New Eve thinking

hmmmm tonight is the last night of year 2008.

Flash back what I have got in this year, I have to be very appreciative.

It is the first year of our marriage and everything is very right. I feel so lucky to have him, a man with wisdom, kind heart and especially sense of humor as my life partner. Though sometimes I spent too much time on my blog and forgot to cook in time, he still thinks no big deal. :P

I have my family visiting me this summer and it has become very unique memories in life. No matter east coast, southwest or west coast, the big nature and city charms all brought us enjoyment and surprises.

Also got luck to know some friends in D.C. area. They are all very nice and each one with different life story and character. We don't know for how long we are able to get together, but the friendship will gonna live for a long long time.

Good bye, year 2008 and you have been very special to me in my life. Wish all the best to my beloved family and friends.

Happy New Eve to all.

My favorite desesrt: Rice Pudding (Arroz con leche)

I usually do not like sweets too much but if you ask me what is my favorite dessert, I would say: Rice pudding ("arroz con leche" in Spanish).

When I traveled to Spain, I always ordered this dessert in restaurants and try it cool. It is a very delicious dessert especially for summer time.

So I checked out recipes on internet and found this one: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001427rice_pudding.php

This afternoon I tried to make it the first time and it really needed some patience to stir the rice continuously, at least for 30 mins. The result was not bad at all and my husband ate the half of it before I put it into the frig. He said it is delicious and very healthy and good for our future kids.

As to my judgment, I think it is too thick and maybe don't need the whole milk but half milk will be good enough with less rice. And though I cooked with the time instructed in the recipe, I feel next time should cook with a bit more time to let rice softer for a better taste.

Well, it is very easy to make and I believe I'll make it very often from now on.

I'm so proud of you, hon.

We spent great time in Christmas holiday. Especially my husband cooked delicious steak and spaghetti to celebrate.

Let's sing Christmas Songs

After saying so much Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday, let us enjoy some Christmas songs together.



This one is what I like most after staying at Spain for a few years. It is written and sung by Puerto Rican singer José Feliciano.



And this is my husband's favorite Christmas song - It is the most wonderful time of the year, sung by Andy Williams. My husband sings it a lot when he feels Christmas.

Everyone must have his/her favorite Christmas song, do you have any to share?

I like what it's said in the greeting of my friend Sabine:

"May these days of peace and contemplation give you the time to look back on this year's work, savor your accomplishments and regain your strength for the New Year."

And if you still with a heart of child, go to check Santa Claus' location.
http://www.noradsanta.org/en/home.html

Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

I just found this on the net:
A Christmas Story: A free audio e-book for you!

You may download the whole book with audio or choose the lite version with audio on line.

My best way is just listen to the story on line and you don't need to download anything.

http://www.english4today.com/e-books/christmascarol/contents.htm

Go to the above link and just click on it, then you could enjoy the wonderful story of Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol.

For our Christmas Eve, we already decided to watch this classic movie to spend our cozy night.

Christmas is coming...

Get ready for the Christmas?

1.99 is a record-breaking gas price

My Goodness. The gas price has reached $1.99 per gallon now.

I don't know what to say but I have to put it into my record.

And if it keeps dropping to $1, then it will be my life time big shock for sure.

Learning Pakistani Food Cooking

This is such an unique experience for us learning how to cook Pakistani Food.

After we experienced several middle eastern restaurants, we fell in love with this exotic and healthy cooking style.

So this weekend my husband invited his best friends to our humble home and L, who is Pakistani, taught us to cook the delicious food.

Actually there were 2 dishes and rice. We didn't have much space on our modest table, so there was only one plate on the photo. It is called cholay with ingredients like tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, chickpeas and three kinds of spices: Coriander Powder, Cumin Seed Powder, Chili Powder.

After we tried the first bite, Oh My God! It was so fresh and delicious. We loved it and ate with great pleasure and appreciation. Thanks, L for teaching us cook this fantastic plate. And luckily they did not care that I was actually with a cold. :P

And amazingly I saw the first snow of this year while we were enjoying a cheerful dinner with friends.

Eating Organics

I just read International Herald Tribune and there is an article getting my attention.

Dr. Alan Greene, a pediatrician and author in Danville, California, decided to eaten nothing but organic foods for three years to find out the impact on human body.

Why 3 years? The reason is "that was the amount of time it took to have a breeding animal certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

"Organic farmers don't use conventional methods to fertilize the soil, control weeds and pests, or prevent disease in livestock. Organic methods often lead to higher costs, and consumers can pay twice as much for organic foods as for conventional products."

Dr. Alan Greene said: "If you don't eat meat at every meal, if meat becomes more of a side dish than a centerpiece, you can fill the plate with healthy organic food for about the same price."

Hey that is so true and hopefully inspiring to us people to think about what to eat is what we will become.

