text:
In response to the Federal Digital Strategy that the White House released in May 2012, the Department of State seeks your input in identifying services that may be appropriate for development by modern tools and technologies. We have two questions for you.
Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs, allow for sharing data between applications. Content that is created in one place can be dynamically posted and updated in multiple locations on the web. What information from the U.S. State Department would you find useful for us to make available via web APIs?
We've identified 7 possible API candidates, which you can review here on the state.gov/digitalstrategy page. Or if you have a different suggestion, let us know that, too.
What U.S. State Department services would you like to suggest be optimized for mobile use?
We've identified 8 mobile candidates, which you can review here. Or, if you have a different suggestion, let us know.
To keep up with other efforts related to the Federal Digital Strategy, visit www.state.gov/digitalstrategy. We'll be updating that page frequently as we continue to work on the Strategy's major milestones.
Thanks so much for your input as we build "a 21st century platform to better serve the American People."
Gabby G. in China writes:
Happy to hear you are adding new digital features! Here are my suggestions: Perhaps for those of us that are frequent international flyers, an embassy "check in" service would be nice. Where the app could find our location, and give us the option to register with the closest embassy (all being very mobile friendly and within the app). At the very least it should be able to give you all the important details of the embassy closest to you. Through this app you should be able to check for the most recent information released by the consulate and find any other pertinent information regarding the region you are in.
Kurtis B. in Japan writes:
I travel extensively world wide in aviation. Most new generation have cabin surveillance and outside aircraft realtime video, perhaps an app can be linked (time lapse and flight number blocked for security reasons) of the aircrafts exterior camera veiws for other than NSA current uses. Perhaps a real time link to phone cameras other than the current DOM 01010 NSA flags utilized could be a direct APP for public use also.
Christopher S. in the U.S.A. writes:
Api s are basically apps correct? I looked at the progress you guys made and its difficult to understand but heres my pitch. Politico.com has an tab you can click called 44. It monitors everything the president is doing from signing bills to making speeches. If the state dept had an app that let the public know everything it did that day thats allowed in the public eye but may lose out on media time because of a bigger story i think people would really like that. I know i would. It makes the people feel more connected to washington dc if they are constantly updated.
Luke R. in Washington, D.C. writes:
Don't waste resources making any APIs. Make LOTS of large data sets available for bulk download in simple CSV format. Developers can easily use those to make the same functionality as an API, and the CSVs are much better for researchers.
Yasar writes:
DipNote Blogger Janice Clark writes:
@ Gabby G. in China -- Thanks for your suggestion! We recommend that you check out Smart Traveler, the smartphone app we developed for iPhone and Android. It should meet your requirements. Read more here: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/rls/dos/165020.htm.
Gina in North Carolina writes:
To quote someone on Twitter, I would like to see an app that will help me get a good job. I took care of my Mom until she died, tried going back to school, let due to finances, and been out of work for over 10yrs. Now I cannot get a job because of it. Before Mom got so sick I was a worker that was always there doing my best. That doesn't seem to matter to anyone. Applications are done online and there are no spaces to explain and tell of my qualifications. I need help to get a job so I can help my husband catch up and pay bills.
Michi E. in Maryland writes:
I would like to see foreign travel advisories provided in an API.
Naadir J. in the United Kingdom writes:
Not sure what your relation to USAID is, but you need to follow in DFID's footsteps in terms of accessibility of data.
Perry B. in California writes:
A vast majority of diplomacy in the world is not state-to-state but rather person-to-person.
Now that more of the world's people are armed with the tools of the digital age, how will the U.S. State department change its policies to accommodate greater access and empower more person-to-person citizen diplomacy?
Natalie B. in the U.S.A. writes:
For APIs, I think you want to distribute data that needs crunching--that can be made more attractive for a general audience.
From your list I would focus on the bibliographic metadata (but please find a different name for that) and U.S. Passport Issuance data.
I'm interested in the bibliographical data because I think people need (and want) a clearer understanding of American foreign relations throughout history. I'd like to be able to organize this information by country over time. It needs a good front-end to draw people in. Application programmers and usability experts are exactly the kind of people you would want to tackle this data, and it would save you from having to build it yourself.
I think the passport data would be good because it's easy to grasp intellectually and it's appealing to general audiences. I'm seeing maps and charts. I'm seeing comparisons between number of passports and other socioeconomic data provided by the Census, and academic studies of same.
I'm sure there's actual data backing up the other candidates on the list, but from what it says, they feel static. Travel.state.gov doesn't need to be crunched, just organized and searched. You could make a mobile app out of those if you wanted, but why not just make good web sites that are optimized for mobile?
Moving away from the list, I'd love to see an app that focuses on international hot spots--not just in a wide sense, but in a specific sense. Something that combines actual reports of crime against Americans with local news stories, tweets, etc. It would be great to have some solid, real-time information about where it is safe to go when I am traveling. If my phone could alert me that I am entering an area that could be dangerous, and provide tips on how to behave (or avoid the area) would be extremely valuable to me as a traveler.
Similarly, an app that would allow me to call up relevant information--phrases, traditions, social graces, interesting history, WikiTravel listings, famous works of literature--based on my physical location would be great. Perhaps these features could be rolled into a future addition of Smart Traveler.
Eden in California writes:
I think the people who spend a lot of time on the State website are the people who are actually interested in getting a job. Teenagers, future diplomats, etc. I would suggest the careers section to be upgraded. What you should also focus on is the image of this 21st century platform. It has to be "COOL". I would say that Minimalist design is cool and simple. Simple is also another thing you should remember with out making it all about texts. Make more video presentations with written descriptions for people who actually want to read. I think it's important to really make the careers section better. More information about becoming a diplomat, what it takes to be a diplomat, and about the process....there are so many people that could be applying but are not confident about their qualifications. Introduce more diplomats to the public.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
Well, I wouldn't know what would happen if the State Dept collaborated with a video-game design group to design a virtual on -line UN and players could learn all about the inner workings of diplomacy and all that entails.
Just a thought...
What if this wasn't a game and the whole world had voice in what's going on in it?
Now there's an app for that somewhere 'round here I'm sure.....(chuckle).
DipNote Blogger Janice Clark writes:
@ Eric in New Mexico -- Thanks for your creative idea! The U.S. Diplomacy Center at the State Department is working on various interactive, educational projects that would accomplish a similar goal to educate, inform, and engage the public in the work of the Department. Please visit http://diplomacy.state.gov.
@ Eden in California -- Thanks so much for your suggestions. We'll be sure to consider how we can work these ideas into future plans and designs.
@ Luke R. in Washington, DC and Christopher S. in the USA -- Thanks for your input. We will take these suggestions into consideration as we move forward.
@ Kurtis B. in Japan -- Thanks for your suggestion. We'll share your ideas with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Indir in Turkey writes:
Very good! Thank you to everyone.


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Clemson senior Grace Barnett became the Tigers' first female All-American since 1990.
The Tiger senior is making her first appearance at nationals.
Grace Barnett qualified for her first NCAA Championship on Friday afternoon, leading the Tigers to a 12th place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional
Clemson will face off with the Southeast Region on Friday, November 11 in an effort to qualify for the 2016 NCAA Championships
Freshman standout Logan Morris has quickly proven she belongs on the college ranks.
Grace Barnett and Logan Morris both earned All-ACC honors Friday, a first since 1998 for Clemson.
Grace Barnett looks to follow up on her All-ACC effort from 2015.
In her third competition of the 2016 season, Grace Barnett finished less than a minute behind this afternoon's champion at the 2016 ISU Pre-National Invitational
Don Munson visits with All ACC Cross Country performer Grace Barnett.
The Tigers will compete in white division races on Saturday in Terre Haute.
The women's cross country standout excelled against a national field in South Bend.
The Tigers will race in the Notre Dame Invitational on Friday with the meet kicking off at 2:00 p.m.

subset: commoncrawl


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Pet health experts recommend that owners spay or neuter their dogs unless they plan on breeding them. However, many dog owners put off these procedures because of fears that they will harm or change their pet in any way.
For those who don't know much about these procedures, spaying is the surgical removal of a female dog's reproductive organs. Neutering is the surgical removal of a male dog's testicles. Both operations are performed when your pet is under general anesthesia.
CesarsWay.com reports there are seven puppies and kittens born for every one human in the United States. Because there just aren't enough homes for these animals, many end up in shelters and ultimately are euthanized. Surgical sterilization is the most effective way to keep the pet population under control.
Besides preventing an animal pregnancy, there are various other benefits associated with spaying and neutering your dog.
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, spaying benefits female dogs by preventing them from going into "heat," lowering their urge to escape in order to find a mate during this period. The procedure can also result in the elimination of hormone fluctuations that cause false pregnancy, prevention of the uterine infection known as pyometra and prevention of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
Neutering your male dog can reduce aggression, lower the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostatitis and hormone-related diseases and eliminate the risk of testicular cancer, the second most common type of cancer in non-neutered dogs. In addition, dog neutering can help remove the animal's sexual urges and decrease his roaming behaviors.
While pet health experts say spaying and neutering is beneficial to your animal's long-term health, there are still many myths about these procedures and their effects on dogs. And vets say many of these perceived disadvantages to spaying and neutering are false. They include:
1. Spaying or neutering my pet will make him or her fat. Pet health experts say that these procedures are not proven to cause animals to become overweight. Instead, the reasons dogs gain weight include poor diet and lack of activity.
2. The procedure will change my animal's personality. Veterinarian Dr. Ernest Ward says this is simply not true. "Spaying doesn't cause a change in personality, guarding instincts, intelligence, playfulness or affection," he told VCAHospitals.com.
3. The dog will mourn the loss of its reproductive capabilities. According to CesarsWay.com, this is false. After all, dogs are pack animals that do not raise their young in the same way that human parents do.
4. The procedure is expensive. While some people use pet insurance to help cover the cost of spaying or neutering, others depend on low cost and free programs that are available throughout the country. Pet experts say that it's also important to remember that the investment you make to have your dog spayed or neutered will likely be worth it in terms of reduced healthcare costs throughout the animal's life.
Individuals who want to learn more about spaying or neutering should contact a veterinarian. Most veterinarians recommend spaying between four and six months of age and neutering around six months of age.


