author: Mack

text:
On Sat, 04 Jan 2003 15:19:07 GMT, "Nico Kadel-Garcia"
<[email]> cast the following madness into the void:

I've tested successfully  in the 20s on several; occasions, even
though vision was blurry as hell and I had to get someone else to read
the display.  I was getting ready to eat at work last Friday at 6 am,
6 hours after I made a set change for my pump, I was at 36 mg/dl and
didn't feel it.  Being hypo unaware requires frequent testing.
Newbies and old timers need to test often.  Newbies because of lack of
experience, old timers because of the increased risk of becoming hypo
unaware.

The danger with hypos is that they can be very different every single
time in a single person.  One can come on very slowly and cause many
of the classic symptoms, another can on very fast and only display a
couple of symptoms others could on without symptoms.  Quite a few
people have confused the symptoms with or more accurately the lack of
symptoms as the way to determine if one is actually hypo or not.
Anything under 70 mg/dL is a hypo.  I consider hypos between 60 and 70
as mild, between 40 and 60 as moderate and anything below 40 as
severe.  Now that I do not show classic hypos symptoms I treat for a
hypo whenever I drop below 80 just to be safe.  Mild/moderate hypos
can be treated effectively by eating or drinking approximately 15
grams of fast acting carbs, then testing in 15 minutes and repeating
until the BG is in the normal range.  6 oz (half a can) of reg coke is
about 15 grams of carbs.  Glucose tabs are about 4 grams of fast carbs
each in the USA and can be bought in both large bottles and refillable
travel tubes.  4 tablets at a time are enough to treat a mild hypo
then test again in 15 minutes to be sure you are in the normal range.
Severe hypos have their own complications, this is where vomiting
becomes a concern as well as time because of the risk of blacking out.
The black out could be similar to a drunks black out where the person
is still functioning and mobile but just barely, and they will have no
memory of this when they come around, at least I normally don't have
any memory of it and find some of the reports of my behavior to be
frightening.  Or one could simply pass out and hit floor.  Or one
could first go into the black out, then a short time later completely
pass out.  I've experienced all three situations, as well as hypos in
my sleep that I could not wake up from without medical intervention.
In a severe hypo the primary concern is getting fast carbs into your
system, the best and least likely to cause vomiting are regular sodas
or orange juice(with or without added table sugar).

One of the things that makes hypos so dangerous, even mild ones, is
that we do not know with one test whether we were at the bottom of
that particular hypo or if we were in fact continuing to drop lower.
This is why we test every 15 minutes until the BG gets back in the
normal range.  You could be at 60 and take enough to get you back to
70 or 80 on a normal day, but find that in 15 minutes you test even
lower than 60.

NO-ONE can predict how another person will react to hypos, just as
NO-ONE can predict how they will react every time, to their own hypos.

Mack
Type 1 since 1975
Minimed 508 Insulin Pump
http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org
http://www.insulin-pumpers.org
http://www.us.zerolimit.net (irc server webpage for our chat room)
#diabeticnet is the name of our IRC chat on zerolimit.net
http://www.zerolimit.net/files/zl-mirc.exe
 http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/misc/webtv.html
http://www.xs4all.nl/~ircle/  <--Ircle Mac IRC software


author: Julie Bove

subject: Re: A rapid and frightening drop in Blood sugar--Help!

text:
"Ted Rosenberg" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...

I have tested as low as 26.  Only vaguely remember doing it.  I certainly
didn't feel at all well.  Most of the times I've been that low, some well
meaning, but mis-informed person has helped me to a chair after I've passed
out.  They will then put cold water on my face and somehow I've managed to
test myself.  Asking the well meaning person to give me food is yet another
matter.  I am recalling the time I passed out in the refrigerator, trying to
get food.  Hadn't yet tested.  Decided to eat first then test.  But didn't
quite make it.  The person helping me kept trying to feed me cheese because
he thought diabetics shouldn't eat sugar.  I remember muttering "Carbs...
Carbs..."  He thought cheese WAS carbs.


author: Ted Rosenberg

text:
Exactly my point Mack
You tested at 20, but YOU couldn't read the meter.  Someone else had to

Mack wrote:


author: Alan Hardy

text:
Hi,
The lowest I`ve ever gone is 32 - but I didn`t test that, the casualty ward
nurse did!
BTW casualty ward is the UK equal of emergency room

Al.

"Julie Bove" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...
passed
another
to
because


author: TC

subject: Moved and tons of new mail

text:
I have spent the better part of two years reducing my junk mail down to
1-5 per week. We just moved and suddenly, everyone and their mother has
our new address. I can't get my mail forwarded to me, but all this new
stuff shows up. Ok, who is selling my new address? The post office? I
did a change of address form? Mortgage company? Title company?


author: Shawn Hirn

subject: Re: Moved and tons of new mail

text:
In article <vyN8f.7402$[email]>,
 "TC" <[email]> wrote:

One, some, or all of them. Why worry about this stuff? Don't you have a
recycling bin?


author: anon

subject: Re: Moved and tons of new mail

text:
mortgage company?  likely.  Companies that scan public records & sell the
info?  definitely.

starting in the mid-late 90s I opted out of info sharing at the 3 major
credit bureaus, the DMA, and all of my creditors (including insurance
companies, literally anyone i had an account with).  I have used a PO box
since 1995, which don't get all the normal flyers that go to residences... i
got to the point where I went about 2 yrs. with no junk mail whatsoever, not
a piece of it.

but then i moved to another state & some of it started again -- CitiMortgage
bought my new mortgage, & they are among the worst junk-mailers.  They
constantly send me stuff about refinancing (i have a 4.625 fixed-rate, like
i can really do better), about home-equity loans, all sorts of crap.  I also
get lots of insurance solicitations, pest-inspection stuff, alarm-system
monitoring, hair salon & other close businesses' "welcome to the
neighborhood" solicitations, etc.  Getting on all the lists won't stop that
for a while because it's based solely on your newness.


author: Dennis P. Harris

subject: Re: Moved and tons of new mail

text:
On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 16:36:43 GMT in misc.consumers, "TC"
<[email]> wrote:

Remember that your deed needed to be recorded.  There are
companies that  monitor all the new filings of deeds with your
county courthouse or recorder's office, and sell the lists.  Some
utility companies sell new homeowner lists, too.

They sell it to mortgage companies, too, so you'll probably get a
lot of mail touting refinancing, which won't work for most folks
that just got a mortgage.  You'd think they would know better...


author: Scott en Chicago

subject: Re: Moved and tons of new mail

text:
On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 16:36:43 GMT, "TC" <[email]> wrote:

Yes.

Was that a question or a statement?

Yes.

Yes. And anyone else you signed ujp for service with at your new
address (gas company, electric company, phopne company, cable company,
DrecTV... They ALL sell your infoz to squeeze every last drop of
profit they can out of you.


subject: Re: Moved and tons of new mail

text:
Shawn Hirn wrote:

Sure I do. But does it make it right to waste my time? Does it make it
right to kill trees endlessly like we have abundant forests? Does it
make it right to further polute the environment with the processing
wastes from their printing plants? Does it make it right that
legitimate mail is often lost in this crap and takes longer to get to
you? It really irks me to get replies like this. With all due respect,
If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.


author: [redacted]

subject: Re: Call for Banning. Yuri Agrees With Pitcavage?

text:
Okay, temporary truce. Range is not clear. No brass, no ammo, drill sergeant
moderator. The anonymous posting giving clever and potentially disatrous
instructions to us computer illiterates which would apparently cause us to
sabotage our own hard drives is clearly, as Dr. Mark states ï¿½malicious.ï¿½  I
(sadly) must agree with him on this point 100%. His suggested solution,
however, requires some clarification.

This intriguing post almost got me. I believed it, and also tended to agree
with much of what this ï¿½[email]ï¿½ character has had to say in the
past.  If I actually knew how to access my so-called ï¿½autoexecbat,ï¿½ I
probably would have considered following these instructions. While reading
through my computer manual however, I noted that about 30 minutes after this
post appeared, you compassionate souls began ringing alarm bells for us in
the ï¿½Windows for Dummiesï¿½ crowd.  Fortunately, I read these posts before
attempting to evidently hurt myself. If these instructions would erase my
hard drive,  and I am not qualified to be absolutely certain this is even
true,  I would tend to agree with the notion that this type of self-inflicted
virus is clever, cruel and ï¿½abusive.ï¿½

I am personally grateful to all of you who posted warnings on this topic. Do
we know if anyone actually got crashed from this post? And more importantly,
is it actually dangerous to even READ this type of message on my computer
screen, as one poster suggested?

Regarding the proposed ban, I personally object to any banning of anyone,
except commercial spam, such that is now infesting much of Deja News. I also
doubt such a ban would be practical. Although an Author Profile of
ï¿½[email]ï¿½ suggests this habitual poster to MAM does not like
Pitcavage very much, that same profile seems to indicate ï¿½nobodyï¿½ is actually
several people. An INFOSEEK search of the words REPLAY.COM reveals that
people posting to newsgroups with this name are somehow launching into MAM
from an anonymous remailer service.

