text:
Weekends at Bellevue: Monday Morning Signout Redux

It is the Summer of 2003. We've been pretty busy lately and it looks like I'm going to need to call EMS for diversion again. When there are too many patients on triage and we have no empty beds upstairs, or there are simply too many patients in the area, then I can call the diversion desk at EMS and ask them to take us out of the loop. It is a phone number I know by heart by now, and even though the call is supposed to be made by the CPEP director, I often make it myself.

As EMS is quick to remind me, diversion is a courtesy. The city will try to shield us from any new patients arriving by ambulance, but there is no guarantee. It works to some extent; maybe we get seventy-five percent fewer EMS cases, but inevitably they still arrive. Either the drivers will say it didn't come up on their screen, or they didn't hear the announcement, or the diversion call came in after they already had their patient in the bus and were en route to Bellevue. Then there's the driver's iron-clad no-fault excuse, which is that the patient wasn't called in as a psych case but as a medical case, so dispatch thought they would be brought to the medical ER. Either way, once they show up I can't turn them away. There's nothing I can do to stem the tide of EMS cases beyond calling in diversion, and the walk-ins are still going to come regardless of whom I call, so there's only so much I can do to relieve the pressure of the incoming patients on the area.

I start my sign out by announcing, "We're on diversion. Confirmed by EMS operator 8758. It's good 'til noon, for what it's worth."

"So, on the admissions team, we have a voluntary, Mr. L, thirty-six year old African-American male, walked in saying he needed to talk to someone. He states he feels depressed, and that two days ago he tried to jump in front of a bus. He gives a questionable history of saying he was in the military in Korea as counterintelligence, but he can't talk about it. We have no idea if this is true or not. He seems odd; he's a loner, he's gone through many jobs in the past few years. On exam, he is thought disordered, with circumstantial speech. He's also markedly hypervigilent, and he didn't sleep at all last night. We put him on Risperdal and Effexor, and prn's for agitation.

"Next up is Mr. B, a forty-one year old Hispanic man who was brought in by his family, who all asked for the infamous Bellevue baloney sandwiches, by the way. We started him off in the EOU, but he's not looking any better, so we switched him to a 9.39 last night. He's got a history of seven detoxes at Bellevue alone, and at least twenty stints at rehabs. He steals from everyone, including his family. He has a history of multiple suicide attempts, he's been pulled off more than one bridge. He looks internally stimulated and has persistently been voicing suicidal ideation with a plan. He's on a Librium taper, Depakote, Seroquel, and vitamins.

"Mr. L, a thirty-two year old Asian male with a history of schizophrenia, Cantonese speaking only. 18 South is full for the moment so we're holding him. He was brought in by his sister after he disappeared for six weeks and showed up in the Tufts ER in Boston. His sister says he has a Bellevue history, but he was registered with a new number so I have no idea if he has an old chart floating around but I'm hoping someone on18 South will recognize him. He's grossly psychotic, disorganized, disheveled. He looks like he's hearing voices and his sister interpreted for him that the voices tell him to go to Boston. He's on Zyprexa 10mg.

"Then we have Mr. D, a twenty-eight old white male transferred from the Tisch ER, where he walked in saying that government agents were following him and he felt unsafe. He has a prior history of bipolar disorder and he's off his meds. He's irritable, grandiose, referential, hyper-religious. Apparently at Tisch he made threatening statements about his brother. I have no idea if the brother has been warned or not. I doubt it because the patient isn't giving up any phone numbers. He had lots of weird things with him when he got to Tisch, kitchen implements, a certificate that says he's a minister which I'm assuming he got off the internet. Anyway, we put him on Depakote, Risperdal, Klonipin, the holy trinity of mania meds. He's a good teaching case if we have any med students today.

"Another 9.39, Mr. X, sent over to us from the Peds ER. He's 21. Peds goes up to 25, in case anyone doesn't know. But child psych stops at 18 so he's ours. Apparently his father dropped him off saying 'he's crazy.' Four months ago he had a car accident and he's been complaining of headaches ever since. Also for the past four months dad says he's increasingly bizarre, talking to himself, laughing maniacally for no reason. He smeared his own blood on his face and all over the wall. The patient says he's been using cannabis for the past four months to treat his headaches. We ordered a head CT, obviously, and he's on standing Risperdal. Also, prn thorazine works great for him.

"Also a 9.39 is Ms. T, eighteen year old Hispanic female, brought in by EMS after her boyfriend called 911 because she's been acting paranoid, responding to internal stimuli. On exam, she is absolutely paranoid, convinced the CPEP staff was planning to kill her. She's also voicing homicidal ideation toward her mother. Mom says she's been like this for about a year. So, she needs a first break workup. Oh, here's the most important thing, she had her thyroid removed or partially removed about eighteen months ago and for some reason she's not on any thyroid meds, so there's a chance this is all related to that. She's on Risperdal and half prn's. We're waiting for labs and thyroid numbers and I bet they'll be off the wall. See if she can go to the teaching floor, will ya?

"Next up, Ms. W is a thirty-three year old white female, also a 9.39. She was brought in as an EDP, smelling like booze. She was trespassing at an apartment building where she hangs out a lot. She's been having sex in the basement, probably smoking crack, I'm waiting on a urine drug screen. The landlord called 911 because he was sick of her hanging around there, I guess, and she wasn't being quiet about it. She came in on Saturday, really loud, agitated, incoherent, talking about aliens. She was definitely drunk and probably high on cocaine, but on Sunday, she was still really manicky, grandiose, paranoid. She threw all the food off her tray all over the place and got five of Haldol, two of Ativan, and fifty of Benadryl IM as a prn. The big problem with her is she's hypersexual. She's been propositioning everyone, staff and patients alike, and she touched the penis of one of the guys in the EOU. She's got a history of being on lithium, but we started her on Depakote, Risperdal, and Klonipin, amen. She's going to need sexual acting out precautions when she goes upstairs, whoever updates her chart.

"We got another hypersexual patient who needs acting out precautions for upstairs too. Ms. W, twenty-six year old African American woman brought in by EMS naked, grossly psychotic, screaming about how the cops raped her. She denies a psych history but keeps saying 'I relapsed' and 'I'm crazy.' She's been masturbating and flashing since she got here. Urine tox is pending. She's on Depakote and Risperdal as well as prn Librium and vitamins.

"Ooh, actually, we have one more hypersexual patient. I might as well clump 'em. Ms. K, a late thirties, early forties German woman. By the way, she has insurance, GHI, so we gotta transfer her out of here. God forbid Bellevue should make a deal with some of these carriers. You can probably ship her back to Cornell; she just got out of a one month stay there a week ago. I already called billing to let them know we need a transfer. Anyway, she lives here and her mom came to visit from Germany and I guess she didn't like what she saw. Cornell discharged her on four different meds but she's taking none of them. She seems to prefer Vivarin and Benadryl. So she's totally agitated from the caffeine, but she's confused from the anticholinergic effects of the Benadryl. She's also been drinking. She's been bumping into people on the street, getting violent with strangers, very labile and irritable with mom. Mom called 911 and then our gal ran away from the cops. When she got here, she started to do a little strip tease for the triage nurse. She's going to need sexual acting out precautions too. I restarted her meds, more or less. I simplified the Cornell regimen a little bit, not that it matters because she's not going to stay here anyway.

"You know what? There's still one more hypersexual patient. Something in the water, I guess. Mr. F is a twenty-eight year old man from Africa with a history of psychosis. He was sent over here from the shelter after he assaulted a worker there, unprovoked. Well, maybe he felt provoked. He was dancing and she asked him to stop. Anyway, he's very odd, sexually preoccupied. He's got a history of delusions but currently he's calm here and his only complaint is that people don't want him to be happy. He says he used to have a chemical imbalance but he's fine now. Also, he keeps trying to touch the other patients because he believes he can heal them. He's been taking Zyprexa at the shelter up until about five months ago, then he stopped it on his own. He's willing to restart the Zyprexa and he's been compliant with it all weekend. He's also been propositioning the doctors, nurses, psych techs, and disrobing every chance he gets. He'd be good for the teaching ward if any beds ever open up upstairs.

"The EOU is full. No surprise there. We have a couple of peds cases, and one of the patients is probably an admission but we put him in EOU cause the hallway is completely full of stretchers with patients waiting to go upstairs. So, first peds case is Ms. M, a seventeen year old Hispanic female who was visiting New York City from Georgia with her mom and ran away. She was found two weeks later at grandma's house in the Bronx. She is very thin, dressed in men's clothing. She's got a history of truancy, assaultive behavior with questionable criminal charges, cannabis abuse, lying to mom. It sounds like oppositional defiant disorder versus conduct disorder. Her urine was positive for cocaine and she's got track marks on her arm, which is new behavior for her per mother. Mom is understandably freaked out, asking to maybe file a petition to let the state try to handle her for a while. Does anyone here know what a PINS petition is?"

"It stands for Person in Need of Service," one of the psychiatric residents answers. "The parent asks the state to supervise the child. Sometimes they go to a foster family, sometimes they get court ordered to a locked unit."

"Right. The mom met with one of the social workers over the weekend. I think it was Julia, who explained all her options to her. Someone from child psych will follow up with the mom and the patient today."

"Next kid is Mr. B, seventeen year old Hispanic male who ran away from the foster home where he's been staying for nine months due to an abusive father there. He got lost, got upset, ended up calling 911. He seems very simple when you speak with him, and he may be mentally retarded. He's got a history of conduct disorder, marijuana and alcohol abuse, and mood swings. He was in a state hospital for two years, ages fourteen to sixteen, and he has a day program, so we should be in touch with them today. Also, he needs some face time with social work, or a psychology intern maybe. He just found out his biological father was killed in the Dominican Republic recently. Peds knows to come see him today.

