One of the fears of electronic health records is that personal information can be stolen en masse, a possibility that became a reality when a laptop computer was stolen at the Lexington Clinic.
The machine was taken Dec. 7 from the clinic's neurology department at the St. Joseph Office Park. Letters were sent to the 1,018 affected patients last week about the theft, Mary Meehan of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.
The laptop contained the names, contact information and diagnoses from patients from as long as five years go. Not among the data were Social Security numbers, credit card or bank account numbers. So far, there is no sign of identify theft.
The clinic said it took six weeks to informing patients because it took time to "pinpoint exactly what information was on the laptop, which was used in conjunction with the clinic's electromyography machine," Meehan reports.
Another theft happened at UK HealthCare in June, when the medical records of 3,000 patients were taken from the Department of Pediatrics' newborn screening program. Patients were not informed of that breach until two months later. (Read more)
State inspectors found 455 deficiencies in 72 Kentucky nursing homes in the fourth quarter of 2011, with one facility accounting for 25 of them alone: Kindred Transitional Care & Rehab-Fountain Circle in Winchester.
The information was released by Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform, a nonprofit organization that advocates for nursing home residents and obtains the data regularly through open-records requests to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and distributes it statewide. The information is posted as part of Medicare's nursing-home comparison data.
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the average number of deficiencies for a nursing home inspected in the U.S. is eight and the average in Kentucky is seven. Inspections assess a facility on the care of residents and how that care is administered; on how staff and residents interact; and on its environment. Certified nursing homes must meet more than 180 regulatory standards. The state Office of Inspector Generalwebsite has more data, such as the results of inspections and the ownership of each facility.
Nursing homes with 10 or more deficiencies in the fourth quarter of 2011 were:
• Bridge Point Care and Rehabilitation Center, Florence (22)
• Pineville Community Hospital (17)
• North Hardin Health & Rehabilitation Center, Radcliff (15)
• Richmond Place Rehabilitation and Health Center, Lexington (13)
• Hart County Health Care Center, Horse Cave (13)
• Parkview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Pikeville (13)
• West Liberty Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (13)
• Redbanks, Henderson (12)
• Knox County Hospital, Barbourville (11)
• The Forum at Brookside, Louisville (11)
• Bradford Square Care and Rehabilitation Center, Frankfort (10)
• Florence Park Care Center (10)
• Boyd Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Ashland (10)
• Corbin Health & Rehabilitation Center (10)
For more information about Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform, click here.
Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal follows the story of Kelly and James Durst, who turned to in vitro fertilization when they had trouble conceiving a child.
The Dursts are "among the 12 percent of reproductive-age couples in the United States who couldn't conceive without help," Ungar reports.
In April 2010, they gave birth to son Cooper, one of more than 675,000 babies born in the U.S. through assisted reproduction techniques since 1985. "He is literally the light of our lives," Kelly said. "He's why we try to make things better each day."
Ungar follows the Dursts' journey to have a second child, this time using the frozen embryos that were created at the time of Cooper's conception. The embryos will be placed in Kelly's womb.
Given the growing prevalence of assisted reproduction techniques, stories like the Dursts' can likely be found in nearly every community and make for a compelling read. (Read more)
A prescription pill abuse summit will be Wednesday at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital, featuring many notable speakers.
They will include: Gov. Steve Beshear; Wilfredo Ferrer, U.S. attorney from the Southern District of Florida; Van Ingram, executive director of Kentucky's Office of Drug Control Policy; police chiefs and law enforcement officials; and health care professionals.
"We think this summit will help lay the foundation for a future that will lead to increased communication and awareness among all the societal entities that are engaged in this fight," said U.S. Attorney Kerry B. Harvey of teh eastern District of Kentucky.
The summit is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pavilion A auditorium. For more information, call Harvey's office at 859-685-4805. (Read more)
Just before Christmas Barry and myself were expecting to get a game in but he had to postpone then Christmas got in the way. Then New Year.... Then... well you get the idea. All the work was really done, we just needed to get together and play the game. Well we finally got the chance to play last Friday. The scenario is taken from the French boardgame supplier VaeVictis and the title is Fuentes De Onoro 1811 and comes with a dual language rule book.
The scenario starts toward the late afternoon, I take the rll of Ney as I try to get my VI Corps over the swollen stream Rio Ceira. Unfortunately I am already half successful in this endeavour. Wellington on seeing my forces split orders an immediate attack, neither allowing his officers to deploy nor Nay to either withdraw or reform. About 50% of my troops start the game disordered so I spend a lot of the first two turns just trying to re-organise on the spot. Not ideal when really you want to be taking advantage of the Anglo-Portuguese being somewhat out of position. The ground we are to fight over is quite full and will not allow easy movement and impacts a fair amount on Barry's greater numbers. I start the game with a strong hold on the main village of Foz d'Arouce but have not got any troops in the hamlet of Poisao close buy. This will allow the Portuguese easy access to the plains before my main force. The stream, acting like a river after heavy rains is to the back of the best part of my force South of it and as only two crossings are available, the bridge next to Foz and a ford passable only to Cavalry further to the east I really have no choice but to stand and fight with what I have to the south. Making matters worse, the troops on the North bank are under orders not to cross the river, they are there just to stop any Allies from crossing over.
Initial positions. I used a huge ziplock bag to make the river and stole my daughters crayon for the bridge and village outlines. Later I will make the effort to build terrain but at the moment it's all figure painting, but they worked! Have you spotted the lone Infantry regiment on the far right with only a few guns for support? Barry has!!!
A nice concentration of French troops, unfortunately the ones on the right will do no more all battle than reposition so as to make crossing the bridge impossible, whichever side you belong to!!
Over the hill and not far enough away! This is the right hand side Regiment I was talking about. In the distance is 5 regiments of foot and behind them to the left 4 regiments of horse. Now this is the first outing of these figures (all of Barry's army has been recently painted by him and he has done a great job on them and the speed he has done them in was fantastic. I believe he has found his scale). Aside from that back slapping, I would hope that these guys being new to the job would be a bit lax at coming up the hill. Well it seems not as he was soon challenging my position.
Their left flank (right hand side as we look at them) was no less impressive, both from a point of painting nor quantity! This force would have to try and win the hill off me. As Barry commented "You always get the hills!!" In the background is yet more troops awaiting their chance at the French. Seems I will have a busy day.
Back to the right hand side. This poor regiment is well out of command and started disordered which is exactly how he found himself several turns later as the Brits closed in on him. The guns could not fire in all directions and whilst they gave the one regiment something to think about they ended up being the first unit to be removed from the game after being hit in the flank. Barry is rather good at getting you into positions you don't want to be, but here he was handed the unit on a plate. I just knew I could not pull all back but had saved the foot regiment at the cost of the guns.
The next showdown was sure to be for the Foz, Barry was loath to attack it as the defenders get a +2 against most rolls and whilst I did not have the troops in the quantity that Barry had I was hopeful that this +2 and the guns supporting directly and across the Stream would help bloody the Brits nose.