The report indicates that: "Greene said he was inspired to go all-organic after talking to a dairy farmer who noted that livestock got sick less after a switch to organic practices. He wondered if becoming 100 percent organic might improve his own health. Three years later, he says he has more energy and wakes up earlier."

In Dr. Greene's latest book, "he advocates a "strategic" approach, urging parents to insist on organic versions of a few main foods, like milk, potatoes, apples and baby food."

Seriously, that is something that we need to put into our considerations.

note: the original article: One man's 3-year experiment in eating organic food - all the time ->
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/04/healthscience/snparker.php

Turkey Recipe from Christine

This year we are not having Thanksgiving holiday at home but following our tradition of years: go traveling. We'll travel to Dover/Delaware, Atlantic City/New Jersey, Princeton University, The Barnes Foundation/Pennsylvania.

However, my dear friend Christine gave me this turkey recipe for the future need.

Attention: If you buy turkey from supermarket, it is frozen. You have to buy 2 days earlier. One day for defrost, and one day for the herb/beer to sit long enough.

1. bath turkey with beer for around two hours (don't put too much beer otherwise the turkey will lose juice in the beer. You can adjust the beer by your own judgment. There is no strict rule.)

2. rubbing salt & pepper inside/outside

3. put herbs such as rosemary etc. inside the stomach & put the turkey over nite

4. Then before you cook it, boil the butter, not too hot, just warm

5. Pour lemon juice into melted butter. Brush all over the chicken. (Since lemon will burn/cook the meat, only brush it before cooking. Lemon is good for chicken/seafood. Remember, only put lemon before you cook.)

6. The more butter you put, the more delicious the turkey tastes. (But we don't want our hubbies die in heart disease...)

7. Seal the tray with aluminum foil and cook per the time instructed

8. Unveil the foil, brush the butter once in a while (inside the oven) to keep the skin look nice

reference site: http://www.the-perfect-turkey.com/how-long-to-cook-a-turkey.html

All right, though I don't know which year I'll use it for cooking turkey, but Christine, my friend, many thanks for your generous recipe that I will use it for sure some day in the future.

Happy thanksgiving to everyone!!!

Food deflation

Last Sun. we passed by Wendy's and saw the 99 cents promotion hamburger deal.
No kidding. 99 cents!!!

Just in another corner, Boston market offers $1.99 for whole chicken if you buy a family package.
Wow, that is amazing to know food price has been deflated that much. And it's obvious that the business is really facing a severe challenge in this recession.

However we'll never dare to try them. Who knows what kind of meat they use? :P

Gas price drops below $2.5

Today the gas price drops below $2.5 per gallon. That is really unbelievable to us.

It was only a few months back that gas was almost $5, and now it may go even lower.

When gas price was high, we noticed that people were driving less but now it seems that the traffic is picking up again.

Anyway, it is a good news for us to drive to northeast coast in the coming Thanksgiving though. :)

Pride and Prejudice - Political Chapter

2008, an important election year for many countries.

In the long process of debates and arguments, each party holding their believes for their candidate and sometimes irrational.

While we discussing who should we vote and how to make the decision, I cannot agree more to my husband's comment: people should not always vote for the only political party they believe but see the policies of each candidate to decide whom to vote every time.

Though I agree with him, I cannot help to think how did I decide to vote in those years in Taiwan. Can I really choose rationally not because of the color of the party flag?

Now looking back, I am glad that I didn't vote for Chen who might be a good lawyer, election speaker and promoter, city mayor, but not an integral man that requires courage and judgment. That is why he was corrupted totally by the total power he gained during his presidency.

Now Chen Yunlin, the China counterpart of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) visiting Taiwan and the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) protests accusing President Ma of selling out to the Chinese. Some violent bleeding happened during the demonstration.

Friends told me they are so tired of these news making them very upset. The instability definitely shakes the foundation of society and turbulence people's mind. When Pride and Prejudice come and take over people's ration, all we see are comedies, one after another.

In USA, after Obama being elected as the next President, it is a huge step for African Americans undoubtedly. However, it is still long way to go to let racist problem really being abolished on this land.

Baby Boomer politicians will stick with what they believe but they will fade away. The society and the future is for the young generation. Same as for my hometown, if education cannot give people logics of thinking, independent judgment, then sadly the next generation will need to live with the consequences caused by their indulgent pride and prejudice.

Go to play FREE RICE to help end hunger

"For each answer you get right, we donate 20 grains of rice through the UN World Food Program to help end hunger." ~ Free Rice website

http://freerice.com/index.php

FreeRice has two goals:

1. Provide education to everyone for free.
2. Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

Go! Go! Go! And PLAY!!!

So far I have tried 7 categories:

1. I started with English vocabulary, I was not doing very well and sometimes asked the help of my husband, so very soon I skip it to the next one.

2. Spanish vocabulary: Oh My God! That is so easy and within a few minutes I reached to the highest level (level 10).

3. Famous Paintings: I thought I am good but it is more difficult than I imagined. I went up to level 6 and then down to level 2 by guessing wrong some unfamiliar works for me. After half an hour or more, I finally got to level 8 when I really felt exhausted by that. However, I enjoyed it as well, so I will come back to train myself on this subject later.

