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Occidental College
Campus Dining
through 3/28/14
ʺHi there!
I am a vegan with nut allergies, and your oatmeal in the mornings is often my best option for an animal by-product free meal. However the toppings are constantly mixed together in the boxes, and often that means the nuts end up in the other containers. Now I hadn't had much of a problem with it (more of an annoyance with it because occasionally I would have a minor reaction from the contact to nuts), that is until this morning when I put cranberries in my oatmeal only to find that a nut had gotten mixed in without me noticing and I had a very very serious allergic reaction. Now my meal options are already fairly limited in the morning, so I was wondering if maybe you could separate the containers of toppings more? Or at least get more serving utensils so not everyone is using the same utensils for the nuts and the fruits? I do accept some responsibility in this incident but I don't want to be forced to stop eating this low cost option out of fear. Thanks so much for hearing me out!ʺ
The Burger Bomb for Valentine's day was amazing. Soooo good. I'd order that every time i see it as an option.
The other suggestion I have is on weekend mornings maybe you could incorporate different fruits into the pancakes next to the omelet bar. Banana walnut, blueberry, etc. Ive also heard really good things about sweet potato pancakes but have never tried it before.
Thank you for everything you do!!!ʺ
Thank you for the kind comments. The kitchen has been known to make both Banana and Blueberry Pancakes. We would probably not do Banana Walnut due to nut allergies (see above). Yum, Sweet Potato Pancakes - we will look into that!
"I was wondering why the marketplace menu is the exact same for every sunday. To my knowledge, the menu is not the same for every other day of the week. Sure there are some things that are the same every week, ex) stir-fry to order every monday, wednesday, but there are different options every week. I grow tired of the same food every sunday; it makes going to the marketplace on sundays absolutely unbearable."
We think you're probably referring to dinner, because we do mix things up for Brunch. Sunday we have the fewest number of employees, many of whom are part time "casuals". The primary entrees offered (Taco Bar, Spaghetti Bar and Burger Bar) are simple to prepare and serve and don't require a lot of staff time. Sundays are also the kitchen's day to prepare for all those constantly changing menus you see every other day of the week. If we were able to add more staff and more complex menus to Sunday we would subtract staff and variety from other days accordingly. That said, we may change up Sunday with other simple menu bars (such as the Nachos offered today 3/28 at lunch) and would love to hear your suggestions.
"I would like more theme days at the marketplace. When I first came to Oxy 4 years ago, I remember there being many more themed days throughout the year with special food. Those were my all-time favorite days at the MP and I would love there to be more of them in the future."
We received your suggestion on March 16. We hope you enjoyed the St. Patty's day lunch the next day! We agree there have been fewer theme meals for a variety of reasons, including new staff and fewer requests by student groups. Our discussion following your suggestion yielded some great new possibilities for next year. We'd also like to partner more with student groups and offer them the ability to suggest meals that coincide with Campus Events. It's too late for new requests this year, but here's the link. For reference we're providing a list of our recent theme meals. as well as the future planned meals for this school year:
- Love Your Body Day
- Halloween
- Local and Organic Thanksgiving
- Winterfest
- Breakfast for Dinner
- Superbowl
- Black History Month
- Valentine's Day
- Mardis Gras
- St. Patrick's Day
- TEDx Dinner (March 29, Academic Quad)
- Date Night Done Right Dinner (April 5, Berkus Hall)
- Springfest Brunch (April 20)
- Earth Day Lunch (April 22)
- Cinco de Mayo Lunch (May 5)
"The new workers at the coffee cart do not know how to properly make a tea latte. For best results, the tea must first be steeped in hot water for 10 or so seconds before the boiled milk is poured on top. If there is no water in the cup, the tea will not be extracted and the resulting drink is just warm milk with no tea flavoring to be found."
The tea latte started off as a ʺonce every so oftenʺ type of request, but has been gaining in popularity. Its preparation method is not the fault of the Coffee Cart staff, but rather lack of training and a standard recipe. We are reevaluating the method of preparation and will retrain staff as necessary. We are also in the process of improving our method for preparing iced drinks at the Tiger Cooler.
"Why can't we use our eco clam shells at the Cooler? I don't want to keep wasting plastic containers!"
Three reasons: Space, Equipment, Labor. The Cooler is woefully outdated and needs to be remodeled to meet the challenges of the present. We refer you to a recent article in the Oxy Weekly:
PLEASE make Wednesday night burritos a permanent thing. They were so good...
These labor-intensive burritos are assembled mid-afternoon on Wednesdays when we have both the available labor and the available food (generally from overproduction). On Wednesdays when we are short staffed (either due to events or staff vacancies) we will not be able to accommodate your request, but when the stars align, you'll be smiling!
- Office:
Johnson Student Center, 2nd Floor
- phone:
(323) 259-2629
- e-mail:


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Request an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Hearing
This section covers only OMHA's role at Level 3 of the appeals process. The appeals process begins at Level 1. In order to appeal to OMHA, you must pass through Level 1 and Level 2 of the appeals process. For more information, see "The Appeals Process."
This section is broken into the following five parts:
- Requirements for an Appeal
- How to Submit a Request for an appeal
- Setting Up Your ALJ Hearing
- Requesting an In-person Hearing
- Information on Video-Teleconferencing (VTC)
Requirements for an Appeal
Before you can request a hearing from OMHA, ensure the following:
- Your written request is within 60 days of receiving the Level 2 appeals decision. If you miss the 60-day deadline, you must explain why your request is late and ask the ALJ to extend the deadline. See "Extension Request to File a Request for an Administrative Law Judge Hearing (Form HHS 727)." If the ALJ finds good cause for missing the deadline, the time period for filing the hearing request may be extended.
The claim(s) value in dispute must meet the threshold for obtaining an ALJ hearing. This is called the "amount in controversy." The amount in controversy is recalculated and published on an annual basis, and is identified in your reconsideration or reconsideration determination. Please note, your claim appeal can be aggregated with others to reach this threshold if:
- You specifically request aggregation;
- The claims were previously reconsidered by a QIC;
- Your request for hearing lists all claims to be aggregated and is filed within 60 calendar days after receipt of all reconsiderations being appealed; and
- The ALJ determines that the claims involve similar or related services.
How to Submit a Request for an Appeal
You can use the forms below to request an ALJ hearing:
- If you are appealing a Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC) or Independent Review Entity (IRE) decision or dismissal: OMHA-100;
For appeals involving multiple beneficiaries or enrollees associated with the same reconsideration or dismissal, use the Multiple Claim Attachment: OMHA-100A.
You may instead submit a written request with the information listed below. Note that if any of the described information is missing from your request for an ALJ hearing, it can cause delays in the processing of your appeal.
- The beneficiary's name, address and Medicare health insurance claim number;
- The name and address of the appellant, when the appellant is not the beneficiary;
- The name and address of the designated representative, if any;
- The document control number assigned by the QIC, if any;
- The dates of service being appealed;
- The reasons you disagree with the QIC's reconsideration or other determination being appealed, and
- A statement of any additional evidence to be submitted and the date it will be submitted.
Send your written request for ALJ hearing to the office specified in the reconsideration or the reconsideration determination.
In most instances, the reconsideration will direct you to submit your written request to the Division of Centralized Docketing at the following address:
HHS OMHA Centralized Docketing
200 Public Square, Suite 1260
Cleveland, OH 44114-2316
However, you should always defer to the address specified in the reconsideration or reconsideration determination. Failure to do so will delay the processing of your request.
Note: If you are a beneficiary filing an appeal, please include the following as part of the address:
Attn: Beneficiary Mail Stop
For more information on beneficiary appeals, see Medicare Benficiary and Enrollee Appeals and Assistance.
For more information, read our tips for filing a request for an ALJ hearing.
Setting Up Your ALJ Hearing
Finding Out How, When and Where the Hearing Will be Held
The ALJ reviews your claim and sets the time and place for your hearing.
You will be sent a Notice of Hearing with the date, time, and location of your hearing at least twenty (20) days before the hearing. A hearing will generally be held by video-teleconference (VTC). However, an in-person hearing may be held if the ALJ determines the circumstances of the appeal warrant an in-person hearing. Telephone hearings may also be arranged in certain circumstances for the convenience of the parties. Your hearing may take longer to schedule if the ALJ needs to schedule a medical or non-medical expert to testify.
There may also be cases in which the issues are decided solely on the documentary evidence and without an oral hearing. This is called an on-the-record decision.
There are several field offices nationwide and hundreds of video-teleconference (VTC) sites where hearings may be held. This extensive network assists OMHA in providing you with ready access to hearings, even in remote locations. It also reduces the distance that you may need to travel for your hearing.
Responding to the Hearing Request
Once you receive the "Notice of Hearing", fill out Response to Notice of Hearing Form (HHS-729) and return it to the ALJ listed on the Notice of Hearing within 5 days of receiving it.
Requesting an In-person Hearing
If you are requesting an in-person hearing, your request must be in writing and also contain an explanation why the hearing needs to be conducted in-person rather than by video-teleconference or by telephone. The ALJ will consider your request and with the concurrence of the Associate Chief ALJ, may grant it provided good cause is shown.
Information on Video-Teleconferencing (VTC)
Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) hearings often use video-teleconferencing technology or "VTC." VTC hearings utilize video cameras and televisions so you and the ALJ can see and hear one another. This technology allows you to have a hearing without having to travel to an OMHA field office. Often a VTC hearing can be scheduled faster than an in-person hearing and that means less waiting time for you. Also, a VTC hearing location may be closer to your home and that might make it easier for you to have witnesses or other people accompany you.
The VTC occurs in a private room and is completely confidential. A technician will make sure the equipment is working, but will not be present during the hearing and cannot hear your case. No one except your representative, or someone else you might choose, witnesses the hearing, except for select individuals that the ALJ considers necessary and proper. You will be able to see, hear and talk to the ALJ at the hearing. Transmission of the hearing is secure, and your privacy is protected. While all hearings are recorded, only audio recordings are made. No video recordings are made.
If we are using VTC equipment in your area, we will contact you to schedule your VTC hearing for a convenient time. We realize that not everyone is familiar with how VTC works. The OMHA field office staff have a list of VTC sites near your home and can assist you in selecting a site. In addition, they can answer any questions you may have concerning VTC hearings.
The ALJ will consider any concerns you may have expressed regarding your VTC hearing and the circumstances of the appeal when setting the time and place of your hearing. Once the time and place for your hearing are set, you will have an opportunity to object to either the time or place established for your hearing. The ALJ will reschedule the hearing if you have good cause for changing the time or place. Again, if you have any questions or want more information, please contact your OMHA field office.