Foolishly I had hoped Barry would drag his feet in the centre as both the above flanks engaged but he thought I was making for the hamlet of Poisao so quickened his pace. This meant my only reasonable sized force was really out of position on the plains. Suddenly it was defending itself from 3 directions and just as the British horse had set up on the flank. I was in trouble all right. To my surprise Barry through in less than everything he could. In the first attack he had managed to push back a regiment that in turn disordered two other units as these were forced sideways by the original target. As I was not the player with initiative I did what I could to re-order my troops then I bid high to be the tempo player. This worked and whilst I could not reposition I was now not disordered. This is a poor wrinkle in the rules, I go from one stage off rout to ready to receive whilst the winner of the action sits disordered in front of me. Well as I said he now had cavalry and declared a charge. This as could be expected failed to achieve more than throw me into square and the musket fire did plenty to further disorder the cavalry, these fell back with two shaken levels. However this was no problem as it allowed Barry to again charge in with yet another regiment. Now the Cav came in from the flank so the follow on attack was from the original front, a quick debate about can I fire? The rules don't say I can't but would I be able to re-load? We both said no but miracle of miracles neither am I in square, I take them at the halt without firing a shot but throw him back in disorder. This was really to much, I should have penalties of some kind, but the rules do not cover this. Another strike against the rules as they stand I am afraid.
So my right flank stood when it should have been crushed, stands to reason then that the original attack on the left should carry the day when it should have been repulsed. Both separate attacks forced the defenders back with two levels of shaken! I really did not see my holding out and with the stream close behind I expected to loose the lot. I had charged my Hussars (newly painted and not yet sent to the painting comp for scoring no less) but these were bounced back in some disorder. Again I was looking at the probability of trying to swim back to Spain.
I rallied back the Hussars to just one level of Shaken but with Foz about to fall I could not see how I could do more than make for the ford and write off 50% of my force. I.E. all my units South of the stream except two regiments of horse.
Barry had played well with his troops and had not the rules helped me out with a chunk of rules not being present he would have been looking on a field of wrecked French.
As for the scenario, it ported over well to a figure game, though not as an equal fight. It's not a battle the French can win as such, but this is fine if you approach the game in that frame of mind. We did have points for various objectives and I am sure if I had played it out differently I could have done better that send my best formation into it's destruction. I would be happy to set that one up again but possibly with a few tweaks.
The rules themselves Polemos Napoleonic General de Division did not stand up so well. Don't get me wrong, whole sections really work well, and for me bring a good feel of Napoleonic warfare. But it's what is missing as much as anything else that stands out in these rules. Where is the canister? sure I get the lack of stand off musket duels but so little exchange happens it's as if none did happen. This has lead me t have a crack at putting a set together using Polemos as a starting position but removing the Tempo stage and replacing the command system. I know what I want, now I have to try and get it down on paper.
Thanks goes out to Barry, it was a fun game as always, we just now have to learn to get our noses down and play faster to get right to the end as this could have gone on for a couple more turns to give Barry a total victory rather than an obvious one.
Lowering the amount of fluoride in drinking water, as proposed in January by the Food and Drug Administration, will increase medical expenses and harm the poor and the poorly educated the most, a mother writes in an op-ed piece in the New York Times.
Jane E. Brody delves into the concept of fluoridation, pointing out its benefits. "In the early years, rates of tooth decay among the young dropped by 60 percent in communities that adopted fluoridation," she writes. "Every $1 invested in fluoridation saves approximately $38 in dental treatment costs."
Though fluoride was initially thought to become incorporated into developing teeth, it was later found that its benefit is topical, meaning it works on teeth already formed. "Fluoride, which is present in saliva and concentrates in dental plaque, inhibits the action of acid on tooth minerals," she writes. "It also promotes remineralization by sticking to tooth surfaces, where it attracts calcium ions present in saliva."
Still, there remains controversy about whether or not fluoride is safe, with the substance being accused of causing everything from heart disease to Alzheimer's disease. "None of these supposed risks has ever been established in scientifically valid studies," Brody writes. "The only proven risk, a condition called fluorosis, which results in white and sometimes brownish markings on the teeth from too much fluoride, rarely results from a normal intake of fluoridated water."
Since fluoride is also available in other substances, like toothpaste, the FDA proposed reducing the amount of fluoride in public drinking water to 0.7 milligrams per liter, from a range from 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams. Brody feels the move is a mistake: "Fluoridation confers the greatest benefit to those who need it most: the poor and poorly educated and those with limited access to regular dental care," she writes. "In the years ahead, removal of fluoride from drinking water will almost certainly cost taxpayers millions of dollars in increased Medicaid expenditures." (Read more)
In Kentucky, there is 100 percent fluoridation in public drinking water systems, though perhaps half a million residents get their water from wells, springs or cisterns.
Kentucky ranks 37th in the nation for its number of commuters who bike or walk to work. Of the 51 largest cities in the county, Louisville ranks 33rd.
These are the findings of the Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report, compiled by the Alliance for Biking & Walking. As well as looking at commuter numbers, it also examined how safe those commuters are and where transportation funding is being spent on "alternative means of local travel," reports Jeannine Stein of the Los Angeles Times. (Times photo by Wally Skalij)
Alaska, despite its cold climate, has the highest percentage of commuters who bike or walk to work. Boston has the highest ranking among cities. The lowest are Alabama and Fort Worth, Tex.
Across the country, 12 percent of all trips are on foot (10.5 percent) or by bicycle (1 percent), though from 2000 to 2009, the number of cycling commuters increased by 57 percent. While numbers are growing, safety is a concern. In the 51 largest cities, 12.7 percent of trips are by foot and 1.1 percent are by bicycle, but 26.9 percent of traffic fatalities are pedestrians and 3.1 percent are bicyclists.
Despite the risk, the report makes a connection with biking or walking and health. It points out cycling and walking levels fell 66 percent between 1960 and 2009, while obesity levels increased by 156 percent. The picture was more grim when it came to children. Between 1966 and 2009, the number of children who biked or walked to school fell by 75 percent, while the percentage of obese children rose by 276 percent.
Despite the physical benefits of the activity, states spend just 1.6 percent of their federal transportation dollars on bicycling and walking, amounting to just $2.17 per capita, the report found.
Instead of biking or walking, people are still relying mostly on their cars. The report found 40 percent of trips in the United States in 2009 were shorter than two miles, but Americans used their cars for 87 percent of trips that were 1 to 2 miles in distance. When it came to trips up to 1 mile long, Americans still used their cars 62 percent of the time.
The report was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AARP and Planet Bike.
The growing controversy surrounding companies who refuse to hire employees who smoke is featured in two opposing opinion pieces in USA Today.
Paul Terpeluk, medical director of employee health services at Cleveland Clinic, explains why the policy makes sense for his company. "Consider that cigarette smoke contains hundreds of chemicals and compounds that are toxic and at least 69 that cause cancer," he writes. "To ignore this would be to undermine our commitment to health and wellness, which includes providing a healthy environment for our employees, visitors and patients. Plus, the policy has not proved to be an overwhelming obstacle for job applicants. Since it was instituted, less than 2 percent of job offers — about 300 out of 20,000 — have been rescinded due to positive nicotine tests." (Read more)
But a USA Today editorial expresses a different view, in response to Baylor Health Care System's move to stop hiring workers who smoke. "Intruding this deeply into people's privates lives raises questions that bear scrutiny," it reads. "Companies can charge smokers more for health coverage or ban smoking on the job. But punishing people for using a legal product on their own time crosses a troubling line."
