text:
When to Go
- Getting Started
- Attendance
- Calendar of Events
- First Timer Primer
- Operating Hours &
Parade Times
- Refurbishments and
- US Holidays
- Weather
Where to Stay
Ticket Information
- Ticket FAQ
- Annual Passes
- Annual Pass
Breakeven Analysis
- Ticket Prices
- Finger Scans/
Ticket Tag
- WDW Ticket History
- Discounted Ground Transportation
- Disney's Minnie Van Service
- Disney Modes of Transportation
- Disney Skyliner
- Magical Express
- Parking Information
- Renting a Car
- Valet Parking
"Mini-mizing" Costs
- Annual Pass Discounts
- Discounts for WDW
- Finding Low Airfares
- Priceline "How To.."
- Tables in Wonderland
Magic Your Way
Helpful Hints
- Extra Magic Hour
- First Day Ideas
- Holiday Happenings
- Nighttime Fun
- Packing Ideas
- Rainy Day Ideas
- Summer Sun Survival
- Tips for Enjoying
Your Stay
- Touring Plans
- What to Tote Around
For Families
- Activities for
School-aged Kids
- Birthday Ideas: Kids
- Bringing Your
Child's Friend
- Child Care FAQ
- Expectant Mothers
- 5-11 Year Olds
- Infant and Toddler
- Teenager
- Preschooler Tips
- Stroller FAQ
For Guests without Children
For Travelers with Special Challenges
- General Information
- PassPorter's Open Mouse
Walt Disney World and
Disney Cruise Line
- Companion Restroom
Disorders (ASD) Dietary Needs
- Parks Counter Service
- Parks Table Service
- Strategies for
WDW Vegetarian
- Meet the Authors of Vegetarian WDW
- A Vegetarian at
Mickey's Table - I
- A Vegetarian at
Mickey's Table - II
Hearing Medical Needs
Mobility Motion Sensitivity
Service Animals
Size Concerns: Visual Impairments
For International Visitors
Florida Residents
Other Resources
Disney with Type 1 Diabetes
by the Dunlaps of BadShoe.com and their Type 1 Internet Friends
You are thinking about a trip to Walt Disney World. Good idea. If you are reading this section of AllEarsNet you are most likely thinking, "Hey Disney could be cool but I know how hard managing Type 1 diabetes can be, can I do both?"
You bet you can.
You can manage type 1 with knowledge.
You can manage a Disney vacation with knowledge.
It is ignorance that is dangerous.
The point of this little bit of cyberspace is to be a place to collect and share thoughts on successfully managing vacations at Disney World with Type 1 diabetes. We also hope it will be fun. Fun for those who read it and fun for those who contribute to it.
We are here for travel tips, not to give medical advice. Your endocrinologist can give the medical advice, we'll do the traveling. Please see the official disclaimer. (It's funny if nothing else.)
DisneyWithDiabetes is proud to join AllEars.Net. We don't expect you to read this front to back, not that you can't, but it is more of a reference tool, so feel free to use this handy table of contents to jump around.
of Contents
How to Send a Comment
Abbreviations and Definitions
Just a few links
About us
Carb Counts
Our Tips
The Accu-Chec MultiClix
Free Palm Pilot Carb and nutrition guide from USDA
Frio Coolers
Aid Stations in the Parks
If You Don't pack doubles
Fear of Flying
Put your Name on your Stuff
Call Mousekeeping for a Sharps Jar
Carry In Bag
You Can't Always Buy a Coke
Glucagon Pen
Cell Phones
Stupid Test Strip Tricks
Medic Alert Bracelets
Disconnect the Pump
Roller Coasters and Blood Glucose
Disney Cruise Line
Tips and Info from the Commune
Calorie King
Precision Xtra Ketone Meter
Children with Diabetes Conference at Disney
On the bookshelf
Help from AllEars.Net
More from the Dunlaps
Official Disclaimer
Your comments, tips and suggestions for successful Type 1 Disney vacations are welcome. We'll publish almost anything, particularly if it comes with a 20 dollar bill (wink wink) to put into the Vacation Fund. You can also send in stuff through the magic of AllEars.Net's "Contact Us" link, but I don't know how you get me the 20 bucks.
and Definitions
You probably know most of these but just in case:
A1C Hemoglobin A1C - a measure of your average blood glucose control for the past 2 to 3 months.
Basal - Insulin for basic metabolic functions, like breathing -- some folks think of it as background insulin.
Bolus - Insulin taken to cover the carbohydrates in food
BG - Blood Glucose
BS - BadShoe.com. No! Wait! Who said that? (The Dunlaps Fun Home Page)
Carb Counting - Counting the grams of carbohydrates in food eaten. A good way to know how much insulin you need to take.
Carb Factors - A means of calculating the amount of carbs you eat by weighing food and applying factors to that weight to calculate carbs. I hear it works great but it seems like a ton of work. Haven't tried it. YDMV
Dawn Phenomenon - An early morning rise on BG.
DWD - Disney With Diabetes
Endo - Your Endocrinologist
Exchange - A means of calculating food to insulin. Foods have exchange values based on relatively similar carbohydrate amount. I have enough trouble with carb counting. This is beyond me but it works for some folks and YDMV.
- Higher than normal blood glucose. You may need insulin. Symptoms vary.
Know yours.
Hypoglycemia - Lower than normal blood sugar. Get sugar into you now. Symptoms vary. Know yours.
Insulin On Board (IOB) - Insulin you have already taken by shot or pump that has yet to be metabolized.
NPH - I have no idea what it stands for but it is the cloudy, 8-12 hour time release insulin.
Pancreas - The thing that stopped making insulin.
T1, Type 1, Type 1 diabetes - is usually diagnosed in children and young adults but even some young at heart adults are diagnosed. It was previously known as Juvenile Diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stops producing insulin.
WDW - Walt Disney World.
YDMV - Your Diabetes May Vary so do what works for you with the advice of your endo because what works for you works for you and what works for other may not. The only constant with T1 is that stuff changes.
We are seeking a collective effort here with other Type 1 folks sharing their ideas, kind of a later day virtual hippie commune where we all put on tie dye and join in to raise a nice crop of tips for doing Disney with Type 1. About one person in 500 is Type 1 (unless it is our family, then it is 2 in 6.) T1 is stressful for everyone in each household it touches so Type 1 families can use a little fun now and then. To that end, I think we have a medical or at least mental heath need for Disney vacations! Call your Endo for an Rx and your travel agent for tickets!
Disney With Diabetes is going to be serious and silly about Type 1 and Disney. I believe in being serious without being solemn. I hope that doesn't offend. Those who confuse the two are in my experience not much fun at all and most likely to replace a grave demeanor for a thoughtful and caring approach to life.
Type 1 used to be called Juvenile Diabetes since the majority of diagnoses are made in younger people. Type 1 diagnosis isn't restricted to kids and while the majority of cases are diagnosed in younger people we have a good friend who was eligible for an AARP card when diagnosed. The goal of treatment is that the juvenile diabetic grows to become an AARP member with tightly controlled T1. Some non-juvenile T1 folks do not like to call what they have a juvenile condition so it is now called Type 1 Diabetes. Probably a bunch of delinquents.
There are other great resources on the Internet you can seek out to learn about Type 1. We will not try to duplicate their effort, rather this space will be about taking your diabetes to Disney World.
Diabetes Association on Type 1
American Diabetes Association Parents Web Board
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Children With Diabetes
Diabetes Medical News
About Insulin Pumps
We have a vested interest in this topic as we have multiple DVC contracts, multiple T1 kids and are very regular Disney World vacationers. Our first was diagnosed at the age of 11 in Nov. '03, a few weeks before a big Disney trip. The second was diagnosed at the ripe old age of 7, the first day of a Disney vacation a year later. We have a funny trip report about that. Since that first diagnosis we have been trying to reconcile how to do Disney and be Diabetic. The Dunlaps
Joel is a Special Food Needs Guy at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Joel is a very good guy. It took us two years and probably 5+ trips to find a good guy that could help with type 1 diabetes (and of the Disney dwarfs, we ain't Bashful).
His dad is on a pump so he has a little more empathy for what we go through than the average guy. He and his people can help some with carb counts info. Not a lot of help, yet, but some. Some is way better than none. Call Joel and ask for a Special Dietary Needs Form. You fill out the form and they maybe can get you some carb information.
Joel is at 407 560 4588.
Get the T1 diabetes on your Advance Reservations when you make a dining reservation.
The more of us who ask, the more Disney will get the idea that we are out here and need help in the form of carb counts to enjoy the Disney experience.
We are going to try keep a running list of Disney Food Carb Counts for anything we can get numbers on. Our family's focus is kids, as our diabetics are in fact kids. YDMV. So send in your varied Disney food carb counts. As you can see it is a short list so far but it is a start. What we have here we got from our Special Food Needs Form, sent to Joel's Disney food people in March '06:
Nuggets = 10 carbs 4 nuggets.
Chocolate Milk = 26 carbs for 8 oz
French Fries same almost all places, 3 oz = 20 carbs
Mac& Cheese (They say it is the same everywhere) = 40 carbs a cup.
Mickey Bar = 31
Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich = 36
Pizza Planet
Pizza = 56 carbs per serving and two servings per pie or 112 for the
whole thing. Disney says they have 30 or 40 different pizza crusts,
this was the one they could give me and it was the one I wanted too.
Pretzel breadstick in Canada = 17 per stick. (boy, are they good)
Deb Adds January 2007:
Frozen Banana - sold at snack carts in themeparks: 160 Cal, 8g Fat, 20g Carb, 2g Dietary Fiber, 15g Sugars, 0% Cholesterol, 0mg Sodium 3mg Protein
Carb Counts II
August 2007
We attended
the Children With Diabetes Friends For Life Conference at Disney's Coronado
Springs Resort In July '07. Every food, beverage, meal, snack and even
condiment served at the convention by Disney catering had a little placard
by it listing the nutrition information and serving size.
The US Surgeon General took the time in his talk on health literacy to comment on how useful and valuable this information is not only to diabetics but as part of the very health literacy every American should seek out.
Free Drinks have Carbs
Club Cool in Epcot serves a bunch of sodas in tiny cups. Seeing as we write DisneyWithDiabetes.com, we get asked, hey how many carbs are those things? Didn't have a clue, we figured it was like any generic soda and guessed at it. So I wrote the good people at Coke and this is what they said:
We show
nine Coca-Cola products available at Epcot. Below are the carbohydrate
Product / Carb amount (per 100ml 3.4 oz)
Beverly / 15g
Kinley Lemon / 13g
Krest Ginger Ale / 9g
Fanta Kolita / 14g
Lychee Mello / 15g
Lift Apple / 11g
Mezzo Mix / 11g
Smart Watermelon / 13g
Vegitabeta / 10g
That Vegitabeta stuff is brutal. If you can slug back 10 carbs worth you are tougher than nails and the USMC is looking for you.
Nutrition Information Books at Counter Service
We heard
a lot about these and with high expectations based on typical Disney
execution were anxious to see how they help address the dietary need
for type 1 diabetics to count carbohydrates. They don't.
You typical McDonald's does a better job of making dietary information available than Disney does with any of the nutrition notebooks we saw. I asked for them at a lot of different counter service places. About half the people asked had no idea what I was talking about. There is typically one book per counter service eatery. Finding it is half the battle.
They are poorly organized (if organized at all) bad photo copies of vendor wrappers and packaging that have no constant layout, data content or presentation bundled into a black looseleaf notebook. Some have section tabs and a few of those actually have the contents collected into the sections the tabs identify.
Clearly the goal was to collect information on ingredients not nutrition information. There are food labels where they could find something to copy but nowhere near all food items on the menu have food labels.
I would have been impressed if a street vendor had this kind of information but this is the Walt Disney Corporation. In the words of the Pixar villain Syndrome, Lame! Lame! Lame! Lame!
Talk to the Doc - Talk to your endo before going to WDW and making any changes or be prepared to make changes to your insulin dose. Heat, activity and adrenaline change our insulin use dose.
YBGMV (Your Blood Glucose May Vary) LOL maybe the single truest statement about T1 ever made, right?
On previous trips we found the insulin load decreased, but this last trip our total daily dose was up for both kids. Maybe part was having pumpers who were more free to eat as they wanted, but the nighttime basal rates were up, too. So it wasn't just eating, they were high at night when tested.
We test like
We test in the parks.
We test late at night.
Here the kids are testing at the Studios.
We were actually running low on strips and we pack a ton of extras. Don't make any adjustments to insulin without testing before and after the change.
SideKick Meter
Carrying around a lot of bulky diabetes stuff at Disney can be a pain. We got our hands on Sidekick meters and strips from Home Diagnostics in Fort Lauderdale. It's like an active D family's dream (OK, a cure would be a dream so keep up with the JDRF walks. Next in line for a dream would be Abbott's Navigator Continuous Glucose Monitoring System.)
(Psst! Hey Abbott! The Navigator could be reviewed here if you would just get it past FDA and get me one. Seriously, this thing is cool.)
OK, the SideKick may not be a full dream, maybe a daydream. It is a small easy-to-tote-around meter and that is cool enough for now. All you need is a lancing device. With one, this makes it a lot easier to do on the go testing. Just pop it in your cargo shorts. http://www.homediagnostics.com/products-sidekick.asp
to say the insurance company is balking, nothing new there. Dudes, these
things are cheaper than the strips we normally use, hello? Save a buck!
Nope! No coverage. They like to buy the more expensive strips. Smart,
It is still worth ponying up the cash for one of these. They are much easier to deal with while out in the parks.
On the down side, it does store data but you can't download data to the PC. I think that is a fair trade off for small and easy to carry. The issue is BG and avoiding lows with all the walking.
We walk miles and miles at WDW. As a result we tend to back off insulin so frequent testing is needed to make sure we are in the right basal ranges for the level of activity. Your mileage may vary, literally, test and adjust based on your insulin to activity sensitivity, if that is a real measure.
The ACCU-CHEK Multiclix Lancet Device
This is the lancing device to use at Disney. No changing sharps all the time. No sharps to deal with on the run. Toss it in your pocket with a SideKick and you have a BG kit.
It uses six shooter barrels to load the sharps, no way you or your kiddo gets an accidental cut from an exposed sharp. Very clever design, low risk of an accident, self-contained with a day's load of sharps.
Free Palm Pilot carb and nutrition guide from USDA.
I have
this in my Treo cell phone so I never leave home without it. This is
better in that it is free. It is fairly easy to use and has a good amount
of foods.
USDA released a new database in August 2006.
I would really like a carb database that was easy to use and search, had a lot of stuff in it, and allowed for me to do some customization like adding foods, deleting items, editing and grouping. Any palm database Einsteins out there looking for my undying gratitude drop me an email.
Frio Bags are Great
No, a Frio isn't an empty Frito's bag. It's a clever little cooling pouch. We were given one checking into the CWD conference a few days earlier. One night I played with it and on park day I a stuck a half a bottle and a pen in the pouch.
Well, it is really two pouches, one inside the other. The inside bag is made like a mini down jacket with quilted compartments, but instead of feathers its compartments have some water absorbing material in them. You know how disposable diapers swell up and hold "moisture?" Same general idea with the Frio but you use fresh water.
The water
evaporates slowly over a few days. Evaporation is a cooling process.
This keeps the little ski parka like pouch cool inside. The second,
outside, pouch lets air through to facilitate evaporation and protects
the ski parka like pouch inside, as well as, I think, keeping the moisture
inside from getting stuff outside damp.
(This is a bit out of a little Disney Trip Report I wrote:
about Insulin and an Easy Bake Oven go there to see how our Frio saved the day.)
First Aid Stations in the Parks
for all the emails about the First Aid stations. It wasnt so much
that we forgot about them in the first draft of this little Disney With
Diabetes epic but that we had not as yet had any first hand experience
with them.
We do now. Probably the same day that this little part of AllEarsNet went online we were taking advantage of the MK First Aid Station to change an insulin pump infusion set.
So our impression was that it was a lot bigger, nicer and capable than we could have imagined. A great and clean place for a pumper to put on a new infusion set. We wear sets on the old gluteus max so a little privacy is appreciated at set change time and as clean as Mickey keeps the restrooms they dont come up to sanitary standards for inserting an IV.
Beyond changing pump sets these first aid stations offer a number of services that we diabetic families may have need. A number of AllEarsNet readers sent in emails noting that the First Aid stations will store you insulin nice and safe and cool. That is a big plus on those screaming hot days when it may cook in the sun and go bad. Alert readers have also have pointed out that the First Aid stations will take and properly dispose of any used sharps.
Each theme park and water park has a First Aid facility. Obviously the Theme Parks have larger facilities.
First Aid Location
Kingdom - Between Caseys Corner and the Crystal Palace.
Epcot - The Odyssey Center Building between Test Track and Mexico.
Disney MGM-Studios Next to Guest Relations Building near the Main Entrance
Animal Kingdom - Behind Creature Comforts in Safari Village
Blizzard Beach - Near Entrance between Beach Haus and Lottawatta Lodge
Typhoon Lagoon Next to Leaning Palms
Redundant is the magic word for diabetics packing for Disney.
* Redundant
* Double the needles.
* Zillions of sharps
* Twice the strips.
* Two times the needed bottles of insulin.
* Call your pump manufacturer and get a loaner pump for vacation.
* Take double the sets, double the IV prep and twice the needed number of pump reservoirs.
Two carry-on bags each with half the stuff in each bag.
We have lost a meter, set down and walked away from carry-on bags and diagnosed a second kid as diabetic all on trips to Disney. I can say from experience it is nice to have extra stuff. Pack doubles.
You Don't Doubles Pack a.k.a. Phone a Pharmacy
you need supplies the front desk at your resort can get you the number
for a pharmacy that delivers. However just like you can't always buy a
Coke, you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you
just may find, you get what you need (whoa, I think I am having a 60's
There is value here in using the big chain pharmacies. We were going to meet on Cape Cod (our first face to face with Delswife) and left our insulin behind at a friend's house (didn't double pack - idiots). CVS hooked us up with our Rx from our CVS at home. Nice feature of a chain.
Anyway back to Disney World, we couldn't find anyone in Orlando who stocked IV prep when we discovered we didn't take enough (didn't double pack - idiots). In this case, the only way we could find to get what we needed was to have a friend send a Fed Ex from our stocks at home. A bit of a pain: Think like Santa, make a list and check it twice and pack twice.
Important Change to Airplane Regulations (August 2006) - Be sure your insulin has a prescription label on it that matches the name on the airline ticket. No liquids are allowed on the plane. Those traveling to and from Europe (especially the United Kingdom) have much stricter rules. http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/threat-change.shtm
can carry your supplies onto the plane. You should. You may need them
and you want to keep them in your possession anyway (can you say lost
luggage?). You may need snacks, too. Snacks are good. Carry on lots of
snacks. You never know when you will get delayed.
If you are lucky enough to have a meal provided during your flight, be sure to ask for a special diabetic meal after you make your ticket reservations.
Check your individual airline's information for Travel Tips, Traveling with Medications, Special Needs. Print it out and take it with you! Some airport personnel do not know their airline's policies! Southwest | Delta | United |
You should think about the implications of eating and shot schedules if you are crossing time zones. This is particularly true if you are using NPH. Diabetes knows no time zones, neither does NPH. The NPH will need carbs when the NPH needs carbs. Also the stress of flying can and will impact BG. Take your tester.
travel alarm clock that shows two time zones on the clock face can be
very helpful!
Some folks say you should tell the flight attendant before you test or correct. We test on the plane without saying boo to the flight attendant. I think we have done shots, too, but I don't remember. If you need juice or carbs, ring for the flight attendant. They are there for safety first, they will help.
It wouldn't hurt to let them know you think you are prepared, but want to give them a heads up in advance, but I see that as a matter of personal choice and a function of if you think you will need their help. My guess is that it will make them very attentive. Most flight attendants are cool.
Putting your name on your stuff is a good idea. We use a label-er. It doesn't always help, however.