Address:     http://www.replay.com/remailer/

It was my understanding that MAM is moderated. I get email confirming
acceptance or rejection of my posts. How exactly is this anonymous poster
able to receive confirmation to an email remailer site and still remain a
ï¿½nobody?ï¿½ Although the site does not explain exactly how to post to MAM, it
does make the following interesting observation:

ï¿½We operate...so people with mail only access to the internet or users of
anonymous remailers that do not support posting to usenet can voice their
opinions about matters they care about. ï¿½

Dr. Mark, are you suggesting that no one should be allowed to post without
identifying themselves? Do you require names and home addresses? This issue
begs the question; why would anyone even want to operate in a newsgroup
anonymously? Well, since the FBI is watching, the moderator has bravely
admitted to receiving a DOJ subpoena and shyster JDL lawyers are stalking for
names, I am personally glad to be the warm and friendly "yuridedju" on the
net.

Though he does have a valid point, the good Dr. Pitcavage only seems to want
to ban those people who express opinions he does not like. Furthermore, he
actually intimidates service providers who support sites he does not want
anyone to see. I suppose to many folks it makes sense to avoid the wrath of
Sparky and others by posting anonymously. Note, Dr. Mark has indeed openly
admitted to intimidating service providers and harassing a League of The
South supporter in an email to them, available on the http://dixienet.org
site, which reads:

X-Sender [email] (Unverified)
X-Mailer Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0 (32)
Date Thu, 05 Mar 1998 210517 -0500
To


author: Anonymous

text:
The clarification being he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Know your computer at least as well as you know your weapon. At least
you've RTFM (Read The Flippin' Manual), that's more than 95% of the
public have done.

No, it is not dangerous to read an email or post **if that's all it is**.
Some emails contain attachments which might be infected with a virus, or
a post might contain a 'hot-link' that sends your browser to a site with
hostile Java applets running.

Very good. [email] is an anonymous remailer, one of many. See
my related post under "Calling for Ban"...

Ay, now thar's the trick of it me matey...

I would add "... without fear of retribution or reprisal".

Perhaps Sparky and Harpy would like to see a law requiring valid
return addresses on all 1st-class mail sent through the good ol'
USPS. A letter with no return address is just as anonymous as a call
from a payphone.

....well there's a shocker....

Anonymous posting to m.a.m is explicitly allowed in the charter.

I view the orignial posting to be a malignant "prank" lobbed into the
ng by a particularly virulent "anti", probably one who doesn't stop
by too often. Let's hope (s)he stays gone.

Unohoo
"Only YOU can protect the Constitution"
b

.


author: PGISSource

text:
In article <893264701$[email]>,
[email] writes:

Not under the normal systems. In fact, the "Echo" command nullifies the actual
format command under such cases, but if folks read the manual and "fix" the
formatting of the command string, the result will be catastrophic.

No. That's false. He does not do so. He may be stupid, petty, egotistical, and
prone to supporting nuts like Pothier simply because they share -some- aspects
of his beliefs, but it is grossly unfair to accuse him of the above.

Mr. Wizard


author: Mark Pitcavage

text:
On Wed, 22 Apr 98 17:05:01 GMT, [email] wrote:

I am suggesting that the person who made the malicious post which
could destroy hard drives be permanently banned.  If he uses an
anonymous remailer, that is not of concern to me.

This is a blatant lie.  I have never before in the three-plus years
I've been on this newsgroup proposed banning anybody whose opinions I
did not like.  In fact, I never before have initiated a banning
proposal, and the only one I ever voted in favor of was one which
involved spamming the newsgroup with off-topic posts.  I will note
that the majority of other participants who voted the same way I did
no that issue were people who usually express opinions I do not like.

Moreover, no one can accuse me of trying to stifle opinions I disagree
with.  I maintain a website which has nearly 300 links to extremist
sites with which I disagree.  If I were interested in stifling
opinions I would hardly provide this service or go through the
extensive efforts it requires to maintain it.

This is a gross mischaracterization.  What I opposed was a website
which posted personal information (home address, etc.) about a person
that the website designers wished to be harassed.  When a revised
version of that website was created which did not contain that
personal information, I dropped all opposition.  This is a matter of
record.  Incidentally, I would feel the same way if someone created a
webpage designed to incite and facilitate harassment against you
personally as well (revealing your name, providing your home address
and information about people living with you, and saying in huge
letters "Time's Up, Yuri!"), even though I find you very distasteful.

<snips>

I do not recall ever seeing any post in which David Grossack solicited
personal information from you.  However, asking you for personal
information is worlds different than finding out personal information
about you and posting on a website hoping that people will use that
information to harass you.

Dr. Mark Pitcavage, [email]
The Militia Watchdog: Http://www.militia-watchdog.org


author: Donna Metler

subject: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
My DD is currently in a 2 day a week program for older 2s/young 3s. Her
program has asked us to do a survey on which options we'd prefer for next
fall. The options are:
2 day a week, 9:00-2:30, including a nap time (this is what she's on now,
although I usually pick her up before nap since she doesn't nap much
anymore)
3 day a week 9:00-12:30, no nap
5 day a week 9:00-12:30
5 day a week 9:00-2:30

I'm honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching, but
she is loving preschool this year, loving her friends, and I think would
really like to do more. Would there be anything strongly favoring a shorter
or longer schedule for preschoolers?

She has a November birthday, which misses the October cutoff for schools
here but is in the window where many private schools accept students and a
waiver is possible for the public schools. Academically, she's already
higher on many skills than a lot of the entering students I had in the
public district, and socially she does well with older children and is very
independent and self sufficient, so at least right now, I'm seriously
considering entering her in kindergarten at almost 5 vs waiting until almost
6.

Suggestions from those who have BTDT?


author: Beliavsky

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
On Sep 17, 8:39 pm, "Donna Metler" <[email]> wrote:

<snip>

Off the main topic, but I wonder if cursive writing is something that
still needs to be taught. Now that keyboards are ubiquitous, cursive
writing seems like calligraphy to me. I don't write (rather than type)
too often, and I only use cursive to sign my name.


author: toto

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:46:42 -0500, "Donna Metler"
<[email]> wrote:

As a preschool teacher, I think 2 days is the worst schedule.
She will be an older 3 next year?  If so, I would opt for the 5 day
schedule for the mornings and have her home for lunch (and nap
if she decides to nap because the activity level is high).

I think that 9 to 2:30 is better for 4 year olds than for 3 year olds.
Kids need down time and quiet time at school doesn't really provide
that because they are still in a group.  Of course, it will depend on
the personality of the child.


author: Penny Gaines

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
Donna Metler wrote:

Over here, you'd probably have a 4 day option as well, which is the one
I used for my kids.  5 days was too much until they were at least 4yo,
so given your options, I would probably have chosen 3 days without nap.

(FWIW, the classes over here are often mixed up.  The 3yo 2-day children
would be in the same class as the 4/5 day 4yo children: exactly who
was in class with them would be different each day.  OTOH, by the time
they are 5yo, they would be in school, going five days a week.)


author: betsy

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
On Sep 14, 5:46 pm, "Donna Metler" <[email]> > I'm
honestly torn. I love having her home on the days I'm not teaching,
but

The 3 or 5 day no nap options look good to me.
We chose less days of preschool because they would have missed out on
music classes, swimming lessons, gymnastics etc. depending on the
year.

It sounds like she will be way ahead whenever she starts K.  Depending
on her preschool and your local K options, the environment in
preschool might be more enjoyable at age 4-5 than spending time on
academics that are already below her level.  I might wait on starting
K and have another year with more time for whatever activities she
loves.  She can always skip grades later etc.  Depending on what grade
gifted programs start in and what kind are offered, starting later and
skipping a grade might get her into a gifted program at the same age
without spending as much time languishing in a non-stimulating
classroom beforehand.

--Betsy


author: Anne Rogers

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
our DS is 6months older than your DD, so we're in this place right now!

We originally planned for him to be in 5 day a week preschool this year,
  it seemed like a good idea at the time, then I realised how unflexible
it would be. Given we have part time kindergarten here, there's a
possibility of the following year being unflexible, so we withdrew him,
from the 2 day program (same school, they have a 2 day drama and
literature class which can only be done in addition to another class).
So that's why we didn't want 5 days, it may be different for you. I'd
run a mile from the 5 longer days, even if you do pull her out before
nap time, my personal feeling is that even if your child isn't there the
full time, those kind of hours turn it much more into a daycare setting,
which obviously might be what some people need. Having said that, our
preschool allows the children to stay for lunch 3 days of the week, they
take there own lunch and it makes the morning 4hrs, rather than 2.5, but
  it's more like a separate thing than an extension of class, there is
just one group, but 4 morning classes. I'd be inclined to tick the 3 day
9-12.30 box - sometimes it's easier if you don't have options and you
just have to choose from what's available, there are pros and cons of
everything!