The editorial makes an exception for health-care companies who want to practice what they preach. "But such practices are not confined to the health care industry, and they raise a broader issue: If employers routinely reject people who engage in risky, but legal, behavior on their own time, what about such things are overeating or drinking too much alcohol?" (Read more)
The West Liberty City Council voted narrowly last week to ban smoking in city buildings, reports Miranda Cantrell of the Licking Valley Courier.
Mayor Jim Rupe opposed the move, which passed 3-2 with one abstention. If the vote had been tied, Rupe could have broken it.
"Rupe, a smoker, advised council members to consider city employees who smoke, including City Clerk Sally Barker and some department heads," Cantrell reports. Council Members Mark Walter and Belinda Jordan said they were trying to help members of the public who use city buildings.
"Barker said the council will likely revisit the smoking issue at next month's meeting," Cantrell reports. "No effective date for the ban was suggested." (Read more)
These figures are just the start of a group of casualty markers that will be used in both FoG and Impetus. I probably have as many as I need for Impetus as I have 13 but for FoG you need up to 2 per unit so I plan to double the number at least but possibly triple. All are 15mm and whilst I will be also using them as markers on 20mm I think it will still work. If not then I guess it's back to dice or card markers but I think these look much better. Being hexagonal bases, these lend themselves to the 1-6 strength levels really well. I have a fair mix of troop types and they do even more. Next convention I go to I hope the supplier is there (I have forgot the name!!). They also were fun to paint so it's an all round win I guess.
All 13 as seen from above. I wonder if anyone will be offended? I know a small storm was kicked up last year but that also included a scene of a civilian being hung, but this has animal death as well, much frowned upon. Me, well I really don't mind, anything goes really. I have a hangman's base for my ECW that I bought and painted years ago but I am fairly sure it did not come with a figure to hang from it. Now I need to crack on with painting some of the living.
On the day the state was supposed to release unadulterated records on deaths and near deaths from child abuse, under a court order, it filed an appeal to stop the process. And though Gov. Steve Beshear had ordered the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to release the records, yesterday he sided with its officials, saying in an op-ed piece sent to Kentucky newspapers he did not "think the judge's order was protective enough" of informants who often want to remain secret, such as relatives, health-care providers, teachers and law-enforcement officials. (Getty Images photo)
“You teach in a small community and suspect a student is being abused,” Beshear wrote. “Can you come forward without the newspaper naming you as the accuser?" Jon Fleischaker, attorney for The Courier-Journal and the Kentucky Press Association, said Beshear was “fear-mongering,” and noted that Shepherd’s order to release records applies only in cases in which children were killed or nearly killed from abuse or neglect, following a state law designed to hold the cabinet accountable for its child protective services.
Beshear wrote, “The cabinet has been accused of 'operating under a veil of secrecy' in a supposed attempt to protect inept workers and a poorly designed system. But this is not about shielding the system from scrutiny. We understand the need to be more transparent than in years past.” In December, the cabinet handed over 353 pages of records, but the names of at least eight children who died from abuse or neglect had been redacted, along with all the names of children who had been seriously injured, as well as much other information. The Courier-Journal, the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Todd County Standard had sued the cabinet for refusing to release the records. Twice before, Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ordered the cabinet to turn them over. Last week, Shepherd fined the agency $16,000 for its secretive treatment and delays. He also found the cabinet should pay more than $57,000 in legal fees for the newspapers. (Read more)
Yesterday, the cabinet filed its motion with the state Court of Appeals and "asked the court to block Shepherd's Jan. 19 order to release records, starting today, with limited redactions," reports the C-J's Deborah Yetter. In the meantime, the cabinet released about 90 internal reviews of child deaths and serious injuries incurred by abuse but with deletions it feels is necessary "to protect the best interests of the state's child welfare system," its motion read. (Read more)
Kentucky's new Medicaid managed-care system is three months late in making payments to home-health agencies, officials told the House Health and Welfare Committee Thursday.
Nurses Registry and Home Health has outstanding claims of $300,000 to $400,000, Jeannie Lemaster, chief compliance officer, told lawmakers. "Kip Bowmar, executive director of the Kentucky Home Health Association, said only 8 percent of the claims from the approximately 150 home-health agencies have been paid since the switch to managed care Nov. 1," reports Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader.
"If these problems don't get corrected, there is a likelihood that some agencies could go out of business," Bowmar said.
Therapists who work with abused, neglected and at-risk children have likewise told lawmakers of back payments. Independent pharmacists have said "reimbursement rates are much lower than they were under traditional Medicaid, which means they are having to lay off employees," Musgrave reports.
In November, Kentucky made the switch to managed care for its 500,000 Medicaid recipients outside the Louisville region. The move is expected to save the state more than $1 billion in the next three years. Three companies, Coventry Cares, Wellcare of Kentucky and Kentucky Spirit, broker the care and are paid on a per-patient, per-month rate.
Lemaster said most of her agency's problems are with Coventry, which has denied 82 percent of their claims. "Lemaster said that because there are differences in the managed care companies and what is being approved for payments, there are inequities in the Medicaid system," Musgrave reports. "Some people are receiving services and others aren't."
Jill Midkiff, spokeswoman for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said problems related to the changeover are being ironed out. "The primary focus of the Medicaid program staff is and continues to be the prompt resolution of any issues that arise as we ease the transition of providers to managed care," she said. (Read more)
With a raid on a pain clinic in Paintsville making headlines yesterday morning, state legislators heard from community leaders and officials telling them to pass legislation to curb the proliferation of pill mills.
Lois Windhorst, best known as a leader of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, told the Senate Judiciary Committee about a family member she lost to prescription-drug abuse. "It just progressively got worse," she said. "She carried a big bag of pills with her wherever she went."
On the legislative agenda is Senate Bill 42, which "would require licenses for pain management clinics and doctors to own them," notes Greg Hall of The Courier-Journal. There are 77 pain clinics in the state, 33 of which are owned by people who have no medical background.
No vote was taken on the bill. Its sponsor, Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, said he will revise it based on yesterday's testimony.
Sen. Ray Jones, D-Pikeville, argued for a more all-inclusive bill, which would include the premise of Higdon's bill; ban cash payment at clinics, as proposed in House Bill 251; and require doctors and pharmacists to use the state's electronic drug monitoring system known as KASPER, a bill that Attorney General Jack Conway and others are expected to push once it is filed.
Jones "also said filling prescriptions from out of state should be required to check with registries in those states to guard against duplicate prescriptions," Hall reports.
Committee Chairman Tom Jensen, R-London, said there is much support to deal with the issue of prescription-drug abuse in this legislative session. Nearly 1,000 Kentuckians die each year due to prescription drug overdoses. (Read more)
Making pseudoephedrine available only by prescription has led to fears of packed waiting rooms in doctors' offices, Dennis O'Neil writes for Hopkinsville's Kentucky New Era. (Photo of Sudafed pills by WebMD.com)
"It could lead to some overcrowding of primary care facilities that are already overcrowded," said James Goss, director of marking and community relations for Jennie Stuart Medical Center.