We left Delaneys SideKick, a set and reservoir in our room at the Swan. We called lost and found, we stopped by the front desk, nope they don't got it.
Well, yeah they did. Passing through a few days later I checked the front desk. "Yes we have it. We tried to call but there was no answer."
Right. My
cell tracks missed calls and has voice mail... well, anyway we got it
back and we love the SideKicks.
On a another trip we lost a regular meter and days later it turned up. Interestingly, before it surfaced the Magic Kingdom Lost and Found found exactly the same meter (One Touch Ultra) and the Boardwalk Front Desk staff sent a car over for it. (We Love the Boardwalk!) It was however not our meter. If it had had a name on it I would have made a very serious effort to track down the owner. We sent it back.
Call Mousekeeping for a Sharps Jar
Housekeeping at your hotel, AKA Mousekeeping if it is Disney hotel, will give you a sharps jar/container for your protection and theirs. Just pick up the phone and give them a call.
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin request you call security for a sharps container. They ask that you call security again when you are ready to check out so they can retrieve the container.
I guess Doc must have been in charge as in August 2006, the All Stars gave us a real sharps container not the Dopey little thing the DCL was handing out, it is just Goofy anyone would try to use a sharps jar that the pokies can poke through. Also when we asked for a refrigerator at All Star Music we got a small refrigerator not the tiny meds cooler that some people have reported round about the internet. (YDDICRMV - Your Disney Diabetes Insulin Cooling Refrigerator May Vary)
The BadShoe crew has found that great sharps jars can be made from plastic Coke or water bottles. They are fairly tough and odds are you have one around.
Sharps Containers:
The good news is there are sharps containers in the bathrooms at the Port.
The Bad News? The sharps containers on the ship itself are still horrible as of June 2007! They are pliable plastic, making it easy to stick yourself unintentionally if you are not ultra-careful.
Dining rooms on the Disney Magic and Wonder all offer either a no sugar added or sugar free dessert with lunch and dinner. It may not always be out (on dessert buffets) so just ask a server.
Sadly, the adult only restaurant Palo has no special dessert for diabetics and instead will go downstairs and get whatever is offered that night. I also made the mistake of thinking because they have awesome cheese on the Palo Brunch Buffet, I could get a cheese platter for my dessert at dinner. Well, I got a cheese platter alright, the same exact one that is served for Room Service. To his credit the Palo chef on the Disney Wonder did make me a Chocolate Soufflé one night with a sugar substitute - unfortunately it was not very good. However, I was very very happy that he at least made the effort!
I said above, I have no idea what NPH stands for but it is the cloudy,
8-12 hour, time-release insulin. You know the stuff that gets you tied
to a clock with a need to feed the insulin even if the kid doesn't want
a snack. (OK, more often the kid wants a snack, but the NPH doesn't but
you T1 folks know what I mean.) Our experience is it worked OK for the
first few months but as our insulin needs became larger, it became less
If you are on NPH you will need to eat at specific times. You will need to carry carbs in case the NPH want to be fed NOW to avoid hypoglycemia (lows). To eat at set times you eat counter service or you make reservations for off times, you note on reservation that you have a T1 diabetic, you show up early and confirm the diabetic information on the reservation and make it clear you need to sit to avoid insulin shock. (You can try tossing out hypoglycemia, but my two cents is that the phrase "to avoid insulin shock" works fairly well.
can carry stuff into Disney parks. They do a little search of your bag.
They never say a thing about your diabetes supplies, including syringes,
other than possibly the occasional person who also is diabetic giving
you a nice word of support. They don't care if you carry in food either.
So carry in supplies for the day and CARBS, you can't always buy a Coke... Wait, that thought deserves its own tip. (See below.)
Strange as it may seem there are times when it is hard to buy a Coke (or other high carb beverage) at Disney. Sure there is a vendor every 8 feet when it is busy (and so are the vendors). However those vendors don't come out right when the park opens.
In fact we have had a low and had trouble trying to find something to bring it back up. Now if you get in this situation ask the nearest Disney Cast Member and tell them you have a diabetic kid in insulin shock.
You will get great service.
We had a guy doing trash duty, when asked where I could get a sugar drink and why, walk into a very crowded coffee shop first thing in the morning and help us get a juice. No line. No wait.
Then he was back to his trash duties with out hardly a chance for me to say thanks. Rank and file Cast Members are like that, very kind, very cool, very unassuming.
Anyway the point is you need to carry a juice or soda. There are times when nothing is open or what is open has a HUGE line. We carry stuff, Cokes, Sprites or juice, candy and glucose tabs.
Your choice. We have carried them and we have gone light and not carried them. I think the key for us is demonstrating control and testing. You are going to walk miles and miles, the heat has an effect and there are tasty snacks everywhere (unless you NEED them). If you are not sure about how your diabetic will react you may want your Glucagon pen.
Cell Phones (I should get a commission for this.)
I think cell phones are a diabetes god send. Particularly as the little diabetics get more independent. They can call you and you can call them. OK you probably know that. You may not know that Disney hotels don't have a ton of outlets. If you take all your electronic junk-o-la and their chargers and you will not be able to plug it all in. Take extension cords with multi plug ends. I should get a commission from the extension cord people.
Stupid Test Strip Tricks (I should get some payola for this one, too.)
evening a few days after we diagnosed Delaney on a Disney vacation, we
were sitting at the table waiting for our dinner. It had been a few days
and the novelty was already wearing off. So to pass the time and lift
her spirits we tested every liquid we could get our hands on. Coke was
high, Diet Coke was an error, gravy was hard to get to wick into the strip.
Beer was low. Sometimes you gotta be a little goofy to stay sane. You
would be amazed how entertaining a half-dozen test strips can be.
Ketone strips can also be a source of similar amusement and I know people who have a hard time tasting the difference between diet and regular soda and use a (fresh) ketone test strip to test fountain sodas at restaurants to be sure they are getting the carb count they expect.
highly recommend the individually foil-wrapped ketone strips. We use Bayers
Ketostix (tell the pharmacy NDC # 0193-2640-20). It took a few tries to
get the local CVS to get the foil-wrapped ones. We like them because the
strips don't get stale as fast as the ones in jars. (See the packaging
that comes with the jars, you are meant to toss them all after a fixed
time from opening.)
You should probably also see the tip listed below about the Precision Xtra Ketone Meter. We haven't used them yet, but we are excited about the idea.
Water Water Everywhere... but $2.50 a Bottle -- Who's Gotta Drop to Drink?
is good for everyone. Disney sells it by the bottle at Disney prices.
Try the Florida swamp water at the water fountain and you'll know how
they get two bucks a bottle. Staying hydrated is real important particularly
for the T1 crowd. Here are some tips on getting water without paying more
than the cost of gasoline for it.
-- Buy a few cases of water. If you have a car the AllEars.net shopping
page can point you in the right direction.
-- No car? We have used delivery services with great results. Just on water alone you pay the delivery fee on a case of water. Get a few cases. Seriously that extra case is only the cost of a bottle or two from Mickey.
-- We have also been know to take a Brita or other filter pitcher and even a screw-on the kitchen sink filter for our DVC resort.
Want some flavor? Take Crystal Light in small packages. No carbs, plenty of flavor.
people should have one on all the time.
I have talked to the local emergency squad chief and they look and they like to see a metal tag on the bracelet. Here are a few places we have used or others have recommended to us. Yes, style matters, so does the Medic Alert Tag.
See your pump manual and follow the instructions for disconnecting on some thrill rides. Our pumps specifically say to disconnect for roller coasters, free fall and magnetic induction.
is Better
An Unabashedly biased, ridiculously one-sided passionate argument in favor of the Insulin Pump."
This site is highly entertaining and informative (I appreciate both and in that order) on the subject of insulin pumps. Check it out. Better is Better, even at Disney World.
Coasters and BG Control
(Who says science isn't fun!)
Special thanks to Dr Peter Wiesli MD, diabetologist and as it happens Disney fan.
He said in an email, As a diabetologist, I always wondered what happens with glucose control during the rides. Me, I wonder if I am going to toss lunch.
The good doctor and his doctor pals did a study on stress and glucose control. In point of fact, his teams article in Diabetes Care, June 2007, that caught my attention, was titled, Maintenance of Glucose Control in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes During Acute Mental Stress by Riding High-Speed Rollercoaster's
Yes the report sound a little officially academic but hey read between the lines, it says, We wrote a paper as an excuse to take a bunch of T1s out and ride roller coasters! Damn I should have stuck with the periodic tables after all. I say he should be allowed to deduct his park tickets as a business expense, but then if it was up to me we all could.
So what did the good doctor find? That severe short-lived mental stress, as documented by markedly increased heart rate and blood pressure and salivary cortisol, barely affected glucose control in patients with type 1 diabetes. (I had to look up cortisol at Wikipedia, it is a stress hormone)
He was kind enough to translate that into diabetic parent speak for me as follows; The effect of the rides on glucose concentrations is surprisingly low; although heart rate and stress hormones were markedly increased by the rides.
"I would recommend first, and most important: Have fun. Second, to be sure, let your kids make an additional measurement between the main meals."
So there you have it: Official science! Diabetes need not be a reason to keep your T1 kids off rides.
Have fun. Test more. In that order.
Keep in mind you should start the ride in control, follow your pump manufacturers instructions about your pump and rides. While it has nothing to do with diabetes it has everything to do with parenting, never force a child onto a ride that terrifies them.
(Your Diabetes May Vary).
Now how do I get into the study control group so I can write off a day in the parks?
Tips and Info from the Commune
Pam Jarrell writes: Our 7 year old is a Type 1 diabetic and I wanted to share some things we learned on our trip in December 2008. First, make sure you get the form ahead of time to fill for your dining. You list all of your dining reservations and any specific things that you need to know about ingredients, preparation, etc. They will go out of their way to help you if they can. When you arrive at each restaurant, they will confirm that you have a diabetic in your group and will send the chef out to speak to you. One warning though -- every chef we spoke to said they were no longer allowed to give any kind of carb count information because of liability. What they did do was go over the menu with us or walk through the buffet with us and point out things higher in carbs than you would normally expect (one place said they added sugar their potatoes, another place had something that they cook with brown sugar, and so on). That made in much easier for us to estimate the amount of carbs our daughter was getting and adjust her insulin. The other thing we noticed after the first 2 days was that her BG was really high at lunchtime. So we started skipping her mid-morning snack and that got her lunchtime numbers back on track for the rest of the trip. Everyone at WDW, from the staff at restaurants to the security at the front gates, was very nice and worked with us to make our trip magical. We wouldn't expect anything less from Disney!
careful of "Stroller Management"
Pammers sent this note: "NEVER leave supplies in the stroller." I placed our small cooler with all of Joey's things in our stroller in a nice shady place (I couldn't bring it on this particular ride). While we were away, some well-meaning Disney attendant moved it into full sun and everything inside (including the insulin) cooked. Thank goodness I only live an hour and a half away and we could just go home to give him his next dose.
Moral of the story: never leave your supplies -- NEVER.
Disney does do what we call "Stroller Management." It is a kind of stroller round-up process that keeps the strollers corralled up in one space. Your stroller will move! So Pammers is very right you may want to carry your insulin or get a real good cooler with a lot of cool in it that can take the hot Florida sun. If you can't take your cooler on a particular ride tell the Disney Cast Member what it is and ask them for help. Most of the Cast are great about helping out. Thanks for that tip!
Amy writes: I want to offer one more stroller tip for those keeping insulin and D supplies in them. Since they move strollers around (and often park them far away or in the sun), we had Emma's stroller tagged with a wheelchair tag, sounds weird, but it allowed us to keep the stroller with us at all times, (restaurants, stores, shows) and take it into the rides boarding area. It kept her supplies and insulin safe, cool and easily accessible, and it was great that I didn't have to carry a bag on every ride. We've done it at WDW and Disneyland.
Calorie King
Cindyrelly writes: The national best-seller pocket guide for 2006 is now available at local bookstores and discount stores. It's called CALORIE FAT AND CARBOHYDRATE COUNTER by Allan Borushek. It lists more than 200 fast-food chains and restaurants plus offers free website support. This miniature book is a National Health Information award-winner, which makes an easy portable reference guide in the parks, costing just $7.99. Main thing to remember, you can always take more insulin two hours later, you can't take less! HAVE A MAGICAL DAY!
Good point, Cindyrelly. We have one and take it with. (In fact we had a short note about it but yours is way better so we deleted ours.) You can also get a download into a Palm or Treo. I am playing with it in the test period. $30 to keep it in each Treo. That is $60 for both Mrs. BadShoe and I.
The jury is still out on it. We welcome suggestions for any other Palm-based carb databases. I think for $60 I may shop around. It works OK but seems to have a lot of extra stuff when all I want is the database. It has more information than the USDA but 60 bucks is a park ticket.
Precision Xtra Ketone Meter --
Carol G. wrote: I highly recommend getting a ketone meter that tests the BLOOD for ketones. This is different than the urine strip ketone test. The meter is made by MediSense (now Abbott) and is the Precision Xtra. It tests the ketones in the blood - just like doing a regular glucose check with a strip except you are measuring ketones rather than glucose levels. The urine strip only shows you the ketone levels of several hours ago - the blood strip is accurate to the current time. We were able to tell within a couple of hours that his ketones were clearing out although the urine strips still showed high ketones.
Thanks Carol!
We will let let you all know how we do with these meters. As it stands
we bought the meters and the insurance company will pay for strips. However
they (the insurance company) have an NDC code for strips in packs of 8
and the other guys (the pharmacy) can only get packs of 10 strips with
a different NDC number. We have logged about 8 hours of calls between
them and the other guys trying to straighten it out. Needless to say we
are not holding our breath. We hope to get strips soon. We have very high
hopes for this thing and will write a report once we have some experience
with it.
Children With Diabetes Conference at Disney
Yeah, more meaningless acronyms! These stand for Children With Diabetes - Friends For Life. It is a conference held yearly in Orlando bouncing between Sea World and Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/activities/orlando2007/report.htm
Carol G. wrote: Also check out Children With Diabetes - http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com They run their annual conference in Florida. This year it is at Seaworld but they are back at WDW at the Coronado Springs Resort in July '07. The conference is for families and children and there are LOTS of great activities for the kids. It is wonderful meeting so many type 1's and their families. Many adult type 1's come too. The website has a great chat room and kept me sane during that first year!
again Carol. We are very interested in going in '07 even if it flies in
the face of my credo of why go to Disney and go to a conference when you
could be playing?
For more information see: http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/activities/
August 2007: Now I have to admit I was a skeptic. (OK, I still
am about a lot of stuff, not this anymore.) We went because a friend we
met at a JDRF event raved about it.
It was outstanding. We learned a lot, some technical, more emotional about dealing with diabetes. The sessions were very good in helping us as parents of T1 kids. They were also outstanding for the kids. Our older was a little stand-offish about it. Admittedly he was missing swim meets and didn't have a great diabetes camp experience the summer before.
He was absorbed into a group of peers the first night and we hardly saw him again. He did say in one drive-by greeting in the convention exhibit hall (tons of bounty there from meters to back packs), "Dad that session today was great." Then he was gone.
He learned some interesting things about averages. From that he picked up on the idea that average BG isn't the same as stable BG. That was worth the trip right there. He also announced he wanted to manage his diabetes himself for 3 months.
OK dude, see ya later.
He was bummed that we wouldn't be going next year. He figured we only do Disney in Orlando so we wouldn't go the year it isn't at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort. He may be wrong about that, now.
There is a wealth of help for anyone planning a trip to Disney, including those with unusual needed including diabetes right here at AllEarsNet.com. Here are few links that may be helpful:
with Special Needs Vacation at WDW
PassPorter's Walt Disney World For YOUR Special Needs
Special Dietary Needs
The Dunlaps recommend:
Insulin by John Walsh, P.A., C.D.E., and Ruth Roberts, M.A. Published
by Torrey Pines Press, 2000. 272 pages, paperback. -- Outstanding pumping
reference book. Our pump manufacturer gave us a copy. Nice of them, huh?
And we only bought $12g worth of pumps....
Understanding Diabetes, 11th Edition by H. Peter Chase, M.D. Published by the Children's Diabetes Foundation at Denver, 2006. ISBN 0-967-53985-4. The Pink Panther book.
Wizdom for Parents & Kids by the American Diabetes Association. Free by calling 1-800-DIABETES (in the United States). Nice non-threatening overview of what's going on. One for the kids, one for the folks. Ours came with other cool stuff too.
Calorie Fat & Carb Counter, The Pocket Guide by Allan Borushek, Family Health Publishing, CalorieKing.com
Just what it says it is, the pocket guide.
Deb adds:
The Unofficial Guide to Living with Diabetes - a great resource for the newly diagnosed (T1 or T2) and their families/spouses/partners/friends
Think Like a Pancreas: A Practical Guide to Managing Diabetes with Insulin
For more information about Disney with Type 1 Diabetes, visit: http://badshoe.com/type1.htm
YDMV the Blog
The BadShoe Crew started a living with Diabetes blog called (who didn't see this coming?) Your Diabetes May Vary. It tries to focus on some of the Zen of life with T1. You are warmly welcome to stop by for visit, we hope it's a little funny.
(long and winded like all disclaimers, only partly a parody, serious but
hopefully funny too.)
This page is not and should not be taken as medical advice.
It is the miscellaneous ramblings of a Type 1 Diabetic family and their fellow Type 1 family friends. If you or anyone you know is a member of a Type 1 family you know they are amiable but stressed out folks who are happy share their experiences with others who "get it," a phrase that here means poke, pee, inject, inspect, infuse to insanity.
No two situations or diabetics are the same or as I like to say Your Diabetes May Vary (YDMV).
Take what you read here to your endocrinology team and talk it over with them. You with their consultation are responsible for your diabetes care. You have our very best wishes for A1Cs just under 7.
We talked to our Endocrinologist about ordering a double burger with an extra bun at Disney. Great counter service advice. While not a specific Disney with Diabetes tip well worth knowing and telling your Dr. if he or she is taking his or her family to Disney World too.
We are for better or worse the people responsible for BadShoe.com. That site may give you a feeling for our lack of a sense of solemn however it also does nothing for our claim of seriousness. BadShoe.com is written and operated by a certifiable lunatic.
and DisneyWithDiabetes are NOT, IN ANY WAY, affiliated with The
Walt Disney Company (well other than we regularly show up with buckets
of money.) For Official Disney information, visit http://www.disney.com.
Also read the AllEars.Net Terms of Use Statement


