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Anti-vaccine groups received more than $1 million in small-business relief loans.
Your Thursday Briefing
A very different Thanksgiving
Under normal circumstances, families across the U.S. would be gathering, some in groups of a dozen or more, on a holiday that celebrates coming together. But this year, as the country experiences its most deadly surge yet of the coronavirus, only about 27 percent of Americans plan to dine with people outside their household, according to a survey requested by The Times.
A virus surge that started in the Midwest now appears to be morphing into swift resurgences in cities like Baltimore, Los Angeles, Miami and Phoenix, adding first-time spikes in smaller cities away from the nation's middle, like Cumberland, Md. Simply put, the coronavirus is everywhere.
More than 1.2 million cases in the U.S. have been identified in the past week, and the country is on pace to reach 13 million known cases within days. The seven-day average of daily deaths is over 1,600. Scientists are expressing deep foreboding about the arrival of Thanksgiving and cold weather during such a surge.
On the front lines: Doctors and nurses are running on empty. "This is my job, what I wanted to do for a living," said a critical-care physician in Houston who brought the virus home with him, sickening his whole family. "And it could have killed my children, could have killed my wife — all this, because of me."
Macron's decisive swing to the right
A rightward push by the French government is alarming civil-liberties advocates in France and raising questions about President Emmanuel Macron's positioning ahead of an expected electoral challenge from the far right in 2022.
Propelled by a national wave of anxiety following recent terrorist attacks by Islamist extremists, two proposed laws underscore what critics have called an alarming drift toward repression in government policy. One would restrict the public filming of the police, while the other seeks further restrictions against Islamism as the French government has defined it, reaching into some aspects of Muslim life.
That bill would ban home-schooling, flag in a database those deemed to "excuse" terrorist acts, subject organizations that receive government subsidies to a test of allegiance to "the values of the republic" and increase strictures against polygamy, which is already illegal.
Words of opposition: "This law does nothing to reinforce secularism," said Aurélien Taché, a representative in Parliament who quit Mr. Macron's party. "Those who pretend to want to do that, actually what they actually want is to exclude the Muslims."
The death of a soccer legend
Diego Maradona, the Argentine who became a national hero as one of soccer's greatest players, died at 60 on Wednesday in Tigre, Argentina. His spokesman said the cause was a heart attack after years of health problems.
Argentina declared three days of national mourning for the player who took up the sport in dusty streets "with an urchin's resourcefulness," our reporter writes. He turned professional by 15, starring with Napoli and Barcelona and then in 2010 coaching Argentina in the World Cup.
Maradona scored one of the game's most controversial goals and one of its most celebrated in the span of four minutes in 1986 against England — punching the ball into the net with his fist for the first and then deftly maneuvering 70 yards through five British players for the second.
If you have 6 minutes, this is worth it
The women who loved Diana
In her lifetime, Diana, the Princess of Wales, was adored by many women in Africa and the diaspora, who then passed that loyalty on to their daughters. For these mothers and daughters, watching "The Crown" feels personal, writes our reporter.
"It's just known that African mothers love Diana," said Wangechi Waweru, a Kenyan rapper, whose mother was one such fan. "She was their Beyoncé."
Here's what else is happening
Michael Flynn: President Trump pardoned the former national security adviser, who had twice pleaded guilty to lying to the F.B.I.
Post-Brexit chaos: A dress rehearsal by French border police officers testing immigration procedures before the deadline for a post-Brexit trade deal between Britain and the European Union resulted in a five-mile traffic jam in Kent, in southern England, up to the entrance of the Eurotunnel, which connects the country to France.
Loujain al-Hathloul: Visibly weak and afraid, the activist, who campaigned for women's right to drive, appeared before a Saudi judge on Wednesday to learn that her case was being transferred to a special court for terrorism and national security crimes, her family said.
Iran prisoner release: The country released a British-Australian scholar, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, detained since 2018 on spying charges, in a prisoner swap on Wednesday for three Iranian men who had been held abroad, Iran's official news media reported.
Duchess of Sussex: In our Opinion section, Meghan wrote about having a miscarriage in July and suggested a question to ask loved ones in this year of loss: "Are you OK?"
Snapshot: Above, a pro-democracy rally in front of the Siam Commercial Bank headquarters in Bangkok on Wednesday. Thailand's lèse-majesté law, which makes insulting the king punishable by years in prison, is being used against the protesters' leadership for the first time.
Wish you were here: Take an armchair voyage to the museums of Paris (and their gift stores), Madrid's vintage enclave, Copenhagen's artisanal ceramists or the French island where that amazing flaky salt comes from. You might perfect the art of Swedish mys and even pick up a souvenir or two.
What we're reading: This Esquire interview with BTS ponders masculinity, the future and world domination. "For those of us who missed the rise of the world's biggest band, it also provides ample background," says Will Dudding, an assistant on the Standards team.
Now, a break from the news
Cook: This turkey tikka masala gets its deep flavors and moisture from marinating the turkey overnight in yogurt, turmeric, garam masala and garlic paste.
Listen: Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa dominate the nominations for this year's Grammy Awards. Here's the full list of nominees, including those for song of the year.
Do: Give someone the gift of healthy living this year with one of these ideas from the writers and editors of Well.
For ideas on other wonderful ways to pass the time, scroll through our At Home collection on what to read, cook, watch and do while staying safe at home.
And now for the Back Story on …
Logging off
The time we spend on screens has skyrocketed during the pandemic. Experts say too much screen time can take a toll on our mental health, depriving us of sleep and eating away at our attention. Here are some tips for detoxing from our devices.
Come up with a plan. Not all screen time is bad, so assess which parts are toxic and impose time limits to minimize them. Set modest goals, such as a 20-minute limit for reading the news on weekends. For structure, create calendar events for everything, including browsing the web and taking breaks.
Create no-phone zones. Leaving your phone outside your bedroom keeps at bay blue light, which can trick your brain into thinking it's daytime, and removes the urge to check it in the middle of the night. Another no-phone zone could be the dinner table, a prime opportunity for families to put devices away for at least 30 minutes and reconnect.
Resist the hooks. Beware the artificial goals and infinite feeds that tech companies use to keep us glued to our screens. Turn off notifications for all apps except those that are essential for work and keeping in touch with people you care about. If you feel strongly addicted, take an extreme measure and turn the phone to grayscale mode.
That's it for this briefing. Wishing you a peaceful, productive day.
— Natasha
Theodore Kim and Jahaan Singh provided the break from the news. You can reach Natasha and the team at [email protected].
• We're listening to "The Daily." Our latest episode follows New York City residents facing food shortages during the pandemic.
• Here's our Mini Crossword, and a clue: Color of a blue sky (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.
• Whether you're preparing for the end of Britain's lockdown or celebrating Thanksgiving abroad, this weekend might be a good time to tie up loose ends.
• Kim Fararo, an editor on our Foreign desk, will take on a new role as deputy editor in Europe.
Published in LATEST and WORLD
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10 Crazy Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World
10/5/2018 — By Gillian Telling
Sunflower6000/Dreamstime
From Disney World's sheer size to its sustainability efforts and some of its best-kept secrets, here are 10 fun facts about the Happiest Place on Earth.
Walt Disney sure had some grand plans when it came to building the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, Florida. He not only wanted it to be a fun theme park, but also to include an experimental prototype community of tomorrow (EPCOT) that would be a real working futuristic city, utilizing the latest push-button technology ala The Jetsons. The visionary sadly died in 1966, several years before Disney World opened in 1971, and EPCOT eventually just became another theme park incorporated into the larger resort in 1982. But did you know it was once meant to actually be lived in? Below are a few other fun facts that you might never have guessed about the Happiest Place on Earth.
1. IT'S HUGE
(Puppie2008/Dreamstime)
The size of the entire Walt Disney World resort is 40 square miles, or the size of San Francisco. You heard me. The same size as the city of San Francisco. Needless to say, that dwarfs other U.S. theme parks.
2. THEY HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES
(Paul Brewster/Dreamstime)
It's not easy keeping the magic alive. Disney World employs more than 70,000 people, making it the largest single-site employer in the country.
3. SUNGLASSES HUT HAVEN
Every single day, more than 200 pairs of sunglasses are turned in to the incredible Lost and Found department at Disney World. Good luck sifting through that pile if your aviators go missing over in Toon Town.
4. TALKIN' TURKEY
Giant turkey legs were first introduced at Disney World the 90s, and became such a popular item that they were quickly introduced to the other parks. More than 2 million turkey drumsticks are consumed at the resort every year, and you can even buy all sorts of gear (t-shirts, hats, etc.) with pictures of turkey legs on them.
5. THEY PRACTICE SUSTAINABILITY
Who would have thought? More than 30 tons of fruits and vegetables are grown each year at EPCOT's Land Pavilion and used in the resort's restaurants and cafes.
6. PAPA OAK
(Michael Gordon/Dreamstime)
The Liberty Oak, which stands in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom, has spawned over 500 young oak trees via its harvested acorns.
7. PRINCESS DREAMAWAY
There's a hotel suite tucked away in Cinderella's Castle that can sleep up to six and has flat-screen TV disguised as magic mirrors. Unfortunately, you can't just make a reservation—overnight guests are winners that are chosen at random by the park each day.
8. HOLY INFLATION
When Disney's Magic Kingdom first opened in 1971, adult admission cost $3.50. Today, it's over $120.
9. CAPTAIN GODFATHER
Captain Eo, the 3D science fiction film starring Michael Jackson that was shown at Disney Parks in the 80s and 90s, was directed by none other than Francis Ford Coppola, and produced by George Lucas. The movie returned to Disney World after Jackson's 2009 death.
10. IT'S (SORT OF) ECO-FRIENDLY
Fifteen miles south of Disney World is the Disney Wilderness Preserve, which is a 12,000 acre wetlands mitigation project that Disney company bought it in the 90s. Disney provides funds for restoration and wildlife monitoring in order to offset the lands impacted by the development of Walt Disney World. Fair enough.
("10 Crazy Things You Never Knew About Walt Disney World" was originally published on January 22, 2013 and was updated to reflect current prices and other data and statistics on October 5, 2018.)
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The Genius of Ray Charles.
From 15 Jun 2005 to 12 Aug 2005
16 June-13 August 2005. The late, great Ray Charles was a musical innovator, fusing gospel and blues while making a major contribution to the birth of soul music. Born in the American South, raised on a diet of blues, country and gospel, Charles managed create a style of his own from these distinct forms of traditional, rural American music blending them with the contemporary sounds and rhythms of jazz and big band. The Genius of Ray Charles is a musical celebration of the singer and pianists life and music. The musical is a US production featuring the original American cast of singers, dancers and musicians performing the great mans biggest hits like 'Hit The Road Jack', 'Georgia On My Mind', and 'Unchain My Heart'. Tickets cost from 15.00 to 42.50. Tue to Sat at 20.00, (and Thu, Sat and Sun at 15.00).
Address Haymarket Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London W1. The nearest tube station is Piccadilly Circus. Tel. +44-8701451163 (box office).
Website www.trh.co.uk
Haymarket Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London W1. The nearest tube station is Piccadilly Circus. Tel. +44-8701451163 (box office).
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\"Mister Guitar,\" Chet Atkins, W4CGP, SK
Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by Guest, Jul 3, 2001.
NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 2, 2001--Guitar picker, music legend and Amateur Radio operator Chester B. "Chet" Atkins, W4CGP, of Nashville, Tennessee, died June 30. He was 77. Atkins reportedly died of cancer complications.
Known as "Mister Guitar," Atkins hailed from East Tennessee. He began his musical career playing fiddle, but later earned his reputation as a guitarist. He went on to become the most-recorded solo instrumental musician in history.
Formerly WA4CZD, Atkins, a General licensee, obtained the vanity call sign W4CGP in 1998--the suffix standing for "certified guitar picker." He was an ARRL member. He won 14 Grammy awards during his career and was elevated to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973. He was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in part to recognize his guitar-picking technique as well as his wide influence on music. He had more than 100 albums to his credit.
Atkins began his musical career as a youngster in the 1930s. He said he developed his unique guitar style by listening to radio broadcasts of Merle Travis. Following high school he worked as a musician for WNOX in Knoxville, playing the fiddle. But when his boss, Bill Carlisle, heard his guitar playing, he was put on the station's mid-day barn dance show. Atkins also moonlighted as a jazz guitarist. He later moved to WLW in Cincinnati and worked briefly on the "National Barn Dance" show on WLS in Chicago. When Red Foley left WLS for Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, he took Atkins along.
Atkins recorded his first tune, "Guitar Blues," while in Nashville. He was signed to an RCA Records contract in the late 1940s, but bounced around among several radio stations before returning to "Music City USA" to stay in 1950. He went on to become one of Nashville's top session musicians, playing on recordings by such greats as Hank Williams, The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley. He also appeared solo on The Grand Ole Opry. Later he became an RCA Records executive and producer, where he played a role in developing the careers of Roy Orbison, Charley Pride, Jerry Reed, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings and others.
Atkins produced hits by Parton and Jennings, as well as by Don Gibson, Eddy Arnold, and Skeeter Davis among others. He also performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and entertained at the Kennedy White House.
The appeal of Atkins' music extended beyond the boundaries of the country music world, and he is considered the primary architect of the more lush and uptown "Nashville Sound" that drew on his country music roots. Some country music purists accused Atkins of selling out, but the sound proved popular. Later, some would claim, the "Nashville Sound" saved country music at a time when the world was shifting to rock and pop.
Atkins stepped down as a record company executive in the 1970s to again concentrate on performing. He was signed by Columbia Records in 1982, and dubbed himself "certified guitar picker" the following year. In his later years of performing, he sometimes paired up with musicians from the pop and jazz worlds and was a frequent guest on the radio program "A Prairie Home Companion," hosted by Garrison Keillor.
Nashville has continued to recognize Atkins' contributions with an annual "Chet Atkins' Musician Days" festival, which benefits the Chet Atkins Music Education Fund. A Nashville street in the Music Row area also is named for him, and a statue of Atkins was erected last year in downtown Nashville. The Chet Atkins Appreciation Society holds a four-day convention each year.
A funeral service for Chet Atkins will be held July 3 in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, which formerly served as the home of The Grand Ole Opry. Atkins is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Leona, a daughter Merle, a sister and two grandchildren.
For more information on Chet Atkins, visit the Chet Atkins, Mister Guitar Web site.
Guest, Jul 3, 2001