This session, three bills have been introduced to deal with pseudoephedrine, the key ingredient to make meth. House Bill 80 would prohibit anyone convicted with a meth-related charge from getting the drug without a prescription. The other two bills would prohibit anyone from getting the drug without a prescription, with the exception of pills in gel cap form.
Goss said he is worried a new law would inconvenience patients. "On its face, the bill seems well intended to protect the health and well being of the community," he said. "We are sympathetic to the pocketbook and convenience issues of our patients." (Read more)
After the Jefferson County attorney said the fund lacked oversight, state Auditor Adam Edelen said he will audit and review the indigent-care trust in Louisville through which $32 million tax dollars flow. (Courier-Journal photo by John Rott)
The audit will determine "whether there are adequate resources to treat indigents in the Louisville area," reports Patrick Howington of The Courier-Journal. The issue came up recently when University Hospital, the recipient of the funds, tried to merge with two other hospital systems.
Earlier this month, County Attorney Mike O'Connell said the trust's board, which is appointed by the University of Louisville, "had not met in more than two years," Howington writes. The next day, U of L President James Ramsey asked Edelen to look into the trust's financial records.
Edelen spokeswoman Stephenie Steitzer said the lack of board meetings raises the question of "whether there is a proper and effective governance structure in place."
The trust receives $25 million each year from the state and $7 million from Louisville Metro Government. University Hospital uses those funds to treat poor, uninsured patients. Last year, the trust only paid for "about one-third of the facilities' charity care last year, which cost $88 million and involved more than 63,000 cases," Howington reports. (Read more)
Legislation dubbed "Larry's Law" is aimed at preventing what happened to Larry Lee from happening again.
House Bill 307, filed by Democratic Rep. Terry Mills, right, "would require an individual to be examined and assessed by a medical professional before admission to a personal care home, and it would require further assessment of the degree of disability for an individual with an acquired brain injury who was being considered for placement," report Valarie Honeycutt Spears and Beth Musgrave of the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Senate Bill 115, filed by Republican Sen. Jimmy Higdon, left, would require that a potential resident be evaluated by a mental health professional before someone is admitted to a personal care home, a cost that would be picked up by the state. Higdon and Mills are both from Lebanon, where Larry Lee lived until he went to Falmouth Nursing Home in Pendleton County.
In August, Lee, right, disappeared from the home, one of 82 free-standing personal care homes in Kentucky. Lee, who had a brain injury from childhood, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and diabetes. He was found dead four week after his disappearance on the banks of the Licking River, which flows through Falmouth.
A pre-admission assessment "is the only thing that we found that could have saved Larry Lee," Higdon said. "His condition was too severe. He should have never been in a personal care home." (Read more)
As lawmakers wrestle with what to do about prescription pill abuse in Kentucky, law enforcement continues to crack down on so-called "pill mills."
For the second time in less than a year, officers descended upon Care More Pain Management in Paintsville last Wednesday, arresting 29 people outside the clinic. "The raid was part of an ongoing investigation by Attorney General Jack Conway's office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into doctors who allegedly over-prescribe pain medications," report R.G. Dunlop and Laura Ungar of The Courier-Journal.
"We're been looking forward to this day for almost as long as I've been in office," five years, said Paintsville Mayor Bob Porter. "Hopefully, other people will think twice before they try to get into this business."
Dr. Richard Albert, who had practiced at the clinic, was arrested last Feb. 16 and pleaded guilty in December to conspiring to illegally prescribe about 50,000 Percocet tablets. Conway's office believes Albert was prescribing about 100,000 pills a month and seeing about 55 patients per day. (Read more)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released new, finalized requirements that will make school lunch a healthier meal for students.
The guidelines will mean:
• Students will be given both fruit and vegetables every school day.
• More foods will be made with whole grains.
• Students will be offered only fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Calories will be limited by portion size, based on the age of children being served.
• There will be less saturated fat and trans-fats in the food served.
• The amount of sodium will decrease gradually over the next 10 years.
Though the changes represent the first school-lunch overhaul in 15 years, they are not as comprehensive as the Obama administration initially wanted them to be. A bill passed late last year "would require the department to allow tomato paste on pizzas to be counted as a vegetable, as it is now," reports Mary Clare Jalonick of The Associated Press. "The initial draft of the department's guidelines, released a year ago, would have prevented that." Congress also kept USDA from limiting potatoes to two servings a week. Potato farmers and frozen-pizza companies lobbied hard against those proposals, some conservatives said the government shouldn't be telling children what to eat, and some school districts said the changes were too broad and too expensive.
Some of the changes will be incorporated by September, and others will be phased in. The changes affect lunches that are subsidized by the federal government in the National School Lunch Program, which serves 32 million children. Participation rates are very high in Kentucky. The Covington and Owsley County school districts have the highest percentage of students — 88 percent — eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Magoffin County has the second highest with 86 percent followed by Newport (85 percent); Bell County (83 percent); and West Point Independent in Hardin County (81 percent). (Read more)
The changes are aimed in part at curbing childhood obesity. That has also been the target of measure to limit junk food in schools, which have been called into question. A recent study of almost 20,000 students found no link between junk food at school and weight gain in children. "The researchers examined the children's weight and found that in the eighth grade, 35.5 percent of kids in schools with junk food were overweight while 34.8 percent of those in schools without it were overweight — a statistically insignificant increase," reports Benjamin Radford of Discovery News. (Read more)
Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform will provide the opportunity to learn from experts about guardianship Feb. 26. More than 23,000 Kentuckians live in nursing homes.
Lexington attorneys Carolyn Kenton and Robert McClelland will speak, along with Virgiel Clayton, director of the Division of Guardianship in the Department of Aging and Independent Living.
The seminar, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Tates Creek Branch of the Lexington Public Library. For more information, click here.
Lighting up in Somerset, once a big tobacco town, will no longer be allowed in all enclosed public places. The city council voted 11-1 Monday evening to pass a smoking-ban ordinance, reports Heather Tomlinson of the Commonwealth Journal. (C-J photo)
The ordinance includes restaurants, bingo halls, gaming facilities, nursing homes and any place of employment. "It's a public health safety issue," said councilor Jerry Girdler, who lost his well-known brother Eddie two weeks ago to throat and lung cancer. "The facts back up that smoking is harmful to the people around them."
The meeting attracted a crowd of more than 50, many of whom voiced their opinions. Business owner Teresa Singleton said, "I am really shocked at the fact that the City of Somerset is considering taking away the rights of businesses to make those decisions on whether we want our place of business to be smoking or non-smoking. For you to take that on your own, I think that's a major step in the wrong direction."
Local podiatrist Pamela Jensen-Stanley disagreed. "I believe the ban is necessary," she said. "I think it's time that Somerset moves up and gets with the program." (Read more)
I am still fired up by the painting competition and two lots have been sent off to Curt, the first of which are shown here. These are old Essex figures that may well still be available. It is also quite possible they are on the wrong horses as these are the first figures I have painted that my friend Martin gave to me a few weeks before Christmas. I was lacking any command figures for my Macedonian army which became clear when I played that test game. So I was happy to pull these out of the box and make up three command stands. These are really for the Seleucid army but I am fairly confident that at least two of them are fine for the other Successor and prior armies and the third really is OK.