"Also in the EOU is Mr. J, a thirty-seven year old Hispanic man brought in by EMS after he scratched his wrists in front of Saint Luke's Roosevelt hospital. SLR asked EMS to send him down here. I guess they know him already. He's a heroin addict, alcoholic with a history of violence. He stabbed someone about six years ago and was in prison for awhile. He seems pretty impoverished when you talk to him, probably borderline IQ. The weird thing with him is he has nystagmus and we have no idea why. Anyone know which drugs cause nystagmus?"

"Dilantin?" asks one of the visiting psychiatrists from North Shore Hospital.

"Right, that's one. You can see the eyes wiggle horizontally on extreme lateral gaze. Tegretol does that too. What about drugs of abuse?"

"PCP," mentions a psychiatry resident.

"Good. That's an important one. The other time you can see abnormal eye movements is with MDMA, or Ecstasy. Anyway, he denies ingesting any drugs beyond his usual heroin, so we're not too sure what to make of it here. He needs a neuro consult."

"Next up is Ms. W. She's a thirty-seven year old white female with a long history of alcohol abuse and a recent Beth Israel detox three days ago. She relapsed immediately. She walked in, tearful, saying she can't take it anymore and she's suicidal. She seems pretty depressed and hopeless, so we put her in the EOU and started her on a Librium taper. She got put on Effexor at BI so we continued it. Also, she's on synthroid so we're waiting on thyroid bloodwork. She's divorced and she's been sleeping at shelters. She's in pretty bad shape. She feels like she has no one who will take care of her. But now, at least, she has us. Right?"

"Okay, so, onward. EOU bed five is Mr. P, a thirty year old white male who walked in asking for help, stating he tried to overdose on heroin, alcohol, and Xanax. He came in pretty high, and his story is inconsistent. He's changed the amount of heroin he shot; he says he shoots a bundle a day, which is ten bags for those of you who don't' know. He usually shoots five at a time, twice a day, but his overdose was only six bags. Then he changed it later to say he shot all ten at once. Also, he initially denied hearing voices, then later reported them. He's using a lot of psych lingo like he's been through this all before. 'I'm unsafe. I'm a danger to myself.''I'm severely depressed and need to be hospitalized.' Anyway, he is still endorsing suicidality the last time we interviewed him, but there aren't any beds anywhere, so I'm not too sure how long we can sit on him. He needed twenty of methadone on Sunday. If he'd contract for safety, there's one bed left on the detox ward. See if you guys can explain that to him, okay? As long as he's reporting hearing voices to kill himself, we can't admit him to an unlocked ward, but that's the only place that has a bed open, so he's gotta recant if he wants to be off the street.

"Last up in the EOU is Ms. T, a twenty-five year old white female who was brought in by her boyfriend of two years. She's Catholic, and currently suicidal. She got pregnant unexpectedly, lost her job due to morning sickness, and then had an abortion last week. She's feeling terribly anxious and guilty. She scratched her face up pretty bad. She's got a history of being raped about six years ago, and also made a suicidal gesture by overdose not long after that. I think this AB is bringing up a lot of old memories for her. She needs some time here to get it together, and a good outpatient therapy referral after that. Maybe crisis clinic can follow her during the transition? I think she can probably go in a day or two.

"On Hold we have a thirty-eight year old woman, Ms. F, who was brought in by EMS with ESU escorts in a body bag. When we unpeeled the bag, she was swathed in bright orange clothing. She was spitting, cursing, and threatening staff so she got 5,2, and 50. I don't have much of a story on her. She was found on Fourth Avenue and Third Street drunk and agitated, and she hit a cop, so I guess they called ESU for back up. Do people know what ESU is?

"It stands for Emergency Services Unit. They're basically 911 for the cops. When the police need help, especially with psych cases, they call ESU. ESU helps to sedate the patient, or just wrap them up in a body bag to get them here. If a patient comes in wrapped in those blue canvas bags with the handles, you know ESU was involved in transport.

"Anyway, she's on hold. She's pretty drunk, and now she's sedated so I just have her on prns' and Librium prn.

"Also, we're expecting a transfer from Lincoln Hospital. A guy who's arrested for assault. He punched a wall at the precinct, so they brought him to Lincoln Hospital for X rays but there's no fracture. He was too agitated for Lincoln to send back with the cops, so they shlogged him and sent him here. Also, Lincoln said he's very irritable, making both homicidal and suicidal threats, and he's drunk. Last time I looked, he was still sleeping.

I gather my folder, my water bottle, and my sweater and head for the door. EMS is bringing in another case as I walk out.

"We're on diversion," I say as I head for the door.

"Oh, really? No one told us that," answers the driver.

dr. holland

moody bitches weekends at bellevue the pot book ecstasy guide

moody bitches weekends at bellevue the pot book ecstasy guide

Contact Info
(212) 358-5808


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Truncated: length

WARC-Type: response

text:
Main menu

Welcome to…

Penwith Photographic Group or The PPG as we are known by our friends.

We are a small/medium sized, friendly camera club open to anyone with an interest in photography. Our aim is to encourage and advance photography at all levels, beginners to advanced, via lectures, demonstrations, competitions, exhibitions, field trips and interaction of club members themselves. We are a democratic club with every member having an equal say.

We meet every Thursday with the exception of the Christmas period. In the winter months we meet at our clubhouse, Murley Hall in Ludgvan and during the Summer months we have weekly evening field trips, meeting on location.

If you are considering joining a camera club, we would like to meet you.  Come along for an evening to see what we are all about. You’ll be able to see some photography, have a chat amongst enthusiasts and even get a cup of tea and a biscuit.  Why not even bring along some of your images to show us?

Winners of our Image of the Year Competition 2017

Digital image of the year is ‘Let’s Play’ by Joanna Clegg
Printed image of the year is ‘Swallows Pairing (W)’ by Peter Menear

We are always looking for guest speakers for our winter season. Every year we have between five and eight guest presentations. If  you are interested in doing an talk showing your photography then please get in touch using the contact form, leaving contact details, what you talks are about and a guide to your fee for the evening.

PPG Social
error: Content is protected !!

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-146-51-29.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2018-13
operator: Common Crawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for March 2018
publisher: Common Crawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
Monday, 7 October 2013

Alternatives and Competitors of Paypal Online Payment Gateway

Alternatives and Competitors of Paypal Online Payment Gateway

There are a lot of alternatives and competitor of Paypal online payment gateway services in the market which are boasting cheap, reliable and secure payment transactions for eCommerce websites. No doubt, Paypal is the most famous online payment gateway service provider but other competitors and alternatives to Paypal like Google Wallet, Amazon Payments, 2CheckOut, Dwolla, WePay, Stripe, BrainTree, Square, Moblized, Click2Sell, ClickBank, Payza, Propay, Skrill etc. are giving tough competition to Paypal. So if you are going to setup an eCommerce website for selling and receiving payments online from your customers, think beyond Paypal because you may find other online payment gateway services more useful and cheaper as compared to Paypal. Below list of Paypal alternatives and competitors helps you to compare various online payment gateway services as per their cost, setup fees, features, support etc. I have prepared a list of various alternatives and competitors of Paypal which one should consider before choosing Paypal online payment gateway services.

1. Google Wallet

At the moment, Google Wallet is mainly used in the US but it accepts credit or debit cards from many countries. It acts like a digital wallet, more so in the US as you can tap to pay in-store with an NFC-enabled Android device. As for online shopping, there are a handful of online merchants that accept checking out with Google Wallet.

Unlike PayPal, Google Wallet is strictly for mechants, so you cannot send money to other Google Wallet users. However, there are no chargeable fees when using Google Wallet online or in-store, this is good if you’re shopping on one of their online merchants where it only accepts US credit cards and not your local one.

2. Amazon Payments

Amazon Payments, also called Amazon WebPay, is a common alternative to PayPal. Developed by e-commerce giant Amazon, the service enables its users to send and receive money without any set-up or monthly fees. Their  standard transactional rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

Funding your account is simple and can be linked to your credit card or bank account. In having a system that exists free of charge, Amazon is hoping that you spend your money on other services they offer.

One of the downsides with Amazon Payments is that you can’t withdraw an amount smaller than $10. This probably won’t be a huge problem, but it’s something to be aware of.

3. 2CheckOut

I have used 2CheckOut on and off for many years, ever since Paypal started to mess me about and from time to time stop accepting sales from customers. In that time 2CheckOut has been there for me and has provided an uninterrupted service whether I’m selling physical goods or digital products. So long as your product is legal and ethical then 2CheckOut can accept you.

2CheckOut is a truly global payment processor. Not only do they accept clients from around the world but they also offer a dynamic shopping cart which will translate your product rices into any one of dozens of local currencies. In doing so you’ll help your customers to feel safer and will offer a clearer pricing structure – meaning better sales.

On the downside, be aware that the 2CheckOut order form that your customers need to fill in is considerably longer and more complicated than when payments through other Paypal alternatives like Clickbank or Click2Sell.

4. Dwolla

Dwolla works across many business environments, ranging from online transactions to brick and mortar storefronts. The flexibility of payment options benefits users who need to accept credit cards and take payments across multiple environments.

Unfortunately, it does cost $0.25 to receive money. Although the fee is small and can benefit you if you usually process larger sums, it may be a turn-off for some users.

5. WePay

WePay is designed to be the PayPal alternative. WePay is a simple, but powerful way to accept payments online. WePay provides simple tools to collect money. You can sell tickets to events, collect donations for fundraisers, sell items online, and send invoices.