Located just two miles from a major interstate and only 10 minutes from one of Birmingham's biggest shopping centers, this project is a modern escape set in a hidden wooded section of the Trillium sub-division. When the client first approached Cotton Construction, they knew they wanted the exterior of the home to feel like a cabin from the outside, but include all of the modern amenities on the inside. We carried the cabin feel throughout the home with reclaimed wood ceilings and beams, but added touches of luxury throughout to bring the homeowners' dream to life. With custom cabinetry and bookshelves throughout, this home features more storage space than any other home we have ever built.


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The Early
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PowerPost
Cambridge Analytica whistleblower to testify to House Democrats on Facebook data operation
By Karoun Demirjian
Craig Timberg
March 20, 2018 at 3:27 p.m. EDT
Facebook's actions and public statements are facing inquiries from several federal agencies regarding the mishandling of millions of users' personal data. (Video: Elyse Samuels, Patrick Martin/The Washington Post, Photo: Jeff Chiu/The Washington Post)
The whistleblower who publicly revealed how Trump-affiliated data firm Cambridge Analytica used information mined from Facebook under false pretenses during the 2016 election cycle will give an interview to Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee as part of their investigation of Russian interference in the election, including possible ties to Donald Trump's campaign.
A lawyer for Christopher Wylie confirmed Tuesday that Wylie plans to accept the invitation from the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (Calif.).
Schiff said Monday that panel Democrats want to talk to Wylie to determine where and how the Facebook data was stored and used, and whether others — including Russian operatives — had access to it.
"Indeed, it may be that through Cambridge Analytica, the Trump campaign made use of illegitimately-acquired data on millions of Americans to help sway the election," Schiff said in a statement.
A spokeswoman for Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) said that he too is interested in speaking to Wylie.
Democrats on the House panel vowed last week to continue to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, despite the committee's Republican leaders announcing that they had completed a draft report about the panel's findings. The panel is expected to approve a final version of that report Thursday, although it will not be released publicly until the intelligence community reviews it and makes any necessary redactions.
House Democrats do not have independent power to subpoena witnesses to testify. But Wylie has been outspoken about how Cambridge Analytica — a company he helped build, according to a profile in the Guardian — planned to use the Facebook users' data and an algorithm to build "psychographic" profiles that could be used to predict the political leanings of every potential American voter.
Facebook bans Trump campaign's data analytics firm for taking user data
Facebook gave permission to University of Cambridge psychologist Aleksandr Kogan to access information on 270,000 users of the social media site to help build a quiz app called "thisisyourdigitallife." But the app's reach went much further, ultimately allowing Kogan to access data on 50 million users. The information was passed on to Cambridge Analytica and Wylie, breaking the terms struck with Facebook for access to the data. Facebook found out about the events in 2015, but was told that Cambridge Analytica, Wylie and Kogan had deleted the data. Several days ago, Facebook discovered that they had not.
Last year, the House Intelligence Committee spoke with Wylie's former boss Alexander Nix — the chief executive of Cambridge Analytica — by videoconference, as Nix is located in London.
Schiff stressed in his invitation to Wylie that his accounts of Cambridge Analytica's data operations "raise serious questions about the veracity of the testimony" Nix gave to the committee.
The details of Wylie's planned interview with the committee have not yet been worked out, although Wylie has apparently shown some willingness to travel from London, where he is based, to Washington to speak with members, according to a person familiar with discussions.
In the meantime, the New York Times reported Monday that Facebook's security director is now leaving, while CNN reported that Kogan told colleagues that he would be happy to testify to congressional committees investigating Russian meddling, but hadn't been invited.
Senators of both parties also want Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, while Warner called on Zuckerberg on Tuesday to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Several committees on the Hill, including the Senate Intelligence and House Judiciary panels, are also expecting to hold staff-to-staff meetings with Facebook employees in the coming days.
Read more at PowerPost
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Paul Bettany Confirms He Became JARVIS and Vision From Being "Personality-Less"
By Patrick Cavanaugh - June 9, 2018 12:41 am EDT
Many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans would consider Robert Downey Jr. the defining actor of the franchise, though Paul Bettany also has a deep history with the series, despite not physically appearing in a film until 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. In fact, it was Bettany's dulcet tones and ambiguous dialect that got him the role of JARVIS, Tony Stark's Iron Man operating system, which was exactly the voice director Jon Favreau was seeking.
"I got a phone call from Jon Favreau saying, 'I need the voice of a personality-less robot and I thought of you immediately,'" Bettany joked to GQ. "I thought that was the funniest thing I ever heard, so I said, 'Yes.'"
Bettany voiced the operating system in the three Iron Man films, Marvel's The Avengers, and Age of Ultron, with the second Avengers film allowing his character to evolve into a new form. In conjunction with the Mind Stone, JARVIS was injected into a synthetic body, giving birth to Vision. The process of embodying this new hero went similarly to how he earned his initial role in the MCU.
"I answered my phone, I didn't know the number, and I said, 'Hello,' and it was [Age of Ultron director] Joss Whedon," Bettany recalled. "And Joss Whedon said, 'Do you want to play the Vision?' And I went, 'Yes.'"
The actor recently revealed that he earned another coveted role thanks to an interaction over the phone, though to snag the role of Dryden Vos in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Bettany had to do the asking.
"It's humiliating. It was super humiliating. [Solo director] Ron Howard, I think it can be empirically proven that he's the loveliest, sweetest man in the world," Bettany shared with The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon of how he got the role. "He will lie and say that he went, 'Paul's the only guy for the job.' And the truth is that I texted him kind of begging."
The actor then shared a screenshot of the conversation, which went as follows:
Bettany: Have you ever spent long winter evenings wondering why you're not in the Star Wars franchise? I have.
Howard: LOL I'll get back to you.
Given the dire fates of his characters in both the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, the future is uncertain for Bettany in either role.
Avengers: Infinity War and Solo: A Star Wars Story are in theaters now.
Other upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movies include Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6th, Captain Marvel on March 8, 2019, the fourth Avengers movie on May 3, 2019, the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel on July 5, 2019 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2020.
Are you hoping to see more Bettany in either franchise? Let us know in the comments below!
[H/T YouTube, GQ]