This is the Seleucid stand. I really like the General figure and how his horse is ducking it's head. As he stands out the most I will use him as the C-in-C. My daughter likes him as he is on a white horse!!! I have added rock chips to these bases, in reality they are out of the chicken grit we feed the chucks in lue of food. (Not true they have food and the grit LOL)
The second stand, I really like how the wash brought out the engraved lines on the armour plates on the horses. The figures all painted up fairly quickly but were heavy on the flash, especially the horses. Each command base has a basic colour theme in their tunics, Red White and Blue, how patriotic. You don't have to pay much attention to see the damage to one of the lances! That's one of the cat's! Since the pic was taken this has been repaired and all good to go. As Curt on the painting contest said, it must have been a Persian!!!!! No just a moggy working through it's 9.
This stand is the one I am least pleased with. I am not a fan of two part castings, even basic gluing of horse to rider, just adds extra time to the job. Worse still I botched the gluing of the commander to his base. It did not look to bad so I left it. Only on basing the finished model and finding the horse seems to have a slight angle to the right s well really shows off the poor original setting of the rider. So sometime in the near future the rider will have to be removed and repositioned and possibly touched up to repair what ever I bugger up taking him off.
One final moan on the subject of the figures. The bases of the horses, these are really thin so come gluing in place you have all sorts of wobble going on. Yes it saves the supplier on material costs but just adds that extra bit of pain at the finishing stage.
So great timing of Martin to supply the figures and it will be great to get them used. Not that this will be straight away as my First proper game using FoG will be my Persians against a new Macedonian Army that Lee bought ready to play just a week ago. We are looking at next week with any luck and we look to go for about 800 points each. But before that Barry and myself will finally get that Naps game played out, more virgin regiments fighting their first battle, got to love that.
Secrets of Making Always Powerful Body | Maybe some people worry that it would lack the energy to undergo a variety of daily activities, especially if it must be coupled with exercising. Here's a quick way to get enough energy to stay active.
Here are some quick ways you can do to get enough energy to remain active as quoted from MSNHealth, Friday (20/01/2012), among others: 1. Eat a balanced diet
Unless a person exercising for 1 hour or more, then it does not need to eat more calories or eat special foods to increase energy. A balanced diet will give most people enough energy for physical activity.
Eat the recommended amount or a portion of each food group. Experts recommend the food guide pyramid based on age, gender, and amount of daily physical activity.
Food groups are: a. Meat or meat substitutes. b. Of milk. c. Fruits and vegetables. d. Grains, such as bread and pasta. e. A limited amount of fat and sugar.
2. Drinking a lot of fluids
Many people do not drink enough fluids to compensate for perspiration by physical activity. Some things you can do to avoid dehydration, among others:
a. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after physical activity. b. Consuming sports drinks, if it will be exercising for more than an hour, and try to drink at least every 15-20 minutes. c. Avoid beverages containing caffeine or alcohol. They increase dehydration. d. In very hot weather, you should do extra precautions to prevent dehydration. e. If dizziness or very tired, then stop exercising.
3. Rest Enough
If you feel weak and tired but not sick then the things you should do include:
a. Short runs and fast for 5-10 minutes can give you plenty of energy or other mild physical activity. b. Gradually increasing exercise activities can give you more energy. c. Avoiding drugs that can cause fatigue, such as sedatives, cold and allergy medications. d. Eating a balanced diet can give you more energy. Do not skip meals, especially breakfast. e. Abstain from alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. f. Reduce watching TV. g. Getting a good night's sleep.
If you feel weak and tired due to colds or flu then the things you should do include:
a. Getting extra rest when sick. b. Return slowly to undergo daily activities. c. Drink plenty of fluids so as not to become dehydrated. [detik]
Maintaining sexual health is very important for both men and women. As people age, how to maintain sexual health in women may vary. How to maintain sexual health in women can be grouped by age.
What should be done by women to maintain sexual health? Here's how to maintain sexual health for women of all ages as quoted from HealthLine, Thursday (19/01/2012), among others:
1. For woman ages 20 years and over
a. Sexual intercourse is safe Nearly two-thirds of all sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) occur in women under the age of 25 years. Especially in women who often have sexual relations with multiple partners, it can increase the risk of STDs. Therefore, it is very important to use condoms every sexual intercourse.
b. Getting the HPV vaccine Some high-risk strains of HPV can cause genital warts and cervical cancer. So it's important to get the HPV vaccine.
c. Check up on a regular basis If sexually active, it is important to do a pap smear and annual examinations begin 3 years after first sexual intercourse or at age 21 years. Because many STDs do not show any symptoms, so that annual screening is also important.
2. For ages 30 years and over
a. Determine the family planning Appropriate birth control is still very important. The most popular method was oral contraceptives. Other options, such as vaginal rings, injections, condoms, implants, and intrauterine devices (IUDs). Talk to your doctor about the type of birth control is right for you. Learn more about birth control options.
b. Discuss with a partner if sexual intercourse did cause pain.
Pain during sex can be a sign of endometriosis. Endometriosis is a reproductive disorder in which endometrial tissue that lines the uterus, also grows in the ovaries, pelvic, and fallopian tubes.
3. For ages 40 years and over
a. balancing of hormones Rise and fall of hormones and perimenopause (5-10 years before menopause) leads to lower libido, irregular periods, and vaginal dryness.
b. Guard against STDs Using a condom is still the most important protection.
4. For ages 50 years and over
a. Pay attention if symptoms of menopause have emerged The average age of menopause is approximately 51 years earlier. With menopause comes there will be a decrease in hormones that can cause lower libido, mood swings, and vaginal dryness. So women tend to avoid sexual contact altogether.
But with the help of doctors, it will be able to manage the symptoms of menopause as well.
b. Using vaginal lubricants Lower hormone levels can cause vaginal tissues to thin and dry. So that intercourse can be uncomfortable and unwanted. For many women, a little lubricant or moisturizer will help, but others may need a prescription creams that contain estrogen to relieve dryness and inflammation.
5. For ages 60 and 70 years and over
a. Do not stop having sex Many women over age 60 who remain sexually active. Many people aged over 60 years of regular sexual intercourse will tend to be healthier than those having sex less often or not at all.
b. Sexual intercourse with a slower rhythm Sexual intercourse will probably take a while for you and your partner. Do foreplay as needed.
c. Prepare a sexual relationship with either With drug erectile dysfunction (ED) can be more active sexual life in the elderly. For a pair of women do not use soap to wash the vagina. Instead, look for a cleanser that has a pH equal to a healthy vagina, which is between 3.8 to 4.5.
Attorneys general from Florida and Kentucky say the prescription pill pipeline between the two states is beginning to close, reports Bill Estep of the LexingtonHerald-Leader. They credit new programs and rules in Florida, but Kentucky AG Jack Conway says more work is needed "to attack the epidemic of prescription drug abuse in Kentucky." The pipeline has also supplied Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee.
