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Sporting Life
As if you didn't know: The Phillies won a tense game 5, forcing a game 6 tomorrow night in New York wherein Pedro Martinez will get a second chance to end the "who's your daddy?" chants once and for all.
Also, SEPTA called an audible, announcing a 3 a.m. strike shutting down all city subway, bus and trolley service, essentially holding true to the letter of their word to not striking during the World Series home games. Yes, yes, we support the union's right to strike, but tell it to the people waiting at bus stops at 5:30 this morning.
So we'll take this opportunity to share a word with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia who suggest you "Bike the Strike":
PHILADELPHIA - November 3, 2009 - The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia urges SEPTA travelers to bike instead of driving. Commuters who bike will win out over those stuck in traffic jams of epic proportions."Avoid the crush and bike the strike," says Alex Doty, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. "Bike the Strike to save time, money and help shrink your waistline. Plus, I guarantee you will have more fun than anyone trying to drive during the strike."
In cooperation with Philadelphia's Office of Transportation and Utilities, the Bicycle Coalition has established a Bike the Strike station at City Hall (Dillworth Plaza). The station has bike parking corrals, free coffee, bike maps and Bicycle Ambassadors on hand to give tips on bike commuting and personalized route planning.
Keeping safe while bicycling is critical. "Bicycles are considered vehicles, so we also urge all bicyclists to obey the rules of the road," said Education Director Breen Goodwin. "It's important for all bicyclists to be civil, courteous and comply with traffic laws, such as walking their bikes on sidewalks and stopping at all signals, to ensure the everyone's safety."
More biking tips after the jump:
BIKE THE STRIKE
Fastest Option
For those who commute four miles or less, bicycling instead of driving will get you to your destination faster and will take no longer than using a bus or trolley.
A Center City District study found that bicycling by following the rules of the road is always faster than walking, driving or taking the bus across Center City during rush hour.
Healthiest Option
Commuting by bicycle for 15 minutes each way (about 2-3 miles) meets the Center for Disease Control's minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day
Regular physical activity may help reduce your risk for many diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancers, and osteoporosis. It also helps to control weight; contributes to healthy bones, muscles, and joints; and reduces falls among older adults.
Safety First
Bicyclists are not pedestrians with two wheels. Bikes are vehicles and must comply with traffic laws just as motor vehicles do.
Bicycles should stop at all red lights and walk their bikes on sidewalks.
Stop by your local bike shop during the strike for a free bicycle safety check
For more commuting tips, go to www.bicycleambassadors.org and click on Handouts and videos
Now
55,000 commuters bike to work once a month.
On a typical day in Philadelphia, 11,000 bike-to-work trips are taken.
1.6 % of commuters ride their bike to work; Philadelphia has the highest percentage of bike-to-work commuters of the country's largest 10 cities
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[...] http://citypaper.net/blogs/clog/2009/11/03/phils-win-commuters-lose-bike-the-strike/Clef Club : One good thing about music: It inspired Sonata. ⢠Repertory Film : Your weekly guide to local film events, festivals and under-the-radar screenings. ⢠Thee Oh Sees : Sun., Oct. 11, 9 p.m., $5, with Golden Triangle, Love City, Reading Rainbow and Weatherbox, Danger Danger Gallery, … Place your free classified ad now. ⢠Billboards · Tuesday, November 3 2009, 11:47 AM | Partly Cloudy, and 58° F | Tomorrow: High: 64 F Low: 40 F Some sun; breezy in the p.m. … [...]
[...] Go here to read the rest: Phils win, commuters lose, bike the strike :: The Clog :: Blog … [...]
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| Jim Horwat |
| Click image to see full print. |
Jim Horwat, our favorite Phillies-loving, smile-crazy illustrator — the man behind last year's championship-celebrating tribute/collage — is back with a 2009 print featuring all the stars of this year's run and Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett. Oh, and it's also got HK and the Phanatic done up like some kind of Mayan priest.
This year's print is full color and available in a signed and numbered first edition on Horwat's web site. Do some early x-mas shopping and maybe buy the Phils a little karma tonight.
Social comments and analytics for this post... This post was mentioned on Twitter by PhiladelphiaRSS: What we : Jim Horwat Click image to see full print. Jim Horwat, our favorite Phillies-loving, smil.. http://bit.ly/12E1Wg...
Last night's World Series game 4 had a little bit of everything for your local neighborhood Phils cynic. Let's not forget that while the Phillies are indeed a very formidable team, they've got their weaknesses — and almost all of them were exposed against the best power pitching and power hitting money can buy.