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He found me and emailed me some form of generic, but sweet "hello." He seemed interesting, but was way too young for my taste! I was looking for "the one" and in my mind there is no way a 26-year-old dentist could be ready in any capacity for what I was looking for. As a result I wrote back a teasing email giving what I would call a young "puppy" a hard time. I asked why he was "cougar chasing" on match.com. Not knowing me like he does now, he apologized for offending me (and says now that he thought I was bitter and grumpy). After explaining I was teasing, the witty banter began and quickly turned into rapid fire emails. Eventually that turned into long telephone conversations. I am rather cautious and kept fussing about his age, so it took him about 3 weeks to actually take him seriously enough to go on a date.
After a nice first date I was still a bit unsure we wanted the same things, but things grew and we had more fun and better dates. By Thanksgiving he met my family! Also picky, I was shocked they loved him too. As did my best friends dog, which is a huge testament to his staying power!
Our parents met at the end of January, which was also a big test and great success! Evidently, shortly after, his mother offered him his great grandmother's diamond from the early 1900's and in mid-March he proposed right before heading out to watch Notre Dame (my team) play in March Madness! A favorite activity of mine.
On May 12th we were married at the Hotel del Coronado with just 15 of our closest friends and family! We both feel lucky everyday that we found each other and both agree we have never been happier.
His mom made him get on Match.com, and I was frustrated taking one last chance out of bedtime boredom, but either way it worked and we never would have met without Match.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Right Kind of Howler
So, inspired by the return of the Mig and his, er, fresh new venture called Gripper, I've decided to eject a post that's been bouncing around my cranium a few months now.
Despite, or perhaps because of, not living in a city any more, I spend a large portion of my otherwise inert disposable income on new vinyl records. Middle aged physical media fetishists are, after all, the record industry's Last Marks. And given I'm too old to be getting drunk in the many and varied central business districts I still visit on the course of my travels, I now tend to spend any spare hours visiting random record shops.
The cash outlay is about the same, and since I'm visiting these locations using public transport rather than taxis I usually just about end up ahead. Unless I'm really bored and in Asia and visit the electronics bazaars instead. Singapore's Funan mall has the world's slowest pizza hut, Hong Kong's Apliu has a dedicated valve amplifier stretch, and Bongkok's Pantip Plaza is brutally hard to get to using the elevated metro. All of these electronics temples are easier on the wallet, and probably, whatever Mike Daisey has said, easier on the conscience, than sex tourism.
Should you require death metal vinyl in Singapore, may I recommend Hell's Labyrinth, and should you be in need of sludge metal in Berlin, may I recommend Bis Aufs Messer (though BAM loses points for not, apparently, knowing where to get a coffee anywhere in Friedrichshain).
But my favourite random record shop experience so far has been at Vinyl Grove in the Hague. I'd been on a business trip across the Netherlands that would have been described as epic if only the Netherlands was a bit larger. As things stood, and thanks to some rather lax planning, I'd been zigzagging across the country by train rather than clustering meetings by town. I was, truth be told, knackered. Before heading over to the Denneweg for a moderately expensive, and moderately satisfying, dinner, I stopped by Vinyl Grove for a browse.
The owner was awesomely fun to chat to, though somewhat sceptical when I urged to him to play Thou's "Summit", while casual visitors browsed his shelves. He even gave me a beer, which therefore meant I was obliged to buy some of his stuff. I bought two albums released on Small stone records, mostly because the owner distributes the label in Europe. Lo Pan's "Salvador" is just a little too sleek for my tastes, but Acid King's "Early Years" is just magnificent.
The last purchase that evening was an impulse buy. Based mostly on the cover, and with the store owner's admonishment for me to not let it put me off at first, I bought This Is Howlin' Wolf's New Album. And it's this album I'd like to talk about today, because it's deeply misunderstood. The main reason it's misunderstood is that Howlin' Wolf disowned it. Not definitively, in the sense that he refused the royalty cheques (not that it sold massively, mind), or even refused any meretricious follow-ups (I'm looking at you, The London Sessions).
The album's backstory and frontstory are both rather fraught and complicated, and clouded by the racial politics surrounding the popularisation of the blues. Chess Records Scion Marshall Chess had a small hit with Muddy Waters' "Electric Mud" album, and decided to record an album with a similarly "psychedelic" slant with Howlin' Wolf. "Psychedelic" is one of the least helpful terms in all of music, as you'd expect from a genre that in its earliest iterations consisted of amped up blues rock. Having not listed to "Electric Mud" I can't speak for its degree of psychedelicity, but I've finally decided that "This Is…" is not a psychedelic album.
This is important, because you then need to approach the politics of the album differently. It would be easy to say that Marshall Chess foisted a bunch of white kid-friendly longhairs on Howlin' Wolf, and told him to put up while they wanked all over his musical legacy. There's a problem with this version of events even if you do ignore the psychedelic tag. As Wolf subsequently pointed out, and what made the record's sub-headline "He Didn't Like His Electric Guitar At First Either" particularly unfair, Wolf had been pretty comfortable with the use of electric guitars, though he did apparently tell a session guitarist on the album, Pete Cosey: "Why don't you take them wah-wahs and all that other shit and go throw it off in the lake — on your way to the barber shop?"
No, if you want to make an album a prime example of white entertainment executives desecrating black culture in search of record sales, you'll need to look elsewhere. Maybe "London Sessions". In fact, be horribly mean to it anyway, on principle. But "This Is…" is best understood as a funk album. I say this partly because Cosey ended up being central to Miles Davis' equally-maligned funk albums, and Julian Cope will explain why these albums are also very important. But I say it mostly because much of the album is VERY fruggable. Go on, play it next to James Brown's "The Payback" and see what I mean.
Marshall Chess did two things to make sure that his version of events of the run in with Wolf ended up being part of posterity. The first was to become executive music producer of the semi-fictionalised story of Chess, Cadillac Records, which doesn't cover l'affaire "This Is…", but does make sure that Howlin' Wolf is portrayed as a whip-smart commercially-minded auteur, in other words not the sort of guy, even in comparatively advanced years, to be anyone's stooge. The second was to bring together some rappers to record some blues covers. Chuck D's on record as saying he's a big fan. In this light, the real story of "This Is…" is not white-black artistic conflict but conflict between two different generations of black music.
The theory isn't perfect. The album has plenty of heavy metal fans. Soundgarden covered "Smokestack Lightning" as it appears on "This Is…", not that Allmusic worked this out (Allmusic doesn't get this on a couple of levels. It rates "This Is…" very poorly, without venturing any reasons). I don't think any simplistic analysis of the cast of the record, or even of Wolf's intentions, would help prove this theory of mine. I'm not even sure I should even be discussing the record in terms of race (call this post-Derbyshire caution.
The final problem with trying to reclaim "This Is…" is that the history of the blues has ended up in the hands of rich old white men. These cultural gate-keepers are as easily embarrassed by accusations of a lack of authenticity as the artists that exploited the blues. The sound of the album is close enough to the pop music that blues purists reject to make it very easy to throw the record under the bus.
The problem, then, is with the context, not the record. So here's why I like it: It annoys so many people that I'm prepared to overlook the fact is also seems to have annoyed its creator.