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C/U of a statue of Francis Drake near the bowling green at Plymouth Hoe in Devon; commentator talks of how Drake made the game famous by refusing to interrupt a game as the Spanish Armada approached. L/S of a game of bowls being played on the green; a war memorial is seen in the background, the Drake statue and a lighthouse further away. M/Ss and C/Us of the game.
High angle M/S of bowls being played on an indoor bowling hall at Butlin's Holiday Camp in Bognor Regis, West Sussex; panning right to show players and a crowd of spectators at the other end of the hall.
Various shots of players, mostly older people, coming forward to bowl; two Redcoats are seen in the background (flapping arms around); the spectators applaud as someone scores.
Snooker champion John Pullman is seen lying down on the matting 'green' and hitting a white 'jack' with a snooker cue. More shots of players bowling; including John Pullman bowling a 'wood' normally (with hands, not cue). The elderly man John is playing with measures the distance between two 'woods' and the 'jack' presumably to see who has won.
C/U of a sign reading 'Public Bowling Green', with a model mounted above it of Frances Drake bowling a ball.
Note: For search purposes: Butlins. Cuts exist - see other record.


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Legends Holding And Kallicharran Share Techniques And Routines
John AaronJohn AaronNews November 25, 2013 New York Cricket Editor
Alvin Kallicharran discusses batting techniques with a group of participants from the Washington, DC metro area. Photos by John Aaron
ACF/WMCB Cricket Clinic
By John L. Aaron
"I was impressed with the number of participants and the enthusiasm for cricket displayed by all at the clinic. It was just awesome to be in the presence of Michael Holding and Alvin Kallicharran." – Sham Chotoo, Cricket Commissioner, Bowie Boys and Girls Club, Maryland.
Alvin Kallicharran discusses body line in bowling with Atlantis' Alex Amsterdam.
Thus was the tone of a beautiful Fall day in Maryland, as legendary Test cricketers Michael Holding and Alvin Kallicharran shared their expertise and experience with twenty-five cricketers and coaches, at an American Cricket Federation (ACF) and Washington Metro Cricket Board (WMCB) one-day cricket clinic, conducted at the spacious Capital Sports Complex in Glendale, Maryland on November 16. The clinic was sponsored in part by Zee Sports International, Inc. of Manassas, VA
With only a break for lunch, the participants were eager to get back to the task at hand; soaking up as much knowledge as they could from the two former Test greats. According to Sham Chotoo, "I thought the Holding/Kallicharran clinic was a great idea that was well executed… Michael Holding is one of my all-time favorite bowlers. It was a pleasure for me to talk to these two great players…and the subtle pointers I received from both Holding and Kallicharran during the clinic were very useful to me. I plan to work on those improvements in the nets over the next few months."
The participants were divided into two groups, one each with the two very successful West Indian cricketers, with each group participating in batting and bowling techniques under the watchful eyes of Holding and Kallicharran. Among the group of participants were two females – Catherine Joy Jones and Samantha Ramataur, from Atlantis Cricket Club – NY, who along with fellow club member and Atlantis' 2013 MVP Alex Amsterdam journeyed from New York to attend the one-day clinic.
Catherine Joy Jones, a former Grenada national women's cricketer and an ICC Level 1 coach, was enthusiastic about her participation in the clinic, saying, "I would like to thank my club Atlantis for giving me this great opportunity to be in the presence of two of the greatest cricketers in the world – Michael Holding and Alvin Kallicharran." Jones who was capped five time for the USA and once for the ICC Americas Women's XI, added, "It was an honor learning from the best, as they did not propose drastic changes to my original batting and bowling techniques, but made minor corrections that would make me a better cricketer."
Jamie Harrison, CEO of ACF (2nd from r.) addresses the clinic participants, while (L to R with folded arms) Michael Holding, Avinash Varma (WMCB) and Alvin Kallicharran listen.
Commenting at the conclusion of the clinic, Alvin Kallicharran said, "I hope to continue working alongside the American Cricket Federation and to help with what you chaps are hoping to accomplish." Adding, "What you (ACF) are trying to do, I think you can't go wrong. You can't have better role models than people like Michael Holding. I am happy to lend myself to what's happening…in America, and I hope to work alongside you chaps (ACF) and what you are trying to achieve."
Alvin Kallicharran demonstrates a defensive stroke to Atlantis' Joy Jones.
The other legendary West Indies Test player known as "Whispering Death"; Michael Holding, commenting on the inclusion of some of the younger players at the clinic, said, "We are hoping to help kids who are interested in the game to have a pathway to get to be as good as they can possibly get."
The two former Test greats spent the entire eight hours, including lunch talking cricket with the players, observing their approaches to batting and bowling and offering technical advice, in addition to drawing parallels from their own experience traveling throughout the cricketing world. Between the "lunch and tea" intervals, Holding, who played 60 Tests for the West Indies between 1975 and 1987, capturing 249 Test wickets along the way, and Kallicharran held a "fire-side" chat, where they responded to scores of questions posed by the participants, while discussing some of the more mental aspects of the sport of cricket. Kallicharran, who played 66 Test matches for the West Indies between 1972 and 1981 scoring 4,399 Test runs, focused on players getting into a rhythm and some of the basics of the sport becoming second nature to a batsman or bowler. Holding, one of the four most feared West Indian fast bowlers ever to play Test cricket, and Kallicharran, a left-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler, appeared to enjoy the rhythmic joint sessions, almost finishing each other's sentences, while trading "war stories" from their Test-playing days. At the end of the "days play" the two cricketing sons of the Caribbean graciously signed autographs and posed for pictures with the exclusive group of participants.
It was time well spent, as many participants acknowledged that the event was a fantastic one, and remarked on the ease with which the two stars interacted with the group of participating cricketers.
WMCB's Avinash Varma remarked, "WMCB was pleased to team up with the ACF in presenting the clinic to the limited reservation group of participants, where everyone got an opportunity to spend quality time with both Holding and Kallicharran," adding, "I thoroughly enjoyed both sessions and I look forward to the next clinic to be held under the banner of the ACF."
ACF's CEO Jamie Harrison, addressing the participants just before the start of the clinic, thanked Holding and Kallicharran for making themselves available, and also thanked Avinash Varma and the Washington Metropolitan Cricket Board for being such gracious hosts. Harrison also thanked the participants for their willingness to invest in their game, and to spend a Saturday working to make themselves better players.
ACF is planning on partnering with its other member leagues, in hosting similar one-day sessions.
ACF Alex Amsterdam Alvin Kallicharran American Cricket Federation Americas Women CEO Cricket Board Cricket Clinic Cricket Commissioner Holding Kallicharran ICC Jamie Harrison John Aaron Joy Jones Michael Holding Sham Chotoo West Indian West Indies WMCB Zee Sports International