Florida became the epicenter of the prescription drug trade to the Appalachian states because of lax regulation of pain clinics and tracking prescription drugs, Estep reports. People from the region traveled to Florida, stocked up on drugs, then returned home to sell them. In 2010, a police raid uncovered 1,400 files in a Florida doctor's office, and most were on Eastern Kentuckians. Police estimated that 60 percent of pills illegally sold in Kentucky were prescribed in Florida.
Florida officials have increased monitoring of prescription pills, boosted enforcement, required pain clinics to register with the state, started a prescription monitoring system and barred many clinics from dispensing pills. The results have been significant, Florida AG Pam Bondi said at a substance-abuse conference in Lexington. In 2010, 98 of the top 100 oxycodone prescribers were in Florida; only 11 are now. Registered pain clinics in the state have dropped from 943 to 579. (Read more)
El viernes en la mañana la organización del Festival Internacional de Cartagena de Indias 2012 , presentó oficialmente las películas que compiten en las diferentes categorías , así como las que se proyectarán en las muestras .
En la sección Gemas se destacan varias producciones internacionales reconocidas, como la iraní "A separation" de Asghar Farhadi, que ganó el Globo de Oro 2012 en la categoría mejor película extranjera. También se presentará la mexicana "Miss bala" de Gerardo Naranjo, y "Pina", la alemana de Win Wenders que está preseleccionada para participar como mejor película de lengua extranjera en la próxima edición de los premios Oscar.
Como se reveló hace un par de días, lainauguración será el próximo 23 de febrero con la proyección delfilme nacional"Chocó", de Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, que cuenta la historia de una mujer campesina negra de 20 años desplazada de sus tierras por la violencia .
Por su parte, "Porfirio", la película de Alejandro Landes , será la encargada de abrir la Competencia Oficial Ficción el viernes 24 en el Teatro Adolfo Mejía . A principio de semana la organización dio a conocer las 19 producciones universitarias competirán por la India Catalina en lasección Nuevos Creadores.
La 52° edición del FICCI, que se llevará a cabo entre el23 y 29 de febrero, rendirá homenaje a la actriz, productora y directora italo-estadounidense Isabella Rossellini, por lo que de ella se proyectarán los filmes "Blue velvet", "The saddest music in the world" y "Left luggage". Películas seleccionadas
Competencia oficial ficción
"Porfirio", Alejandro Landes, Colombia "Las acacias", Pablo Giorgellito, Argentina "Vaquero", Juan Minujín, Argentina "El año del tigre", Sebastián Lelio, Chile "El lenguaje de los machetes", Kyzza Terrazas, México "Historias que so existem quando lembradas", Julia Murat, Brasil "Heleno", José Henrique Fonseca, Brasil "La voz dormida", Benito Zambrano, España "Mundo secreto", Gabriel Mariño, México
Gemas "Miss bala", Gerardo Naranjo, México "The kid with a bike", Jean-Pierre y Luc Dardenne, Belgica "A separation", Asghar Farhadi, Iran "Un amour de jeunesse", Mia Hansen-Løve, Francia – Alemania "Shame", Steve McQueen, Reino Unido "The turin horse", Béla Tarr, Ágnes Haranitzky, Hungria – Francia "I wish", Hirokasu Kore-Eda, Japón "Pina", Win Wenders – Alemania "Violeta se fue a los cielos", Andres Wood, Chile
Colombia al 100% "Chocó", Jhonny Hendrix Hinestrosa "Pescador", Sebastián Cordero J"ardín de amapolas", Juan Carlos Melo Guevara "Gordo, calvo y bajito", Carlos Osuna "Ilegal.co" de Alessandro Angulo "Nacer, diario de maternidad", Jorge Caballero "Corta", Felipe Guerrero
Claire Denis "White material" "Beau travail" "J'ai pas sommeil" "L'intrus" "Nénette et boni"
Isabella Rossellini "Blue velvet", David Lynch "The saddest music in the world", Guy Maddi "Left luggage", Jeroene Krabbe
Hector Babenco "El pasado" "El beso de la mujer araña"
Conchas de Oro de la última década 2002 "Los lunes al sol" de Fernando León de Aranoa (España-Francia-Italia) 2003 "Schussangst" de Dito Tsintsadze (Alemania) 2004 "Turtles can fly" de Bahman Ghobadi (Iran-Irak) 2005 "Stesti" (Something like happyness) de Bohdan Slama (Alemania-República Checa) 2006 Concha de oro a la mejor película ex-aequo a "Niwemang" ("Half moon"), Bahman Ghobadi (Irán-Irak-Austria-Francia) – "Mon fils à moi", Martial Fougeron (Francia) 2007 "A thousand years of good prayers" de Wayne Wang (EE.UU.) 2008 "La caja de pandora" de Yesim Ustaoglu (Turquía-Francia-Alemania-Bélgica) 2009 "City of life and death" de Chuan Lu (China-Hong Kong) 2010 "Neds" de Peter Mullan (Reino Unido-Francia-Italia) 2011 "Los pasos dobles" de Isaki Lacuesta
The region's first hybrid operating room, one that adds imaging and robotics to traditional surgery, is opening this week at the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital. The only other hybrid OR in Kentucky is at the Trover Clinic in Madisonville, according to Kristi Lopez of UK Public Relations.
News media are being invited to see demonstrations and tour the facility, as well as eight new operating rooms opening in the next phase of the hospital's construction, on Wednesday afternoon. Those on the 1:30 p.m. tour will include Dr. Michael Karpf, UK's executive vice president for health affairs; Ann Smith, the hospital's chief administrative officer; Dr. Joseph "Jay" Zwischenberger, UK HealthCare surgeon-in-chief; Dr. Bernard Boulanger, surgical services director; Dr. David Minion, a vascular and endovascular surgeon; and Dr. Justin Fraser, a neurosurgeon.
"Advantages to a hybrid operating room include greater accuracy of surgical procedures, reduced recovery time, and reduced risk of postoperative complications," a UK press advisory said. "Vascular and endovascular surgeries will begin being performed in the new OR in the next few weeks."
Journalists wanting to take the tour and watch the demonstrations should park in the UK HealthCare parking garage at South Limestone and Transcript Avenue and meet university public-relations representatives promptly at 1:30. For more information or assistance, call or text Lopez at 859-806-0445.
While more than 30 Kentucky communities have banned smoking in enclosed public places, and about as many school districts have imposed a total ban, many districts remain resistant to the idea. This month the Rockcastle County Board of Education turned down a smoking ban that would have allowed designated smoking areas at athletic events but no smoke breaks for employees.
"Four of the five board members expressed opposition to the ban, including Mike Burdette, who said he didn't feel it was right to tell an adult they cannot use a legal product on grounds their taxes pay for," reported the Mount Vernon Signal. Other board members said they didn't like the fact that the proposal from the administration did not include smoke breaks since employees "can't leave school during the day except for designated reasons."