Cheers
Anne


author: Chookie

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
In article <[email]>,
 "Donna Metler" <[email]> wrote:

Practicalities.  It's great having her in pre-school while you are teaching,
but there are other things to consider.  Would it be convenient, for example,
for her to have more time there so that you can do things like have the car
serviced, have your Pap smear, buy clothing (especially bras), attend
concerts/lectures, visit distressed friends/relatives, and so on?  Now you can
do these things with a preschooler, but sometimes it's a lot easier without
them!  But I'm speaking as one who pretty much doesn't have babysitters, so
these things might not be problems for you.

If you are considering the naptime days, it might be as well to find out what
they plan on doing with children who don't take naps.

I think you *are* better off sending her young.  Even if the academics are too
easy, there is still the rest of school life (lining up, bells, packed
lunches, teachers, etc) to learn about.  After she's settled in, you can
negotiate about acceleration.  It is more striking when the teacher *knows*
the child is on the young side and they are doing things that are typical of
much older children -- teachers trust their own observations more than they do
the assertions of parents.


subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
On Sep 17, 9:05 am, Chookie <[email]> wrote:

<snip>

A teacher may be unaware of what a child can do beyond the level of
what she teaches in class. My son (turned 4 in July) can read at a
first grade level (Dr. Seuss books, for example), but in his
kindergarten class they are practicing letters and colors. Next year,
at least, I hope he will be in 1st grade rather than kindergarten. His
mother and I teach him closer to his intellectual level, and I think
we have a better idea of what he is capable of. Research on gifted
children have found that it is important to use tests that cover above-
grade-level material to determine where they are and what they should
study. A recent study found that the SAT scores of gifted 7th and 8th
graders are predictive of their future career paths ("Can Early SAT
Scores Predict a Gifted Kid's Path?" http://giftedexchange.blogspot.com/
) .


author: Ericka Kammerer

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
Donna Metler wrote:

	Personally, I think the 2-day a week schedule is the
*worst*.  They never really get into a good groove because it's
too long between school days.  I think 3 days a week is a good
minimum, but of course scheduling makes that challenging.  If
you use a room 3 days a week, then you have 2 days left over to
use ;-)  The way our school works it out at one site is that
they have 2 2yo rooms and 3 3/4yo rooms.  The 2yo rooms are
used for Mon/Thu and Tue/Fri classes, and then one of the
3-day 3yo classes moves to one of the 2yo rooms on Wednesday
so that they can pick up a 3rd day.
	Anyway, the way it goes at our school is that 2yos
go for 2 days, 3yos for 3 days, and 4yos for 4 days.  Everyone
goes for 3 hours (the 2s from 9-noon and the 3/4s from 9:15
to 12:15).  I think the length of the school day is about
right, and I don't know why I'd want to pay a teacher to
watch my child nap if I didn't need the time.
	For my first two, 3-4 days per week at 3 and 4
years old was just fine.  For DD, she probably would have
liked more days per week.  Right now she's going 4 days/week
at 4 years old, and she's ok with that, but could easily
go 5 days/week.
	So, of your options, I would pick at least the
3-day option, and maybe the 5-day no nap option for next
year.

Best wishes,
Ericka


author: toypup

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
On Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:46:42 -0500, Donna Metler wrote:

I'm with Ericka,  I think 2 days a week is a bad idea.

If she can nap at home, there's no reason to let her nap there, because it
looks like they don't have much time for anything else afterwards, so
you're paying extra for just naptime.

My kids have done the 2, 3 and 5 day route and we all like 5 day best
because of the routine.  My kids like to know where they're going each day
and they like school.


author: Clisby

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
Donna Metler wrote:

I would pick either the 3-day or the 5-day no-nap option.   If you pick
5-day, you can always keep her home for the occasional extra day - at
least, I did when my 4-year-old was in a 5-morning-a-week program.

Clisby


subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
"Beliavsky" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...
Cursive is easier for me to write in than manuscript, and this is the case
for many people with fine motor issues. My OT actually started me working in
cursive almost from day 1. There's really more support on the graphomotor
end for teaching cursive only over manuscript only. And, if you watch young
children scribble, it's more like cursive than manuscript, because they do
one long, connected line with loops and crosses, rarely lifting the
pen/pencil. Starting and stopping comes later, as they start to really try
to draw.

The big reason I can see for teaching both is that while cursive is easier
in many cases and faster, it doesn't match "book print" and therefore
children who have trouble learning to read will probably find it easier to
read. Having said this, I've discovered that my daughter can read script
fonts and some pretty ornate fonts in advertising and printed things, so
maybe it's not an issue. Or maybe my daughter's just odd in this regard, as
in so many others.


subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
On Sat, 15 Sep 2007 14:47:10 -0700, betsy wrote:

I had a friend whose dd skipped from kindergarten to first grade after
being tested.  She was clearly bright enough for first grade.  However, my
friend would never choose that option had she had the opportunity to do it
all over.

It would have been better to start kindergarten early, because there was
lots of material, things that my friend never thought to teacher her dd,
that was missed by skipping and her dd had lots of catching up to do.  It
was all minor, like adding horizontally vs. vertically, writing whole
pages, etc.  It was nothing the child couldn't learn quickly because she
was bright, but it all added up and the process of skipping was stressful,
though she caught up within a couple of months.

In our state, with a November birthday, entering school at age 4 would be
the right age.  Entering at 5 would be considered redshirting.  I would say
enter her at age 4.  She sounds ready.  Enter her later and she might be
bored, like my friend's child.


subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
In article <[email]>,
 Beliavsky <[email]> wrote:

You don't "hope".  You go in there and negotiate.  Preferably before the
teachers are in the throes of report-writing.

As a rule, yes -- parents do have a better idea of their gifted child's
capacities than the average teacher.  Teachers with additional training in
gifted ed do get better at picking out G&T kids, and a perceptive teacher
would pick up very quickly that your child was already reading.  But those are
school teachers, not preschool teachers (they receive different levels of
training in Australia).  I am not sure whether by "kindergarten" you mean
proper school or preschool.  At one day care, a carer told me that DS1 was
advanced because of the enriched environment that I was able to provide for
him!

Admittedly, I had noted in DS1's admission papers that he had taught himself
to read, but within two weeks, his teacher was getting him to read out notices
to her -- not notices directed to the children, but the administrative notices
written to her!  I have no doubt that she had a similar grasp of the skills of
each child in that classroom.

Actually, the blog indicated that that approach should be used with caution!


author: Beth Kevles

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
Hi --

My boys, both with August/September birthdays (just before the cutoff at
the time) did:

2-morning young 2's program.  Very bad.  They really needed 3 mornings
for the consistency.  Both loved being there.

4-morning young 3's program.  Both loved it and wanted to know why they
couldn't go on the 5th day, the way the older 3's did.

5-morning + 3 afternoon (til 2:30) 4's program, no nap.  Both adored it.

Kindergarten and just 5 and nearl 5, respectively.  Both thrived, and
are still thrving at 5th and 7th grades.  (Both were clearly ready to
move from a play-based program to a more formal academic program when
they entered kindy.)

Your mileage may vary, of course :-)

--Beth Kevles
  [email]
  http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
  Disclaimer:  Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
  advice.  Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE:  No email is read at my MIT address.  Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.


subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
5 days from shortly after age 3 in the UK, we got 3 weeks of it, not
knowing when our visas would be issued, we went through all the
orientation and what not, we were told that many many children would
take one day off per week and a lot of them simply couldn't manage 5
days, particularly at the beginning of the year. We've swung from one
extreme to the other, DS would have started full time school last week
in the UK, here (WA) he starts part time school next year, the exact
same amount of time as he got a full year ago in the UK. I'm mightily
relieved he isn't starting school now, he's got noticeably tired by
increase in activity levels in the last 10 days, so how on earth he'd
have coped with full time school I do not know!

Cheers
Anne


author: Welches

subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
"Donna Metler" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...
I'm not sure it's "odd" :-) I'd guess it may be more special awareness or
something like that.
I know that the difference between a printed a (with the curl on top) and
the "a" written as a circle with a line down one side. I remember working
with a group of 7-8 year olds and a (I think it'd have been about 12%)
notable group (and not just low ability) read the printed "a" as an "e".
I was told that difference in capitals/lower case can cause problems. #1
never had a problem with a word written in (or partually in) capitals even
from the first words she learnt to read. #2 otoh has to think about words
which begin with a capital, and will have to go back to phonics a word
totally written in capitals, which she would recognise instantly lower case.
Although generally #2's about a year ahead of #1 in reading at the moment,
she seems to have more difficulty with cursive and different fonts.
Debbie


subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
"Chookie" <[email]> wrote in message
news:ehrebeniuk-98DF45.21584818092007@news...
My concern on this is that I'm well aware that kindergarten is more than the
sum of reading+math+writing. DD, at 4 1/2, will probably be well above the
level academically of most kindergarteners, simply because she's close to
that now except in writing (and since she can manage her name and is
actively trying to write, she's at least a year ahead there as well). But,
will she be able to keep up in other ways in a school where a good part of
the children will be 6 years old or older, and the expectations set up
accordingly? Or will she seem frightfully immature and her academic skills
be largely missed?

