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How not to do media analysis
By Robert Shone on Wednesday, January 12th, 2011 - 2,807 words.
Two analyses of media reporting on Iraq were published recently. One was a simple quantitative comparison of the coverage received by two different death counts in the Wikileaks story (by the website, Medialens). The other was a more wide-ranging study, Pockets of resistance: British news media, war and theory in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, by Piers Robinson, Peter Goddard, Katy Parry, Craig Murray and Philip Taylor.
For reasons which should become clear, it's worth comparing the two, very different, approaches behind these analyses.
First, Medialens, which counted references to "Iraq Body Count" (IBC) and "Lancet" in media coverage of Wikileaks (between October 23 and November 4, 2010), and found that IBC received much more coverage than the Lancet studies of Iraqi deaths. Although it's not directly stated by Medialens, this analysis seems to be presented in support of their assertion that any mention of the Lancet studies is "a rare feat for our media". Medialens also asserts, in the same article, that IBC is a "one-stop shop" for journalists, and that the media is "ignoring much higher death counts altogether".
Unfortunately, Medialens failed to inform readers of the following facts:
1. IBC worked with Wikileaks on the Iraq war logs. (The Lancet study authors didn't).
2. Julian Assange cited IBC's analysis in many interviews. (He didn't cite any comparable analysis by the Lancet authors, since there wasn't any).
3. IBC's John Sloboda was on the panel at the Wikileaks press conference – Assange directed questions to Professor Sloboda. (The Lancet authors were not present).
In other words, one would expect IBC to receive coverage in the Wikileaks story over the period for which Medialens searched. Why would Medialens omit these facts which explain the IBC coverage? The editors of Medialens (David Edwards and David Cromwell) also failed to mention that the relatively small amount of data recorded by epidemiological surveys (eg the Lancet studies) would be of little use in analysing the Wikileaks material, and that this explains the lack of involvement by epidemiologists (eg the Lancet study authors).
With the addition of these omitted facts, Medialens's "media analysis" takes on a different meaning. What seemed like a "damning indictment" of the media (and, indirectly, of IBC – if we accepted Medialens's odd logic) turns out to be nothing of the sort, and the analysis itself is revealed as redundant (and pointless). It's almost as if Medialens had "revealed" that media coverage of Wikileaks mentioned "Assange" more than, say, "Chomsky", and that this proved that Chomsky was "marginalised".
Not long after this ill-conceived attempt at media analysis, Medialens decided to criticise a broader – and rather more credible – media study (the above-mentioned Pockets of Resistance) in a lengthy (over 6,000 words) two-part 'Media Alert' titled, 'What Happened To Academia?'. As is often the case with Medialens, their long critique tends to reveal more about their own (mostly ideologically-based) approach than that of the study they criticise. The following passages are particularly deserving of comment:
We have long been fascinated by the silencing of academe. How does it work in an ostensibly free society? What are the mechanisms that bring the honest and outspoken to heel? (Medialens, December 14, 2010)
This sets the tone for what follows. Academe is being "silenced" – a blanket generalisation, with a conspiriological metaphor (I've previously commented on Medialens's fondness for the "silence" metaphor). Is it not possible that far from being "silenced", "Academe" simply hasn't produced work which fits Medialens's worldview? (Or, to quote George Monbiot's criticism of Medialens, it hasn't produced work which conforms to their "narrow and particular doctrine"). Or perhaps Medialens isn't looking in the right places? I see a lot of new, innovative academic research with implications for media analysis, but it tends to be in non-traditional fields (eg mapping of political beliefs in neurological, cognitive and linguistic studies, etc).
Medialens then moves its focus from academics to journalists: "The truth is that even the best mainstream commentators are not allowed to direct serious criticism at their own media, at their own advertisers, at the interests that control their media." (Medialens, December 14, 2010)
Another "truth", in the form of a generalisation over "not allowed". As we'll see, Medialens tends to put such "truths" before inconvenient facts, exceptions to the "rule", etc. The language used by Robinson et al is somewhat different – it's not about asserting "truths", but about reporting findings and making qualified statements based on those findings. For example, the finding that Channel 4 conformed "largely" to an "independent model" of reporting over Iraq. Medialens responded to this as follows:
Ironically, Channel 4 News, which you claim "conformed largely to the independent model" of reporting (p.173), in fact led the way in the media dismissal of the 2004 Lancet report. On October 29, 2004, Channel 4′s science correspondent, Tom Clarke, was one of the first journalists to pass on government smears as obvious fact. (Medialens, December 14, 2010)
In fact, it's not "ironic" that there are examples which run counter to a finding which doesn't rule out counter-examples. However, it is ironic that the counter-example chosen by Medialens turns out, upon close scrutiny, to look nothing like a counter-example. We can easily check Tom Clarke's Channel 4 remarks, as Medialens provided a transcript at the time. Far from passing on "smears", Clarke states clearly that the government "dismisses" the Lancet report – his own comments about the study's "main weakness" make sense in light of recent scientific research which casts doubt on the reliability of importing epidemiological methods into conflict studies (eg the Human Security Report 2009/2010). In hindsight, we know that the Iraq epidemiological studies (ILCS, Lancet 2004, Lancet 2006, IFHS/WHO) have produced vastly differing estimates, suggesting that there are indeed serious reliability problems (a fact that's not altered by the government's apparent desire to dismiss – or "smear" – the Lancet 2004 estimate at the time). Clarke's comment that the Falluja data "distorted" the study was correct (in the sense that it was an extreme statistical outlier – it's why the Lancet authors excluded Falluja data from many of their presented findings). In their original alert, Medialens misread or misrepresented Clarke on this point.
So, in response to the Robinson et al findings on Channel 4 coverage, Medialens provide an unconvincing counter-example. There are probably better counter-examples – but to use them, one-by-one, to refute this kind of study is a little like objecting to the findings of the British Crime Survey by arguing, "I know they're wrong because a friend of my aunty was burgled twice last month, and my brother-in-law was robbed last June". The point that's apparently missed by Medialens is that some sort of quantititive evaluation of Channel 4 coverage would be needed to counter the claims of Robinson et al. Medialens has never produced the type of analysis needed – their efforts at quantification are limited to some very basic, questionable searches, etc (like the above misguided IBC/Wikileaks example).
In part two of their critique, Medialens begin with the following statement:
In our reply to Piers Robinson, below, we try to show how 'objective scholarship', like 'objective journalism', all too often filters out what really matters. Moreover, as in journalism, the scholar's obsession with objectivity tends to promote the interests of power. Why? Because mainstream academics and journalists are deeply and unconsciously biased.(Medialens, December 15, 2010)
Another blanket generalisation from Medialens, another putative "truth": mainstream academics are "deeply and unconsciously biased"! This raises the important question: is it not possible for intelligent, informed adults to debate serious issues without resorting to the redundant banality of the retort, "Well, you're biased!", which is what Medialens's claim seems to boil down to. It doesn't help that they further assert that "mainstream academics" (all, most, or just some?) are "unconscious" of their bias. The last time I came across such absurd, sweeping generalisations about "mainstream academics" was in the work of David Icke.
It's not all about generalisations and deeper truths for Medialens, however. At certain points in their critique they offer more specific suggestions: "The point we are making is that there were a small number of key facts, issues and sources that had the potential to derail the government case for war." For example, they think Robinson et al should have taken account of media references (or lack thereof) to Scott Ritter's claims over WMD, since Ritter was a "key source", and "not just another source". (Ritter, a former chief UN weapons inspector, had written that Iraq's biological/chemical weapons would have long since become "harmless goo").
Ever since I read a long 2002 Guardian piece by Ritter (an extract from his book), I've thought his claims warranted widespread, prominent coverage. In an August 2002 interview, Noam Chomsky commented that "Scott Ritter's testimony on the topic [of WMDs] is compelling, and I know of no serious refutation of it".
Later in the same interview, however, Chomsky remarked:
It should be added that there are circumstances under which Saddam might use WMD, assuming he has the capacity. If Iraq is invaded with the clear intention of capturing or more likely killing him, he would have every incentive to go for broke, since he'd have nothing to lose. But it is hard to imagine other circumstances. (Noam Chomsky, August 2002)
It seems odd, in hindsight, that Chomsky painted this scary picture of Saddam "going for broke"with WMDs. But it didn't seem odd at the time. Compelling though Ritter's testimony was, no intelligent antiwar campaigner would base their case against war on the gamble that Ritter was right (unrisky though that gamble may have seemed, given Ritter's credentials). Rather, there was a much stronger case against war which required less of a gamble: that the burden was on the warmongering parties to demonstrate strong evidence pointing to an imminent WMD attack from Saddam (no such evidence was forthcoming, of course).
This sense that waging war required an infinitely stronger justification than the "case" provided by the US/UK authorities was, in my opinion, rarely communicated in media coverage – and this was a matter of framing. In fact, pro-war framing put the burden of proof on the weapons inspectors to demonstrate absence of WMD capability – and to demonstrate it quickly. Unfortunately, I think many media reports conveyed this perspective (while appealing to the sense of urgency/fear already induced by tabloids). Would it have hurt this pro-war framing for Hans Blix to say: "You're not giving us enough time to demonstrate that Scott Ritter is right, so you'll just have to accept what he says without corroboration from us"?
From that perspective, the biggest problem with most media coverage, to my mind, was not the lack of reporting of Ritter's claims on WMD, but the frequent adoption of subtle (and not-so-subtle) pro-war framing. Given that framing, I doubt that Ritter's testimony, even if it had been more prominently reported, would have stood much chance of "derailing" (as Medialens put it) the government "case" for war.
Still, Medialens deserves some credit for drawing attention to Ritter's claims (as the Guardianhad earlier done. Peter Beaumont's favourable Observer review of Ritter's book, War on Iraq, also predated Medialens's coverage).
We devoted our lives to studying media reporting of the pre-invasion and invasion periods in the first half of 2003. The patterns and limits of media reporting, the unspoken rules, were so clear to us – they could hardly have been more obvious. (Medialens, December 15, 2010)
It's a pity, that in "devoting their lives" to this study, the Medialens editors never managed to produce a single substantial quantitative analysis of media coverage. In fact, the series of 'alerts' they produced can hardly be considered "analysis" at all – they're obviously polemics. Steven Poole (author of Unspeak) wrote, in a Guardian non-fiction review, that Medialens has a "counterproductive tendency to bathe everything in childishly apocalyptic polemic". Poole then added:
[Edwards and Cromwell] also affect to know what is going on "unconsciously" in journalists' minds, and seem unaware that their own preferred descriptions of events are often just as rhetorically framed as the versions of the "psychopathic corporate media" (on which they nonetheless rely for factual reference). (Steven Poole, Guardian, October 3, 2009)
If you're claiming to reveal media "patterns", "limits" and "unspoken rules" (never mind "truths") an analytical approach is needed. But Medialens's rhetorical, ideologically-based approach starts with certain "rules" or "knowns" (eg derived from the Herman/Chomsky Propaganda Model) and then selects cases which show these to be "true", whilst paying much less attention to (or at worst ignoring or denying) the cases which run counter to these "truths". It's a long way from the analytical/empirical approach.
A case in point is the "truth" promoted by Medialens on Iraq mortality reporting – that lower death counts are favoured because they are low (eg, Medialens's claim that IBC's figures are used "because they are very low"). In order to promote this "truth", Medialens has to effectively airbrush a large amount of reality out of the picture. For example, the reality that the 2006 Lancet estimate of 601,000 violent deaths received far more media coverage than the much lower WHO estimate of 151,000 violent deaths.
The Lancet and WHO surveys were directly comparable (unlike Lancet and IBC) – both were peer-reviewed epidemiological studies, and they covered the same period. The WHO surveyhad a larger sample, better documentation and arguably superior quality control – several prominent experts have made clear their preference for it over the Lancet study (eg UN epidemiologist Paul Spiegel, and renowned demographer Beth Osborne Daponte). So, a media which favoured "lower" death counts while "ignoring much higher death counts altogether" (toquote Medialens) had the perfect, credible epidemiological study to counter (or "dismiss" or "smear") the Lancet estimate.
But since reality is somewhat different from Medialens's "truth", things didn't work out that way. Whereas the 2006 Lancet study enjoyed headline coverage on BBC1 News and BBC2 Newsnight on the day it was published, the WHO study didn't get a single mention on the main BBC programmes on the day of its publication, and has rarely been mentioned since.
How do the Medialens editors respond to this piece of reality which is so relevant to their media criticism? By not mentioning it. While they have cited the Lancet estimates repeatedly in their prolific writings on Iraq, they've been virtually "silent" over the WHO estimate (I count only onedirect mention in the whole of their published output – plus one other mention in a quoted email from a third party).
So much for inconvenient aspects of reality. But for Medialens to attract followers, their "truths" must presumably mesh with reality in some "resonant" ways – and this is obviously the case. Large parts of the media clearly do have a lot to answer for over Iraq. At times the reporting was shockingly inept or "subservient to Power" (my mind goes back to the BBC's "coverage" of France's intention to veto the UN resolution).
There were important exceptions to this "rule", however, as Piers Robinson et al document. John Pilger, also, has written that two national newspapers (Independent and Mirror) were "anti-war" (also the Guardian, to a lesser extent, Pilger claims). This is echoed by Robinson's findings:
According to Robinson, the Telegraph, Times and Mail were "generally supportive, with most of the coverage falling in line with the coalition PR campaign"; whereas the Independent, the Guardian and the Mirror "were quite remarkable for the degree of criticism that they engaged in, even during the invasion phase, which according to the academic orthodoxy is quite a departure from the way a lot of communications scholars understand the media". (Journalism.co.uk, September 24, 2010)
This isn't what Medialens wants to hear. In Medialens's worldview, the Guardian andIndependent are not allies, they are "complicit in war crimes". Medialens's editors claim that this is something they have "documented repeatedly". But this isn't the case. What they've documented is highly selective – a tiny (relative to the entirety) subset of examples to illustrate their claims. Sometimes the examples are good, sometimes feeble (as in the above Iraq mortality cases). The examples are taken mostly from the newspapers' opinion pages – there's also a selection of email dialogues with journalists (two prominent journalists have told me that Medialens excluded the parts of their dialogues which tended to contradict Medialens's "truth"). Again, an analytical approach is lacking – there's an unwillingness or inability to account for the extent of real-life examples which run counter to their "truths", their blanket generalisations.
One of the bizarre things I witnessed while following Medialens in the run-up to the Iraq invasion was the almost daily posting (to Medialens's message board) of links to antiwar comment pieces and cartoons in the Independent and Guardian – the response to these from Medialens's subscribers was typically: "excellent article!", "brilliant", "spot on!", etc. These direct reactions to a significant aspect of media reality were rarely allowed to interfere with the Medialens-promoted consensus – the "deeper truth" that these two newspapers were "complicit" in the move towards war.