The Signal reported that Superintendent Larry Hammond "put forth the argument that research has shown that second- and even third-hand smoke can be harmful to students," but only Board Chairman Martin Vanzant supported the proposal. To a member who suggested that the ban be delayed for two or three years, he said that would be "postponing the inevitable." (Read more)
In Kentucky, "All 174 school systems have restrictions of some sort on the use of tobacco products on their campuses, and any that allow staff smoking have designated areas," Brad Hughes of the Kentucky School Boards Association told Kentucky health News. "About 30 have a total ban."
Prevent Blindness with Wine Fruit - Many people believe that carrots are the only source of food that have an important function for eye health. However, do you wonder if in fact the grapes have a role no less important for eye health?
Recent research shows, the grapes have the ability to slow or prevent the onset of macular degeneration due to aging (age-related macular degeneration/AMD). Macular degeneration is a condition in which the macula, causing deteriorated visual acuity decline and will likely cause loss of central visual function. The macula is the most vital part of the retina that allows the eye to see fine details in the central visual field. Researchers believe that antioxidants work that contain in wine has a protective effect. The findings are published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
In his research, researchers conducted experiments on mice fed a diet rich in antioxidants (grape). Then the researchers looked at the impact of changes in vision function mice, susceptible to retinal damage.
The results showed that wine consumption provides a dramatic protective effect. A diet high in grapes can prevent oxidative damage in rat retina and blindness.
"The protective effect of wine in this study is extraordinary, because it offers benefits for eyesight in old age even if the wine is consumed at a young age," said Silvia Finnemann PhD, Department of Biological Science from Fordham University, New York, as principal investigator.
Dr. Finnemann noted that these findings show an association between increasing age and decreased vision. "Diet for life which is enriched with natural antioxidants, such as wine, it seems to be a direct benefit to the health and function of the retina," he added.
A diet high in grapes may significantly reduce the accumulation of lipofuscin (oxidized fats triggers the aging process) and to prevent oxidative damage retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), thus ensuring optimum retinal function.
"Preserving the health of the eye should be a major concern along with increasing age. This is good news for consumers of all ages to enjoy the grapes, and these findings add to growing evidence that wine offers a variety of health benefits, continued Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission.
Drink Fresh Raw Milk must be Avoid | Some people argue that the consumption of fresh raw milk is more healthful because it contains bacteria and enzymes that good compared to the milk was processed. But the claim has not been proven, even fresh raw milk is one source of food poisoning. According to data from Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found 86 reported outbreaks of food poisoning caused by raw milk between 1998 and 2008. 1676 outbreak led to the sick, 191 have to be hospitalized and two people died.
"Raw milk to be hospitalized due to food poisoning. The amount is three times more than any other food poisoning," said Hannah Gould, a senior epidemiologist at the CDC enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch.
That's why now sell fresh raw milk is illegal in most American states.
Raw milk can be easily contaminated by bacteria originating from animal manure, soil, leather, fur or any other equipment on the ranch.
One safe way to kill bacteria is heated to high temperatures, either pasteurized or UHT. This method can be deadly literia bacteria, salmonella and E.coli.
In the United States there were two patients who suffered from Guillain-Barre syndrome (which can cause paralysis) after infection 'bacterial campylobacteriosis' caused by consuming raw milk.
7 Benefits Cycling Sport for Health - Lately, the public interest to continue to increase cycling sport. It can be seen from the continued emergence of a new cycling sport community. Cycling is one sport that attractive and can be done by anyone, regardless of age and gender status. Some studies even have shown some benefit from this simple activity as a tool to promote overall health.
Want to know more what are the health benefits of Cycling Sport? Here is his review:
1. Cycling good for your heart: exercise bike closely associated with increased cardiovascular fitness or health of the heart and blood vessels, and decreased risk of coronary heart disease.
2. Cycling good for the muscles: Riding a bike is very good for toning and building muscle, especially in the lower body such as the calves, thighs, and rear.
3. Keeping the ideal waist size remains: you can burn more calories while biking, especially when be Cycling Sport faster than usual. Cycling is not only effective in helping you lose weight, but also increase metabolism.
4. Extend age: Cycling is the best way to improve your life. Some research suggests that regular cycling activity has been associated with increasing age, even when it should be tailored to the risk of injury while riding a bicycle.
5. Cycling good for coordination: Active move both legs to pedal, while the two hands controlling the steering wheel is a good practice to train your body coordination skills.
6. Good for mental health: Cycling has been linked with improved mental health.
7. Boost the immune system: Cycling can strengthen the immune system, as well as a means of protection against certain types of cancer.
In Order Acne Not Severe Increase | Although not preventable, there are several steps that can be done so that the acne from getting worse. - Wash your face gently every day. Avoid scrubbing too hard or washing too often in one day.
- Avoid excessive sweating, if you believe it can cause acne worse. Wash your face immediately after completion of the move to the face clean of sweat.
- Frequently wash your hair, especially owners of greasy hair. Take care not to cover facial hair.
- Avoid using hair products, like gels, mousse, and pomade which contain lots of oil.
- As much as possible not to touch the face.
- Avoid exposure to harsh chemicals and oils such as kerosene.
- Diligent cleaning of the face make-up before going to bed. Sleeping with make-up is still attached will cause a blockage in the pores.
- Remove make-up that has expired. Clean all equipment make-up regularly with soapy water.
- Avoid wearing thick powder foundation.
- Wear loose clothing. Tight clothing will cause heat and moisture trapped in it and make the skin irritated. As much as possible do not wear a backpack, hel, or sports equipment to prevent friction with the skin. [kompas]
Vitamin water, How Need? - Today, bottled water is no longer just contain H20. In the market mostly found drinking water supplemented with vitamins, minerals, ions, herbs, and even oxygen. Identify the function and use appropriately. The rise of supplement water products on the market may be triggered by the needs of the community will be a source of nutrients that can not be met from the daily diet given the community a minimal diet of vegetables and fruits.
According dr.Saptawati Bardosono, a nutritionist from the jakarta Medical Association Physician Nutrition, water included in the essential nutrients that are essential for body functions. But basically what we need from the water is a little intake of fluids and minerals.
"Vitamins and other nutrients should be met from the daily diet, not from water. As consumers we should be more observant in choosing a product because the water is added to other substances it is definitely more expensive," he explained in one session of the National Seminar on Food and Nutrition 2012 in Jakarta (19/1).
According Dr.Minarto, Chairman of Indonesia Nutritionist, get used to eating foods varied or varied is the principle of balanced nutrition.
"In contrast to the principles of Healthy 4 5 Excellent, balanced nutrition in principle, we are encouraged to eat a varied diet to meet all the nutrients the body embodied, but the number is limited according to the conditions that are not overweight," he explained in the same event.
Seems to be the rage at the moment so I thought I would have a go as well.
Period.
Just has to be World War II as a period in history. I mean it has everything and it was recent enough to almost still touch us. The Eastern Front draws me the most, such scale and brutality. I have more books on this period than any other though the English Civil War runs it close.
As for figure gaming this has to be Ancients, simply in time spent painting and fighting battles I imagine I have spent 80% of my time on this period. Napoleonics though is catching up and I am looking forward to painting up more of the figures for this period and getting the blocks of colour marching across the table.
Rules.