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Car News
2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Revealed
- New 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class reaches dealers in September
- Center screen is now more than a foot wide
- Standard twin-turbo V8 makes 455 horsepower
Mercedes has officially revealed its all-new 2014 S-Class sedan. The redesigned luxury sedan boasts new styling inside and out. It also offers a new engine and a long list of new technology.
The most obvious changes are on the outside. The previous S-Class's large wheel arches are gone. Instead, the sedan's styling is revised to more closely match the rest of the Mercedes lineup. But it's still visibly larger than other Mercedes models, thanks to sizable proportions and a broad grille.
Revisions to the S-Class are just as dramatic inside. Possibly the most unusual change is the new 2-spoke steering wheel, a rare feature in modern cars. Another big update is the round air vents that replace last year's rectangular vents. The center stack boasts few buttons, just like the outgoing model. Instead, most functions will be integrated into the sedan's center-mounted dashboard screen.
Unlike many rivals that have switched to touchscreen systems, the 2014 S-Class's screen is still controlled with a wheel mounted in the center console. But operating the system is easier than ever, thanks to 12 memory settings that allow drivers and passengers to easily pull up frequently used functions. Seeing the screen is also easier than before, as it's now more than a foot wide. That makes it a focal point on the dashboard.
Beyond the screen, there's also a long list of gadgets in the 2014 S-Class. For one, the navigation system now uses Google Maps. A new "active perfuming system" actively adds a fragrance to the cabin. And the sedan's Pre-Safe collision system can now stop impacts at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.
Under the hood, the S550 swaps last year's 4.6-liter V8 for a new twin-turbo 4.7-liter V8. The new engine makes 455 hp -- up 26 hp from last year -- and propels the sedan to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is a fuel-saving start-stop system. Although Mercedes hasn't given details, the brand says AMG models and other variants are still to come.
Rear-wheel-drive versions of the all-new S550 will reach dealerships in September. The sedan's S550 4Matic all-wheel-drive model will follow closely behind in November. After that, Mercedes will debut the next high-performance S-Class from the brand's AMG division. Mercedes has not yet announced pricing for the S550, but we expect a healthy increase over last year's $96,000 base price with shipping.
What it means to you: The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class will likely continue delivering one of the most luxurious driving experiences available.