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Declare War on Contact Centre Queues!
This weekend's Dragon's Den episode kicked off with a pitch from an entrepreneur trying to solve the problem of contact centre queues. When callers hit a contact centre queue the technology enables them to press press a button, hang-up, and get on with their day whilst the application queues on their behalf. Once at the front of the queue the app calls you back and connects you to a waiting advisor.
Unfortunately for the entrepreneur he received short shrift from the Dragons for his overly optimistic valuation, but for me there were deeper questions about the problem he was trying to solve – rather than managing queues we should be going to war on them!
A queue exists because the number of callers is greater than the number of available advisors. It reminds us of a cartoon that stated "Your call is important to us, just not important enough for us to hire more people!"
Here are some of our suggestions for going to war on queues!
Re-brand the contact centre as a profit centre
If every caller is seen as a cost to the business then it makes sense to try and answer your calls with the minimum number of people. But when executives really believe that customer service is a competitive differentiator they happily ensure the right number of advisors are available and allow them to comfortably stay on a call until the customer is truly happy.
Offer self-serve for simple queries
IVR's get a bad name, but really it is badly implemented IVR's that people hate. If you want to confirm that a package has been shipped or a balance on an account then many people are very happy to self-serve and avoid the need to speak to an advisor. I for one hunt out the self-serve counter in a supermarket so I can speed through and get on my way.
Get callers to the right advisor first time
Instead of answering your callers and then finding out what they need use the information you already hold on them to give them personalised options that get them to someone that can help them. By reducing transfers you free up advisors to deal with new callers.
Consolidate offices as a virtual contact centres
If you have more than one site that takes calls then make sure they are connected. It's painful to know that calls are queuing in one contact centre when advisors are available in another. The larger the number of advisors across your entire organisation the easier it is to plan and handle with fluctuating call volume.
Use other employees in emergencies
As Mike Tyson famously said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face." Despite your best workforce planning an ash cloud or a flood can have calls piling up in the contact centre. Don't accept this as 'just a bad day', but instead get calls routed to employees outside of your contact centre. Even if the person that answers is unable to fully resolve an issue it is preferable to an abandoned caller going on to tweet about being #onhold.
We believe queues are unacceptable and we work hard to help our customers build call plans that avoid them rather than accepting them as part of our industry. What do you think? Are contact centre queues unavoidable? What does your business do to try and minimise them for your customers?


Do I need to be a special person to learn eyeless sight?
Can this method help improve bad eyesight or even help a blind person to see again?
– Yes it can. The results are individual and differ from person to person.
– Katharina started out with very poor eyesight and today (when in 'normal eye sight mode') she often sees better without her glasses than with them. Yet even though you will be able to see better, this does not always translate to a lower diopter at the optometrist's.
Why use the Mindfold mask?
– with the particular mask we recommend, the black foam padding has cutouts which means that you can open your eyes under the mask, enabling you to experience total darkness even with your eyes open. It's a strange thing but it helps your brain along in the activation process.
Is the mask really light-impermeable? Or is it possible that any light comes through?
– everyone can check the mask to satisfy themselves that no light penetrates the thick black plastic shield. If you manage to see through it – well done! There is no need to attend the workshop!
Ok, I'm in, where can I get the Mindfold Mask?


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Transfer News: Club Brugge set €20 million price tag on Arsenal target Odilon Kossounou
by Anas Ali
Home » news » Transfer News: Club Brugge set €20 million price tag on Arsenal target Odilon Kossounou
Arsenal may have to fork out €20 million for the services of the Club Brugge defender Odilon Kossounou, who is also a target for Milan.
According to Voetbal, Arsenal are set to face stiff competition in the pursuit of Odilon Kossounou. The Club Brugge centre-back has become one of the hottest prospects in the transfer market, following his breakthrough in the Jupiler Pro League, with AC Milan Inter and even Wolves among clubs interested in his services.
Milan, in particular, have shown a desire to sign Kossounou, who has been identified as an ideal replacement for Alessio Romagnoli. The player is currently valued at €8 million, but Club Brugge could demand at least €20 million.
Arsenal's pursuit of Kossonou was reported by the English media earlier this month, with Mikel Arteta keen on bolstering his defensive options. The Ivorian became an appealing option for the Gunners due to his versatility that allows him to operate not only as a centre-back but also as a holding midfielder and even as a right-back.
Kossonou's impressive form this season has been a factor in his side's climb to the summit of the Belgian top flight & their performances in the Europa League. Kossounou would cost around £8.5mm plus add-ons. pic.twitter.com/47WquGRloY
— Gurjit (@GurjitAFC) February 20, 2021
Kossonou's performances in the Champions League have also raised a lot of eyebrows, with the defender slotting in as the ideal deputy for the injured Stefano Denswil. The club's interest in the 20-year-old, therefore, is hardly surprising, especially following a January exodus in the defensive unit.
Indeed, the north London giants offloaded both Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis while Sead Kolasinac was loaned out to FC Schalke. In addition, the future of Calum Chambers appears to be in doubt in the upcoming summer transfer window, leaving Mikel Arteta quite shallow in terms of depth.
Although the club is reportedly looking to extend the contract of David Luiz for a further year, the addition of someone like Kossounou should add some much-needed depth. His ability to play at right-back also bodes well for Arteta, who is braced to lose Hector Bellerin as well, although the Spaniard is reportedly targeting a move for Max Aarons this summer.
Arsenal face David Luiz dilemma once again: Is his presence hurting the Gunners? | THT Opinions
Kossounou, along with William Saliba should serve as ideal, young defensive options for Arsenal next season, providing competition for the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, Pablo Mari and Luiz. And for a fee of just €20 million, the Ivorian could indeed turn out to be a real bargain for the Gunners.
Tags: Arsenal FCClub BruggeOdilon Kossounou


