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Volume 4, Issue 1, March 31, 2014
[Covering January/February/March]
Dear Friends -
We are excited to report that since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and new Medicaid eligibility groups on October 1, 2013, more than 232,000 newly eligible individuals in Illinois (known as the ACA adults) have been enrolled in Medicaid. Overall, the implementation of the new healthcare law in Illinois and the state's new Integrated Eligibility System has gone well!
In fact, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has received an overwhelming number of new applications for benefits - 50% above our estimates for the new law. More than 506,000 applicants have used the new online Applications for Benefit Eligibility (ABE) to submit Medicaid applications, while the new ABE Customer Call Center has taken 13,530 applications for 18,700 individuals over the phone.
Together, we are working with our colleagues at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services to process medical coverage applications transferred to the State from the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace.
Although many of our staff are working through a substantial backlog of applications while learning the new system, the State is just about current in registering new applications and working through verifications, interviews, and certifications as needed.
Applicants who applied for health coverage - either through the Marketplace or Medicaid - before March 31, 2014, when the Marketplace open enrollment period ended, are considered "in-line" for health coverage. This means they may still be able to buy coverage on the Marketplace if they encountered technical problems or were waiting for their Medicaid application to be processed. You can find more information by visiting: www.getcoveredillinois.gov.
In addition to the exciting news that we want to share with you about the ACA and new Medicaid eligibility groups, in just the first three months of this new year there are many public engagement efforts taking place at the IDHS. We won't spoil the good news…so just continue to read our Public Engagement Newsletter and you'll be amazed.
Individuals can now return to the Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) website after submitting an application to upload verification documents until a caseworker begins processing the application.
Applicants can simply: 1) log back into ABE, 2) select that you are returning to check the Status of an Application, 3) click on the "View" button next to the application, and finally 4) click on the "Next Steps" button next to "View and Submit Types of Proof."
If the "View and Submit Types of Proof" does not appear, a caseworker has already started to process the application. You will be notified by mail if further proof documents are needed. You should mail these documents as directed as soon as possible.
Governor Pat Quinn visited the Dennis Early Childhood Center in Rockford and Chicago's Richard Edwards Center for Young Learners in January to discuss his Birth-to-Five Initiative, the cornerstone of his five-year blueprint for jobs and economic growth. The Governor's Birth-to-Five Initiative will focus on three pillars to a healthy child: universal prenatal care, access to early care and learning opportunities for every child, and strong parental support.
"Study after study has shown that high-quality early childhood education has the highest return of any public investment we can make - more than $7 for every dollar spent," Governor Quinn said. "Illinois can lead the nation in early childhood education. We have the foundation in place. Now is the time to get the job done for Illinois' littlest."
The first pillar of the Governor's Birth-to-Five Initiative calls for connecting mothers with adequate prenatal care to support healthy birth and development of their child. Prenatal care is already available to expecting mothers with modest incomes through existing programs, yet 25 percent of low-income mothers in Illinois are not receiving the services they need. These mothers are three times more likely to give birth to a low-weight baby with increased health risks and poor development.
The second pillar of the Birth-to-Five Initiative calls for providing every child with access to quality early care and learning opportunities from birth, starting with those most at-risk. Research has shown that the early years in a child's life - when the human brain is forming - represent a critically important window of opportunity to develop a child's full potential and shape key academic, social, emotional and cognitive skills that determine a child's success in school and in life.
The third pillar of the Birth-to-Five Initiative calls for ensuring that parents have the support and services needed to prepare their child for success in school and life. Family involvement during preschool is linked with stronger pre-literacy, math and social skills and positive attitudes.
Over the next five years, Illinois will connect families to a range of services and opportunities to get the training and support they need to take a leadership role in their children's education.
The Governor's Birth-to-Five Initiative also calls for the expansion of Home Visiting Programs, parent resource centers and Innovation Zones.
Since taking office, Governor Quinn has fought to preserve early childhood education from radical budget cuts and found a way to invest $45 million to build early education centers in areas that need it the most. However, more than a third of our youngest and most vulnerable children still don't have the opportunity to attend early care and learning programs before they enter kindergarten and the status quo isn't enough.
In his 2014 State of the State address, Governor Quinn laid out a five-year blueprint for jobs and economic growth in Illinois. The Governor's blueprint calls for creating more jobs, making early childhood education a top priority and building an economy that works for everyone.
The Illinois Department of Human Services introduced a new website - www.myhome.illinois.gov - for parents and guardians of people with developmental disabilities. The site was developed to offer parents and guardians of individuals living at State-Operated Developmental Centers a place to visit that contains factual and up-to-date information about available options. The site has a wealth of information about the Active Community Care Transition (ACCT) process being used to assess individuals for potential transitions to the community, and a place to share success stories of those who have transitioned and more.
Governor Pat Quinn announced the closure of Murray Developmental Center in February of 2012, as part of the Rebalancing Initiative for person with developmental disabilities. In February 2013, the IDHS began the process of transitioning individuals to settings of a guardian's choice.
Southern Illinois Case Coordination Services (SICCS) is the Independent Service Coordination agency serving our Murray residents. They are also responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state laws in part through educating families and individuals on placement choices, making referrals and linkage to appropriate services.
The SICCS will inform guardians of all the choices available and assist in the coordination of their loved ones' transitions, in anticipation of the Murray Developmental Center closure. In addition, www.myhome.illinois.gov has information on the ACCT process for parents and guardians, a list of community providers, transition success stories, and some frequently asked questions.
Each year, the College of Dentistry observes Give Kids a Smile Day, which provides dental screenings and cleaning for underserved students. In February 2014, for the first time ever, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) decided to join forces with the UIC Student Fellowship Program and the special needs grant committee to host Give Kids a Smile Day at the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation and Education-Roosevelt (ICRE-R). Despite the heavy snow, the enthusiasm and dedication of the UIC's dental students and faculty along with the ICRE-R staff - nursing and residential - was a huge success.
Thirty two dental students, two pediatric residents, six dental faculty and two UIC staff members attended the event. Thirty ICRE-R students received oral health education, dental exams, phophys, and clinical care.
UIC set up booths on brushing, flossing and healthy eating. The Tooth Fairy and Mr. Floss made their rounds with all the students and staff. Plenty of photos and fun activities enhanced a friendly atmosphere; the interaction between the UIC staff and students was indescribable.
The ongoing partnership will continue to provide multiple education sessions with ICRE-R students and their caregivers on proper dental hygiene and lifelong dental health. At the conclusion of the event, all students left with smiles from ear-to-ear. The ICRE-R Nursing Department followed-up these services by sending a copy of the students' dental results and/or findings to their home.
Governor Pat Quinn recently released the draft of a five-year plan for one of the most innovative and far-reaching healthcare transformation programs in the country. The Path to Transformation proposal would allow the state to obtain $5.2 billion in federal funds over five years to modernize healthcare infrastructure and services and lower long-term costs. The plan, which requires federal approval, is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to improve the health of the people of Illinois and increase access to quality, affordable healthcare.
"Illinois has made tremendous progress in recent years reforming and improving our healthcare system to control costs and deliver better quality care," Governor Quinn said. "This plan will help take our healthcare system to the next level - improving the health of people and communities across Illinois while significantly lowering our long-term costs."
The proposal - known as a federal 1115 Waiver demonstration project - is one of the key recommendations of the state's Alliance for Health, a state-led group of health policy leaders, providers, insurers, and other stakeholders that was convened by the Governor's Office last year. Through the project, the state is requesting federal matching funds for approximately $1 billion annually for five years for services that are currently funded solely through state resources.
The plan will also support Governor Quinn's recently announced Birth-to-Five Initiative by providing support for parents through a home visit program keyed to the early months of a child's life. It's organized around four pathways to health: transformation and modernization of the delivery system to create patient-centered health homes; improving the overall health of the population through a focus on prevention, primary care and wellness; building a 21st Century healthcare workforce; and rebuilding and expanding the state's home and community-based infrastructure, especially for those with complex health and behavioral health needs.
The Path to Transformation plan has won praise from healthcare advocates and providers who have been closely consulted during its formulation.
"The Illinois Hospital Association (IHA) appreciates Governor Quinn's leadership on the 1115 Medicaid Waiver, and we support the general direction of the waiver to bring in critically needed federal funding to transform the Medicaid program to ensure effective, coordinated care for the most vulnerable citizens of Illinois," IHA President & CEO Maryjane Wurth said. "We look forward to working with the Governor and his Administration, as well as the General Assembly, as the state moves forward with submitting the waiver application to the federal government."
"This 1115 Waiver application gives Illinois the best opportunity it has ever had to address the root causes of ill health," Health and Medicine Policy Research Group Executive Director Margie Schaps said. "This will empower Illinois to weave a system of care that prevents people from falling through the cracks, that supports people who wish to remain in their homes and communities rather than institutions, and it will also bend the rising curve of healthcare costs."