text:
Ecco Bella, Leave-On Invisible Exfoliant & Blemish Remedy, 3, 2 fl oz (60 ml)
- You earn loyalty credit for every order you place at iHerb!
- Loyalty credit is equal to 5% of the value of your order, excluding shipping charges.
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- Your loyalty credits are valid for up to 60 days from the date of your last purchase.
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Expiration Date:?Jan 2021Expiration Date
The length of time for the expiration date or "best used before" date depends on the type of product, as well as the brand.
Perishable items (such as flax oils or certain probiotics) generally have shorter expiration dates. Although our warehouse is fully air-conditioned, these more fragile items are put in cold storage (freezer or refrigeration unit) for maximum freshness.
Our receiving department does its best to verify and then enter the correct expiration dates for all incoming products. However, discrepancies do occur from time to time. This being said, the exceptionally high turnover at iHerb ensures that our inventory is among the freshest in the industry.
Shipping Weight:?0.59 lbsShipping WeightThe Shipping Weight includes the product, protective packaging material and the actual shipping box. In addition, the Shipping Weight may be adjusted for the Dimensional Weight (e.g. length, width & height) of a package. It is important to note that certain types of products (e.g. glass containers, liquids, fragile, refrigerated or ice packed) will often require protective packaging material. As such, these products will reflect a higher Shipping Weight compared to the unprotected product.
- Product Code: ECB-00183
- UPC Code: 036923001831
- Package Quantity: 2 fl oz (60 ml)
- Dimensions: 1.8 x 1.8 x 5 in, 0.35 lbs
|Combo Discount:
|- $2.91
- Preservative-Free for Sensitive Skin
- 70% Organic
- With VitaminCells
- Doctor Approved
- All Skin Types + Sensitive
- Advanced Antioxidant Complex
- 6% Alpha Hydroxy Acid
- 2% Salicylic Acid
- Pure Organic Beauty
Tip: You can use it to help diminish bumps, roughness and blemishes anywhere on your face and body. Salicylic acid goes deeper into pores to smoothe skin and dry up blemishes, safely. Its base of organic aloe vera and antioxidants is extra gentle on sensitive or mature skin.
Suggested Use
Directions for Blemish Treatment:
Shake well. After cleansing/toning, apply to affected area in a thin layer one to three times daily. To avoid excessive drying, start with one application daily and gradually increase.
Directions for Exfoliating: Use daily or as needed. Leave on and let dry. Follow with Age Antidote SPF 15 or Night Rebuilder.
Other Ingredients
|Active Ingredient:
|Salicylic Acid 2%
|Blemish Treatment and Exfoliant
Organic aloe barbadensis, lemon and passionfruit acids, lactic acid, salicylic acid, xanthan gum, clay, organic extracts of oat avena sativa, calendula officinalis, & licorice glycyrrhiza glabra; VitaminCells: Soy lecithin liposomes with vitamin E soy tocopherols & tocotrienols, vitamin C (ascorbyl palmitate), astaxanthin, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, zeaxanthin, CoQ10; lavender lavandula angustifolia, rosemary leaf rosmarinus officinalis and geranium pelargonium graveolens.
For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes/eyelids. If contact occurs flush thoroughly with water. Using other topical acne medications at the same time or right after use of this product may increase dryness. If this occurs, only one medication should be used unless directed by a doctor. If irritation occurs, discontinue use. AHAs cause sun sensitivity, use our Age Antidote SPF 15. Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help.
No animal testing/ingredients. If eye contact occurs, flush with water.
love the results I get from this
Verified Purchase
love the results I get from this
I love this product! My skin looks so amazing the day after I use this! In addition it is a liquid so it absorbs very well into the skin. It has a strong scent from the essential oils, but I got used to it quick. My pores are looking better and my skin glows. I will repurchase it for sure.
Disappointed, will not repurchase
Verified Purchase
Disappointed, will not repurchase
When I use this, my face appears to become uneven and the texture becomes rough. I used it for a few weeks just on my chin and nose for my blackheads, but it didn't make any difference. Also doesn't help pimples and other blemishes.
Great product!!
Posted by 5725616560776744206 on Feb 09, 2016
Nice quality at good price, only the strange smell makes me can't give 5 stars
Not as Potent As I'd Like
Posted by Reviewer2517781 on Mar 27, 2014
This feels moisturizing on the skin, and brightens it somewhat but doesn't work as well with the exfoliation or help with acne as much as I'd like. Until I can find something better though, I will continue to use this.
Great stuff
Posted by --Anna-- on Jan 24, 2014
This is a great, gentle exfoliant that really helps keep my skin clear and smooth. It does leave your skin kind of sticky, so I use it in the evening under moisturizer as I don't think it would really work under make-up. One reviewer mentioned the weird shards in it... I had some in my first bottle as well, and a lot in the second one. I would appreciate them not being there, but as it is such a good product otherwise, they won't keep me from using it. A dropper cap would make it much easier to use as well. I would give this five stars if it weren't for the shards and the useless bottle cap.
The best
Posted by cdiezp on Jan 22, 2014
Un exfoliante químico super bueno. Lo uso sólo de noche, ya que deja una película brillante tras ser aplicado. Yo no tengo una piel con problemas, pero si que he notado una mejora de la textura de la piel y algunas marcas de acné se están difuminando (despacio), pero el resultado con mi hermano pequeño, cuyo acné adolescente está dando sus últimos coletazos, ha sido dramático: después de dos aplicaciones (dos días), todo el acné que tenía ha empezado a secarse y a 'deshincharse' a marchas forzadas. Su único defecto es el envase de cristal.
good but smell no good
Posted by 5226744307164581831 on Oct 25, 2013
the quality and effect is really good, my hubby with dry red pores on face, but he felt much smoother after using it, but smell weird..


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Skip to comments.(LEAD) N. Korea completes preparations for nuclear test (tunnel sealed, cables out)
Posted on 01/23/2013 7:23:02 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
(LEAD) N. Korea completes preparations for nuclear test
(ATTN: UPDATES in paras 1-6; CHANGES headline)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has completed all technical preparations for a nuclear test and can carry it out in a few days if it makes a decision, a South Korean intelligence source said Wednesday.
North Korea had dug up a tunnel for a test at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, but the tunnel has now been plugged with dirt and concrete, the source said, suggesting that all measuring and other equipment has already been installed inside.
Link: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2013/01/23/15/0401000000AEN20130123005500315F.HTML
In its Korean article, Yonhap News gives additional report that the cables are seen drawn out of the tunnel.
Link: http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/politics/2013/01/18/0511000000AKR20130118157500043.HTML?template=2085
It'll likely be a near fizzle... I believe modern seismology and satellite radiation sensors can determine a great deal about what was tested in such tests nowadays. I'd say, why try to stop them. When things go awry, that's more scientists who will be fired, if not worse. Pretty soon there will be nobody left there to create these bombs any more.
A HEU gun-type bomb is much more idiot-proof than a plutonium implosion device; if they test I bet this one is pretty successful with a 15-20 kt yield, similar to the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombs.
I think that's a very generous assumption to give the N.Koreans. I know many of the scientists they have forced into this mess are intelligent, but maybe it's from recent satire movies that I can just see them all dressed up and ready for the test. They push the button and nothing happens, only to realize they forgot to plug a couple things in before they sealed it with concrete.
That said the HEU device could be an implosion device as well; the experience with their two previous tests would be applicable to such a device (which is more efficient than a gun) and I still think they are likely to have a more successful test this time.
Even then, you can't just use pure uranium if you want to get a good explosion rather than a hot meltdown. It has to be spiced up with other stuff to perk up the rate at which the newly created critical mass undergoes reaction. Norkie quality control stinks, to put it mildly. The other stuff is going to be the problem here. IMHO.
They did finally get a chunk of metal into orbit after several failures; they're not COMPLETELY incompetent.
I've said before - N. Korean nuke sites are 500 miles to Beijing, and 10,000 miles to Los Angeles. Given proximity, and history, it is much more likely that a NORK Nuke would first be used on Beijing vs. Los Angeles
US strategic thinking about Korea should begin to reflect that.
They have probably learned enough to make this work.
Of course feeding their people would be a better project
Can't be! We got the Norks to give up their HEU program, Madeleine Albright and Bill Clinton told me so.
Then again, maybe my memory is failing me...
How much help are the Norks receiving from the Iranians on this little project?
Shall we assume Iranians will be present for the test - with cash in hand?
Gun-type devices are pretty much fool proof. Not much need to test anything and a serious waste of expensive resources unless the Uranium is not weapons grade.
It takes a lot of technology to get an implosion-type device to work. My bet is they are testing one of those. Heck, we never tested our gun-type weapon. Hiroshima was the test. The very first nuclear detonation was an implosion device. We really needed to know if our design and technology was ready. The group at Los Alamos were quite confident Little Boy would work and decided to not test it and wast all that expensive weapons grade Oralloy.
A HEU gun-type bomb is much more idiot-proof than a plutonium implosion device; if they test I bet this one is pretty successful with a 15-20 kt yield, similar to the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombs."
You don't even NEED to test a device with such a reliable design! We didn't, in WWII - we just unloaded it on Nagasaki. The one we TESTED at Los Alamos was the plutonium implosion design.
"You dont even NEED to test a device with such a reliable design! We didnt, in WWII - we just unloaded it on Nagasaki. The one we TESTED at Los Alamos was the plutonium implosion design."
My memory was wrong. Hiroshima was the U-235 one, Nagasaki was the PU-239 one.
HEU bombs can also be implosion-stye weapons.
Democrats are no longer supporters of a constitutional republic. Why should Americans care if one bunch of Communists obliterate another?
There is going to be a war. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
You can expend ENORMOUS amounts of resources on cascaded gas centrifuges to separate the U235 from U238, or ENORMOUS amounts of resources in research, engineering, and precision machining a P239 implosion device. Why do both?
Fair point.
I'm more interested in how far they are from DC....
U235 is much easier to produce than plutonium.
There is a reason that China's first bomb, South America's bomb, India's bomb, and Pakistan's bomb were EU.
The primary benefit of a P239 bomb is they can be much smaller and boosted with fusion. If you goal is to blow up a city, you don't need tactical weapons, just strategic.
Hence, why counties that have need for tactical nukes (e.g., US, Israel (shh!), England, and Russia) are the P239 business.
The arabs just want to nuke whole cities.
As I understand it... plutonium is a waste byproduct of light water and (esp.) breeder reactors. The primary challenge with plutonium is it cannot be processed like uranium, which which when bound to florine produces uranium hexaflouride gas suitable tor the centrifuge. The presence of plutonium240 interrupts the nuclear chain reaction because of high spontaneous fission rate (more neutron activity), thereby increasing risk of spontaneous detonation - a Bad Thing :-)
That's why Pu needs the implosion mechanism.
The Arabs/Koreans/other nuclear yahoos should be well-served with the U235 gun mechanism (and would of course be well-served by our assymetrical retaliation using U235 and Pu239-derived weapons).
The arab bomb design is not a gun mechanism.
It is an implosion device using U235.
Weird. I wonder why.
"Weird. I wonder why"
Because, while a U235 implosion device is larger than a comparable yield Plutonium bomb, it is much smaller than a gun-type weapon and requires far less U235 for a viable warhead.
In short, easier to deliver on a missle, can make more with less.
Not weird at all.
Thanks for the explanation. Makes perfect sense now.
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text:
A number of events were held around Bureau County to mark Veteans Day.
addressLocation, ST | website.com
Customer Service: (815) 875-4461
Copyright © 2017 Bureau County Republican. All rights reserved. Published in Princeton, Illinois, USA, by Shaw Media.
See how easy building a mobile-friendly website can be with Shaw Media Digital