subset: commoncrawl


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Vivaldi: 7 with One Stroke! - Concertos1 CD / Tacet / 2013-07-30 Works: Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto for 3 violins, strings & continuo in F major, RV 551; Double Concerto, for violin & cello, strings & continuo in B flat major, RV 547; Concerto for 4 Violins in E minor, Op....Performers: Bognar, Gyorgy; Dann, Hans Joachim; Daskalakis, Ariadne; Eickenbusch, Ulrike [Cello]; Escriche, Adriana Coines [Violin]; Iliescu, Adrien; Kestel, Onur [Violin]; Koike, Satoko [Violin]; Krzyminska, Ma... Conductors: Daskalakis, Ariadne Ensemble: ; Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra The Stuttgart Chamber orchestra is a professional chamber orchestra from Germany. On this CD they take on the roles of the orphan girls taught by...continue... Recording information: Evangelishe Kirche, Reutlingen-Gönningen, Germany (2012)....continue... read more
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Stuttgart Compositions1 CD / Hanssler Classic / 2010-06-29 Works: Johann Pachelbel: Canon and Gigue for 3 Violins and Basso Continuo in D major; Franz Ignaz Beck: Symphony in D minor, Op. 3/5 (Callen 17); Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Potpourri for viola & orchestra in G ...Performers: Hudson, Benjamin; Kussmaul, Wolfgang; Neher, Julia; von Niswandt, Klaus; Woelderink, Renger Conductors: Hofstetter, Michael This CD presents music closely connected with the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Johann Pachelbel was Stiftskantor (choir-master and organist) in Stuttgart from 1690-1692; F.I. Beck was...continue... Recording information: 2010-04-04_2010-04-06&2009-....continue... read more
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(1) Shall contain the words "limited partnership," or the abbreviation "Ltd. Partnership," "LP" or "L.P.";
(2) May not contain the name of a limited partner unless: (i) It is also the name of a general partner or the corporate name of a corporate general partner; or (ii) the business of the limited partnership had been carried on under the name before the admission of that limited partner;
(3) May not be the same as, and must be distinguishable from, the name of any corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company organized under the laws of this state or licensed or registered as a foreign corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited liability company in this state; and
(4) May not include the words "engineer", "engineers", "engineering" or any combination of those words unless the purpose of the corporation is to practice professional engineering as defined in article thirteen, chapter thirty of this code, as amended, and one or more of the incorporators is a registered professional engineer as defined therein.
Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2016 Regular Session
The West Virginia Code Online is an unofficial copy of the annotated WV Code, provided as a convenience. It has NOT been edited for publication, and is not in any way official or authoritative.


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| Thread Tools |
7th October 2004, 16:30 | #1 |
Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium
Posts: 78,970
| VIA K8M800: DFI K8M800-MLV Review VIA's K8M800 integrated graphics Athlon 64 chipset has been out for a few months, but you probably haven't seen many reviews. We of course had been trying to get our hands on a review sample for some time as this is the first integrated video Athlon 64 chipset. We have only seen boards from DFI, Gigabyte, and MSI based on the chipset all priced in the $70 range. Luckily DFI has agreed to provide us with their K8M800-MLV board for review purposes. Before we get into the review please take a look at the specifications for the board. http://www.amdzone.com/modules.php?o...rtid=67&page=1
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Manage your students and landlords, advertise student accommodation with our web based software solution; giving the quickest route to student accommodation.
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Our "state-of-the-art" systems allow universities and colleges to promote, as well as to manage property listings in their region: Saving them valuable resources and facilitating administrative tasks. The Pad Group's modern, fast and user-friendly cloud based management software enables you to:
We have a Pad Group blog, where you can find articles and the latest news on developments in the sector of online based accommodation management, for public institutions.
Learn more about our company, our products and modern housing management. If you should have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
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Are you a student that would you like to learn more about our housing platforms? If so, please visit our Studentpad website.
Find the latest news and articles here.
Pad Group Software Ltd.
Office Suite 30 The Old Flying Club
Skillings Lane


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Invaluable cannot guarantee the accuracy of translations through Google Translate and disclaims any responsibility for inaccurate translations.
Lot 25: Pendant with 15 mm South Sea Pearl & Diamonds, 18K Gold
664: An Ocean Full of Pearls
by Auctionata Paddle8 AG
21 October 2016
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Live Auction
18 karat yellow gold
Hallmarked with the fineness 'K18 750' and carat weight 'D 0.15'
32 brilliant cut diamonds with a total weight of c. 0.15 ct., Wesselton, SI
1 white south sea cultured pearl with a diameter of c. 15 mm, good luster
Length: c. 2.8 cm
Weight: c. 6.4 g
Object is regular taxed. 19% VAT is added to the purchase price for deliveries within the EU
The pendant is in very good condition with slight signs of wear. (imi)
All gemstones were examined by us in mounted condition using different gemological devices. If there is a certificate or an external gemological report available it is stated in the description.
Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.


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Baja Black Beans, Corn, and Rice
A south of the border blend of textures and flavors. Serve hot as a main dish or side dish with grilled meat or chicken.
- 6 cups brown rice, cooked
- 1 2/3 cups black beans, (one 15-ounce can), rinsed and drained
- 1 2/3 cups corn, (one 15-ounce can), drained
- 4 fresh tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 Tbs fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- Cook brown rice.
- In a medium bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, salt, pepper, and hot sauce.
- To serve, place a scoop of hot rice in a bowl or on a plate, top with a generous scoop of the black bean mixture. Stir together before eating.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 352
Calories from Fat 43 (12%)
(7%)Total Fat 5g
(4%)Saturated Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
(0%)Cholesterol 0mg
(17%)Sodium 420mg
(13%)Potassium 472mg
Total Carbohydrate 68g
(38%)Dietary Fiber 10g
Sugars 4g
Sugar Alcohols 0g
(22%)Protein 11g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.
Copyright © 2017 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com
Read our healthy recipe definitions.
Learn more about Healthnotes, the company.
The information presented here is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2017.


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Japanese clean diesels getting closer
Ian RowleyMore signs that Japanese car makers are ramping up there clean diesel efforts. Nissan today announced it will launch a new, clean diesel version of its X-Trail crossover SUV next year in Japan based on an engine co-developed with alliance-partner Renault. The X-Trail, sold in Canada, has never been on sale in the U.S. but is a solid performer in Japan and should help put clean diesels on the map in a country where, like the U.S. few diesels are sold.
In a separate announcement Nissan also said it has also developed a diesel capable of meeting California's standards for super-ultra-low emission vehicles (SULEVs). That's a filip for CEO Carlos Ghosn who has promised clean diesels for the U.S. by 2010.
Not to be outdone, the Nihon Keizai, Japan's biggest business paper, reports Honda is thinking about widening its diesel plans to include the Acura range. Honda said last year that it will launch clean diesels in the U.S. from 2009. That's part of a wider plan to tweak its hybrid strategy. It now plans to focus on hybrids for smaller models, and diesels for larger models, including the next-gen Accords, CR-V crossover sport-utility vehicles, and Odyssey minivans, where the cost benefit is most marked.
Toyota, though, remains quiet on its diesel plans. Indeed, while it builds diesels at a plant in Poland for use in Europe, it's yet to announce plans for engines that will meet the tougher NOx emissions requirements in the U.S. or Japan. Rather than not having the tech know-how, though, it's more likely because Toyota sees green diesels as a threat to its hybrids.


