| ||||||||||||||
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Early 4freeCLE Newsletter - Jan 27, 2012
I was going to wait until Monday for the next issue, but I suddenly learned of a couple of webinars early next week and didn't want anyone to miss them:
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
4freeCLE - My free CLE Newsletter - Jan 23, 2012 issue ....
Going out to over 100 subscribers, and cross-posted here on my private blog, something for the lawyers (...although anyone can watch the on-demand programs ... maybe you'll like them!)
| |||||||||||||||
| |
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Italian Wedding Soup Win!
 |
| The Champ! |
The flavor picked randomly last week was "Italian Wedding Soup." We googled a bunch of recipes and settled on The Barefoot Contessa's as a starting point. The one thing we weren't sure of was its use of ground chicken, which tends to be low in flavor, and chicken sausage, which can introduce flavors we're not sure of. One thing we especially liked is that the meatballs were baked separately, and once they were cooked enough to be safe and to have structural integrity, only then were they added to the broth to start sharing flavors.
The basic recipe (I'll leave out quantities, since your interpretation should depend on the particulars of your ingredients and preferences):
Make the Meatballs:
- Some Ground bison
- Ground Veal
- An egg (we used a home-grown egg from Steve and Sherry - thanks!)
- Parmesan cheese
- A little parsley
- Bread crumbs
- Salt & Pepper
Prepare the Broth:
- Chicken broth
- Carrots
- Onions
- Celery
- Dill
- Pasta (we used tiny stars).
 |
| Sherry, Steve and Egglaying Girl |
Serve!
The competition was fierce this week, as each competitor had a slightly different idea and flavor. However when the ballots were all counted, Kris came out ahead and was awarded a beer. A good time was had by all!
Next week: beef and barley. We're planning already!
"Obamacare Saved My Life" she said ...
"... Even though I had paid into their policy since I was practically a kid, now when I needed it, it wasn't there: I was no longer earning enough to be covered. ...."
This true story should melt a heart of stone:
http://www.lemondrop.com/2010/11/02/obamacare-saved-my-life-maxim-cover-girl-speaks-out/
This true story should melt a heart of stone:
Jennifer Skye writes:
"When I began working as an actor as a teenager, one of the perks was comprehensive insurance coverage through the Screen Actors Guild. Up until six years ago, I never even needed it.Read Jennifer's Entire Story And Remember - This Could Happen To You:
Then, one day, when I was 26 and living in Los Angeles, I experienced a sharp pain in my right side that lasted for hours. My husband drove me straight to the emergency room.
Turns out there were non-cancerous tumors taking up 60% of my liver.
When they finally did operate, they took a football-sized tumor out of my liver and pronounced the operation a success. I was left to heal from the large incisions.
The scar runs from right under my breastbone to my bellybutton, and across my stomach, and it is not an easy thing for a former Maxim cover girl to hide.
In fact, my whole diagnosis meant I had to retire from acting altogether.
Production companies take out insurance policies on all assets of their production, including their actors. With such a large scar and pre-existing condition, I was virtually uninsurable, even in the glamorous, fake world of Hollywood.
Acting was a career I had worked hard at since I was 15, but after my surgery I was dropped from my Screen Actor's Guild insurance. Even though I had paid into their policy since I was practically a kid, now when I needed it, it wasn't there: I was no longer earning enough to be covered.
Luckily, I was able to transfer to my husband's insurance. Then, last year, we separated. Part of our agreement was that he would allow me to continue to be covered by his policy, but, in the process, there was a terrible mistake.
One day I walked into the doctor's office for a routine post-op check up. After my appointment, I was about to leave, when the receptionist called me back to her desk.
"Jennifer? Do you have any new insurance for us to use?"
"No, use the same one," I smiled. "I just had surgery, it should work."
The white-coated woman nodded her head and handed me the phone, with the insurance company on the other end.
That's when I discovered my ex-husband's manager had made an irreversible filing error that resulted in me being kicked off his COBRA retroactively. In other words, my last eight months of treatment -- surgery, medication, MRIs at $19,000 a pop -- had not been covered.
It takes a lot to reduce me to tears, but that day in the doctor's office I was near hysteria.
"Please, I'm sick, I can't lose my insurance," I begged to the insurance lady on the phone.
It was too late, she told me. The decision had been made.
When I applied to Blue Cross, I was promptly denied due to "pre-existing conditions."
By the way, having your chest cut open is not the only way to be determined un-insurable.In fact, it wasn't until our government passed the health care bill I so often hear referred to -- with a derogatory slur -- as "ObamaCare" that I earned the right to be covered under the new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan.
Pregnant? That's a pre-existing condition.
Ever seen a therapist and been prescribed antidepressants? You have one, too.
Susceptible to chronic urinary tract infections or kidney stones? You guessed it.