- CC Sabathia — his inability to do anything with Chase Utley notwithstanding — continued to make Phils lefties Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez look look like Rico Brogna and Travis Lee.
- Joe Blanton, a yeoman 4th starter, despite a sick run from the second inning into the fifth where he painted the corners deftly, was undone in a fifth inning where nobody hit the ball all that hard, but, given Blanton's lack of an out pitch, was unable to drop the hammer and end an ill timed two-run rally.
- Charlie Manuel, despite finding himself in a situation — tied at 4 in the ninth after an improbable Pedro Feliz tying shot — where he might be facing extra innings, decided to not try to get another inning out of his best/most durable reliever, Ryan Madson, and went to Brad Lidge in a situation that called for perfection.
- In a bit of irony too rich for words, when the Phils employed a severe defensive shift against Mark Teixeira — the same one used so often against their own Ryan Howard — they got burned on a steal of second wherein Johnny Damon kept running right on down to an uncovered third base.
- Of course, then there's the mystery of why Brad Lidge stopped throwing his slider — his best pitch and possibly the best pitch on the entire staff — while facing Johnny Damon in the first place, but Brad Lidge mysteries could fill a book at this point.
Did I miss anything?
[...] Iraqi oil ministry signs contract and New York City trash being dumped in burbs north of Philly• Crumblin' Down: Game 4 a microcosm of Phils season• Appetite for Destruction 4: The Final Countdown• Appetite for Destruction 3: Fast [...]
@Brian: I'm accusing myself. Sports fans are a superstitious lot, and if I was a Phillies fan I wouldn't risk a jinx by writing "Lee is money in the bank" in the comments section. Now please allow me to continue. I think Lee is as close to a sure thing right now as you can get, and if the offense can muster more than 1 run, Pedro will get you to Game 7.
@JD: hah! thanks for clarifying.
@JD: Who are you accusing of jinxing the Phils?
Lee is money in the bank. If I was a Phillies fan, I would feel very confident about tonight, and I wouldn't be making comments that could jinx my team.
@Allan: You're right, I am still glad to be a Phils fan. And Lee's just the guy you want on the Hill tonight (though, arguably, he's the guy we wanted on the hill last night). @Tofoomeister: I heard the umps got together before the game and made up a ground rule about being near the plate being good enough.
I'd say the umpiring was a microcosm of the umpiring throughout the postseason. Hey, the one big missed call (Howard crossing home) went our way, but it's almost like the umpires are begging to be replaced by robots.
re: Did I miss anything? Aren't you *really* glad you're a Phils fan and not a follower of the Yankees? I am. Though their backs are against the wall, all the Phillies have to do is equal what the Yanks so far have accomplished... and they are Series Champs, Again. Win 3 in row. One Game at a time. Go Phillies!
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| Courtesy of Laurel Hill/West Laurel Cemetery |
Here's an official MLB urn from the West Laurel Hill Cemetery, although it's sold at other funeral homes as well. For $650, you can spend eternity with the Phillies, purchased from the final resting place of early Phillies owner Alfred James Reach, Ben Shibe (who created the two-piece cover baseball), his sons Thom and John who helped Connie Mack out with the A's and, of course, HK.
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On the face of it, the effort to introduce table games to Pennsylvania casinos didn't seem like a major expansion of gambling. Table games, after all, are expected to produce only about $200 million a year, including licensing fees, in state revenues, compared to the nearly $1 billion that came in from slots last year (with some casinso yet to open).
Table games are also less directly tied to gambling addiction and problem gambling.
But a tiny clause in table game legislaiton â one that has gone almost completely unreported â makes table games, expected to pass any day now, potentially a much bigger deal indeed: a clause that would let casinos extend credit to slots and table games players.
Why is this a big deal?
When I first began reporting on the ever-growing casino industry and its ever-growing dependence on slot machines for its profits, I encountered horror stories about what happens when casinos extend credit lines to gamblers.
Some of those stories related to Foxwoods â not the facility being built here but the one already operating in Connecticut. Foxwoods' owners, acording to work done by journalist and professor Jeff Benedict, had pursued gambling debts to the point of placing liens on the debtors' houses and appearing as creditors in foreclosure documents.
The idea that casinos â which, according to respected studies, make a disproportionately large amont of their profit from problem gamblers â would be acting as mini-banks for those very gamblers seeemed pretty disturbing.But the issue, i was told, was a red herring: because Pennsylvania doesn't allow casinos to extend credit to gamblers.
Apparntly, however, they're about to.