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Sea Power Confronts The Twenty-first Century
An Interview With Edward L. Beach The captain who first took a submarine around the world underwater looks at the U.S. Navy past and present and tells us what we must learn from the Falklands war
April/may 1983 | Volume 34, Issue 3
The present emphasis is on large fleet carriers. Should there be greater emphasis on escort carriers, smaller carriers?
This is an ongoing argument and it will probably always be with us. We had it with battleships. We are having it with submarines now too. How much is too big? How much is big enough? It's quite obvious that the two little carriers that the British had in the Falklands were marginal for the job they had to accomplish. One of our big ones would have made a huge difference in the war—probably with greatly reduced loss of life on both sides. You see, the problem with military stuff—and I think it's a basic philosophic thing—is that you can't do with half good enough. You always have to do the absolute maximum. For example, suppose you and I are going to have a fight. And we say, okay, we'll tie one hand behind our backs and just fight with one hand. And so you clobber me. And I say, wait a minute, I don't accept this. I had my hand tied behind my back. So I untie my other hand. You of course do the same. Then maybe it turns out that I can clobber you, because with my two hands I'm better, maybe, than you are with your two. What I'm saying is that unless you're able to use all your capabilities, you can't accept an adverse decision. If you have done everything you can, then you accept the outcome because you must.
In the case of ships, if you build a ship that's half as good, while the other side builds a better one, they've got an advantage. So the only thing you can do is to build it just as good as you possibly can, knowing that unless the other side slips one over on you, they can't make a better one. Even so, a ship that was top of the fleet ten years ago is now a ten-year-old ship and is probably no longer top of the fleet. By this time there's a better one, with newer and better equipment. So you keep trying to update the older ships. You put in new radar, new weapons to maintain top effectiveness, everything. Inevitably, however, you'll be sending somebody out to fight in a ship that is not as good as some newer ship. But if you send them out with one that was not as good in the beginning, you're already one notch down. So I say if you're going to have a military operation, it's got to be first class, otherwise you stand to lose.
So you would go with the larger carriers?
How about the submarines? Do you think the new nuclear submarines of the Los Angeles class are too big?
We are having the same argument over the submarines that we had about the carriers. But there are a couple of different angles to it. Submariners have always argued for small submarines because they are more maneuverable. You can maneuver a small submarine and get a torpedo off from it better than from a big one. During the war we needed bigger submarines than the Germans because of the vast distances to be covered in the Pacific. We needed greater range. Any ship designer can prove that if you want more fuel, more ammunition—more anything—in a ship, you must make it bigger. If you want it to be bigger and still have the same speed, you've got to have bigger engines. That makes it still bigger. So the process is like the constant building of a pyramid. The submarine, however, has undergone the biggest revolution in capability of any type ship as a result of nuclear power. In World War II, our subs on diesels had sixty-four hundred horsepower full speed on the surface. Submerged, we had about a thousand horsepower. With a reactor, you can have thirty thousand horsepower surfaced or submerged. If you want to make a bigger reactor, and bigger engines of course, you can have sixty thousand horsepower. That's not three hundred or a thousand, it's thirty thousand; it's a lot of power. And all of a sudden, driving a submarine through the water has become much more like driving an airplane.
We have to accept the fact that ships are getting bigger—that submarines are getting bigger. The argument over the Los Angeles class stems from the fact that they have bigger reactors and bigger engines that make them faster; but a bigger submarine is required to hold it all. And so we've got a very fine but big ship where perhaps we could have had a smaller, simpler, cheaper, lighter submarine that might do as good a job. But "might" is the big factor—it also might not. Furthermore, you're faced with the problem of telling somebody to risk his life in a lessthan-top-rate machine.
What about charges that the carrier battle group would not be able to survive nuclear attack?


text: A Carver Policy Governance Guide, Evaluating CEO and Board PerformanceThe Carver Policy Governance Guide series includes six booklets that offer board members a description of John Carver's Policy Governance model of board leadership. Policy Governance enables a board to fulfill its accountability to its organization's "owners," whether the owners are association members, city residents, company shareholders, or a community of interest. Policy Governance addresses the board's engagement in financial, programmatic, and personnel matters; roles of officers and committees; reporting and evaluation; agendas; and other aspects of the board job. Evaluating CEO and Board Performance offers board members information on the importance of evaluation as part of a greater systematic view of governance. The guide includes principles for effectively and honestly evaluating CEO and board performance. The Policy Governance model is based on the functions rather than the structure of a governing board. It outlines commonsense principles about governing that fit together into an entire system. The practices of the Policy Governance board, which are consistent with the principles, allow it to control without meddling, focus on long-term organizational outputs, powerfully delegate to a CEO and staff, and discharge its fiduciary responsibility in a visionary, strategic manner. Because the model is a total system, the Carver Policy Governance Guide series offers boards a complete set of principles for fulfilling their various obligations. |


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liljj: Quiz Results
Could You Get a Scholarship? taken almost 6 years agoStrong Chance at Scholarships |
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As Veteran's Day approaches, I would like to thank all of those who have served our country.
Sometimes I hate closing the computer down for the night but you have to sleep once in awhile.Lol Have a great week and keep on keeping on.
over 3 years ago
Howdy! Another crisp chilly morning here.Probably won't warm up much untill noon time.My wife is making soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch.Take care!
It's another Monday afternoon.Wanted to stop in to say have a super week and take care!
over 3 years ago
Good evening
I got my Pumpkin yesterday. As I was very excited to start carving it, we got torrential rains.So now I watched 1 episode of BONES, and 4 episodes of LONGMIRE.
I usually do not watch TV, but we TIVO AND AMAZON AND HULU and ROKU.
Well I do not but my family does.
So I slept late, like an Angel. ( As my friends know I am not an angel). But I got out of my arm splint and started therapy today. Shooting range in 2 - 3 weeks I am back for my lessons.The fall leaves are spectacular in my area. Breathtakingly so. Until my next note, be safe and watch over all your friends back.
Rima &
JJ,the African Grey18
JD the Cockapo 3.5
Keefie 10 weeks old
And Cheetah the rescue with 1 eye 7 year old kitty -
Hello!Just wanted to say take care and keep in touch when you can.
over 3 years ago
Hello Johnny, just stopped by to say hi. Hope all is well your way. Have a great Friday and weekend and always be safe out there.
over 3 years ago
over 3 years ago
Hello my friend. I hope this note finds you and your family well.
The Weather in the Northeast is turning cooler now at nights. I think that Fall is my favorite Season.
I miss my time in Norway. I miss my Family.
My daughter is a Junior in Highschool. Does time Fly.. I remember Just having her
then other day.
Hope your day is as good as mine.
Have a great Labor Day
Rima -
dropping by to wish you a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.
Craig -
Hello! Have a safe up coming weekend.
Keep on keeping on! Take care and I hope the remaining days of this week go well for you.
Hello.Hope your week has gone well so far.Doing okay here.Take care and stay in touch.
Good evening Johnny,proud to be your friend again.Hope all is going well with you.Be safe and blessed....Dave