text:
The hotel's main restaurant is located in the lobby, providing sweeping sea views and a bright, spacious atmosphere. At this lobby café, you can enjoy a range of international favourites throughout the day, as the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. An informal bakery is also placed in the lobby, serving savoury snacks and pastries. Guests can also take advantage of the Tulip Inn Ajman's room service, opting to have a mouth-watering meal delivered directly to your door.
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If your dog is reaching senior status, you may notice he has less energy than he used to and is not as active in general. While it's normal for energy levels to drop as a dog gets older, it's also important to make sure it's not pain keeping your dog from play. If it is, there are a number of treatments that may improve your canine's quality of life.
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, dogs instinctively hide pain as a survival mechanism, so it's not always easy to tell when your canine is suffering. However, owners can usually tell their dog is in pain if he is whimpering, or becomes quiet, withdrawn or inactive. Stiffness, limping and lagging behind on walks are also clear indicators.
Conditions that cause discomfort, such as osteoarthritis, dental problems and abcesses, tend to be more common in older dogs, Dogster.com reports. Plus, many senior dogs suffer from more than one condition that causes them pain, making treating the pain more complicated. For example, a dog with aching, arthritic joints may feel more pain after surgery to remove a cancerous mass. Fortunately, there are a number of treatments for pain in dogs.
If you suspect your dog is in pain, bring him to the veterinarian to treat any underlying issues and determine the best plan of action for managing pain.
The type of medication or other treatment your veterinarian recommends will depend on the cause of the pain. Your veterinarian may recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for moderate pain like arthritis pain and inflammation, or opioids for severe surgical pain, or that from arthritis or cancer. Corticosteroids like prednisone are also commonly prescribed for arthritis pain or other inflammatory issues that can be uncomfortable for the dog, VCA reports.


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New and Recommended YA Fiction for February
Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children was the surprise best seller of 2011--an unprecedented mix of YA fantasy and vintage photography that enthralled readers and critics alike. Publishers Weekly called it "an enjoyable, eccentric read, distinguished by well-developed characters, a believable Welsh setting, and some very creepy monsters." This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrines island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerizing) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages.
Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets, by Evan Roskos
"I hate myself but I love Walt Whitman, the kook. Always positive. I need to be more positive, so I wake myself up every morning with a song of myself." Sixteen-year-old James Whitman has been yawping (à la Whitman) at his abusive father ever since he kicked his beloved older sister, Jorie, out of the house. James's painful struggle with anxiety and depression--along with his ongoing quest to understand what led to his self-destructive sister's exile--make for a heart-rending read, but his wild, exuberant Whitmanization of the world and keen sense of humor keep this emotionally charged debut novel buoyant.
The Impossible Knife of Memory, by Laurie Halse Anderson
For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own. Will being back home help Andy's PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.
The Madman's Daughter, by Megan Shepherd
Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London--working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true. Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward--both of whom she is deeply drawn to--Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius--and madness--in her own blood. Inspired by H. G. Wells's classic The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Madman's Daughter is a dark and breathless Gothic thriller about the secrets we'll do anything to know and the truths we'll go to any lengths to protect.
The True Adventures of Nicolo Zen, by Nicholas Christopher
This richly-detailed historical novel from master storyteller Nicholas Christopher features an unforgettable hero: Nicolo Zen is all alone in 1700s Venice, save for his clarinet, which a mysterious magician had enchanted, allowing its first player to perform expertly. Soon Nicolo is a famous virtuoso, wealthy beyond his dreams, but he can't stop wondering if he earned the success himself -- or what might happen if the spell were removed. And throughout it all, he continues to think about the girl he met in Venice, what she might be doing and if she's safe from harm.aWith a guest appearance by composer Vivaldi, and brimming with fascinating period details, this is a compelling coming-of-age story full of universal themes and a love story that will conjure memories of Romeo and Juliet, perfect for teens who love stories set in other times, but without a paranormal storyline (as long as you don't count a magician who dresses all in white and can be in two places on once . . . ).
Palace of Spies, by Sarah Zettel
"A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don't." Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she's impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy--perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . . History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.
Champion: a Legend Novel, by Marie Lu
The explosive finale to Marie Lu's New York Times bestselling LEGEND trilogy. He is a Legend. She is a Prodigy. Who will be Champion? June and Day have sacrificed so much for the people of the Republic#151;and each other;and now their country is on the brink of a new existence. June is back in the good graces of the Republic, working within the government's elite circles as Princeps Elect while Day has been assigned a high level military position. But neither could have predicted the circumstances that will reunite them once again. Just when a peace treaty is imminent, a plague outbreak causes panic in the Colonies, and war threatens the Republic's border cities. This new strain of plague is deadlier than ever, and June is the only one who knows the key to her country's defense. But saving the lives of thousands will mean asking the one she loves to give up everything he has. With heart-pounding action and suspense, Marie Lu's bestselling trilogy draws to a stunning conclusion.


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Cathedral Hall of Fame inducts John Vetter
NEW ULM – John Vetter, a 1966 graduate of Holy Trinity High School, will be inducted into the Cathedral High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Sept. 21, at the New Ulm Country Club.
Vetter was a gifted athlete with an impressive list of accomplishments. During his baseball career he lettered three years as a pitcher and outfielder, had a career 10-1 record and 1.24 ERA, and was a member of the1964 CHS State Catholic Baseball Championship team. In 1965, with Jerry Gleisner, Vetter pitched a perfect game, hit the game winning double in the Section Championship game, and had the only hit in the 1-0 State Tournament semifinal loss. He was also a pitcher for the DeSmet Conference Champions in 1966.
In 1988, Vetter returned to NUACS and served as the Athletic Director for 25 years. Under his direction the following athletic accomplishments transpired: CHS teams won 39 Conference Championships, 40 Section Championships and nine State Championships. Vetter began the CHS summer camps and leagues as a way to strengthen the NUACS athletic programs and provide a source of revenue for the department. Vetter's contributions to the Athletic Department included the addition of two golf tournaments, the Cathedral Golf Classic (CGC) and the NUACS Metro Golf Outing. The CGC has raised nearly $150,000 for the CHS Athletic Department in the past 26 years. Some of his most recent efforts included leading the efforts for the installation of a wooden floor in the Holy Trinity gym and replacing the bleachers in the CHS gym.
During his time as AD Vetter served on several committees, playing a key role for many years. He served as the Section 2A Tournament Coordinator for 18 years, has been part of the City of New Ulm Safety and Park & Rec Commissions and has been a member of the New Ulm Club for 30 years. In 2002, Vetter received the Section 2A Athletic Director of the Year award.
Tickets for the luncheon celebration are $15 and available until Sept. 16. To purchase tickets contact Karen Domeier in the St. Anthony Elementary School building or call 233-0751.