Both table games bills being considered â Senate bills SB711 and SB1033 â contain the following clause(1326A.b):
A certificate holder may make credit card advances and debit card withdrawals available to patrons at its licensed facility [ . . . ] A certificate holder may extend credit to patrons for the purpose of playing slot machines or table games.
This goes directly against the current law, which states, in unusually direct language, that:
Slot machine licencees may not extend credit. Slot machine licensees may not accept credit cards, charge cards or debit cards from a player for the exchange or purchase of slot machine credits or for an advance of coins or currency to be utilized by a player to play slot machine games or extend credit in any manner to a player so as to enable the player to play slot machines.
The Daily News recently called table games "a trojan horse," but mentioned the extension of credit only briefly. Other than that, this news has gone â as far as I can make out, anyway â virtually unreported.
The idea of this legislation being a trojan horse demands serious attention. Were table games really just a way to get previously-banned practices, like the extension of credit, into the slots parlors?
And why is no one talking about this? The difference between a casino that can lend money to its lots players and one that can't would seem pretty significant.
Yo Daveyboy, how about putting some facts behind your allegations. The only site I was ever band from was Fishtown.US and the reason for that is because I was constantly being attack by the pro-casino blogers who I constantly buried when debating casino issues. Now hereâs the difference between me and you, Daveyboy, I can back it up. Just go to there site http://fishtown.us/tracker and search their archives and see for yourself.
[...] Rendell says that he expects a clause in the pending table game legislation â one that would allow Pennsylvania casinos to extend credit to their customers, whether they're plaing table games or just slots â to die before reaching his [...]
Social comments and analytics for this post... This post was mentioned on Twitter by PhiladelphiaRSS: The Buried Lead: table games bills would extend credit to slots: On the face of it, the effort to intr.. http://bit.ly/1PZ5KQ...
Here is what Gov. Rendell and our legislators given our casino operators to seduce their prey. 24/7 gambling, Free booze, Check cashing, Smoking areas inside, Comping that makes many justify their losses and now with table games comes interest free Credit. Once more our House members will have another chance to save individuals and families in Pennsylvania from being destroyed by a compulsive casino addiction. All they have to do is vote YES this time for Rep. Clymer amendment on TABLE GAME legislation. His amendment will make our gaming operators, who already have in place with their REWARD/COMP CARDS a tracking system that enables them to send their patrons monthly statements showing their money and time spent gambling? This has been the only legislation put fort in our House and Senate since gaming passed that addresses the compulsive casino gambling problem before one has the problem. What I canât understand is why no anti-casino person or organization in Pennsylvania has yet to support me or Rep. Clymerâs efforts. Who knows how many individuals and families would be better off today if they were getting casino statements. You can help stop the casino casualties from hitting astronomical numbers by calling your state legislators and telling them you supporting Rep. Paul Clymer legislation to send monthly statements. To learn more about my credentials on this subject go on line and look up Bill Kearney on casino gambling or you can contact me @ billkearneycomped@hotmail.com
[...] the Inquirer's Jennifer Lin broke the news on a buried clause in a proposed amendment to the amazingly pernicious table games bill that would give Foxwoods yet another extension to get up and [...]
Bill Kearney has, in the past few years, been banned from numerous websites and blogs for threatening people. He has embarked on a journey of hatred, threats and intimidation. He claims to care about people, yet anyone who opposes his views are threatened. I am not really sure the anti casino people want him on their side.
I did do a search. Seems that you threatened someone on that website with violence. Bad enough that if you read, they were considering going to the police. So you were being "attacked" by the pro casino people huh? Enough that you had to threaten one with physical violence? A real class act you are. I saw nothing from the pro casino people that suggests an attack. You're and uneducated thug who resorts to physical violence when you dont get your way. You are a big baby.
As owner & primary moderator of fishtown.us, I would like to clarify that Bill was banned on my judgement call. It was not because of his views (I am strongly anti-casino), but because I judged some of his writings to violate the site's terms regarding interaction with other posters. I will not say anything more on that matter.
[...] It expands the powers of casinos to extend credit [...]
I can confirm what Mr David said. I have been threatened on 3 different occasions from Mr Kearny. While expressing the opposing views from his, he threatened me. It is not out of the ordinary for him to do this. He seems to be on a personal mission to "get back" at the casinos because he is very uneducated and was in his eyes taken advantage of by the casinos. Everyone knows that you cant win at a casino but the casinos hope that uneducated rubes suck as Mr Kearney wont realize that. His lack of intelligence shines through in all of his statements and postings on various website. They are full of inaccurate statements and have many grammatical and spelling errors. The true sign of a person with little intelligence.