6. Stripe

Stripe is another popular PayPal alternative. It’s a useful service because it doesn’t require you to have a gateway or a merchant account. Indeed, they handle everything from storing cards and subscriptions to paying straight to your bank account.

There are no setup or monthly fees, and they only charge you when you earn money. Currently, that would be 2.9% + 30 cents per successful charge, but make sure to check the website for their latest fees.

7. Braintree

Braintree is a payment platform that makes it easy to accept payments in your mobile app or on your website.

The standard price is  2.4% and $.30 per transaction, but that includes unlimited access to their support. What’s good about Braintree is that there is no minimum transaction fee and just like Stripe, there is no monthly fee, either. You could also use it for recurring billing, which is useful if you’re running a membership site.

Unfortunately, it’s only available in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia, but they have plans on expanding to other countries soon.

8. Square

Square is one of the first companies to focus solely on mobile technology for payment processing.

Square gives you a free card-reader that plugs into your smartphone and allows you to accept payments. The setup is easy: you link your Square account to your bank account, and accept payments through the card reader. Receipts are generally emailed, thus saving you paper.

The only drawback to this service is the 2.75% fee charged per swipe.

9. Moblized

Moblized maintains a structure very similar to Square above, except they offer a different payment plan to their users. Basically, the company sends you a free card reader, and then you can begin to accept payments. There’s also no contracts involved, which can be extremely attractive to some users.

Their payment plans involve a 2.69% fee, plus $0.19 per swipe. Depending on the amount of transactions you’re processing this can be slightly higher than other services.

10. Click2Sell

Click2Sell is a relatively new payment processor but in the few years it has been around it’s made something of a splash in the industry. The reason is that Click2Sell not only allows you to sell a huge range of products – including digital and physical ones – but also comes with two additional services not offered by many Payal alternatives; or indeed even Paypal themselves.

The first of these is a built-in affiliate program which allows you to recruit affiliates, track their sales and pay their commissions no matter where in the world they are. This alone has considerable value as it saves you using a third-party service and is a simple yet effective way to grow your traffic and sales.

However the second major feature really is unique; namely a built-in autoresponder. Using the Click2Sell platform you’re able to send out broadcast emails to previous customers of yours and this can be perfect for letting them know about a new product release or a promotion you’re running.

Bearing in mind the costs of signing up for your own autoresponder and the power of email marketing to boost your sales this really is an impressive feature and helps to make Click2Sell one of the most “complete” offerings of all the Paypal alternatives listed here.

11. Clickbank

Clickbank has a long-established pedigree in the “digital sales” market and are ideal for selling ebooks, software, membership site subscriptions and any other downloadable product you can imagine. They offer repeat billing (for subscription products) and a very simple application and set-up process.

Clickbank has also come a long way in the last few years in terms of features to help you grow your business. Not only can you add your own logo and product-photo to your order form and to create upsell pages to increase your revenue.

Clickbank also provides the facility to charge your customers a small initial fee (such as a dollar) and then the balance of the price at a later date (such as a month later). This may sound like an insignificant feature but in testing we’ve found it can significantly increase your overall sales volume thanks to the low risk that new customers take when buying from you.

These additional features mean that for digital goods not only is Clickbank a valid alternative; in many ways it’s actually even better because of the opportunities to easily increase your bottom line.

Payouts from Clickbank vary depending on your sales volume. Most accounts start out receiving their earnings every two weeks though it’s normally simple enough to change this to weekly payouts.

12. Payza

Out of all the Paypal alternatives Payza offers a feature-set that is most similar to Paypal making the transition that bit easier. You can, for example, send money between different Payza accounts, you can manually withdraw money fro your account into your bank account or by using their prepaid debit card and you can accept payments from other Payza account holders.

That said, at the time of writing it seems that Payza is having issues in the UK and has been restricting numerous accounts thus preventing customers from accessing their funds. In addition it seems that with a Payza account you’re unable to accept standard credit card payments; instead your customers need to sign up for a Payza account before actually ordering from you.

While Payza looks like a useful service, which hopefully will improve in the future, right now it seems that having an account with Payza is just as risky as continuing to do business with Paypal.

13. ProPay

ProPay is another alternative to Paypal that sadly only accepts US clients at the time of writing. While you’re free to sell products to anyone around the world, the account holder themselves needs to be US-based, and provide information such as your social security number and US checking account details in order to become authorized.

That said, if you’re a US-based business then ProPay may well make a suitable alternative to Paypal as they offer not just the ability to accept credit cards on your website but also a mobile swipe device so you can process credit cards in person using your cell phone. Recurring billing and a built-in shopping cart also come as standard with your account.

ProPay is also set up deliberately to help you accept payments on Ebay – something for which a Paypal account has been so essential for a long time. Now, if you want to sell on Ebay but you don’t have (or don’t want to use) a Paypal account then you may well find that ProPay is your best alternative.

14. Skrill (formerly Moneybookers)

I had such high hopes for Skrill. The feedback surrounding their service was good and the feature-set was very similar to Paypal.

Free setup, low fees and even a few nifty features like the ability to send text messages straight from your account makes Skrill a popular and user-friendly alternative to Paypal. For international merchants there is the additional benefit of being able to transfer your account balance onto a prepaid debit card for almost instant access to your funds.

Sadly, however, it seems that their service leaves a lot to be desired and in setting up a test account we were instantly declined before providing any real information on our website and business model.

Bearing in mind the approval process in place and all the information we needed to enter – just to be told we couldn’t have an account – it seems that Skrill isn’t currently worth the effort to apply to. Best pick one of the other Paypal alternatives listed here for a more reliable experience.

15. Paymate

Paymate is a great way for sellers based in Australia and New Zealand to get money from international buyers from many countries. Sellers from the two countries can use Paymate on their website or on Ebay Australia for a small fee.

As for the buyers, all you have to do is key in your credit card information to pay, taking away the hassle of creating an account. Although this means there’s no way to send money to another user, online merchants can take advantage of Paymate as an alternative payment. Also, your credit card details are not sent to the seller but handled securely by Paymate.

16. Payoneer

Payoneer is an interesting way to pay for online shopping. Registering for the service grants you access to a prepaid MasterCard which will be sent to your doorstep. Creating an account is free and you’re only charged when you activate the card. Once the card is activated, you can load money into the card from your local bank or other credit cards.

An activated Payoneer card can be used in many countries and in different currencies. Of course, maintaining the use of this activated card requires an annual fee. With the card, you can purchase items and even withdraw money from a MasterCard ATM.

17. Serve

Serve is a new offering from American Express and is very similar to Amazon Payments. Link your bank account to Serve, and easily send and receive money using a web browser or smartphone app. The payments occur instantly, and you can send to someone at their e-mail address.

18. ING Direct Person2Person

ING Direct Person2Person, which comes free with a checking account, transfers money from your account to anyone else’s. It sends the recipient an e-mail with a link to a secure page on ING. They’ll then need to enter their bank account number, which can seem a little scary, but remember checks? Whenever you give someone one of those, you’re also giving them your account number.

No comments:

Post a Comment


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
About The River

Friday, January 10, 2014

On the Road Friday ~ Down the Valley

Thank you to all for your support and kind words the past week regarding my grandma.
She is in palliative care at the Marshfield Hospital.
Our family continues to visit her. We read, listen to music and talk to her.
Thank You again for your prayers and support.

My prayer ~
Is that I would learn to trust You more. It is a comfort to know that my life is in Your hands, and the circumstances surrounding me are in Your control.
Remind me daily that choosing to be happy is an option. May I find my strength in Your joy.

  1. Sorry to hear about your grandmother. Sending love and prayers to you and your family.

    1. What a lucky and loved lady she must be to have family surrounding her and visiting so often.

  2. That is a beautiful prayer. I try to remember that you have to choose happiness each day and work at it. Continuing to keep your grandma in my thoughts and prayers.

High Fives from Wisconsin!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...


text: We are experts in hair cuts and color!  Our color specialties include highlighting, one step color, and corrective color as well as a trend that is on the cutting edge--balayage.  Balayage is a hair coloring technique which is designed to create very natural-looking highlights which grow out without dveloping a noticeable and obvious root.   When hair is colored with the balayage process, the highlights are painted on by hand in a sweeping motion which moves from the base to the tip of the hair.  At the based the color is applied very lightly, while at the tip, the color is very heavy.  The result is hair that looks naturally sun-bleached.  The highlights can be subtle or intense and can be applied to brunette and red hair as well as blonde.


text:
Author Archives: Roshonda

Full Name: Roshonda Website:
Info: Roshonda Payne is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Savvy Sistah. She is currently a presenter for Cadillac, voice over artist, on camera actress and media personality. She is also a former Miss Black Illiniois- USA, semi-pro cheerleader and commentator for the Ebony Fashion Fair.

FB Like Box


text:
Tuesday, 29 September 2009

The countdown begins, well sort of...

… and a bit of a moan!

Hi everyone, hope this post finds you well.

Now, the 1st of October is nearly upon us ( eekk! Someone mentioned on facebook it was 12 weeks and 3 days until Christmas! *shudder*) and we all know what the 1st of October brings – the new Stampin’ Up! 2009 – 2010 idea book and catalogue. How very exciting!

So, in my last post I said I’d be revealing the full image of the sneak peeks as a countdown – now if there was ever a good time for your Internet connection to go down now is not it… apologises, I’m actually hogging Stu’s bandwidth to get these to you! Soo, I’ve decided to just show all of them at once as to not keep you in suspense any longer and also to save my hair… I hope you like them! I just adore the Good Friend stamp set and wait until you see the new ribbon and chipboard shapes *swoooon*

The following three cards use a level 3 hostess set called 'Queue up'

These two use a level 2 hostess set called 'Whimsical Wings'

This is a set called 'Good Friend' available to purchase.