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Sales Force Report: Shadowing the Reps
Sales Force Report: Shadowing the Reps
Drug companies still love their reps—just a lot less of them, especially on many mature brands where tier-two placement, not physician awareness, is the problem. That's the take-away from undercover observations of hundreds of sales calls at primary care doctors' offices. Matthew Arnold reports
Several years into the much-ballyhooed pharmaceutical sales revolution, a picture of the brave new commercial model is coming into focus. It looks a lot like the old commercial model—but scaled down quite a bit and with a few important differences.
"A few years ago, everyone was saying 'The sales force is dead, and E-this, that and the other,'" says Mike Luby of consulting firm BioPharma Alliance, "but at the end of the day, doctors vote with their feet, and they're spending time with these guys, engaging them on the resources, and clearly valuing a lot of what they bring."
That was the upshot of a secret shopper-style study in which the firm conducted in-office observation and surveys of 461 primary care physicians as well as 209 nurses and other non-MD medical professionals. The firm sent undercover former drug reps into 219 primary care physicians' offices. They observed 661 rep visits and sat in on rep lunches and breakfasts in 108 of those offices. Upon leaving, company reps were asked to answer a few questions for some market researchers.
They came away with a treasure trove of data points. Among them: calls lasted an average of six minutes; 90% of them occurred standing up; less than half resulted in meaningful discussion. Sales aids, used in 47% of calls, and the offering of food, seen in 16% of calls, had dramatically positive effects on depth of discussion.
They also showed the enormous value not only of reps but of resources like samples and co-pay cards in the marketing toolkit.
"The co-pay card is very popular and to some extent neutralizes the payer impact, becoming essentially an end run on the payer," says Luby. "We saw that reps are talking about them very frequently. They're gold in the marketing mix because they do so much to help doctors and patients that want to be able to access the products." And much as they might loathe them, payers haven't really clamped down on them for fear of being seen to squelch consumer choice.
BioPharma Alliance also found that, much as physicians like co-pay cards, they greatly prefer samples, offered in 80% of calls.
It doesn't require a $200,000 rep to dispense samples and co-pay cards, and companies have pared down their promotion of established brands, with many moving to a two-tiered sales force or to contract sales organizations (CSOs) for more flexibility.
"Once the market really understands the product, and in the absence of new indications, new data, etc., you really shift to more of a service mindset," says Luby. "You stand to lower your costs and actually improve customer service without compromising your competitive advantage."
That's meant big reductions in US sales forces—from more than 100,000 to 66,000 in 2012, a year which saw continuing layoffs as AstraZeneca shed 3,700 sales and marketing jobs, Novartis downsized by 1,630 and Sanofi cut 1,000-2,000 from its commercial organization. ZS Associates forecasts cuts to continue for another few years as companies absorb the impact of another $50 billion-worth of medicines set to go over the patent cliff, with rep numbers projected to bottom out at 55,000 in 2015.
"Everywhere in the country, there was a red, blue and green rep," says ZS Associates' Chris Wright, managing director. "The red rep did two products, the blue rep did two, the green rep did two." But with patent losses and increasing pressure from payers, many of those reps were left with only one product to detail, "so the companies have changed their models to let them take these two half jobs and combine them to make a purple rep," says Wright. "It sounds simple and obvious, but it was not easy for pharmas to pull off."
ZS Associates sees in the increasingly multi-channel sales model a role for the rep as quarterback, moving the physician from a face-to-face meeting to follow-up journal articles and video links—that take them to the brand site, that sends them to a call center, that issues an invite for a company-sponsored conference, and so on.
BioPharma Alliance data shows that physicians who see reps value expertise on newer products, but what they want out of reps on established products is resources—samples, co-pay cards and patient support materials.
Where companies once promoted a brand heavily from launch to patent expiration, now there's often a sharp drawdown in spending as products mature. Bristol-Myers Squibb proved the test case for this approach in 2005 when, with Pravachol approaching patent expiry, the company halved sales calls on the lipid drug, a BMS cash cow. Sales held steady, and BMS's competitors followed suit as their own drugs neared loss of exclusivity.
"But nobody's really going down to zero," says Luby. "For blockbusters, they might reduce the level somewhat, but they're still putting a fair amount of investment into the sales force right up to the end."
A tale of three drugs
Few companies have gone as far in rethinking the commercial model as AstraZeneca, which four years back created its Cornerstone division to house such mature brands as Nexium, for which the company slashed sales support without seeing any slippage in market share.
Today, the reflux drug, which became the No. 1 brand by US sales this year, after Lipitor and Plavix went over the patent cliff, is supported by a hybrid model combining service reps and a call center targeting primary care doctors with contract reps calling on gastroenterologists.
"At the end of the day, I don't think there's really a replacement for face-to-face impact," says Ken Graham, commercial business leader for Nexium. "I just think the market and where we are with the brand allow us to do some different things with it."
Nexium is just the sort of brand that doesn't need to drive awareness. The Purple Pill has universal awareness, a well-regarded clinical profile and favorable second-tier formulary status almost everywhere. But the brand team still needs to stay close to the category's specialists and provide them with info on new indications while dropping samples with primary care docs and educating them about access.
"We have a small CSO sales force that calls on the majority of the gastroenterologists in the US," says Graham. "They're the thought leaders and they want to know what's going on with the brand clinically. And then we have a service channel where we have folks out there talking not clinically, but about access and affordability and providing samples to a good contingent of the primary care physicians. They're there to reinforce access so that the healthcare professional is confident that when they write the script and hand it to the patient, they will show up to the pharmacy and get it."
That post-script nexus of pharmacy and formulary is where the battle has shifted for many brands.
"What happens is the patient shows up at the pharmacy counter and that's when everybody finds out that this patient actually has to pay $50, not $20," says ZS Associates' Wright. "Some patients put up with it, but increasingly, they say, 'Call my doctor, I want something else.' So the pharmacist calls the doctor. The doctor hates that. The doctor is very busy. This is a big disruption. The doctor has no idea how much it really costs, but they do know that when they write prescriptions for this, they get a high percentage of patients complaining and so they start to avoid the medicine."
Even second-tier drugs like Nexium often carry co-pays ranging from $45-$60, and these drugs are competing with generic alternatives priced at a tenth of that. And Nexium, which loses US patent protection in 2014, is well-situated, given its deep brand equity.
AstraZeneca has taken quite a different approach with Arimidex, which was, as commercial business leader Steve Davis says, "the analog for the loss of exclusivity," a blockbuster that, faced with 10 generic competitors, saw revenues dwindle to under $50 million in the blink of an eye after going off-patent three years ago.
"The thing about Arimidex was, I checked the information center, and we were getting calls all the time from consumers about how they could get branded Arimidex, and once we started digging into it, we realized that the cash price for patients for the generic was really quite high. That got the wheels spinning. Breast cancer is such an emotional issue, and we thought we could do something different."
And so the brand team put the bulk of its budget into creating a strong direct-to-patient effort, the fruit of which is Arimidex Direct, which has enrolled over 2,000 patients to date. The program has been promoted through the website and through word of mouth via patient advocacy groups and breast cancer blogs. In October, the company created a social media badge for the site to make sharing easy and posted a video on how easy it is to register for the program, which has shown a marked jump in adherence for enrollees.
"The science says Arimidex helps breast cancer survivors if they stay on Arimidex for five years," says Davis. "The average person stays on six months."
Davis, who handles AstraZeneca's Foundation Brands portfolio of 18-plus mature drugs, says these brands "have already established brand equity and doctors have usage patterns for those brands and know how they would be using them, so a lot of my effort is really tapping into that brand equity and doing it in cost-effective and efficient ways." His team does very little on the professional side, and most of that is directed at non-physician healthcare professionals.
"Consumers should have a choice," says Davis. "Do you buy a store brand, or the real thing? When a brand goes mature, they're never going to be the size that they were, but we can compete and continue to drive revenue that helps fuel further R&D."
For antipsychotic Seroquel XR, given the complexity and fast-changing nature of neuroscience, foregoing sales support wasn't an option. "We rely first on a highly-trained professional sales force," says Matt Lehman, commercial business leader for the brand. "But it used to be that the commercial formula was one of reach and frequency at pretty much any cost, and the game has completely changed. Now we're reaching a very focused group of physicians and trying to do that at a frequency that makes sense for them, and for us and our business."
For Seroquel XR, AstraZeneca supplements a robust direct sales program calling on psychiatrists with phone and digital outreach, along with a direct-to-patient program. It's a far cry from the one-size-fits-all approach of the pre-patent cliff era.
"We're listening to the market dynamics better than we have in the past," says Lehman. "Not every brand is in the same scenario, so we handle them all differently."
Glaxo's gambit
Another company that got out front of reworking the commercial model was GlaxoSmithKline, which in 2010 dispensed with an incentives structure that rewarded individual achievements and replaced it with one based more on qualitative measures.
"The shift from volume to value is a major driver not just for pharma but really all of the stakeholders in the US healthcare market," says GSK's Eric Dube, SVP for strategic planning and operations. "We see it in the accelerated pace of consolidation and integration of our healthcare delivery systems, and with that, there's been a big shift in sophistication of our customers."
Those changes, sped by the Affordable Care Act, are sure to continue, whatever the balance of power in Washington. The shift from quantitative to qualitative reimbursement has taken root in healthcare.
GSK has eschewed the service rep model, instead trying to increase responsiveness to customers. The company's incentive program is called Patients First. Two years out, feedback from physicians suggests it's working, says Steve Sullivan, head of corporate and independent accounts.
"We've had customers comment that we show up and engage them differently," says Sullivan. "In fact, it's enabled us to gain access to customers that had been shut off and we've renewed our relationship with them through having a different type of dialogue with them."
Fostering collaboration, rather than competition, among the sales team is making the difference, says Dube. "I think we underestimated how the traditional incentive model was an impediment to strong collaboration around the customer in the field," he says. "If you have an individual sales goal, that's what drives a lot of the behavior."
"You might have had two territories in a large metropolitan area, with two different reps in the same therapeutic area selling the same products but with individual goals, [so] any success they were having, they would keep to themselves," says Sullivan, "because they'd be ranked directly against the person in the territory next door. There was no incentive for them to share the insights garnered broadly."
Now, says Dube, reps are psyched to share information and best practices for the benefit of the customer rather than focusing solely on driving the next prescription.
GSK has downsized its sales forces sharply over the past five years while making investments in technology and analytics and building an account management organization calling on the leaders of large provider organizations, health systems and associations.
"There, we're spending more and more time with the folks who lead these organizations, and who are charged with delivering better value and better patient care within them," says Sullivan. "Through these discussions, we've really heightened our understanding of the business, and we're sharing that broadly across our team, so that when our reps show up and talk to a clinician who cares directly for patients, they're much better informed on the objectives of the broader business."
On some occasions, says Dube, healthcare company execs have asked these key account reps to share information with care coordinators for offices that don't see reps. "We say we don't have access to those offices, and they say 'Well, tell them I sent you.'"
"As these organized customers surface, it's a very different kind of sales process," says ZS Associates' Wright. As physicians' practices are swallowed up by bigger and bigger group practices, "some of those groups say, 'We don't want you visiting with the doctors directly,' so they've agreed to a protocol." Increasingly, Wright notes, hospitals reimburse doctors according to an outcomes-based incentive program, too. Formularies often figure into those incentive schemes, and the challenge of securing favorable placement falls to the key account rep.
"Our sales reps are product experts and therapeutic experts," says Sullivan. "Our account management organization, they're really customer experts, charged with understanding the customer, their business, their practice, their patients, and what their goals are to deliver care. We share that information across our organization to align the best resources we have and deliver value to the customer in a way that's aligned with their goals and objectives."
No-See No Choice
There's been much handwringing over the growing number of "No-see" doctors who will not see reps, which now constitutes as much as a fifth of all physicians. BioPharma Alliance said more than three quarters of such docs are "No-see" not by choice but because the hospital or group practice they belong to has a policy prohibiting interactions with drug company reps. Most of them would like to see reps and feel that they and their patients are missing out as a result.
Assuming that 20% of primary care physicians fall into the no-see category, Luby estimates that only around 4% of physicians are "No-see by choice."
But the group that's really growing is that other 16%, as more and more institutions are closing their doors. And we asked them: Does your practice miss out on resources of value by not seeing reps? And in that group, 70% say they miss out." Those docs said, by the same ratio, that their patients miss out, too. When asked what they're missing, they said not tchotchkes, but info on new drugs, samples, co-pay cards and patient support resources. Lunches were mentioned, said Luby, but didn't stand out. More than half of these "No-see no choice" docs expressed interest in seeing reps if their practice's policy against it were reversed (54%).
There's also evidence that these no-see doctors are slower to respond to emerging clinical information. A study out of Temple University (with assists from ZS Associates and AstraZeneca) looked at prescribing habits following three events: the October 2006 launch of Januvia; the August 2007 black box warning on Avandia; and the January 2008 release of discouraging clinical trials data for Vytorin. No-see docs who maintained "very low" rep access to their offices were up to 4.6 times slower to introduce Januvia to patients than were those who imposed a "medium" level of access, as determined by the authors. The "very low" access docs took four times longer to reduce their use of Avandia than their "medium" access colleagues, and showed "significantly less" response to the Vytorin data than did their less restrictive colleagues.
"Policies that promote physician ignorance of new medical information resulting from access limits runs counter to protecting patient health," said the study's lead author George Chressanthis, a former AstraZeneca exec who is now acting director of the Center for Healthcare Research and Management at Temple University's Fox School of Business. the study was published in the July 2012 issue of the Journal of Clinical Hypertension.
BioPharma Alliance's study found that reps are easily the No. 1 source of info on new products for those docs that see them, with nine out of 10 reporting being detailed on new treatments three or more times per month. Those that don't see reps cited journals as their top info source, with 64%-68% reading about new products in journals three or more times per month, followed by colleagues (52%-53%), websites like Epocrates, Medscape and UptoDate (46%-52%), apps (27%-32%) and package inserts (25%-29%). Similar numbers were seen for learning about established products.
Luby says the firm employed the "more or less than three times a month" benchmark to distinguish doctors who occasionally dabble in a medium from those who regularly engage it. E-detailing and other forms of non-personal promotion, once expected to transform the commercial model for established products, haven't moved the needle on that mark. Just 4%-7% of docs surveyed reported participating in online or e-detailing three or more times per month. Most never do e-details—that's what 75% of no-see no choice docs, 74% of no-see by choice docs and 60% of docs who do see reps said.
"A lot of non-personal promotion has ended up being impersonal promotion," says Luby. "You still have a lot of these experiences that aren't customized to an individual doctor, and so the doctor is getting this generic detail, whereas a rep can, within legal bounds, tailor a discussion to and have a back-and-forth with the doctor. The rep is really an on-demand resource, whereas e-detailing is hard to personalize."
There's also the convenience factor.
"All the doctor has to do with a rep is break stride in the hallway," says Luby. "It doesn't really cost them anything, it's just a couple minutes between patients that they can make up elsewhere in their day. They don't have to go to a website or tap an app or anything, because as simple as that sounds, it requires walking to your desk, finding the e-detail and the product you want to do, clicking on it and engaging in it. It's hard to fit in during the frenzy of the day and it competes with too many other things for their time outside of the office."
ZS Associates' Wright says some companies are getting around the impersonal-ness and inconvenience of e-details and other digital offerings by having a live rep introduce them.
"They used to go around the rep, but now they're engaging them in it, and they see a very different outcome when the rep says, 'Hey, doc, listen, I know you're busy and can't make it to that dinner meeting, but Mr. Fancy Doctor Who We All Respect is going to speak, and I can provide you with a podcast of it.' Well, the podcast saves them time, but their willingness to view it is because it was recommended by someone they know.'"
Wright is bullish on e-promotions, including video detailing, webinars, eCME, email marketing, physician communities and social media. While these media make up only 3% of all marketing spend (around a half-billion dollars), his firm predicts that pharma use of them will triple by 2014, but cautions that "getting it right will require Amazon-like predictive techniques." ZS found that a mash-up of predictive models combining a doctor's history with that of "like" doctors can enhance email open rate predictions.
With doctors increasingly pressed for time and NPs and other office staff playing a greater role in dispensing samples and co-pay cards, companies are directing more of their attention toward non-physicians. In BioPharma Alliance's study, non-MD contact occurred in 43% of calls, lasting an average of six minutes. Two-way conversation was observed in 70% of those calls, with just-small-talk accounting for 47%. Sales aids were used in 19%, and the healthcare professional asked a question in 5%.
For Arimidex, calling on nurses and other non-MD office staff has been a big part of the brand's spare professional efforts. "A lot of doctors tell us, 'Please make sure my staff knows this, okay?'" says AstraZeneca's Davis. "In oncology offices, they have a lot of advocacy programs, and nurses help out the patients."
"Certainly, with the increased number of patients that are going to flow into the system, we're hearing more about team-delivered healthcare, about allied healthcare professionals working at the top of their licensure to free up physicians," says GSK's Sullivan.
"The focus is really shifting to the office staff," says Luby. "They're the ones handing out the co-pay cards, the samples. They can be influential in the choice of the script." Their role is sure to grow as the "Silver Tsunami" of Boomers hits doctors' offices.
"Doctors still hold the power, because you need them to believe in the product and write the script—that's the reality that was heavily weighted back in the late '90s and early 2000s," says AstraZeneca's Graham. "We've just had other market forces playing in since then, and now there's a gauntlet the patient has to run through after getting the script. The patients are much more informed, and they are more involved, especially when there's cost pressures on them. So it's no longer a one-size-fits-all model."