Yo Carey, just out of curiosity I decided to google up your name and you know what I found on casino gambling or any subject, NOTHING. So my advice to you and the rest of the CASINO DOPES, before giving your opinions on compulsive casino gambling that you conjured up from a movie, magazine, book, seen on Dr. Phil/ Oprah TV, heard on the radio, or whatâs been discussed over a Starbucks Latte, go visit one. And the only reason you wonât debate me on this topic is because you know I will bury you. Now while you and the rest of the CASINO DOPES sit idol while individuals and their innocent families are being destroyed by the flaws in our Gaming Law, I will stay the course and I will welcome anyone of you and your loved ones aboard if this hideous addiction comes knocking at your door. Now go look for those âBALLSâ that you never had.
Yo Daveyboy, you can do better then attacking me personally? Itâs getting to the point where even the âCASINO DOPESâ are questioning your immature comments. Iâm not out to embarrass you, Iâm here to educate. Now letâs see you come back to debate and stay focused on the topic, which is the pros and cons of casino gambling. And you donât have to come back tonight, take your time, do some research and when you come back Iâll try my best not to bury you in the first round.
I refuse to get into a battle of wits with an unarmed man. Your posts both on here and everywhere else show numerous typos, grammatical errors and just plain funny mistakes. Not to mention that if I DID debate you, you would only threaten me as you have again and again with those who oppose you. But you keep on fighting the good fight sir. How has it worked out so far? Let's see hmmmmmmm NOTHING you have suggested was passed, NOTHING that you have tried to pass through as legislation was passed, NOTHING you are proposing has been adopted. In fact, NOTHING you have done has made any difference. Way to spend your time wisely. In the time you have wasted trying in vain to pass through your ridiculous ideas you could have done so much better for yourself and your community. Way to drop the ball.
As stated before it just wouldnt seem right or fair to get into a debate with you. You being as uneducated as you are. The win would be tainted. Would be like Ken Jennings playing Jessica Simpson in a game of Jeopardy. Casinos have been in Pittsburgh for about a year now. Show me the statistics of this "Armageddon" that should have befallen on this city. I am seeing no statistics to confirm what you said would happen. Of course you will probably have some excuse for that. I have been to casinos on many occasions. I used to live not 200 yards from one. Never got robbed, mugged anything else. According to you, I should have been mugged every time I stepped out of the house because the casino would have turned everyone into a criminal. But like I said, you keep on fighting your fight. WHen ONE, JUST ONE of your proposals is passed I will say you were right. Until then, your just a mope wasting your time and to be honest, tax payers money by testifying about your hare brained ideas. Your next ida should be to try to pass legislation that everyone quit using drugs and that drug dealers send home statements about drug purchases. Sound silly? Of course it does but it has as much chance of passing as your ideas.
Now this may be hard for a CASINO DOPE like you to comprehend, but Iâm not looking for trophies, pats on the backs, or any monetary benefit for my efforts. And if you want to be shallow, empty hearted, unconcerned and unwilling to help those individuals and their innocent families who will be destroyed by our casinos thatâs you prerogative. And when asked what have I accomplished I could give you a list of Pop Pops, Mom Moms, Husbands, Wives, Children, and Grandchildren whose lives they say have been change in a positive way because of my efforts. Or I could bring up that I am the only person in our state who has gotten a safeguard that address the compulsive casino gambling problem BEFORE one has the problem (CASINO MONTHLY STATEMENTS) put into legislation in our House and Senate in the last three sessions. Now itâs true that it was voted on three times in the House of Representatives as amendments and loss. As a matter of fact the first time it got voted on was back in 2006 when it was a Republican House and it got a split decision 99 YEA to 99 NAY. The other two times it lost by a narrow margin in a Pro-Gaming Democratic House. This legislation will be put for again this coming session and there is a good possibility that not only will we have a Republican Governor (Attorney General Tom Corbett) but also a Republican House. This will give me the edge I need to get it done. And I will say that my efforts way out performed by accomplishments, but at least Iâm trying. Now with that said, I will stay the course, and I will welcome anyone of you aboard if God forbid this hideous addiction comes knocking at your door. Click on these links and learn what a Philadelphia Inquirer columnist learned about those who now have a casino in their backyard. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20100307_Monica_Yant_Kinney__The_lifeblood_of_Parx_casino_in_Bucks_is_low-roller_locals.html http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/monica_yant_kinney/20100310_Monica_Yant_Kinney__What_problem_with_gambling_.html Click on the link bellow from FOX NEWS and you will see two videos, open the second one and listen to what John Myers says he lost last year in Philly Park casino and then you tell me our casino operators arenât âBREEDINGâ casino junkies. http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/121709_games-ready-to-begin-at-%27parx%27
This is why you are a poor debater. I asked you to show me the problems that in your opinion should have befallen Pittsburgh and for that matter any other city that has instituted casinos. You didnt. You just keep on spouting out your rhetoric. You legislation didnt pass. 99 to 99 is not passing. That means 99 were against it. As the casinos open up it will be less and less likely to pass as the tax money comes in because legislators will be more and more unlikely to pass your legislation when they are receiving money from the casinos. They will not be able to look a gift horse in the mouth. Also, the articles you are posting show nothing. They simply show what people are playing in the casinos. They dont tell anything else. YOu are saying that the casinos will change us all into zombies who are after comps and rob, steal and make violence against our fellow man for money to gamble with. Wouldnt it be much better to post articles that show how someone turned into a monster from the casinos??? This again, is why you are a poor debater. Im smarter than you Bill. Thats ok though. There are people smarter than me. There is ALWAYS someone smarter. But, you can always try to become better. With my help, you can. Just listen. Dont always talk and yell over people, LISTEN.