"The Path to Transformation plan is an opportunity for the state to garner federal funds to make badly needed investments in the community behavioral health and supportive housing infrastructure," Mark Ishaug, the CEO of Thresholds, a major mental health provider and advocacy group, said. "We are confident the waiver will result in improved health outcomes and reduced Medicaid costs over the long run."
"The inclusion of home visiting in the waiver plan will be a critical piece of Governor Quinn's Birth-to-Five Initiative," Voices for Illinois Children President Gaylord Gieseke said. "All the research shows that outreach to families at this crucial time in a child's development has a significant positive impact on the child's overall health as well as their social and emotional development."
"We know that we can achieve better healthcare outcomes and lower costs when people live in healthy, safe communities with access to high quality healthcare delivery systems in which provider teams work with patients to achieve a state of physical, mental and emotional well-being," the Governor's Senior Health Policy Advisor Michael Gelder, who leads the OHIT, said. "On behalf of Governor Quinn, I would like to thank the many stakeholders who have contributed their time and expertise to helping us draft this proposal."
The state of Illinois has saved $60 million in incarceration costs by helping to steer young people away from the prison system and onto the right path, according to the 2012-2013 Redeploy Illinois annual report recently released by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).
"Redeploy Illinois' success is proof that community-based services for juvenile offenders are not only the best tools we have to truly help rehabilitate delinquent youth, but they are also more cost effective," said IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler. "This program gives youth a second chance at becoming a contributing and law-abiding citizen of their respective communities. Beyond saving dollars, the program mends lives."
In 2013, the average per capita cost to house a youth at the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) was $111,000, while the average annual cost to serve a youth in the Redeploy program was less than $7,000. The IDJJ data reflects 238 fewer youth were committed from Redeploy Counties in 2012. Although the 2013 the IDJJ data are not yet available, this trend is expected to continue as Redeploy Counties served 352 youth in 2013.
Redeploy Illinois was established in 2005 to provide financial support to counties in their efforts to provide community services for delinquent youth as an alternative to incarceration. The program supports a wide array of services to help delinquent youth, including counseling, substance abuse, mental health treatment, life skills education, and parent and family support services.
In the first eight years of the program, participating counties sent 1,036 juveniles to the IDJJ. This is a steep decline from the projected 2,268 youth that were likely to have been sent based on the previous three-year commitment trend; it represents a 54 percent reduction in the IDJJ commitments over the life of the program. Through 2012, the Redeploy program diverted 1,232 youth saving the state a conservative $60 million in unnecessary incarceration costs.
Redeploy Illinois has been successful in mobilizing communities to direct resources to youth offenders who otherwise would have been incarcerated. Counties receiving Redeploy Illinois funds commit to reducing their number of commitments by 25 percent in exchange for grant funds. The program began in 2005 in four sites serving 15 counties. Today, it provides services in 12 sites and 42 counties.
Last year Governor Pat Quinn signed the Employment First Act, a new law that requires Illinois state agencies to work together to make employment for people with disabilities a priority. Governor Quinn is soon expected to issue an Executive Order implementing Employment First in Illinois. The Executive Order will call for a multi-agency integrated program to improve employment for people with disabilities.
The legislation was first proposed by Governor Quinn in his 2013 State of the State address and is part of his agenda to ensure all people have the opportunity to follow their dreams and reach their full potential.
"Every person in the Land of Lincoln should have the opportunity - regardless of the challenges they face - to pursue their dreams and achieve their full potential," Governor Quinn said. "My goal is to make Illinois the nation's leading employer of people with disabilities. We've made historic progress to change Illinois through our Rebalancing Initiative and today, we are breaking down more barriers to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in our state."
The law requires all state agencies to work together to make competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities a priority and establish measurable goals and objectives for the state. The law requires the Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force (EEOPWD) - created in 2009 - to monitor progress towards this mission. All state agencies will be required to share data and information and ensure all policies, procedures and practices are aligned to these goals and objectives. The EEOPWD Task Force includes advocates, individuals with disabilities, business community members, disability services providers, representatives of state agencies, and other stakeholders.
The Employment First Act is modeled from a national movement that believes employment in the general workforce is the first and preferred option when exploring goals and a life path for people with disabilities. Competitive work in integrated settings for people with disabilities has proven to foster self-sufficiency, independent living, higher self-esteem, and better integration into the community. Governor Quinn is expected to appoint a liaison to manage and coordinate Employment First among those state agencies supporting and serving people with disabilities.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Office of Early Childhood has released an annual report about the status of its child care programs. The data reflects the department's continued commitment to providing quality child care services to working parents and their children.
The IDHS is required by statute to submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly regarding the status of the Department's child care programs, which include the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and Quality Improvement Programs.
The CCAP provides low-income, working families with access to quality, affordable child care that allows them to continue working and contributes to the healthy, emotional and social development of the child. In Fiscal Year 2013 (July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013), the CCAP served a total of 259,493 children from 149,699 families.
The IDHS Quality Improvement Programs are designed to increase the quality of child care available to all Illinois families, not just those participating in the CCAP. These programs include:
For more information on the Illinois Child Care Report, visit: www.dhs.state.il.us.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) recently announced new Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) Mental Health Reporting System requirements as part of the Firearm Concealed Carry Act (PA 98-063).
The IDHS plans to raise awareness of the new law that took effect on July 9, 2013, that requires a variety of mental health facilities, physicians, licensed clinical psychologists, and other health professionals to report patients who they believe pose a "clear and present danger" to themselves or others. The definition of "clear and present danger" has been clarified and the number of health professions required to report has been expanded under the new law.
"The new concealed carry law broadens the scope of the Illinois FOID Mental Health Reporting System, both [in terms of] who must report and what information they must report," IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "We are partnering with our sister state agencies and many statewide associations and others to ensure that clinicians and facilities understand the importance of the new reporting requirements."
The Illinois FOID Mental Health Reporting System is an online system administered by the IDHS. It collects information on persons in Illinois who have been declared in court to be mentally disabled; admitted to an inpatient mental health facility within the last five years; determined to be a "clear and present danger" to themselves or others: or determined to be developmentally disabled.
The system identifies mental health facilities and physicians, and licensed clinical psychologists and qualified examiners as mandated reporters. A qualified examiner includes social workers, registered nurses, clinical professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists who report only if they have an additional three years of clinical experience involving evaluation and treatment with patients that have a mental illness.
The IDHS then cross-references persons to the Illinois State Police (ISP) FOID database for matches, which are then reported to the ISP. The ISP is then responsible for investigating and processing or rejecting the application for the FOID card. The purpose of these regulations is to save lives through common sense reform and careful oversight.
The IDHS must be notified of anyone who communicates a serious threat of physical violence against a reasonably identifiable victim or poses a clear and imminent risk of serious physical injury to himself, herself or another person; or who demonstrates threatening physical or verbal behavior, such as violent, suicidal, or assaultive threats, actions, or other behavior as determined by a physician, clinical psychologist or qualified examiner. All reports must be completed via the new Illinois FOID Reporting System developed and maintained by the IDHS.
Those entities required to report include hospitals; nursing homes; residential settings; and outpatient facilities. Clinicians and qualified examiners who must report include; physicians; psychiatrists; clinical psychologists; clinical social workers; registered nurses; licensed clinical professional counselors; and marriage and family therapists. All reporting is confidential and HIPPA compliant.
To learn more about the Illinois FOID Mental Health Reporting System, please visit https://foid.dhs.illinois.gov/foidpublic/foid/.
Governor Pat Quinn filed an Executive Order in April consolidating the Illinois Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health and the Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse into a single entity called the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services. The order states that the social supports and community services that people with mental illness and addictions are extremely similar and therefore services should be appropriately coordinated.
IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said Theodora Binion will serve as Director of the new division.
It is expected that the consolidation of the DASA and the DMH will benefit those individuals served by the IDHS-funded community-based agencies. These benefits include: 1) improved access to substance abuse and mental health services, 2) improved overall quality of care, 3) improved quality of substance abuse and mental health services for children and adolescents, 4) reduced administrative burden on providers, 5) improved readiness to integrate substance abuse and mental health services with primary health care, and 6) fuller development of the substance abuse and mental health recovery movement as a part of the state's permanent infrastructure of substance abuse and mental health services.
"The merger of the DASA and the DMH is expected to provide an opportunity to build a combined system on the foundational strengths of both divisions," said Director Binion. "The merged divisions will strengthen the collaboration between substance abuse and mental health, improve the knowledge base and staff expertise and streamline administrative functions across the IDHS."
The growing number of providers delivering both substance abuse and mental health services will benefit from more streamlined processes and communications from a single funding and oversight agency. The IDHS will work toward the integration of data collection and reporting that will allow for more improved outcome-oriented treatment and will promote advances in wellness and recovery among those with substance abuse and mental health disorders.
The initiatives and programs of both divisions will be preserved and maintained under the new division and are expected to strengthen the workforce and allow staff to be more responsive to the needs of Illinois residents.