Because I am 2e myself, I'm well aware of what happens when you've got
skills below grade level and ones which are way above grade level. Guess
which tend to get attention? Guess which tend to dominate your view of
yourself. It wasn't until secondary, where I could really start typing
everything, that I started to have teachers who seemed to appreciate and
understand that I was more than bad handwriting and an inability to sit
still (I have athetoid CP-unless I constantly focus, my muscles move even
while I'm asleep. Even with an IEP, I still heard "Stop fidgeting! Sit
still" practically every day of elementary school).

It's so much easier to grade accelerate when the child is older and the
physical requirements have largely levelled out (let's face it, there's
little difference between physical requirements for middle school, high
school, and college except for the size of the campus. The difference comes
in level of material, but as long as you can write reasonably legibly and
quickly without excessive fatigue and type papers, you're probably OK for
whatever level you're cognitively capable of). But in those early years, I'm
very concerned about accelerating just due to the physical side-and it has
been my experience that the social and physical often go together to some
degree at the elementary school level where a lot of the social
relationships are formed at the dance studio or on the playing field.


subject: Re: 2,3, or 5 days for 3 1/2 yr old?

text:
"Donna Metler" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...
I think you are right to be concerned about this. My mum was put a year
ahead, and she's a June birthday (cut off in UK is September) so she was 18
months younger than a lot of the class. She felt that she got labelled as
not sporty (a year in sport can make a large difference) and not musical and
the labels stuck through that school. (and I think not artistic too)
Although actually she is both sporty and musical ,so in her own year this
wouldn't have happened. It was only really after leaving school and uni that
she threw off this image of herself-labelled when she was 6/7.
#1 could have coped academically a year ahead. She was writing her name by
the time she was 3, and would write sentences by 3 1/2, and she was reading
way ahead of the year above expectations, and her ability is stronger on the
maths side... Would I have wanted her a year ahead? No. Socially, she wasn't
ready. Maturity wise it has done her much more favours staying in the right
year, even if academically it would have stretched her better, and I think
she's a happier and more rounded person for doing that. (In UK it is
unusual, especially in state education, to go ahead, so we didn't have the
option anyway)

Did you know that scientists have found a "fidget gene?"
Blame the genes!!!
Debbie


author: Billy Nomates

subject: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Does anyone know of any good offers on one way flights from the UK to
Sydney?  I just phoned Quantas who I thought were supposed to be cheap only
to find that they want ï¿½550+....  Bit cheeky considering I called them on
the strength of a migrant leaflet claiming around the ï¿½353 mark!!!


author: huffy

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
We flew early may with malaysian booked through Ebookers.
3 adult and 3 children via malaysia to Brisbane ï¿½1840.
Excellent service on the plane. Will use them again "no worries mate".

Huffy

Billy Nomates <[email]> wrote in message
news:sCxPa.49998$[email]...
only


author: Tina

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
One-way is usually more expensive than half the cost of a return
flight. The cheapest way would be to get a return flight, and get a
refund for the return part because you won't be using it. Worked fine
for me. I assume it's easier on flights where you can use the return
flight within a year as opposed to a short validity.


author: Pollyana

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Small point to consider, which doesn't bother some people, but to others
it can be a shock if you aren't expecting it- Royal Brunei are
apparently like Royal Jordanian - a dry airline, ie no alcohol.

I'm not an alkie, but a few beers make the 24 flight go faster.....


author: scallywag

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Phoned travebag.co.uk gave me prices one way ï¿½299 Brunei and ï¿½375
singapore to perth, both give 40 kg luggage allowance


author: Mark

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Hi Billy,

We flew out here mid May with Qantas and got the ï¿½353 one way flights with
double baggage allowance. Total cost with tax was ï¿½685.70 for the pair of
us.

We phoned and quoted the Commonwealth Bank leaflet that was included in the
folder the bank sent after we had set up the bank account.

Good luck.

Mark & Siobhan Gardner +1
"Billy Nomates" <[email]> wrote in message
news:sCxPa.49998$[email]...
only


author: Martha

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
"Billy Nomates" asked:

When looking at flights ask for the cheapest - its not uncommon for return
flights to be cheaper than one way tickets and you don't have to take the
flight back :-)
When we moved the one-way flights were way more expensive than a cheap
return fare that was on offer. We took the cheap tickets and threw out the
return portion.

Martha


author: pabloako

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Don't forget that the rugby world cup in a couple of months time is
going to make prices go up!

Try www.expedia.co.uk

Originally posted by Billy Nomates

the strength of a migrant leaflet claiming around the ï¿½353
mark!!!


subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Travelling at the end of October, and I booked through Austravel

www.austravel.com

Qantas gave me horrific prices - but said they are high becuase of the
extra baggage allowance for migrants! So I went to Austravel who booked
me cheap for that time of year with Cathay Pacific - about ï¿½530 from
memory. Very cheap for the high standards of Cathay, especially in the
Aussie High season. Reason for cheapness - 4 hours in Hong Kong in
transit, and everyone is too scared of SARS to go via Hong Kong.

Me? No, I'm more scared of getting TB in the departure area of Term 3,
Heathrow, than I am of getting SARS in Hong Kong.


author: PADDAD

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Hi Billy

We booked ours through Travelmood 0870 444 9911 and are flying one way
to Brisbane (1 hour flight time from Sydney).  We were quoted ï¿½419.00
per adult and ï¿½281.00 per child and taxes on top which was ï¿½180.
(Malaysia Airlines)

Prices appear to be seasonal and I understand that they come down by
quite a lot on and after 15th August possibly until September.

Hope this helps.


author: Arto

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Originally posted by Tina

HI Tina

What company did you use to get your return refunded. Malaysian refused
to do so! How did you proceed?

Thx

Djamel


author: brisnick

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Originally posted by Pollyana

When I last flew back to the UK (12 months ago) I went Royal Brunei.
Although they are 'dry' you can take along and drink your own grog, as
long as you are not a Muslim.


author: ayanem

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Originally posted by scallywag

Hi Phil,

Did you tell travelbag you were on a 4-year temporary visa?

Alan


author: JAJ

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Normally one-ways cost about 65% of returns, but sometimes you can get
a cheap return deal that beats this.

If you do decide to go for this I would suggest that as a matter of
courtesy you tell the airline you won't be using the return sector -
but only after landing in Australia.

Jeremy

This is not intended to be legal advice in any jurisdiction


author: ohsohopeful

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Can thoroughly recommend TravelMood, we booked return flights through
them earlier this year in the middle of the SARS scare and they were
brilliant at keeping us informed and offering alternative flights etc.

Also prebooked our seats for us on every flight (even though the plane
turned out to be nearly empty!)


author: yafm

subject: Re: Cheapest One Way Migrant Flights

text:
Originally posted by ohsohopeful

I contacted Travelmood and gave them a selection of dates covering 10
days.   I asked for Florida (Orlando)   Los Angeles amnd Figi OR Tahiti
then to Sydney    I advised we were Star Alliance memb ers for this
would be the preferred lot to fly with.

The dates were after 1st September (in the low season)

Just got an e-mail quote

London to Miami??? with BA    Quantas to Los Angeles and then Sydney
ï¿½684 each!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They do not seem to be able to read  do they

Bring back Travelbag and Austravel all is forgiven


author: The Magnificent Bastard

subject: Problems?  Nextel's Moments of Truth

text:
Nextel blows more customer moments of truth...again

By David Berlind, Tech Update
July 2, 2003 4:03 AM PT

Little more than a year has passed since I last ripped Nextel for
letting customer moments of truth go awry. My latest experience with
the wireless carrier makes me wonder whether Nextel took that earlier
column seriously.

A year ago, my family and I considered Nextel's walkie-talkie-like
push-to-talk (PTT) a must-have feature. Many people I know rely on PTT
for staying in touch with family or for business reasons. For years,
Nextel has had the PTT market pretty much to itself. But, by the time
2003 is over, the PTT feature will no longer be a unique
differentiator for the carrier. Verizon Wireless and SprintPCS have
each announced that they'll be introducing PTT this year. And this
week, PTT turned from feature into controversy when Verizon Wireless
sued Nextel for improperly obtaining prototypes of Verizon's PTT-based
handsets. If the allegations are true, Nextel is apparently worried
about the PTT market becoming commoditized and subsequently losing
customers to the competition.

But nothing makes a company's customers want to try out the
competition as much as poor customer service. Here's what happened:

Two of the four telephones in my family's possession experienced the
same failure after their warranty periods had ended. (Both phones
suddenly stopped accepting a charge, even when supplied with new
batteries.) I called Nextel's customer service to find out what I
should do next. This was the first customer moment of truth. I
expected to receive the sort of information that would help me get the
phones repaired as quickly, conveniently, and inexpensively as
possible. The representative on the phone asked what my zip code was.
He instructed me to take the malfunctioning phones to a location that
was virtually around the corner.