Part -1 Itâs way too early in the game, it took four years before I come clean after biting the casino apple. I know a lot of people smarter than me, but I donât known anyone who understands how this industry seduce itâs prey better than me. April, 29, 2004 - JEWISH CENTER LOST $400 GRAND Lisa Gordon, 35, and her husband, Christopher Gordon, 38, were arrested on April 27 and charged with conspiracy to commit theft and money laundering. The couple is accused of bilking more than $400,000 from the Ruth Hyman Jewish Community a township religious center. The investigation began more than a year ago, according to Robert Honecker, first assistant prosecutor. He said, "They gambled as âhigh rollersâ in Atlantic City, they were receiving comps [complimentary gifts] from the casino, so we [the investigators] began checking it out." They are being charged with second-degree offenses and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Source: Greater Media Newspapers May, 26, 2004 - Granny gets 4 years for stealing $1.2M from synagogue A federal jury convicted a 74-year-old bookkeeper on charges that she helped embezzle $1.2 million from a synagogue where she worked for almost 40 years. It'll be several years - if ever - before Betty Shusterman can gamble in Atlantic City, Vegas or the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut Prosecutors said. According to officials at Temple Sinai in Dresher, Pa., the money was taken from the synagogue to support her gambling habit. Source: Philadelphia Daily News January 12, 2005 - Embezzler receives 38-month sentence Michelle Y. Frazier will have no chance at parole for stealing $858,936 from Frankford Candy & Chocolate. The former payroll clerk for a Northeast Philadelphia family-owned candy company was sentenced yesterday to 38 months in prison for embezzling $858,936 and blowing it gambling in Atlantic City. Frazier, a 14-year-employee, created about 2,000 bogus payroll checks ranging from $200 to $500 for employees on vacation or leave. Defense attorney Ronald L. Greenblatt said Frazier's storyâs a "real tragedy," she hid her gambling addiction so well that neither co-workers nor her husband and two children knew about her problem. Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
Part - 2 Mar 27, 2005 - Gambling accountant gets 80 months. A Bucks County accountant who embezzled $7 million from his company to cover gambling debts has been sentenced to 80 months in prison. Stanley P. Szagola, 58, of Richboro, Pa. stole the money over five years while he served as controller at Schiller-Pfeiffer Inc., a Southampton company that makes gardening equipment. Szagola had spent company funds to pay off markers at Atlantic City casinos. Source: Philadelphia Inquirer May 26, 2005 - Executive seized in gambling embezzlement A top executive of a real estate settlement company was arrested yesterday in his home in Sicklerville; heâs accused of embezzling $2.6 million from his company and gambling it away in Atlantic City. Authorities believe David Angelo lost about $1.5 million in less than a week playing high-stakes blackjack at several casinos. They say he withdrew money from an escrow account to which he had access and was unable to return it. Source: Star-Ledger August 24, 2005 - Former administrator convicted of fraud The former administrator of a defunct suburban Pittsburgh nursing home was convicted Tuesday of health care fraud and other charges. Prosecutors accused Martha Bell, 59, of West Mifflin, of doctoring records to cover up defrauding Medicare and Medicaid out of more than $7 million from 1999 to 2003. During her trial, Bell testified that she had traveled to Atlantic City and gambled there but said she did not remember amounts of her wins and losses. In court papers, prosecutors said Bell traveled to the Taj Mahal 28 times between her indictment by a federal grand jury last August and the beginning of her trial in July. They said a Taj Mahal representative informed them that Bell lost more than $300,000 playing slot machines and other games there. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Very good. That was so much better. You didnt once stoop to insults or try to bash someone over the head with your opinions. Because of that, I read through the entire post. Now, can you provide me with a statistic that shows how many gamblers in a casino are problem gamblers? If there are 4 million people a year who visit casinos (I know that number is low) how many of them are problem gamblers? How many problem gamblers are there in the US?
