of our members, that doesn't make sense. I wouldn't be supportive of that," said Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH).
Enrollment for CT State Exchange Equals Last Year's
Connecticut's state-run health exchange program, Access Health CT, estimates that it will have about the same number of enrollees as last year.
CEO Jim Wadleigh estimates that final enrollment numbers will be between 105,000 and 110,000. Currently, about 101,000 people have signed up for 2018 coverage.
Open enrollment for Access Health CT ends December 22. Thank for visiting Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December, 2017, You can have more information about Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update for December at Small Insurance Companies. Visit for more about Life Insurance Health Care Reform News Update.


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deutsch | english | français | русский
The Open Archive is located near the exhibition "The Camp SS"
Open Archives
Concentration Camp Memorial Neuengamme
Jean-Dolidier-Weg 75
21039 Hamburg
Tel.: +49-40-428131-551 or -521
E-Mail: email@example.com
Opening times:
monday-friday 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
saturday-sunday, holidays*: 12 p.m.-7 p.m. Uhr (april to september), 12 p.m.-5 p.m. (october to march)
Entry is free of charge.
*except january 1st, Easter Sunday, december 24th and 25th, december 31th
The Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial is an institution of the Cultural Authority of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
Dr. Detlef Garbe
Site administrator:
Dr. Iris Groschek


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Services at Fox Chase East Norriton
Schedule an Appointment: 888-FOX CHASE
Ask to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists at Fox Chase East Norriton.
Surgical Consultations
For patients who have been diagnosed with cancer, or who have received abnormal test results, Fox Chase East Norriton's surgical oncologists offer clinical experience and comprehensive care plans.
Fox Chase East Norriton also offers consultations with plastic and reconstructive surgeons who work to restore normal form and function and address physical changes that can result from cancer treatment. Fox Chase's surgeons perform the full spectrum of reconstructive options, including microsurgery, skin grafts and the most complex techniques using free tissue transfer.
Radiation Oncology
Fox Chase radiation oncologists offer extensive options for radiation therapy to treat all types of cancers. Your doctor will work closely with you to identify the optimal therapy for your disease and lifestyle.
Fox Chase physicians treat most types of cancer and benign blood disorders. The center provides hematology and medical oncology services, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Genetic Counseling and Testing
Genetic counseling and testing offered at Fox Chase East Norriton looks at genetic factors that may increase the risk of developing cancer. Individuals will meet one-on-one with our genetic counselor to determine eligibility for genetic testing, order testing, discuss the results of their testing and discuss cancer screening options.
By knowing their risk, patients can take steps that will lower their chances of getting cancer.
Benign Breast Disease Clinic
At Fox Chase East Norriton, our specialists evaluate, monitor and treat a variety of benign breast conditions. These may be found after individuals discover a breast lump, receive abnormal mammogram results or experience breast pain. The specific conditions and symptoms we evaluate and manage include fibroadenomas, cysts, and nipple discharge.
Support Services
Fox Chase Cancer Center and Suburban Community Hospital collaborate in offering a full spectrum of support services to patients treated at Fox Chase East Norriton.