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Family of missing man asks for public's help
Glads girls rally past Lakes
LAKE LINDEN – Ontonagon uncorked a devastating run Friday, outscoring Lake Linden-Hubbell 23-8 in the fourth quarter to overturn a double-digit deficit and beat the Lakes 54-49.
The win preserves Ontonagon's unbeaten record in league play.
"Ontonagon turned the heat up and we lost our composure. We stopped playing, we only had one field goal in the fourth quarter and we missed free throws coming down the stretch," LL-H coach Timm Gast said.
Gast pointed to late in the third quarter, when Ontonagon made a three from what he called a bad defensive rotation, followed by a steal and a lay-up. That brought the Glads to within 41-31 at the three-quarter mark.
The Gladiators finally took the lead with 1:30 to go and held it until the end.
"They were starting to catch on to where some of the soft spots were, and even when we would be there with a hand, they were making their shots," Gast said.
Ontonagon (8-2, 5-0) got 12 points from Brooke Turin and 11 apiece from Brilynn Pollard and Chelsea Truscott. The Gladiators play Monday at L'Anse.
Sarah Audette led LL-H (4-5, 2-2) with 14 points. Brooke Corrigan added 10 and Brittni Kisul and Morgan Gast eight each for LL-H, at Jeffers Monday.
Ontonagon 8 8 15 23 – 54
LL-Hubbell 13 12 16 8 – 49
Ontonagon – Chloe Ashley 4, Brooke Turin 12, Abby Domitrovich 3, Brilynn Pollard 11, Bobbi Ross 8, Chelsea Truscott 11, Rebecca Karttunen 5; FT: 8-16; Fouls: 18: Fouled out: Turin; 3-point field goals: Turin 2, Domitrovich 1, Pollard 3, Truscott 1.
Lake Linden-Hubbell – Erin Gast 5, Sarah Audette 14, Abby Sutherland 4, Brooke Corrigan 10, Brittni Kisul 8, Morgan Gast 8; FT: 11-21; Fouls: 17; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: Audette 2, Corrigan 1.
Hancock 46, Chassell 29
CHASSELL – Hancock heated up first Friday to claim a non-league win.
The teams combined for just four points in the first quarter, but the Bulldogs (4-7) put up 15 points in the next two quarters to start taking the upper hand.
"We came out cold and we're just having a hard time with our offense," Chassell coach Brandi Hainault said.
Taylor Pertile led Hancock with 11 points, while Lily Williams pitched in 10.
For Chassell (5-4), Jamie Dompier had 17 of the team's 29 points and added 12 rebounds.
"We're going to go back and we're going to work on playing a full game on both offense and defense," Hainault said.
Hancock hosts Houghton Monday, while Chassell has a home game with Copper Country Christian.
Hancock 4 15 15 12 – 46
Chassell 0 11 10 8 – 29
Hancock – Taylor Pertile 11, Lily Williams 10, Taylor Mattson 9, Quincy Lorenzetti 6, Kirsten Berg 5, Molly Berg 3, Laura Berg 2; FT: 7-14; Fouls: 12; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: Lorenzetti 2, M. Berg 1, K. Berg 1
Chassell – Jamie Dompier 17, Kirsten Daavettila 5, Karli Michaels 3, Sara Kilpela 2, Tawna Ryynanen 2; FT: 3-6; Fouls: 12; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: Dompier 2, Michaels 1, Daavettila 1.
See ROUNDUP, page 3B
Continued from page 1B
L'Anse 66, Dollar Bay 42
DOLLAR BAY – Madi Swanson gashed the Bays and Kelsey Ross finished them off Friday, as L'Anse came away from Dollar Bay 24-point winners.
Swanson scored nine of her 18 points in the first quarter as L'Anse jumped out to an 18-2 lead, while Kelsey Ross hit six threes en route to a career-high 29 points.
Dollar Bay coach Steve Krahling said Swanson was too much to handle when the Bays started the game in man-to-man defense, but when they provided more help, the outside shots started falling.
"We played really well the rest of the game, but we were just a split-second behind getting to Kelsey in the third and fourth quarter when she hit four of those threes," he said.
On offense, Dollar Bay perked up in time to close to within six in the second half before the Purple Hornets (8-2) put it away with a 19-8 fourth-quarter margin.
Dollar Bay got 15 points from Julia Daavettila and 12 from Meagan Kangas. The Bays (3-6) host Baraga Monday.
L'Anse, which won the JV game, hosts Ontonagon the same night.
L'Anse 18 12 17 19 – 66
Dollar Bay 2 19 13 8 – 42
L'Anse – Kelly Larson 4, Madi Swanson 18, Allison Koskinen 2, Kayla LaBerge 8, Alyssa Norback 2, Kelley Ross 29, Abby Marinich 2, A. Hendrickson 1; FT: 9-13; Fouls: 13; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: Swanson 1, LaBerge 1, Ross 6.
Dollar Bay – Erica LeClaire 2, Xena Cortez 2, Julia Daavettila 15, Alyssa Hakala 5, Jamie Sertich 2, Meagan Kangas 12, Sam Ozanich 2; FT: 5-9; Fouls: 15; Fouled out: Daavettila; 3-point field goals: Daavettila 3.
Baraga 46, Jeffers 41
BARAGA – The Lady Vikings didn't get off to a great start, but they picked it up in time for a Copper Country Conference victory over winless Jeffers
"Those are the kind of teams that even as a player I hated to play because you never want to be somebody's first win," Baraga coach Mariah Dunham said.
Baraga put itself in danger of doing just that when it gave up 18 points in the first quarter, but overturned the deficit by halftime.
"We came back in the second quarter and stepped it up a little bit and I thought our third quarter was the best third quarter we played all year," Dunham said.
The Lady Vikings, who led 24-23 at the half, then outscored the Jets 14-8 in the third and held off the visitors the rest of the way.
"We got a lot of steals, we were finally getting rebounds. It was nice to turn up the defensive intensity and get some stops," Dunham said.
Jenna Heikkinen had three triples and a team-best 11 points for Baraga (5-5, 2-2 CCC), which won the JV game and plays at Dollar Bay Monday.
The Jets (0-12, 0-5) got a game-high 13 points from Shelby Seppanen. Kelsey Heinonen added 11 for Jeffers, which hosts Lake Linden-Hubbell Monday.
Jeffers18 5 8 10 – 41
Baraga9 15 14 8 – 46
Jeffers – Shelby Seppanen 13, Kelsey Heinonen 11, Abbie Rajala 7, Lea Kinnunen 3, Haley Makela 3, Stephanie Fraki 3, Kayla Destrampe 1; FT: 6-8; Fouls: 17; Fouled out: none; 3-point field goals: Heinonen 3, Seppanen 1, Rajala 1, Fraki 1, Kinnunen 1.
Baraga – Jenna Heikkinen 11, Katie Schjoth 9, Rebecca Larson 7, Shannon Fish 5, Jackie Wadaga 5, Brittany Nieskes 3, Taryn Nurmela 2, Melissa Putala 2, Gabby Mayo 2; FT: 14-23; Fouls: 13; Fouled out: Larson; 3-point field goals: Heikkinen 3, Larson 1.
Bark River-Harris 58, Ewen-Trout Creek 45
HARRIS – Three solid quarters proved enough for the Bark River-Harris girls Friday night as they posted a 58-45 basketball victory over the Ewen-Trout Creek Panthers.
BR-H led 51-28 after the third quarter of the non-conference contest.
"I was happy with everything except the play of our bench," said BR-H Joel Schultz. "They didn't work the way I like to see them work. I think they got too comfortable with the lead. We lost our intensity and didn't finish the game hard."
Sarah Madalinski paced the Broncos (8-3) with 18 points. Jordyn Hardy added 11 points. Kylee VanBrocklin collected 10 points and four assists. Caitlyn Frazer also scored 10 points and Courtney Jenshak had six steals.
Zoey McGeshick led E-TC (7-5) with 10 points.
"They're a solid team," Schultz said of the Panthers. "If they could set up and run their offense, they could be tough."
BR-H, which visits Rapid River Monday, hit 20-of-66 field goals.
The Broncos also won the JV?game 66-24.
Ewen-TC 6 10 12 17 – 45
BR-Harris 13 20 18 7 – 58
Ewen-Trout Creek – Robl 7, Driesenga 4, C. Suomumaki 5, T. Niemi 5, M. Niemi 6, B. Suomumaki 4, McGeshick 10, Warnke 4. FT: 8-13; F: 21; Fouled out: B. Suomomaki; 3-point field goal: C. Suomomaki.
Bark River-Harris – Jenshak 9, Hardy 11, Madalinski 18, VanBrocklin 10, Frazer 10. FT: 16-33; F: 18; Fouled out: Frazer, Peterson; 3-point field goals: Jenshak, Hardy.


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Did you get to meet his visiting pizzaiolo David?
I did not think it was that good, They had stupid 16 year old waitresses and there pizza was way to watery its definitely authentic but does not taste that good. luzzo's or Una pizza is way better in my opinion . I think the place is all hype just because it naples style pizza but its just not that good. The gelato is very good and the owners are very nice though.
Has anybody ever tried Scroritino's they use to be in Perth Amboy NJ, they moved to South Amboy I've been meaning to try it out. The one in Perth Amboy use to make the best Pizza in NJ. The sauce was out of this world. I wish i knew what they used.
I think that the pizza at A Mano is just as good as, but different than Luzzo's or UPN. I find it difficult to compare UPN and A Mano because UPN does not offer toppings at all. Even though all three of these pizzerias are Neapolitan style the dough at each of them couldn't be more different. Roberto seems to use dough that is fairly early in the fermentation process, and that combined with his hydration/dough thickness/fork mixer creates a slightly dense dough with a texture that is unique to his restaurant.