4. World Capitals: I am good in Europe and Latin America but quite bad in Southeast, Africa and Middle East. And after a while I lost the interest and moved to the next one.

5. Identify countries on the map: this is fun but frankly speaking I have a lot to learn on this too. hahaha

6. Mathematics Multiplication table: Oh My God. This is totally designed for 10 years old kid. So if you are not good at all the above subjects, go to this one and it definitely will help a lot with high speed to get tons of rice to help end the hunger.

7. English grammar is a easy one too though I missed some grammatical details when did the answers.

And today my contribution to that is 12420 grains of rice!

You may go to "options" to Remember my personal rice donation total from the last time I played when I start FreeRice.

This is an awesome website to play, learn and to help. Hope everybody enjoys it.

Why need art?

"I have used these things to say what is to me the wideness and wonder of the world as I live in it." ~ Georgia O'Keeffe

"Art is both love and friendship, and understanding of the desire to give. It is not charity which is the giving of things, it is more than kindness, which is the giving of self. It is both the taking and giving of beauty, the turning out to the light the inner folds of the awareness of the spirit. It is art - something said about something felt." ~ Ansel Adams

What is art to you?

The above is what I read in an Youth Guide of The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Lately a TV program indicated that nowadays Americans become ruder than before. I was surprised to know though but my husband later commented that it is true, esp the youth generation.

I think it is a perception question to define what is "rude" to you at the first place.

Is it rude that people typing an email while talking to you on phone?
Is it rude that people stealing your parking lot?
Is it rude to gossip behind others' back?
Is it rude to interrupt a conversation while your cell phone rings?
Is it rude to sit wherever you want in a restaurant disregard waiter's instruction at a busy night?
Is it rude to steal the food in company's refrigerator?
Is it rude to let your dog poo or pee on the neighbors' lawns?
Is it rude to not tip 15% to 20% in a restaurant?
Is it rude to ask people how much money you make?
Is it rude to ask how much money people spend every month?

I think some questions' answers would vary depend on the interaction with each different person and the relationship you both have with each other.

What does this have to do with art?

Definitely there is a strong connection from my viewpoint.
Do you see rude people more in a museum or in a parking lot? :D
Why people change behaviors when they attend to an art venue?

What is art to you?

For me, art is the beauty presented in different creative ways and it also purifies human being's mind.

Do we want a rude world or not? Do we need art?!

Global Carbon Emissions by Country

1. USA: 1,650,020
2. China: 1,366,554
3. Russia: 415,951
4. India: 366,301
5. Japan: 343,117
6. Germany: 220,596
7. Canada: 174,401
8. UK: 160,179
9. South Korea: 127,007
10. Italy: 122,726
11. Mexico: 119,473
12. South Africa: 119,203
13. Iran: 118,259
14. Indonesia: 103,170
15. France: 101,927

Source: U.S. Energy Department's Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, 2004

LHC & Higgs boson

This morning just after I woke up and turned on my laptop, I saw my google logo popped out with LHC. Haha That is really awesome and creative.

Later on my husband told me he found a news about Stephen Hawking bets against Large Hadron Collider's success. He thinks the machine won't succeed in one of its big goals: finding the very mysterious Higgs boson but might find superpartner particles though.

I found the news amusing enough to start a good day. Will the world end soon? Who cares.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Monona Terrace

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center is in Madison, Wisconsin, very close to the State Capitol and facing the Monona Lake.
Such a great spot for residents, travelers to take some rest and enjoy a fantastic lake view.

I visited every day while we stayed at Madison. No matter reading, writing, eating or doing nothing, it is a very welcoming center for me in the city.

I never imagined that Madison is such a quiet and neat place. My limited knowledge to Wisconsin was only their dairy business thanks to the TV series "Spin City". Hahaha

Frank Lloyd Wright was born here in Wisconsin and has become the best well-known master of the American modern architecture. This is the 3rd design of Wright that I've seen after Guggenheim and Falling Water. I do not know much about architecture but his design is really inspiring as how he balanced what he creates with the big nature. I'm very looking forward to seeing more works of his in Chicago Oak Park.

Best Colleges 2009

Today there comes out the best colleges 2009 ranking: Though it is not necessarily the golden rule but good reference for young generation.