Please note that the information in this guide is VERY OUTDATED now and no longer relevant. Please refer to our current guide for up to date information by clicking here.
Open Enrollment (OE) for ACA health insurance ended on February 1, 2016 but the following information is still applicable during the Special Enrollment Period.
Here's our out-of-the-gate advice…stay calm, grab a ice cold beverage (because we know most of you are somewhere warm already) and read this guide before diving in 🙂 You have 3 months to shop, determine your subsidy, and enroll in a plan. So, there is no need to be hasty in making your plan selection. We are here to help if you have any questions during the process. We can even set up a screen share session with you and walk you through the entire process if you would like. We here at RVer Insurance Exchange are dedicated to making your OE experience as pleasant and seamless as possible!
This guide is not intended to explain the entire Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), but it is intended to give you the highlighted changes and tools we feel will best help you navigate choosing and enrolling in a plan for 2016.
Individual Mandate Penalty: The most significant change is that the penalty for not having insurance in 2016 is increasing rather dramatically. The penalty will be the greater of $695 per uninsured adult (50% of that for a child), up to $2,085 per household or 2.5% of household income.
Higher OOP Maximum: The Maximum Out-of-Pocket (OOP) limit for self-only coverage is $6,850 (up from $6,600 in 2015). For coverage other than self-only (such as family coverage), the maximum out-of-pocket limit is $13,700 (up from $13,200 in 2015).
Embedded Individual Out-of-Pocket Maximums: In 2016 insurance companies are not allowed to require a family deductible to be met before an individual's OOP is considered met. The ACA's annual OOP maximum (rising to $6850) for self-only coverage applies to all individuals—including those enrolled in other-than-self-only [i.e., family plan] coverage. This means that no individual can be required to pay more in annual cost-sharing than the ACA self-only OOP limit ($6850), even though a family unit as a whole may be subject to the higher overall OOP maximum. In essence, the self-only ACA OOP maximum is "embedded" in the other-than-self-only coverage.
Better Network Transparency: It will be easier to search for providers that take your plan before enrolling in 2016. Quote engines will display provider searches more prominently when shopping for a plan.
Shorter Open Enrollment: This years' OE is 3 months long as opposed to last year's 4 months.
Fewer Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO): 2016 plan filings showed fewer PPO options in many states, most notably ON Exchange in Texas.
Here is some general advice you should keep in mind when shopping for the right combination of insurance carrier and plan in 2016.
What you had in 2015 might not be the best choice. There was A LOT of changing, selling, merging, and acquiring that occurred in health insurance over the summer. Insurance companies were bought and sold, plans were discontinued, and come companies even shut their doors completely. You should be prepared to start fresh this OE and re-shop your coverage.
Inspect the details of any plan you are considering. Read the Summary of Benefits. See what the network looks like. Make sure your doctors are in-network if you are currently undergoing care. Read the policy exclusions. All of these items will be readily available during your shopping experience.
Add it all up! Don't just look at premium. When comparing plans be sure and add it all up: annual premium + annual deductible + out of pocket coinsurance. Example: If you purchase a Bronze plan with a $400/month premium, $6000 deductible, 80% coinsurance, and $6850 out of pocket max then your annual exposure is: ($400 x 12) $4800 + $6000 + $850 = $11,650. This is important if you qualify for a Cost-Sharing Reduction (more on this next), which would reduce your out of pocket costs on Silver Plans Only.
If your household income is under 250% of the Federal Poverty Level then you qualify for reduced deductibles and out of pocket limits on Silver plans. Most people that enrolled in a Marketplace plan qualified for this lesser-known subsidy in 2014 and 2015. If you do, then your total output could be less with a Silver plan than with a Bronze plan since you can not use this subsidy on anything except Silver plans. So be sure and add it all up before assuming that a Bronze plan is the most cost-effective plan for you. You might miss out on this big cost-saving subsidy if you qualify.
Subsidies come in the form of Premium Tax Credits (PTC) and Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR). We discussed the CSR above so let's go over the PTC now.
PTC is the government advancing you money to pay for your health insurance premiums based on your provided estimated income for the insurable year (2016). You can use any percentage of the PTC that you want to apply to your monthly premiums. If you over-estimate your income you will get a refund at the end of the year when you file your taxes. And if you under-estimate your income, you guessed it, you will be required to pay some or all of that PTC back when you file your 2016 taxes in 2017. So be as accurate as you possibly can when estimating your income.
You are expected to use your Modified Adjusted Gross Income calculation. GO HERE to read how to calculate your MAGI.
Use our Instant Quote page. This is directly linked to the Healthcare.gov calculator and will give you a pretty accurate estimate of your subsidies, including both PTC and CSR. This is the same page you will be able to use starting November 1 to shop and enroll in your Marketplace plan!
Penalties come in the form of a tax bill when you file your 2016 taxes in 2017. If you do not show proof of insurance for 2016 then you will be required to pay the penalty. As mentioned earlier here there are some significant penalty increases being implemented in 2016. Every individual that is not exempt will have to maintain Minimum Essential Coverage in 2016 in order to avoid paying these penalties. There are numerous exemptions that can preclude you from having to pay this penalty. Oh and by the way, the "homeless" exemption does not automatically qualify an RVer for an exemption 🙂 Our RV is our home.
ON-Exchange means a health insurance plan that is eligible for subsidies. These plans can be found on the Federal Marketplace right here (our site) or Healthcare.gov.
OFF-Exchange means a health insurance plan that is NOT eligible for subsidies.
Neither option is superior to the other as far as providing Minimum Essential Coverage and Essential Health Benefits. Whether ON or OFF Exchange, all health insurance plans have to comply with Obamacare rules and provide Essential Health Benefits. There may be differences in what plans certain carriers offer ON vs. OFF Exchange so be sure and review the plan details, including the plan's network. We are seeing a definite trend for carriers to offer more limited-network plan options ON-Exchange in 2016.
Both off and on-exchange health plans in the individual and small group markets must satisfy Essential Health Benefits coverage requirements and utilize one of the metal plan designs for medical out-of-pocket costs.
If a provider pulls this on you then ask them to explain what they mean when they say that–then watch them scramble for an answer! If a provider is in your plan's network and sees you have some sort of "emblem" on your health insurance card identifying you as enrolling ON Exchange, and that provider then tells you they do not "take Obamacare", then they are likely in violation of their contract with that insurance provider.
It is inaccurate for a provider to say they "don't take Obamacare" because ALL health insurance is now under the "Obamacare" Affordable Care Act law. Essentially all health insurance is "Obamacare" insurance with the exception of the items listed above that do not qualify as Minimum Essential Coverage. Now there are certain providers that may not be in your Obamacare plan's NETWORK–but that does not mean the provider does not take Obamacare. It only means that provider does not participate in that plan's network.
No matter which option you choose your insurance premiums are UNAFFECTED by the mode of application.
But what is the FASTEST way to shop, the FASTEST way to get your subsidy, and the FASTEST way to get your application submitted and APPROVED?
Why, option #1 of course!! Enroll with RVer Insurance Exchange in 10 minutes or less whether you are applying ON or OFF Exchange!
If you prefer a more hands-on approach and want free guidance in choosing a plan then we are glad to walk you through the process. Simply contact us.
Re-Shop plans for 2016 to see if you can find a better plan, better network, better rate, etc.
Generally, we recommend everyone at least shop the plans since there have been many changes over the past 6 months with insurance carriers, networks, etcetera. Remember, what you have in place on January 31, 2016 is what you are stuck with until January 1, 2017 barring a Qualifying Life Event that allows you to make a change outside of Open Enrollment. Shopping plans at our links above will not take much time at all and could save you a lot of headache and money later!
As many of you know many carriers are dismantling their PPO networks and plans around the country and moving towards more cost-controlling HMO plans. This is not a direct assault on the RV community. In fact, it is extremely doubtful that any single insurance company is even thinking about the nomadic community when filing their plans with the state. Switching to HMO plans is simply a means to stop the bleeding for many of these companies. The alternative to this is to shut their doors completely as some carriers have done this year.
Apply early and pick your primary care physician early before they are all taken. Especially in Texas, we foresee a shortage of doctors as all of those PPO members rush to find a primary care physician (which will be a requirement under the HMO plans). If you do not pick one, one will be assigned to you by your carrier.
Get your preventive care done in-network. Otherwise it may not be covered at all.
Stay close to your plan's network if you have extensive pre-existing health conditions that will require you to seek regular medical care.
Consider a Metal Gap plan. These plans have NO NETWORK and can be used to fill in your pre-deductible gaps in coverage. GO HERE to learn more.
Consider Short Term Medical insurance. These plans do not meet the MEC requirement but they are generally less expensive than regular health insurance and most offer nationwide networks. GO HERE to learn more.
Consider a Direct Primary Care membership (a/k/a Concierge Medicine). This can give you 24/7 access to your primary care physician and many of them will work with your insurance company as well. We are building a relationship with one provider of these services called MDVIP, Inc.. We are particularly fond of this organization because they have a nationwide network of healthcare providers that are affiliated with them and to whom you can be referred while traveling. They are agreeing to offer a 5% discount to anyone enrolling through RVer Insurance Exchange. We will not be "selling" this and will not make a commission from any enrollments. We simply feel this is a great service that many in the RV community will want to take advantage of. To be notified when the enrollment site is up and running please subscribe to our newsletter. We expect to be able to offer enrollments here sometime in November, 2015.
Should you change your domicile to a state that offers better options in 2016?
That's a question only you can answer since there are many factors to consider besides health insurance. Many people switched from South Dakota to Texas last year because of the poor options for health insurance in South Dakota only to have the largest PPO provider in Texas announce they are discontinuing their PPO options in 2016. Health insurance is changing often and changing fast. No doubt this will continue to be the case at least through the next presidential election cycle. We generally recommend riding things out and not making drastic changes unless absolutely necessary to your healthcare.
Important Note: You can not simply get an address in another state and purchase your coverage there. You have to be a legal resident of that state. That is an ACA requirement!
What about Multi-State Plans? Aren't they ideal for RVers?
A Multi–State Plan is a private health insurance plan sold through the Marketplace under a contract between the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and an insurance company. OPM is the federal agency that administers health insurance plans for federal employees, retirees, and their families.
Yeah, that's about it. Pretty boring, huh? Notice it says nothing about coverage across state lines. Our advice is to ignore that identifier on any plan and focus on the plan's actual benefits and network (PPO vs HMO vs EPO) instead.
Go Uninsured? Hey, you still have this option. For most people it's not going to be the wisest path. Not only is the tax penalty for going uninsured going to be higher in 2016 but being uninsured exposes you to the possibility of medical claims bankruptcy. We do not recommend this route!
Purchase Short Term Medical. If you are healthy, exempt from the penalty or don't mind paying it in addition to short term medical premiums (which can be significantly lower than Obamacare plans), don't qualify for a subsidy, and want nationwide coverage, then this can be a very attractive option. Just make sure you understand the facts, which you can read about here.
Health Care Sharing Ministries. What?! An insurance broker mentioning Ministry Sharing Programs!? The reality is that many people are perfectly okay with this option. Besides, members of some (but not all!) of these programs are exempt from paying the ACA tax penalty. It's NOT insurance, however. There is NO GUARANTEE of claims payment under these memberships. So there are inherent risks involved if you choose one of these. But, they are becoming more and more popular because of the apparent freedom to choose your doctors and to stay out of the "Obamacare" system. Update 4/19/16: RVer Insurance Exchange now offers a Health Care Sharing program! Click here for details.
Technically, for Medicare enrollees October 15-December 7 is the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), not "Open Enrollment" as many people refer to it.
You can switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or vice versa.
You can also switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or from one Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan to another.
And if you didn't enroll in a Medicare Part D plan when you were first eligible, you can do so during the general open enrollment, although a late enrollment penalty may apply.
You must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and B.
You must live in the plan's service area.
You cannot have End-Stage Renal Disease (some exceptions apply).
Notice there was no mention of Medicare Supplement insurance above. That is because there is no AEP for Medicare Supplement insurance. If you have Original Medicare then you can apply for Medicare Supplement insurance any time of year!
We recommend shopping your Medicare supplement coverage once a year to make sure you are getting the best coverage and best rate available.