text:
February 4, 2008
Do you give a damn who Maria Shriver endorses?
79 comments:
- Bob said...
She and Arnie cancel out each other's votes. I imagine that happens a lot all around the US.
- Synova said...
They've got kids, right?
So we'll have to wait and see which parent's politics dominate. - 2/4/08, 9:48 AM
- Hoosier Daddy said...
She and Arnie cancel out each other's votes.
Well considering Cali-For-Nyuh is pretty much a given for the Democrats anyway, Arnie can just hang out at Gold's for as much good his vote will do. - 2/4/08, 9:48 AM
- P. Rich said...
It's just some slight additional indication that Guvna Ahnul might not be, you know, like, an actual Republican - and what that says about his endorsement of McCain. OK, so it's a stretch.
- Wurly said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- Roger said...
No--and furthermore I don't particulary care who endorses whom--The endorsement of the Culinary Workers didn't help Sen Obama in Nevada.
- Meade said...
Not even a tinker's damn.
- MadisonMan said...
From the linked article: "The drama of it all was just delicious," said USC political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffe.
People actually say things like that?. So someone gives a damn, but I sure don't. - 2/4/08, 10:17 AM
- Maxine Weiss said...
Was it worth it? ---These weekends that are being frittered away...
What is your legitimate explanation for spending the weekend in Wisconson, when you've got perfectly adequate digs in New York ???
What are these pressing obligations that send you racing back to Wisconson every single weekend ?
There's a whole weekend world in New York, that you are squandering because you insist on making these nonsense forays back to Wisconson each weekend.
New York weekends can be a blast, if you'd let it.
Love the one you're with. - 2/4/08, 10:20 AM
- Balfegor said...
Figureheads schmigureheads -- she's a Kennedy.
I think its interesting to the Kennedy family (including Kennedy women--except Kathleen Kennedy Townsend) endorsing Obama storyline.
I think, strategically, they see him as a way to rejuvenate their public image. Literally. Because their primary public representative today is a bloated old man, Edward Kennedy. If they can appropriate Obama as the second-coming of Kennedy, the Kennedy name can be young and hip again. Kind of.
The Clintons cannot provide young or hip. Clinton I might have provided a little bit of the hip, with his saxophone and all, but he also was a dirty old man and sexually incontinent, and that hits somewhat close to home for the Kennedy clan.
Clinton II, on the other hand, is like the antithesis of hip. She has negative cool. One imagines her as a class monitor. Or the 風紀委員長 (fuukiiinchou -- classroom morality censor). - 2/4/08, 10:26 AM
- rhhardin said...
McCain blew up at Shriver March 8 2000 . Maybe there will be a repeat.
From MRC - 2/4/08, 10:31 AM
- Meade said...
"fuukiiinchou "
Yeah, well, chou too, buddy. - 2/4/08, 10:34 AM
- Balfegor said...
Yeah, well, chou too, buddy.
Hey, I can't help it if my brain has been rotted out by Japanese school dramas. - 2/4/08, 10:37 AM
- AllenS said...
When this news was first on the internets (I think it was Drudge) there was a picture of Maria and her face was really gaunt. Does Arnold have her on half rations?
- Trooper York said...
She just has a horse face, just like her mom. Eunice even dated Alan Young back in the sixties. Of course, of course.
- AJ Lynch said...
Anyone else think the Kennedy family experience says something about the diminishing returns of dynastic families and perhaps even the pros and cons of an estate tax?
The Kennedy offspring (Maria's generation) have been fairly ordinary in terms of real achievment after you discount for the advantages (wealth, education, privilege, etc) they each started with. - 2/4/08, 10:50 AM
- Doyle said...
Maybe the only thing I care less about is what you think about Maria Shriver's endorsement.
Flaky wingnut hacks shouldn't accuse others of being "insubstantial." - 2/4/08, 10:50 AM
- AJ Lynch said...
Here is one quote from Schriver's endorsement:
"I thought, if Barack Obama was a state, he'd be California," Shriver said as the crowd of thousands roared in a chorus that rose as she ticked off each attribute: "Diverse. Open. Smart. Independent. Bucks tradition. Innovative. Inspirational. Dreamer. Leader."
Is it me or is there nothing substantive there? What are Obama's dreams and visions other than way liberal and way bigger government to pay for his way liberal ideas? Most of Ann's visitors went to college, paid for it somehow and some way.
Obama says he will give that to everyone! How and why should we do that? - 2/4/08, 10:57 AM
- former law student said...
I can't wait for Trooper any longer.
MOTHER ABBESS (Hillary Clinton): How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Maria?
A flibbertijibbet!
A will-o'-the wisp!
A clown! - 2/4/08, 11:03 AM
- Randy (Internet Ronin) said...
Yes, shes is an insubstantial figurehead who has been telling her husband how to run the state of California for the past five years now.
- MadisonMan said...
doyle, probably even more people couldn't care less that you couldn't care less about althouse not being able to care less about Shriver endorsing Obama.
Someone should set that sentence to music. - 2/4/08, 11:06 AM
- ricpic said...
It's not just a horse face. Shriver's face is so angular that it's painful to look at. But whaddaIknow? maybe that jaw structure is the result of decades of talking like a Smith girl. Or is it a Brynmawr girl? Or too much inbreeding. There is such a thing as too much inbreeding, ya know. But mater says not to worry. And pater concurs.
- George said...
Former NBC correspondent....reasonably heavy hitter in NY publishing (six books, some for children helping them understand death and dementia)...that plus her family name....means something, sure.
I still want to know who Julie and Tricia are for. Ron Reagan, too....
The most ridiculous piece about Kennedy fever has to be Jonathan Alter's breathless behind-the-scenes essay about how Caroline Kennedy arrived at her momentous decision. Runner-up was historian Robert Dallek's recent gushgush op-ed about Obama. Those guys are on the payroll. - 2/4/08, 11:11 AM
- DADvocate said...
Doyle doesn't get the obvious humor.
I couldn't care less about any of the endorsements. - 2/4/08, 11:12 AM
- Trooper York said...
Last night, as I got home, about a half past ten
There was the woman I thought I knew in the arms of a black man.
I kept my cool, I ain't no fool. Let me tell ya what happened then.
I packed some clothes and I walked out ..and I ain't goin' back again.
So take a letter Maria..address it to my loser wife
Say I won't be coming home.don't want to face a losing wife
Oh Take a letter Maria..address it to my loser wife
Send a copy to my lawyer..gotta start a new life
You've been many things but most of all a good supporter to me
And it's time like this I feel, you've families always been close to me
Was I wrong to work nights, to try to build a great party,
All work, and no play has just cost me a chance at new hotties.
So take a letter Maria..address it to my loser wife
Say I won't be coming home.don't want to face a losing wife
Oh Take a letter Maria..address it to my loser wife
Send a copy to my lawyer..gotta start a new life
When a man loves a party, it's hard to understand
That she would find pleasure in the arms of some other black man
I never really noticed, how sweet you are to me
It just so happens I'm free tonight, would you like to have dinner with me?
So take a letter Maria..address it to my loser wife
Say I won't be coming home..gonna start a new life
Ohhhh, Take a letter Maria..address it to my loser wife
Send a copy to my lawyer..Gonna have a new life
Take a letter Maria..address it to my loser wife
Say I won't be coming home..fade out - 2/4/08, 11:13 AM
- Maxine Weiss said...
I think it's gonna backfire. The Kennedy's are going to start turning the world off, with their smiles.
I keep thinking of Michael Skakel and Martha Moxley etc...the disgusting Skakel (Skank--el) family. Ethel's pigsty of a home she kept, Mary Jo, Judith Exner etc....the hiding behind the Catholic Church, with each new scandal....the good old days !
Trotting out the Kennedys can only lead to disaster. This family is obsolete and their really grasping at relevancy.
Big blunder. - 2/4/08, 11:24 AM
- Dust Bunny Queen said...
"I thought, if Barack Obama was a state, he'd be California," Shriver said as the crowd of thousands roared in a chorus that rose as she ticked off each attribute: "Diverse. Open. Smart. Independent. Bucks tradition. Innovative. Inspirational. Dreamer. Leader."
I wonder what kind of a tree she thinks he is? What type of end table or car?
For the very first time....I agree with Maxine. I'm now worried about myself. - 2/4/08, 11:29 AM
- Trooper York said...
Maria, I've just been dissed by a girl named Maria,
and suddenly the name will never be the same to me.
Maria! I've just kissed off by a girl named Maria.
And suddenly I've found how wonderful a sound Oswald can be.
Maria, say it loud and there's a music video playing.
Say it soft and it's almost like my husband straying,
Maria, I never will stop hating: "Maria!"
(Song running through Hillary's head today) - 2/4/08, 11:44 AM
- Doyle said...
Doyle doesn't get the obvious humor.
What, the reference to Hillary? Oh yeah that was way over my head. Ann can be so highbrow! - 2/4/08, 11:50 AM
- Palladian said...
"Doyle doesn't get the obvious humor."
Goes without saying, really. - 2/4/08, 12:11 PM
- Maxine Weiss said...
Althouse has less than 12 New York Weekends left.
Will she make the most of each and every one?
How many people would kill for a New York Weekend, with free lodging in the City. Well, not quite in the City, but not too far.
Of course, it takes energy and money to go out and do. Rent a car and just drive....
But, if you had a man in your life, he could take care of all those things.
This has been an eye-opening experience for us all.
We're all learning, first-hand, that a Single-Woman of a certain age doesn't have the ability to make the most of her time in New York.
You really do need a Man to help smooth the way, and make things easier.
As I've told you many times before.... - 2/4/08, 12:21 PM
- Dust Bunny Queen said...
"How many people would kill for a New York Weekend, with free lodging in the City"
You couldn't pay me enough to go there. Wild horses couldn't drag me into New York. If I won an all expenses paid trip to the best that New York could offer, I would give it away to some one else. Nothing personal about New York. I feel the same way about San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburg and every other "big" city. - 2/4/08, 12:38 PM
- Trooper York said...
DBQ, the professor is in Brooklyn, not New York. It's the coolest. You would have a great time in the borough of churches. Family style. Lot's of big shot celebs are moving in to get a relaxed urban life style. They just go to Manhattan to croak.
- ricpic said...
A woman can't make it on her own,
Or so Maxine would tell us;
She's just a rag, without a bone
Or hank a' hair, sans fellas. - 2/4/08, 12:46 PM
- Trooper York said...
But if she really liked to bone
She would not be always alone,
It's just her harridan tone
That lends to sex on the phone. - 2/4/08, 12:58 PM
- ricpic said...
Not That There's Anything Wrong With That
Brooklyn, borough of churches,
Long since has it lurched
Into hip hop king of boroughs,
Reina of chuchifritos. - 2/4/08, 1:02 PM
- Wurly said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- tituschelsea said...
I actually watched the campaign event with Maria.
Poor Stevie Wonder and Michelle Obama wiped out and fell off the stage.
Maria looked hot. She seems kind of wild with all that hair. She said she just came from some horse show with one of her kids and was wearing this very hot horse show outfit. She is definitely doable and for a women her age looks good. - 2/4/08, 1:05 PM
- Trooper York said...
Boston,junior senator of lurch
And Teddy shame of my church
Into the midst campaign ventured
Hoping for new servant indentured. - 2/4/08, 1:11 PM
- tituschelsea said...