1. Harvard University, tuition $36,173, acceptance rate 9%
2. Princeton University, tuition $34,290, acceptance rate 10%
3. Yale, tuition $35,300, acceptance rate 10%
4. MIT, tuition $36,390, acceptance rate 12%
4. Stanford University, tuition $36,030, acceptance rate 10%
6. Caltech, tuition $34,437, acceptance rate 17%
6. University of Pennsylvania, tuition $37,526, acceptance rate 16%
8. Columbia University, tuition $39,326, acceptance rate 11%
8. Duke University, tuition $37,525, acceptance rate 23%
8. University of Chicago, tuition $37,632, acceptance rate 35%
11. Dartmouth College, tuition $36,915, acceptance rate 15%
12. Northwestern University, tuition $37,125, acceptance rate 27%
12. Washington University in St Louis, tuition $37,248, acceptance rate 17%
14. Cornell University, tuition $36,504, acceptance rate 21%
15. Johns Hopkins University, tuition $37,700, acceptance rate 24%
16. Brown University, tuition $37,718, acceptance rate 14%
17. Rice University, tuition $28,996, acceptance rate 25%
18. Emory University, tuition $36,336, acceptance rate 27%
18. University of Notre Dame, tuition $36,847, acceptance rate 24%
18. Vanderbilt University, tuition $37,005, acceptance rate 33%
21. University of California - Berkeley, tuition (in-state $8,932, out of state $29,540), acceptance rate 23%
22. Carnegie Mellon University, tuition $38,844, acceptance rate 28%
23. Georgetown University, tuition $38,122, acceptance rate 21%
23. University of Virginia, (in-state $9,300, out of state $29,600), acceptance rate 35%
25. University of California - Los Angeles, (in-state $7,034, out of state $26,102), acceptance rate 24%
26. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, (in-state $11,111, out of state $32,401), acceptance rate 50%
27. University of Southern California, tuition $37,740, acceptance rate 25%
28. Tufts University, tuition $38,840, acceptance rate 27%
28. Wake Forest University, tuition $36,975, acceptance rate 42%
30. University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, tuition $37,372, acceptance rate 35%

33. New York University, tuition $22,294, acceptance rate 37%
34. Boston College, tuition $37,950, acceptance rate 27%
35. University of Wisconsin - Madison, (in-state $7,568, out of state $21,818), acceptance rate 56%

41. University of Washington, (in-state $6,802, out of state $23,219), acceptance rate 65%

44. University of California - Davis, (in-state $8,635, out of state $28,656), acceptance rate 59%

47. University of Texas - Austin, (in-state $8,130, out of state $25,722), acceptance rate 51%

53. George Washington University, tuition $38,530, acceptance rate 37%
53. University of Maryland - College Park, (in-state $8,005, out of state $23,076), acceptance rate 47%

56. University of Ohio - Columbus, (in-state $8,679, out of state $21,918), acceptance rate 59%

71. Virginia Tech, (in-state $7,397, out of state $19,605), acceptance rate 67%

80. St Louis University, tuition $30,728, acceptance rate 80%

83. American University, tuition $33,283, acceptance rate 53%

96. University of Arizona, (in-state $5,542, out of state $18,676), acceptance rate 80%

102. Howard University, tuition $14,685, acceptance rate 54%
102. Illinois Institute of Technology, tuition $27,513, acceptance rate 57%

Comcast finally agree to refund us $150

This morning Comcast called and after 20 minutes talking with my husband, Comcast finally agreed to refund us the $150 they overcharged us half year ago.

The long long story started Sept, 2007 when we just moved in the new apartment and saw the website promotion deal and we signed for it but after month, we found the amount of bill was not correct, then we unsubscribed it after 3 months and hence starting the complaints to Comcast.

Why Comcast finally agreed to refund today but not earlier? The truth is that Comcast sent their service team to negotiate with us but not successfully. After they took the Comcast box back from us, my husband sued the case to Better Business Bureau. After a few while, BBB responded us with Comcast's answer and asked us if we are not satisfied with their answer, need to raise it up within 10 days. So we did and did it three times because "we don't have the record" or "we cannot locate the customer" didn't appear the right direction for the solution, not even close.

After a while BBB sent us an email saying: unfortunately you are still not satisfied with service of the provider's answer...etc. Sounds like not much progress... At the end my husband would only want Comcast to get a ticket for what they did to customers, nothing more to expect.

Today Comcast management team called and finally they said they will send us $150 check to compensate the extra charge done to us. Seems finally Comcast management team do not want to see a customer complaint listed in their record for too long. Good that my husband insists on what he thinks needs to be done.

Ten Schools

I read an article of a magazine and they talk about the best 10 Boarding Schools in USA:

1. Choate Rosemary Hall: Connecticut
2. Deerfield Academy: Massachusetts
3. The Hill School: Pennsylvania
4. The Hotchkiss School: Connecticut
5. The Lawrenceville School: New Jersey
6. The Loomis Chaffee School: Connecticut
7. Phillips Academy: Massachusetts
8. Phillips Exeter Academy: New Hampshire
9. St. Paul's School: New Hampshire
10. The Taft School: Connecticut

Connecticut has 4, Massachusetts 2, New Hampshire 2, New Jersey 1, Pennsylvania 1.

They are schools that the rich families would send their children to study. :)

Midwest Trip Part I

View Larger Map

Where is Midwest of USA?
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Missouri!