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Zombify Eye Shadows by Goth Cupcake
Um, can I just start by saying Goth Cupcake is like, the greatest name ever!? 'Tis!
Anywho, Goth Cupcake aka Mary/co-nominee for Best Vegan Lip Balm Makin' Duo or Group of 2011, has a super cute Etsy shop where she sells handmade vegan and cruelty-free mineral eye shadows, tinted lip balms, beautiful-smelling bath salts and recycled sticker hair flower clips (← ridiculously cute!!). In Mary's words, Goth Cupcake is a "one stop shop for all things spooky, weird, cute, and vegan."
Mary was kind enough to send me a couple of lip balms and Zombify eye shadows to try, and I'm lovin' 'em all! Sers, I can't get enough of her sparkly sinister shades! I'm especially fond of Sandman, Black Tears and Death Kiss (pictured below, in that order). All of her shadows are richly pigmented, easy to apply, and hella sexy!
Other Zombify shades include: Haunted Moor, Forbidden, and Bat Song ($8 each).
Considering some mineral eye shadows on the market can cost upwards of $15-20 a pop, $8 for a 5 gram sifter jar of Zombify shadow is a steal (plus you'll get mad internet karmic points for supporting a talented and crafty Etsy-er).
What are some of your favorite vegan Etsy shops?
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.
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YES!!! I love love love her shadows! My current favorites are Unicorn all over with Bat Song in the crease or Poison Pollen all over with Sandman in the crease and as a liner. Yay sparkly awesome vegans!