If you want to order any sets, don't hesitate to contact me and we can also see if we can get you any hostess benefits (free stuff!!)

I’m also busy making 100+ swaps for the SU! convention in Germany early November, so of course will be sharing photos of those too as I go along – needless to say, Internet connection permitting – but I wont start on that as I may never stop!

And before I pop off to bed, a quick reminder about the catalogue offer, contact me before the 30th of October to take advantage of the early bird price of £3.00 including postage. (**Please note: this is an offer run by me and not stampin’ up!**)

Thanks for stopping by,

Take care.

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Sneak peeks…

...and workshop prep.

Sorry I haven’t been blogging a lot lately I really don’t know where the time goes, it seems to run away as soon as I get close...

However, I have got some sneak peeks for you made with a selection of stamp sets from the new 2009-2010 idea book and catalogue. How exciting!!!

I am sooo excited about it, many new stamp sets, ribbons, punches and more!!

In the coming weeks I will release the full picture of the samples below and also a few sneaky hints about what you can expect…

It will be released on the 1st of October, so if you would like to pre-order your idea book & catalogue with me, which will be shipped out for you once its available, please e-mail me and I will send it straight out once I get them. And just for you, my fabulous blog readers, you can get it for just £3.00 including postage - that’s a saving of £1.95 from the normal price, every little helps! (Haha, how cheesy of me!) Lol.

So, with a new catalogue brings new opportunity for more creativity. I’m currently putting together new projects for up coming workshops, and if you’d like to book your own workshop in the Liverpool or surrounding areas then do not hesitate to contact me – or even if you’d like some more information I’d be more than happy to talk it through with you.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the sneak peeks this week and I’m sure my fellow Stampin’ Up! fans will wait with bated breath for the1st of October. The count down begins!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Take care

Nicci x

Tuesday, 1 September 2009

Last chance...

... to buy these lovelies and news on our new catalogue!

As a Stampin' Up! demo we have the privilege of having a sneak peek at the new 2009-2010 catalogue and I love love love it!

It's so exciting I can't wait to share some samples with you!
And with the release date being the 1st of October there's not long to wait!!

Unfortunately, when we get a new catalogue we need to say goodbye to a few old favourites. However, there is a fantastic opportunity to buy these last chance items - some of which have been reduced by 25% and some up to 50% !!

Now that's a great deal !!!

So, if you've had your eye on any products and haven't gone for them yet click the picture below and see if your fave products have been discounted.
Products include stamp sets and accessories and I heart the fairy tale and theatre ribbons!! (Page 94)

Remember though that once they are gone they are gone, so don't delay and get in touch today - I'd really hate to think that you missed out.

Thanks for stopping by,
Take care.


text:
There was an error in this gadget

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Tap Into Some Awesome Talents

How would you like to quickly acquire the awesome talents of virtually anyone you desire?

Imagine having a secret trigger that enabled you to rapidly activate the most powerful mindsets of the world's greatest individuals.

You could instantly enjoy:

* The Business Success of Richard Branson

* The Genius of Einstein

* The Sporting Talent of Tiger Woods

* The Confidence of Brad Pitt

* The Creativity of Da Vinci

* The Writing Talent of Stephen Fry

Stop imagining.

In the 1960s, two leading European psychologists discovered a technique that enables you to do
just that: take on the abilities of *any* kind of genius.

Since then, the technique has been gradually refined and tested - with staggering results.

In the latest research, they've uncovered a way for you to apply this special type of
'behavior learning' in exactly 5 minutes — with NO effort required.

Try it out for yourself here ->


text:
The Sports Daily > MMA Manifesto
Fedor Signs With Bellator

As if yesterday wasn’t busy enough, what with two UFC events and a Bellator one, but I also had this press release from Bellator slide into my inbox late last night:

SAN JOSE, CALIF (November 19, 2016) – One of MMA’s most sought-after free agents has found himself a home as Bellator MMA has come to terms on a multi-fight deal with Fedor Emelianenko (36-4), securing the talents of the man many consider to be the greatest heavyweight fighter of all-time.

The Scott Coker-led promotion is also pleased to announce that Emelianenko will compete on American Soil for the first since 2011, when he meets Matt Mitrione (11-5) in the main event of “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” on Saturday, February 21 at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The event will air LIVE and FREE on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Additional fights will be announced in coming weeks.

Tickets for “Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione” start at only $30, with an exclusive “Bellator Nation” pre-sale running on Monday, November 21 and tickets going on sale to the public on Tuesday, November 22 at 10 a.m. PST. Tickets are available at SAP Center Box Office, Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com.

“The Last Emperor” is one of the most revered and respected heavyweight fighters the sport has ever seen. Stone-faced and quiet, Emelianenko boasted one of the most impressive unbeaten streaks in the history of the sport. A multi-time World Champion in MMA and Sambo, Fedor recently returned to the sport after a short hiatus, accumulating two wins since his return to action.

“It’s great to be back in business with Fedor,” Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said. “The man is a legend both inside and outside of the cage and I’m elated to bring him back Stateside for the American MMA fans to witness him fight Matt Mitrione in San Jose. He and I go quite aways back, and I look forward to continuing to build our partnership here in Bellator MMA.”

A Pride, as well as World Allegiance of Mixed Martial Arts Heavyweight champion, the man once promoted by President-Elect Donald Trump was one half of some of the most memorable fights that the sport of MMA has ever seen, including wins against the likes of: Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (2x), Mark Coleman (2x), Kevin Randleman, Mark Hunt, Andrei Arlovski, and Pedro Rizzo.

Emelianenko’s success has not only been seen inside the world of MMA either, as he also served in the realm of politics, where he serves as a staff member of Russia’s Council of Physical Fitness & Sports since 2012.

Matt Mitrione remains poised to make an immediate impact in the Bellator heavyweight division following two emphatic wins since signing with Bellator in 2016. The Illinois native and standout defensive end at Purdue University earned All-Big Ten honors in 2000 and subsequently earned his way into the NFL where he played six seasons as a member of the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.

Still yearning to compete following the NFL, Mitrione found the sport of MMA after close friend and professional baseball player Jayson Werth requested Mitrione fight in his start-up promotion. After relocating to Indianapolis, Mitrione ultimately found his way into the UFC where he became a high-level competitor inside the promotion, defeating the likes of: the late Kimbo Slice, Derrick Lewis, and Gabriel Gonzaga.

“Bellator 172: Fedor vs. Mitrione”

Heavyweight Main Event: Fedor Emelianenko (36-4) vs. Matt Mitrione (11-5)


text:
Dez Bryant | The Sports Report Girl

Can Dez Come Out and Play? An Open Letter to the NCAA

October 27, 2009 by Dion Rabouin
Filed under College Football, Football, SRG's Blog

Dear NCAA,
I was watching the Oklahoma State-Missouri game this weekend and I noticed that you still haven’t reinstated Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant from suspension.

I’m sorry NCAA, but are you Dez Bryant’s daddy… or maybe his girlfriend? It must be one or the other because that would be the only way to explain you punishing him for having dinner at a man’s house and then not being entirely forthright about it. I get that as an NCAA athlete he isn’t allowed to have a job, get paid for the extra 40 hours a week he spends making you millions, meet with anyone who could potentially make him money in the future, or be caught in any pictures that might make The Association look bad. But continuing a suspension that was handed out for lying about a dinner with a former NFL super star is absurd, even for you.

I understand that somehow you and your governing board have convinced yourselves of your unquestionable moral superiority, despite the fact that your entire business model is, ostensibly, slavery. I’m not calling anyone a racist here, but does a group of old, predominantly white men making millions off of young, predominantly black men (who don’t get paid a dime for their services) sound like anything else?

While most coaches, college presidents and athletic directors are making million-dollar salaries… and you yourself are raking in staggering sums of money from ticket sales, television contracts, bowl games, video game licensing and merchandising… the amateur status of your players is something you take very seriously (despite the lack of a name on the back, when I buy a number 15 Florida Gators jersey, you know exactly why I’m buying it).

I also understand that these players are getting a “free education,” one that is worth at best 10 percent (~$50,000 for tuition and fees at USC) and at worst two percent (~$10,000 at the University of Alabama) of a bare minimum salary in the NFL.

What I can’t understand though, and probably never will, is how you can take violations of this supposed “amateurism” so seriously. These kids are obviously not amateurs, no matter how much you want to pretend. They are grown men, playing a grown man’s game and they’re doing it all for free. I understand that you’ll probably never pay them, but you could at least loosen up on the BS regulations. Dez Bryant doesn’t want to recoup any of the money your corrupt system clearly owes him. He isn’t trying to leave school early or sign with an agent. All he wants to do is be a part of that corrupt system and play. How patently absurd is it that you won’t even let him do that?

T. Boone Pickens

SEO Powered by Platinum SEO from Techblissonline


text:
Qorvo, Inc.

( )
Volume Open Day's Low Day's High 52 Wk Low 52 Wk High Bid Ask EPS PE Ratio Shares Market Cap Dividend Ex-Div Date Yield
Interested in Gold Updates?
Receive the latest updates on the gold and silver markets.
100% secure: your email is never shared, and you may opt out at any time.
Electronic Technology » Semiconductors
MUMicron Technology, Inc.
NVDANVIDIA Corporation
INTCIntel Corporation
AVGOAvago Technologies Limited
AMDAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
TXNTexas Instruments Incorporated
NXPINXP Semiconductors NV
MSCCMicrosemi Corporation
MCHPMicrochip Technology Incorporated
TSMTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Sponsored ADR
ADIAnalog Devices, Inc.
MRVLMarvell Technology Group Ltd.
SWKSSkyworks Solutions, Inc.
ONON Semiconductor Corporation
XLNXXilinx, Inc.