We have the luck to drive through cities like Indianapolis of Indiana State, Saint Louis of Missouri and Columbus of Ohio in the beginning of June. And in the end of August, we'll go visit Milwaukee and Madison of Wisconsin & Chicago of Illinois.

So ready for the coming trips

Ahhhhhhhhh.... I got my driving license yesterday. So lucky to get it at my first time road test. And all this I need to thank for my super husband who coached me with immense patience for the parallel parking and also encouraged me that I definitely would make it. :D

Now I'm preparing everything for the coming two trips in this summer:

The first one will be our trip to Fallingwater/Pennsylvania, Indianapolis/Indiana, St. Louis/Missouri, Louisville/Kentucky, Cincinnatti & Columbus/Ohio from 5/31 to 6/8. I'm totally excited about all these places because it's not the touristic spots that everyone would go and see. Maybe could be not so exciting compared to big cities like NYC, SF, DC, LA, but I'm eager to experience all the charms and difference among them.

The second one will be more complicate and longer. I'll go to NYC on 6/14 to meet my mom, sister and little niece and then we'll spend one week in NYC and Boston before back to DC. I'll take them to see DC downtown, Annapolis, Baltimore and then fly to New Mexico on 7/1. OLE!

Grand Canyon, White Sands National Park, Santa Fe, Taos, Vegas, L.A..... unbelievable great places to enjoy this summer with my family.

Now my heart is flying already.... Oh, I so love it. :D

USA health insurance plans

There are three basic types of managed care health insurance plans: (1) HMOs, (2) PPOs, and (3) POS plans.

HMOs
A health maintenance organization (HMO) is a type of managed healthcare system. HMOs, and their close cousins, preferred provider organizations (PPOs), share the goal of reducing healthcare costs by focusing on preventative care and implementing utilization management controls.

Unlike many traditional insurers, HMOs do not merely provide financing for medical care. The HMO actually delivers the treatment as well. Doctors, hospitals, and insurers all participate in the business arrangement known as an HMO.

HMOs provide medical treatment on a prepaid basis, which means that HMO members pay a fixed monthly fee, regardless of how much medical care is needed in a given month. In return for this fee, most HMOs provide a wide variety of medical services, from office visits to hospitalization and surgery. With a few exceptions, HMO members must receive their medical treatment from physicians and facilities within the HMO network. The size of this network varies depending on the individual HMO.

When you join an HMO, you choose a primary care physician (PCP) who is your first contact for all medical care needs. The primary care physician provides your general medical care and must be consulted before you can see a specialist. Because of this control system, HMO costs tend to increase less rapidly than other insurance plans.

Advantages of HMOs
Low out-of-pocket costs
With most types of insurance, you are responsible for paying a percentage of the bill every time you receive medical care. Additionally, there may be a deductible that must be met before insurance starts picking up the tab. In contrast, HMO members pay a fixed monthly fee, regardless of how much medical care is needed in a given month. Instead of deductibles, HMOs often have nominal co-payments.

Focus on wellness and preventative care
By reducing out-of-pocket costs and paperwork, HMOs encourage members to seek medical treatment early, before health problems become severe. Additionally, many HMOs offer health education classes and discounted health club memberships.

Typically no lifetime maximum payout
Unlike most health insurance plans, HMOs generally do not place a limit on your lifetime benefits. The HMO will continue to cover your treatment as long as you are a member.

Disadvantages of HMOs
Tight controls can make it more difficult to get specialized care
As an HMO member, you must choose a primary care physician (PCP). Your PCP provides your general medical care and must be consulted before you seek care from another physician or specialist. This screening process helps to reduce costs both for the HMO and for HMO members, but it can also lead to complications if your PCP doesn't provide the referral you need.

Care from non-HMO providers generally not covered
Except for emergencies occurring outside the HMO's treatment area, HMO members are required to obtain all treatment from HMO physicians. The HMO will not pay for non-emergency care provided by a non-HMO physician. Additionally, there may be a strict definition of what constitutes an emergency.

PPOs
Like an HMO, a preferred provider organization (PPO) is a managed healthcare system. However, there are several important differences between HMOs and PPOs.

A PPO is actually a group of doctors and/or hospitals that provides medical service only to a specific group or association. The PPO may be sponsored by a particular insurance company, by one or more employers, or by some other type of organization. PPO physicians provide medical services to the policyholders, employees, or members of the sponsor(s) at discounted rates and may set up utilization control programs to help reduce the cost of medical care. In return, the sponsor(s) attempts to increase patient volume by creating an incentive for employees or policyholders to use the physicians and facilities within the PPO network.

Rather than prepaying for medical care, PPO members pay for services as they are rendered. The PPO sponsor (employer or insurance company) generally reimburses the member for the cost of the treatment, less any co-payment percentage. In some cases, the physician may submit the bill directly to the insurance company for payment. The insurer then pays the covered amount directly to the healthcare provider, and the member pays his or her co-payment amount. The price for each type of service is negotiated in advance by the healthcare providers and the PPO sponsor(s).