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Alex V. Hernandez
Alex V. Hernandez is originally from Chicago and has bylines in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Reader, Chicago Magazine, City Bureau, In These Times and 90 Days, 90 Voices. He was also a 2017 Peter Lisagor Watchdog Award finalist for his work on an interactive Chicago Reporter database that shows where, how and when police misconduct happens in the city of Chicago. He tweets at @AVHndz.
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Suzuki has initiated a safety improvement campaign, which is not a recall…but kinda really is totally a lot like one…sorta. A safety improvement is not conducted under the United States Safety Act, but is carried out when a manufacturer voluntarily modifies or replaces a vehicle already out on the road. This one is in regards to a potential frame problem with the 2005 and 2006 GSX-R1000, which means it affects over 26,000 motorcycles.
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Gixxer 1000 owners should take their bike down to the local Suzuki dealer for an inspection for cracks. If no cracks are found, a frame reinforcement brace will be attached to the frame using bolts and epoxy adhesive. Should cracks be found during the inspection, the frame will be replaced with a new frame that has the reinforcement brace installed. The campaign began on January 21, 2009. Owners may contact Suzuki at 1-714-572-1490.
There's a certain irony to this article that we can't quite place our finger on…


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From: Shrewsbury, NJ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of New Jersey
I want to begin by saying a great big thank you to John and Joel for all their continued support and dedication to me and my family! Over the past two years my grandparents living situation has significantly deteriorated and they are unable to take care of themselves. My grandmother is physically ill and is in bed the majority of the time and my grandfather has Alzheimer's which is getting worse every day. I had tried many home care companies, but dealing with the inexperienced caregivers and the office staff was at times unbearable. I was beginning to think I was running out of options, and my life was going to consist of me driving back and forth to my grandparent's house at a minimum of 3 times a day while working and caring for my own family. Then a colleague of mine told me how great Synergy HomeCare of NJ in Shrewsbury was and I called immediately. The office staff was delightful to speak with and very helpful in giving me all the information I needed to get started. The very next day John and Joel came right to my grandparent's home and met the family. Their energetic personalities, nurturing ways, and business ethics are phenomenal and they quickly put my mind at ease as well as my grandmothers (which is a very hard thing to do). We went from having a caregiver come in just a few hours a day to now having a live in. Although it was a necessity - the adjustment of having someone living in their home was very hard for my grandparents. John personally made many visits and phone calls to my grandparents to help them get adjusted each step of the way. Thanks to Synergy not only do I have the peace of mind that my grandparents are being well taken care of by a highly qualified caregiver, but I finally have some of my own life back again. I truly cannot thank John and Joel enough for all that they have done for my family so far and I look forward to continuing to work with them! I would highly recommend them to any family in need of exceptional care!!
Louise P
From: Hartland, WI
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Germantown
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank SYNERGY HomeCare for the help and compassion we received. I only wish we had used your services sooner. Amy-Sue was so good with Pete and we bonded immediately. I'm happy to recommend your service.
James C.
From: Birmingham, AL
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Birmingham
Lakesha comes in and does what she needs to do. I don't have to ask for her help and she is very good to my husband. Lakesha also cares about our welfare. We would almost have to leave Synergy if they took Lakesha away from us.
Jane & David C.
From: Indian Springs, AL
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Alabama
David and I want to thank you for the wonderful support and care you and Laura and your caregivers have given my dad - and out whole family. The fall that made my dad suddenly unable to live by himself required many emotional as well physical adjustments for our family, and you helped with all of those. You met our needs those first few weeks by sending truly exceptional caregivers to be with him, round the clock, when he was in the hospital at UAB, then the inpatient at Lakeshore Rehab Hospital, and then at our home. Again and again, we were impressed by the kindness and professionalism of every caregiver you sent. And your desire personally to introduce every new caregiver to my dad when he was in the most fragile state was really touching. In addition, you responded graciously - in fact, heroically! -- to our constantly changing needs. One morning we would think my dad would be leaving the hospital, and then three hours later the plan would change - and you would adjust to the new arrangement so calmly and positively. One other thing especially appreciate is your willingness to send the very best caregivers for my dad, although you knew he was, for fiscal reasons, unlikely to be a long-term client. You've continued to meet his sporadic needs for home health care workers by sending really the nicest, most committed people. Interestingly, several of the caregivers have told me, although they've worked for a variety of health care companies over the years, they've been happiest working with Synergy. The reasons several have given are the you and Laura are both committed and personally involved - and that all the other Synergy caregivers they occasionally meet and interact with are hardworking, kind and committed. Being in the midst of people motivated to do their best must be motivating to everyone. Well, thanks for everything. we'll continue to call you intermittently when we need help for my Dad, and we'll feel good knowing the kind of people you'll send.
Harold W.
From: Birmingham, AL
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Birmingham
The caregiver does everything. We don't have to tell her to do anything, she just does it. She takes care of my husband and does what she is supposed to with him.
Charlotte W.
From: Birmingham, AL
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Birmingham
She is very dependable and kind-hearted, and she really cares about my mother.
Lana T.
From: Pelham, AL
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Alabama
I want to take this opportunity to commend Synergy for the outstanding service you provided my family during a time of intense need. I am very pleased that the Veterans Administration chose your company to send professional home care providers to help my father, James after my mother received a diagnosis of terminal breast cancer. My mother and I both needed respite care from dealing with James' dementia/Alzheimer's issues in order to deal with her health problems and all the other issues surrounding care giving for two 82year old people in their decline. I was so pleased with our very first sitter, Ilyasa C. She was wonderful and I so much appreciated how involved you and your staff were to make sure we received the appropriate level of service and care. At the moment, I cannot recall the second sitter's name, but she, too, we a delight to work with, I liked how smooth and efficient you were when schedules or needs changed. You make it very easy to partner with you in taking care of James, especially when I was to involved in taking care of my mother, Naomi. In my opinion, your caregivers when over and beyond the call of duty. They became like an extension of our family during a time when we had only two family members in the area and desperately needed help. I am very pleased that the VA chose you as a provider. I want not only to acknowledge your exceptional, high quality service, but also to volunteer to be a reference should you ever needs one. Thank our for your dedication and quality of service.
Char're W.
From: Markham, IL
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Chicago
I work for a nursing home and I do activities there and I really like my patients, I will do anything for my patient, before my grandmother died I helped my mom with taking care of her and just doing all that I could for her , and she died 6 months after having breast cancer .
Debra T.
From: Mesa, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of the East Valley
I have been working for Synergy HomeCare for over two years. I am very happy with the agency as they are very aware of their clients needs and try to match the most qualified caregivers with their clients.
Maria B.
From: Gilbert, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of the East Valley
Since the very first day I began to work for Synergy HomeCare, I have been very impressed with the company. First of all, the attention and consideration they give to their clients is magnificent. It makes me very proud to belong to this company. It had been my experience that the people in charge do everything they can to help both the clients and caregivers to carry out the mission of continuing care for those who need it. They are considerate, cooperative, understanding and responsible. You can't ask for more then that. I appreciate the opportunity to become a Synergy HomeCare caregiver and I am proud to be a part of the team. Thanks Synergy HomeCare!
Denise A
From: Tucson, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Tucson
Synergy of Tucson is wonderful to work for and is very supportive of its employees. They are always asking how to better our work environment and the staff as well as the owners are very polite and assist in any way possible. I highly recommend working for Synergy HomeCare to further your career. The clients we care for receive compassionate and life enriching care to fit their daily needs specifically designed to fit their care plans. Our Caregiver staff is highly trained and we receive regular training to further the knowledge needed to provide quality care. I give Synergy HomeCare an A+ in all areas and love working for them.
From: Tucson, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Tucson
I love working with them because of the way they are on top of things with clients. They won't let you down in any way. They are open to anything.
From: Chelsea, MI
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Michigan
Having worked in the health care field for many years, I was immediately impressed by the quality of care provided by Synergy Home Care based out of Chelsea, Michigan. I have always insisted on working for companies that only provide the best in their field - Synergy Home Care is that company for Home Health Care.
From: North Sioux City, IA
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Sioux City
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all members of the SYNERGY team, Kim, Amy, Mardi and all caregivers who have helped me in caring for my mother. Your flexibility, understanding, compassion, and ability to work professionally enhances the quality of life for those you touch. Thanks for all you continue to do.
Lisa K.
From: Conroe, Texas
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Conroe
I needed flexible hours in order to earn my degree from college. Synergy was my answer! I can schedule work and school and still have time for my family. I've met some wonderful people and have one of the best supervisors I've ever worked for!
Christina F.
From: Dayton, TX
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Conroe
I have been working for home health care for about 2 1/2 years now, I am so privledged to have the clients I have they are amazing ppl that I enjoy helping. synergy gives me the oppertunity to help ppl that appreciate everything our company does and i feel privledge to be a part of that team! I work the hours that i am assigned and still have time for my family i really enjoy my job with synergy
From: Houston, Texas
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Houston
The company is great. My lady, Rosa, is fiesty and wants to do everything, but had to start accepting some help. The people who hire us want to stay as independent as possible for as long as possible. Synergy and I help give them a chance to do that for awhie.
From: Tucson, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Tucson
SYNERGY HomeCare responds promptly to communication, provides accurate information about the patient, and deals professionally with our staff. We appreciate that they seek our feedback.
Diane D.
From: Tucson, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Tucson
I would like to say that SYNERGY HomeCare is the best! The reason I can say that is because I know. I have been in Tucson all my life and worked with many companies but never worked with such nice professional people. They are what quality is about. I work for a medicare certified home health company so when I call for private duty coverage on Friday afternoon at 3:30pm, SYNERGY HomeCare has been there in no time flat to assist in a seamless discharge to get the patient home safely, and has always given high quality care to all of their clients. I never question their ability to provide the best possible fit for the client to caregiver. I personally utilized their services in the past, when I injured my knee, to have them tidy my house. They sent a very nice young lady that did a great job. She was in nursing school. I would tell anyone looking for a non-medical company to call them for professional quality care in a loving way.
Bonnie K.
From: Tucson, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Tucson
I have been working with SYNERGY HomeCare here in Tucson, Arizona for the past 1 1/2 years. They are my preferred agency for caregivers and I have sent them numerous referrals. Clients have been well cared for and have all been 100% satisfied with their caregivers and the services from SYNERGY HomeCare. They take a personal interest in every client and go above and beyond in so many ways. I can't count the number of times I've called to request 24 hour caregivers and they have been so responsive and able to fill within a few hours. This service is so vital to those who wish to remain in their own homes and have no family or caregivers and can no longer be safe home alone, or can no longer take care of themselves at home. They are extremely professional and treat all their clients with the utmost respect (even those who are not so easy to work with at times due to high intensity situations). They are willing to work individually with patients and family and meet their particular needs. I would not be able to serve my patients as effectively without them and their great work!
Marcia O.
From: New York, NY
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Tucson
I want to thank the staff at SYNERGY HomeCare for the amazing job they have done taking care of not only my Mother, by my Dad, and my 6 brothers and sisters. First, Lori came in at 2 am to help a personal care giver the first night on duty because my mother was very ill and unstable. In July and August, the monsoon season in Tucson, Arizona has been horrendous. Lori dropped by to check up on our family when the electricity was out and when the flood waters were up to the door. Lori stayed until a relief person arrived and everything was under control. Debbie, along with Lori, literally saved our Mother's life the first night on the job. Both Debbie and Crystal, are sharp, caring and gentle with our 90 year old mother and 86 year old Dad while managing the many different personalities in our large family. I feel very comfortable living in New York City while SYNERGY HomeCare provides the care in Tucson. Thank you for providing such comfort to our family during this very difficult time.
Joan D.
From: Tucson, AZ
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare of Tucson
Professional, skilled, and reliable are three words that best describe the staff of SYNERGY HomeCare. I am always impressed with the professionalism and client knowledge of all their staff. Ongoing training and competency testing assure their clients of skilled members to meet their needs. But most importantly, the reliability. Without being reliable, all the skills and professionalism would be worthless! This is the number one reason I always choose to refer clients to SYNERGY HomeCare. I highly recommend Synergy HomeCare to meet the needs of the clients without the stress that might otherwise be involved.
From: Long Beach, CA
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare Long Beach
I am very grateful to SYNERGY HomeCare for the home care services provided. My dad was able to improve his quality of life immensely, thanks to the caregivers you provided. Thank you for providing excellent home care for my dad. I highly recommend SYNERGY HomeCare for quality caregivers, personal attention and support. Sincerely, Nancy
From: Los Alamitos, CA
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare Long Beach
Dear Brett, We employed Bernadette full time as a caregiver for a few brief weeks in August. During this time, Bernadette's home making care was excellent and performed in such a way as to almost go unnoticed. She anticipated our requirments before we were aware of the need. Her personal/attendant care was invaluable as we struggled to keep medication schedules on track during hospice shift changes, all while family and friends were arriving and departing at a frantic pace. Her care and worry for my wife's comfort were self-evident. Her kind, supporting and encouraging words were shared appropriately and very much appreciated. Bernadette was thoughtful, friendly, and welcoming, yet remained professional at all times. She helped our family through this most difficult time, and for that we are most grateful.
From: Long Beach, CA
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare Long Beach
To Everyone at SYNERGY, Thank you for your help and kindness. The staff and caregivers at SYNERGY were wonderful to my mom and me during a very rough time. Rasheedah our caregiver was amazing and mom just loved her! I'll always remember your support and thoughtfulness. Mary
From: Long Beach, CA
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare Long Beach
Recently a long time client needed to change her full time caregiver. After interviewing several companies,we elected to retain Synergy HomeCare. The company has been professional, caring and dependable. Synergy has made recommendations and improvments in the home to reduce safety concerns and they have taken the time to find out what makes my client happy. They provide and participate with her in daily activities, including exercise, trips to the library or pet store, and walks on the pier all of what she enjoys. I would recommend Synergy HomeCare to persons who are looking to retain caregivers. They are given national background checks and are bonded against theft. The communication and follow up from their office has been excellent to insure the clients best interests are being met.
From: Norwalk, CA
Care Provided By: Synergy HomeCare Long Beach
My deepest gratitude for your loving care and support. The Lord provided the best caregivers I could have hoped for Thank you for being there for both of us. God Bless you, Diane.