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In the Department of Curriculum & Teaching
The Program in Curriculum and Teaching is designed for teachers, administrators, and other educators who: (1) have received formal professional preparation in preschool through grade twelve teaching at an accredited college or university, and/or; (2) hold, or are eligible to receive, teacher certification.
Students will have opportunities to become expert in such areas as curriculum development, school change and reform initiatives, action research and other school-based inquiry strategies, and will gain perspectives on teaching as complex intellectual activity. The overarching intention of the program is to assist educators who expect to exert leadership in their school settings and with their colleagues.
Any applicant seeking initial teacher certification should apply for the preservice, or initial certification, M.A. program in Early Childhood Education or Elementary/Inclusive Elementary Education.


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Last November, I was one of the first to [sign up for the G1G1],and when mine arrived December 24, I posted initial observations in this[OLPC series].Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of helping out teams in Nepal and Uruguay,collaborating with developers in France, India and the United States. Giving back to othershas been a richly rewarding experience for me. I made some new friends, built up newprofessional contacts, and learned some new tricks as well.
|A quick 1-minute [YouTube video] featuring young Zimi.
Last year's G1G1 offer was limited to US and Canada, but this year, the OLPC have enlisted [Amazon.com] and made the offer available worldwide. You can choose to either give a single laptop for $199 USD, or get two laptops, get one for yourself or your family, and give the other to someone like Zimi, for $399 USD.
I'm thankful I did. Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers in the USA!
technorati tags: OLPC, G1G1, Zimi[Read More]


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Hollywood icon Jennifer Lawrence has been voted the Sexiest Woman In The World by readers of FHM Magazine.
The 23-year-old American Hustle and X-Men actress received a record number of votes to claim the coveted title from last year's winner Mila Kunis.
The Sexiest Woman crown comes after an incredible 12 months for Jen, which has seen her win an Oscar, BAFTA and a Golden Globe plus she became the highest-grossing action heroine of all time thanks to her role as Katniss in the Hunger Games.
"Congratulations to Jennifer on landing the number one spot," said FHM 100 Sexiest editor Dan Jude.
"She's run away with the title this year and it's no great surprise. Not only is she the most in-demand actress on the planet, but men the world over have fallen in love with her kooky charm."
In second spot is Coronation Street actress Michelle Keegan, who takes the Sexiest Woman in Britain crown from ex-Corrie star Helen Flanagan.
"I'm totally taken back by this, it really does mean a lot," said 26-year-old Michelle. "Thank you so much to the readers of FHM and everyone who took the time and voted for me, I'm so flattered.
"I believe that being 'sexy' isn't wearing lots of heavy make-up or having the perfect hair or figure, it's about self-confidence, being comfortable with yourself, smiling and being happy!"
Elsewhere in the top 10, Rihanna drops one place to number 3, while Beyoncé jumps 12 places to 7, former X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger is at 9 (returning judge Cheryl Cole is at number 13) and Scarlett Johansson soars 39 spots to tenth.
Other notable stars include 54-year-old domestic goddess Nigella Lawson (the year's oldest entry) is at 21 and Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid, 43, jumps a phenomenal 66 places to reach number 30.
40-year-old Kate Moss has re-entered at 42 and Jennifer Aniston has incredibly made her 18th appearance inside the Top 100 at number 36. Georgia Salpa (pictured) is in 25th place.
New entries include Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas (32), model Cara Delevingne (54), Blurred Lines video star Emily Ratajkowski (4), Amy Adams (33) and Ellie Goulding (60).
The biggest faller of the year is former number one Tulisa Contostavlos who drops 71 places to 82. Rachel Riley is the biggest riser jumping 73 places to 17.
The Top 10:
1. Jennifer Lawrence (last year 20)
2. Michelle Keegan (last year 4)
3. Rihanna (last year 2)
4. Emily Ratajkowski (new entry)
5. Kaley Cuoco (last year 6)
6. Mila Kunis (last year 1)
7. Beyoncé (last year 19)
8. Lucy Mecklenburgh (re-entry)
9. Nicole Scherzinger (last year 54)
10. Scarlett Johansson (last year 49)
FHM 100 Sexiest supplement comes free with the June edition of FHM magazine, on sale now (Thursday, 1 May).
To see the more of FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World visit www.fhm.com/100sexiest


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The pale coloration should be an indicator of a long, cold fermentation time - but I think you really have to try hard to make Caputo pizzeria flour flavorless. Or the salt level is very low. How was the crumb?
Sure, it's Caputo, but 3 days cold ferment is well outside the Neapolitan model.
but I think you really have to try hard to make Caputo pizzeria flour flavorless.John
John, this comment is interesting to me. I used to always think that caputo flour with its fancy blend of wheats from two different continents would of course have an amazing flavor. I also remember Marco saying that it had better flavor than other italian options. Funny thing is, when I finally set out to really do flavor comparisons of different flours fermented to the exact same point (that is appropriate for each flour), my findings were just the opposite. For me the best flavored flours were standard off the shelf american flours. I wonder if you have done similar tests, or if maybe like me you just assumed that caputo is one of the better flavored flours.
Yes, of course caputo flour which has no malt and very low protein is going to take less time to get to its perfect level of proofing, but I think if you give many american flours a little more time to reach their optimum level of proofing you might find that the american flours actually have more flavor. Also, maybe I am crazy and my findings were wrong. I did the tests a few times, so I feel pretty confident, but with pizza you never know. I think thats what keeps me so interested!
Great review, Craig.Maybe it's the 2:30 bake time, but the fermentation looks a little bit off, like a too much yeast, too little time scenario. That would explain the lack of flavor. This would probably impact it's digestibility as well. Craig, how did you feel afterward? A little fuller than normal?
The pale coloration should be an indicator of a long, cold fermentation time - but I think you really have to try hard to make Caputo pizzeria flour flavorless. Or the salt level is very low. How was the crumb?John
When you guys are talking about "flavor", are you talking about strictly the flavor imparted by the flour itself, flavor attributed from using a starter, flavor from a longer cold fermentation, or a combination of the above. I would think a fair test would be to do an emergency dough using commercial yeast and a short room temp ferment. That or just take a spoonful of each and see what tastes better straight from the bag. Chau
I firmly believe that the component with the greatest impact on a bread's final flavor is sugar, by a landslide.
Char, on the other hand, is an acquired taste. Expresso, whiskey, and dark chocolate all derive their flavors from char and all generally require an adult palate to appreciate. Charred Neapolitan is the connoisseur's pizza. Golden Brown Delicious (GBD) NY pizza is the pizza for the masses.