DBQ, you would really give away an all expense paid trip to NYC?
Actually, there are quite a few cool things to see there. Museums, plays, etc.
Pittsburgh? I agree with you there. Same with LA which I think is gross. - 2/4/08, 1:15 PM
- tituschelsea said...
I like to bone trooper.
- Roger said...
Titus: can Maria pass the quarter test? I thought that was your basic criterion.
- Trooper York said...
Now, now Titus don't make Palladian jealous. I bet Doyle is available.
- Maxine Weiss said...
ricpic: That's not what I said. She can make it on her own. The issue is whether she can make the MOST of what she has...
Of course she'll survive no matter what. She's been taking care of herself for a long time, now.
It's more a question of missed opportunities, and squandered gifts---repeatedly.
Look at the Christmas Fiasco. And, why do you think that whole thing happened? What message was the Universe trying to send Althouse with that?
Hint: She wasn't meant to be in Wisconson at Christmas time ! At least not at that time.
Who wouldn't want to spend Christmas in New York ? And, for the first time, ever, this past Christmas, New York had a white Christmas, too.
It almost never snows in New York on Christmas, but it did this past Christmas. And, where was Althouse?
Dithering in Wisconson.
Timing is everything, and having a Man around---a helpmate, to prod and nudge her into doing the right thing....would really help her make the most of these opportunities that won't continue to come her way forever.
Maxine - 2/4/08, 1:23 PM
- Pogo said...
Maria Shriver's extreme angularity means she is undetectable by radar, which makes her a stealth first lady.
So the endorsement will remain unnoticed, unless she starts strafing or something. - 2/4/08, 1:24 PM
- tituschelsea said...
Maria's ass did look pretty big yesterday but not as big as Oprah's-woo-baby's got back. I think the quarter would get lost in both of their asses.
Michelle Obama seems to have a nice ass though. She was wearing white and that ass was tight, nice bubble, perky and ready. - 2/4/08, 1:25 PM
- Trooper York said...
She doesn't strafe, her bony ass mainly chafes. Arnold, that is. Luckily his equipment has atrophyied due to steroid abuse. There's a lot of sharp angles on that bitch.
- tituschelsea said...
I guess I wouldn't call Maria Shriver pretty and agree she has a very angular face.
But I do think she is attractive. That head of hair is hot. The thought of her hair all over the place during sex is kind of hot. - 2/4/08, 1:28 PM
- tituschelsea said...
I bet when she and Arnold do it it gets a little rough.
He probably slaps her around a bit (during sex) and she enjoys it.
I can see her on top too while her hair is flying all of the place telling him, "yes you can". - 2/4/08, 1:30 PM
- ricpic said...
Pittsburgh has all those bridges,
Plus up hill down dale steep streets, too;
I love to treck around that town,
From on high river/angular views. - 2/4/08, 1:31 PM
- tituschelsea said...
Trooper not all gays want to hook up with other gays. Doyle seems a little bitter.
Any time a straight friend of mine says he or she knows a gay guy they want to introduce to me they automatically assume that because we are both gay it is a match made in heaven. And when I meet the person it is always like what were they thinking.
Au contraire, this is something that breeders need to be aware of. Just because you know two different gay people does not mean that they will automatically hit it off.
You see we have types that we like just like the heteros. - 2/4/08, 1:35 PM
- Trooper York said...
Pittsburgh has this great sandwich
Inside some greasy french fries,
I love to inhale two of those sum'bitchs
But wife sez it goes right to her thighs. - 2/4/08, 1:37 PM
- garage mahal said...
Don't pay attention to that hot and successful Kennedy. Whatever she says is the most boring thing in the world.
- Trooper York said...
Well Kennedy kind of fell off the map since she got thrown off MTV. Plus her new glasses suck.
- Middle Class Guy said...
"Because first ladies are insubstantial figureheads."
I guess Hillary Clinton never got that message. - 2/4/08, 1:45 PM
- tituschelsea said...
Here's the truth fellow republicans.
Gays don't like other gays. We are not a homogenous group even though we are homos. The bears don't like the muscleheads who don't like the drag queens who don't like the muscleheads; the twinks don't like the trolls; everyone hates the twinks and trolls and the intellectuals hate everyone; the leather queens hate the drags; the blacks, latinos, asians and whities are all separated.
Don't even get me started with the lezies which is drama central. You know the joke about what the lesbian brings to a date...a uhaul truck.
It is all very competitive and cut throat. Walking into a gay establishment is not for the faint at heart. There is so much dishing and tude flying around. Sound fun? No its not. And there is generally some big queen bitch fight at one of these establishments. - 2/4/08, 1:58 PM
- ricpic said...
Titus, on the prowl for hog,
Was sidetracked by a cougar.
Just once to be a dom'nant dog!
Aooga-ooga-ooga!! - 2/4/08, 1:59 PM
- Nothing but the truth said...
"first ladies are insubstantial figureheads"
Yeah right, A-House. A first lady would never end up, say, running for president.
Great insight, professor!!! - 2/4/08, 2:00 PM
- Blake said...
I guess Hillary Clinton never got that message.
Hey, I got 43 cents for a stamp.
Hell, I'll spring $12 for FedEx priority. - 2/4/08, 2:01 PM
- Roger said...
Titus: I need to get you to share your experiences in the gay community at our next accountant's association branch meeting of the Young Republicans club (average age = 64). From there, perhaps the Rotary!
- Roger said...
"first ladies are insubstantial figureheads"
Yeah right, A-House. A first lady would never end up, say, running for president."
I rather thought A-house made the case pretty well--we could look at liberal economist Brad DeLong's critique of Ms. Clinton's foray into reforming health care for a second opinion, however--thats even less flattering. - 2/4/08, 2:05 PM
- Trooper York said...
The first lady who was definitely not an insubstantial figure head was Dolly Madison. Her impressive bosom was the centerpiece of the figurehead that graced Admiral Bainbridge's ship Relentless. Her particularly pointy breasts did in fact impale two Barbary Pirates during a cutting out expedition in Tripoli in 1801.
(Alfred Thayer Mahon, History of the United States Navy) - 2/4/08, 2:11 PM
- Ralph said...
Actually, many of the millions of people who watched her TV show must have been hard-core Maria fans to enjoy watching that hatchett-faced hair-fountain every week, so the endorsement could have an effect. I'll bet most of her viewers were females of a certain age, too.
- Trooper York said...
In a curious circumstance, President Bill Clinton made headlines in Iceland. During a visit to the Viking museaum, the American president was visibly taken aback by the figure head on the long boat exhibit of the flagship of Olaf the Unlucky. As he began to sweat and shake, he pointed at the misshapen gorgon with the snake like hair and insanely demented eyes and said "Oh my god, it's Hillary. She looks like that first thing in the morning. When she's horny" No other human has lived long enough to confirm this account. Unfortunately the dairies of Vince Foster were destroyed during an Xeroxing mishap.
(Medusa's and Gorgons, Figures of Fear Through Out the Ages, Thor Heyheideal) - 2/4/08, 2:42 PM
- Ralph said...
Trooper, it's Mahan.
I thought her breasts were deployed against the British in 1814, but I learned all my history from Richard Armour. - 2/4/08, 2:43 PM
- Trooper York said...
Ralph that was his disreputable cousin who wrote that book, he had a different spelling for his name, as he didn't want to be confused with his similarly named relative.
Her breasts were displayed on this ship long before she was first lady. No one knew that this was the future first lady. She was a nude scrim shaw model in Philadelphia to earn her way through finishing school before she snared James. Much as Hillary worked as a fish monger in her salad days. Allegedly. - 2/4/08, 2:54 PM
- Hoosier Daddy said...
How many people would kill for a New York Weekend
I'd kill you for taking me there. - 2/4/08, 2:58 PM
- Trooper York said...
Hoosier Daddy, if you come to New York, give me a call. I guarantee you will have a great time. Just bring lots of singles. And bail money.
- former law student said...
hatchett-faced hair-fountain
I have been to Steiermark, where Arnold was born and grew up. Based on the local standard of beauty, her facial bone structure would make her a very good-looking woman there. - 2/4/08, 3:15 PM
- Pogo said...
Swear to God, Trooper, I'm gonna find my way back to New York just to find out how much bail money I shoulda brought.
- Ralph said...
fls, do you mean the Austrian girls were plump, or Maria is like them only more so?
I shouldn't rag on her, since my face has gotten bonier, but not bonnier, in my 40's, and my hair fountain dried up years ago. - 2/4/08, 3:32 PM
- Balfegor said...
I rather thought A-house made the case pretty well--we could look at liberal economist Brad DeLong's critique of Ms. Clinton's foray into reforming health care for a second opinion, however--thats even less flattering.
Yes . . . but anecdotal evidence from her years in the Senate strongly suggests (at least to me) that she's managed to overcome a number of the traits that led to the health care debacle. You know -- has managed to develop decent working relationships with other senators, including Republicans, usw. On the other hand, though, every time she squawks that she wants universal healthcare, I do have to wonder whether she'll revert to form once she's back in power. - 2/4/08, 3:50 PM
- Roger said...
Balfegor--I have heard that as well. If Ms. Clinton is elected, I hope that is true.
- hdhouse said...
well frankly if Michelle Obama ran for president she would get my vote and she is the best speaker out there..certainly the most sincere and well spoken.
What does it really say about our process if the spouse is the superior candidate to the person running for office?
I would vote for B. O. because he had the good sense, taste, and judgment to pick her as his wife. - 2/4/08, 5:42 PM
- former law student said...
I mean Maria is like them only more so. The average woman there looks like Arnold, but with longer hair.
- Blake said...
I think I'd have to go back to Betty Ford before I found a first lady I didn't prefer to her husband, HD.
- Trooper York said...
The last first lady figurehead was that of Lucretia Garfield who was depicted as a sea nymph on the bowsprit of the last new sailing ship commissioned by the United States Navy. The USS Monologue was launched in 1881 and a controversy ensued over the depiction of the first lady. The problem was with the artist who insisted that the figurehead be anatomically correct. The fly in the ointment was that Mrs. Garfield was infamous for actually having two vaginas. One was in the normal place but there was also a vestigial one on her left buttock. This lead to the snide canard that President Garfield got two for the price of one. This was a major scandal which eventually died down due to the sympathy for Mrs. Garfield after the assassination of her husband, who was killed on July 2, 1881 by a disappointed orifice seeker.
(Alfred Thayer Mahon, History of the United States Navy) - 2/4/08, 7:02 PM
- Cedarford said...
hdhouse said...
well frankly if Michelle Obama ran for president she would get my vote and she is the best speaker out there..certainly the most sincere and well spoken.
What does it really say about our process if the spouse is the superior candidate to the person running for office?
That's beyond stupid.
You would vote for some corporate lawyer bitch who has never held elective office, never been in the military or an executive postion of leadership ....to be President and Commander in Chief....
.....simply because she is black and talks well????
Jeez, Henhouse, does that mean you were rooting for Oprah before you watched Obama's wife talk? - 2/4/08, 7:30 PM
- DADvocate said...
Obviously I was wrong. Doyle is humorless, period.