We suspect this is the section many people (ourselves included) have been most apprehensive about–what will the insurance companies offer in the "BIG 3" RVing states of FL, SD, and TX? Nothing like carriers announcing at the last minute, eh? Below is a simple outline of the availability of plans in areas where RVers tend to domicile the most. We encourage anyone to contact us directly if you want to talk specifics. As insurance brokers we have to be very careful about the language we use here so as not to seem to recommend one carrier or plan over another to all people. Each person enrolling will have certain specifics that need to be evaluated before we can make specific recommendations. We trust our RVing friends will understand that and that this guide has been most helpful to you even without specific plan recommendations en masse.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Below we have highlighted what we feel are the best choices for travelers by placing those in italics and underline. By doing so we are not telling you that you should enroll with these carriers; but given the options available, we feel these may be your best choice (and in some cases like Polk County Texas ON Exchange your only choice!) if you frequently travel outside your domicile state.
In Florida you will have different options available depending on your resident county.
ON Exchange most counties will have Florida Blue (not Florida Blue HMO–that's a different company) as an option. Florida Blue has Blue Options (PPO/EPO), Blue Care (HMO), and Blue Select (PPO/EPO). Each of these plans utilizes different networks inside Florida but with the Blue Options and Blue Select, when traveling outside of Florida you can utilize the Blue Card program. This program allows you to see doctors in the national and worldwide networks.
UnitedHealthcare will also be available in some counties (including Sumter County/Escapees) ON Exchange but these will be their HMO (Compass) plans only, not their Choice plans. Same with Coventry–ON Exchange will be mostly HMO where available.
OFF Exchange in Florida many counties will offer Ambetter, Coventry, HumanaOne (PPO), United Healthcare EPO (Choice) and HMO (Compass), and Florida Blue EPO/PPO plans. United Healthcare EPO (Choice) may be a good choice if it's available to you, as well as HumanaOne's POS offerings.
Cigna will have limited options available in Florida for RVers. Their Cigna Advantage (HMO) plans will be available in Sumter County, Osceola County, and Pinellas County but these are local networks with no out of state coverage. Cigna's Open Access plans won't be available in most counties, including the aforementioned counties popular with RVers.
I suggest the Florida Blue plans (NOT the HMO ones, but the EPO plans only) as these plans will give you a good provider network both inside Florida and while traveling outside of Florida.
Any of the Florida Blue Select or Blue Options plans are good choices for frequent travelers.
When traveling outside of Florida with either the Blue Select or Blue Options plans you will be able to use the Blue Card national BCBS Association network. You can search that network by going here: http://provider.bcbs.com/Landing and choosing the Blue Card PPO/EPO network.
ON Exchange not much has changed from 2015. Avera Health is the only PPO offering ON Exchange. You must read your plan carefully though as there are restrictions on using their PHCS (multiplan.com) network when traveling outside of SD. With Avera Health you may be limited to urgent care and emergency care when traveling outside of SD–even though it is a PPO.
11/3/15 UPDATE: With Avera Health, if you go with a plan (like the Avera MyPlan $3500) that has Out of Network benefits (read the Summary of Benefits!) then you will be able to use it outside of SD (even for non-emergency situations). Benefits would be paid at the Out of Network level of course. Be aware that you may not have an Out of Pocket maximum for those services and your Out of Network deductible would apply. Emergencies may still be paid at the In-network benefit level.
Be advised that Sanford HMO has been known to cancel members who have a mail-forwarding address in SD. We do not recommend enrolling with them.
OFF Exchange PPO options are limited to Wellmark BCBS and Avera Health. Wellmark is implementing a hefty 48% rate increase on many of their plans in 2016 and their standing policy is to not insure RVers with mail-forwarding addresses in SD.
ON Exchange in most counties in TX (including Polk County where Escapees is) Blue Cross Blue Shield will be the only offering available. Unfortunately their offerings are all HMO in 2016. There will be two types of HMO plans available through BCBS: Blue Advantage and Blue Advantage PLUS. Examine each plan closely by reading the out of network benefits. Many of these plans have ZERO coverage out of network other than for an emergency.
There may be other options scattered around some Texas counties, such as Scott & White, Oscar, Aetna, and Ambetter both ON and OFF Exchange.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas plans all operate within the Blue Advantage HMO network starting in 2016.
I suggest choosing one of the following plans in order to have at least some out of network benefits while traveling outside of Texas: Blue Advantage Silver Plus 102 or Blue Advantage Silver Multi State Plan 102 (this one is only available on exchange). These two plans will allow you to see providers outside of the Texas network and will cover you at 50% after your out of network deductible. Not exactly ideal but it is important to note that all of the other plans have no coverage at all if you go out of the network—unless you have a medical emergency.
It is very important to read the Summary of Benefits in any plan you choose.
To search the BCBS of TX provider network you can GO HERE. You will need to choose the Blue Advantage (BAV) network.
Note: We are getting asked a lot about the Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Card Program and the Away From Home Care Program. Unfortunately, The Blue Card Program (generally for PPO/EPO plans only) and the Away From Home Program (designed for traveling HMO members and students) are not available to BCBS of TX Blue Advantage HMO members in 2016.
* The BlueCard Program is not available for Medicaid, Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan members. HMO plan members can use the BlueCard Program only for emergency or urgent care when traveling or away from home for less than 90 days. Also, the Away From Home Care Program is not available for Medicaid plan members or for HMO plan members on the Blue Advantage network.
All BCBSTX plans in 2016 will use the Blue Advantage network.
Important! With any plan you are considering you MUST read your Summary of Benefits. Make sure you understand the repercussions of going Out of Network (OON) with your plan. Make sure you know what the OON maximum Out-of-Pocket expenses are! For many 2016 plans your OON exposure is UNLIMITED!
Don't forget we can also help you find the best Auto/RV coverage! CLICK HERE for a Quote TODAY!
Great write-up! We're domiciled in Clay County FL (St. Brendan's Isle) but will be out-of-state for most, if not all, of 2016. BlueSelect seems to be about 25% cheaper for the same coverage as compared to BlueOptions. It sounds like their out-of-state coverages (BlueCard) are the same, so there's no advantage (in our case) to BlueOptions? And the BlueCard network counts as "in network"? If so, I think we have a winner (and it's cheaper than our Assurant PPO we had for 2014-2015)!
I can't thank you enough for this!
Thank you thank you thank you!! This guide will help so many, and we'll be passing it on regularly.
Appreciate so much of what you do to keep us all informed of our options, and pointing out the drawbacks. From putting together the Teledoc program (which is a rocking' option – even though we've not needed to use it yet, it leaves us feeling like we have a viable option when parked away from providers) – to this guide – and to the new congeriege service. I'm super excited about that!
Any possibility of a RVer Sharing Program.. or is there a reason that all of the medical sharing options are faith based? I like the concept of them, but not the exclusionary nature of them.
Thank you Cherie for your support for RVer Insurance Exchange (and RVer Health Insurance) from day one! We are building a good team here and will continue to make this resource better for RVers.
I love the idea of a "RVer Sharing Program". I had looked into that a couple years ago. Unfortunately the way the ACA is written, no *new* Sharing programs get the ACA exemption. Otherwise I think we would be seeing a lot more of these popping up. To qualify for the exemption the sharing ministry program must have been in existence and sharing medical expenses since December 31, 1999. There are only 4 that qualify: Samaritan Ministries, Christian Healthcare Ministries, Christian Care Ministries (also known as Medishare), and Liberty HealthShare.
Thank you Jill…I'm glad I hit the "understandable" target I was aiming for.
I understand that the penalty will be increasing next year. But I also understand there is little teeth in the law for its collection. For example, the IRS cannot "come after you" or garnish wages. Their only collection option is to offset the penalty owed against any federal tax refund you may get. If you are not getting a refund, the IRS can't get you to pay the penalty. True?
Thanks for all the great info. What a mess it all is though. We have been uninsured since I quit my "regular" job in 2011. We fall through every crack there is in this grand plan.
For what it's worth, when I logged in to the BCBSTX subscriber portal today I discovered their suggestion that I replace my current plan (multi-state PPO) with one of their Blue Advantage plans. As I explored further, I found that those plans include provisions for people who travel, allowing them to receive covered care through the company's Blue Card Program (out-of-state care for emergency and urgent care) and through its Away From Home Care Program ("guest" membership to an in-network BCBS provider outside of Texas). The latter component is designed for travelers planning to be away from home for 90 consecutive days or more).
You are wise to advise people to do their research before choosing a plan. Thanks for making this information to the RV community!
Thank you so much for helping to clarify this confusing and frustrating topic! One question: You state, "If you purchase a Bronze plan with a $400/month premium, $6000 deductible, 80% coinsurance, and $6850 out of pocket max then your annual exposure is: ($400 x 12) $4800 + $6000 + $1850 = $12,650." Where does $1,850 come from, and why isn't it $850 ($6,000+$850=$6,850 maximum out of pocket)?
I certainly would not count on them NOT collecting that penalty. I expect the collection process to get much tighter as this law settles in more.
Steve…good eye! That was a typo–it's now been corrected.
This is a very helpful summary! I do have a question about the income limits for subsidies. If I'm a full time RVer who is living off 401K, Roth, or other investment income, then is the amount I choose to draw out each year counted as my income? (For example, I could choose to draw out $22K/year and thus qualify for some subsidy). Or does this process look at assets in any way? Thanks for any help you can provide.
Kyle, thank you for you posting. Based upon a conversation with Florida Blue representative, I was told that BlueSelect's PPO network was only considered "in-network" within the state of Florida (i.e., if I went to a BCBS recognized doctor(s) outside the state of Florida and had a BlueSelect plan those doctors/facilities would be treated as out-of-network, but with a BlueOptions plan they would be considered in-network). Based upon your write-up, that information appears not to be correct. I will re-discuss this with other Florida Blue representatives, since I am interested in a plan that provides the best network nationally and would consider a smaller Florida specific network, to reduce the overall costs.
Turns out the Away From Home Care Program goes into my "too good to be true" file. Here's why.
I wanted to confirm that the Blues in states where I am most likely to need non-emergency care participate as "host" networks through the AFHCP. I could find no one in either BCBSTX's customer service department or their sales department who had ever even heard of this benefit, let alone could explain it.
Thankfully, I had saved PDF's of everything the company had provided me with about its suggested option for 2016. Once I convinced one of their sales agents that I wasn't delusional, he contacted his manager who explained that the Away From Home Care Program is part of a group plan they sell and not a benefit in the plan BCBSTX proposes to roll me into for 2016.
The agent went on to explain that their best option for me is a plan that covers out-of-network care (other than ER and urgent care) with an annual deductible of $15,000 and 50% unlimited co-pay.
Sally, The Blue Card program is not available to BCBS of TX HMO members unfortunately. The "Away from Home Program" we (agents) we told would also not be available to individual members in 2016 but we are double-checking that with several sources at BCBS and will let the RV community know as soon as we get final word. With all of the changes at BCBS of TX for 2016 it seems that even some of their staff are not sure what the status of these programs are.
Lyn–I will double check on this again with Florida Blue but we were told that the Blue Card program IS available to Blue Select members. If you go to http://provider.bcbs.com/ it does show an option to choose the "Blue Card PPO/EPO" option. But again I will confirm this.
No matter which way we turn, we will not be able to afford insurance or the penalties. Thanks for the information. We did have insurance at the beginning of the year when we worked for the state and the city. However, it would have cost us $800 for the both of us and our retirement comes to $1800, $800 of that is other insurance, car pmt and phones. Not sure how tax season will be for us, but hoping whoever gets in office can overturn this fraud mess.
Very interested in this reply too! I just talked to a Florida Blue agent today who also tried to push me towards the BlueOptions plan, saying that it had 36,000 providers (vs. BlueSelect's 13,000). But when I pushed her to clarify if those were all just within Florida, she said "yes." When I asked if there was any difference in the BlueCard network for out-of-Florida providers, she said "no" that both Select and Options use the same "Blue Card PPO/EPO" selection for Blue Card network providers. However, I failed to ask her specifically if both considered these BlueCard providers as in-network. If Kyle can re-confirm this, I'll be ready to move my domicile to FL and get signed up for a BlueSelect plan!
You all did a great job simplifying a difficult topic. You should probably add that although there are no PPO plans available On-Exchange in Polk County TX, for those of us who would not qualify for assistance there are still some available Off-Exchange. Humana offers a PPO and United Health Care has an EPO choice plan that is almost as good as a PPO.
Thank you Byron! Yes, we do address the OFF EXCHANGE options with United Healthcare EPO (with their large nationwide CHOICE network) and Humana PPO in the Texas section at the end of the guide–but it is worth repeating 🙂 Both are very good options if one does not want to use a subsidy.
I sincerely feel for your situation. It is all too common with the folks we talk to every single day, Jaye.
Besides SD, FL, and TX, isn't NV a viable full timer domicile since all of Nevada has access to ACA exchange PPO nationwide plans from Anthem BCBS?
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Too busy for takeout? Another national restaurant delivery service has arrived, and will bring dinner to your door.
Southern Maine is getting yet another restaurant delivery service. DoorDash launched Wednesday in 10 cities and towns in Cumberland County.
Delivery will be available from more than 320 restaurants. Customers place their orders through doordash.com or the company's app, and pay a delivery fee (plus an optional tip to the delivery person) to have food delivered to their door. A spokesperson for DoorDash said delivery fees vary by region and restaurant, but are always posted on the checkout screen.
DoorDash is offering Portland-area customers discounted delivery fees for all orders over $15 for the next month. New users can also get $5 off their first order of $15 or more through Dec. 1 by using the promo code MAINEDASH.


Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and lemon juice.
Pour about 3/4 cup batter into a preheated waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Meanwhile, combine mixed berries, water, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir often. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Return to heat and stir until it thickens to desired consistency over low heat.
Top waffles with berry sauce. Then add whipped cream, chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts. Serve immediately.


text: Q: Install command line nuget on Ubuntu server This may be more appropriate for StackOverflow, but I need to be able to compile my mono application on an Ubuntu server via ssh. I would like to have nuget restore my packages. There are several tutorials available to make that possible, but all seem to assume access to a GUI. I know very little about linux, this is basically my first project. I don't see an apt package that I can install. Tutorials seem to require downloading the command line utility from a website. is there some way with a url I can do this via the command line? if so, where should put the files? Is there a better way than this and all the pages I'm finding are old? (I did install mono-complete and it doesn't appear to include nuget as was suggested on one site I visited.)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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These easy-to-make pops are packed with vitamin C. Little ones will really like them, and they will remind grownups of a favourite childhood frozen treat — but wholesome and wholesome, without the lengthy list of added components. Anytime I make one thing new and yummy, one of my children or husband will ask, Is this Mel's?" Yes, you are a household name about here. Granola Bars – My youngsters and I bake these collectively and they get to put in whatever they like.


text:
Video: Tiger Army documentary – "The Road to V•••"
Saturday, December 10, 2016 at 7:32 PM (PST) by bob9746
Los Angeles' Tiger Army have unveiled the final part of their new documentary, "The Road To V—." The documentary is a look at how Nick 13 approached songwriting for the latest Tiger Army album, both geograhically and artistically. It shows the band leading up to their latest album, V. You can check out parts 1 through 4 below.
The band's latest album, V •••–, was released on May 20th through Rise Records.
Add Tiger Army to My Radar
More On: Punk, Video, Tiger Army,
More On Tiger Army
Paul Frank Box Set
Paul Frank (buy album)
Music From Regions Beyond
Hellcat (buy album)
3: Ghost Tigers Rise
Epitaph (buy album)
Tiger Army Profiles: Dying Scene


Imagine a nation, whose richest woman, with billions stashed away, is the daughter of the former president, whose family owns 17 country estates in his birth state; where "socialist" elites live in mansions and have ready access to government-subsidized supplies that others queue for from dawn to dusk.
This is the aftermath of the Bolivarian Socialist Revolution, led by the late Hugo Chavez, whose daughter is the billionaire. I saw the tragedy firsthand on a recent visit to CEDICE, an impressive and courageous Venezuelan think-tank striving to build a better future.
In 1970, Venezuela had the most free-market policy in South America and was its richest nation on a per person basis. Remarkably, Venezuela was poorer in 2014, the most recent data, than in 1970. During the same period, global per capita GDP more than doubled. Some blame Venezuela's misfortunes on oil, but in 1970, a barrel of oil was US$20 in today's prices compared to around US$100 for most of 2014. Even today, with Venezuela in crisis, oil prices in real terms are twice as high as in 1970.
Venezuela, like much of Latin America, was afflicted by crony capitalists, who detest free markets as much as crony socialists and degraded free-markets long before Chavez. "Elites in the private sector salivate over… policies destructive of markets because it is their custom and culture to accumulate wealth through political connections," a recently released Fraser study argues.


text:
Q: How to concatenate this string properly? String[] str = {"this", "is", "a", "test", "."}

I want to output:
"this is a test."

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
for(int i=0; i<str.length; i++){
  sb.append(str[i] + " ");
}

However, this will output: "this is a test .". How to properly avoid the space before the dot?

A: You can just remove the space before the last character after concat operation.
public static void main(String[] args) {
    String[] str = {"this", "is", "a", "test", "."};

    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
    for(int i = 0; i < str.length; i++){
        sb.append(str[i] + " ");
    }
    sb.deleteCharAt(sb.length() - 3);
    System.out.println(sb);
}

A: public String generateSentence(String[] str) {
    StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder(str[0]);
    for (String word: str) {
        if (word.equals(".")) {
            builder.append(word);
        } else {
            builder.append(" ").append(word);
        }
    }
    return builder.toString();
}

A: I'm not a java developer, but here's the quick & dirty (sorry for any syntax violations)
StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
for(int i=0; i<str.length; i++){
  if(i==str.length-1 || i==0){
    sb.append(str[i]);
  }else{
    sb.append(" "+str[i]);
  }
}

For the first or the last item, just add the value to the string, otherwise add a space and the value.

A: technically this is a test . is correct if your rule is concatenate the strings with a space in between. If you want grammatical symbols like periods and commas to not have a space you would have to do some regex. Also, you don't really need loops or StringBuilders:
String[] array = new String[] { "this", "is", "a", "test", "." };
String joined = String.join(" ", array);
joined = joined.replaceAll(" ([.,])", "$1");

Something like that, where the first replaceAll() argument is a regex containing all the symbols you care about within the brackets

A: With a regular expression you can find the punctuation marks and avoid the the last whitespace, for example, if you have the following array:
{"this", "is", "a", "test", ".", "and", "this", "is", "another",
 "test", ";", "here", "is", "one", "test", "more", "!"};

So, you can implement of this way:
private static String regex = "[.!;?\\-]";

String[] str = {"this", "is", "a", "test", ".", "and", "this", "is",
        "another", "test", ";", "here", "is", "one", "test", "more", "!"};

StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();

for (int i = 0; i < str.length; i++) {
    if (str[i].matches(regex)) {
        sb.deleteCharAt(sb.length() - 1);
    }
    sb.append(str[i] + " ");
}
System.out.println(sb.toString());

Output:
this is a test. and this is another test; here is one test more!

A: try this java 8 version:
        String[] str = {"this", "is", "a", "test", "."};
    String test = Arrays.stream(str).reduce(new String (), (p,q) -> p+" "+q).replace(" .", ".");
    System.out.println("out ::" + test);

output:

out :: this is a test.


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You can learn more by checking their classification codes: SIC – 5311 and NAIC – 452111. Call the hotline stated above for faster transaction and queries. Specialty Retailers Inc would like to hear from you.