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Skip to comments.Colbeck ( MI ) offers patient-centered solution in place of Medicaid Expansion
Posted on 07/17/2013 4:08:32 PM PDT by taildragger
LANSING, Mich.
Today Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, introduced the first of two bills to enact a patient-centered healthcare plan to provide a free market alternative that expands access to quality care without expanding government.
SB 459 provides the regulatory infrastructure that would enable a low cost, high quality care, free market environment within the confines of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The second bill, which will be introduced shortly, would convert current Medicaid enrollees to low cost, high quality Qualified Health Plans featuring Direct Primary Care Services and High Deductible Health Plans wrapped within a Health Savings Account. The net impact of both of these bills will be to lower healthcare costs for everyone in our state while promoting better quality of care.
Colbeck will discuss the legislation with the Senate workgroup on Medicaid expansion on Thursday, July 18. Colbecks patient-centered solution would be enacted in place of expanding government provided healthcare.
We need to stop talking about expanding a government program that doesnt work and start talking about ways to expand affordable care to all of our citizens, Colbeck said. The plan that Im putting forth would allow us to capitalize on our free market system and provide better quality, less expensive healthcare to Michigans residents while boosting our economy.
We can use this as an opportunity to put in place a free market based system that will not only accomplish the stated objectives of Obamacare but will also establish Michigan as a destination state for employers seeking quality, affordable healthcare for their employees. If we can provide quality services at a greatly reduced cost, we can draw patients from other states and countries that are looking for better access to quality care while creating new healthcare jobs in Michigan. Wouldnt it be nice to be expanding our medical centers in Detroit due to out of town visitors at a faster rate than we are expanding our casinos? Colbeck concluded.
Senator Colbeck and Dr. David Janda were @ The Rattle With Us Tea Party Folks in Plymouth Mi Monday night, were after a 1/2 speech from Dr. Janda, Senator Colbeck outlined his program...
I tell you this is this 1st time I have been enthused about something that might stop Obamacare.
Senator Colbeck is a Rocket Scientist in real life, this program is well thought out, cause and effect.
More in my next post...
Go here: http://rattlewithus.ning.com/
The concept is combine a HSA and "concierge" service for medical visits that are not catastrophic which are the HSA's forte.
The loophole in Obamacare for concierge can make this a reality. Their is more to it, as how you sign up, a trust for the indigent etc, but until the video is up on the web I don't want to steal their thunder or get the details wrong.
However, he did mention they reached out to the Emergency Manager in Detroit and the Fire and Police Unions. Anticipated savings for Detwaa could be 2.5 billion, and the state could save 7.8 billion ( conservative estimate ).
The presentation noted Medicaid cost the state / feds $5,000 per person and and this plan would be in the $2,400 to $2,600 area...
Dr Janda's Op-Ed over on "The Blaze", that was similar to the speech he gave Monday Night...
Folks, I think this a game changer, I can't wait for the details to get up on the web via page or pdf file...
I think this is going to be a big story if they can get it through the House and Senate and the Governor signs it...
What I see as most important here is a tea party/conservative based solution that reaches into democrat held territory at a time when they're angry about the Obamacare disaster.
Americans for prosperity and the union conservatives have also been conducting "raids" into Detroit.
bookmark to read later
Thanks Pollywog...
Look at what some smart physicians in Minnesota have decided to do!
Go look at the fees they charge, and the services offered, via phone and email.
I am going to try to get in there.
Will be shot down for several reasons including .... it's too damn efficient and cuts out too many administrators, insurance company profits, etc.
thanks for peeing in my and our ( Conservative Michigander's) corn flakes...
Far too many conservatives are just as destructive as the democrats when our only chance is to be builders.
I stand alone here in Fr-perdom on a screed to get people to look @ this.
Again I could be all wet, but IMHO Colbeck's Plan is the only hope I have seen in 2 years to fight Obamacare with something rather than nothing or a no vote.
I wish someone with some gravitas in the national media would see it and champion it, I really think he is onto something, and I think it could catch like wild fire...
Conservatives need to direct our anger into doing something positive. Being angry and doing nothing is exactly what Obama and the progs want.
Every night I pray for conservatives to produce and support new solutions just as I pray for democrats to accept the new way.
"For Immediate Release July 31, 2013
Colbeck patient-centered solution legislation moved out of committee
Free market alternative to Medicaid expansion moves to the full Senate
LANSING, Mich. The Senate Government Operations Committee today voted to send legislation that would create a free market alternative to Medicaid expansion to the full Senate for consideration by the Chamber. Senate Bills 459 and 460, introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton) and known as the Patient-Centered Care Act, would enact a patient-centered healthcare plan that expands access to quality care without expanding government.
SB 459 provides the regulatory infrastructure that would enable a low cost, high quality care, free market environment within the confines of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). SB 460 would convert current Medicaid enrollees to low cost, high quality Qualified Health Plans featuring Direct Primary Care Services and High Deductible Health Plans wrapped within a Health Savings Account. The net impact of both of these bills will be to lower healthcare costs for everyone in the state while promoting better quality of care.
Testifying alongside Senator Colbeck in support of the legislation were Avik Roy, Senior Fellow, Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Tom Valenti, President and COO of BlueSky Health and Kenneth A. Fisher, M.D., Docs4PatientCare, MI Chapter President.
Roy pointed out that Medicaid already consumes 45% of spending in Michigan. As Medicaid continues to expand, it will drive up that percentage of the state budget and crowd out funding for all other priorities, including education.
Senator Colbecks plan would improve Medicaid patients access to physicians, improve their health, provide protection from economic catastrophe while helping to control inflated health care costs, and save the state significant resources, said Fisher.
Myself and BlueSky Health support Senator Colbecks efforts and Senate bills 459 and 460. This offers a true reform for the citizens of Michigan, said Valenti.
The Patient-Centered Care Act would:
Make quality of patient care for all citizens the first priority
Expand access to quality care without expanding government assistance
Convert existing Medicaid population to commercial insurance featuring Direct Primary Care Services plus High-Deductible Health Plans within a Health Savings Account
Return healthcare decision-making to doctors and patients
Return insurance to risk management not benefit management
Limit government role to determination of government assistance eligibility
Protect patient health information from government
Make it more affordable for employers to purchase healthcare for their employees
Mitigate the reduction in employees hours due to the ramifications of the ACA
Use our free market healthcare system to accelerate the growth of our economy
The Patient-Centered Care Act provides us with an opportunity to reinvent Michigan and create a healthcare system that is a model for the rest of the nation. We need to go beyond simply keeping up with the other states falling in line to implement Obamacare without significant innovation. We can create a healthcare system in Michigan that goes beyond taking care of segments of our society to easing the burdens of everyone in our society. Creating a healthcare system that helps all of Michigans residents is truly Pure Michigan. Colbeck concluded.
Flag for research later.
Dr. Merlin Brown's statement:
The current insurance system is making it impossible to provide good medical care. Previously insurance requirements were just a hassle with paper work. Then contracts became very costly with exploding administrative work taking an enormous amount of staff time. Now incentives from insurance companies have become immoral. I'm now a conscientious objector. Insurances give me a passing grade and financial incentives to withhold medical care and not individualize care. If a treatment works in 80% of patients, I'm forced to give the treatment to the other 20% of my patients and not individualize the treatment plan.
Patients are not best served by physicians making decisions with those incentives. No longer contracting with insurance companies allows me to individualize treatments and be creative in customizing medical care for each patient. I can return to being a professional and practicing medicine based on medical education. I no longer am a data collector following a check list to report to insurances for financial gain. Our clinic can now be patient centered form doctors who care.
Tom Prices Plan to Replace Obamacare: He has thrice proposed a comprehensive alternative
Either way, the notion that Republicans have no plan to replace Obamacare is news to Representative Tom Price (R., Ga.), who in June introduced a comprehensive alternative health-care plan for the third time since 2009. It was originally introduced as the Obamacare alternative from the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC), which Price chaired at the time.
The 250-page legislation, known as the Empowering Patients First Act, has yet to receive a vote in the House, but currently has 32 co-sponsors, including Representatives Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.), Tim Huelskamp (R., Kans.), Jeb Hensarling (R., Texas), and Tom Cotton (R., Ark.).
The bill is a comprehensive alternative, notes Price, who has more than 20 years of experience as a practicing orthopedic surgeon. His policy proposals, which conservative experts have praised, will probably be familiar to those who have closely followed the ongoing health-care debate.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Hey guys First, AWESOME community you have here!
Second, I come bearing a long story about the company you may know called "Teavana". I worked with Teavana as they opened a new store, and it was a long journey that left me very distressed about the company. I decided I needed to write up an account of what had happened at my store, because it created a ball of emotion in my gut, and figured you guys might find it a good read. I'll warn you now, its LONG. But its has a lot of little stories, so I hope interesting as well! It obviously is biased towards my personal experience, and I know not all stores run like mine did. I know Teavana offers great careers to some awesome people. But my experience taught me to distrust the entire company, and after the owner of all the stores confronted me in the end, I figured it was serious enough that I could post about it. Hope you enjoy, I look forward to comments :]
To give my full experience working at Teavana, I think its important to know the "whole picture", and so I'll start my story before I even got the job. I worked in a mall for about three years, with an awesome staff at my store. My manager was a great person, friendly, understanding, awesome sense of humor, crazy and fun loving. She got the job done and we had a lot of fun doing it. She found that Teavana was opening in the mall, and was given several interviews for the store manager position. In order to become a manager, you are flown to Atlanta, Georgia, the hometown of Teavana, for corporate training. You meet the owners of the company, a husband and wife who started it all, and from what I was told, it was a lot of work, but very satisfying. The husband and wife maintained strict standards – even though the company was growing fast, they wanted to know every single manager. The wife had the deciding factor in everything the stores sold, from tea to teawares. If she disapproved of it, she wouldn't let the stores sell it. It seemed that this spoke of the personal aspect of Teavana – it wasn't just a corporation, but a store that expanded rapidly and was trying to stick to its principals during that growth.