The second moment of truth occurred when I learned, upon my arrival at
the specified location, that it wasn't a service center. It was only
an authorized Nextel retail outlet.

I had two expectations for this second customer moment of the truth.
First, I expected that any person at an authorized retail outlet for
anything I buy would have complete and accurate information about what
to do when something purchased there breaks. Second, I expected that
the retail outlet would be able to send it to a service center for me.
Neither expectation was fulfilled. My only option, I was told, was to
drive to one of two service centers, each of which was about 40 miles
away.

I called Nextel back from the showroom floor of the retail
outlet--this would be the third customer moment of truth. The Nextel
representative identified a service center that was a bit closer
(about 15 miles away) but failed to offer any other options. At this
point, I was wishing that fixing a telephone was more like fixing a
laptop from one of the respectable manufacturers. If you call IBM, for
example, someone shows up at your door within 24 hours with a box. You
stick the computer in the box and, for most repairs, the computer is
returned to you within two or three days.

Then I remembered driving by a radio service center with Nextel logos
on the side of its building--and it was a lot closer than 15 miles. I
stopped in and, sure enough, the owner said he could fix the phones.
Naturally, with the Nextel signs and collateral materials lying
around, I assumed that it was an authorized service center. It wasn't,
but I didn't know this until later. The assessment fee per phone was
$20, refundable only if I chose to repair the phones. I left the
phones behind for assessment. Later that day, I received a call
telling me that one unit could be fixed for $70 and the other phone
wasn't fixable at all. Seventy dollars to fix a cell phone?

Another customer moment of truth was upon me. Staring at a $70 repair
bill (and already out $40 for the assessment fees), my family and I
wondered if it wouldn't be cheaper just to buy some new phones. This
is when we learned that Nextel treats new customers better than old
customers. This is a mistake, in my estimation, especially in the face
of stiffening competition and diminishing competitive advantage (the
PTT feature). The most important asset to any carrier is its existing
billing relationships. In the case of Nextel, new customers (referred
to by carriers as "new activations") get special discounts on phones.
However, those discounts are unavailable to existing customers. New
phones comparable to the ones that broke would cost more than $70
each.

Savvy cell phone buyers understand that those discounts are designed
to lure new customers into a billing relationship. I can understand
why the discount might not be available to someone who's looking to
upgrade their phone to a newer model. But, my expectation is that a
carrier like Nextel would want to give the existing customer with
broken phone (or phones) a break. At the very least, we should have
had access to prices that were the same as those to which new
activations had access. But we didn't.

After that failed customer moment of truth, my family and I engaged in
what I'm assuming is a carrier's worst nightmare. We started reviewing
offerings from the competition. Not only were SprintPCS and Verizon
Wireless going to have the PTT feature, but both were offering phones
for under $70 that were sleeker and more stylish than those available
from Nextel. In short, it would be cheaper for us to start new
accounts with a competitor than it would be to fix or replace our
phones and keep our existing accounts.

At this customer moment of truth, Nextel was literally pushing us out
the door.

Just before pulling the trigger to switch, I decided, to call Nextel
public relations-- in my reporter role rather than my customer
role--and tell them I would be writing a story about this escapade.
Nextel spokesperson Kelly Mullins agreed that the treatment I had
received as a customer didn't make sense. She put me in touch with the
company's national service and repair program senior director Michael
Volante.

Volante contacted me and said, "We ran you over in the process and we
want to make good on that." I explained that I didn't want
preferential treatment simply because I was a member of the press and
that if he was going to make good on it for me, the same option would
have to be available to other Nextel customers in the same situation.

As it turns out, on the first call I placed to Nextel, I should have
been informed that, for $2.50 per month, I could join a maintenance
program (even though my phones were already broken) that allows me to
walk into any Nextel service center and get the phones fixed or
replaced at no charge. As an alternative, one can call Nextel's Care
Center, which transfers the call to Motorola's service center, which
in turn sends a shipping box to you; the complete turnaround time on a
repaired or replaced phone is 72 to 96 hours, with all shipping costs
included. In fact, said Volante, I should have been informed of these
options at every customer moment of truth--the phone calls and the
visits to two authorized dealers. But I wasn't.

"During your original call to care center," said Volante, "You should
have had all of the options, including just joining the maintenance
plan for $2.50 per month, explained to you. Most of the time, it
works. But we are aware that we have an issue with the tools that our
care representatives have access to, and we're working on it. We
expect those problems to be resolved in the coming months. You should
have escalated your first call."

I asked Volante how I would have known that the call should have been
escalated. Volante explained that some customers are aware of all the
options because of mailings that go out to them. That's a good reason
to read those mailings, which I typically overlook. (Who has time to
read that stuff?)

Nextel is now refunding the $90 ($70 for the repair, $20 for the
assessment of the unrepairable phone) and is putting the phones on the
$2.50 per month maintenance plan.

Despite the happy ending, my experience highlighted too many blown
opportunities. Nextel came dangerously close to losing three accounts.
When coupled with my previous Nextel experience, it's amazing that I'm
still a customer. For businesses, this case study should serve as a
reminder of how important it is to list--and then test--all of your
customer moments of truth. At the very least, if you're in charge of a
customer-facing division or a department, you should be testing all of
your department's moments of truth. Ideally, there should be someone
with authority whose job it is to inventory and test all moments of
truth across the entire company, and then to fix the system where it's
broken. Perhaps it's time for a CCSO--a chief customer service
officer.

Having one person whose responsibility cuts across the entire
organization allows for the opportunity to standardize company-wide on
documents, values, processes, and CRM systems. To the extent that your
CRM systems can offer the same user experience to customers that your
customer service representatives get (via the Web or phone-based
interactive voice response), the opportunity to let customer self-help
options lower your total cost of customer care exists as well.
ASP-based CRM provider RightNow Technologies fits squarely in this
niche and its multi-tenancy framework helps to keep its customers'
total cost of CRM ownership down.

Have you inventoried, tested, and fixed your customer moments of
truth? Perhaps now is a good time. Believe it or not, customer service
is  a differentiator. In fact, it could be the one that makes or
breaks your business.

Whether as the customer or the provider, do you have a customer moment
of truth success or failure story?

Source:
http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2914188,00.html


author: davNOLindiSpamatHotmaildotcom (David L

subject: Re: Problems?  Nextel's Moments of Truth

text:
Another whiny noob
Somehow new cellular/Nextel users seem to get the impression they will
get taken care of rapidly for free if their equipment breaks. Does
happen to the well serviced accounts or if the phone is under a premeum
warranty in some cases, but out of warranty and uninsured...that's
another story.

Few consumers get treated as well after signing ANY contract than if
they were a prospect.

Cell phones break out of warranty and everyone from every carrier
usually winds up in the same boat.

I would agree with one part of the article, some expectation of guidance
if your phone breaks.... there just isn't the kind of answer most folks
want to hear.

It's much like a broken car, fix it, get a new one or wait for dealer to
fix it.
In the case of Verizon  the better/expensive insurance, the faster more
encompassing the fix or the Swap Out.

If a person relies on a cell phone for business/critical
missions/whatever, just think about how much lost productivity and
hassle can accumulate in 72-96 hours without a phone. Thats even with
Nextel's insurance.

For some folks it's just inconvenient, for others it could be thousands
of dollars and alienated customers to boot.

Advise: KEEP A SPARE with phone numbers preprogrammed.
I do, keeping one at home or in the trunk. Sure, it costs a little money
for a cheapo spare, but I don't have to run around if my primary phone
breaks or gets lost. One call to CS and I'm up and running as if nothing
happened.

It didn't start this way.. it took my phone breaking internally (under
waranty) on a friday and getting a bum replacement from the local
dealer. Nice service, but a bad power charger caused the replacement to
fail in a few hours, then another trip running around like an idiot then
to the company store the next week etc...... never again!

-----
David

The Magnificent Bastard <[email]> wrote in article
<[email]>:

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]


author: Carl.

text:
David Berlind from  Tech Update said:

I remember watching the Nextel CEO say how Nextel is the only wireless
company using a feature to compete, while all the other carriers are using
price.  At the time I thought it was a pretty good argument, and at the time
maybe it sort of was.

But it was partly wrong.  First, as is obvious, it will not be their feature
forever.  Second, while price was certainly a noticable weapon of choice for
everyone but Nextel, the other carriers were also using economics, services,
and marketing to find ways to compete.  They may have all tried to look
cheap, but had unique ways of offering coverage, offering phones, and
cutting costs.  And Nextel was certainly not the only one trying to offer a
unique service.  The brief race to offer text messaging and internet access
was no less service-based than Nextel offering PTT.

So my question is how nextel is going to do when they are just another
carrier, but without a lot of area covered.