Advantages of PPOs
Free choice of healthcare provider
PPO members are not required to seek care from PPO physicians. However, there is generally strong financial incentive to do so. For example, members may receive 90% reimbursement for care obtained from network physicians but only 60% for non-network treatment. In order to avoid paying an additional 30% out of their own pockets, most PPO members choose to receive their healthcare within the PPO network.

Out-of-pocket costs generally limited
Healthcare costs paid out of your own pocket (e.g., deductibles and co-payments) are limited. Typically, out-of-pocket costs for network care are limited to $1,200 for individuals and $2,100 for families. Out-of-pocket costs for non-network treatment are typically capped at $2,000 for individuals and $3,500 for families.

Disadvantages of PPOs
Less coverage for treatment provided by non-PPO physicians
As mentioned previously, there is a strong financial incentive to use PPO network physicians. For example, members may receive 90% reimbursement for care obtained from network physicians but only 60% for treatment provided by non-network physicians. Thus, if your longtime family doctor is outside of the PPO network, you may choose to continue seeing her, but it will cost you more.

More paperwork and expenses than HMOs
As a PPO member, you may have to fill out paperwork in order to be reimbursed for your medical treatment. Additionally, most PPOs have larger co-payment amounts than HMOs, and you may be required to meet a deductible.

POS plans
A Point of Service (POS) plan is a type of managed healthcare system that combines characteristics of the HMO and the PPO. Like an HMO, you pay no deductible and usually only a minimal co-payment when you use a healthcare provider within your network. You also must choose a primary care physician who is responsible for all referrals within the POS network. If you choose to go outside the network for healthcare, POS coverage functions more like a PPO. You will likely be subject to a deductible (around $300 for an individual or $600 for a family), and your co-payment will be a substantial percentage of the physician's charges (usually 30-40%).

Advantages of POS plans
Maximum freedom
POS coverage allows you to maximize your freedom of choice. Like a PPO, you can mix the types of care you receive. For example, your child could continue to see his pediatrician who is not in the network, while you receive the rest of your healthcare from network providers. This freedom of choice encourages you to use network providers but does not require it, as with HMO coverage.

Minimal co-payment
As with HMO coverage, you pay only a nominal amount for network care. Usually, your co-payment is around $10 per treatment or office visit. Unlike HMO coverage, however, you always retain the right to seek care outside the network at a lower level of coverage.

No deductible
When you choose to use network providers, there is generally no deductible. Thus, coverage begins from the first dollar you spend as long as you stay within the POS network of physicians.

No "gatekeeper" for non-network care
If you choose to go outside the POS network for treatment, you are free to see any doctor or specialist you choose without first consulting your primary care physician (PCP). Of course, you will pay substantially more out-of-pocket charges for non-network care.

Out-of-pocket costs limited
Healthcare costs paid out of your own pocket (i.e., deductibles and co-payments) are typically limited. The average yearly limit for individuals is around $2,400. For families, the average yearly limit is approximately $4,000.

Disadvantages of POS plans
Substantial co-payment for non-network care
As in a PPO, there is generally strong financial incentive to use POS network physicians. For example, your co-payment may be only $10 for care obtained from network physicians, but you could be responsible for up to 40% of the cost of treatment provided by non-network doctors. Thus, if your longtime family doctor is outside of the POS network, you may choose to continue seeing her, but it will cost you more.

Deductible for non-network care
In most cases, you must reach a specified deductible before coverage begins on out-of-network care. On average, individual deductibles are around $300 per year, and the average annual family deductible is about $600. This deductible amount is in addition to the co-payment for out-of-network care.

Tight controls to get specialized care
As in an HMO, you must choose a primary care physician (PCP). Your PCP provides your general medical care and must be consulted before you seek care from another doctor or specialist within the network. This screening process helps to reduce costs both for the POS and for POS members, but it can also lead to complications if your PCP doesn't provide the referral you need.

http://www.agencyinfo.net/iv/medical/types/hmo-ppo-pos.htm

We Contend that Comcast Committed Fraud

Comcast finally dispatched a personnel to pick up the converter box, after my hubby's refusal to return the box on the principle that we are not to waste our own gas nor to pay for another $30 to schedule a pick up. "Lying and cheating Comcast can kiss my ass!" he said, "they stole enough money from us."

We had been trying to talk to Comcast to correct the over charge to no avail, and my sweetest but temperamental honey just had enough, and canned Comcast. And as he had predicted, Comcast continued to try to charge us for "services" after cancellation, and even resorted to collection agencies. My hubby refuted all claims and attempts, and refer to all "documents" written and saved.

Finally a lovely young lady from Comcast came over and cautiously tried to pick up the converter. It was clear that she was somewhat fearful of inciting any psychotic tendency in my sweet man. At the end, she abided to his "polite" request and wrote on the receipt "The customer contends that Comcast committed fraud by over charging."