Dyahanne Ware has been appointed as the Director of the Division of Family and Community Services. Dyahanne, an attorney, comes to us from the General Licensing division at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
A native of Illinois, she has several years of experience as an attorney in the private sector working for major corporations.Prior to joining Illinois state government, Dyahanne was the Market Human Resources Manager at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in Abilene, Texas, supporting 16 stores in two commercial markets. She also worked for Hudson Legal Recruiting in Budapest, Hungary, where she created corporate placement strategies in 18 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Additionally, she served as a Regional Managing Counsel at Vantage Solutions where she provided counsel and management on employment issues for corporate clients and served in legal positions at Commerce Clearing House and Encyclopedia Britannica.
Dyahanne is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Chicago; holds an MBA from the University of Chicago; and a law degree from the John Marshall Law School.
Dyahanne's extensive experience will be extremely helpful as the DFCS continues to address highly staff intensive initiatives and strives to streamline and improve services to our customers. Please join us in welcoming Dyahanne to the IDHS.
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has named Silvia Villa as the new Director of the Office of Hispanic/Latino Affairs (OHLA). The OHLA provides assistance that fosters and enhances the IDHS delivery of services to the Hispanic/Latino community and those that speak limited English.
"Silvia brings a wealth of knowledge, creativity and energy to her new position," IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "Silvia has extensive experience in education and management and is a well-respected leader and advocate in the Chicagoland immigrant and Latino community."
The OHLA serves as the primary liaison to government officials and community organizations to develop partnerships and eliminate barriers in the delivery of programs and services to the Hispanic/Latino community.
Villa has been with IDHS since 2007, serving as the Executive Director of the Illinois Welcoming Centers - the first Integrated Service Model in the State of Illinois. Her career has been dedicated to improving opportunities and ensuring rights for immigrant and Latino communities. Villa stated, "I am both honored and humbled to accept this opportunity to serve the Latino communities in our state."
Prior to joining the IDHS, Villa was the Director of the Cicero Berwyn Initiative for Education Excellence, an initiative of the Chicago Teachers' Center of Northeastern Illinois University. She was also the Assistant Director of the Rafael Cintron Ortiz Latino Cultural Center at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Villa has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Applied Sociology and holds a Master's Degree in Education and Instructional Leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is also a candidate for a Ph.D. in Instructional Leadership.
Villa began her new position on February 1, 2014. Please join us in celebration of Silvia's new promotion.
The Illinois School for the Deaf (ISD) celebrated the 175th anniversary of its founding in February 2014. A gala celebration was held on the evening of February 22, 2014, at the Jacksonville Country Club. Secretary Saddler spoke at the event and congratulated the ISD for being one of the oldest schools in Illinois. Also there for the celebration were Ryan Croke, Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Pat Quinn; State Senator Sam McCann; and State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer.
In addition, past superintendents of the school Dr. Peter Seiler, Mrs. Joan Forney, Ms. Marybeth Lauderdale and current superintendent Dr. Janice Smith-Warshaw were present as well.
Attendees were treated to a grand evening in the company of President & Mrs. Lincoln and Senator & Mrs. Browning characters. Dr. Steven Weiner, Provost at Gallaudet University, provided reflections on the school's great contributions throughout the past 175 years, with a look towards the future.
The ISD has a proud heritage as a residential school, recognized for providing quality educational choices and a 24-hour environment that allows for crucial communication access in all aspects of the students' lives.
Throughout the 2013-2014 school year, the 175th Celebration Committee set its sights on implementing activities that included students, their families, faculty and staff, alumni, and the general community.
The Illinois House of Representatives, the Illinois Senate, and the City of Jacksonville all presented the ISD with proclamations for the services provided by the school to deaf children throughout the State of Illinois.
Students at the school have participated in activities such as news stories and features on the history of the school, panel discussions, Deaf Awareness Week activities, and a "birthday" celebration on February 23, 2014, complete with cake and ice cream for everyone.
The committee developed a commemorative ornament celebrating the rich history of the school, which is for sale through the local Pathway Services. Proceeds from the sale of these ornaments will go to the Illinois Foundation for Deaf Children.
The 175th Celebration Committee also worked to secure a historical marker for the front lawn of the main building on campus. The marker, which has been purchased through private donations, will be inscribed with a bit of the ISD's history, noting that the main building is the oldest State of Illinois building that has been in continuous use for its original purpose. The main building is on the National Registry of Historical Buildings in the USA.
A dedication ceremony for the historical marker will be held on May 9, 2014, at 11:30 a.m. on the front lawn. Each student will be given a t-shirt as part of the celebration festivities from proceeds of the gala celebration. This event is open to the public.
The activities surrounding the 175th anniversary of the founding of the ISD have emphasized the school's significant role in education throughout the past 175 years.
Information gathered by the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) has helped guide the treatment of patients and has assisted law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting illegal and fraudulent prescribing activities. Now, the PMP is about to enter a new frontier that may drastically change the way drugs are prescribed in nursing homes. The PMP Long-Term-Care (LTC) initiative is an unprecedented opportunity to change the drug prescribing culture in nursing homes and improve clinical outcomes by identifying the unnecessary use of antipsychotic drugs.
The Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program began in 1986, and at that time, monitored only Schedule II prescription drugs, including painkillers such as morphine and hydrocodone.
In 1997, the department moved from the paper-based triplicate program to an electronic data collection system.
In 2007, the program launched the new PMP website, which authorized prescribers and dispensers to access a new clinical tool to evaluate their patients' controlled substances use history and to prevent accidental overdoses or drug interactions through multiple prescribers or dispensers.
Next, the PMP was expanded to monitor Schedule III through V drugs, including Codeine, Vicodin and Valium. Since the PMP began tracking all controlled substances in 2008, the department has documented a nearly 70 percent reduction in individuals seeing 6 or more subscribers and 6 or more dispensers within a 30-day period without any interventions.
In 2012, the PMP joined a national data-sharing network that allows participating states to share information on prescriptions of controlled substances. Thanks to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's the PMP InterConnect program, prescribers and dispensers in Illinois can check their potential patients use of controlled substances within Illinois and 15 others states.
Through this network, we are better able to identify when patients have been issued duplicate prescriptions for controlled substances across state lines. The program alerts prescribers and dispensers when patients exceed recommended limits on controlled substances, which helps to prevent prescription drug abuse.
The PMP will also integrate controlled substance prescription data into Electronic Health Record systems to allow access to prescription information across healthcare networks, including emergency departments and short- and long-term inpatient care.
Last year, the PMP collected 16.4 million prescription records and 22,000 doctors and pharmacists currently refer to that clinical data on a regular basis. Participating pharmacists and doctors complete about 150,000 PMP searches each month.
Looking ahead, the PMP-LTC program is an outgrowth of the PMP initiative. Based upon concerns of the legislature regarding substantial utilization of behavioral health medications within the nursing home population, the IDHS and the Illinois Department of Public Health entered into an interagency agreement to design, develop, test, and implement an electronic means of data collection and review. This has resulted in the ability to take downloads from long-term care pharmacy operations on a weekly basis and develop a data warehouse that will allow for reports that evaluate use of behavioral health medications by patient, by facility, by region, and statewide. The tool will allow for identification of regions and facilities where prescribing may be outside of general community standards for evidence-based clinical practice. In plain terms the system will reduce unnecessary use of drugs in nursing homes, prevent problems before they happen and save millions of dollars in unnecessary medical services.
So what began as a means of improving data collection of Schedule II substances has grown into a clinical data warehouse. Thanks to the inquisitive nature and creativity of those involved in the program we can look forward to a future where the PMP program will prevent fraudulent prescribing, and potential adverse drug reactions and even save lives. For more information about the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program please visit www.ilpmp.org. The expansion of the IDHS' PMP is being funded by $450,000 in federal grants.
Pamela Curtis, Au.D, of Albion has been given the 13th Annual Audiology Services Award from the Illinois Department of Human Services' Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS).
Dr. Curtis has been practicing Audiology for 30 years and currently works out of Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney.
Robert Griffith of the DRS Deaf and Hard of Hearing office presented a plaque to Dr. Curtis for her outstanding Audiology services. She was nominated by the DRS counselor Denise Smith of Olney.
"I like the rehabilitation part of it and how the patients can immediately hear better," said Dr. Curtis. "It's rewarding to see what a difference the hearing aid makes for patients."
Dr. Curtis services a wide area in Southern Illinois and enjoys building relationships with her patients.
More than 200 people recently attended the 21st Annual Career Fair for People with Disabilities in Moline. The free event, sponsored by the Quad-Cities Corporate Partners and the Quad-Cities Disability Employment Network was held at the iwireless Center in Moline.
There were 22 participating area employers and community agencies. The Career Fair assists people with disabilities to obtain and maintain meaningful employment.
The event also featured a workshop on Using Social Media in Your Job Search presented by Corey Fineran, Transition Specialist, Black Hawk Area Special Education District; free haircuts for customers provided by Le James International Beauty School; and a presentation by Dress for Success.
The Coles, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham and Shelby County Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) offices have consolidated to form the new Mid-Illinois Family Community Resource Center. Customers are now being served by the new location.
The new office serves nine counties including: Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Moultrie, Piatt, and Shelby.
Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The address and phone number for the new office are:
Mid-Illinois Family Community Resource Center
1550 Douglas St.
Charleston 61920
Phone:(217) 345-2188
Nextalk: (866) 846-0527
Fax:(217) 345-2190
We hope you enjoyed reading this edition of our Public Engagement Newsletter. As always, please feel free to forward and share our newsletter and attachments with your networks, partners, colleagues, customers, friends, and those in your circle of influence and beyond!
Don't forget to register online to continue receiving future issues of the Illinois Department of Human Services Public Engagement Newsletter!
Aurelio Huertas Fabrizio
Editor-in-Chief | Public Engagement Newsletter
Illinois Department of Human Services
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Office: 312.793.9959 | Fax: 312.793.2351 | TTY: 800.447.6404


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You are here: Root > Software > Development > Tools > Defystem
This tutorial is intended for people who are relatively new to Common Lisp. It describes an easy way to install third-party libraries into a Lisp implementation.
Document location: http://common-lisp.net/project/asdf-install/tutorial/index.htmlWhile the ANSI standard is huge and provides tons of functionality there are a couple of things (like, say, XML parsers, web servers, GUIs, regular expressions) that aren't included and must either be provided by your particular implementation or otherwise by a third-party library.
Hitherto these libraries had to be installed manually, an often complex process. However, many library authors are now packaging their systems using the new ASDF-INSTALL standard, allowing for automatic installation on any Lisp system that supports it.
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Document location changed
The correct document location is http://common-lisp.net/project/asdf-install/tutorial/index.html
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subset: commoncrawl


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Rob Ryan surely remembers how good the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry was when his dad was coaching the Birds.
So perhaps it should come as no surprise that he's doing his part to get everyone fired up now that he's in the NFC East.
Ryan, who took over as the Cowboys defensive coordinator this offseason, took a shot at the new-look Eagles, according to Clarence E. Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
"I've got three bullies over there waiting for Thursday," Ryan said of his defensive line addition. "These are proven players, and that's what we need. I don't know if we win the all-hype team, I think that might have gone to somebody else, but we're going to beat their ass when we play them."
Ryan, of course, did not name the Eagles, but given all the headlines the Birds have made with the Dream Team and Miami Heat references, it's hard to imagine he was referring to anyone else.
One of the new Eagles apparently heard about Ryan's comments and responded. Here's a Tweet from Cullen Jenkins:
Talk is cheap. Let them talk. We are focused here and I could care less. We are worried about ourselves n getting better. He must be nervous
The truth is the Eagles should get used to having a target on their back. They are going to be a popular Super Bowl pick nationally and have raised expectations with their recent signings.
As for the Cowboys, they come to Philadelphia in Week 8 (Oct. 30), and the Birds travel to Dallas in Week 16 for a Christmas Eve matchup.
If you missed my earlier posts:
You can follow me on Twitter or become a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook.


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The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has formed a Community Development Task Force. After a couple of meetings so far in 2013, the committee has determined that their goal is for the Chamber to become the facilitator, strategic planner and communicator for outdoor events and activities that occur in Henderson County.
This has proven to be a harder job than what it initially sounded like. Henderson County is a happening place!
We are in the process of reaching out to various Chamber member businesses and organizations, requesting any listings of activities scheduled for the remainder of 2013 to include in the calendar.
We would like to have an event name, date, time, location and a phone number/website for more information. We plan to share this calendar through the Chamber weekly e-newsletter, on our website and we will have copies available in our office.
So far we have heard from Sycamore Cycles, the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, Friends of DuPont Forest, Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Four Seasons Running Club and more. Our hope is to have the calendar available to the public by the end of May.
During one of our recent gettogethers, we met with Tim Hopkin, director of the Henderson County Parks and Recreation Department. The Chamber does pride itself in our attempts to know what goes on in the community and being able to share that knowledge with our callers and visitors.
But Hopkin blew us away with all the exciting activities that go on in Jackson Park! The parks' facilities cover 212 acres and include four picnic shelters, nine baseball fields, multipurpose fields for soccer and events, eight tennis courts, playgrounds and many walking trails.
All this provides a central location for many community sports and activities and there is something happening there all the time! The park is also home to many species of birds, wildlife and plants, making the park a great place to observe nature.
One event hosted locally by the county Parks and Recreation Department is the Four Seasons Senior Games, which begins Wednesday and runs through May 19. People 55 and older compete in horseshoes, track and field events, swimming, cycling and table tennis.
The Senior Games promotes wellness for senior citizens and provides them with competition in a fun atmosphere. Participants who place in the local games can compete at the state competition, which is held each year in Raleigh.
Also coming up in May is the annual Tour de Falls. This May 11-12 event is intended to provide the general public, families and those with limited hiking abilities a chance to see the beauty of DuPont State Recreational Forest and some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Southeast via shuttle buses.
The 12-mile tour will take spectators to four sites: Triple Falls, High Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Lake Julia. For more information, visit www.dupontforest.com.
The summer opening of Sierra Nevada Brewery will bring more outdoor activities to Henderson County. Their Mills River facility, encompassing almost 190 acres, borders the French Broad River. Their plans include hiking and biking trails, along with kayaking moors.
One event they are already co-sponsoring, along with fellow Chamber members Cane Creek Cycling, Southeastern Sports Medicine and Sycamore Cycles, is the Fletcher Flyer. Planned for Sunday, June 2, this is the 10th year for the annual event. It starts at 8 a.m. at Fletcher Community Park. For more information, or to register, visit www.fletcherflyer.com.
As you can see, Henderson County truly has much to offer the outdoor activity enthusiast, and we have only hit a few of the high spots. Be sure to check out the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce website at www. hendersoncountychamber.org this summer for more.
The Chamber strives to be a community resource, an information source and link for our area. For more information on what we can do for your business, stop by our office at 204 Kanuga Road, or give us a call at 828-692-1413.
Sharing places to play, commune with nature
The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has formed a Community Development Task Force. After a couple of meetings so far in 2013, the committee has determined that their goal is for the Chamber to become the facilitator, strategic planner and communicator for outdoor events and activities that occur in Henderson County.


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klewlis wrote:
In that context, the answer to the original question is that something can indeed exist in your mind alone... and then it really exists, at least to you. So could something ever really not exist? Maybe, but if we can imagine it than it exists as an idea... so then it depends on whether your definition of existence includes ideas.
Emma_85 wrote:I'd say that ideas really exist. They [...] are really there in your brain as electrical signals.
If donut can be eaten, it exists
if donut cannot be eaten, then it is not a donut


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Potential candidates for Senate in Mass.
Potential candidates for Senate in Mass.
Senator John F. Kerry has been nominated to be the next US secretary of state. There are many potential candidates who could run for his Senate seat.
Governor Deval Patrick is required to appoint an interim senator until a special election is held to fill the post between 145 and 160 days after the vacancy.
A Senate vacancy would probably create a comeback scenario for Senator Scott Brown, the Republican who lost the seat to Democrat Elizabeth Warren in last week's election.
US Representative Edward J. Markey of Malden has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the Senate seat.
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has not ruled out a run, but insiders said she would not be a Democratic favorite after her poor performance in losing to Brown in the 2010 special election.
US Representative Michael E. Capuano of Somerville, who ran second to Martha Coakley in the 2009 Senate primary, has expressed interest in running.
US Representative Stephen F. Lynch of South Boston has also expressed interest.
US Attorney Carmen Ortiz, who has gained the attention of the political world by prosecuting former speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, has also been mentioned as a potential candidate, despite her lack of electoral experience.
Alan Khazei, who twice ran unsuccessfully for Senate, said he "wouldn't rule anything out."
On the Republican side, former governor William F. Weld could try to win the seat, but those close to Weld say he would defer to Brown.
Richard Tisei, who narrowly lost a challenge to US Representative John F. Tierney, could also run.
Kerry Healey, former lieutenant governor, could be another Republican candidate.


text:
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
84 comments:
- A.M.Bush said...
I've always liked the way fat albert characters looked, even though their eyes could be better. I think that those characters are fine and non offensive because even thought they are exaggerated drawings of black people the designs look based off of real people instead of just using racial stereotypes.
- Manoeuver said...
who cares? It's not like they're current. folks seemed to be fine with them at the time. They were produced without rancor. retroactive outrage seems to me a WOTAR.
- Guy said...
I do like how Bill Cosby had to force the artists to make them look like black people.
That story is all you really need to bring up to demonstrate how ridiculous political correctness is.
saNo. If only for the reason that the animation is hideous.
- Shawn Dickinson said...
That's racist against fat people.
- crolyss said...
I certainly hope not!
afro americans have dark skin, anyone have a problem with that?