Nurse Navigation
When you make your first appointment at Fox Chase East Norriton, one of our clinically-trained nurse navigators will connect with you to:
- Make sure you are scheduled for the appropriate appointment
- Expedite your care when possible
- Answer clinical questions about your diagnosis leading up to your first appointment
- Educate you about our support services


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From the moment I met Jenny I knew we were going to get along great and I was in for some serious fun! By the end of our consultation session, my face was sore from laughing so hard! Not to mention Jenny taught me some serious makeup tips. Getting ready the morning of the wedding , Jenny went above and beyond her job. Not only did she have all of my bridesmaids and man of honor in stitches, but she made them look and feel beyond beautiful. Jenny's makeup technique is flawless - I had never felt so glamorous and yet natural and the look was exactly what I had envisioned ! One of my favourite memories from the morning was sitting on the deck with Jenny and my photographer and just being able to breathe and ground myself before leaving for the wedding venue. I'm extremely grateful to have had Jenny be a part of my wedding day. Jenny is a very talented makeup artist and it is very clear she is passionate about what she does. Not only is she a makeup wizard , but she has a thoughtful and caring nature that makes her warm presence so welcomed on what can be a very fast and whirlwind of a day! Many, many thanks to you Jenny! You are truly a gem! Xoxo Leanne
"Jenny is the most loving and magical lady I've ever met. She was kind from the first email when I inquired to book her services for my July 2015 wedding. Her prompt service gave me comfort that although I was another province away and booking so far in advance I was an important client. We have all heard nightmare stories of makeup/hair bailing on weddings hours before right! Well Jenny I am conviced would go in a hurricane to make sure the bride was looking flawless. Jenny made the time to fit me in for my trial as I only had limited time - it was so appreciated and she made me feel so confident and happy that she would be a part of my special day. I love how Jenny is up on every trend and has so much knowledge to transform you to look your best. She is an artist who is to be treasured as such. The wedding day arrived and Jenny promptly arrived with her smile and makeup. She made my sister, mother and I look like movie stars! The skills Jenny has are unreal! But it was once again her kind heart, and laugh that made the morning so special. Jenny is so talented that I feel so blessed to have had her help me feel my very best. Thank you Jenny !!!" xo Tess
I had an Indian wedding in Kelowna; three events over one weekend with 350 guests (some international , including my parents) I am not into makeup or being at the centre of attention. So much to be nervous about but I was as calm as can be when I was in Jenny's chair getting ready. She turned up smiling every time I needed her to, got the music going, sang along and we chit chatted through it all ~ I couldn't have been more relaxed! I needed three different looks for three very different outfits and she nailed each one ! AND she made getting ready fun even at 5:30 am ! Jenny's chair was an oasis in the craziness of my wedding ! She captured all my visions perfectly and we had a blast doing it! Punctual, versatile, cheerful, and a perfectionist - If I wanted to look beautiful and enjoy the process on the most hectic day of my life, Jenny is my QUEEN behind the SCENES (and my father mentioned Jenny and Darcie from Antidote Salon really made it feel like a wedding with their energy.) Chaitali <3
Jenny, I can't thank you enough for making me feel the most beautiful I have felt in my whole life. You truly have an amazing gift at making people look and feel "naturally flawless."My girls and I were blown away with our customized perfect looks and its all thanks to you. Plus your calming yet friendly personality is exactly what we needed :) I am very happy to refer you to anyone wanting to look absolutely stunning. Ramona
As an actor, I am often nervous when I hear that a 'make-up artist' has been hired, because my experience has always been 'hmm, I could have done a better job myself!' I was beyond ecstatic the first time Jenny did my make-up for a commercial shoot I had been hired for. Every time I work with her I am more impressed with her skill in bringing out the best of my features and her ability to use colour blows me away. When Jenny does my face, I end up with a better me ! Anytime I need my make-up done for a special shoot or event Jenny is my go-to girl. She's more than a make-up artist, she's a beauty genius!!! xoxo ~Michelle Deighton Hussey, Kelowna
Jenny, just wanted to Thank you for helping me out on my wedding day! Your skills are amazing. I wasn't a big makeup wearer and I loved how you made it look so natural and not overdone. My mom was almost in tears about how good of a job you did as well. She was so pleased with the results and happy that I made her get her makeup done! Thank you again soooo very much. Candace
I have known Jenny in a personal and professional capacity for 3 years. Her ability as a professional makeup artist is extraordinary. Jenny's creativity and experience draws out the unique qualitities and confidence in each client she works with. She literally will use the face as a blank canvas and create a beautiful work of art, a masterpiece. I consider Jenny in the top of her field and highly recommend her to all. Sheri McConnell
Thank you so much for everything. Your presence added so much joy to our wedding day and the makeup for everyone was so beautiful. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. Thank you!


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Discovering the Beautiful Thyolo Tea Estates in Malawi
Visit the Thyolo region in Malawi; known for its excellent tea and the magnificent tea estates found there.