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Wednesday, January 11, 2012
This Week on Hello Giggles: On Making New Girlfriends
Today I'm over on Hello Giggles discussing making new girlfriends as an adult. I've shared some tips too! Head on over and let me know what you think. xo
27 comments:
Great Post!! Loved it.. even though I am not quite an adult (Im 16)ReplyDelete
A lot of what you wrote applies to any relationship :)
You are an amazing writer but im sure you know that already know that and hear it all the time :)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 11, 2012 at 9:27 AM
This is an article I needed to read. After 16 years in a relationship which is ending I find myself pretty alone and empty and I'm only 29!!! I forgot what it was like to want and to need your "girls" around you. I just had this discussion with my sister on how the h*ll do people meet one another just on a friend level... Thank you!ReplyDelete
Making new girl friends as an adult is so tricky, especially for us introverts. So much emphasis seems to get placed on meeting a man to love...but, what about meeting a woman to hang out with!? Great post, thanks for sharing!ReplyDelete
Thank you for the great read! You have inspired me in many ways, including starting a blog. Come by and check it out!ReplyDelete
A couple years ago, one of my best friends and I had a falling out and haven't really recovered since. Most of my girlfriends live pretty far away, so I don't get much girl time during the week. And I definitely miss it. I think your advice about saying "Yes" is great. I definitely find myself saying no way too often, which is just inhibiting the possibility of meeting new friends. Maybe that should be my new years resolution.....say yes more often!ReplyDelete
Thanks for the great article!
Great tips over there! I really need to heed to this advice, I'm new to the town I live in by a year and have yet to meet new girlfriends. THanks for sharing! :) -LoReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 11, 2012 at 10:05 AM
Great post Danielle! I cannot wait for a little blogger lunch meet up in london that is on the cards for March. It'll be nice to finally really meet some of these ladies!ReplyDelete
loved this post! i need to get out there and meet new lady friends who will bring me healthy, fun friendships. last year i lost a best friend because she became too much drama and i find myself solo a lot more often now. i still have lovely girlfriends but they dont always have time with new babies, moving far away etc. ill try some of these tips!ReplyDelete
could you ladies be any cuter or more sylish!! Awesome dresses!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 11, 2012 at 12:35 PM
Great post. Making friends as an adult is difficult. I'll try some of these tips & maybe branch out a little. Thank you.ReplyDelete
def loving that post!!ReplyDelete
can never meet too many girlfriends!!
- AnonymousJanuary 11, 2012 at 1:35 PM
Thanks for posting this! I've been wondering the same thing. How can adults make new friends? It's hard and... how do you keep the friendship alive?ReplyDelete
so true...but also as a mom i somehow lost the way to converse over something other then what the kids are up to... i dont even know what new music or tv show are out if its not yo gabba gabba or the clone wars cartoon. im a bore...need to make new friends :( will try ur advice...but how do i make internet friends?? i also have a family (big surprise) blog and would love to reach out to other twin mamas!ReplyDelete
Great post! You're right it can be incredibly difficult to make new friends as an adult. And then some how we are all so busy in our personal lives too that at some point you almost forget what you old friends look like!ReplyDelete
I second someone else's comment about how hard this is to do in a small country town. I wish for a book club or something to join, especially as I approach having my first baby, I know a lot of work 'friends' will naturally fall away. Online friends it is then!ReplyDelete
I loved the post, thanks for so much for sharing!ReplyDelete
So glad we met...through the internet! (gasp) my awesome friend! xxooReplyDelete
I definitely try and keep in mind being more of a 'yes' person.ReplyDelete
It's so easy for me to be a 'no' person. Especially when it's so easy to stay home and cuddle up on the couch with the hubs.
However, it is nice to get out with the girls once in awhile and get some space between myself and the man I love, it's good for us. Let us miss each other a little!
You never know how much of a good time you'll have if you always say no!
I also fall into the small town/limited options group. But all of these comments got me thinking... If we are all waiting for that hip book club or yoga group to come along, we'll never get anywhere. Someone has to be the first to start it up! I am going to try to summon the courage to start a group in my town for young women to meet and be social. If not me, then who?!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 11, 2012 at 10:56 PM
Great post and tips :) I think it's always good to be yourself while making new friends, especially girls.ReplyDelete
I really appreciate this article. I shared it on my Facebook too, and all the ladies were going LIKE, LIKE, LIKE! Making new friends is definitely tricky - mostly awkward. But in the end, I think many people are flattered that someone is willing to put themselves out there in order to get to know them, and the awkward introductions fade away.ReplyDelete
you ladies look lovely! heading over to read now ;)ReplyDelete
I loved this post on Hello Giggles. I'm a recent college grad who will probably be moving out of state with my husband within the next year, so I'll be harnessing some of this advice soon most likely!ReplyDelete
Good post! It IS so much harder to make friends after college, but it's worth the extra effort!ReplyDelete
4. Say Yes is definitely a good point. I often talk myself out of situations outside my comfort zone. I've lived in my new city for years without making many girl-friends... I'm definitely the homebody, knitty, non-partier, who listens to Marilyn Manson and abhors most pop-culture. (I'm much more fun than I sound!) The superficial girls in the dorms with their teeny-bopper bands and drunken-emotion fests weren't quite my crowd. BUT-- I did go with my friend to a rock- show. I almost said no. If I had, I would never have met my boyfriend- we've been together for a year! Best thing I ever said yes to!ReplyDelete
hahaha i love this. and i feel like i could totally learn from this.ReplyDelete
you know the movie "i love you man"? that's pretty much how i describe my life. i have one extremely close, pretty much a sister sort of friend that i've known for 17 years.. but we live in different cities now :( other than her, i feel like i'm always on the search for another friend that is closer! this is actually what got me interested in blogging to begin with!