- macumba said...
to start off, i don't know much about fat albert, i never remember it being broadcast here in england.
political correctness could otherwise be identified as white guilt put on the for the benefit of other parties.
looking at the pictures in the post, i don't feel like anybody is being exploited, apart from the viewer. the characters look like slightly exaggerated cartoon puppets of the seventies, painted brown. they look black by suggestion.
but in answer to the question, yes, but there was no notion of political correctness when mr cosby pitched the idea and furthermore they are not the '30's golly al jolson idea of cartoon black people.
although, i might be wrong, other people may find them repelling caricatures.
whatever the intention of the post was, this was just my ten pence in the pot, of the cartoon itself, by watching clips on youtube looked liked normal stilted, tv animation.
and to end, i hope i have grabbed the wrong end of the stick and beaten myself with it.
- Kaiser Fate said...
A later misfire was WayneHead.
Thankfully it was cancelled shortly into the first season, but someone thought it was a bright idea to have a show about a bunch of black kids led by one who looked like a goblin, complete with a clubfoot and a freaking massive head.
At least Fat Albert was occasionally funny!
- J C Roberts said...
The ability to apply cartoon exaggeration to people of all types is more an act of bravery these days if you don't belong to the group you're representing. Considering the show and it's designs were obviously given Cosby's blessings, it usually gets a pass for that.
The fact that they're not entirely different from some of the Coal Black design elements, shows that it's as much a matter of WHO designed them as how they're designed (and of course, how they're used). Honesty and quality have been on the cutting room floor for decades now.
For me, these are more a matter of anatomically correct. Because most inner city kids have heads that float above their collars.
- Xerxes409 said...
I'm not sure on the political correctness front, but that Saturday morning lineup looks like one of the deepest pits in hell.
- lastangelman said...
1.)Are you kidding me? I'd love to hear the arguments against these characters.
2.)off subject here, just found this Betty Boopclip, courtesy of Kipp Friedman's Facebook newsfeed, the music in second half of cartoon was a delightful surprise.
- ArtF said...
Yes, because Bill Cosby had a hand in creating the characters. Now, if you or me had anything to do with them, they would be incorrect indeed.
- Whit said...
The funny thing is that those Fat Albert characters were designed by Don Bluth.
- Carmine said...
Hmm, are they politically incorrect? Its hard to say. There seems to be a fine line between racism and taking an interest in another race. Cosby is black himself, so I assume its okay.
On a related topic, John K, sir, if you could, I'd love to hear a little bit on the backstory of the ghost in "Haunted House", who turns into a big black man at the end. I always loved that episode, been rewatching it a lot lately, and I love the ending. But my brother has pointed out that the black guy could be seen by some as an un-pc charicature. I see it as a work of love, recalling the style, feel and tone of the golden age of animation. But those days were racist, and paying homage to those times, or building upon what was done then, could potentially skew the result into an unintentionally racist or insensitive arena, if that makes any sense.
I personally dont think thats the case w/ "Haunted House", but it walks a fine line. It seems like when creating a funny and interesting design outside your own race, you run the risk of being seen as racist, where as it might be more of an act of love, you know. But in the case of "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids", or say "The Boondocks", it seems to not really be an issue, since we know it was made by someone of that race. You know what i'm saying?
- Chris said...
This show being born from the comedic stylings of Mr. Bill Cosby, I would have to say, Yes, they are politically correct. Am I right? What did I win?
- Brad said...
It's politically incorrect that the cartoon directed at black children took place in a junk yard full of hooligans playing in a junk band. "Black kids are poor right? They like music right? I think I have an Idea!"
- Ryan Cole said...
As a person who never really gave a shit about the power of political correctness on the grounds that they only serve to bury the feelings one culture feels about another and will only really be corrected through years of healing and cultural bonding, no.
No I do not think those drawings are politically correct.
- Trevor Thompson said...
I thought Mike F. only collected toys from good cartoons.
- Robert said...
Just as an aside, I always thought the term "politically correct" was a cynical construction. "Politics" is the business of winning elections.
"Socially correct" would make more sense in these discussions.
"Fat Albert" seemed an odd instance on network TV. In retrospect, I guess Cosby was just wanting to tell stories with the characters he knew from his childhood.
But I'd have to admit that when I was a kid trying to watch "Fat Albert" it didn't make sense.
I didn't know any black people and he never convinced me that these were caricatures from life. I was too far removed from his environment to ever figure out why that one kid was looking thru holes in his cap. I didn't even recognize it as a gag.
I guess we can call these "correct" since they come from someone who knows what he's talking about even if they seem odd. Perhaps that's why the characters sometimes exhibit a complexity that was mostly absent from black characters in previous animation.
I don't know how much of this comes from Cosby or other black artists, however.
I noticed that when he did "The Cosby Show" in the 80's he went to the other end of the spectrum and created a set of the most ordinary, middle-of-the-road, characters one would ever see.
- Chris said...
Oh, and anyone that dresses like that last picture and/or doesn't have a problem with those who dress like that but does take offense with any cartoon image of blacks, should really have their head examined.
I see a lot more living, breathing racial stereotypes/caricatures on the streets of my job than in all the Golden Age cartoons combined. So what's worse, cartoons or reality? VIVA BOSKO! =)
- Rick Roberts said...
According to society, that last pic is most politically correct and the Fat Albert pictures are in good taste.
- Kali Fontecchio said...
- Lampshade said...
Whit: Wikipedia says that Randy Hollar and Michelle McKinney primarily designed them. I sure as hell can't see Don Bluth doing it.
- Patrick McMicheal said...
I don't know about "correct", but they sure as hell are accurate! Maybe they should use a KEN doll and mold him with brown vinyl.
If you have to draw a black guy, you have to think about what makes them unique!
There are common characteristics that you cant ignore....if I draw a giraffe with a long neck, does this mean I "hate" giraffes?
- I.D.R.C. said...
We are all paying a price for bad decisions made by people hundreds of years before we were born. The pictures in this post illustrate that legacy.
First we have Bill Cosby trying to address the skewed past by helping to create some the butt-ugliest designs in the history of animation. At least the lips look something black folk's lips, I guess.
Second we see COAL BLACK, an earnest effort at inclusion by a sincere artist, that you can never see again because it has been pulled from circulation and lumped with every stereotype ever deemed too offensive to ever be seen again, even in a historical context.
Third, we see a class of people so excluded from society that they have mutated to prefer yelling to singing, boxers to briefs, and who are tired of their asses getting too hot.
- Ryan G. said...
I think you should have to judge the pictures based on the images themselves, without knowledge of whom created them.
They are PC or not PC, regardless who made them.
- A.M.Bush said...
I think coal black herself is adorable. I can see someone taking offense to maybe the dwarves or something though.
Those RL guys have only themselves to blame for propagating negative racial stereotypes.
I think as far as blacks in cartoons go, I can see how someone would have a legitimate argument against minstrel show blackface stuff or of africans being portrayed as savages. I think unfortunately a lot of cartoons that are only honest assessments of cultures get banned out of kneejerk reactions from people looking for reasons to get offended.
I think it's a greater offense to black people to think of them as so sensitive and reactionary that we'd have to draw all cartoons of black people with their facial features skewed to look WHITE! omfgwtf
But, I can certainly see how a comic portrayal of a black person that is a remnant of the times of slavery and jim crow laws could be very offensive because they were ignorant symbols made to portray blacks in a derogatory manner.
- yogan said...
Here in Mexico people on the media don't care much about political correctness (yet), so for me it's hard to tell if these cartoons are politically correct or not. IMO there's nothing wrong with drawing people in wacky situations... whatever they look like.
Thanks John for dedicating so many posts in this blog, you have plenty of die-hard fans south the border.
- A.M.Bush said...
Kali, that video you posted is adorable and I want to marry everyone in it.
and now I leave you with this offensive video.
- Geneva said...
I think it's ridiculously offensive to water down any person's caricature by making them as "ideal white" as possible. Look at some modern Cartoon Network type cartoons-- the black characters just look like re-colors of the white characters. What's wrong with this picture?
It's easy to look at Coal Black and call it offensive, but that's a really literal and retrospective, context-remove reading. I think of it as black humor for black people of the time (wasn't it? I don't know for certain but it seems like it's clearly got some "black people should join the military!" propaganda vibes to it, so I assumed it was explicitly for that audience).
I mean, look at Soul Plane. Awful crap, and in 50 years I'm sure people will look at it and call it racist, same with most modern black comedies. The only difference is that Coal Black was made masterfully, with skill and adoration, rather than just "well, we gotta market some crap to black people."
Is it just because it's easier to target a 70 year old cartoon than modern awful media?
I have a children's book about a clown named Bozo, and he visits around the world. Just thought I'd like to share this with you, since we're on the subject of politically incorrect material
- Sven Hoek said...
Kali, great find! That was an amazing dance clip. I have never seen dancing with that much energy and wild movements. Fantastic.
And I want to bring up one of my favorite movies, Song of the South. Deemed too racist to exist in America, where racism was aged to a stinky perfection.
Song of the south is one of the best things to come out of Disney. It dealt with a slave telling stories to the masters son. But the stories are vieled references to slave life. And the stories are told with cartoons. It's awesome, and the damn thing is banned in the states. They can have a ride at disneyland (Splash Mountain) based on it but you cant see the movie. You can hear all the songs, but you cant see the movie.