Company Profile

Qorvo, Inc. engages in the provision of core technologies and radio frequency solutions for mobile, infrastructure, and aerospace or defense applications. It operates through two segments: Mobile Products and Infrastructure & Defense Products. The Mobile Products segment supplies of RF solutions that perform various functions in the increasingly complex cellular radio front end section of smartphones and other cellular devices. The Infrastructure & Defense Products segment supplier of RF solutions that support diverse global applications, including ubiquitous high-speed network connectivity to the cloud, data center communications, rapid internet connectivity throughout the home and workplace, and upgraded military capabilities across the globe. Its products include amplifiers, control products, discrete transistors and integrated circuits, filters and duplexers, frequency converters, integrated modules, optical components, oscillators, passives and switches. The company was founded on December 13, 2013 and is headquartered in Greensboro, NC.


text:
March 24, 2018

Iowa State Basketball Preview

Wells Fargo Arena hosted the Iowa State Cyclones and Ohio State Buckeyes in its first major collegiate sporting event in 2005. (Courtesy of

Last year’s team was perhaps the best on paper basketball team in Iowa State history, and certainly the best since Marcus Fizer and Jamaal Tinsley put on the cardinal and gold. Fred Hoiberg bolting for the Chicago Bulls left that team to be coached by Steve Prohm, who did his best to continue to let the team be themselves and run a system that they were comfortable with.

This meant a similar style to Fred’s fast paced, green light offense and a defensive strategy that was, at the surface level, mostly about just trying to be average enough to let the offense do its thing. As impressive as the offense was and had been since 2012/13, ranking 8th, 10th, 12th, and finally 7th in 2016 in Kenpom’s adjO metric the past 4 years, the defense has been undeniably lacking for a major conference school going to the NCAA Tournament. ISU ended the past 4 years ranked 126th, 55th, 59th, and 91st in adjD those same years. This year, Steve Prohm can and will put his own stamp on this team, with a full offseason to install his offensive and defensive philosophies. Change is on the horizon, but what will that bring?

This year Steve Prohm will surely be running a more close approximation of what his actual system looks like offensively, defensively, and on the boards instead of what was last year’s approach of mostly running with what the senior led team was used to with Fred Hoiberg. The styles aren’t incredibly different on the court, although off the court it seems as though they are very different. The best bet to predict what Steve Prohm wants his team to look like, in my opinion, is to look at his final Murray State team that went 29-6 while going 16-0 in conference.

This will likely be a team that is fast paced (Murray State was 58th fastest in adj tempo in ’15), extremely efficient on offense (17th in adjO), and defensively forces long possessions (295 teams allowed quicker shots) even if opposing teams still score pretty easily when they do shoot (173rd in adjD). The defense will absolutely need to improve this year at Iowa State, because with the loss of Georges Niang it will likely regress offensively, if even slightly. On the bright side, Niang on defense is replaced by more athletic and physically gifted defenders, so by default there should be improvements.

Prohm’s team didn’t turn the ball over, shot well from all parts of the field and forced steals and blocked shots aggressively. This is mostly similar to what Fred Hoiberg did in his last year, with one big difference. Murray State rebounded at the 30th highest rate in ‘14/’15 while Hoiberg sent defenders back in transition, earning the 271st highest rate. That will be a key challenge for ISU with their small ball lineup that will likely include only one player taller than 6’5 in the starting lineup. On the flip side, that Murray State team allowed more offensive rebounds than ISU on average.

ISU’s rebounding numbers will come down to how aggressively the players can be motivated to really put in effort and work to rebound, and also to where Prohm wants to place his chips. Offensive rebounding percentage always suffers with more focus on transition defense, and getting out in offensive transition quickly will negatively affect defensive rebounding percentage.
So what will stay from last year and what will be changed? Well, the rebounding was dreadful for ISU last year on both sides of the glass. This was by far ISU’s greatest overall weakness last year and must improve for ISU to be competitive. Georges Niang is gone to play for the Indiana Pacers and due to that things will be a little more difficult scoring on offense. However, replacing Niang with Deonte Burton at the 4 spot in the Cyclone lineup will add a huge boost in athleticism that, if effort is there, could translate into much improved rebounding numbers from that position.

Returning Studs

ISU is in a great spot returning 4 SR perimeter players to the starting lineup. Monte Morris, Naz Long, Matt Thomas, and Deonte Burton all have great experience playing basketball not only against high level competition but at high levels themselves. I’d wager that this is the most experienced group of 4 players in the country. Morris is likely to be on every national PG of the year watch list and on some straight up player of the year watch lists. He’s already a preseason All American, ISU’s first since……last year. (and 2nd since Jamaal Tinsley in 2000).

Naz Long and Matt Thomas, if healthy, are both known commodities at guard for ISU. Both are sharpshooters who can guard their positions. Matt Thomas has always been fond of getting shots up inside the arc as well to counter defenders flying out to contest, and based on the first few games last year I expect Naz Long to take it to the rim fairly often as well. These are things that might not have been polished in their games as underclassmen, but as SRs added balance to their repertoire should help make up for the offensive losses of Georges Niang and Abdel Nader.

Deonte Burton is the real wildcard for ISU. By far the most athletic player on the Iowa State team and possibly one of the most athletic players in the country, Burton has loads of potential. Along with his raw athleticism he adds a smooth, skilled ability with the ball in his hands. He can speed past defenders, take contact at the rim, and finish with touch in traffic. The key for Prohm will be harnessing his athleticism on the boards. Burton will have a tough job rebounding against taller, heavier opponents but should be able to hold his own if it becomes a primary focus for him. Burton is also a phenomenal passer physically.

His decision making and attentiveness can be inconsistent, but in a SR season where he may be playing for attention from NBA scouts, you would expect these things to be much improved. He has shown a competent three-point shot as well and can certainly knock down shots at a high enough clip to keep defenders honest. Deonte Burton living up to his potential could be the difference between ISU being a good team who goes out with a whimper, or a contender at the top of the B12 who can make a run in the postseason.

Rounding Out the Rotation

The fifth starter for ISU is looking like it’ll be Merrill Holden. The 6’8 SR will be playing the 5 spot for ISU, but obviously is much smaller than your typical center. The most important things for Holden to contribute is rebounding and defense. He’s going to be doing the cliché “dirty work” along with the other graduate transfer Darrell Bowie, who stands 6’8 as well. Holden rebounded and blocked plenty of shots despite being undersized at Louisiana Tech in ‘15/’16, and was especially good on the offensive boards.

Darrel Bowie comes in after sitting a year out at Northern Illinois with a shoulder injury. He was a major part of the team in the ‘14/’15 season, with the highest usage rate on the team. For context, when he was on the court, the possession ended with a shot or turnover by Bowie at a higher rate than Georges Niang on last year’s ISU team. He won’t be asked for that by this ISU team, but his experience should allow him to come in and immediately contribute what Iowa State needs without much issue. Expect Bowie to be a slightly better rebounder than Holden while Holden protects the rim a little more.

The advantage these two players have over the players they defend and that will defend them will be speed and quickness. It will be rare for them to matchup with someone smaller than them in the post. This is nothing new for ISU but neither has the lanky wingspan or athleticism of Jameel McKay that led to so many enthusiastic blocks and exciting dunks.

Donovan Jackson will be the best backup point guard option ISU has had since Deandre Kane was spelled by Monte Morris during the latter’s freshman season. With Monte’s importance to the offense, it is going to be interesting how much playing time Jackson will get, as he is certainly capable of contributing 15-20 minutes per game, but Prohm seems reluctant to play him and Morris at the same time. Jackson won the 3 point contest at Hilton Madness this year, and looks the part of a sharpshooter that ISU likes to have out there.

Nick Weiler-Babb, Simeon Carter, Jakolby Long, and Solomon Young will round out the bottom of the rotation. Of these players, the staff seems to be very high on Weiler-Babb and his playmaking ability. He has the size and athleticism to be a plus defender and could be a potentially explosive slasher.

Solomon Young is ISU’s biggest body down low at 6’8 and 240 pounds. If he can contribute a physical presence down low for ISU his freshman season along with Holden and Bowie, that will go a long way for ISU.

Carter and Long don’t seem to be likely to get much early playing time, either making major contributions likely means injury in front of them or an unexpected development early in their careers. Long is a very talented player and his physically big enough to defend his position already, but time at the 2 or 3 guard position will be very tough to find after Long, Thomas, and Burton take their minutes.

The Schedule Ahead

Schedule wise, this non-conference slate is boom or bust. 7 games are against teams rated by Kenpom below 180th in the country, with 3 over 330th. Of the remaining schedule games a home game against the KP 28th ranked team Cincinnati, a game at Vanderbilt at the end of January, and a road test at 55th ranked Iowa round out the three toughest non tournament games for ISU. What really stands to add to ISU’s non-conference strength of schedule is their possible opponents in the Advocare Invitational in Orlando. If they win against Indiana State in Hilton, they will likely draw Miami, who is the 24th ranked team per Kenpom. The winner of that game will go on to play the winner of the other side of the bracket, which should be either Gonzaga, Florida, or Seton Hall. Those are the 22nd, 17th, and 29th rated teams by Kenpom, respectively.

That is a great opportunity to get two extra top 25 matchups on a neutral court to pad ISU’s NCAA Tournament resume. If ISU ends up not playing against Miami, Seton Hall, or Gonzaga it will have only one game against a top 30 quality opponent, although it will be at home. In that scenario, a road game in Iowa City would likely be the toughest non-conference game.