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.495 / Virus Database: 294 - Release Date: 6/30/2003


author: Evan Platt

text:
(CC'd to ZDNet forum)

On Fri, 04 Jul 2003 04:01:24 -0400, The Magnificent Bastard
<[email]> wrote:

This unfortunately happens a lot to us - we're a indirect dealer, not
a service center. Yet often Nextel sends customers to us for repair
services. Most of the customers call first though.

Nextels warranty period is one year from date of purchase. We, as a
dealer, cannot send a customers phone for repair. The customer must
use Express door to door (a $35 charge to your next bill), or go to a
service center).

See above. Nextel door to door - you put the phone in a box, FedEx
picks up the box, you get it back 3 days later.

Yes. Nokia has a flat rate of $100 an hour. How much do you think they
pay the people to repair them? They don't work for free.

If you don't like the answer of a level one monkey, ask for a
supervisor. No matter where you call.

Had you read the contract you signed, you would have known about the
$2.50 maintenance option.

Next article you slam a carrier on for not giving you all your
options, slam the person who doesn't read the contract they sign.
To reply, remove TheObvious from my e-mail address.


author: Les Moore

text:
It is unfortunate that the author did not have access to Nextel's web
site where the various support and repair programs are explained in
detail.

http://www.nextel.com/support/servicerepair/index.shtml

Les

The Magnificent Bastard <[email]> wrote in message news:<[email]>...


text:
Plus the guy gets the "privledge" of shelling out an extra $2.50 a month and he
thinks he made the company do something for him.  The article should have been
called "My moments as a moron".


author: Been There

text:
<davNOLindiSpamatHotmaildotcom (David L)> wrote in message
news:[email]...

Who does he think he is?  A customer?  <g>  I think that if all of his
options would have been presented to him on the FIRST contact with Nextel
Customer Care, he quite possibly could have selected an option to meet his
needs.  The objective seemed to be to get him off the line and go to the
next call.  To have to deal time and time again with outsourced "Customer
Care" personnel who are poorly trained, reading from a script, and not using
their ability to think, is very frustrating.  I have given them my callback
number for survey purposes over 100 times and have yet to receive the first
call to ask my opinions of Nextel CC.  Why?  They don't give a rats a** what
I think or need.  They just want me to keep paying the bill each month!

As a Corporate user in the Customer Service industry with over 150 Nextel's
in use, I am more than often appalled at what they call "Customer Care".  To
be fair though, it is not just Nextel.  The lip service to the customer and
don't care attitude seem to permeate most service providers today including
the company I work for.  The customer is not #1, profit and the bottom line
are!  What has happened to the notion that if you take care of your
customers and always exceed their needs, you will not have to worry about
profit and the bottom line?

Nextel is very good at apologizing to you.  That really does not do any good
unless you have the ability and authority to fix what caused the problem in
the first place.  I am more impressed by someone who takes ownership and
solves my problem!  I too have called Nextel Corporate offices on several
occasions and have really not seen much difference between Corporate or the
outsourced CC rep.  They too, do not have a clue as to who the customer is.

One day, soon I hope, Nextel will have some competition.  That is when they
will be forced to examine their pompous attitude towards their customers.
At this point, I wonder if they will see it at all, nor care to do anything
about it!  When the panic sets in, it will be too late to listen to the
customer.  They will all be gone!


text:
">

If the other carriers can add an equivalent "Direct Connect" to their
portfolio, Nextel will have to make major changes to the way they conduct
business to keep current customers and attract new ones.  It has taken the
other carriers many years to realize that there is a market for
"walkie-talkies".

In some areas, Nextel's coverage is very poor and in others, non existent.
To attract new customers once they are not the only player with DC, they
probably will have to address the issue of coverage.

I would hope that Nextel is working on the next "feature" that will give
them another competitive advantage.


author: Mike Berger

text:
Nextel will still have a big benefit over the other carriers when they
implement their direct-connect modes.  Only the Iden system is
designed to carry those connections efficiently.  It will take a lot more
system resources for Sprint, Verizon, etc. to offer a comparable
service.  It will cost them a lot more, and they'll have to cover that
from somewhere.

The lower frequencies used by the Iden system penetrate buildings
better too.  So people who really use their phones as a walkie-talkie
will probably find the Nextel service more effective.

"Carl." wrote:


author: Justa Lurker

text:
It was 4 Jul 2003 08:35:06 -0700, and [email]
  (Les Moore) wrote in alt.cellular:
| It is unfortunate that the author did not have access to
| Nextel's web site where the various support and repair
| programs are explained in detail.

It is unfortunatate that all the Nextel employees and other
representatives of Nextel did not have access to Nextel's
web site where THEY could learn of the various support and
repair options, and pass them on to the customer.

Or did they have access and just refuse to do a good job?
The internet is NOT a valid replacement for good human CS.

JL

----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! >100,000 Newsgroups
---= 19 East/West-Coast Specialized Servers - Total Privacy via Encryption =---


author: Dave C.

text:
"Been There" <[email]> wrote in message
news:03mNa.80385$X43.72167@clmboh1-is.
they

What planet are you living on?  Nextel has at least five major competitors.
That's just off the top of my head.  There are probably several major
competitors I've never heard of, along with dozens of minor competitors,
also.  I've had nextel twice (not my idea, business use), and had to DUMP
them twice due to poor coverage in ALL areas I work in.  Both times, the new
cellular service was MUCH more reliable, and it was different major
providers each time.  No competition?  What have you been smokin'?
:)  -Dave


text:
Interesting perpective. I did not realize it was so bad, even for major
account holders.

I think Verizon and Sprint PTT has scarred Nextel. If not, should. Up
till now there was no PTT alternative and Nextel could keep CS costs
down. Take it or leave it.

IF VZW or SPCS can execute, which remains to be seen there appears to be
some bruised customers that would dump Nextel in a heartbeat.
LNP could turn out to be another nail in the coffin.

-----
David

"Been There" <[email]> wrote in article
<03mNa.80385$[email]>:

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]


author: P Howard

text:
Why are other technologies less efficient in placing a PTT call?  And
why would it be far more expensive for non iDEN carriers to implement
it?


author: Stanley Cline

text:
On Mon, 07 Jul 2003 12:12:11 -0500, Mike Berger <[email]>
wrote:

The ESMR frequencies used by Nextel are more or less adjacent to the
800 MHz cellular frequencies used by VZW and Cingular in most places
and AT&T in many; Nextel's *generally* (they DO have some problem
areas!) better in-building coverage is much more a matter of network
design than anything else.

(FWIW, here in Atlanta, I've found that for the most part, where
Nextel doesn't work well VZW does, and where VZW doesn't work well
Nextel does -- hence I have service with both.)

-SC


text:
It was Mon, 07 Jul 2003 12:12:11 -0500, and Mike Berger
  <[email]> wrote in alt.cellular:
| It will take a lot more system resources for Sprint, Verizon,
| etc. to offer a comparable service.  It will cost them a lot
| more, and they'll have to cover that from somewhere.

Even IF that were true, it will be much cheaper to have a Verizon
or SPCS phone and add PTT than to have a Verizon or SPCS phone
and carry a Nextel for PTT.

| The lower frequencies used by the Iden system penetrate
| buildings better too.  So people who really use their phones
| as a walkie-talkie will probably find the Nextel service more
| effective.

And where are these "lower frequencies"?  Wrapped around 800mHz
cellular frequencies where MOST of Verizon's service operates.
Take another look at your frequency chart.

JL

----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
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---= 19 East/West-Coast Specialized Servers - Total Privacy via Encryption =---


text:
"Dave C." <[email]> wrote in message
news:_snNa.80144$[email]...
competitors.
new

I am sure the five companies you speak of would like to think they are
competitors.  Until they offer "Direct Connect" of some sort, they can't
truly compete for all of Nextel's customers.

FTR - I don't smoke!


text:
Don't forget that there's wide geographic separation even for those of us on
the same planet.  We just broke our contract with Sprint because their 3G
service with our Samsung A500 phones was atrocious.  It rarely worked for
either incoming or outgoing calls, even well within signal range.  Our
new Nextel service is great.

"Dave C." wrote:


author: Andrew Jackson

text:
Nextels network is more efficient in handling calls because its a packet
based network, not a circuit switched.  Its the difference between
trying to pour rice down the toilet, versus a sandwitch.  The
rice(packets) take up less space on the network, and can be rerouted on
the fly to take or conserve bandwith.   The sandwitch(crcuit switched)
takes up an entire channels bandwith, wether each party is talking or
not.  nextel has been doing PTT for 10 years, the others, none.

[email] (P Howard) wrote in article
<[email]>:

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]


author: [redacted]

text:
SouthernLinc's coverage is far superior to Nextel in ATL.