'Political Correctness' is just as stupid and pointless as racism. In fact, it's the same damn thing.
Wonderful feeling
Wonderful day.
- Mick said...
they are fine... do white people get huffy about the othere seven dwarfs? what about snafu (you know that war training dude)? What about elmer fudd? It's all bollocks and this debate goes to show why I never see black people on greetings cards. If something is done without malice then someone calling it malicious does not make it so.
Everyone should stop walking on egg shells.
- Maloni said...
Fat Albert is politically correct, the images below it are not. Never make the lips a lighter color on the skin on a Black character. It's insulting.
RE. CBS image, there's something unsettling in that the superheroes & wholesome looking 'clue club' etc are WHITE whereas the goofballs/comic relief are either ANIMALS or BLACK PEOPLE.
When i was a kid i loved fat albert & didn't think twice about it... i remember thinking it was so much more 'real' than the other stuff on sat morning tv at the time (this wasn't the 70s tho, this was re-runs in the early 90s). Much more 'aspirational' than any super-hero cartoon i'd seen... aspirational because they were FUNNY!
If i recall correctly Fat Albert was broadcast in the UK in the same block as the MC Hammer cartoon.
- Claire said...
There's a difference between honest attempts to portray INDIVIDUALS, and broad "race" stereotypes. Fact is, there's more genetic variation within a race than there is between different races. But unfortunately, a lot of people have a tendency to look at a person of another race and pretty much see ONLY the traits popularly ascribed to their race, missing out on all the other individualizing details. So a caricature of a black person that doesn't make any observations beyond "big pink lips" is pretty non-politically-correct. Actually, let's call a spade a spade: it's racist. (The term "politically correct" is a big straw man for people who get very angry at having to examine their own prejudices. I've never heard it used un-ironically.) And it also doesn't serve your art very well.
You look at your own race and see "neutral" or "default" human traits. Neutral mouth, neutral eyes, etc. Maybe you can make some distinctions like small chin, large nose, wide-set eyes, whatever. You look at another race and pick out a particular set of prefab "alien" traits. Is a blank smily face "white?" Why?
And Chris, I don't have a problem with people who dress like that, and I don't see how that precludes me having a problem with racist depictions of black people. Do the people who dress like that represent all blacks? Even if they don't, why should a black person be constrained in how they dress simply because there exists a stereotype that may overlap with it? Are they a discredit to their "kind" or something? Can you be such a thing? How? Saying "I don't hate [X ethnic] people, I just hate the ones who are like this " is still pretty crappy.
So, to conclude, I think Coal Black is pretty unmistakably racist, but Fat Albert is at least coming from the right place—someone trying to reflect his own experience—although I think black people would have cause for debate as to whether it's helpful to the community or not. I do, however, think Coal Black should be released. It's racist, but it's a product of its time (and happens to be a really fine cartoon, awkwardly enough). We do have the responsibility now, however, to stop and examine our own prejudices when they pop up. And I think our work will be the richer for it, too.
And by the way, I have never in my entire life seen a real black person who looked like the blackface/sambo stereotype.
- Conny Nordlund (Loathsome) said...
There are even crazier characters than that.
People are just too uptight about the whole racism thing. Some people take offense by everything.
- SlashHalen said...
I don't really have a problem with any of these pictures (except that last one), but I gotta ask you people. Did anyone here see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen? If so, what did you think of the characters Mudflap and Skids? I have to say, those characters were pretty bad.
- HemlockMan said...
Oh, John K enjoys opening cans of worms!
All things within context:
Racist crap can come from anywhere. The reason that I think COAL BLACK is a racist cartoon is that it was created in an era of rampant racism. There was nothing around to counteract the idea of black people as idiots, buffoons, pimps, etc. Something like COAL BLACK exacerbated these racist ideas, and was perpetrated by racist whites. Therefore, within the context of its time,yes it was racist. Is it "politically incorrect". That depends on what you think that term means. Most people don't even know where it comes from or to what it refers. (Go do your own research.) But taken within the world in which it was made, when there were pretty much no positive images of black people, yeah...COAL BLACK AND DE SEBBEN DWARFS is some pretty darned politically incorrect racist material.
Is Bill Cosby's cartoon racist? I doubt it. It is an exaggeration of his own childhood. He concocted it to be such. Against the 70s backdrop of lots of positive images of black people (Cosby himself included), it would not come off as overtly racist (or even subliminally racist). In my opinion, of course.
Can black people make something racist about themselves? Sure, they can! Witness BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE with Queen Latifah, or SOUL PLANE with Snoop Dog. Now, that is some racist crap. I cringe at the very thought of that stuff.
Not sure what the photo of the wannabe gangstas means. Maybe you were looking for a line to cross.
- akira said...
i'm pretty sure that any cartoon of a black person is racist, unless you're black.
i bet designing the frog princess was a royal pain in the ass with all the political correctness experts that had to approve everything.. even the main character had to get her name changed from "Maddy" to "Tiara" because "Maddy" sounded racist, somehow..
but still can't we get a good copy of "Coal Black" and "Song of the South" on DVD if they pay Whoopie Goldberg to do a disclaimer?
- Ben Fried said...
Clearly it's not racist if they build everything out of trash.
- Rick Roberts said...
Hemlock Man:
Can you name a DELIBERATELY racist scene in Coal Black ? The only one that counts is the snipe at the Japanese.
Correct me if I am wrong but racism is suppose to be how one race feels another is inferior. Sterotypes, in good humor, really don't count as racism becauce it's an essential part of characiture. I honestly think many of black characters in Hollywood films were not racist but they were limited to certain occupations like a shoe shiner or a butler.
- Rick Roberts said...
BTW, I must comment that is a rather laborious and tired subject. I just wish the "PC" fanatics would just stop and think that the only beauty in this world is variety. If we all looked and acted the same, there would be no reason to live.
- Bob said...
i'm guessing ur looking forward to that new disney movie coming out
- David Germain said...
Yeah, I feel like chiming in here.
Yes, indeed, political correctness is a disease that seems to be harder to cure than cancer.
Something that too many people fail to realize is that great art is SUPPOSED to stir your emotions. Whether the feelings stirred up are positive or negative is up to the person experiencing the art (be it visual or audible or both). If a large amount of people are upset by some art work, that means it's working. Whether it was the artist's intent to upset people or not, it's a preferred response than simply walking away in apathy.
That being said, I created something that was indeed intended NOT to be politically correct. Actually, they're specifiaclly designed to attack and slander all the types of people that impose censorship all the time. I'm talking of course about my Censor Monkeys. Here's comic I drew up inwhich all 10 of them participate.
In fact, someone found one of my monkeys so politically incorrect that he literally wanted to find me and kill me. (Guess which one).
Enjoy! B)
- ther1 said...
On grounds of racial caricature, black people are one up on Jews-at least blacks don't care if they look like walking caricatures.
For some reason we Jews get extremely angry at people who happen to fit into stereotypes of us (or defensive in the case of the Orthodox). Madoff was a cheating, money-grubbing bastard, so Eli Wiesel said something about forcing him to look at the faces of his victims for all eternity.
If Mickey Katz or Milt Gross tried their acts today Wiesel would probably get mad at them too. We've never been a politically correct race.
- Guy said...
Claire: So a caricature of a black person that doesn't make any observations beyond "big pink lips" is pretty non-politically-correct. Actually, let's call a spade a spade: it's racist.
Really? Drawing a caricature that includes only obvious traits means the artist hates them? (By the way, link to a cartoon drawing of a black person you feel is not racist please.) If someone talks about pizza in regards to Italians that means he hates Italians? Is Team Fortress 2's Heavy racist?
I can't see any difference between the dwarves and Elmer Fudd, who's hardly a very individual design. But I'm sure you'll be willing to inform me on how that's just because of my prejudices and yadda yadda.
The term "politically correct" is a big straw man for people who get very angry at having to examine their own prejudices. I've never heard it used un-ironically.
The people who desire political correctness don't need to use the term for it to exist. Do racists call themselves racist?
Hemlockman: The reason that I think COAL BLACK is a racist cartoon is that it was created in an era of rampant racism.
So it was racist because other things were racist. Amazing.
I have to get away from you, or I'll become stupid.
- John A said...
By the looks of that Saturday Morning TV ad, Tragedy and September the Eleventh have a long history.
- I.D.R.C. said...
I honestly think many of black characters in Hollywood films were not racist but they were limited to certain occupations like a shoe shiner or a butler.
That is funny.
Some people need to understand that "political correctness" and charges of racism are more than just somebody getting upset about how a group was portrayed. Those who have never been habitually excluded can be a little challenged when it comes to understanding the ramifications and mechanisms of such exclusion, or in appreciating the necessity of measures of redress.
Those who have never been involved in racism have a hard time understanding why they should be inconvenienced by political correctness.
Sorry about your luck, That's just how it is, and you are blaming the wrong people for your inconvenience. Blame the racists who made certain that we all need remedial training just to talk to each other.
- Rick Roberts said...
Sorry let me rephrase that. What I meant to say is usually when a black person was in a film, the only roles he could play were shoeshiners or butlers.