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I haven't done a links post in so long I think people have aged since then. Sorry, but all you yearbook teachers out there understand – this is the crazy season. Lots of deadlines from now until we finish. The walking dead are yearbook teachers without enough coffee – real zombies. So here are some links…
1 – This one is super cool, data – journalism – education – interactive all rolled into one. The interactive map of ROI on education. Just check it out, my school district was actually lime green.
2 – The terrific Bob Kaplitz blog has a graphic with the four levels of story-telling. Very useful, I'm going to share it with my broadcast journalism kids. Maybe we can move past level 2.
3 – Here's a sad graphic. Educators one of the five worst paid jobs with a degree.
4 – The Daily Grind has a response from the trenches to President Obama's remarks in the SOTU about education. Worth reading.
5 – This is funny, and yet true in its own way. Follows the baffle 'em with BS theory.
6 – Some of us are old enough to remember black screens with green letters and punch cards. Our smart phones and iPads are nearly proof that we live in the future. Ars Technica has a lengthy, but good article about the evolution of computer screens.
7 – Thanks to PetaPixel – this is really cool. They found someone who still shoots old fashioned Ambrosetypes (similar to Daguerrotypes).
8 – This could be my student's motto: From Overheard in the Newsroom.
9 – OK, I've never heard of useit.com before, but I've heard of nearly all the ideas in this article before. They just packaged it all together in one spot. They restate what I've heard of people who read on the web and what is known about scanning. This is why journalists must get back to basics on the inverted pyramid and headline writing.
10 – This is great!
11 – Thanks to Bellringers for a series of professional development sessions we'd all really love to see.
12 – We have to stop forcing boys (and some girls) into the box of the "good student." I learned so much from my own son and two former students from my broadcast journalism class. All of these students are the get up and go kind of people. They can't stand to be sitting down – unless they are playing a video game, musical instrument, etc. They have to be active. We can't keep forcing passive learning on them.
13 – I still think this kind of photo-retouching is wrong. People used to smoke – everyone knows that. I don't think Churchill will make a kid want to take up the cigar.
14 – My students do this all the time…
15 – These kids from Quebec have no idea what a record player is for, or an 8-track. How long until iPods are obsolete?
16 – Maybe if more journalists acted like this, there'd be more readers/viewers/visitors – see Overheard in the Newsroom.
I think I may post again tomorrow. Getting sleepy – still got lots of links in the hopper.


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My name is Chien, I'm from Vietnam. I'm looking for books to homeschool myself. I want to learn in a country like the US but I don't have money to buy books now.Could you please share me some books you have? I need books from grade 1 to grade 12 in all subjects. Please help me!
Thank you in advance.
Do you have electronic books for homeschooling?
Having problems figuring out where to start? Let other homeschoolers offer you some advice!
Moderators: Theodore, elliemaejune
4 posts • Page 1 of 1
It's going to be hard to find a curriculum that's free and online. If you're willing to take the time, you might try looking up descriptions of what is tested at each grade level and then just Google the topics. You can probably get books on math and science and maybe history from your library (is Vietnam restrictive like China?), and there are a variety of writing discussion groups online if you want to learn how to write better. Reading a lot of books is the best way to learn reading, spelling, language arts, etc., and you can get all the classics for free in a variety of languages if you search for them.
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steveplant wrote:So I was thinking I'd try R.A. Lafferty next, whom I have also never heard of. Any suggestions?
steveplant wrote:On the other hand, I tried two R.A. Lafferty books, Arrive at Easterwine and The Devil is Dead. Got about 50 pages into each before realizing that I just didn't get it, and wasn't enjoying either. So who do I try next, Cordwainer Smith? Or?
Lafferty is never "realistic." However ordinary his settings may seem when first we start one of his tales, we must remember that for a certainty they are surreal fantasies in the truest sense of those words. I think the most apt analogy for Lafferty's works is animated cartoons. Things in Lafferty tales happen at the breathless, breakneck pace--and with the madcap ad hoc paralogic--of a Bugs Bunny cartoon. We believe none of it because we are never for a second expected to believe any of it, any more than we are expected to "believe" what happens to Bugs and Elmer; we do not participate to behold "slices of life" but to behold madcap exaggerations and distortions of it. The single worst error a reader new to Lafferty can make is to think that a world Lafferty introduces in apparently ordinary science-fiction terms actually is (even by science-fiction standards) ordinary.
That brings us to the next key a reader needs to unlock Lafferty's code: Lafferty is a devout, conservative Roman Catholic, and his strongly held beliefs pervade and indeed power all his major works. Moreover, while Lafferty's encyclopedic knowledge of Catholic lore (and lore in general, for that matter) is spread throughout his tales, those tales invariably focus on what Lafferty clearly sees as the central malady of our time: the collapse of values--a problem that goes beyond any one particular religion or even philosophy, and so gives a powerful vitality and universality to Lafferty's curiously coded visions.
Lafferty's plots, his settings, his characterizations are as bizarrely jumbled as his language. The tale you are reading is never the tale he is telling. (The more I reflect on Lafferty, the more significant that statement seems.)
In a Lafferty tale--a Lafferty hyperparable--the plot, the settings, the characters are a swirling snowstorm of symbology, sometimes naively plain and sometimes hauled up from deep in the Jungian racial memory or the collective unconscious (Lafferty disdains such notions but is nevertheless fluent in both their formal terminology and their actual content). To shift metaphor, Lafferty fires these symbols at us like a manic machine-gunner; they interweave, they burn the air; they hit their targets, they miss wildly; but the gunner keeps his finger locked to the trigger. It is hard to read a sentence of Lafferty, impossible to read a paragraph, without being hit by one or more symbolic names or acts, sometimes large, sometimes small.
Understand that while Lafferty's works are woven almost wholly of symbol-thread, they are not allegories. In allegory, the tale you are reading is comprehensible, a simplified playing out of the tale the author wants to tell. Lafferty is telling the tales he wants to tell in a waving of symbols akin to the frantic waving of arms of a mute pregnant with vital news. Lafferty waves, he dances, he plays intellectual charades with us; but he does not deal in allegory.
To close the circle: Lafferty's core message is invariable--the good must resist the mindbreakers, must not yield to the pleasures of mindless pleasure, must do what is often hard and painful.
vancian wrote:Jeroen
I don't know if you have got around to reading the 4th and 5th of the Demon Princes books, but it is worth noting the large gap between publication dates. The first 3 came out in the mid 60's and the last 2 in 1979 and 81.
Seems likely that Jack was dissatisfied and took that long to work out where he was taking it - personally I think they are the best 2 - the wait was worth it.
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text:
Average retail gasoline prices in New Hampshire have not moved in the past week, averaging $3.40 per gallon Sunday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 875 gas outlets in New Hampshire.
In Maine, average prices have risen 0.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.54 per gallon Sunday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 1,228 gas outlets in Maine.
Locally prices were seen around $3.35.9 per gallon.
This compares with the national average that fell 0.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.26 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.
Including the change in gas prices in New Hampshire during the past week, prices Sunday were 3.5 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 4.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. Gas prices in Maine during the past week were 5.4 cents per gallon higher Sunday than the same day one year ago and are 4.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.
The national average has decreased 1.4 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 8.7 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.
"The holiday buzz is wearing off and wholesale gasoline prices have fizzled. It appears that this year there will be little change in gas prices between Christmas and mid-January, something that has only happened one out of the last seven years," said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan. "Gasoline inventories have rebounded sharply in the past several weeks, certainly a major factor behind the relatively stable gasoline prices. It's hard for prices to rally with the monster increases in supply we've been seeing," DeHaan said.