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HOUSTON, Nov. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Johnson Space Center Contractors Environmental Partnership will help local communities by hosting a free electronic recycling and document-shredding event from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, in the Space Center Houston parking lot.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)
Sims Recycling Solutions, a certified Responsible Recycler, is sponsoring the event, and Shred Pro will provide document-shredding services at the drop-off point, as space is available. This event is open to the public and allows anyone in the community to dispose of all electronics in an environmentally friendly manner. Several JSC contractor volunteers will support the event.
Examples of acceptable items, both working and non-working, include:
- Personal computers (includes desktop, PCs, laptops and workstations);
- Monitors and flat panel displays;
- Printers (ink and laser);
- All-in-Ones and scanners;
- Digital cameras;
- Handheld computers and portable music devices;
- Cords; and
- Digital entertainment and telecommunications equipment (VCRs and cell phones).
Unacceptable items include:
- Major appliances, including microwave ovens, TVs, washers and dryers;
- Paint, oil or car batteries; and
- Equipment containing radioactive materials, free-flowing liquids, chlorofluorocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls or other "hazardous wastes."
There is no limit to the amount of items people can bring, and items collected will be recycled in North America. All materials will be handled in a legal, data secure, traceable and environmentally sustainable manner.
All documents in all quantities will be accepted for the document-shredding services. Boxes and containers will be returned to clients at time of service since shredding will take place at the drop-off point where participants can watch. Please make sure that all documents are:
- Free of metal binders (paper clips, staples and small wire bindings are acceptable);
- Free of other contaminants; and
- Dry.
If you have questions about the event, call NASA's Environmental Information Line at 281-483-6207.
For more information about NASA's Johnson Space Center, visit:
For more information about Sims Recycling Solutions, visit:
For more information about Shred Pro, visit:


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If fighting games haven't had enough cleavage for you lately, you're in luck. On Christmas day, Daishi Odashima, a member of the SC team, tweeted that a new SoulCalibur game is in the works. He is the director of the upcoming game. The tweet said this: "SC is back! Get ready, fans!" and had a link to the picture on the left, which shows him, a sketch of the SoulCalibur sword, and a life-size replica of the sword behind him. The tweet is below.
Yesterday, SoulCalibur creator Hiroaki Yotoriyama caught up with CVG and spoke a bit about the history of the series, especially SoulCalibur II, which some hail as the best game in the series.
"I believe that SoulCalibur II is one of most ambitious works in the series," said Yotoriyama. "We included many of the left out features and revamped what was seen as being confusing from SoulCalibur 1 as much as possible. It was very challenging to develop the product simultaneously for three platforms; at the time it had never been done before in our history. This was also the time when the unique feature of the SoulCalibur world was born by bringing on the guest characters. SoulCalibur II brings back unforgettable memories of the franchise and you might say the soul of the Project Soul team can be felt from the product."
Does SoulCalibur have what it takes to compete with the resurgence of fighting games hitting the market including the new Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat games? What would you like to see in the sequel.


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Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's largest insurer, announced Tuesday it won't renew any 2013 small group or individual health plans after Dec. 31.
President Obama last month said he would allow insurers to renew plans for 2014 — even if they didn't comply with the Affordable Care Act.
Obama's suggestion came after consumers nationwide complained as their health plans were cancelled by insurers despite his promise that consumers who liked their health plans could keep them.
Doing so, however, was optional.
Horizon is the largest insurer in the state's individual and small group market, covering about 500,000 people.
Horizon Director of Public Affairs Thomas Rubino said reworking its policies in such a short period of time proved to be too difficult a task.
"Horizon BCBSNJ has been working to implement the Affordable Care Act for the past three and a half years, and undoing our work and essentially creating new plans in three weeks has proven to be impossible," he said in a statement.
"Horizon BCBSNJ conducted an in-depth analysis of the feasibility and impact of renewing 2013 policies. Since the federal government is requiring all 2013 policies to be modified upon renewal, our members' current plans would be significantly different and far more expensive, especially for the most popular Basic and Essential plans."
Rubino said the company is committed to helping its customers understand the status of their policies and all of their options.
"We have already begun and will continue notifying individual and small group customers with approaching renewal dates of what their options are for converting their old policies into new ACA-compliant policies," he said. "Individual customers may be eligible for financial assistance to purchase insurance."
Rubino said individuals can easily obtain an estimate of the amount of financial assistance they may be eligible for by visiting HorizonBlue.com or texting "NJReady" to 222752 and answering a few questions. Customers can also call Horizon BCBSNJ at 1-800-224-1234 (option #1), visit Healthcare.gov, or contact their broker for more information.
Correction: This story was updated to reflect the correct number of people enrolled in Horizon's individual and small group plans.


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Below you will find a searchable list of all coupons currently available…! These are the coupons that are printable, in the most recent newspaper inserts, recent magazines and many other places as well. If you need help with some of the abbreviations than use our common coupon abbreviations page as a guide.
….and like all the information on our site…we bring it to you for free. We call this our Free Coupon List. Enjoy!


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Pistons go for season sweep against Cleveland
Gas prices averaged about $1.36 the last time the Detroit Pistons swept a season series from the Cleveland Cavaliers.
That was 2002.
The Pistons have won the first three meetings with Cleveland and aim to make it a fourth when the Central foes collide Wednesday at Quicken Loans Arena.
Detroit took all four meetings with the Cavaliers back in the 2002-03 campaign and is riding a five-game winning streak in this series. The two rivals have split the last 14 encounters in the Forest City.
The Pistons are coming off a 99-85 win versus the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, when Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey scored 20 and 14 points, respectively, for Detroit, which won for only the third time in 18 tries and snapped an 18- game drought against the Bulls.
"It felt good," Knight said after the Pistons ended an eight-game slide at home. "We were the team to not make mistakes and capitalized on their mistakes."
Knight is averaging 22.5 ppg in his last two games and Stuckey is posting averages of 19.8 points over his past five contests.
The Pistons are 10-29 on the road and winless in back-to-back games as the visitor. They are not expected to have guard Jose Calderon Wednesday because of a triceps injury and he did not play versus Chicago.
Cleveland will play consecutive games at home versus Detroit and New York, and had a modest two-game winning come to an end with Tuesday's 99-94 loss at Indiana.
Kyrie Irving scored 29 points, Tyler Zeller netted 18 and both Tristan Thompson and Shaun Livingston scored 10 points for the Cavs, losers in 11 of their last 13 games. The Cavs had a 31-16 advantage in the third quarter, but Indiana responded with a 35-10 difference in the fourth quarter.
"We took our foot off the gas," Irving said.
The Cavaliers will try to improve their 14-24 home mark Wednesday.


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tabrec — Recording of control signals.
ktrig_start -- start recording when non-zero.
ktrig_stop -- stop recording when knumtics trigger impulses are received by this input argument.
knumtics -- stop recording or reset playing pointer to zero when the number of tics defined by this argument is reached.
kfn -- table where k-rate signals are recorded.
kin1,...,kinN -- input signals to record.
The tabrec and tabplay opcodes allow to record/playback control signals on trigger-temporization basis.
tabrec opcode records a group of k-rate signals by storing them into kfn table. Each time ktrig_start is triggered, tabrec resets the table pointer to zero and begins to record. Recording phase stops after knumtics trigger impulses have been received by ktrig_stop argument.
These opcodes can be used like a sort of ``middle-term'' memory that ``remembers'' generated signals. Such memory can be used to supply generative music with a coherent iterative compositional structure.


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Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 12:05 am
My Gr-gr Uncle Orrickenner Keenan Welty was raised by Alonzo Weller (mother was Martha Post) in Amhurst and then married and moved to Tomahawk. I understand he was a pioneer of this area. Does anyone know ANYTHING about this man? He was prominent in the Tomahawk area in from 1860 through 1890's as I understand it. where can I find newsclips on this man for those years?
thanks for any input...wendy
thanks for any input...wendy


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Try Microsoft Edge
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Rahul never paid heed to the people of Amethi: AAP
Protests against his supposed adverse remarks on Muharram gave Aam Aadmi Party founder-member Kumar Vishwas the handle to position himself as one who could take on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the Lok Sabha elections. AAP cannot think beyond Rahul Gandhi, says Congressindia Updated: Jan 13, 2014 15:09 IST
Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas on Sunday said the Congress has failed the people of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, and that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi never raised the problems of his constituency in Parliament even once.
"Rahul Gandhi, prior to elections, turns up in Amethi seeking votes, but when the time comes to work for the people there, he never pay heed," Vishwas said, addressing a public rally in Amethi, about 140km from state capital Lucknow.
The poet-turned-politician said it was time to give a 'naukar' (servant) the chance after bringing several generations of 'yuvrajs' (princes) to power. "Amethi has to decide now. I am an 'aam aadmi' and he (Rahul Gandhi) is a prince. If Amethi wants, it can get rid of dynasty politics. Winning and losing is not the point, but what is important is we are challenging dynastic politics and corruption," the 43-year-old leader said.
Vishwas said Rahul Gandhi would spend nights in Amethi to win the sympathy of people in his constituency, but that alone would not solve their problems.
"There are a lot of other problems to which Rahul has paid no heed," he said, explaining that he was firmly resolved to contest the next Lok Sabha elections from Amethi.
Read:Jaitley unimpressed with AAP governance
Earlier in the day, Vishwas was shown black flags by a group of people, who were protesting against his purported remarks about a religious event, while he was heading to Amethi.
Stones and eggs were also thrown at two buses ferrying party supporters to the rally venue, in Gandhi Chowk area of the city.
Window panes of the buses were damaged and police resorted to mild force to control the mob after which the buses left for the rally venue.
Vishwas, when asked about the protests, said these were "sponsored" and he would defeat Rahul Gandhi with a "huge margin" in the Lok Sabha polls.
They also burnt effigy of the AAP leader and said that a person, who does not respect religious sentiments, would not be accepted in Amethi.
Vishwas has already tendered his apology about the comment on the religious event.
The AAP leader said that holding a rally in Amethi is a challenge to "dynasty politics and corruption"
Read:AAP to contest UP's all 80 Lok Sabha seats
Vishwas was greeted with black flags in Jagdishpur area also.
At 10.50am, a group of men waving black flags and shouting slogans against Vishwas had assembled on the road as the AAP fleet passed Kamrauli in Jagdishpur area, 50 kmahead of the rally venue in Amethi.
The protesters claimed that they didn't belong to any organisation and were irked by Vishwas for hurting their religious sentiments.
"We will not let someone rule us who has ridiculed Imam Hussain and Bhagwan Shiva in his poetry," a protesterAli Rizvi said.
An attempt to hurl a shoe was also averted by police at the site.
To a query on protest at his press conference on Saturday, Vishwas said: "What is the protest all about? Is it because that Amethi's dynasty politics should not be challenged or is it about the poems that I have read which had hurt the sentiments of certain community, for which I have already apologised."
Vishwas on Saturday said if reports that Rahul Gandhi was mulling contesting Lok Sabha polls from both Chikmagalur and Amethi were true, then it would be deemed that he had conceded defeat even before the contest.
Read: Cong, AAP workers clash in Rahul's constituency
The AAP leader also said that his party would field the "best candidate" against BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, though it would take some time.
Speaking ahead of the event on Saturday, Vishwas said that he expected it to be disrupted by activists of other political parties, including possibly the Congress and the Samajwadi Party.
Read: Vishwas apologised for Muharram comments: Kejriwal
On Saturday, a man, identified later as Saif Jafari, threw an egg in the direction of Vishwas and waived a paper stating that the latter had hurt religious sentiments of both majority and minority communities and it "will not be tolerated".
Jafari, a native of Bijnore, was later nabbed by AAP workers and handed over to the police.
Vishwas described the incident as a political conspiracy of opposition parties which feel threatened by the growing popularity of the AAP.
"If these (opposition) political parties think that by throwing eggs, inks, organising attacks they can win elections they should better look towards Delhi," he said.
Vishwas was addressing the press conference after presiding over a function in which over 2000 traders joined the AAP in Lucknow.
Even though the AAP will release its first list of candidates for the 2014 general elections after January 15, party sources said Vishwas is most likely to contest from Amethi.
(With inputs from IANS, PTI)
First Published: Jan 12, 2014 10:03 IST