I loved working for my manager at "Candy Store", so I told her I would gladly work for her at Teavana. I wanted her store to be successful, and I wanted her to be successful. The assistant manager at "Candy Store" also went to work as Teavana's assistant manager, and we had another coworker join us as well. Training was hectic, and started about a week before the store opened. We were trained by one of the two "corporate trainers", who go around and open the new stores/visit poorly performing stores to revamp the staff. We had Eugenia, a big girl who had a lot of personality. The first step was to learn about tea – what it was, the different types, etc. The training involves learning the differences between the types of tea, and each one is given three main selling points. Whites have highest antioxidants/great for complexion/may prevent forms of cancer, whereas oolongs as great for metabolism/good for skin teeth and bones because of fluoride, and helps in digestion. Basic points to explain for each. This was my first inkling of how Teavana worked – it applied health benefits to each tea, but if you read up on it, all teas have the same properties, just in different amounts. They are from the same plant, after all. Teavana isn't selling tea, but the health benefit marketing behind it. You don't drink an oolong for its notes of complexity, you drink it for weight loss. You don't drink green tea for its rich history, you drink it for your immune system.
After learning the types of tea, we learned the top three teas in each category. These are specifically based on price. We learn the three best "quality" in each category. When asked why we needed to know those three, I answered jokingly, "Because they cost the most?" and everyone laughed. The trainer then went onto explain that it's more so because the higher the quality, the higher the health benefit. The most expensive white tea would give you the best benefits in comparison to the others. This is where we learned Teavana's technique of "Top-down-selling". You always start by offering the most expensive tea, and work your way down. If they come in looking for a cheap herbal blend, you start with a white tea to blend it with. In other words, you aren't even supposed to sell herbal teas or rooibos if you can, because they are a much lower price point. We didn't really learn anything about these types of tea, other than to consider them "mixers". You weren't supposed to sell them on their own, and if you did, you were supposed to sell in large quantities to make up for the low cost. Try ordering just a couple ounces of a rooibos or an herbal tisane and see for yourself.
After being drilled on this, we moved on to tea preparation, or teapots. The first thing we learned about is the cast iron pots, or "tetsubin". We spent the most time on this, because it is the "best" way to make tea. There were eight key points for these pots, though some escape my memory since I've left the store. It's main points were its extreme ease of use (just pull out the strainer and you're good to go) and the fact that it builds up a patina (layer of minerals) so it makes the healthiest cup of tea. They also have the most expensive pricing. Pots are $70+ for smaller ones, $150+ for biggest ones, and all cups/coasters/trivets etc. are separate and cost at least ten bucks a piece. A typical set would cost a couple hundred dollars, so that's why half the store is devoted to them.
From there, we learned the other pots the store carries. Pay attention to how the store is laid out from the point of the cast irons. We literally started with cast iron on one side, and as you walked along the wall, the different prices of pots would gradually lessen until you reached the other side, where the cheapest pots were. When someone looks for a teapot, you start with the cast iron, and work your way down by showing them every single type until you hit a price that's agreeable. While cast iron is debatably the "best" way to make tea, the next step down according to Teavana are ceramic Juddith Webber pots, which certainly aren't. They are ceramic, do not include strainers, and when heated become extremely hot to the touch. It's apparent from this that Teavana is about sales, not getting what's best for the different customers.
After this, we learned the "sampling" method. Think of it like a triangle – sample, cast iron, tea counter. You offer a sample to someone, bring them in to the cast iron (one of which always holds a "rare" tea sample) and then sell them a pot, then bring them up to the counter to buy tea. You know how booths in the mall call out to people as they walk by, and harass them to take a look at their products? A Teavana is store is the same exact thing – just a glorified sales booth. Selling tea has to be the most dishonest part of this job. I'll insert how we are supposed to sell the tea:
"As you can see, our tea is sold by weight. We do offer several sized containers, but the best value tin is this one here (show the one pound tin). It's airtight and light tight, and will keep your tea fresh for a year. It's an additional seven dollars, but completely reusable. We'll put a label on the front of the tin indicating the type of tea and its brewing instructions. When I fill this up for you today (as you start to fill it up) you will be saving 10% for getting a pound of tea."
Basically you mislead the customer into thinking they have to buy a tin to put it in, and do not offer to put it in a (free) bag under any circumstance, unless they ask for it. Sure these tins are airtight/light tight, but they also dent easily and become useless when the lid won't fit on anymore. I speak from experience. An old coffee can works just the same, FYI. You also start by selling the whole pound. This can range from $28 to $200, depending on the tea. You don't stop there, you keep going. You can "overcome" objections by using their techniques of mentioning the pound discount, the health benefits, etc. You can sometimes sell those pounds, but mostly to stupid people willing to buy anything, thought this seems to be Teavana's target demographic.
So back to my story, our store opened with big expectations. We are somewhat near a really big volume store (in the center of the big city), and for whatever reason our sales goals were the same as theirs. I've worked in this mall for three years, and I can speak from experience when I say that there is a HUGE difference in the two places. Also, our store was located at the beginning of the "new wing" the mall is adding, with upscale stores. But this wing doesn't open for another two years and after my store is one or two more and that's it. We were in the dead zone of the mall. So we opened on a Wednesday with maybe a $3,000 goal. I can't imagine we made it past the first thousand. I did sell a cast iron pot with my second customer, so I was optimistic. The next few weeks weren't so great. We were scraping by with very low sales, and so we redoubled our efforts and kept trying. At this point, I was just a sales associate. One of our key-holders quit within the first few weeks because of the lack of hours. Our barista had to quit, and slowly but surely our staff dwindled down. We were lucky to have two sales an hour, because the mall was simply dead during the day. Our district manager started sending her friends by the store to spy on us, and reported back to her with what they thought we were doing. Several times these "reports" just didn't make sense, because the people they'd describe didn't resemble us, and so it led us to believe these friends weren't too perceptive. They did catch the other key-holder reading a book, and so she became the scape-goat by upper management.
Each week we were graded on an A-F scale, and you were supposed to have a B or greater at all times. It was pretty random, if you lucked out you'd get an A, if not, you'd get an F. Some weeks I'd luck out with a few good sales, some weeks I wouldn't. I didn't worry about it – I was a sales associate, and this wasn't my career. I purposely avoid becoming management because I need my free time for school, not to devote to a company I can't imagine working for forever. But my managers were being put under a lot of pressure. The key-holder that was caught reading a book was fired, because "she had three F's in a row", while the real reason is that our district manager needed a scape-goat to blame all our failures on. I was asked to step up and be a key-holder at this point, and since my manager was a friend, I agreed. Within just a few weeks, our staff was down to four people. Manager, assistant manager, myself, and a sales associate. Ironically, the four of us all came from our previous store. The last sales associate quit, and we were all pulling long shifts, alone.
We were trying to hire new people, but it turned out really hard to find anyone who seemed worthwhile. For several weeks, I would work open-to-4 by myself, or 4-to-close by myself, because we simply had no people. I was still working my other part time job (I never left it) so I was pulling about 65 hours a week between the two, on top of being a college senior full time. I was dedicated. I know the stores sales weren't what they needed to be, but by god, I was giving it my all. We lucked out with a few new people, who seemed eager and competent. A couple stayed through training, though one woman put in her two weeks after just a few days. She was an older woman just looking for a part time job to supplement her full time one, and as she put it, "I didn't realize this job would be so stressful. I can't make my goals, and I don't like feeling like a failure. With my experience, I can get a job anywhere in this mall, I'll work for Sears and deal with no pressure."
We did expand our arsenal of employees, who did become competent. But then we were put under a microscope again by upper management, and our original corporate trainer came back to retrain us and find out what was wrong with the store. She did coach us a little, but spent her time just shifting around merchandise. She was a fun girl, with an awesome sense of humor, but used that to her advantage. I almost thought I could consider her an acquaintance outside of work, but I realized she was being nice to try to exploit my friendship. She asked why I was upset one day, to which I explained that my friend was recently diagnosed with something she will have the rest of her life, and it will be a hard and painful recovery to get back to normal, not that there ever would be a "normal" again. She acted nice, asked about her, and as we were leaving, she started to ask questions more related to the store. She tried tricking me into admitting I didn't sample as much as I was supposed to, or that I wasn't doing the entire sales process. With my defense down, she managed to get me to admit I was disheartened by the stores lack of performance. I assume what she really wanted was a confession that my manager was doing a poor job, but that simply wasn't the truth.
Corporate trainer Eugenia left, and things kept getting worse. We'd receive more and more phone calls from our district manager, and it was apparent our jobs wouldn't last. The Vice President came to visit our store, and he agreed that it was mostly the malls fault, since our mall was dead. He told us to just do what we could, and wait it out. This apparently didn't sit with anyone else in the company. The other corporate trainer, an incredibly rude woman named Nancy, was sent to our store. This is when things got really ugly, really fast. She acted rude, and would watch us as we interacted with customers. Immediately after each sale, she'd critique us, and not in a constructive way. Everything we did was wrong. For example: One woman came in, and wasn't sure what she wanted to get someone for a gift. She wanted a gift set, something that had everything her friend would need to get started with tea. Of course, I started with the cast iron pots, and worked my way down. The woman eventually just said outright that she was only spending X amount of money, because that's how much she had. I then took that number, figured out that she could get a cheaper pot (the cute and inexpensive Beehouse pots) and a tin of our popular matevana/rooibos chai blend, with a measuring spoon and some sugar. It came to five cents under her total allotment, and we were both happy. I got as much money as I could out of her, and she got a nice and complete set. Go figure, right after the woman left, I was ripped apart. How dare I take no as an answer to the woman not wanted a cast iron pot! How dare I accept only a half pound of tea, because at the whole pound they save ten percent. Couldn't I at least had added some mints for herself? The next few paragraphs highlight my few weeks working with Nancy:
First – drinks. If you've visited a Teavana, you may know that they serve cups of tea to go as well. It's a neat idea, mall employees love it, and go figure – Teavana looks down upon selling cups of tea to go. As Nancy puts it, "When you sell a cup of tea, you satisfy the need to buy tea. We do not sell cups to go, we sell tea to take home. Do not offer if, and talk your way out of it whenever possible." A $3-5 dollar cup of tea is generally less expensive than the minimum 2 ounces of tea, which is why its looked down on. My manager at my "candy store" came over a lot for cups of tea. He'd spent hundreds of dollars in our store, always willing to try what we'd offer him. He went over one day to buy just a cup (he'd get it instead of coffee from Dunkin Donuts) and Nancy waited on him. When he asked for a cup of whatever tea, she ignored him and brought down the tea to show him. Having already bought some, he told her again he just wanted the cup. She started explaining the pricing, and how it's better to buy it loose to brew at home. He again explained that he already had it, and he just wanted some to take home. After a heavy sigh and rolling of her eyes, she agreed to make it for him. He's since vowed never to spend any more money there.