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WTF Of The Week: Man Gets Caught On Camera Trying To Sniff A Guy's Butt! (Cops Are Now After The Bum Sniffer)
"COPS are hunting a pervert who smelt a supermarket worker's BUM at least 20 times" - Sun Shout out to Nadim for the tip
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Sign up now for new ISS Education Kit
Starting in the autumn ESA will distribute the new International Space Station Education Kit for pupils aged 12-15. Teachers, you can sign up now for a free copy and be in with the chance of hosting a launch event for the kit at your school!
Developed with input from teachers, piloted in early 2003 and improved as a result of feedback, the new ISS Education Kit is currently in production. 40 000 copies will be printed in no less than 11 languages and distributed to interested teachers in all 15 ESA Member States* later this year. The kit is aimed at teachers of secondary school pupils aged 12-15 years old ( International Standard Classification for Education - level 2).
Launch event at your school
Kits will be rolled out at launch events across Europe during the latter part of this year. ESA's astronauts will play a leading role in promoting the kits, starting with Pedro Duque's tour of Spain after his Soyuz flight to ISS in October.
If you would like your school to be considered for a launch event - with the possibility of having an astronaut present - sign up for a kit and tell us why you would like us to choose your school.
Contents of the kit
Five chapters explain various aspects of ISS, including what it is, how it is being built, what it is like to live and work on board, and what future voyages will be like. There are also related inter-disciplinary exercises, a teacher's guide, a glossary and colour overhead transparencies.
Modules can be taught in the classroom, used to facilitate group exercises, given as homework, or copied and distributed to each pupil.
To get your copy
If you are a teacher at a school in one of the 15 ESA Member States*, and you teach pupils aged 12-15, you can receive a copy of the kit. Please complete the ISS Education Kit request form.
Don't forget to tell us if you would like your school to be considered for a launch event! - contact us via email at email@example.com
The ISS Education Kit is also available as a download in pdf format, click here for the downloads page »»
* ESA Member States are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.


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In early May, Virginia landed Alabama transfer Phillip Sims. The offshoot of that? The move apparently cost the Hoos their most experienced quarterback.
Douglas Doughty of the Roanoke Times is reporting that Michael Rocco has asked for and been granted a release from his UVa scholarship. Rocco reportedly met with head coach Mike London Friday and the decision to part ways was described as amicable.
As Rocco is a true junior and yet to use his redshirt, he'd be able to transfer to an FBS program and, after redshirting during a transfer season in 2013, would have one final year of eligibility in 2014.
The school has yet to address Rocco's status for 2013.
Rocco started eight games this season, with Sims starting the other four. He started a total of 21 games the past two seasons and will end his Cavaliers career as a top-ten passer in a handful of statistical categories.
While Rocco started more games than Sims, the quarterbacking duo each played in all 12 games as UVa's coaching staff rotated the players on a weekly basis, sometimes series-by-series, for the latter half of the season.


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Rings wrote:It's been driven into our heads from Twilight (heck, the movie repeats this fact twice in rapid succession, if I recall)
Ah, well, there you have it. The movie. 'Nuff said (*grin*).
What can I say? I don't think it's driven into our heads by the novel of Twilight. In fact...if you think back, it barely impinges on Bella's consciousness (which is pretty threadlike at the time).
I suppose it's inevitable that the TW of the moviegoer will be different from that of someone who only read the books. Movies are a separate form of storytelling from books -- they have to be. If anything, the wonder is that the filmmakers have adhered so closely to the text that there could be any question of our discussing the Twilight of the films and the Twilight of the books as if they were the same story!


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Between 2000 and 2010, the United States population ages 65 and over grew more than 15%. And by 2030, 70 million Americans (about one out of five) will be over age 65.[1]
Today's seniors are aging differently.
Remember Grandma? When she was fifty, was she considered vibrant, active, and maybe even kinda hot? If your grandmother was anything like my own, the answer is a very definite "No!". (Sorry Grandma.) Grandma was a terrific cook, a fascinating conversationalist, and a mean gin rummy competitor. But at fifty, she was overweight, out of shape, and didn't expect to win any beauty contests.
Compare that with today's Baby Boomers, who at ages 49+ command respect in all areas of life. They expect to age gracefully: to live well, feel good and to remain active and attractive.
But is that expectation realistic? At Live 2 B Healthy® Senior Fitness, we think so.
By offering fitness classes on-site at co-ops, assisted living communities, skilled nursing residences and even memory care housing, Live 2 B Healthy® Senior Fitness supports a healthy lifestyle at every age.
"Older adults lose, on average, 30% of their muscle mass between ages 50 and 80." – University of Potsdam study, 2011
"It's an exciting time to be in the senior fitness industry," enthuses Live 2 B Healthy® president and CEO Cory Czepa. "Seniors expect to live longer and better. And the results we see show that it's entirely possible."
Czepa refers to the Minnesota-based company's individual fitness tests, conducted three times each year. Test results with elderly fitness class participants, ranging from ages 68 to 105 show remarkable improvements in balance, strength and flexibility. Some individuals have shown over 200% improvement in as little as four months.
And fortunately for seniors, the company is thriving as well. Founded in 2008, the company now has a number franchise owners operating in California, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota, and is on the path to becoming a national name.
"I wish my parents had had access to this program, and so it's our commitment to seniors that Live 2 B Healthy® Senior Fitness will be available in every state by 2017," comments John Meyers, director of operations.
Meanwhile, the company's web site (www.live2bhealthy.com) offers seniors and their families tips and research on healthy aging. And franchise regions are available in many states.
For more information about the company, please visit www.live2bhealthy.com, or contact George Masmanides at firstname.lastname@example.com.
[1] United States Census Data