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Hampton University finally decided to get into the athletic hall of fame business, and frankly, it's surprising that it took this long. Prestigious school, rich athletic tradition, the whole nine yards.
Normally, these sorts of honors and announcements barely move the needle for anyone outside a university community. Their criteria, their ceremonies. Some inductees you've heard of, many not.
In HU's case, however, the inaugural class is curiously typical. Or typically curious. Or, if you've paid any attention to Pirate athletics through the years, maybe neither.
The 15-member class includes the fifth- and sixth-leading career scorers in men's basketball, but not the most successful football coach in school history.
The Nos. 2 and 3 career rushers in football are in, but not the leader. He wasn't nominated. The third-leading scorer in women's hoops is in, but not the NCAA sprint champion or the track coach who had a slew of individual NCAA champions and dozens of All-Americans. He wasn't nominated, either.
Oh, and in a stunning upset, the school prez made the cut.
Dr. Charles Wooding, the chairman of the hall's Board of Directors, called it "a class of distinction."
Which it is, but not as distinctive as it could be, and should be.
By definition, an inaugural hall of fame class ought to be the crème de la crème. You have a school's or an organization's entire history from which to draw.
All participants, all eras. A nod to history, a nod to excellence. The inaugural class is bigger than successive classes, too, because you want to make a splash, and because you have some catching up to do.
HU had history covered with Gideon Smith, the very successful football coach from 1921-40, and with Thomas R. Casey, a multi-sport star from the 1940s who later played professional football.
There's no arguing with Jackie Dolberry or Robert Screen or Rick Mahorn or Hank Ford or Reginald Doss, either. All occupied the top rung of achievement at HU and made plenty of conference, and national, noise.
That's why the absence of Joe Taylor from HU's first class is so striking.
All Taylor did was win more football games for Hampton than anyone ever, by a country mile. He coached the Pirates to seven NCAA playoff berths in 16 years. Four times his teams were crowned black-college national champs.
Taylor shepherded the football program from Division II to Division I-AA, when HU athletics transitioned to Division I in the mid-1990s.
As traditional HBCU powers Grambling and Florida A&M fell on leaner times, Hampton under Taylor fielded the nation's premier black-college program.
He also did the school a favor when he doubled as football coach and athletic director for two years after Zeke Avery stepped down in 2005.
In short, Taylor's accomplishments at least equal and probably surpass nearly anyone else on HU's short list.
So why didn't he make the cut for the inaugural class?
"Coach Taylor had an exemplary career while here," Wooding said. "But he is still coaching. I'm certain that at some point, he will be admitted. But we just couldn't bring in everybody this first year."
However, Screen, HU's monstrously successful tennis coach, remains active.
"He was the one that we brought in who's still active," Wooding said. "We didn't want to bring in everybody who's still active."
Technically, so are HU president William Harvey and former athletic director Dennis Thomas, now the commissioner of the MEAC.
No quarrel with either man making HU's athletic hall, either, though the school will soon run out of real estate to honor Harvey.
Harvey has been a central figure in athletics his entire tenure. Most notably, he was the driving force and Thomas his wing man in the department's move to Division I.
Wooding said that the dozen members of the selection committee seriously considered all nominees — approximately 50, by his recollection.
Still, Taylor's omission smells a lot like a snub. He abruptly left the school under bizarre circumstances just after Christmas 2007 following a staredown with Harvey.
Neither side has ever publicly discussed specifics. What's known is that Taylor spoke to officials at Western Carolina about its coaching vacancy, one of several times through the years that he explored other jobs.
Taylor chose not to pursue the opening, but shortly thereafter he was informed by HU officials that he was no longer the Pirates' coach. Assistant coach Jerry Holmes had been promoted to head coach.
Taylor quickly found a job at Florida A&M, which at the time was well into its own coaching search.
And just like that, one of the nation's more successful and visible coaches was gone — to a MEAC rival, no less.
Taylor's exclusion is the headlight in your eyeballs, though there are smaller puzzlers. Montrell Coley and Carl Painter, the second- and third-leading career rushers, were selected, but career leader Alonzo Coleman wasn't nominated.
Nor was former track coach John White, who coached 15 NCAA individual champions and whose athletes earned more than 180 All-America honors during the school's Division II/CIAA days.
Wooding is correct: Any omissions will be rectified over time; people not included now will make future classes.
But a school gets only one chance at an inaugural class. Worthy as it is, Hampton's first class still falls perceptibly short.
Dave Fairbank can be reached at 247-4637 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. For more from Fairbank, read his blog at dailypress.com/fromthetarpit.


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Louisville knocks off No. 1 Baylor in stunning fashion, leaving NCAA women's bracket wide open
OKLAHOMA CITY – With Brittney Griner and defending champion Baylor gone, the NCAA women's tournament is suddenly wide open.
Louisville did what hardly anyone else could do over the past two seasons, knocking out the Lady Bears 82-81 in the regional semifinals Sunday night in one of the biggest stunners in tournament history.
Baylor (34-2) had won 32 straight games and 74 of 75 behind Griner, among the greatest players ever in her sport. But the 6-foot-8 star didn't make a basket until the second half then committed a foul with 2.6 seconds left that gave Louisville a chance to win.
Monique Reid made those two foul shots, rescuing the Cardinals (27-8) after they squandered a 17-point lead in the last 7½ minutes.
It was a stunning end of a remarkable college career for Griner, the second-highest scoring player in NCAA history. She also holds the career records for blocks and dunks.
"I'm just sad," Griner said. "I didn't do what I needed to do to get my team to the Elite Eight and just disappointment in myself."
Considered a lock for the Final Four — and prohibitive favorites to win a second straight championship — Griner and her Lady Bears instead are out early because of Louisville's carefree offense, unconventional defense and Reid's final fearless play.
"I saw Griner coming at me and I was like, 'I'm going to have to get past her.' I tried to make the layup and she took my head off," Reid said.
Louisville went 16 for 25 from 3-point range, tying the NCAA tournament mark for 3s reached by four other teams and making the most ever in the regional semifinals or beyond. Shoni Schimmel had five 3s and 22 points, and Antonita Slaughter hit seven 3s for all of her 21 points.
Schimmel also had one of the highlight plays of the tournament, getting bumped by Griner and then getting a right-handed flip over her head to fall into the basket for what would become a three-point play.
"She's Brittney Griner, but I'm Shoni Schimmel, you know? So I just kept going at her," Schimmel said.
The Cardinals will play Tennessee in the regional final Tuesday for a berth in the Final Four. Louisville hasn't been there since losing in the national title game in 2009, and the Lady Vols haven't made it since winning the 2008 championship.
Both No. 1 seeds on that half of the bracket have been eliminated, with Stanford — the only team to beat Baylor the past two seasons — losing to Georgia on Saturday.
"If Louisville can hit 16 3s in a game, good Lord, they'll win a national championship," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said.
Odyssey Sims scored 29 points, including two free throws with 9.1 seconds to go that put Baylor ahead for the only time at 81-80. Sims had one more chance to save the season, but she was off-target and late on a desperation heave.
Sims dropped to the floor after her miss, pulling her jersey over her face and kicking her legs as she lay flat on her back.
Griner squatted near her and slapped the floor with both hands before pulling Sims up to her feet. Afterward, Griner tweeted out an apology "for letting everyone down." Just a few days earlier, she had tweeted at halftime of a blowout against Florida State that she needed two more dunks — then came out and did it.
"It's a tough way to lose," said Mulkey, who harshly criticized the game officials. "It's hard to lose when it's your last game, but it's even harder the way that game ended. Makes it a little tougher."
Griner, who had averaged 33 points in Baylor's first two games in the tournament, didn't make a basket until she converted a putback with 15:20 left in the second half. She wound up with 14 points and 10 rebounds, making only four of her 10 shots and being a relative non-factor for her considerable stature.
Louisville surrounded Griner as she has been most of her career, using a zone defense Louisville coach Jeff Walz called the "claw and one." He put one player in front of Griner and another behind her, and often another one in the vicinity.
"I think I could smell what toothpaste she used," Slaughter said. "I was in her face the whole time with my hands up."
Unusually, Griner's teammates were unable to hit outside shots and relieve the pressure. It was Sims who finally fueled a 24-6 comeback when the barrage of 3-pointers stopped.
She hit both free throws after Walz was called for a technical foul for protesting Bria Smith's fifth foul then made a runner to get the Lady Bears within 78-76 with 1:49 to play. Sims then answered Megan Deines' layup with a 3-pointer to cut it to one with 35.8 seconds left before Jude Schimmel's turnovers set up her free throws to give Baylor a short-lived lead.
The win made it quite a day for Louisville. Hours earlier, the men's team beat Duke 85-63 to reach the Final Four. Part of Walz's pregame message to the team was about the gruesome leg injury suffered by Kevin Ware in the men's game, telling his players that basketball is still a game.
"I told our kids in the locker room before the game, we've got to turn this thing into a street ball game. You've got to drive and kick for 3s and try to make it fun. There was no pressure on us," Walz said.
"We came out and did that, and I'm honored to coach this group of young ladies."