Just for simple nostalgia I will go with WRG 6th Edition. Would I go back to them? I really hope I don't have to. The bookwork and the confusion, but with rose tinted glasses I can look back and smile. I just hope that whatever rules we finally settle on will get as much play.
Roleplaying, nothing touched MERP rules for an easy to play and gamemaster campaign with the right balance of ease of play and depth of system. Well I say that but I always used the Rolemaster system for the attack tables etc. As Merp was a watered down version of Rolemaster this worked very well. I miss playing and more importantly GM'ing this game and all the books are in the loft waiting for the opportunity to get them out and play again.
Boardgame.
As it says in Highlander, their can only be one and this beats out every other game I have ever played. Advanced Squad Leader is what I spend most of my gaming time playing, it's what I have spent the most money on as well. It's the most complex wargame ever! But here is the truth, most of the rules just don't get used in a normal game, sure they are there and yes they do get used but most of the time it's about 1/3rd of the rules and they are the easier ones to learn. No it's not easy but with the Starter Kits and wealth of players (when you know which stones to turn over), it's fairly easy to get the basics down.
But I have to mention the evil one. Yep Eurogames, or as they were called when I first got into them, German Games. These are simply fantastic. Fairly basic rules fitted to a nice Chrome called the theme of the game and away you go. Indeed I did. More than anything else a good part of the reason I disappeared from figure gaming all those years ago was the Euro Game. My girlfriend happened to like games and fell for Euro's as well. We spent a huge time playing Magic The Gathering and went to boardgame cons for the weekends. Suddenly I could get my fix sitting round the dinner table with 3 friends. Well since then the Girlfriend became the wife and yes the Passion for the games still remains and play we do but gone are the conventions (kids) and friends move on. These games will feature in our future more as the kids grow up but Settlers of Catan remains the top game in this group.
I was told playing with myself would send me blind but I still bought or borrowed a whole load of solo wargames. You know what? I don't even wear glasses!!! I never seemed to get enough fun to bookkeeping from all the solo games except this one. The Peloponnesian War is a great game that if you play it as it's designed, rather than trying to 'win' the system is really great fun. Highly recommended.
Scale.
I really don't have a favourite scale as such. I just don't get 25/8mm, the size of table you need to play a game just makes me laugh. Yes they look stunning but when I see 12 figures that are supposed to be a French Column marching on a British line I just want to shake my head. Now at the various Wargames Holiday Centres where you have a great big table with 1000's of figures or that kickass display game taking up half a hall that I can appreciate and see the point. Now my mate Lee he owns 1000's of the buggers and he loves them but take your average club setting and it's just wrong. 15mm gives the best (for me) detail to playability and this is the scale I defer to for most periods. 6mm though is what Napoleonics is all about to me. My best game in memory has to be against the guy who introduced me to wargaming and we played it over two days at his flat. Well over 100 units per side and you really got the feel for a massed army. It was Leipzig and in fact was just the one flank. Now all I need is rules that will get that feeling back.
Supplier.
Chariot Miniatures was always my favorite. The guy who owned them was so into it and at the time I started my Ancient Army he was happy to talk to me about it, he asked good questions and worked out what would suit me and most of all treated me on equal footing, not a bad place to be given I was 16 at the time. But then again he did recommend the Persians to me. So I was rather sad he sold up to Magister who I knew nothing of (all this happened when I was away). Well my first dealings with them was pre-Derby last year. I ordered a stash to collect at the con and picked the figures up and was happy enough. Not much to go on, pleasant service etc. but on unpacking to clean up ready to paint I find I am one pike short of my block (wifes been saying that for years) so a quick e-mail explaining it is missing but also I had not counted them before the prep work, could they send me a replacement in the post and if so could they also supply a slinger that I had lost. Just let me know the total cost and I would send it off. Figures arrive and no cost, even though one was my fault. Of course since then I have spent £70 finishing off that army and I can't wait to see them FtF to thank them.
Honorable mention goes to Ian Key of Irregular Miniatures as he was the first guy I ever bought figures from and he was very kind to a young boy and gave me nearly as many figures free as I bought. I have bought much fromhim since and only wish he could have continued to improve his 6mm Naps to keep up with Baccus.
Talking of which Baccus are now my number 1 supplier of Naps and I look forward to building up my French 10 fold on what I already have. I have just finished two Hussar regiments, they even have ponytails!!!!
Films.
Saw this film for the first time at Heroes (ASL tournament in Blackpool) March 2009. It's in Chinese and is about the Chinese Civil War. It has a great story and is well worth the effort of reading as well as watching the film. Like many films it claims to be as realistic and gory as Shaving Ryans Privates but unlike most of these films it manages it. I can fully recommend it and you know what it's about £5 on Amazon (well it was when I bought it).
Band of Brothers though is also an epic well produced series that I keep coming back to. In fact I am about to watch it again. I liked The Pacific but it's to damn dark, the characters look to much the same and whilst it sticks to the books very well (I've read them) and the characters are well played I just felt it lacked that special thing BoB's has.
Books.
Lord of the Rings is great and should have top spot but even though Robert Jorden really pissed me off with his out right ripping off of Tolkien, he did it rather well and once I stopped huffing every time I read Trollorcs and just got on with the books it really was a great read. The sheer depth and story line. Shame he is a rip off merchant to get there but so much of it is his own. Last book comes out in November, a number of years after his death, I guess that what happens when you rip off the master.
But nothing I own comes close bookwise to this. Anglia Rediviva (England's Recovery) a book written about the last phase of the First ECW by Fairfax's Chaplain Joshua Sprigg. My version is a copy limited to 200 numbered issues and each page is a photo reprint of the original so it's in old english and an absolute joy to read. It's been 10+ years since I last read it and well past time I read it again.
Paints.
Just before I left the hobby I had bought my first Vallejo paints, I was really impressed in their coverage and colour. After the mass break these colours were still in good order (as was a few of the other paints) and since coming back I have bought a good many bottles. Other paints are good and I will continue to buy from other suppliers but for me these hit the price to quality right on the head.
Internet.
Grepolis is a free to play internet game that is based in Germany (now have UK serveres as well) that is set in Greek Mythology. Unlike most of the Facebook games this game pits you against other humans directly. It's neither fair nor is it balanced. You start with a little village and you are required to build it up using the resources on the island you are on. You start on an island with other new players but you may well be surrounded by players who have been there some time and could crush you with ease. You have a week to grow before they can attack you and it is your very weakness that stops most of them doing so. Now I say it's free but if you wish you can spend real money and get all sorts of advantages. I go free and still have done well in the game. Lots of interaction between players, you can join alliances etc. My only real gripe is that kids just love to play this and they tend to be pains in the ass when wars start. If you can cope with this I think it may well be the best free wargame on the web. At the moment I am in a war against anther alliance that attacked a member of mine. I have smashed his fleets in a series of battles and then sacked his second city whilst his attack against my Main City (I have 3) was wiped out for almost no loss. Great fun.
At last I am done, hope any of you to get to the bottom enjoyed what you read. In honesty I think that post was really for my own benefit and as such I thank anyone who found it the slightest bit interesting and to the person who started the ball rolling, whoever you are!!!!