- I.D.R.C. said...
Sorry let me rephrase that...
The part I think is funny is that you wouldn't characterize that as racist.
Movies are a reflection of society, I'll grant you that, but in what kind of society can one only be a shoe-shiner or a butler?
Within that context they might have had a wisecrack or some such. so old movies were certainly not racist on every conceivable level, just on nearly every conceivable level.
- bug said...
black people nanananana white people dadadadadda
- Carmine said...
To Claire:
Well Put! I agree w/ everything you said.
- Geneva said...
I think IDRC has a really good point, truthfully.
- Trevor Thompson said...
It's kind of hard to determine when all of these pictured where in place before there ever was such an indignity as PC.
The problem with Political Correctness is that it caters to the lowest common denominator. If there's ten people in a room and one of them is offended by any given thing, it's politically correct to cater to him.
Why this is a problem is because what invariably ends up happening is that the other nine people in that room now have to curb their speech and ideals just so this one idiot doesn't get offended.
When you cater to the lowest common denominator, before long everyone becomes the lowest common denominator.
I also have it on good authority that Seth MacFarlane has been aware of this from day one and it is the sole explanation for his success.
- trevor.
- Rick Roberts said...
Yes Hollywood's portrayal of blacks were generally ignorant, that is indisputable. However I have always felt that racism is not only ignorance, it's malice and I have never seen much of it those old films.
This is why I also feel the only racist joke in Coal Black was when that bus load of assassins had their price list for targets and the last option was "Japs Free". That is pure malice and can understandably be not taken as humor by someone of Japanese descent.
- celiabee said...
I like what Pete Emslie has to say about "cartooning" african characters.
Having been an animator on show "Little Bill", it was amazing how sterile the design had gone since the colorful (no pun intended) days of "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids". I cherished Fat Albert as a child, and his "cartoony" look was part of the appeal.
Racist? No Way!
As for Coal Black: not-so-subtle bigotry from a bygone era. The short reflects the opinions of its day. Great drawings, though.
- JohnK said...
the only difference I can see between the 2 cartoons is the quality.
They are both made by white people, the first by white people who don't care about their work, the second by white people who do and who love black music and culture.
They are both voiced by blacks.
- I.D.R.C. said...
I have always felt that racism is not only ignorance, it's malice and I have never seen much of it those old films.
I think you need to broaden your definition. Racism is whatever system keeps one race down and favors another --wherever you find it and however it works. Malice is just the extreme that gets people killed.
- Ebbe said...
When white guys address political correctness like this it's almost always racist.
hi.. just dropping by here... have a nice day! http://kantahanan.blogspot.com/
- Peter Bernard said...
Oh man, the other day I saw my first GIRL dressed like that, with her pants pulled down so we could see her boxer shorts. To quote Obama, "Brothers need to pull up their pants!"
- Trevor Thompson said...
It's discomforting to me when I tell people about Coal Black because suddenly their opinion changes.
It's exactly the same cartoon it was before, but now that they've been privy to the history suddenly everything's different. The exact same cartoon is now enjoyable because of a few little behind-the-scenes facts.
- Rick Roberts said...
I guess we will have to agree to disagree about what really is racism. I am tired of talking about this subject anyway because I really don't give a damn about race.
- spaz said...
i think Gary Larson was "politically incorrect" for his portrayal of neanderthal; Larson being a cromagnon.
- I.D.R.C. said...
I guess we will have to agree to disagree about what really is racism
I think instead you should be willing to learn what it really is.
- JohnK said...
Is there a rule book somewhere that says unambiguously what it is?
- I.D.R.C. said...
--it's a start.
- Rick Roberts said...
IDRC: Like I said, have to agree to disagree.
One last thing, I have never been subjected to racism as you may have been but I genuinely always felt alienated from all walks of life because I am person that has no identity to hold. I was born in a mostly white neighborhood so I couldn't relate to most blacks and I was never taught spanish so I never hung out with any latin kids. My relatives live in Panama so I never established any connections with my background. I was taunted by both races as being "white" because white people are culturally bankrupt. I can pretty much relate to no one.
I wish we would really just stop talking about how we are all different in either extreme of love or hate, it's fun to joke about our differences but anything outside of humor is just ridiculous.
I have a dream, where one day we all hate each other not because of the color our skins, sexual orientation, gender, or religion but by the content of our poor character. I HAVE DREAM TODAY !
- Sketch said...
I don't think it's about politically or socially correct. it's about good and bad taste and "good" bad taste. You're probably wondering, "what the heck is "good" bad taste?" Well, As John Waters explained it, "Good" bad taste is when there's wit involved.
- Vincent O. Moh said...
Coal Black and the Sebben Dwarves include several characters with obviously "darky"/"blackface" styles, so that would not be politically correct.
Fat Albert, on the other hand, has silly-looking characters who, however, **do not** follow the darky image. So that would be politically correct.
- JohnK said...
That's pretty vague.
They look the same to me, except for the quality.
- pc said...
There is no source that truly says what racism is. I'll explain why but first here is a fuzzy definition:
Racism is something that only white people can do. To 'undo' horrible racist crimes, we must denounce those crimes, the people who committed them, the people who were complicit, the people who weren't aware of them but should have been, any ideals associated with the racist crimes, any institutions of that time ... basically anything old. (Also anyone who doesn't denounce these things is racist and evil). This isn't so bad since it means people with 'new' ideas that wouldn't have succeeded in the old system now do well.
That is also why there is no standard definition of 'racism'. The dictionary was produced by Dr. Samuel Johnson who lived in a very racist time and was most likely a racist. Even if he wasn't, the dictionary is still racist: logic and reasoning was used by the nazis.
Its good to have a fuzzy definition. The less people are able to think, the more likely they will just accept what I say.
I'm very concerned about the last picture John. They look absolutely ridiculous and because this is a fashion trend, and many people adopt fashion trends, it supports a generalisation that african americans dress stupidly. If a racist person drew a cartoon in the 1930s with a bunch of african americans who didn't understand how to use belts, it would be dismissed as absurd. 'yah, they are not zat stupid', hitler would say, while signing death warrants. This life imitating racist art presents a contradiction that invites the viewer to reflect on the correctness of political correctness! And we absolutely don't want people thinking!
Please remove your post and your entire blog. Also, if you could wear pants that are too big so I could see your underwear, that would be great.
- cemenTIMental said...
They look the same to me
OK John stop trolling, it's pretty funny but some of these guys seem to take this stuff seriously...
- Aaron said...
if companies would just start producing longer shorts, black people wouldn't have to sag to keep their calves warm. the people have spoken!
- GSB said...
isn't it because Bill Cosby is black and Clampett isn't
flimsy, but what would you expect? People aren't going to be rational when it comes to race, or any number of the other "issues" we have today
- Maximum Awesome said...
A theory:
Caricatures featuring racial elements are offensive inasmuch as they stress the differences between "nonwhite vs white" more than the differences between "individual nonwhite characters vs other individual nonwhite characters".
Caricature is about exaggeration - taking "ings" and making them "inger" - but a regular caricature makes "Joe the black guy" more "Joe-ish" whereas a racist caricature just makes him "blacker", flattening his individual traits, reducing him to a label.
In answer to the blog's question - I don't know. I'm with Malcolm X: rectifying racial imbalances is up to the aggrieved, not white ol' me, who should just stay out of it.
- Haggis McCrablice said...
"I created something that was indeed intended NOT to be politically correct....Here's comic I drew up in which all 10 of [The Censor Monkeys] participate.
In fact, someone found one of my monkeys so politically incorrect that he literally wanted to find me and kill me."
No doubt he was a guilty white liberal, whom we know of course are absolute bastians of tolerance. Why, when they want to kill you it's only because they love you...but if we say anything critical about them we're hateful racist Nazis.
Dave, old boy, one of these paragons of love told me that my house and town should be burned down and my family, friends, and neighbors killed because of my work. This came after an image from my series appeared on a leftist website (without my permission, may I add).
Remember, these are the same sort of people who consider a dictator and brutal killer like Fidel Castro a genius and have no problem with 15-year-old girls propositioning random men for sex on a college campus, but a fairly truthful ink-and-paint depiction of black people by a conservative white man utterly frosts them.
Incidentally, a racist is simply anyone who believes another race or group inferior to his own. I think the left throws around this word far too much, ignorant of its meaning, and won't accept that prejudice doesn't exist in a vaccuum; rather, some groups deserve to be screamed at for not better policing its more loud and unpleasant members.
- Adrienne said...
The Fat Albert cartoon is poorly drawn and has little soul.
The Coal Black cartoon is vastly superior, and has a lot of soul.
The photo is just tiresome and irritating.
Can't say I'd want to see a lot of any of them, but if I had to pick one, it'd be the one in the middle.
It's pretty rich for people who aren't particularly affected by racial stereotypes to dictate to others what they ought to be offended by--though I don't think whether or not someone is "offended" is the issue. Coal Black has artistic and cultural value, and as such should get the respect it deserves, and availability to the public--just like plenty of other films from the same era as Coal Black that have recieved wide releases regarless of their racial content. Coal Black suffers from its "racial content" AND being a CARTOON which is a huge stereotype to overcome in itself...