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Burned up: Wolf can't work <I>sans</I> caps
Ron Martin Appliance has been through some turbulent times, beginning with the death of founder Ron in 2003, followed by the growing– or, rather, the shrinking– pains that ensued after his son, Logan, took over. This summer the company, at the intersection of Woodbrook Drive and 29 North, vacated its formerly spacious showroom and moved upstairs; customers now get to the store by way of a small foyer and elevator sandwiched between Hauser Homes and Bassett Furniture.
I wrote about the company just as it was settling into its new digs ["Chaos Theory," July 14]. Two readers had contacted me with accounts of broken promises and elusive refunds– but when I met with Martin on July 8, he assured me the business had finally hit bottom and was on its way up.
Maureen Tanner might disagree. Tanner and her husband bought a $4,500 Wolf gas range on May 7 and were given a delivery date for the next week. The day came and went, Tanner alleges, with no notice from the store that delivery would have to be rescheduled. When she called the salesman, George Maris, Tanner claims, he said the range was missing burner caps (which are necessary for use) and wouldn't be delivered until they arrived.
The stove arrived about two and a half weeks later– minus burner caps. According to Tanner, the deliverymen said someone from Ron Martin would call when they arrived. When no one called, Tanner and her husband went to the store on July 7– where, she claims, Maris told them the burner caps had not been ordered. It would take about two weeks, he allegedly said, for them to arrive.
On September 3, when the burner caps still hadn't materialized, Tanner sent the store a certified letter in which she asked that the stove be removed and their money refunded. Maris called Tanner's husband on September 7 and, by Tanner's account, said that "He could pull the burner caps off another stove, and we could either pick these up or have them delivered."
Tanner picked up the burner caps on September 16– and, finally, four months after paying Ron Martin $4,500 for it, the stove worked. "If they could obtain the burner caps at any time," Tanner wonders, "why was it not done before the stove was delivered?"
Tanner's saga isn't over yet, however; she's still waiting for a refund on a Wolf accessory she ordered on July 7 but never received. According to Tanner, Maris initiated a credit refund when she went to the store on September 16, which the credit-card company told her would take about two weeks.
When I spoke with Logan Martin, he began by saying, "We have people calling upset all the time," which he ascribed to high sales volume. Since Maris was out sick, he agreed to research the situation and call back, which he did in short order.
"This is inexcusable," he admitted, and added, "I can't defend the company on this one." Instead, he declared, he would call Tanner to apologize– then make sure the refund makes its way to her credit card.
Rugs redux
"My father owns T.S. Eways Oriental Rugs on the downtown mall," Khoury Salem Eways emailed me to say, "and has been known for years as an honorable businessman with ties in the community. He is by very nature a man of principle and stands by his work."
The catalyst for Eways' impassioned email was his recent discovery of a column I wrote about his uncle Munir's now-defunct Eways Carpet One on 29 North ["Missing Rugs," April 22, 2004], which left many disgruntled customers when it suddenly closed. Eways fils was concerned that readers might confuse the father with the uncle, and I'm glad to clarify that the two businesses– unlike the two owners– were never related.
Do you have a consumer problem or question? Email the Fearless Consumer or write her at Box 4553, Charlottesville 22905.


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Races will begin on September 10th and run through October 29th. So, come on down, bring your family and friends (sorry dogs prohibited) and be prepared for some hills, spills, thrills and chills.
For many Anchorage families, the Bonny Sosa Tuesday Night Race Series is a fall family tradition. These fun runs are like no other in Anchorage. Come rain, snow, sleet, hail or wind, weather permitting these races are rarely cancelled. Whether you are a competitive runner or just want to get out and see a new trail or meet new friends, this is the event for you. Three separate race courses are set each week at a different location around town. Local runners often volunteer as guest course setters and some have gained a reputation of setting unique routes. While the Munchkin and Farm Leagues usually stay on heavily used trails, the Lightning League is a different story. Lightning courses have been known to follow narrow game trails, cross streams, and slog through swamps. The race course will be revealed to no one until just prior to the start.
In 2008, after the death of Bonny Sosa, long time fitness advocate and founder/director of Healthy Futures, the race series was dedicated to her and her name became part of the Tuesday Night Races. With her 'can do' attitude, positive energy and passion for life, Bonny was a front runner and activist in the community, and a friend to all that had the privilege to know her.
Register On-line at www.muni.org/Active On-line registration closes at 6p on the day of the event.
You can also register in person at Kincaid Outdoor Center, Lidia Selkregg Chalet, Fairview Community Recreation Center, or Spenard Community Recreation Center.
NOTE: The finish line will be removed at 8:15p. Please keep that in mind when choosing a race course.
Pre-registered racers and season pass holders check in at the tables before each race to be eligible for the weekly shoe and prize drawing!
NOTE: Locations are subject to change because of future unforeseen circumstances. We will make every effort to keep everyone informed should that happen. Check the website and Facebook for updates.
We encourage you to become a season pass holder. Help us to keep this very popular community fun run alive and healthy - become a Season Pass Holder. The purchase of a season pass is available on-line. You can also purchase a season pass at Kincaid Outdoor Center, Selkregg Chalet, Fairview Community Recreation Center, or Spenard Community Recreation Center.
*Family Pass includes immediate family members only (Two adults and three youth totaling 5 people).
**Parents/adults escorting their children in the race are expected to pay the entry fee.
Join us for the final race and awards celebration! October 30th, immediately following the race, inside the warm Kincaid Outdoor Center, awards are given out while you're dining on pizza & dessert. Awards are based on the number of points the top runners get each race and awards are given for all categories. You must be present to win. This is a dessert potluck; bring your favorite dessert, pizza will be provided. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
Click image to see race results.


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Rhode Island Professor Arrives as ACE Fellow
POSTED ON: September 21, 2012
Sheri Wills, a fellow of the American Council on Education (ACE), is spending her fellowship year working with President Jamshed Bharucha at The Cooper Union. Part of a program that prepares academicians to be leaders in higher education administration, Wills is a professor of art and art history at the University of Rhode Island.
"With everything that is going on in higher education, I want to play a role in the solutions that are being offered," said Wills. "Higher education is undergoing the greatest changes since the passage of the G.I. bill in World War 2," she said, noting the challenges of available financial aid and the increasing costs of higher education. "How can we take the things that are really valuable and carry them into the future?"
A native of the Bay Area, Wills has lived in Greenwich Village for the last five years, preferring to commute to Rhode Island. "My parents are originally from New York City" said Wills. "My brother and I made it our life plan to work our way back here. I'm an artist and having a rich cultural life is really important to me."
Of her decision to ask to spend her fellowship year at The Cooper Union, Wills said, "I was interested in going somewhere that has a strong arts school and is undergoing change." "Having the opportunity to work with Jamshed Barucha and his team is a great experience. I am here as somebody from the outside so I have the opportunity to have a slight remove from what is going on and I think that is valuable for everybody."


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If we ever get up early on Sunday, our favorite place to go for some breakfast is the Dededo Flea Market. Vendors set up shop early in the morning to sell their fresh produce, fish, hot food, clothes, souvenirs and lots of other things. I love the smoothies, sticky rice balls, BBQ chicken, and looking at all the plants. Over the last couple of years it has grown a lot. More and more people have utilized the space to sell their own belongings, so it's a great place to go to find a good deal on second hand items.
One weekend Peter and I also decided to sell some of our things at the market. We got up early on a Sunday morning, before sunrise, and headed up to Dededo. All of the spaces in the main area were already taken by people who sell every weekend. We stopped at the entrance where the lady took our $8 and guided us to one of the open parking spaces to the right. As we parked, glancing in our rearview mirror, we could see a crowd gathering. I thought maybe they were going to tell us not to park there, but when we hopped out of the truck they pulled out their flashlights and started looking at our things packed into the truck. Suddenly, in a frenzy, people started pulling things out and asking to buy them. It was crazy! An hour later, we were left with about one box and had made more money than we thought. We stayed for a few more hours to sell what was left. At 9am, we were hungry and had almost nothing left so we packed it up and left.
Perhaps our success was due to the payday weekend or maybe because we were newbies, whatever the reason, it was a good experience and a lot of fun!