The B12 slate should be overall a very tough one, but outside of Kansas it is difficult to project who will be the stiffest competition. ISU isn’t dodging anyone due to the B12’s fantastic round robin schedule, so there’s not a whole lot to analyze as far as SOS. If there is a doomsday scenario where ISU misses those top teams in the Advocare Invitational and multiple B12 teams who were supposed to contend for the B12 title fail in the non-conference, ISU’s resume could suffer.

Where will ISU finish? I’d suspect anywhere from 2-4 wouldn’t surprise me. Texas and West Virginia should compete for spots in that same top 4 while Kansas holds the pole position. Kenpom has the B12 rated as the #2 conference in the country behind the ACC this year, and if that holds up it will be another grind through the conference slate. This year ISU has more depth to survive the year, but there will certainly still be issues dealing with B12 size inside with Georges Niang to flip defenses inside out by moving to the perimeter. It is likely possible to try something similar with Deonte Burton, but his lack of height will make that a tough move to pull off.

Overall, Iowa State is in much better shape this year than we thought a year ago. Monte spurned the NBA to come back and lead the team from the PG position, Naz Long ended up with medical redshirt, and Matt Thomas made an enormous jump last year to be a really effective shooter along with the other skills he brings to the table. Instead of being a young team with role players needing to step into larger roles, Iowa State is fielding a veteran team with 6 SRs with guys mostly in roles that they have taken on before.

I expect ISU to hit the ground running this year, with only a couple non-conference losses. One is likely in Orlando and I believe it’s likely that another gets dropped along the way. The game against Iowa in Iowa City may prove to be tricky as it is the only true road game ISU will play before conference play begins, and winning on the road even vs average teams is much more difficult than it looks. Kenpom actually has Iowa as a 1 point favorite in that game. If ISU enters that game undefeated they’ve done very well for themselves.

In conference, ISU’s goal must be to get 4 or 5 road wins and defend their homecourt. If ISU can get 8 wins in Hilton and win 4 out of 9 road games to get to 12-6, a second place finish in the B12 seems likely considering the parody in the league this year. Of course, that would come with an NCAA Tourney birth.

My final prediction? ISU finishes 22-8 (12-6) with a 5-6 seed in the NCAA Tourney as a reward. After that, a veteran laden team who has been there before multiple times has a chance to make one last run with this group of SRs. This may not be the best ISU team that has been fielded during the 5 year NCAA Tournament streak or the 57 weeks in the AP Top 25 Rankings, but with a little luck it could make the deepest run. That’s what’s fun about college basketball, you never know when you’re going to see something out of the ordinary, or even a little magical.

Stephen Moldovan 10 Articles
Staff Writer

Sac City, Iowa, is home to the world’s largest popcorn ball, the world's best named liquor store and is the birthplace of Moldy (like the bread, he grows on you). Moldy is an Iowa State graduate, lifelong Cyclones and Vikings fan, Cavs fan since he was eleven and Twins fan for three to five innings per year. His other hobbies and interests include tailgating the student lot tailgate line at Jack Trice, The Office, golfing poorly, and making shallow statistical sports observations by just googling a bunch. He enjoys learning things that might be against general perception or may be counter intuitive and as of (current date) he has yet to lose an argument on Twitter.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this:


text:
Sunday, 4 September 2011

The mis-selling of tea: Cho Yung tea

Forgive me, this may be a long post.

The other day, I was in Holland and Barratt buying some bits and pieces when I heard a lady asking for Cho Yung tea. The sales assistant gave the lady a leaflet and spoke about how good the tea was for weight loss. The customer then agreed to pay £39.99 for what looked to me like a small packet. I decided to investigate.

For £39.99, you get THIRTY tea bags. You're supposed to drink two cups a day. So a month would set you back £80. Blimey, this must be some miracle, right? Wrong. As far as I can tell, it's just green tea with some traditional herbs associated with weight loss thrown in.. I thought I'd break it down:

Oolong tea: on its own, oolong is used as a weight loss aid. So you could pick up a decent packet of this from Cup of Tea for around four quid (you'd get more than thirty cups out of it too...)

Hawthorn: Again, another ingredient that is used in Eastern medicine for digestion. You can buy tablets from Holland and Barratt if you really want to try this (but fennel and peppermint are much cheaper and nicer as teas)

Lotus leaves: basically another digestive aid, with added roughage.

Alisma rhizome: stimulates the kidneys and makes you pee. So you'll lose water weight. Which you would put back on really easily. You could just drink more liquids (including green tea and water) if you want to cut down on  the bloat.

Cassia seeds- most commonly used in laxatives.

Gynostemma Pentaphyllum- this may lower cholesterol. But so do apples, brown rice and avocados. Still not seeing how this tea is worth eighty quid a month.

Poria- another pee-inducing ingredient.

So, in essence Cho Yung tea makes you spend a lot of time on the toilet. I have no background in herbalism (I just really like tea!), but this is stuff I was able to Google and find out. There are plenty of herbal teas that do a lot of the same jobs and that don't cost you a fortune. Although there is no such thing as a magic bullet- with the teas, you have do change diet and lifestyle to see any major changes. (Even Cho Yung Tea admits this)

The company also has a reputation of offering free trials and not sending anything , as well as charging £60 to bank accounts. You also have to wonder when Holland and Barratt put a disclaimer on their UK and Irish sites that they won't take any money other than what you have paid for. This is only on the Cho Yung tea page. Fishy, non?

All in all- it's a very expensive case of smoke and mirrors that gives green tea a bad name.

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
Mass of Men

The New York Times crowded elevator story--Fairway supermarket on the Upper West Side has an elevator that is slow and crowded and the only way to get your cart or stroller up to the second floor--points out that the crowded elevator is the only way the organic foods section. The photo is of an organic shopper situation: the crowds are reported to be happy, in some sense, apparently even in their surliness. Men (as well as women) massed are less desperate, and certainly less quiet in lives momentarily underlined in the seconds spent between organic and non-organic, which is very organic, even using elevator power.
But if the store is a gladiatorial arena, the elevator is, surprisingly, “a haven — an oasis of civility,” said Bernice Price, a neighborhood resident and elevator veteran. “People make a quick assessment of the spatial restrictions, and they help each other. There is a lot of silent communication. People don’t seem to push.”

Of course, even if they do push, you might make the argument that they are happier pushing than sitting in an empty parking lot. Then again, you might not.

No comments:

Post a Comment


text:
  • The Time Machine Radio Chat Room
  • . Live every Saturday.

    Nushu's Lisa Mychols and Tom Richards from The Waking Hours welcome you to The Time Machine

    Sunday, June 12, 2011

    Sheri Miller Returns To The Time Machine

    Singer-songwriter Sheri Miller returned to The Time Machine with a brand new record to share with the Maui radio audience. For her second release "Winning Hand"; Sheri enlisted legendary musicians Will Lee (Fab Faux, Paul Shaffer's CBS Orchestra on "Letterman"), Charley Drayton (Fiona Apple, Divinyls, X-Pensive Winos) and Gerry Leonard (David Bowie, Suzanne Vega, Duncan Sheik), to get the artistic, poetic, and super-catchy songs of “Winning Hand” to take shape for another winner collection of songs. Capturing it all in the studio was producer Kevin Killen (U2, Peter Gabriel).

    The Time Machine

    The Time Machine

    Her debut release "Mantra" kept pulling in our listeners with her well crafted "Waste My Breath". The Time Machine Crew were ecstatic to have Sheri return to the broadcast. Her latest "Winning Hand" can be found online at Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.

    The Time Machine

    The Time Machine

    Click here to listen or download the radio interview with Sheri Miller on The Time Machine

    Official Website for Sheri Miller

    Sheri Miller on Facebook

    Sheri Miller on Twitter

    Sheri Miller on MySpace Music

    Sheri Miller's YouTube Music Channel

    Below Video: "Spoons" - Sheri Miller

    Below Video: "Waste My Breath" - Sheri Miller

    Below Video: "Spoons" - Live performance from Sheri Miller

    Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Post a Comment

    << Home


text:
In view we have been servicing the State of Florida for almost three decades, we have been able to assemble to a team of experienced agents and knowledgeable staff to assist you throughout Florida, from Palm Coast to Palm Bay, Daytona Beach to Tampa, and all areas in between.

Contact us today to get started!

Although real estate prices have not fully rebounded from the most recent pre-depression levels, the market is showing signs of life.  While it has taken almost a decade for prices to rebound from those depressed values, today may be possibly the best time to purchase real estate in a long time.  With that said, many that researched prior to their original purchase, still believe that real estate is likely the safest and best investment over time.  The key is making every effort to “Buy Right” and not “Buy Blind”.   Today, as in the 2004-2007 era, the bidding wars are back.  Relatively tight inventories in certain markets are often causing the values to be pushed in the upward direction.   Home buying for those in the market begins to make more sense as the cost of renting a dwelling keeps rising.  For those who wish to simply upgrade their home, a rebound on property values and low financing rates may be a motivating factor.  For those who are immigrating into the area, an experienced Realtor with market knowledge and an understanding of your goals may be a good choice.   Home Buying Tips:

  • Credit Score – A Lower credit score may decrease your chances of obtaining the best interest rate, or possibly obtaining financing at all.  Be sure to monitor your  credit and look for any inconsistencies.  Errors can be fixed by contacting the credit agencies.
  • Set Your Budget – There are many tools available to establish what you can reasonably afford.  This will allow you to conduct searches within your price range to find a home you can be proudly  call your own.
  • Other Costs – There are costs associated with  the purchase of  a home, including but not limited to the down payment, inspection fees, financing and closing costs and more.    Contact a mortgage lender and  be pre-approved for financing before you begin your search.
  • Find an Agent and Search for a Home – Our experienced agents will strive to help in finding the right home for you, within your budget, in an area you will be happy in.
  • Making an Offer – You’ve found the house you want, now it’s time to make an offer.  Our experienced agents will assist you every step of the way through the offer and contract negotiation process.
  • Financing – Once you have an accepted and ratified contract, it’s time to finalize the loan process with your mortgage lender.  Since you’ve already been pre-approved, and we have been keeping them up-to-date with  any developments , the process should move much smoother.
  • Inspections – Hiring an experienced inspection professional can help you learn about the home and avoid any pitfalls.  Ask to be present during the inspection; inspectors may point out minor repairs that may need to be done to the home, as well as major ones.  These inspections are important as you do not  want to move into your new home and  find out two days later that the HVAC system is inoperable and a new one is required, or the roof only had 6 months of useful life left and requires replacement.  Our experienced agents can assist you in determining whether any deficiencies found should be repaired by the seller prior to closing, or if you should negotiate a credit for the repair allowing you to take care of the item after closing.
  • Closing the Transaction – This is the last step needed in  buying your new home.  You should receive the closing disclosures from the title company or closing attorney at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled closing.  These disclosures must be carefully reviewed in order to make sure all the financial terms of the real estate agreement have been met.  Our experienced agents will be there to answer your questions.  Once you have approved the documents and the transaction is closed with all funds sent and received, it’s time to get the keys to your new home.  Congratulations, you will have survived the process!