Famous Tea Growing EstatesToday there are a number of famous tea growing estates in the area including Naming'omba, Satemwa, Eastern Produce, Nchima, Nansato, Makandi, and Conforzi. Tea has become one of the biggest industries in Malawi providing employment opportunities for many of the local people.
Guided ToursVisitors to the area can explore the Thyolo Forest Reserve and the Thyolo Mountain and enjoy some bird watching and hiking. Some of the estates also offer guided tours where one can explore the farm and learn about how the plantations work.The road between Blantyre and Mount Mulanje which passes through Thyolo region is one of the prettiest drives in Malawi and is highly recommended when planning your route.
by Katie Edge
Enquiries / Questions


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No plates of endless spaghetti noodles that get wasted at Pistarro's.
Hooked on Dining — Di Paolo's Italian Restaurant
The entrees include a wide choice of pasta including a homemade broccoli rabe and chicken ravioli that is worth the trip alone. The veal chop saltimbocca is not to be missed and is stuffed with mozzarella di buffalo and garlic spinach and then wrapped in parma prosciutto and served with baby portabello mushrooms and a sweet marsala wine sauce. Steak lovers can choose from four different Angus beef steaks including the succulent fillet gorgonzola and crab. No trip to Di Paolo's is complete without sampling their signature "orange size" crab cakes that are made from 100% jumbo lump crab meat and seem to be held together through willpower alone. All of the entrees are served with antipasto, a crispy house salad, Yukon potatoes, and a side of pasta.
Adelmo's Ristorante — Where the Dallas Locals Dine
So what happened to the "great little neighborhood restaurant"? Remember that favored place where you were sure to recognize a neighbor or two? Well, hidden away in the trendy Knox/Henderson area, within striking distance of the affluent neighborhoods of Highland Park, Turtle Creek, and Uptown, the upscale neighborhood restaurant survives.
Italian Culinary Heaven in Boise, Idaho
The flagship product of this restaurant is the lasagna, with 14 varieties to choose from — everything from the traditional beef and sausage to snow crab and shrimp — all made with a white wine cream sauce and parmesan cheese.


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Games can be useful tools for education — they are fun and engaging experiences that can teach a wide variety of skills and concepts! They come in a wide variety of formats, including digital games (mobile, console, video games) and tabletop games (card games, board games, collectible trading card games).
In this guide, we focus on tabletop games. Tabletop games have many benefits and advantages. They include:
- Practicing valuable skills. Games provide opportunities to practice important skills such as creativity, problem solving, planning, and strategic thinking.
- Social interaction with friends, family or peers. Quality time can be hard to find — games can provide a memorable bonding experience.
- Short length of time needed to play. Tabletop games don't require a huge time commitment – usually 30 minutes to a few hours.
- Relatively low cost. Board games tend to be fairly cheap — usually ranging from $10 to $30, making them a good value.
What are some examples of games that are great for learning?
Some of our favorite games include:
Apples to Apples Junior – The Game of Crazy Combinations! – a funny party game involving word associations — quickly choose a word (red apple) that matches an adjective (green apple). The judge for that round chooses the best match. This game is useful for English Language Learners (ELL). You can buy the game for about $10 here.
Timeline American History Game – a fun game in which players take turns trying to place famous events in history in the proper place on a timeline. Each card contains events in American history, or scientific discoveries and other important events — when did the American Civil War begin? When was electricity discovered? You can buy the Timeline Game here for about $10-15.
What about making your own card games? Our recommendation is a free tool called Card Game Toolkit.
Create a Card Deck in 5 Easy Steps
CardGameToolkit.com is an excellent tool for making your own custom printable educational card games and paper-based tools. You can quickly make various creations, download them, and then print them out. You can also try out other peoples' creations.