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B.J. Hoeptner Evans, Manager, Communications, Phone: (719) 228-6800, E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
USAV Facebook - @USA_Volleyball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 14, 2013) – The U.S. preliminary roster for the Men's Pan American Cup volleyball tournament includes a mixture of veterans and newcomers.
| Taylor Sander looks to get the ball over the block of Brazil
during the 2012 Pan American Cup
The seven-team Pan American Cup tournament will be played Aug. 19-25 at the Juan de la Barrera Gymnasium in Mexico City. Twelve U.S. players will be selected from the preliminary roster to compete.
The U.S. roster includes one Olympian, Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.), the backup setter for the 2012 men's team in London.
Five players on the 2013 preliminary roster return from the 2012 team that won the gold medal at the Pan American Cup: outside hitter Taylor Sander (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who was named the most valuable player of the 2012 Pan Am Cup, outside hitter Garrett Muagututia (Oceanside, Calif.), setter Ryan Ammerman (Denver, Colo.) and middle blockers Dan McDonnell (Glendale, Ariz.) and Dylan Davis (Corona Del Mar, Calif.).
Five players on the preliminary roster played on the 2011 Pan Am Cup Team that took silver: Muagututia and Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) at outside hitter, opposite/outside hitters Jeff Menzel (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Will Price (Laytonsville, Md.) and middle blocker Andy Hein (Carol Stream, Ill.).
Shawn Patchell, who coached the 2012 Pan American Cup team and is currently the men's head coach at Concordia University, will again serve as head coach assisted by coach Allan Vince, the men's head coach at Cal Baptist, and technical coordinator Nick MacRae of Long Beach State.
At the 2013 Pan American Cup, Argentina, Brazil and Puerto Rico will compete in Pool A, while Mexico, the United States, Dominican Republic as well as Trinidad and Tobago will be part of Pool B.
The highest ranked participating National Team in the final results of the competition, not already qualified to the FIVB World League 2014, will qualify to the FIVB World League Qualification Tournament Challenge Event.
U.S. Men's Team Roster for Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Connor Olbright (S, 6-4, Orange, Calif., Long Beach State)
2 Jeff Menzel (OH, 6-6, Santa Barbara, Calif., UC Santa Barbara)
3 Garrett Muagututia (OH, 6-5, Oceanside, Calif., UCLA)
4 Josh Taylor (OH, 6-7, Honolulu, Hawaii, Pepperdine)
5 Ryan Jay Owens (OH, 6-6, Evanston, Ill., Orange Coast College)
6 Joe Sunder (OH, 6-7, Greensburg, Pa., Penn State)
7 Taylor Hughes (Opp, 6-7, Fallbrook, Calif., Pacific)
8 Michael Brinkley (L, 5-10, Huntington Beach, Calif., UC Irvine)
9 Dan McDonnell (MB, 6-6, Glendale, Ariz., UC Irvine)
10 Andy Hein (MB, 6-11, Carol Stream, Ill., Pepperdine)
11 Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine)
12 Will Price (Opp, 6-5, 207, Laytonsville, Md., Penn State)
13 Alfee Reft (L, 5-10, Oxnard, Calif., Hawaii)
14 Ryan Ammerman (S, 6-8, Parker, Colo., UC Irvine)
15 Shawn Sangrey (Opp, 6-5, Columbia, Pa., Ohio State)
16 Jayson Jablonsky (OH, 6-5, Yorba Linda, Calif., UC Irvine)
17 Jacek Ratajczak (MB, 7-2, Warsaw, Poland, Cal State Northridge)
18 Russ Lavaja (MB, 6-7, St. Charles, Ill., BYU)
19 Taylor Sander (OH, 6-4, Huntington Beach, Calif., BYU)
20 Dylan Davis (MB, 6-9, Corona Del Mar, Calif., UC Santa Barbara)
21 Chris Austin (S, 6-3, Henderson, Nev., UC Irvine)
Head Coach: Shawn Patchell (Concordia University)
Assistant Coach: Allan Vince (Cal Baptist University)
Team Manager/Technical Coordinator: Nick MacRae (Long Beach State)
Physiotherapist: Jamie Rodgers


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With two incidents of reckless driving in eight months, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig will apparently not drive any cars for the near future. Since Puig still has places to go, his cousin will be his hired chauffeur.
After Puig was arrested in December for reportedly driving 110 miles per hour on I-75, he met with Dodgers president Stan Kasten, telling Kasten that his cousin will transport him around for now so he doesn't get into any more legal trouble. The team doesn't want their young star getting fast and furious during the season and possibly missing games.
It may suck for the 23-year-old to have a constant chaperone, but his cousin, on the other hand, has such an easy gig. Drive Yasiel Puig around in his nice car(s) while being paid for it? Sounds good.
[ABC News]
Photo: AP


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View More:
The series of monochrome paintings over which Frank splashes and pours varnish in varying degrees of thickness and viscosity have formed a significant strand of his practice in the 1990s. The formal character of the monochrome and its suggestion of the early twentieth century avant-garde and its various later incarnations is tempered by the thick layer of reflective varnish. Rather than sealing the surface and protecting the paint, the resin remains an active element of the work after it leaves the studio. Continuing to run and change as it slowly solidifies, it draws attention to the material nature of the painting.
This materiality is only one element of how Frank's work engages with the viewer. Drawn to the shiny, wet and even erotic surface of the works, we are reflected in them; caught in the moment of exchange between artist/work/audience that generates meaning. The attraction/repulsion of their gothic colouring and sticky visceral surfaces also tempers any easy reading as exercises in beauty or style, despite these elements also being important in Frank's practice.
Frank's titles add a further element to the engagement with his works. These paintings are entitled after the famous cosmologist Stephen Hawking. Hawking is renowned for his work on Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and the implication that space and time would have begun in the Big Bang and end in black holes. Hawking's writings on vast time and distances are also perhaps referred to in 'Stephen Hawking and the problem of size', as well as suggesting a slightly acerbic reference to Hawkings own diminutive height. While Frank's paintings are blue black in colour and one has a starry constellation of nodes in the varnish, too close an analogy should not be drawn. Frank himself has used quantum physics terms in describing his work as when he said "My work is not isolated to illusionistic practice or to material approach. It has always traversed all realities - creating if you like, a worm-hole across materials, approaches and possible meanings and content." (interview with Sue Cramer, Dale Frank: Ecstasy, MCA catalogue).
Media category
Materials used
synthetic polymer paint and varnish on canvas
200.0 x 260.0 cm
Rudy Komon Memorial Fund 2001
Accession number
© Dale Frank
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Exhibition history
Unpainting, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 16 Sep 2017–12 Aug 2018
Under the Stars, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 21 Mar 2020–2021
Referenced in 2 publications
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of New South Wales Annual Report 2002, 'Year in review', pg. 8-25, Sydney, 2002, 12.
Donna Brett, Contemporary: Art Gallery of New South Wales Contemporary Collection, 'Expression and the figure', pg.108-153, Sydney, 2006, 126 (colour illus.).


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Location: Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum
Because space for this event is limited, please limit your group number to 5 or fewer.
OWL PROWL / Saturday, March 7th / 6:00 - 8:30PM
6:00 - 7:00: Presentation of Birds of Prey - Raptor, Inc.
(This portion of the program is held inside the Norman Chapel)
7:00 - 7:30: Refreshment Break
7:30 - 8:30: Winter Prowl
(Outdoors, cars will caravan to location and prowl from there)
Raptor Incorporated (http://www.raptorinc.org/) will be here with an exciting presentation on the birds of prey that inhabit Spring Grove Cemetery. First, see them up close in the Norman Chapel (constructed in 1879) then prowl through the grounds to see and hear them in their natural habitat. Please dress accordingly if you will be participating in the outdoor portion of the program.
Registration is required. Registration will open on February 7, 2020 at NOON.
This event is free to the public but we are asking that you bring a donation for Raptor, Inc. Some items on their wish list include:
Paper Towels / HE Laundry Detergent / Latex Gloves (small or medium)
Dry Dog Food / Gas Cards
If you would like to receive monthly emails about Spring Grove Special Events, click here, to sign up.
200 Person Registration Limit |
0 Spots Remain Open
© 2012 The Spring Grove Family • 4521 Spring Grove Ave. • Cincinnati OH 45232 • 513.681.PLAN
Web Application Developmentby
Web Design Company352 Media Group.


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About 85% of people buying insurance through each state's health care marketplaces will get financial aid.
Unfortunately, that's left out of the Bangor Daily News's "Highlights of the Affordable Care Act," a piece which is part of what looks to be an excellent public service.
It's unfortunate because, as research shows, most people don't know about the financial aid.
They see stories about the cost of premiums but don't hear that, if they're buying from the insurance marketplace, it's very unlikely they will pay the full premium.
Financial aid — delivered through subsidies which the IRS can pay to insurance companies — is one way buying insurance through the marketplace is more affordable.
If people needing insurance don't know they can get aid to purchase it, they may just look at the premiums and think that's what they'll pay. For 85%, that's incorrect.
From how the Bangor Daily News series is described, it looks like this will be covered later. But I hope they'll add a clause on financial aid to the "Highlights."


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