We at the Titan Group, Inc., will assist you in fulfilling your real estate goals, doing our utmost to help you navigate the potential pitfalls in the marketplace, and work hard to make your experience as pleasurable and stress-free as possible..

With over 28 years of experience, many in the marketplace chose The Titan Group, Inc.’s valuation division to quickly and accurately provide values on real property which they are contemplating acquiring, deposing or transferring.   As many have learned enduring the past real estate cycle, proper valuation of an asset is imperative prior to acquisition or disposition.  It is important to understand the current market and what options are best for you.  Accurately estimating the value of real property is important as it impacts everything from your financing, overall yield, potential depreciation, insurance, and even your real estate taxes, all of which will affect your bottom line.   The Titan Group, Inc.’s valuation division may be your solution to higher yields, shorter hold times and peace of mind.  For those who are in need of selling their home, having an expert value your home based on data and not emotion may expedite a transaction.  With that said, knowing the actual value of your property and being able to discuss, defend and support these values with your lender may be the difference in having a Short Sale offer accepted.   Estimating a property’s value demands a survey of economic and social trends, government controls and regulations, and even environmental conditions.  They all tie together to influence the four elements of value, which include:

  • Demand: The desire for ownership supported by financial means to satisfy purchase
  • Utility: The quality or state of being useful to potential buyers
  • Scarcity: The perceived limited supply of competing properties
  • Transferability: The ability to transfer ownership rights with ease

Whatever your individual situation may be, The Titan Group, Inc., has the knowledge and experience to meet your needs.

If you are a Homeowner who is no longer able to afford your mortgage you now have a federally sanctioned and endorsed alternative to a foreclosure:  a short sale.  A Short Sale is a transaction wherein the seller’s mortgage lender agrees to accept a payoff which is less than the balance due on the loan.   A short sale is only possible when the transaction amount of the purchase (purchase price) does not exceed the balance of the mortgage.   A Short Sale is a good alternative to a foreclosure.  While a seller typically cannot financially benefit from a Short Sale, the negative  impact of a Short Sale on your credit  would less harsh, thus  allowing you, the seller, to  begin repairing your credit much sooner than if you went through a foreclosure.   Individuals selecting this option sell their home for less than the remaining balance of the mortgage.  If your particular lender approves the transaction (accepts less than what is owed), you can consummate the transaction knowing your lender has accepted something less than the note as full payoff of the debt.   A short sale may be an option to consider if you:

  1. Are ineligible to refinance or modify your mortgage
  2. Are facing a long-term hardship
  3. Are behind on your mortgage payments
  4. Can no longer afford your home and are ready to leave
  5. Have not been able to seller your home at a price that covers what you still owe on your mortgage.

Normally, mortgage debt forgiveness results in a taxable event for the seller.  In other words, the amount forgiven by the lender may be considered income.  However, pursuant to the Mortgage Debts Relief Act which was extended through 2016, there would be no taxable event.  According to the IRS, you may be able to exclude up to $2 million of debt forgiven on your principal residence.  Please check with your accountant to verify this event.  Business property, credit cards, and car loans may not qualify for the tax relief provision.   Are you making an offer on a short sale?  Here are some helpful hints:

  • Enter into the agreement with patience. There are several stages to the short sale process that can be lengthy.  A typical short sale can take 5-7 months from start to finish.
  • Have your finances in order. Lenders like cash offers.  In the event you cannot pay cash, it is important to show that you are able, willing and qualified.  In a lender’s eyes, the offers which are considered to be viable are those wherein proof of funds are shown (if you are paying cash) and/or you provide documentation to support your credit worthiness (Pre-qualification letter from a reputable lender or availability of funds if a considerable down payment is offered).
  • Lenders do not like contingencies.  Lenders like flexible terms.  If you need to be in a home by a certain time, a short sale may not be for you.  It is very likely that you will be asked to purchase the property as is.  Since lenders are already taking a loss on the property, they may not be willing to agree to any further requests for repairs or credits.
  • Can you take rejection?  Even when a short sale is approved by a lender, sellers may be required to sign a promissory note of some amount in order to further reduce the deficient amount of the loan.  For sellers who are financially strapped, agreeing to further debt payments may not be possible.  Until all terms and conditions are signed off by the Lender, terms of a pre-negotiated contract may change.

If we understand all the risks surrounding short sales are considerable, then we should also understand these type of transactions may also provide us a win-win situation.   Sellers are able to get out of hardship, the mortgage company does not have to incur the additional costs of a full foreclosure, and the buyer has the opportunity to purchase a home at fair market value or below.   The Titan Group, Inc., has a team of agents experienced in the short sale process.  There are no additional costs or negotiation fees to assist you with these negotiations, valuations or the like which the lenders’ may require.

A foreclosed property, also known as Real Estate Owned (REO) is a property that was once owned by an individual or an entity but has been returned to the mortgage holder for disposition or management.  This is usually a result of a foreclosure action or acceptance of a deed-in-lieu of a foreclosure action.  A foreclosure can occur when mortgage payments are not made over a period of time and efforts to resolve the default are unsuccessful.   Foreclosure proceedings are initiated with the filing of the default notice in the public records.  This filing is known as a Lis Pendens or a Notice of Default.   The Lis Pendens or Notice of Default can lead to one of the four following scenarios:

  • The borrower may be able to reinstate the loan during the grace period as instructed by the state law/court. During the grace period or pre-foreclosure period, if the homeowner pays off the default amount, then the property will not go into foreclosure.
  • The borrower may have the opportunity to sell his or her property to another buyer during the pre-foreclosure period, either via traditional sale or short sale, thus paying off their loan. If he or she pays off the loan, their credit history will not show a foreclosure.
  • The lender comes into an agreement with the borrower wherein the borrower voluntarily releases the property to the lender via a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.
  • The lender completes the legal proceedings of the foreclosure and the property goes to foreclosure sale. At the foreclosure sale, the property will go to the highest third-party bidder or revert to the foreclosing lender as an REO.  A certificate of title is issued, and in the case of an REO, the lender will decide the course of action for the disposition of the property.

Are you thinking of purchasing an REO property?    When considering the best home for a foreclosure purchase, the first step is finding the right agent, particularly one specializing in REO properties.  Purchasing a foreclosed home is not as smooth and easy a process as it may seem.  When you work with one of our real estate agents, the process is simplified.  At The Titan Group, all of our agents are trained and experienced in the sale of foreclosure properties and can provide advice on the best options for your new investment.   What condition are the properties in?   When being placed on the market, not all REO properties have the same level of preparation.  It is left to the lender on whether or not the property will be partially repaired, renovated, or if it will be left as is.  In most cases, qualified buyers have the opportunity to pursue a loan option where the mortgage can be combined with renovation costs in financing.   The FHA 203(k) loan, for example, is a great option for individuals purchasing foreclosures where repairs are needed.  It is a great option for buyers who are struggling to find their own sources of renovation financing.   It is important that you consider the following when seeking a foreclosed home for purchase:

  • The process is highly impersonal. You are not purchasing directly from the person who lived there.  Instead, you are purchasing from the bank that foreclosed from the previous owner.  The bank’s asset manager simply views the bottom line numbers.
  • No disclosures or credits. Because you are purchasing an REO property, banks do not provide any disclosure or previous information on previous owner’s experience.  There are typically no credits towards repairs on foreclosure properties.
  • The Bank has its own process. The bank usually has its very own process that protects its interests.  Banks will typically respond to an offer to purchase within 2 to 4 business days, depending on the lender.

Are you interested in a making a foreclosure purchase?  Let one of our experienced real estate agents assist you today with finding the right property.  We have thousands of listings throughout Florida to choose from.