Asthma? Ditto.
Now I'm a highly functioning sick girl, and one who's unbelievably grateful to her government for the work Congress and the President did last year, giving me the ability to stay healthy."
http://www.lemondrop.com/2010/11/02/obamacare-saved-my-life-maxim-cover-girl-speaks-out/
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Last Week's free CLE Newsletter...
I'm a little behind on posting this stuff, so the webinars have passed. Blame the snow LOL! The newsletter itself went out to subscribers on the date shown, and I'll have the new one up here Monday-ish.
BTW that "Driver Distraction" program is well worth listening to, even if you're uninterested in the law; it's full of useful things about driving that are new within the past 10 years. Avoiding that moment of inattention that could kill you would make the program worth it!
BTW that "Driver Distraction" program is well worth listening to, even if you're uninterested in the law; it's full of useful things about driving that are new within the past 10 years. Avoiding that moment of inattention that could kill you would make the program worth it!
| ||||||||||||||||
| | ||||||||||||||||
Thursday, January 19, 2012
2012 Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast!
I did this last year, and it was a fun challenge. I'll likely try again this year:
Count me in friends!From the New England Regional Environmental Ministries:Sign up now to participate in the 2012 Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast!
Thank you for your participation in the 2011 Ecumentical Lenten Carbon Fast. We hope you found it engaging, informative and transformational. We're writing to invite you to renew your commitment to reducing your carbon footprint by joining us again in the 2012 Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast.
Similar to last year, participants like you will receive daily email messages from Ash Wednesday through Easter with carbon reducing suggestions for you and your church or community group. There are many new suggestions- often the result of your feedback- as well as updated links and information in those suggestions which have been carried forward from 2011.
Participating last year does not automatically sign you up to participate this year. To join the 2012 fast, please click on the link below. (If you've already signed up through our Facebook page, you don't need to sign up again.)
We will not sell or share your email address or other information with anyone else or use it for any purpose except the 2012 Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast.
We hope you'll join us again
The 2012 Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast is a project of NEREM (New England Regional Environmental Ministries).
The Seamstress And The Talking Frog
Once upon a time, a seamstress was taking a break by a pond, and a frog hopped up in her lap.
"Kiss me!" said the frog, "For I am a handsome prince under a spell. Your kiss will break the enchantment, and I shall marry you, and we shall live together in a beautiful palace with a hundred servants and storerooms full of jewels!"
The seamstress popped him into her basket and started home.
"Hey!" said the frog, "What's up? Why no kiss? I really am a handsome prince, with servants, jewels and et cetera!"
The seamstress snickered.
"Princes are pretty thick on the ground around here," she replied. "But a talking frog? None of my friends have one of those!"
MORAL OF THE STORY:
The customer is not always right, but the customer is always the customer!
"Kiss me!" said the frog, "For I am a handsome prince under a spell. Your kiss will break the enchantment, and I shall marry you, and we shall live together in a beautiful palace with a hundred servants and storerooms full of jewels!"
The seamstress popped him into her basket and started home.
"Hey!" said the frog, "What's up? Why no kiss? I really am a handsome prince, with servants, jewels and et cetera!"
The seamstress snickered.
"Princes are pretty thick on the ground around here," she replied. "But a talking frog? None of my friends have one of those!"
MORAL OF THE STORY:
The customer is not always right, but the customer is always the customer!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Emotionally Intelligent Ways To Go #Green Without Getting The Blues
If you're like me, you find some resistance in yourself or in others to adopting environmentally appropriate changes in your life. This resistance is understandable when the changes involve cost and inconvenience, but it can persist even when the changes have side benefits such as saving money.
Why is this?
Change can be easier when the problem is lack of knowledge or a lack of resources because then we know what to do: learn more or earn more. But when I know what to do and am able to do it, but just can get it done, the question may be emotional in nature, and that's not really susceptible to easy solution.
I've found that deploying the "Emotional Intelligence" techniques can help:
Wish me luck!
I got thinking about the above as I pondered this week's Change the World Wednesday Challenge:
Why is this?
Change can be easier when the problem is lack of knowledge or a lack of resources because then we know what to do: learn more or earn more. But when I know what to do and am able to do it, but just can get it done, the question may be emotional in nature, and that's not really susceptible to easy solution.
I've found that deploying the "Emotional Intelligence" techniques can help:
- Reduce stress. It is not helpful to stress out over saving the planet. I am not a bad, bad person if I forget to recycle a piece of paper; I may be a bit of a dumbsh1t, but mostly I just missed a chance to score a few points in the game of life. There will be other chances coming soon and I'll spot them better if I'm not worrying.