Some more examples of card decks that could be created include:
- Role play cards (take on a new role in the classroom for the week)
- Flashcard decks for learning vocabulary (memorize and test your knowledge)
- Achievement Badges/Currency (allow students to earn or use badges)
- Pokemon-like trading card game to teach science
- History timeline games (compete to arrange the cards in the right order)
To try it out, go to CardGameToolkit.com and create a card deck. Simply follow these five steps:
- Choose a card template. You can choose a card front and back, or make it one sided.
2. Add images and resize/place them onto your card. Make sure your images are not copyrighted, or else your work cannot be featured on our website.
3. Add, move and format text. You can change color size, color, and other formatting options.
4. Add a card to your deck. Once a card is made, it's easy to duplicate and modify additional cards. Be sure to make several cards (a complete deck).
5. Save your deck and provide details. Write a short description about your deck, including the subject area and any instructions, rules and guidelines.
Right now, we are running a contest: create an educational card game — share it with our community — and win $100! We want you to "put your best deck forward" and see what kind of creative or fun materials you can come up with! Create a card game or educational learning tool that students can use to learn either at school or at home.
How to Submit an Entry
You can submit as many entries as you wish. You are encouraged to share your creation to others and have them rate or review your game/tool.
Deadline for Entry: December 15, 2016. Entries will be judged based upon criteria: useful for education, design, peer rating, and overall quality. Winner will be announced by December 31, 2016 on Learning-Theories.com and awarded a one time Paypal payment.
Submissions must be original. All Submissions become the property of Learning-Theories.com. You will receive credit as being a contributor. As all submissions will become hosted on our site, we reserve the right to modify, edit, delete or sell your creation.
Go on and make a deck! Go to CardGameToolkit.com and then come back here to submit your entry.
Submit your contest entry here:
Terms and Conditions:
All submissions become the property of Learning-Theories.com. We reserve the right to modify, edit and sell your creation.
(a) Work Product. During the course of submitting to the the Educational Card Game Contest (Contest), the Contributor in conjunction with Learning-Theories.com (Company), develop information, produce work product, or achieve other results for Company.
(b) Ownership. Contributor agrees that such information, work product, and other results, systems and information developed by Contributor and/or Company (hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Work Product") shall, to the extent permitted by law, be a "work made for hire" within the definition of Section 101 of the Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. 101), and shall remain the sole and exclusive property of Company.
(c) Assignment of Interest. To the extent any Work Product is not deemed to be a work made for hire within the definition of the Copyright Act, Contributor with effect from creation of any and all Work Product, hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title and interest in and to such Work Product, including but not limited to copyright, all rights subsumed thereunder, and all other intellectual property rights, including all extensions and renewals thereof.
(d) Moral Rights. Contributor also agrees to waive any and all moral rights relating to the Work Product, including but not limited to, any and all rights of identification of authorship and any and all rights of approval, restriction or limitation on use, and subsequent modifications.
(e) Assistance. Contributor further agrees to provide all assistance reasonably requested by Company, both during and subsequent to the Term of this Agreement, in the establishment, preservation and enforcement of Company's rights in the Work Product.
Also check out:


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Panasonic Eluga A3 Pro Review
Panasonic is happy focusing on the budget market as far as its smartphone division is concerned. Recently, the company added two new offerings to its Eluga series, the Eluga A3 and the Eluga A3 Pro smartphones. Both feature very similar specifications, with the only real differences being the storage capacity and processor.
We have the Pro version with us today, which is priced at Rs. 12,790. The big highlight of the new A3 and A3 Pro is a 4000mAh battery. These phones are aimed at those who prioritise good battery life on their Android phones, but there's also fierce competition at this price from the likes of Lenovo, Xiaomi and Samsung. Let's see if the Eluga A3 Pro manages to be more than just a marathon runner.
Panasonic Eluga A3 Pro design and build quality
We don't have any complaints about build quality as the Eluga A3 Pro feels solid and well put-together. It isn't too heavy at 161 grams and has a comfortable grip, thanks to the slightly wide side panels. There's a metal plate at the back which adds some reinforcement, but the rest of the body is mostly made of plastic. The texture on the sides tries to mimic the look and feel of brushed metal, but it isn't fooling anyone. There are chrome accents around the back, which honestly, look a bit tacky.