The young lady asked whether or not we would be interested in returning to Comcast and even mentioned a promotional package, to which my hubby puked "no way in hell ever again." The young lady was very apologetic and I have never seen my hubby showed so much disgust.

Life has been a little better since moving to a different provider। :)

Note: Chinese version: please go to:
http://blog.pixnet.net/polar61/post/17344536

Spring has finally arrived....

up: Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, Maryland, USA

down: Washington National Cathedral Bishop Garden, D.C., USA

The belated arrival is better than never, and we enjoyed a nice stroll at the local flower gardens. But I wonder if it will bring hay fever to me, a new comer...

My husband said if it is not impacting me in the first year, still possible after a few years. I hope I have the luck of not having it never to enjoy the gorgeous and spirit lifting spring flowers...

Folger Shakespeare Library

What a ball we had at the Shakespeare Festival! I have to say there are very few activities which could be held so as successfully as one at the Folger Shakespeare Library celebrating William Shakespeare's 444th birthday.

It is not necessarily fancy but it has irrepressible spirits. The attendees are clearly in their comfort zone, indulging in the luxurious scent of the Shakespearean age.

The festival inspires us to engage in the beauty of the literature world, not to mention it was simply just a load of fun. We visited the Old Reading Room filled with valuable literatures, we watched a performance by various talented young Shakespearean actors, and we even "followed the queen" in the procession. But the highlight of the day has to be seeing the famed Derek Jacobi in all his glorious eloquence - it was truly an oratory masterpiece we have the fortune to witness.

We truly appreciate Mr. & Mrs. Folger for their generosity and the heritage they helped to preserve will benefit generation after generation.

Shakespeare, whoever you really were... We salute you!
Happy birthday!

Note: For more photos, please go to: http://blog.pixnet.net/polar61/post/17029467

Learning to drive in Maryland

Though I drive for 10 years in my country, now I'm relearning the traffic rules of Maryland. While I'm reading the driver's handbook, I found some rules very amusing:

1. Drivers should be especially alert for and yield the right-of-way to pedestrians who are deaf, or have physical disabilities... (how can I tell whether pedestrians are deaf?)

2. Avoid eye contact with other drivers (why?)

3. Always come to a full stop at red lights and stop signs (I understood though a full stop at stop signs in an empty parking lot making me feel like a fool. full=fool?)

4. If you should strike and injure a domestic animal with a motor vehicle, the law requires you to immediately notify the police department having jurisdiction in the area where the crash occurred. The police will contact the proper agency to obtain medical care for the animal. (Then why I still see so many road kills without being attended?)

5. Watch the car ahead of you when it passes a reference point, such as a sign or overpass. Then count "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four." If you pass the same spot before you are finished counting to one thousand four, you are following too closely. (How about counting one thousand sheep, two thousand sheep, three thousand sheep, four thousand sheep? We are used to counting sheep by all means. :D)

6. We've all seen them - people driving down the road reading the road map or newspaper, shaving, putting on make-up or concentrating on a cell phone conversation. Those are the most obvious examples of driver distraction. (Oh, no! Why police don't fine them much?)

7. You would be better off not driving at all when you are emotionally upset. (No wonder there is less traffic in April tax season.)

8. Avoid abrupt changes in speed or direction. Drive as though you have an egg between your foot and the gas or brake pedal. (Hmmm.... let me imagine that, an egg, huh?)

9. If a collision seems inevitable, do anything to keep from hitting another vehicle; if you have a choice, run your vehicle into a ditch. (If I had a choice, I would rather be able to fly... :P)

10. How to avoid being hit from the rear? If a vehicle follows too closely, slow down and let it pass. (Are you kidding me, then when can I finish my grocery shopping?)

Newseum

Free museum? Sure! Go to Washington D.C. and you'll enjoy bunch of them. But not Newseum! The admission is $20 for adult except the opening day on Apr. 11th. So I definitely cannot miss this chance! Pity that my sweetie cannot come with me because he has more important thing to do: work!

Obviously quite a lot of people think the same as me. Long line queuing outside the museum but who cares? It's free! Each one of us got a Newseum visitor guide which indicates the visitor path, exhibit highlights and each floor map. The booklet still has a lot to improve to be as good as other competition.

Taking the all-glass express elevator is a new experience to me because this OTIS made elevator is the biggest glass elevator I've ever taken though not steady enough as I expected from the brand.


It calls itself the world's most interactive museum, well I don't know about that but I found the Interactive Newsroom the most interactive area of the whole museum.
And the most impressive galleries for me are: Berlin Wall Gallery, Big Screen Theater, News History & Journalists Memorial.

I believe I could spend the whole day in this $450 million built museum if it's not so crowded. It will be fun to read those old time news and media development history. However I did my best spending 3 hours exploring this and that until satisfied.

I'm just curious which city of the world has the most museums ever and what other themes will be taken for the future new museums... Anyway D.C. must be in the top list for sure.