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Real-World Review
2013 Honda Accord: Technology Troubles
We recently handed over our long-term 2013 Honda Accord to two staffers who hadn't driven the car before. Both came back with a similar report: The car is great, but the technology could be better.
A Good Report
Both staffers came away from their first experience behind the wheel of our 2013 Accord with good things to say about the car's driving experience. Each driver highlighted gas mileage foremost, noting that they were surprised to get average economy-car fuel economy in a midsize sedan. One staff member saw 35 miles per gallon and a 540-mile range in highway driving primarily, while the other noted that our 4-cylinder EX-L nearly matched the newly released Honda Accord Hybrid on his commute.
Both staff members also commented that the Accord drives, handles and rides very well -- a common remark we've heard from nearly anyone who spends time behind the wheel. And one driver touched on another frequently mentioned Accord benefit: The CVT automatic hardly feels or sounds like a CVT. Instead, it's smooth and quiet -- a big change from the droning commonly heard in CVT automatics.
Technology Gripes
For all the good things our two staffers had to say about the Accord, each had several complaints about the sedan's technology.
The biggest frustrations were aimed at the navigation system. One driver complained that you can't use the navigation system to see traffic until you've selected a route -- a limitation for those who want to check the traffic in any given area. Another mentioned that once you've set a route, the navigation system stops your guidance if you decide to view other route choices. Both staffers came away feeling that the Accord's navigation system was outdated compared to easier-to-use systems in our long-term Dodge Dart and MINI Cooper S Coupe.
But technology complaints weren't only leveled at the navigation system. Both staffers mentioned that operating the stereo was also difficult, with the system lacking redundant buttons and forcing you to choose the audio source each time you reach the audio screen.
Of course, our 2013 Honda Accord does include some technologies everyone appreciates, such as the LaneWatch camera and the convenient keyless entry system. But it seems at least a few of our drivers think the stereo and navigation system could really use a little extra work before they're as good -- and as intuitive -- as similar systems in competitive models.


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Long ago the immortal Aeons presented the fledging races with the technology to travel the stars. Without pause for reasoning, vast fleets colonised the cosmos expanding the interstellar community until a great cataclysm occurred.
Now the Aeon's, a technologically superior race that once guided the lesser races, is all but lost to myth. Their colonies and technology lie beyond reach - scattered throughout the galaxy, like so many stars.
Only fading memories recall the cause of the Aeons downfall and the loss of the star-gates that ended the first Galactic War. Devoid of the means to navigate the stars, the empires of the six major races began to look inwards as communication between worlds was lost.
From the depths of the abyss, the long forgotten desire for exploration and conquest calls out once again. For it would only be a matter of time before each race would: recover the knowledge to rebuild their fleets, reawaken their desire to explore, rekindle their need to expand and return to warring ways.
As the six galactic empires make ready for the arduous struggle ahead, all manner of citizens are rallied to the cause. Scouting expeditions leave the safety of their stellar berths seeking out potential systems ripe for colonisation. Close behind terra-forming ships prepare planets for swelling populations. Throughout countless shipyards powerful battle-fleets are forged from newly acquired resources, ready to face the threats that emerge with every cycle of the sun. A new age has arrived.
Key features
- Colossal Galactic Map – Explore the vastness of a fully populated macrocosm, teeming with up to 5,000 stars of varying configurations. Encounter the interstellar communities of six playable empires and twenty-eight uniquely evolved minor civilizations
- Vast Scientific Multi-nodal Research Tree – Conduct research across eleven scientific categories, branching out into 150 individual advances.
- Customize Ship Construction – Spaceship models consist of eight classes that conform to a mission type: exploration, reconnaissance, defensive patrolling, fleet interdiction and planetary invasion.
- 3D Rendered Dual Warfare System – View massive 3D rendered space battles between turns, through an action camera and adjust your strategy based on the outcomes of the space battles.
- Multiplayer Action – Invite up to ten players to play in any one game.Create attributes to ensure that no two sides play with identical races.
Lost Empire: Immortals for the PC is scheduled for release during Q1, 2008 and will retail for $29.99/€29.99.
More articles about Lost Empire: Immortals


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Quidditch Olympics Update
Jul 07, 2012
As we have previously reported, the UK, US, France, and Australia are taking part in The Quidditch Association's Summer Olympic Games. More details of this tournament have been released. The Summer Olympic Games for Quidditch are to be color="#333333″> held in Oxford, England from July 8-9.


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Hi there, I'm Elizabeth Dackson from Don't Call Me Betsy, and I'm so happy to be back at the Moda Bake Shop for another quilt tutorial! This super simple quilt is a great way to feature your favorite colors and prints! I used Ellen Luckett Baker's gorgeous Quilt Blocks collection, full of fun, vibrant colors and paired it with several coordinating solids. This quilt pattern comes together very quickly and can easily be whipped up in a weekend! If you make a quilt using this Mod Nine Patch quilt tutorial, I'd love to see it in my Flickr group.
1 fat quarter bundle of 30 prints or more – I used Ellen Luckett Baker's gorgeous Quilt Blocks collection
1/4 yd of five different coordinating solids – I used Moda Bella Solids in Fuschia, Amelia Blue, Lime, Silver, Turquoise, and Surf
1 yd white background fabric
5/8 yd binding of your choice
4 1/4 yds backing of your choice
70″ x 90″ batting
1. Sort your fat quarter bundle into color stacks, for a total of five colors. From each color group, cut:
(6) 4 1/2″ squares for the center of your blocks
(24) 4 1/2″ squares to surround the center of your blocks
2. From your coordinating solids, cut:
(6) 7″ squares from each, 30 total
3. From your white background fabric, cut:
(30) 7″ squares
4. From your binding, cut:
(8) 2 1/2″ x WOF strips
Block Assembly:
1. Let's begin by making some half-square triangles (HSTs). Pair one white 7″ square with a coordinating solid 7″ square, right sides together. Sew a scant 1/4″ all the way around.
On your cutting mat, cut across both diagonals of your square, creating four HST units. Press seams open. Trim each HST unit to 4 1/2″, aligning the 45 degree mark on a quilting ruler with your seam.
Repeat for all white squares and solid squares, creating a total of 120 half-square triangle units.
2. Next, choose a color to begin working with. I chose to start with my pink blocks. Sew two surrounding 4 1/2″ squares on the right and left sides of a center square, as shown. This creates the middle row of your block.
3. To create the top and bottom rows, use a coordinating surrounding 4 1/2″ square in the center and add two HST units to the right and left sides as shown below.
4. Sew the block together, sewing two rows together at a time. Press seams open to finish block.
5. Repeat steps 1 – 4 to create a total of 30 blocks.
6. Lay your blocks out in six rows of five blocks each, in an order that's pleasing to you. Sew blocks together into rows, then sew rows together to finish quilt top.
7. Baste, quilt, and bind as desired.
One beautiful 60″ x 72″ quilt!
Happy sewing!!
Elizabeth Dackson
{Don't Call Me Betsy}
Elizabeth Dackson
Currently, I design quilt patterns and enjoy quilting as a creative outlet as well. I taught myself to sew in 2010, after buying a sewing machine on a whim at Jo-Ann's, in an attempt to cultivate a new hobby. Little did I know I'd be fueling a full-on addiction! I love all things fabric, but I gravitate most to making quilts.
My work has been seen in Quilt magazine, Quiltmaker, International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene, Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Quilts from 100 Blocks, Quilty, Easy Quilts, Modern Quilts Unlimited, Fat Quarterly, Moda Bake Shop and Sew Mama Sew.
Latest posts by Elizabeth Dackson (see all)
- Mod Nine Patch Quilt - September 24, 2012
- Modern Halves Quilt - January 1, 2012
- Bella Crossing Quilt - October 15, 2011


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Make your own fashion-forward scarf
The Fashion Knitted Scarf Kit comes with everything you need to create your very own fashion-forward scarf! This craft kit will have your kids making something they will proudly wear and show off to their friends. Included rainbow yarn is lightweight and trendy enough to wear all year long; this scarf is the perfect fashion accessory. For ages 8 years and up.Craft Kit Includes: 1 knitting loom, 1 knitting hook, rainbow-colored yarn and instructionsWARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. Not for children under the age of 3 years.