Stanley Cline wrote:


text:
This not true who told you this? Timmy??
It sounds like one of his lines.
Here is just one  comparable service. That requires no special hardware or
infrastructure equipment. Works on existing systems. There are some technical issues
being worked on but for a 1st release ready to go not bad........

http://www.fastchat.com/us/whatisit_voice.jsp

Key features of fastchat

Allows both group and one-to-one conversations

Single user interface for seamless integration of services

Ability to reply to messages in alternative methods (text. voice or pictures)

Does not require special hardware or infrastructure equipment

Works on today's 2.5/3G networks

Connects users across different operators and geographical boundaries.
Users can mix subscribers, non-subscribers and legacy mobile phone users
in a single or group conversation

If you want to look at hardcore 3G Push-To-Talk apps check out

http://www.3gpp.org

    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG


text:
"Been There" <[email]> wrote in message
news:q%pNa.80394$X43.21771@clmboh1->

At least two major providers that I know of are coming out with "direct
connect" soon.  In fact, one of them is suing Nextel because nextel was so
worried about the competition that they engaged in some illegal spying of
some sort.  But even if Nextel was the only company with that particular
feature, the feature only works in areas that you have a strong signal.  In
my experience, Nextel's coverage really stinks, making that feature highly
overrated.  -Dave


text:
"Andrew Jackson" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...

Pardon my ignorance, but isn't that the whole point of the 3g upgrades?  If
I can browse the web on a 3g phone that only occupies the bandwidth actually
used, why can't the PTT system work the same way?

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.497 / Virus Database: 296 - Release Date: 7/4/2003


author: L. Germ

text:
it does with VZW system it will only use the bandwidth that it needs
"

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]


subject: Re: Problems?  Nextel's Moments of Truth(carl)

text:
you mean in regards to the PTT systems that are coming out?
Because they are different systems.  imo nextels network is the closest
thing to 3g so far, minus the slow browsing speeds.
ATT, T-mobile and Cingulars GPRS systems are packet based, thats why
they are able to use third party software PTT overlays like Fastchat
(http://www.fastchat.com).  What makes nextels system faster is that it
is a hardware solution, where as other companies are using software
solutions.  I'm not sure if WCDMA uses a packet based system.  I hope I
answered your question satisfactorily.  Sorry I'm not an English major.

"Carl." <[email]> wrote in article
<f3nOa.46599$[email]>:

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]


text:
On Mon, 07 Jul 2003 23:07:55 GMT, "Carl." <[email]>
wrote:

The main problem with PTT over packet data networks (1X, GPRS) is high
latency -- packet data networks were designed to reliably carry DATA,
not carry voice with low latency.

-SC


text:
Your right, I forgot about that capacity issue.  I heard Nextel and
Motorola were coming out with some kind of "vocoder" solution to double
their capicity by the  end of this year.

[email] wrote in article <[email]>:

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]


text:
3G Not hardly-
iDEN is capacity challenged. It is a well know fact that CDMA offers capacity
enhancements far superior to iDEN. Even with Nextel going back to 6:1 (which they
had in 1995.) they still can't match CDMA. For a comparison look at www.cdg.org or
check www.yankeegroup.com

In addition iDEN has significant hardware challenges. The IMP-DAP only supports
300 EBTS sites and 45,000 users. The N-DAP is a 6-DAP cluster with up to 1000 EBTS
sites and 90,000 users. The T-DAP  supports clusters 1000 EBTS sites and 180,000
users. If you look at a typical Lucent config you will see a similar config can
support 250,00 users.

Andrew Jackson wrote:

    "NEXTEL-1 IT'S NOT JUST NEXTEL"
  Note The New address
Subscribe to Nextel-1: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL-1

  "NEXTEL2 FOR iDEN SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS"
Subscribe to Nextel2: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/NEXTEL2

  "WIRELESS FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY GROUP"
     The Complete Resource for Wireless Homeland Security.
Subscribe to WFHSG:  http://www.groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/WFHSG


text:
Ah, the old 6:1 Scam.......

Nextel had 6:1 in 1995-
Then they switched to 3:1

Now the are switching back to 6:1 and are calling it a capacity enhancement (HAHAHA)

I made reference to the 6:1 switch in my email below.

<SNIP>

 It is a well know fact that CDMA offers capacity

Here is the presser from when Nextel spent $100 milion to go to 3:1 because 6:1 was bad!

Motorola Announces Commercial Availability of iDEN
Enhancement

Enhancement of iDEN Technology Spurs $100 Million Nextelï¿½
Contract

SCHAUMBURG, IL, June 17, 1996 -- Motorola's Land Mobile Products Sector (LMPS)
today announced the commercial availability of a major software enhancement to its
iDENï¿½ technology that will allow wireless carriers to offer customers premium quality
telephone interconnect service, while maintaining the system's other core services,
including instant conferencing/wireless intercom, alphanumeric and circuit data
capabilities.

Nextel Communications, Inc. has ordered in excess of $100 million of additional iDEN
infrastructure and subscriber equipment based upon the commercial availability of the
new enhancement to the iDEN technology.

"This enhancement to iDEN is important because it offers Enhanced Specialized
Mobile Radio (ESMR) system users a product that meets the rigorous competitive
demands for audio quality in the wireless digital communications market," said Merle
L. Gilmore, president of Motorola's Land Mobile Products Sector. "iDEN delivers this
enhancement while maintaining its superior integrated communications services and
the efficient use of precious RF spectrum."

iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) is a fully-digital integrated wireless
system for the 800 megahertz frequency band (and 1.5 gigahertz band in Japan) that
integrates full-duplex telephone interconnect, instant conferencing for group and
private calling, alphanumeric paging with guaranteed message delivery and one-touch
call back, and data/fax communications services for mobile workgroup applications.

iDEN technology is based on a variety of time-proven RF technologies developed by
Motorola to provide a fully integrated wireless digital network. These enabling
technologies include Motorola's new state-of-the-art vocoders (voice coders), the
M16QAM modulation process, and the Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)
channel splitting process.

signal, resulting in improved audio quality. The bits are transmitted using a new
TDMA format that reduces the number of time slots from six to three per 25 kHz
channel in the telephone interconnect mode. The reduction of voice slots allows the
use of a new eight kilobit vocoder, which doubles the voice sampling rate compared to
the existing four kilobit vocoder, improving the overall tone and richness of telephone
interconnect communications.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The software enhancement also utilizes advanced forward error correction protocols
that correct essential corrupted bit in digital voice transmissions sent over the
airwaves, resulting insignificantly improved audio quality even in weak signal and
interference areas.

Convenient and efficient one-touch citywide, regional or even statewide
communication is provided through iDEN's instant conferencing and wireless intercom
capabilities (also known as two-way dispatch). This service will continue to operate at
the 6:1 rate to maximize use of RF spectrum.

Motorola also introduced a new pocket-sized handset for use with the 3:1
enhancement that will be a key addition to the many iDEN subscriber products already
on the market. The Motorola i370 digital portable weighs just 8.7 ounces, about half
that of existing iDEN handsets. In addition to enhanced telephone interconnect
capabilities, the i370 includes four lines of alphanumeric text messaging and one line
for display icons. A portable unit with circuit data transmission capabilities, and a
vehicle-installed mobile unit (the m370), are expected to be introduced later this year.

In 1994, Motorola introduced iDEN as the first fully digital-based system that
integrates four wireless communications services in one. Motorola has implemented
commercial iDEN systems for Nextel Communications, Inc. and the Southern Company
in the United States as well as in Argentina, Japan and Israel. iDEN systems in Canada
and Singapore now are being deployed and are expected to be available in the second
half of 1996. To date, more than 2,500 cell sties and 120,000 subscriber devices have
been shipped.

Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications,
semiconductors, and electronic systems, components and services. Major equipment
businesses include cellular telephone, two-way radio, paging and data
communications, personal communications, automotive, defense and space
electronics and computers. Motorola semiconductors power communication devices,
computers and millions of other products. Motorola's 1995 sales were $27 billion.

Andrew Jackson wrote:


text:
Nextel promised nationwide direct connect in 2001. Now the have the nerve to say they
are ahead of schudle

===============================================================================
Nextel to complete nationwide Direct Connec early

Monday July 7, 11:11 am ET

CHICAGO, July 7 (Reuters) - Nextel Communications Inc. (NasdaqNM:NXTL - News), the
fifth-largest U.S. wireless telephone company, on Monday said it will complete the
roll-out of its new nationwide walkie-talkie service in July, ahead of schedule.

===================================================================================

9/30/1999 11:33 PM
Nextel to Expand Walkie-Talkie Features Regionally, Nationally

Nextel to Expand Walkie-Talkie Features Regionally, Nationally San Francisco,
Sept. 29 (Bloomberg) -- Nextel Communications Inc., a national wireless-phone
service provider, will expand its DirectConnect walkie-talkie service so groups
can communicate regionally and nationally, Chief Executive Tim Donahue said. ``We
have the opportunity to go regional with DirectConnect, meaning a sales manager in

Boston can push the big button and talk to a sales rep in Washington,'' he said at
a Banc of America Securities conference in San Francisco. ``That will happen in
late 2000, and in 2001 or early 2002 we'll have Direct Connect on a nationwide
basis.''