With the screen off, the Eluga A3 Pro gives the illusion of a bezel-less display. However, the 5.2-inch screen has black borders along its edges. The resolution is also disappointingly only HD, and while text and icons don't have any distracting jaggedness, they aren't as sharp as they would be on a full-HD display. Colours are quite punchy and viewing angles are decent thanks to the IPS panel. The 2.5D curved glass is a nice touch and Panasonic has chosen Asahi Dragontrail to protect the display from scratches. However, the glass smudges easily so you'll have to constantly keep cleaning it.


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Even if the room will be exploited simply for internal functions like managing of synergy between a number of teams, it is crucial to monitor the activities of individuals. You as well need to grasp the method to use a data bedroom. In reality, an across the internet data place is certainly significantly more affordable and powerful than classic procedures info exchange. It truly is protected by simply security measures that will certainly be explained in the arrangement.
The easiest, the most successful and protect ways to perform it should be to open a digital data space. The digital data area has a broad range of applications and is also really adaptable. Inevitably, this enables companies to save crucial documents within a highly safe and sound central archive, ensuring they may be prepared and organized for everything that could occur prior to, during, or perhaps after a great IPO. Online data areas are also named Deal Bedrooms. As portion of the debt consolidation of documents, referred to as research, the digital data bedroom is perfect for organizing and rendering paperwork by various sites. This provides various advantages. Though virtual data rooms provide many advantages, it can be not befitting each industry.
There's not any room intended for egos, however many expertise someone features. For example, you might need to to populate the complete room but close off usage of detailed files for the aims of early due diligence. Data bedrooms ensure this is logical to screen all the suitable data investors could consult to view. A safe and sound info space makes it conceivable for you to guard the information when writing it with those exactly who require it. It provides the capacity to send and receive data while guarding the level of privacy of the data. Safe and sound data bedrooms give you with the benefit of sharing the information along with storage and transmission.
What Data Bedroom Is — and What it Is Not
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The Underground to Info Area
Years ago posting info over the internet wasn't totally regulated. Your details is going to be treated as secret and will not utilized in any kind of portion of the choice procedure. It might be feasible to and also buyer listings and share extra confidential info in a means which is both basic and protect.
The moment putting together the bid farewell group, constantly ensure the customers really are a part of the group. Usually, prospective customers have to receive a simple decision should that they desire to work with the cost-free software or if they are able to cover a subscription. In the event you haven't yet heard regarding cloud alternatives, it's likely that great that you'll quickly. After having a daytime or two of fermage, you ought to be prepared to name your most liked support. The simple truth is, freemium services offer you the actual opportunity although will be certainly a detectable difference among VDRs and completely cost-free computer software relating to efficiency. You will have to make certain that you're selecting a data bedroom provider which includes access to a group of experts that happen to be adequate with data area, and not basically a computer savvy support crew. To acquire more information read here icf2018.pl .


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The Irish Peasant Boy
'Finbarr Joseph Breathnach did not know exactly what day of the week it was. Hunger did that to a person. It affected every part of you including your memory and Finbarr had been hungry for as long as he could remember and by now he'd forgotten how long that was. As if in contradiction of his memory lapse about the day, he knew the exact date, it was September 30, 1848, and it was his birthday, he was fourteen years old today.
On this day of usual celebration he sat there amongst the wreckage of his cottiers hut at the edge of his conacre plot. He was in despair and humiliation. Dawn was breaking and he had been sitting there in the same unmoved position all night. He had stayed in that position beneath the three trees since the Wreckers had left the night before and he'd just remained inert in the darkness. Any feelings he had had been numbed by the recent events in his young life and he was completely immune to the cold autumnal air. As the brown blackness descended, the leafless trees had screamed in the wind through the night all around him, like three demented banshees, but yet he hadn't stirred. He didn't have the strength in a way that a man needs strength to do anything else.