Second – attitude. Nancy brought a new way to sell tea – the spiel I wrote down earlier. It was a new wording, and as such she tried to teach it to us all. I worked one night with Nancy and another sales associate girl. The sales associate was being taught by Nancy the new way to sell tea, and I was told to man the sample cart. So I did. A few minutes later, after no one had even walked by, a friend came by who always bought a cup of tea from me. She walked in, I turned, and saw that my coworkers were not taking a break from their training to help my friend, so I came around the counter and did it myself. I made her tea, chatted her up a bit, and sent her on her way. Immediately after, Nancy told me to follow her out back. I did, knowing I was somehow in trouble. This is the conversation that ensued:
Nancy: What just happened right then, that cannot happen again.
Me: What? What happened?
Nancy: You didn't do what I told you to. I don't work in that kind of environment.
Me: What are you talking about? What did you tell me to do?
Nancy: I told you to sample, and you didn't. I don't know how you think it works here, but when your superior tells you to do something, you do it. I don't work in the kind of environment where that doesn't happen. If you can't understand that, we're going to be having a different kind of conversation.
Nancy seemed to thrive off being rude. After she'd say something rude, she continued her work and hum to herself with a grin on her face. She harassed my coworker to fill in shifts that she couldn't, so bad that my coworker just walked out and never came back. She told another girl that she was incompetent and contributing nothing because she wasn't selling tea correctly… even though this girl had not been retrained with the new way to do it yet. Last, she was simply misleading. She would tell her bosses that we'd say one thing, when he hadn't said anything. She told us that when scooping tea, make big scoops, and always go over how much was asked for, because most people will say its fine when you ask if the overage is okay. While it isn't illegal, she was certainly unethical.
Third – the assistant manager. We knew that our assistant manager was bound to be on his way out. It was apparent when corporate *BOO* Nancy didn't say anything to her, ever. Not even when he did things wrong, which she seemed to love correcting. She said she'd fire him, yet left when he was due to come in. When he walked by later on, she ignored him completely. On this note, I'll mention that she did talk to me about working at the company even with the changes. I told her the truth. I was upset that some people were leaving or had left, and I would miss them, but I had put a lot of time and energy into running that store and wanted to make sure it stayed successful. She told me that was fine, they wanted me to stay. Oh how that changed.
The next and perhaps most important part of this story is that my manager found a new job. She put in her two weeks notice. I was ecstatic for her, because it was better paying, a lot cooler, and sure to be less stressful. This also prompted the OWNERS of the company, the husband and wife, to decide to visit our store for a week. I expected them to have a conversation with me about my plans with the company – if I wanted to stay despite being the last person from the original staff, what they would expect from me, and stuff like that. No such conversation occurred. I introduced myself, but other than that, they simply ignored me. Strike that – I was talking to a customer about something while having a cup of tea in my hand – and the owner, a man named Andy, came over and took it out of my hand, and walked away. He later mentioned something about us not having them on the floor… which is fine, but everyone else always did it and he didn't correct them.
In any event, the husband and wife continued to ignore me, but I didn't mind. They were supposedly the nicest people, so I figured I just interpreted their silence towards me wrong, since I was nervous about being fired. This all changed one Sunday morning. I was set to arrive an hour before the store opened and prep for the day. I did, and soon after so did a new woman who was just hired. Nancy had gone on a hiring spree, and was continuously forgetting who was coming in and when. I didn't know what to do with her, so I tried finding her a training manual, and that wasted some time. Our new manager (though at the time, just a manager in training) came in shortly after, and distracted me some more. I was making the samples, but the two main samples were leaking. They are held in machines that have nozzles, and the nozzles just kept leaking despite my repeated attempts to fix them. It happened every couple weeks, and usually just needed the nozzles to be taken off and firmly put back on. But it wouldn't stop leaking. So I decide any sample is better than none, and switched what samples went in what machines. In doing so, I had to take off the labels, indicating what type of tea was in it, but knew it wasn't a problem since we got a box of new labels just the other day. So I do that, and go figure the labels are gone. Nowhere to be found. I keep working on fixing the leaks as we open, and my coworkers man the floor. Shortly after, Andy and Nancy Mack (not corporate trainer Nancy), owners of Teavana, came into the store. They noticed the sample cart was not filled automatically. They asked, and I explained the entire situation. They didn't seem pleased, but said nothing else.
I kept working on trying to fix the sample holders, and the owners/new manager started having a discussion outside the store. Nancy Mack came in to help me figure out why they were leaking, and we found out why – behind the nozzles (when you take them off) are two pieces, a rubber O ring, and a little plastic stopper. Both plastic stoppers were missing. Nancy Mack asked me where they were, and I said I didn't know. She told me that they couldn't have just come off, and asked who washed them the night before. I told her I had, since I had. I told her I'd check the sink again, and she left to go talk again with her husband. I told her that I was sorry for the mistake, and was very embarrassed over the whole situation.
I look around some more, but of course it's not in the sink. I have no idea where it was. I was checking under the sink, behind the fridges, figuring they had to be somewhere. I washed them per usual last night, and there are grates in the sink so they can't go down the drains. The owner, Andy Mack, came back and asked me where the plastic stoppers where. I said I didn't know. He got angry, and told me I was lying, and that he was "sick of the bullshit". He said that he knew our current manager was leaving, but he owns the store and wants to take it in a new direction. He accused me of deliberately sabotaging the store, and that he didn't understand how the plastic pieces could go missing, and that he "wanted them found". He left, and I stood in the back room, alone and stunned. The owner of the entire company, a "great guy" who was very friendly, had confirmed he in fact did not like me despite not knowing me.
I took a minute to think, and decided to look one last time. Looked in the sink again, not there. Looked around the floor. Nowhere to be found. I was accused of stealing them, which I did not. I thought to myself – if I wanted to sabotage this store, I'd do something a lot cooler than steal a little plastic stopper. It was hard, but I knew my time with the company was over. I went into the bathroom, and took down a letter an old coworker who moved away left us, offering us a place to stay where she lived if we were in the area. I figured I was the last person it applied to, and it was no longer needed. Thinking about how much time and effort I put into that store, I pulled out my keys, and took off my key to the store. My last thought was that I had just taken out a loan for school the day prior… and I really needed the job. But I knew that even if I stayed I was probably a target to get fired, so I might as well just quit knowing I did it for the right reasons. I took my key, walked to the front, and gave it to the owner, telling him I wasn't comfortable working there anymore, and that I wished him the best of luck. He asked me to step out back with him, so I figured I could give him that since I was leaving without a two week notice.
He gave me a rundown of what I assume was my "you're fired" speech. He accused me of stealing the plastic stoppers again. He told me that they had confirmed what they thought was true – that I was trading free to tea to mall employees I worked with at my other job in the mall, for free chocolate (I work at a candy store as well). He accused me of giving my coworkers at "candy store" free tea, in exchange for free chocolates from "candy store", which I also work at and get the chocolates for free. I told him how ridiculous that was – why would I steal from one job to trade/steal at my other, when I got both products for free? He didn't care, because they had "traced" cups going over to my other store. Not sure what that meant, but whatever. He claimed that "half the mall" was getting free tea (not true) and that several managers had approached them about it. Right.
So I again told him that I wished him luck with his company and this store, and I hoped that he could revitalize the business and make it successful. Clocked out, wished the new manager the best of luck, and told my coworker that I was leaving. She was 50/50 on leaving herself, and so I told her to just come visit me down the hall sometime. As I walked out, Andy the owner again called me over, wanting to check my bag. He found a notebook, three pens, and an iPod. I felt humiliated, having gone through that in front of a store of customers, some of which were regulars I'd gotten to know. I felt extremely distressed, having given so much to that store and company, having sacrificed so much to just keep it running, and ended up with such an ending. I called my manager on my way out of the mall, and she said she planned on just giving them her key that day too. Despite having given her two weeks, the upper management was now ignoring her and acting as though she were a sales associate, and ignoring her. She felt she had put in enough. We wished each other well, and I spent my Sunday home, and for the first time in months, completed an assignment on time!
I thought it ended there, but it didn't. The assistant manager got his old job at my candy story back, so we were still working together. The owner of Teavana stopped in our store one day, and told him he wasn't allowed in Teavana unless he were buying something, otherwise security would be called because he was there to "demoralize" the staff. That was pretty rude, but whatever. I also found out that Nancy had told people I had stolen money, because there had been sixty dollars missing one day. Go figure, they found it in the safe. Also, those plastic stoppers I supposedly stole? Found out from my coworker that we never had them to begin with. That's right. Before we even opened the store months ago, those pieces were never even sent to us. If you actually washed the sample machines thoroughly and took off the nozzle (which I always did), the suction left and it took time to build back up and prevent leaks. Go figure, it leaked because I had actually cleaned it properly.
Now that is a lot of story to have read, and if you did, thank you for your time! I know a lot of my story was anecdotal and certainly biased in my opinions, but I think it's a fair representation of how my store ran. I truly believed in both the company and the store, and expending long shifts and lost many hours of sleep for it. I felt passionate about it, and as the company described, it wanted people who went above their training, who had an "active interest" in tea. I did, because it was an interesting and very rewarding hobby. The training manual offers a letter from Nancy and Andy Mack, who say, "We are looking for people with great integrity, leadership drive, and who are plain old hard workers." I had the most sincere integrity, and one of my biggest regrets is that I wasn't able to give a two weeks notice when I quit. I didn't want to be a key-holder because it meant more responsibility and time, which I did not have, but I did it for the sake of the store and my managers. I'm pretty sure that somehow fits in with leadership. I dedicated my entire life for several months to this job, giving up any social life I once had, and am only now getting back in touch with my friends and family I had missed out on because of how busy I was with trying to make the store successful. I'm damn sure that I was a good and hard worker. I don't mean to depict myself as a model employee, because I had faults like any employee does, but I gave it my all.
In conclusion, I would encourage you all to not frequent the Teavana Company. It is a company that bases its sales process on misleading you into what it considers the "best". It is a sales intense store, which contradicts with the natural essence of tea – a relaxing and heartening beverage that soothes the soul. It seeks to build its image as the worlds premier retailer in tea, but uses average grade quality teas. Teavana faces a big challenge – how does a company market fresh and loose tea to a country where soda is the more poplar drink, and to people who didn't even know tea was such a diverse subject. In order to do this, Teavana markets the hell out of its products, partially by making unsubstantiated claims about its products. It offers an unfriendly work environment. While it carries some great looking products, I would recommend anyone who is drawn in by the stores zen allure to step back, and look into the products on their own accord. Take a look online at some tea retailers. Read a book about it, and don't be afraid by the big and overwhelming idea of tea. I started off overwhelmed, but don't worry about learning about it all at once. It's just tea.