Also, remember that your argument is that the problem is the comps that casinos hand out. Keep your points and argument on track by only showing how the comps negatively effect people. Those examples you gave me, only one mentions the comps. Since the comps are not mentioned in those articles, people start to believe that the people stated above are just irresponsible. Your argument is that the comps make people or at least contribute to the gambling addict. You have to show a cause and effect more efficiently. You cant just spout off instances of embezzlement with no mention of the comps and then expect the listener to connect the dots. You HAVE to show in a more concrete way how these comps contribute to the problem. If someone says "I didnt even get comps" and they were a gambling addict it may weaken your defense. Understand?
About the wonderful, very pleased to see this article, learn some things, and view the text is recognized. Thank you for sharing. At the same timei love Gambling-table very much !
Wow, this is too cool. I am very like it, Thank you for sharing, let me so happy! At the same time ,i love Gambling-table very much !
Ah, thank god for amusing blog comments for 5 am reads. But thanks also Isaiah for a good post all the way at the beginning.
Does anyone enforce the Law? Why is this company never questioned? How about taxpayers money for pool beneficiaries? Collaborate, is that a new word for buying the business? Is this considered Honest Fraud under the new Federal thinking that taxpayers would never approve? AmeriChoice is proud to collaborate with Mayor Nutterâs administration for the second consecutive year to help overcome the obstacles that could have resulted in the City closing its pools this summer,said Executive Director of Pennsylvania East AmeriChoice Ernie Monfiletto.Following the check presentation, AmeriChoice was presented with a health care Innovation Award by the National Association of Health Services Executives in recognition of its services to its Medicaid and Childrenâs Health Insurance (CHIP) members. Hey, and this is all on film with current and potential beneficiaries applauding. 2009 and 2010 $120,000 blatant inducements from your tax dollars for the protected Medicaid vendor. Philadelphia PA Mayor Nutter received two years in a row $60,000 checks to help keep open and operate the city swimming pools. These checks came from AmeriChoice Health and on the surface seems like fine gifts.Yet, they are Bribes non the less, these checks come from a company who receives all its money from the Federal Government as a vendor for Medicare Medicaid services is not allowed to offer bribes kickbacks and money gifts of any kind inducements in order to promote its share of the market place. This is not allowed as a use of your taxpayers dollars yet it happens.What will it really cost the City of Philadelphia to receive this money? Americhoice Health has a long history of corruption over the years yet seems to be protected by those who are responsible to over see their actions why is that? Inducement. Section 1128A(a)(5) of the Act bars the offering of remuneration to Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries where the person offering the remuneration knows or should know that the remuneration is likely to influence the beneficiary to order or receive items or services from a particular provider. The "should know" standard is met if a provider acts with deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard. No proof of specific intent is required. (See 42 CFR 1003.101.) Among its provisions, the anti-kickback statute penalizes anyone who knowingly and willfully solicits, receives, offers or pays remuneration in cash or in kind to induce, or in return for: A. Referring an individual to a person for the furnishing, or arranging for the furnishing, of any item or service payable under the Medicare or Medicaid program; or B. Purchasing, leasing or ordering , or arranging for or recommending purchasing, leasing or ordering, any goods, facility, service or item payable under the Medicare or Medicaid program. Violators are subject to criminal penalties, or exclusion from participation in the Medicare and Medicaid rograms, or both. A violation of the anti-kickback law is a felony offense that carries criminal fines of up to $25,000 per violation, imprisonment for up to five years and exclusion from government health care programs.The federal anti-kickback statute, 42 U.S.C.§ 1320a-7b(b), prohibits individuals or entities from knowingly and willfully offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid or any other federally funded program. For purposes of the anti-kickback statute, "remuneration" includes the transfer of anything of value, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in-kind If this were any one person they would be in jail now, if the FBI were called in on this matter they would be in jail now, if the IRS were notified they would be in jail now. Since all Ameri-Choice checks come from the United Health's home office they should be held equally responsible for any bribes, kickbacks, Stark, Fraud and inducements violations that have occured. Federal and State Governments have developed such a depended position with this company that laws and rules no longer apply for them.This role is nothing new for the AmeriChoice people and its been going on for years, look at some of the prior news articles that date back for years only now they can afford to hire the best of Law firms and give the most for Political contributations all on the back of the taxpayer.