He had known all that day, yesterday, that they were coming. They'd arrived as soon as the darkness had. They always came in the dark. They came on their horses, six of them, with Padraig de Hay, the middleman at their head.
Six of them Finbarr thought, it took six of them to take on one fourteen-year-old peasant boy starving with the hunger, dressed in rags and with what he could pick up off the ground as his only weapons. Finbarr hadn't tried to stop them, he was too weak for that. He didn't even make a token protest and if he had have done he would have received a broken head or worse for his efforts from one of the shillelaghs or the pistols that they all carried with them as a matter of routine. All that is except de Hay himself for he carried neither pistol nor shillelagh, why would he need one when he could get others to do his bidding for him?
To start with there wasn't that much to destroy and it didn't take them too long, maybe fifteen minutes at the most but in that time they made sure that they had broken, smashed and cut everything that was visible to the human eye. After that they ripped off the roof of the hut and demolished the walls, then as a final parting shot, one of them on horseback had trampled all over his beloved mother's tiny wild flower garden. The only consolation for Finbarr was that his mother couldn't see the deed. She'd loved that little garden, it had been her salvation through the hunger, but she'd been dead these last three months.
They said that she'd died of the fever but he knew that what had really killed her was Ireland's twin disease of despair and hunger. The hunger that was endless and all prevailing and strangled the land with its un-openable vice-like hand and the despair that looked down upon everything, just the same as a vindictive, angered god.
It wasn't just Finbarr's mother who was dead for all his family were too. They'd all died of the same twin disease. First his father, then his four sisters, one by one, and finally his beloved mother.
He was the youngest and now he was the only one left.
Before the Wreckers left, de Hay had ridden over to the boy and looked down upon him, mighty on his big, black stallion whilst Finbarr grovelled on the ground. Finbarr didn't look up at him, he daren't, but he knew that if he had, that de Hay's black eyes would not have shown a germ of pity, a grain of sympathy towards him. He spoke to Finbarr in that half speaking, half whispering, hissing, serpent's voice of his and said,
'You have shown yourself to be a man of insignificance but even a man of insignificance should have something to remember himself by.'
Then he let fall to the ground the tiny wooden crucifix that had belonged to Finbarr's mother. It was a talisman that she had treasured and just before she died she had given it to Finbarr. After her death he'd hung it up in the hut. De Hay must have picked it up from amongst the rubble and seen even a simple, holy, wooden crucifix as an opportunity and an object to inflict even more cruelty on another human being.'
The Council Meeting
'Just as the Reverend Bel was finishing off the delivery of the lesson that opened the council meeting and right about the time that she arrived at the Amen itself, Councillor Archibald Douglas Forsyth Hamilton, OBE, unbowed his head and looked up and around at the civic ensemble. Hamilton's eyes scanned the hundred-and-twenty-year-old council chamber searching methodically along the long, oak-benched, leather-covered seating, his perusal came to rest upon one particular bench wherein a seat was vacant. By the expression on Councillor Archie Hamilton's face this empty place was causing this veteran local politician some degree of anxiety.
Just then the mayor, Councillor Neville Penderyn, high up in his seat of office at the head of the chamber asked for apologies, absences and declarations of interest. Councillor Karen Spencer, the leader of the council, rose to her feet and as if by signal all the other councillors sat down as she began to speak, 'Councillor Paul Dixon is currently recovering in hospital from his brief illness and will be in absentia from this meeting this evening. I'm sure that everybody in this chamber will join with me in wishing him a more than speedy and complete recovery.'
This statement caused some incoherent mumblings around the chamber.
'If nothing else,' she continued, 'we will miss his sense of humour, in fact we would terminally miss anybody and everybody's sense of humour in this chamber if only there was somebody who had one.'
As explained to the new member in the chamber this was a typical council leader type joke, unfunny.
She continued, 'during the course of proceedings this evening there will be a get-well card circulating for Councillor Dixon, I'd be most grateful if members would sign it when it gets to you,' she exhaled.
'Also Councillor Danny Senetti sends his apologies, he has received a very late and urgent demand upon his time and is unavoidably running late, but he will be in attendance when he arrives.'