- Recognize and manage emotions. Feelings are not always convenient, but they can't be ignored. For example, when I cut back on unnecessary servings of meat or prepared foods, sometimes it reminds me of the bad old days when I was poor. I associate certain savings with poverty and so avoid them. OK, this is irrational but so what? You can't wish feelings away; you have to take steps. "I am prosperous. I am not cutting back here because I am poor; I am choosing to save because it's what I choose to do. It is a sign of my power!" This may sound all New-Age-y and whoo-whoo, but if it works, why not?
- Connect with others using nonverbal communication. Smiles are cheap and effective. When someone recycles, turns off an unnecessary light, or chooses to walk rather than to drive, smile! You can make a bigger thing of it if you want, but at the very least, make your body language as green as your intentions so that people feel happy doing what you are hoping they'll do.
- Use humor and play to deal with challenges. Mary Poppins was right!
Fun works! Making environmentally responsible actions into a game or a challenge means you're more likely actually to do them. - Resolve conflicts positively and with confidence. It's really easy for me to try hectoring people, including myself, into virtuous behavior; it's also very annoying and not very helpful. It's not even helpful to hector myself into not hectoring myself! Instead, I'm looking ahead to the goal and feeling good about moving toward it stronger - now I find myself doing it!
Wish me luck!
I got thinking about the above as I pondered this week's Change the World Wednesday Challenge:
I like this challenge, because it's lead me to consider what is probably my biggest roadblock: myself. Fortunately, it's the roadblock over which I have the most control as well!
This week, please share road blocks to green living. For example, perhaps you'd really like to compost but don't. We'd like to know why. Maybe you don't recycle ... let us know why. We're looking for all the reasons for NOT adopting a green activity. If you're not struggling with any road blocks at this time, then please share ones which you've heard from others. For example, one of the most common reasons is that it's too expensive.
Then ...
Take a look at the road blocks shared and offer solutions. For example, to people who say green living is too expensive, we might share examples of how green living is actually frugal. The idea of this challenge is to help us all find solutions and "bust" all excuses for not living green.
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!
Going Black On A White-Out Day
Today I am snowed in, thanks to the weather, and working more-or-less normally, thanks to the internet.
There are critics of these bills, and mostly they are people who know and understand the internet's potential for increasing human knowledge and freedom.
There are supporters of these bills, and mostly they are people in public office who are dependent on campaign contributions from people with lots of money.
There's a lot of money involved and, as we have learned from our corrupt Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United, Money Talks.
Personally, I'll stick with the internet folks; I don't have a lot of money and I see no reason to trust those who do over those who are trying to empower me.
Without a free internet, I'd be shoveling snow today, instead of making money.
For more information ... the following links may be illegal under SOPA/PIPA since they may link to material that is under copyright. How would I know?
Wikipedia's articles on SOPA and PIPA
Part of the internet is "going black" today, to remind us of the dangers of the current form of 
SOPA and PIPA, two proposals in Congress to screw-up the web in the name of protecting intellectual property rights.
There are critics of these bills, and mostly they are people who know and understand the internet's potential for increasing human knowledge and freedom.
There are supporters of these bills, and mostly they are people in public office who are dependent on campaign contributions from people with lots of money.
There's a lot of money involved and, as we have learned from our corrupt Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United, Money Talks.
Personally, I'll stick with the internet folks; I don't have a lot of money and I see no reason to trust those who do over those who are trying to empower me.
Without a free internet, I'd be shoveling snow today, instead of making money.
For more information ... the following links may be illegal under SOPA/PIPA since they may link to material that is under copyright. How would I know?
Wikipedia's articles on SOPA and PIPA
- As of 6AM PT, January 18, Google has more than 4,600 articles about the blackout. Here are a few:
-
- Why is Wikipedia staging a blackout and what is SOPA?, from the National Post
- Wikipedia joins blackout protest at US anti-piracy moves, from the British Broadcasting Corporation
- Wikipedia blackout over US anti-piracy billsand FEATURE: Websites blackout over 'SOPA censorship', from Al Jazeera
- Wikipedia, Craigslist, other sites go black in SOPA protest, from the Los Angeles Times
- Google Rallies Opposition to Murdoch-Backed Anti-Piracy Bill, from BusinessWeek
- SOPA protest: The Net strikes back, from Politico
- Wikipedia blackout a 'gimmick', MPAA boss claims, from the Guardian
- Wikipedia 24-hour blackout: a readerand Why we're taking Wikipedia down for a day, from the New Statesman
- Internet-wide protests against SOPA/PIPA are kicking up a storm, by the Hindustan Times
- SOPA, PIPA: What you need to know, from CBS News
- Protest on Web Uses Shutdown to Take On Two Piracy Bills, from the New York Times
- Protesting SOPA: how to make your voice heard, from Ars Technica
- Why We've Censored Wired.com, from Wired
- Why is Wikipedia staging a blackout and what is SOPA?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Sign by Danasoft - Get Your Sign