After Newseum, I went to National Gallery again. This time I focus more on Spanish painters like El Greco, Velázquez, Murillo. Not many works there but still good enough... Since it's a Friday there are some painters simulating the masterpieces.

Oh... so nice the spring is here and I can smell it everywhere. It's time to plan many activities to welcome us back alive... OLE!

Recession is like forest fire - - Jim Rogers

Jim Rogers, the investment guru, speaks from Singapore in an interview with Money Morning on April 8th about US Economy.

"Because of such strategic missteps, U.S. consumers could be facing a long and painful economic malaise, similar to the 'lost decade' of 1990s Japan, or the stagflation-riddled 1970s in the United States, Rogers said."

"Rogers also said that:

• Although the United States faces perhaps its most daunting economic challenges in at least a generation, "in America, most people do not understand that there is a problem."
• Because of these weak-dollar efforts - as well as the billion-dollar bailouts - "America is now the largest debtor the world has ever seen. What’s happening in the U.S. is not going to be fun.
• Although the central bank seems intent on engineering a U.S. economic rebound by creating an ultra-weak dollar, no country in history has ever emerged from a serious financial crisis by "debasing its currency."

"Recessions are usually good for the system. They clean out the excesses. The outrageous part is that it will cost more to try to prevent a recession than to have the recession."

"In nature, there’s the natural phenomenon of forest fires. The forest fires are pretty terrible when they’re going on. But nature invented them to clean out the forest so that the forest could then come and grow from a new, sound foundation. That’s what recessions do, too. They’re a natural phenomenon. "

"Nobody likes it when we have them any more than anybody likes a forest fire. But in the end, everybody’s better off. Bernanke thinks he can stop this; he’s going to very well destroy the system by trying to save it."

So here we go: how bad US Economy could go? How it will impact us in every day life? For over half an year the media have been debating whether US economy is in recession with all kinds of index trying to persuade each other. Mortgage numbers have been arising constantly and our 'poor' neighbor moved in and moved out in a few months with all the furnitures and belongings from a big house. On TV more and more decent couples declare their bankruptcy or mortgage status. I truly hope that is only happening to small part of the population on the credit disaster for their poor finance management. However after reading Jim Roger's interview, I cannot help wondering what if the country we live becomes bankrupted while we keep our sanity all the time?! I cannot imagine what would be coming then. Are we strong enough just like our parents bearing a wartime life to face a financial world collapse? Maybe we should simply have faith on the balancing forces of nature so that "in the end everybody's better off"...

DC Cherry blossom

Once again.... we went to D.C. Tidal Basin for the beautiful cherry blossom.

I never thought Washington D.C. could be so crowded before my first visit to Cherry Blossom festival. And after you experience that once, you understand why. Not only the people living near by would take the chance of cherry contemplation but also tourists from everywhere in US want to let cherries awake them out of the long gloomy winter.

This year the weather is a bit chilly in April but just to see so many people join this activity with the spring spirits warm us up. We walked around the area and I took as many photos as possible (though a bit hard with the crowd and my hon thinks I'm a bit obsessed with photo shooting :D).

Everyone looks so happy and that is contagious I think. The spot we took this picture is very hot. Every couple took turn for photo shooting and we helped each other too. Being friendly is surely one of the American qualities.


After the cherry, we went to World War II Monument to take a rest. It's freshing to walk around the fountain and we saw many tour guides explaining this monument to the tourists. I remember the first time I came here there was nobody. Just me and the monument but in April festival season, all the places near the Mall are crowded by visitors. And I think it's a great treat for visitors that all the D.C. museums are free, so they can visit as many as they want during the stay.

Where else we could go to feel the spring more? We chose to walk to National Gallery.

We all face some problems when visiting so many famous museums in an intensive period of time, we'll start to forget which paintings are in which museum. That happens to us too. That's why revisit the museum is a great thing to do. To remember again those paintings to our own taste. I specially paid attention this time on Flemish painters, to check on Rembrandt and Vermeer... We both think The Frick collection in New York has better Vermeer's works than the National Gallery. :D Isn't that amusing? And we also went to see Degas' huge painting of ballet girls and Toulouse' several paintings. I asked why all of the paintings of Toulouse and Da Vinci are covered with glasses and they told me it's because they are more valuable for the Gallery and/or they were like that when purchased before. This made me cheer up to know Degas, Toulouse (my favorite painters) are more valuable than Renoir and Rembrandt for National Gallery.

We all think next time we should spend the whole day revisit each inch of National Gallery again, both west and east wings. You'll never know how long you will stay at one city in your life, won't you?! And before we went back to metro stop, we found Newseum building stood just in front of National gallery entrance which will be open on April 11th. And after check more info about this museum, surprisingly we found out that it probably will be one of the rare museums not free in DC area and admission is $20 for adult except on the opening day. So that means I'll GO for sure. :D