'How could he not be, it would be impossible to be in one without doing the other?' said Mayor Penderyn.
There was some, but it has to be said not much, laughter around the benches. As explained once again to the new member in the chamber this was a typical, council mayor type joke, again – unfunny.
The announcement about Senetti seemed to ease the anxiety shown in Hamilton's face and his composure took on a more relaxed state from then on. The meeting real then commenced. It progressed laboriously through the listed agenda items and approximately two thirds of the way through Executive Question Time, which was item four of a fifteen item agenda, Councillor Danny Senetti entered through the doorway of the council chamber. He waited patiently at that doorway for several minutes and until the last executive member answered the final question on the item. Senetti then crossed the floor purposely but quietly and took up his usual seat in the third row of the council backbenches next to Councillor Victoria Quilley.
Following the mayor's direction the ensemble of elected members progressed through each item on the agenda, arriving finally at the last one which was a proposed and seconded motion whereupon the member who had seconded reserved the usual rights.
This motion seemed to manage quite easily to be all of specific, vague and pointless at the same time. It was also a motion that was not without precedent and it stretched the bounds of repetitive tedium beyond previously unsurpassed lengths.
Finally, the vote was taken and recorded after which elected members rose, the metaphorical guillotine came down and the mayor announced the colours and numbers of the winning raffle tickets and declared the meeting closed. The inevitable outcome of this Full Council Meeting was exactly the same as all the other full council meetings that had preceded it for the last one hundred and twenty years and it was declared triumphantly, that there would be – another full council meeting.'
An Unlikely Alliance
'Senetti pondered: he failed to comprehend the attitude of some women on this issue of waiting alone in a pub. A man would wait for you alone, he would meet you at the bar but a woman' he knew many of them that just would not do it. It seemed to him the more successful and confident the woman was then the stronger the likelihood that she would not agree to it. She would meet you in the railway station, miles away from anywhere, she would meet you in the middle of the park, she would meet you in the light or dark, inside a theatre, up a mountain or by a riverbank, there were in fact countless places that a woman would meet you in or at, the list was truly endless. Then, when you asked them to meet you in the pub in the middle of the day, a place that was full of people, often people that they knew and probably one of the safest places in the world that you could meet somebody, you could use all the explanation and argument that was in your head and they would just not agree to the liaison, they just would not wait for a man in the pub on their own. Take Maxine Wells, she was beautiful, intelligent, successful, full of confidence, she was a doctor. She took life saving decisions as a matter of routine and she'd probably travelled all over the world yet she wouldn't wait inside her own village pub for a man on her own. It was a complete mystery to him and the only reason he could think of was that it was a hereditary stance and that regarding this particular issue these women were still in the mind set of their own grandmothers.'
Two Young Women
''In France,' Antoinette continued, 'we have a society that is supposed to be based on liberty, egalite and fraternity, but who is free, who is equal and who is in the brotherhood, not the women, if you wish to stay at home and manage your house and have as many children as you wish, then you are free and equal to do this, if you wish to have an ambition to be admitted to the higher professions then you are not free and equal, if you are a woman you can be the nurse but you can't be the doctor, you can be the nun but you can't be the priest, you can be the clerk but you can't be the lawyer, you can be the politician's wife or the politician's mistress but you can't actually be the politician, any one that is important, any role that is significant, women are not allowed to be part of it.'
'It's the same in Ireland, Antoinette, it's the same in England, it's the same in many parts of the old world, we are not even allowed to vote. If you take our government, all the Members of Parliament every one of them with no exceptions are men, yet the women make up half the population. So where is the representation for women there in our system?'
'It has been this way since men and women have been around Roisin and it will never change. If what we are saying is right and I believe that it is, then how are you going to realise your ambition to be a lawyer?'
'In the new world Antoinette, things are different, in America there have been women doctors and women lawyers for fifty years. In New Zealand women have been able to vote since 1893. So it is simple Antoinette.'