Another Medicaid Fraud Scheme Kickback to Doctors for referrals. Welcome to AmeriChoice of Pennsylvania On behalf of AmeriChoice of Pennsylvania, I would like to welcome you as a participating provider in our Medicaid and Childrenâs Health Insurance Program (CHIP) products. We are committed to working with you and your staff to achieve the best possible outcomes for our members. This welcome kit contains valuable information about important contacts, policies, procedures and services to help you to conduct business with us as efficiently as possible. For easy navigation through the kit components, you can click on each link in the Table of Contents, which will bring you directly to that section. You can also download the Physician, Health Care Professional, Facility and Ancillary Administrative Guide by logging on to www.americhoice.com . This is a comprehensive reference source for the information you and your staff need regarding claims, benefits, prior authorization, medical management and other plan components. Again, we are pleased that you are one of our participating providers delivering quality care to our members. If you have any questions about your participation with AmeriChoice, or need a printed copy of this welcome kit, please call the Provider Service Helpline at 1-800-345-3627. Sincerely, Ernest Monfiletto Pennsylvania-East, Chief Executive Officer AmeriChoice of Pennsylvania AmeriChoice Provider Welcome Kit This chart identifies bonus payments available to you, in addition to your regular payments, for compliance with HEDIS measures as defined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). For more information, call Jessica Anglin at 215-832-4590. AmeriChoice Provider Welcome Kit This chart identifies bonus payments available to you, in addition to your regular payments, for compliance with HEDIS measures as defined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). For more information, call Jessica Anglin at 215-832-4590. Provider Incentives Measure Requirements AmeriChoice Will Available Referrals Adolescent Well-Care ⢠Provider Incentive:$100/4th qtr 2008 only;$50/visit all other months ⢠Member Incentive: 2 movie tickets Ages 12â21 years ⢠Well-care visit ⢠Physical exam ⢠History of health & development ⢠Education & guidance ⢠Call members ⢠Offer auto messaging for providers ⢠Mail reminders ⢠Provide member list with addresses and phone numbers ⢠Provide EPSDT grid Healthy First Steps® (HFS) 877-651-6667 Lead Screening ⢠Provider Incentive: $15/submitted test ⢠Member Incentive:$15 VISA gift card ⢠Documented levels ⢠9-19 months and <3rd birthday ⢠Call members ⢠Provide Case Management for elevated levels ⢠Offer auto messaging for providers ⢠Provide member list with addresses and phone numbers ⢠Provide MEDTOX in-office testing MEDTOX 877-725-7241 Healthy First Steps (HFS) 877-651-6667 Childhood Immunizations All immunizations ⢠Call members ⢠Mail reminders ⢠Review registry for Philadelphia County ⢠Offer uto messaging for providers ⢠Provide EPSDT grid Healthy First Steps (HFS) 877-651-6667 BMI Ages 2-20 years Documentation in chart ⢠Offer auto messaging for providers ⢠Offer BMI wheel Healthy First Steps (HFS) 877-651-6667 Dental Screenings Ages 2-20 years ⢠Mail reminders ⢠Call members ⢠Offer auto messaging for providers Healthy First Steps (HFS) 877-651-6667 Case Management 877-651-6667 Asthma Ages 5-56 years ⢠Identify as having persistent asthma ⢠At least one Rx ⢠Preferred asthma therapy education⢠Create member medication profiles ⢠Call members ⢠Provide Case Management referrals ⢠Offer LifeLink Case Management 877-651-6667 AmeriChoice Provider Welcome Kit Pa Measure Requirements AmeriChoice Will Available Referrals Breast Cancer ⢠Member Incentive: $50 VISA gift card Mammogram Females, Ages 40-69 years ⢠Call members ⢠Mail reminders ⢠Offer auto messaging for providers ⢠Assist in locating providers and scheduling appointments ⢠Assist with ransportation QM Coordinator 215-832-4524 Case Management 877-651-6667 Cervical Cancer Screening (PAP) ⢠Member Incentive: $25 VISA gift card Females, Ages 21-64 years ⢠Call members ⢠Mail reminders ⢠Offer auto messaging for providers ⢠Assist in locating providers and scheduling appointments ⢠Assist with transportation QM Coordinator 215-832-4524 (to help schedule) Case Management 877-651-6667 