Political correctness is another way for individuals to AVOID having to deeply EVALUATE how they relate to people, things, and ideas morally.
How about just plain integrity and intelligence? Anyone who thinks of themselves as a creator ought to be able to logically stand behind their work and clearly defend its right to exist. If a creator is so soulless that he or she can't create a character more meaningful than its color, why is this person bothering with anything even related to art?
Regarding the photo, ironically, many groups absorb the stereotypes about themselves more thoroughly than anyone else. And there are plenty of people right now who's wealth is coming from prolonging this stupidity.
- Vincent O. Moh said...
John K said: "That's pretty vague.
They look the same to me, except for the quality."
To me the Fat Albert characters look like "funny-looking people" who happen to be black.
American darky imagery often has rounded cherry red lips that look almost like tootsie rolls, rarely seen/unnatural/exaggerated skin tones. I have seen examples of American darky imager and several Coal Black characters look like that. This image of Bert Williams in blackface shows the rounded lips and exaggerated black tones seen in darky imagery: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/images/williams_b_pic2.jpg - this is Bert Williams' actual face: http://www.tridget.com/gambler-bert-williams-sm.jpg
The Fat Albert characters have natural skin colors. Their lips are shaped like human lips, and the lips have the same color as the skin. Aspects of the character designs look cartoony, but the designs don't have the traits seen in American blackface/darky imagery.
If you look at this picture: http://www.authentichistory.com/diversity/african/children/1942_Coal_Black_And_De_Sebben_Dwarfs_Magic_Lantern_Slide.jpg
Coal Black herself does not look blackface/darky and could be used in a modern cartoon. The dwarves have the same style that the Bert Williams blackface has.
- JohnK said...
The Fat Albert designs are downright ugly.
No one's lips are the same color as their faces. That's just being cheap.
- Guy said...
I like how people ramble on about blackface despite that Coal Black looks nothing like blackface-inspired cartoons, likely not really even believing what they're writing, (brown is an unnatural skin color for black people?) but hey, how else can they justify their ironic prejudices?
They have big lips. The end.
- Grape Logic said...
I fail to grasp what John is trying to say with this post.
- alaenablancomcd said...
PCism is an ineffectual tool to whitewash (pun intended) racism from the collective consciousness. It doesn't work and frankly it's yellow and cowardly and dishonest. And, no, none of those images are politically correct.
Fat Albert is a bomb ass cartoon with more worthwhile content than their "white" counterparts of the time, namely Hannah-Barbera schlock. Personally, I think Bill Cosby is the shit and he was one of the only guys in kids media at the time telling black kids they could get ahead by being good people, instead of criminals. That's pretty much what it was about. I think whites feel embarrased when they see it because of the characterizations, because the content is nothing to complain about. I also think the character designs are awesome and funny.
Coal Black has to be one of my favorite WB's ever. The images are shocking, which makes them even funnier, but the content lacks the malice of true racism. It is important to remember, like Art Spiegelman said in his introduction to Tijuana Bibles, that cartoons are indescriminately demeaning to everyone. This is what makes them funny. And chile', I howled all the way through this one. All the characters have amazing, individual personality. Racial cartoons are marked by their lack of individual personality, by the dimensionless checklist of stereotypes as a substitute. Coal Black is the opposite. Not only that, but Dorothy Dandrige's sister did her voice, the other voices not done by Mel were done by black actors, and the musicians were black.
Someone else mentioned Song of the South, which is one of my favorite Disney movies, and is also banned in the U.S. Banned unfairly. James Baskett, who not only played Uncle Remus but also voiced one of the best cartoon characters ever, Brer Fox, is an incredible talent and it is an insult to him that this movie is not shown.
Not that anyone asked me, but I'm saying it anyway: we need less PC lipservice bullshit and more black creators getting their creations out there in whatever way they can. Something to chew on: all of those images were either created by black people, or had big black hands all over them; now, we have big white asses butting in and stamping them with the dreaded PC mark of death. Whose racism is this, anyway?


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Council throws support behind New London police K-9 unit
New London - If the city doesn't have a place in its police department for Bessie the bloodhound, maybe another department does.
The police administration is putting together a "Request for Proposals" for Bessie, who is on her way to retirement after her handler left New London to work for another police department.
If there is interest in buying Bessie for more than $1,000, the City Council would have to approve the sale. This would be a way for the council, which wants to keep the dogs, to stop the mayor's office from reducing the K-9 unit to only one dog.
The revelation about selling the police K-9 rather than retiring the dog, came Monday night as the council unanimously passed a resolution urging the administration to maintain at least four K-9 units in the department, including Bessie, and Buck, a German shepherd.
Last month Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio announced that Buck, who has arthritis, was to retire, and Bessie would be donated to another department. That would have left the department with one police dog.
But residents objected to the move by the mayor and asked the council to intervene. The council's Public Safety Committee recommended the council support the police department's K-9 unit.
Council President Michael Passero proposed the non-binding resolution Monday that supports a K-9 unit in the police department with at least four dogs. The resolution specifically names Bessie and Buck.
"This sends a clear message so they know were the council stands,'' Passero said.
Councilor John Maynard, while voting for the resolution, tried but failed to get enough votes to pass an ordinance, which would in effect make having a K-9 unit in the city a law.
"The resolution has no strength,'' he said, in his unsuccessful argument to the other councilors. "The mayor doesn't go by the (city) charter, I don't know why he would listen to a resolution."
The council unanimously agreed that it would pass an ordinance at a later date, if the resolution is ignored.
In 2012, the city allowed a disgraced police officer to resign and as part of the settlement agreement, the officer had the option to buy his trained police dog for $500. At the time, the police union said a trained police dog could be worth up to $10,000.
Last week, Finizio defended his decision to maintain only one police dog, as required in the police union contract.
"We have not eliminated the K-9 program and are not eliminating the K-9 program,'' he said. "We reduced it because the two dogs in questions - one dog handler left the department and other dog had a serious health condition and it was determined it was better for the dog to retire."
Finizio said he is philosophically opposed to "biting dogs" being used for police intimidation.
City attorney says K-9 ordinance reaches beyond council authority
Norwich utilities labor union withdraws complaints involving Bilda
Catching up with a millennial baby with a peaceful name: Serenity now
Trump jumps in to offer aid to Democrat Pelosi's speaker bid


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The following programs are planned at the Milford Health and Wellness Center for February, unless otherwise stated. The Center is located at 111 East Catharine St., Milford.
Unless noted otherwise, please call (800) 247-9580 to register for any of these programs. All programs are free unless otherwise indicated.
Smoking Cessation Through Hypnosis
Overcome the psychological cravings and the desire to smoke using group hypnosis and behavior modification techniques. For more information and to register, please call 973-579-8340. Fee: $65.
•Wednesday, February 27, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Weight Loss Through Hypnosis
Through hypnotic suggestions and behavior modification techniques, you will make subtle changes to permanently reduce your weight without diets, restrictions or feelings of denial. For more information and to register, please call 973-579-8340. Fee: $65.
• Thursdays, February 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Herbs and Spices
Learn about cooking techniques using herbs and spices that can lower your sodium intake and improve your health. For more information and to register, please call 973-209-9622.
• Wednesday, February 6; 7:30 p.m. and Monday, February 11; 10 a.m. at Sussex County YMCA, 15 Wits End Road, Hardyston, NJ,
First Aid and Life Support Courses
Learn basic life support, including proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Sessions offered monthly. To register, call (973)579-8340.
• Heartsaver CPR for Adults, Children and Infants With AED (Fee: $50)
Tuesday, February 12; 7 to 10 p.m.


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Bullies. Thieves. Thugs. Pirates. Ninjas.
One of the deadliest DPS classes in the game, the Rogue plays an often vital role in any encounter you run into. In melee range they provide some of the most useful, and most reliable crowd control and interrupt capabilities out of every class in World of Warcraft. Rogues also provide a unique solo leveling experience with a tool set and play style that can easily take your playing experience to a whole new level; if you allow it to do so.
Clicking on the images below will take you to a new site that I'm helping to contribute to called Bow Down To Us, where my Rogue Leveling guides will be hosted. The Notebook certainly isn't going anywhere and will continue to be my primary blogging location, but from time to time I will link you to guides that I write and send over there.
The first link will take you to my Combat 1-29 leveling guide, and the second covers levels 30-49.


text:
|Pin It
Robert Kaufman, Happy Little Rainbows Blue
Fabric is sold by the 1/2 Yard. For example, if you would like to purchase 1 Yard, enter 2 in the Qty. box at Checkout. Yardage is cut in one continuous piece when possible.
1/2 yard = 1
1 yard = 2
1 1/2 yards = 3
2 yards = 4
1/2 Yard Measures ~18" x 44"
Fabric Repeat ~ 2.4"
Fiber Content: 100% Cotton
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