'Sorry, but I do not understand. How is it simple Roisin, surely it is the opposite of simple it is très difficile.'
'What will have to happen is that the situation will have to change.'
'Yes, but the situation has not changed much for women in the last five hundred years, why should it change in the next five hundred?'
'It will change for women, slowly at first but it will change I am convinced. It is changing now and it would have already changed once and for all if it had not been for this war. God knows this war has taken over the whole human race, but the real oppressed people in this war have not been a tribe, nor nation, nor a race, they have been a gender, they are the women whether they have been Irish, English, French or German. They may not have been oppressed deliberately or even knowingly but as a direct consequence of men's preoccupation with this conflict men have been able to abdicate their responsibilities to women. All these battles and ideals and this rescuing of freedom have given men a place to hide. Soon though, as with all episodes in history, it will come to an end and there will be no more hiding places. At the end of this war after the heat has cooled there will be no victors nor vanquished, all there will be is a lot of dead men who have been killed by their own fraternity and there will be women to take their places. The most important thing is that women must have the vote. Once that happens we can no longer be ignored by the men that run the country. They will have to listen to us after that and they will have to represent us. If they do not then we will not vote for them and they know this, they are not stupid. Only when it comes to war.'
'Do you have a particular time when you think this will come about?
'Yes, I think that the next five years will be absolutely crucial. Let's get this awful war out of the way, this is a man's war, it was never a woman's war. It's coming to an end now and you will see some big changes in England, Ireland and across the whole continent of Europe. In our lifetimes you will see many women take on the higher roles as you call them, doctors, lawyers, politicians, believe me.'
Antoinette seemed pensive, 'I think that it will be a long time before women get the vote in France. It certainly won't be in the next five years. It may even take another war before that happens. France will be behind everybody else in this respect. I agree about the important positions but I personally don't think that the majority of women in France want the vote, it would give them responsibility that they don't wish to have.'
'Isn't that what all women want Antoinette to be equal to men, isn't that what you want?'
'No, Roisin, I don't want to be equal to men, Je veux infiniment superieur a et que je veux les faire tomber à mes pieds.'
'Sorry Antoinette I missed that.'
Antoinette translated, I do not want to be equal to them which is what I would be if I had the vote. I want to be superior to them as I am now, I want them to fall at my feet.
Noel O' Malley and the Holy Conception
From the front and the outside, the sturdy and apparently single storey house that situated itself right in the middle of the terraced row in Castle Street on the edge of Ballina Town, in County Mayo, Ireland, would originally have looked no different than any of the other houses that had stood either side of it for a hundred years or so. The reason that it now looked completely conspicuous from its neighbours was that Sean Christopher Higgins who was currently the co-owner of the house had decided on a whim four years ago to have the whole outside front of it painted – bright, pink. The neighbours didn't really object in fact in the main most of them were quite amused in their own, quirky Irish way by his choice of tint and others thought that this colour splash brought a bit of light and spontaneous relief to what was otherwise a rather unpainted and sedate street frontage.
What they did find perplexing though was the reason why Sean Christopher Higgins would use his own time and money in pursuit of this dawn-tinted endeavour. This puzzle was made even more interesting to them as for the last fifty one years, Sean Christopher Higgins had resided permanently in Tallahassee, Florida and in those fifty one years he had rarely set foot on the island of Ireland itself let alone across the doorstep of the little pink house from one decade to the next. It therefore seemed to some that perhaps his choice of colour was a symbolic gesture to the local authority who had decreed five years ago that Castle Street be designated a "Conservation Area." This designation prohibited such acts of wanton colour as Mr Higgins had perpetrated. The neighbours considered that Mr Higgins was perhaps thumbing his nose at the Council from across the Atlantic Ocean or metaphorically poking his fingers into their eyes. Or possibly even worse and more disrespectful and irreverent than any of these – he was showing these Conservation Clots – as they are known, his big, pink – arse. Anyway, paint it pink he did and pink – it now was and as far as Sean Christopher Higgins was concerned – pink it was staying.
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Copyright © 2015 K. C. Dowling