Diabetes Care Provider Incentive: ⢠Phase 1: Completed E and M visit ($100.00) and completed Cholesterol and HbA1C Screening ⢠Phase 2: Diabetes managed â ($150.00); Cholesterol below 100 mg; HbA1c below 9 Ages 18-75 ⢠HbA1C testing and documentation <9 ⢠LDL screening and documentation <100 mg/dL) ⢠Retinal eye exam performed ⢠Blood pressure control ⢠(<140/90 mm Hg) ⢠Nephropathy screening test Urine macroalbumin â¡ Visit to nephrologist â¡ Treatment for nephropathy â¡ Therapy with ACE inhibitor/ARBs ⢠Call members ⢠Mail reminders ⢠Provide Case Management ⢠Offer auto messaging for providers Case Management 877-651-6667 Frequency of Ongoing Prenatal Care ⢠Provider ncentive: $250 for completed prenatal intake form ⢠Submission of completed prenatal intake form by provider ⢠FAX to AmeriChoice HFS at 215-832-4986 ⢠Provide Case Management Healthy First Steps (HFS) 877-651-6667 ER Diversion ⢠Decrease overutilization of ER services for non-urgent diagnosis ⢠Call members ⢠Provide Case Management Case Management 877-651-6667
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| Hoodie | Birdland/The Fightins |
| Beat NY: What they can't buy, we're gonna take |
Running a little behind on this, but tell us who's gonna win the World Series and how:
Pedro Martinez will be the key to this Series. The man is a warrior cut from the same cloth as Bob Gibson (there's a reason he wears #45). As Pedro goes, so goes this Series.
Phils in 5, Jayson Werth MVP.
Yesterday our own contributing sports editor E. James Beale sat down with Daily News sports editor Josh Barnett on Marty Moss-Coane's Radio Times to talk about the World Series. Listen below.
[audio:http://stream.citypaper.net/music/radio_times-10-27-09.mp3]
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| Philly Boy Roy, in his natural habitat |
Last night, in the early moments of The Best Show on WFMU, PBR made a bold prediction: It will only take one game for nem Phightens to humiliate nem Yankees and win the World Series.
This led to a very improbable bet between the showâs host Tom Scharpling of Newbridge, North Jersey and Philly Boy Roy Ziegler of Roxborough.
Also discussed in this clip:
- Lipstick City, Barney Miller and Raul Ibanez guitars
- The appropriate age to begin dropping the F-bomb
- The Cin-A-Bon/milkshake deathwish
- Spinal Tap, Drum Power and WaWa Records
- An army tank driving through a lake of fudge pudding
- The time Peter killed a grip on the set of the Brady Bunch
- Whether pimpinâ is easy or not
- Whether itâs OK to put Peanut Chews into piñatas
- Whose bathroom area hurts
[audio:http://stream.citypaper.net/music/phillyboyroy_phillies.mp3]
Big victory in Game 1 proves Philly Boy is Nostradamus. I'm displaying my "Roy Ziegler has a posse" sticker prominently.
No daydreaming about the Flyers during the games, Rapa, or it's a cannon full of cheesesteaks to the face!
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As if one Phillies song - last week's blast from NeeKo, "Ill State of Mind" - wasn't enough, here's one that's one that's a little more sporty: "Unstoppable" from Guerilladelphia.
[audio:http://stream.citypaper.net/music/UNSTOPPABLE.mp3]
Guerilladelphia, made up of Don McCloskey, Chuck Treece (Bad Brains, McRad) and Tom Spiker (Kellis) came into effect after McCloskey watched the Phils beat the Colorado Rockies in the first round of the playoffs, then called Treece and Spiker to record what heâd written.
And then the real work began.
- Like phone calls to out-of-town Philadelphia natives G. Love and Kufie (in Boston at the time, they added vocal and harmonica tracks).
- Getting Jay Davidson, Larry Toft and Patrick Hughes to add horn parts
- Playing a raw demo at the North Bowl and snagging Phil Nicolo to mix the victory track.
That teamworkâs even better than what you see on the field. Get it for free at guerrilladelphia.com.
Absolutely amazing,i love the "Roots" and "Rage Against the Machine" style of hip hop flow,do they have a cd?
[...] listen to Guerrilladelphia a few times in a row. You’ll be ready [...]
We wholeheartedly endorse any zeitgeist-riding/meme-fucking that involves turning Kurt Vile's "Freak Train" into a paean to Carlos Ruiz. Extra credit for the Matador/Black Taco logo mashup.
(h/t Jon Solomon)
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