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Item Discontinued!
Faithful replica of the bomber jacket worn by Lee "Apollo" Adama in the flashback sequence for the series finale, "Daybreak." Designed using original jacket base used on the show, the jacket features full lining and is fully functional, with four large front pockets, hidden pocket inside of jacket, and full length front zipper. Jacket features set of screen-accurate patches and in-universe (a.k.a. "Galactiguised") patches in lieu of real-world military patches that were added to the original costume piece.
Sizing Guide
For information on how to be properly measured, please click here (page opens in new window).
If you plan on wear multiple layers of clothing when wearing this jacket, we strongly recommend going up one size bigger.
Order Size | S | M | L | XL | XXL |
Chest (inches) | 34"-36" | 38"-40" | 42"-44" | 46"-48" | 50"-52" |
Arm Length (inches) | 32"-33" | 33"-34" | 34"-35" | 35"-36" | 37"-38" |
Body Length (inches) | 21"-22" | 22"-23" | 24"-25" | 26"-27" | 27"-28" |
- Designed using original jacket base as seen on show.
- Olive drab matched to original jacket seen on screen.
- Patches manufactured using original artwork from the show (Vigilantes, Viper).
- Galactiguised military patches similar in style, yet using production-created artwork pieces for "Galactiguisation" process. (See "Galactiguising the Patches" section for in-depth details.)
- Charcoal gray/black "ring and Colonial Phoenix" logo silkscreened on right chest pocket for better durability, as opposed to the simple iron-on transfer that was used on the original jacket.
- Constructed from 100% cotton with polyester inside liner.
- Fully lined and designed to be a completely functional jacket.
- Lining features extra insulation with accurate cross hatching pattern.
- Four large front pockets to accommodate wallets, phones, aviator sunglasses, and more!
- Hidden pocket inside of jacket (on the left hand side) for smaller items with black zipper.
- Zipper that completely closes to the top and elastic waist and wrist banding for maximal warmth containment.
Galactiguising the Patches
Three of the patches used on the jacket were either impossible to find, or re-uses of US Military patches. Below is an explanation from Steve Fronczek of why the aforementioned patches were Galactiguised instead of merely copied.
In my research on US military patches I discovered a little known US code concerning military insignia.
United States Code (USC) 18 USC § 701 — Official badges, identification cards, other insignia: "Whoever manufactures, sells, or possesses any badge, identification card, or other insignia, of the design prescribed by the head of any department or agency of the United States for use by any officer or employee thereof, or any colorable imitation thereof, or photographs, prints, or in any other manner makes or executes any engraving, photograph, print, or impression in the likeness of any such badge, identification card, or other insignia, or any colorable imitation thereof, except as authorized under regulations made pursuant to law, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both."
Furthermore, civilian use of "earned" military insignia is highly frowned upon by enlisted personnel and veterans of the armed forces and is punishable by law under certain circumstances.
In an effort to not offend any military personnel past or present we opted to "Galactiguise" the three US military patches. Galactiguise is a word made up by the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA™ production department to describe anything that needed to look like it came from the BSG universe. They took the words "Galactica" and "disguise" and mashed then together into Galactiguise. The art department opted to use obscure US patches on this jacket as they were on a tight production schedule and figured that the few seconds the jacket is shown no one would actually recognize any of the "real" military patches. This ended up evoking a massive licensing headache when we decided to reproduce the jacket.
Luckily, I was doing an article about the illustrator (Peter Hickey) who designed the original Squadron Insignia for the MiniSeries and he pointed in me in the right direction to all of the clipart he used for the show. Knowing the design aesthetic for BSG was extremely helpful in transforming the three patches into a design worthy of the BSG universe. When I started the process of hunting for the 12 star patch I did find a few that were very close. The 40th infantry division was the closest patch I could find. This patch was actually quite easy to Galactiguise as the 12 star was already being used on the Lieutenant Colonel, Warrent Officer, and Master Chief Petty Officer rank pins. The ring with ears was lifted from the BSG 75 patch and helped bring this patch into the BSG universe.
The large US Army Drill Instructor patch on the left sleeve was a bit harder to Galactiguise. Knowing that Lee Adama was a graduate from the "Caprican Flight Training Academy" I decided to use that logo as the centerpiece of the patch and build around it. The Serpent motif was replaced with a wreath and "This We'll Defend" was replaced with "Flight Training Academy".
The final patch being the "Air Force Communications Command" was the hardest to Galactiguise as it had the most elements. The shield and banner shape used on all Airforce command patches is copyrighted. The First Primus Insignia created by Peter Hickey has the logical shield and banner design to use as it was already used in the Prowlers and Aces n' Eight's patches. All of the graphical elements were carefully culled from the stock clipart used to create the original BSG insignia. I decided to not deviate very much on the basic thematic elements of the AirForce Cap-Com patch. Some of the notable BSG elements are replacing the five-point stars with Cylon Base Stars and the globe lines on the planet with a pentagon symbol -- reminiscent of TOS BSG (and reused throughout the series, including the Temple of the Five on the Algae planet).
Over all it was a fun project and I hope the fans realize that these three patches although not used in the show were made with the same clipart files and guidance from the original creator of the BSG squadron insignia.
Steve Fronczek
Author and Executive Editor of Galactiguise.com
Ordering Information
Please have your measurements taken properly by a professional tailor
Refer to the sizing and measurement guide to provide the correct measurements for yourself. You are responsible for the quality of measurements provided above. This is NOT a custom made piece. ANOVOS will assign sizing (S, M, L, XL, 2XL) comparing measurements provided against manufacturer's sizing guides. Buyer assumes full responsibility for sizes submitted for order. Sizes taken directly from commercial clothing should never be used as substitution for physical measurements. Upon submission of the order, the Buyer absolves ANOVOS of responsibility for incorrect measurements submitted. ANOVOS reserves the right for any exchanges or returns to be made at their complete discretion.
©NBC Universal. Battlestar Galactica is a trademark of NBC Universal, used under license. All rights reserved.