Our at-home manicure always looks a little, well, homemade. Yet, there are a few clever tricks you can employ that will make your nail job look decidedly less amateurish.
Make sure you fully remove any existing polish. Surprisingly, all you need is one cotton ball. Shred the puff into smaller pieces, then soak the cotton bits and place on each nail. Just swipe away a few moments later. If you've been wearing dark colours like plum or burgundy, you may notice a slight yellowing of the nails after you remove polish. To get clear, bright nails, simply dip fingers in a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda for a few minutes, and voila! Clean nails.
Use Vaseline to help you stay in the lines. Staying within the confines of your nails is not as easy as it seems. Somehow we always end up painting a little over our cuticle. To avoid this from happening in the first place, dab Vaseline around the edge of the nail. Any errant polish will stick to the balm, not your skin.
Don't skip the base coat. Base coat helps your manicure in two major ways. First, it helps prevent nail stains and discoloration caused by polish. Second, it makes nail polish go on smoother. Many formulas include ingredients that can help strengthen and moisturise your nails.
Swap your cuticle cutter with cuticle oil. Many women who like to regularly manicure their nails end up over-cutting their cuticles, which can lead to the even more sensitive skin around the nail. Push back your cuticles instead, and apply oil rich in vitamin E to strengthen and hydrate your skin and nails.
Invest in the top coat. Sometimes a manicure is only as good as the top coat you put on it. Applying the coat to the top edge of the nail will effectively seal in your polish.
Why Has This Actress Celebrated Her Birthday In Advance?


text:
Things I Love About Comics: Strong Female Protagonist
Posted by John Seavey Published in Comics, You Should Read
The other day, someone mentioned to me that there was a really good webcomic called "Strong Female Protagonist" that should be in the Hugo conversation. They provided a link to www.strongfemaleprotagonist.com in with the comment, and I clicked on that link…and about six hours later I came up for air, having devoured every scrap of extant material, and started waiting for the next installment to be posted.
Because it is phenomenal. Brennan Lee Mulligan and Molly Ostertag are two people who have really given an immense amount of thought to the way a superhero universe would work, and they've come up with some really fascinating answers. And the best part is, those answers lead to more questions, and those questions make for great plot hooks that lead to fantastic stories. For example, "Why is it that you never see any superheroes with the power to generate cheap, pollution-free energy?" or "What practical use is super-strength and invulnerability in combating systemic social injustices like racism?" or "If Wolverine has a healing factor that strong, wouldn't he do more good by just becoming an organ donor?" (The answer to that one is, by the way, one of the most heart-rending things you will ever see in a comic book story.)
All of that could be bloodless, but Mulligan and Ostertag do a great job of turning these abstract moral questions into grounded, meaningful human dramas. Protagonist Alison Green, aka "MegaGirl", is a character who feels utterly real, someone granted great power for no apparent reason (although there are definitely hints that "no apparent reason" isn't remotely the same as "no reason") and is struggling to deal with it in the same way that any normal person would. She's no paragon of seamless virtue–there's a brilliant scene where she admits to a supervillain that she fantasizes about killing people hundreds of times a day, simply because the logic of "beat up the bad guys" is so seductively easy–but she's immensely sympathetic nonetheless. She's a good person trying to do her best to make the world a better place, but she admits to not knowing what that is.
And the supporting cast is great too. I don't want to talk too much about it, because I've already probably hinted too much at spoilers, but there are a lot of interesting and unique takes on classic comic tropes. It's a series that actively resists the temptation to slot people into the role of "hero" or "villain"; even the worst characters, like the twenty-foot tall guy with meat cleavers for hands and super-strength, turns out to be all too human and all too relatable, and some of the superheroes turn out to be petty, arrogant and stupid. They're not superhumans; they're humans with super powers, and they're all trying to figure out what that means in a world where their only guide is a medium where all the problems end in thirty-two pages or less.
I could go on–I've barely said anything about Ostertag's magnificent art, which gets better with each and every installment, or about the sparkling and literate dialogue–but at some point I have to just tell you to go read the entirely free comic instead of listening to me talk about it. I will say this: You will never look at the world the same way again after reading 'Strong Female Protagonist', much less a comic book. If 'Watchmen' was a major step forward in treating comics as real literature that analyzes what makes a so-called "superhero" tick, then this is the next step on from 'Watchmen'. And it's about time.
Murc said on September 3rd, 2015 at 5:56 pm
I'm a bit surprised you hadn't heard of it before now, John. SFP has been the darling of that particular niche of webcomicry for a couple years at least. (If you want a real headspin, try reading SFP and Grrl Power, which is an unapologetic celebration of the genre rather than a deconstruction of it also starring a relateable young super-powered lady, back to back.) If you'd discovered it a few months earlier you could have asked Chris to pick you up a lovely signed copy of the dead tree version when Molly Ostertag was at TCAF.
One of the interesting things about SFP's world is how Alison is even set apart from other heroes of the setting. She's basically Superman (even the fact that she went from 'able to leap tall buildings' to straight-up flight is a direct Superman parallel) in a universe that's more like Marvel than like DC; she's a near-invulnerable flying brick in a world where the next tier down is a Human Torch or Juggernaut equivalent (Furnace and Cleaver respectively.) So she has that extra degree of isolation even among the biodynamic.
And that sort of ties into these questions:
For example, "Why is it that you never see any superheroes with the power to generate cheap, pollution-free energy?" or "What practical use is super-strength and invulnerability in combating systemic social injustices like racism?" or "If Wolverine has a healing factor that strong, wouldn't he do more good by just becoming an organ donor?"
It even goes a little beyond that, tho. Marvel and DC both have heroes who can do things like generate limitless cheap pollution-free energy (Firestorm, I'm looking at you), and Ostertag has carefully made sure there are none of those in her setting and even made it a plot point.
But it's even more subtle than that. You know what else Mega Girl's world doesn't have? Magical scientists. It doesn't have Tony Stark or Reed Richards or Ray Palmer or any one of a number of others I can, guys who are theoretically running technology and research companies in their home settings and routinely produce world-shattering miracles that never seem to shatter the world.
That straight-up just doesn't exist among the biodynamic. Pintsize is actually not that interested in science, which he finds super hard and boring. Paladin is an excellent roboticist… who requires an entire team and massive resources to produce things that are only marginally more advanced than what you could get in the real world. She will not be building a mind-controlled prosthetic exoskeleton in a cave using scrap metal, because that's actually ludicrous.
It's easy to write all this off as Ostertag only putting in the level of superpowers she needs for her plot to work (there's no story if among the biodynamic there was a Firestorm equivalent who transmutes all the excess carbon in the atmosphere into something more harmless and then acts as the linchpin for free fusion power, after all) but as you say, there are hints of something deeper and sinister there.
It's a real classic of the genre. It displaced Hench Girl as my favorite online supers comic.
John Seavey said on September 3rd, 2015 at 6:40 pm
@Murc: I think I heard of it vaguely when it was still on Issue One, marked it in my brain as, "Oh, yes, that sounds interesting," and then never got back to it. That's kind of one of the rough things about the Internet–there's so much content out there that you can never signal-boost the good stuff enough, because that thing that you assume everyone's heard of is someone else's brand new discovery.
Like for example I now need to go look for Grrl Power. 🙂
CapnAndy said on September 3rd, 2015 at 7:08 pm
The latest chapter has been hot garbage, though.
Wolfthomas said on September 4th, 2015 at 1:09 am
I'll have to start reading.
One thing Wildcards explained well was in their universe most superpowers at the end of the day were some form of telekinesis. The Girl with wing might have hollow bones, but really they are just for steering, she's flying in the same inexplicable way everyone else does.
But this also held true for all their inventor types. Whatever they built only worked because they were present and subtly powering it. So an iron man suit would only work for the guy who made it. Sometimes when they took an invention apart none of the circuitry would actually make any sense.
Stickmaker said on September 4th, 2015 at 9:39 am
There have occasionally been stories at Marvel and DC about someone trying to use super inventions or something to improve the world, but there's always some reason it doesn't work out. (Spider-Man's deteriorating webbing actually makes real world sense. There are materials which will quickly polymerize or cross-link into super-strong fibers, but they tend to keep on doing so until they become brittle and crumble.)
Some independant comics have had this as part of the background. The _Abberant_ RPG had the "hypercombustion engine" and the economic changes it brought.
Doug Muir said on September 4th, 2015 at 3:14 pm
I agree that the latest chapter has been kind of a mess — in particular, I dislike what they did with Menace. I have hopes that it may yet come together, though.
Totally worth reading, and highly recommended.
Doug M.
Thok said on September 6th, 2015 at 9:09 am
Menace's breakdown is likely related to Furnace/MegaGirl/Moonshadow/Cleaver recent "improvement" in their powers; only MegaGirl has handled that change remotely well. (And if that makes you worried for other supers, it probably should.)
MightyMatilda said on September 6th, 2015 at 5:42 pm
I just came upon a few pages of Alison talking with Cleaver and MY GOD is Alison such a whiny shit. I wanted to yell at the comic for trying to present her as sympathetic, when she clearly is not.
The title of the comic already gave me some incredibly huge warning signs, so I can't see myself reading this at all.
Person of Con said on September 7th, 2015 at 10:10 pm
I'll also agree that the recent prolonged Menace conversation was kind of unclear, and not in a good way. But all in all, I greatly enjoyed the webcomic and I'm looking forward to more. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Doug Muir said on September 8th, 2015 at 9:25 am
The "whininess" was Allison venting; in context, she had some things to vent about. It works a lot better read as part of that whole sequence.


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