Mortgage Calculator

Affordability Calculator

Monthly Gross Income $
Monthly Debt Expenses [?] $
Down Payment: $
Interest Rate: %

Closing Cost Estimator

Loan Information
Loan Amount $
View/Edit Closing Cost Details

In today’s market, hiring a property management company can be challenging, especially for absentee owners or investors who have never leased their properties before.  The Titan Group, Inc., is a full-service property management company offering a full complement of services to make your resident property management experience simple and profitable.   Services offered:

  • Residential property management
  • Full advertising for individual properties
  • Marketing and showing of the property as required
  • Tenant Screening – Perform background checks for individual tenants
  • Review tenant qualification with owners
  • Rent Collection
  • Repairs and maintenance contact
  • Construction supervision for refurbishment projects or repairs
  • Vendor repair coordination – as required
  • Tenant and vendor relations
  • Monthly rental payments to owner (ACH deposit is available)
  • Quarterly statements
  • Eviction services

It is our goal to deliver a property which a tenant can be proud of.  Prior to advertising your property, we will complete an interior/exterior inspection of the property, making sure the property is clean, functional and free of any life safety issues.  Prior to delivery, we will do a walk-through with the new tenant, taking photos as well as copious notes as to the move-in condition of the property.  If any deficiencies are noted, necessary repairs are coordinated.  We make ourselves available to the tenants and encourage calls to report concerns as soon as possible.  We prefer to address small issues today with hopes they do not become more costly matters in the future.

Allow us to help you with your property management needs.  Our team of experienced, seasoned property managers will work hard to help you from making costly, time consuming mistakes, and to take care of your needs.

Selling a house can be as stressful as buying one, but add the fact that this house may also be your home.  Whatever the reason for selling your real estate, the experienced agents at The Titan Group, Inc. are here to make the process as smooth and painless as possible.   Real estate prices have begun to rebound.  This surge in prices, however, does not mean we are back to the pre-recession price levels.  Here is where our extensive experience in valuing real property for our residential and commercial clients may be extremely beneficial to you.  We will help you establish a list price for your property that will attract prospective buyers instead of turning them away.  Our objective is for the greatest possible outcome in the shortest amount of time.   Our agents will review your home’s position in the marketplace and make suggestions on how to make your property show in the best possible light for the greatest return.  Our suggestions may range from a simple de-cluttering or de-personalizing of your home to sprucing up the exterior to increase curb appeal.  Prospective buyers need to be able to envision their lives in the house.  It is imperative we do not lose a prospective buyer based on what the outside of your home looks like.   How can you help?  Do a pre-inspection of your property.  Is there anything you know of, items which may need to be repaired?  Repairing items before you actually list the property may avoid issues with inspections or negotiations later which may also save you money!   In most cases, marketing photos of both the inside and outside of your home will be taken. Therefore, having your property cleaned up and organized beforehand will help your property shine.  There is nothing worse than seeing a marketing photo of a bedroom with the bed unmade, and clothes and other items lying about, or a photo of a kitchen with a pile of dirty dishes in the sink.   The same goes for when it is time to show your home to prospective buyers.   This may be additional work for you, however, it will allow your home to be viewed in the best possible light.  Also, try not to limit when your house can be shown.  Limiting the times your home can be shown may also limit the potential buyers who you may attract.   We at the Titan Group, Inc., will assist you every step of the way, doing our utmost to help you navigate the potential pitfalls in the marketplace, and work hard to make your experience as pleasurable and stress-free as possible

The Titan Group, Inc has remained active in the commercial marketplace as a result of its commitment to superior service. Our clients appreciate and benefit from the knowledge we have acquired from almost three decades in the Florida real estate market.   We offer a comprehensive list of services to make your commercial property management experience simple and profitable   Services

  • Tenant Representation
  • Commercial property management
  • Marketing and leasing
  • Tenant screening
  • Contract negotiation (vendor and tenant)
  • Rent Collections
  • Evictions
  • Bookkeeping/Accounting
  • Budget preparation
  • Construction/Tenant Improvement supervision

Our clients (owner or tenant) prefer to deal with a single point of contact, rather than with many subcontractors or building representatives which can be time consuming and somewhat problematic.   We would like to have the opportunity to earn your business.


text:
Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Pratt Stories - The Bartram Family IX

Although our ancestor's involvement with the Defence ended in early 1777, I was curious as to the rest of her career and eventual fate. So I sort of rolled the dice and punched "Brigantine Defence" into Google Earth and Lo and Behold, it flew me to a remote bay in Maine and there was what turns out to be the wreck of a Brigantine Defence (as I have said before, those Google guys deserved to get rich). I enlisted the aid of nephew Allen Woodruff to research the story of the wreck and to try and determine if it is, in fact, the same brig on which Ebenezer Bartram sailed and fought in 1776.
The wreck lies in a small bay off Stockton Harbor, just south of Stockton Springs, Maine, a couple of miles off US 1. Pat and Geoff Geisler probably drove right by it on their summer trip to New England and the Maritime Provinces..
Here is the story of the battle that did the Defence in: In early July, 1779, a British naval and military froce sailed into the harbor of Castine, Maine, on Penobscot Bay, where they landed troops and began erecting a fort. Alarmed by this incursion Massachusetts dispatched a military expedition consisting of a fleet of 19 armed vessels (the Defence was one of them) and 24 transports and a land force of about 1,200 men to drive the British out. (Col. Paul Revere was in charge of ordinance). Although badly outnumbered, British soldiers of the 74th Regiment (Argyle Highlanders) managed to repel the American attacks for nearly three weeks.
 In mid-August, British reinforcements appeared at the head of the bay with several large warships. The Americans had to abandon the fight and retreated up the Penobscot River, destroying their entire fleet along the way to keep it out of British hands. For its part, the Defence was engaged by the British frigate Camilla and sought to escape by taking refuge in a shallow water bay where it was abandoned and scuttled to prevent its capture. The Defence came to this inglorious end on August 15, 1779. I don't know how or if the crew ever got home.
This proved to be the greatest American naval defeat until Pearl Harbor in 1941.
NEXT: Was this the brigantine Defence on which Ebenezer Bartram served?

Emailed Sept. 30

No comments:


text:
Trauma PI: The 7 Deadly Sins

Trauma performance improvement is the backbone of any trauma center. And it’s the most common reason that a center runs into problems or deficiencies during a site review. Today, I’ll review the seven most common problems encountered during site surveys and provide some possible solutions for them.

  1. No loop closure. Closing the loop is talked about all the time. One would think that this should never be a problem, but it is. It becomes evident to the reviewers in two ways: reviewing PI meeting minutes, and sin #2 below. This topic is complicated, so see my four part series on loop closure here.
  2. Repeat offenses. The same problem keeps coming up again and again. This usually happens because the problem was never really solved in the first place. See the link above on loop closure for the solution to this one.
  3. Superficial peer review discussions. This means that the minutes don’t reflect any in-depth discussion of PI issues. There are two possible reasons: there wasn’t any meaningful discussion, or the documentation just wasn’t that good (see point 4 below). The discussion must include a summary of the case, identification of the significant quality issues, and a description of what will be done to avoid the problem in the future and who is responsible for carrying it out. If issues are referred to other committees (trauma operations or hospital PI), then this should be stated and it should be possible to follow the PI trail in those minutes as well.
  4. Poor peer review meeting minutes. This is a carry-on from the last point. Sometimes there is robust discussion on an issue, but the minutes don’t reflect it. This occurs due to concern for discoverability by the public or outside legal counsel in some states, but most frequently happens because the person charged with documenting the minutes is not very good at it. Minutes need not mention specific names, but do need to detail the gist of any discussion, including specific points of concern and remedies. Most discussions will run several paragraphs long; a single brief one just won’t do.
  5. Poor record organization. All PI activity and documentation regarding a specific patient needs to be organized in a single location. A paper or electronic folder is recommended. A similar folder is recommended for each system issue that involves multiple patients. During a site review, be sure to include the appropriate folder of information with each of the patient charts that are inspected by reviewers. Don’t scatter your records across several file cabinets or notebooks. And make sure several people in the trauma program understand the organization system in case a key person gets sick or quits.
  6. No cooperation from other hospital services. Your trauma program sends a case to be reviewed out to another department. Two months pass and you finally notice you never received a reply. Repeat a couple of times with the same chart and at that point, no one remembers anything about the case. This is a sure-fire way to keep making the same patient care mistakes. Create the expectation of quick turnaround (2 weeks is reasonable) and start nagging when time is up. Escalate to your trauma medical director if it continues to be a problem. In more extreme cases, you may need to select another liaison to deal with, or enlist hospital administration or hospital PI to help put pressure on them from above.
  7. No cooperation between trauma program manager and trauma medical director. These two people must work very closely for the trauma PI program to function efficiently. Regular meetings (weekly) are essential so they can review and process the various items that must be addressed. The TMD must deal with any physician related items, such as counseling, verbal discussions, memos and letters. The TPM deals with items involving nursing and other personnel. Dysfunction at this level is somewhat common at Level II trauma centers and quickly drags the program down.
Please feel free to comment or ask questions below!

Related posts:

Print Friendly, PDF & Email


text:
20 February 2009

The Eyes Of A Child 2

Because the families have been asking. A few visions of the new pad as seen through the eyes of Hank. And why not Hank's eyes? They're beautiful.

I guess this is what it means to be living in a new country with little more than what was supplied by the house. It's stark. It's bare. It's too bright in some places and too dark in others. All in all it's kind of liberating. One of those moments in time where we wish it was over but when it is we'll wish for its return. Kinda like camping except we have a few of our All-Clad pots and pans, a comforter or two we recognize, a dead computer that I fried trying to get the conversion right, a handful of Spiegelau glasses, and twenty cases of consolidated wine from a Seattle warehouse and the Elko potato cellar (more on that later). So, without further ado, Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe.

And this is for Jeff. Because he asked.

A 1991 Muga Reserva and a bowl of popcorn. A wine that made its way from the Rioja Alta to an auction warehouse in Napa, California by way of who-knows-where to my brother's house in Olympia, Washington to our new home in Crans-près-Céligny, Switzerland. After two weeks of resting it was lovingly chosen to accompany a bowl of popcorn and, later, a roast leg of lamb. I love camping.

The snow part is coming soon. And probably more house pictures.

1 comment:

Jeff said...

I'd pay money for that one with his foot in it.