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Philips SHE8000/28 In-Ear Headphone (Black/Red)
" These IEM's arent the greatest. But these ARE the greatest for $5!! Seperation is great, Clarity is great, Detail is great! Bass is superb! Doesnt muddle out the highs and mids. This is the best buds that ive had for just $5! A reminder, these arent audiophile IEM's, but because if the price, they are probably the best IEM's out there! " --Ezio
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The new process could lead to the faster identification of dental implants that don't crack, tank armor that's more resistant to missiles, and other materials dependent on mechanical properties like stiffness and toughness.
The trick? The team, led by Assistant Professor Krystyn J. Van Vliet of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, miniaturized the process.
Van Vliet, MSE graduate student Catherine A. Tweedie, research associate Daniel G. Anderson of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Institute Professor Robert Langer describe the work in the cover story of the November issue of Advanced Materials.
In 2004 Anderson, Langer and a colleague reported using robotic technology to deposit more than 1,700 spots of biomaterial (roughly 500 different materials in triplicate) on a glass slide measuring only 25 millimeters wide by 75 millimeters long. Twenty such slides, or microarrays, could be made in a single day.


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Choose Between Two Options
$199 for three ultrasonic cavitation treatments ($795 value)
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- 40-minute Body Sculpt Xpress machine treatment
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North Laguna Wellness Center
Technology from Asyra is at the heart of much of the work at North Laguna Wellness Center. The devices can help identify not just symptoms, but underlying medical issues behind allergies and other troubles. Dr. Hank Williams is behind all of that technology, though, helping talk patients towards their physical and mental goals. He can also oversee more hands-on chiropractic treatments. Those might work to treat back pain or tension. All of the clinic's treatments may be paired with plans for better overall living, whether that's information about nutrition or a guide to talking yourself out of a confrontation with a small-town rancher.


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Dr. Lisa Thornton, a mother of three, writes the Health Matters monthly column for Chicago Parent as is the voice behind "The Doctor is In," a Chicago Parent podcast.
Pinkeye - what it is, and how to avoid it
Have you hugged your kids today? The healing power of touch
Podcast | The 5 things you can do for a healthy child
The flu is caused by a virus that usually infects people between October and March. Last year H1N1 caused a pandemic (worldwide epidemic) and this year H1N1 is included as part of the seasonal flu vaccine. The symptoms of the flu are:
The flu spreads by droplets when people cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets travel short distances through the air and land in the mouths, eyes or noses of people nearby. You can also get the flu by touching something that an infected person has touched and then touching your own mouth, eyes or nose.
Some people may think of the flu as a remote risk, but during last year's flu season more than 20 million children were infected. Most took a few days off from school and recovered without trouble, but 87,000 were hospitalized and more than 1,200 children died. Flu severity can vary widely, but children under 5 and those with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, severe neurological disorders or heart disease are at a particularly increased risk for serious complications if they get the flu.
Unfortunately, you can't avoid the flu just by avoiding people who are obviously infected because most people are contagious for at least one day before they get any symptoms and stay contagious for about five to seven days after becoming sick. The infectious period may be longer in children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that ALL children and adolescents over age 6 months be vaccinated. The vaccine prevents influenza in about 70-90 percent of healthy children and if an immunized child does get the disease it is usually less severe. Children younger than 6 months should not receive the vaccine and in that case household contacts should be vaccinated. This is called "cocooning" and it is meant to reduce the baby's exposure risk by reducing household infections. Children who have had a severe allergic reaction to eggs or to a previous flu shot also should not be immunized.
It takes two weeks after being vaccinated for the body to gain protection.
The most common side effects are soreness, redness or swelling where the shot was given, which usually last one or two days. You cannot get the flu from a flu shot, but some people get fever, muscle pain and feelings of discomfort or weakness that start shortly after the shot and last one to two days, but this is very uncommon.
As always, the best defense against the flu is to make sure children wash their hands often, avoid touching their nose, eyes and mouth and stand at least 3 feet away from infected people.
Dr. Lisa Thornton, a mother of three, is director of pediatric rehabilitation at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital and LaRabida Children's Hospital. She also is assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago.
See more of Dr. Thornton's stories here.
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Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) release of the iPad was a killer for the tablet market that it essentially created, and it still is a killer. Competition from devices running Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android has steadily grown, but hasn't come close to overtaking the iPad. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) faced an uphill battle when it entered the fray with its own tablet and software, and this month Windows RT lost a bit of its footing.
Windows RT and Windows 8 are two of Microsoft's latest operating systems, and both are found on various devices, including Microsoft's own Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets. While the issues vary, the problems all spell trouble for Microsoft's entrance into the tablet market.
The problems
Mistakes happen, but when they happen early on, they can do serious damage to the reputation of a fledgling product. An error came out of a set of updates that Microsoft released on January 8, and it has been giving Windows RT users trouble updating their devices. So, while Microsoft is already positioned behind Google and Apple in the tablet market, the software on its devices is getting even further behind — and other companies using its operating system for their tablets probably aren't too pleased.
Microsoft's own tablet is further impacted by a nominal issue. It's important for a brand to be catchy if it wants to do well with consumers — the little "i" before so many Apple products seemed to do the trick — but Microsoft is oblivious. On Tuesday, they renamed their tablet devices from "Surface With Windows RT" and "Surface With Windows 8 Pro" to "Surface Windows RT" and "Surface Windows 8 Pro," respectively, despite the fact that many outsiders refer to them more felicitously as the Surface RT and Surface Pro, which roll off the tongue a bit easier…


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Murphy Allen
2013: Joined the team.
High School: Attended Bradford High School and played under Head Coach Derek Chipoletti and Steve Reynolds...was a three-year varsity starter on the offensive line and lettered all four years...All-Area honorable mention in junior and senior year...started at left guard in the FL vs GA Border War All-Star game...also lettered two years in basketball and baseball.
Personal: Majoring in business administration...son of Scott and Lorrie Allen and born in Gainesville, FL...would like to graduate and open his own business.


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Madam Butterfly- Altered Sea Glass Necklace
5 commentsI made this pendant from a piece of sea glass that I had in my basement for years. I altered it in a few different ways to give it a new, artsy look. I strung it on a leather cord and made it...
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