Nextel is working with its Motorola Inc., which makes its phone handsets, to make
these new services possible, Donahue said. He described the opportunity as
``significant,'' but wasn't more specific.

Nextel has been adding white-collar companies to its traditional blue-and
gray-collar customer base, which now includes half of the Fortune 500, Donahue
said. These companies ``are finding huge applications for Nextel phones that they
can't get anywhere else,'' he said.

Nextel already has the highest average monthly revenue per user in the wireless
industry, at $74, and the lowest customer turnover, at 2 percent. The company
intends to push its customer turnover lower, Donahue said. ``My anticipation is
that we can reduce churn,'' he said.  Forty percent of customers who leave Nextel
do so voluntarily, and say they will return if the company improves its coverage
where they need to use their phone, Donahue said.

The company also is ``aggressively expanding'' its network, keeping its switching
technology six months ahead of demand and its radio-frequency technology four
months ahead of demand, he said.
===========================================================

As you can see they are full of S^&(

Andrew Jackson wrote:


author: Runs With Knives

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
	"Steve Freides" <[email]> writes:
[snip]

Check the Google archives for alt.coffee and the reviews at
coffeegeek.com before buying.  I think Sweet Maria's may have
forums/reviews, as well.

That's because, as I noted in a follow-up to Lee, warming plates
destroy the coffee.

That possibly has two advantages, actually.  The most obvious is the
coffee isn't being destroyed by being constantly heated.  The other,
less obvious, reason is that many drip coffee makers with a warming
plate share a single heating element for the warming plate *and*
heating the brew water.  These, almost w/o exception, do not produce
sufficiently hot brew water.

No question.

[snip]

Again: Check the reviews at coffeegeek.  I think the Cuisinart Grind
& Brew gets generally good reviews.  But it's grinding with a "whirly
blade" grinder (not really a "grinder," per se), which is
sub-optimal.  Better, far better, than buying pre-ground, tho.

I grind with a Capresso Infinity. Filter the water with a Brita.
Brew with a Cuisinart Brew Central using a metal-mesh, gold-tone
filter.

Then again, you could always go with a super-auto.  The Jura-Capresso
Impressa Z5 grinds, brews, heats/froths milk, does any of about, I
dunno, 6 or 8 different drinks at the push of a button, has
selectable brew strength...  all for only about US$3,000 or so ;).


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
	"Steve Freides" <[email]> writes:
[snip]

If it's the taste, rather than the lack of caffeine, that's the cause
of dissatisfaction, I suspect the problem is either inferior coffee,
an inferior roast, improper brewing, or a combination thereof.  My
wife drinks decaf--can't tolerate caffeine.  We buy her either decaf
Costa Rican or a decaf "house blend" (80% Columbian, 20% Sumatran,
IIRC) from the same local roaster whence I buy my coffee.  Her decaf
is *terrific*.  So good that I don't think I'd find it all that great
a problem to switch to decaf, myself.  The only down-side is that I
like to switch between varietals on a regular basis, and they have
limited variety in decafs.


author: JMW

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Axel of the North! wrote:

Yes, and to a lesser extent, some of the other catechins.  They act as
an alternative substrate for O-methylation through the COMT/SAMe
pathway, thus increasing plamsa catecholamine levels (dopamine,
norepinephrine, epinephrine), with the end result being similar in
effect to an MAO inhibitor, though not as powerful.  Also, SAH
(S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine from demethylated SAMe) acts as a feedback
inhibitor in this pathway, so the effect is self-limiting.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
	"Lee Michaels" <[email]> writes:
[snip]

In most cases: Yes.  But home roasting is not for the faint-of-heart,
IMO.  Roasting coffee generates a significant amount of smoke and
chaff.  The chaff can be contained/controlled, but the smoke *will*
coat/stain surfaces, so you really want it vented to the outside--
preferably in such a manner that it won't end-up coating outside of
your house.

If you've got a good local roaster, as I have, IMO the two big
reasons to home-roast become variety (you can roast small batches and
use them up before they go stale) and price (green beans are a
helluva lot less expensive than roasted beans).

I buy fresh-roasted (while I wait, in fact) coffee, a pound at a
time.  It takes me a bit more than two weeks to go through a pound.
I've found that the "bloom is off the rose," as it were, somewhere
during the 1-2 week period.  So what I do now is, immediately when I
get home with a new batch (sometimes it's still warm), I divide it in
half and freeze one half.  The frozen half doesn't stay as fresh as
long, after being defrosted, as the unfrozen half originally does,
but it is a marked improvement.

As I mentioned in my follow-up to Steve: Really good decaf *can* be
done.  In fact: My wife served a cup of her decaf to a friend the
other day, and only revealed it was decaf after her friend had
remarked how good it was :).  Her friend was quite surprised by the
disclosure.

I'm sure Lee knows the following, but for others reading these threads
that may not...

Besides good quality, freshly-roasted (and *properly* roasted) beans,
other things that affect the brew (in brief):

    . Proper grind
    . Grind just before brewing.  Ground coffee goes stale *fast*
      (Yes, the ground coffee you buy in the supermarket is stale as
      it sits on the shelf.  Really.)
    . Proper grounds:water ratio (1-2 tbsp per 6oz. cup - if that's
      too strong for you, brew to that strength and dilute with hot
      water. The grounds:water ratio determines something called
      "extraction."  The wrong ratio and you get bitter or sour
      coffee.)
    . Brewing at the proper temperature: Water at 195F to 205F hitting
      the basket (most [inexpensive] auto drip coffee makers have
      insufficiently hot brew water--particularly those with a
      warming plate.)
    . Proper brew time.  This is trickier.  Ideally, for brewed
      coffee, the water won't be in contact with the grounds for more
      than about five minutes.  Hardly any automatic drip brewers can
      accomplish this--particularly when trying to brew 10-12 cups.
      Then again: Few drip brewers have large enough baskets to allow
      you to brew that much at once with the proper coffee:water
      ratio ;).
    . Never let brewed coffee sit on a warming plate.  Get it into
      a (pre-warmed) insulated carafe immediately.  Better yet: Brew
      only what you're going to drink right away.
    . Good water.  (IME Brita water filters usually produce acceptable
      water from city taps or well water.)

Oh yeah, and the coffee newsgroup is alt.coffee :)


author: David Cohen

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Helgi Briem wrote:

Gmail Troll is wrong? Wow. Who would've thought?

David


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
	Helgi Briem <[email]> writes:

Actually, there is more than that.  But the other varieties are of
little commercial interest.

Yahbut just cuz the can says, or the seller advertises, "Columbian"
doesn't mean that all, or even most, of what's in it is necessarily
Columbian, much-less Arabica.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
fj wrote:

It's an insecticide.

http://www.chamisamesa.net/caff.html


author: The Good Guy

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
drink it).

Right!! Stick to those coffee enemas and you'll be fine!


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
	[email] (Axel of the North!) writes:
[snip]
[snip]

"White tea?"  Hot water?


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <db68ib$pj2$[email]>,
	"fj" <[email]> writes:

I s'pose what you really meant by this question is: "Is coffee bad
for you?"  That depends on a variety of factors.  As with most other
things: Some people can't tolerate it.  It would be bad for them.
Some people are overly sensitive to the caffeine.  Regular coffee
would be bad for them.  Some health folk believe the caffeine in
coffee overly-stimulates the system, even in people that don't feel
all that affected by caffeine, and recommend shunning it.  OTOH, a
recent report said that men who drink two cups of coffee a day had a
vastly lower instance of one-or-another type of cancer (prostate or
colon, IIRC).

*My* opinion is that coffee is all right in moderation.  I suspect
that people who drink coffee all day long are not doing themselves
any good by it.  I know people that had suffered serious withdrawal
symptoms when they quit.  (ISTM being addicted to something that,
when quitting, results in withdrawal symptoms like that is a sign
that what you were doing was Not Good For You.)

As to "Is coffee bad?"...

One thing you can do for yourself is drink *good* coffee.  The vast
majority of what you get off the average super-market shelf and in
restaurants, here in the U.S., anyway, is garbage.  Learn to enjoy
properly prepared coffee brewed from freshly-ground and properly
roasted Arabica beans.  Not only will such coffee taste a helluva lot
better, but Arabica beans have about 1/2 the caffeine, on average, as
the cheap Robusta beans from which most coffee you find here in the
States is made.

ObOT: I've found, the hard way, that downing 20 oz. of strong coffee
before going target-shooting is deleterious to ones performance ;).


author: Donovan Rebbechi

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
On 2005-07-14, fj <[email]> wrote:

No, at least not the stuff I drink. In fact, it's really good. I always have
a shot of espresso before my speed workouts ...

 - Donovan, about to make some espresso with the beans he roasted 2 days
ago...


author: Mike

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
fj wrote in message ...
  Coffee, tea, cocoa, cola soft drinks and energy drinks all contain
caffeine, a naturally occurring compound found in the leaves and fruits of
certain plants. As a stimulant, caffeine acts on the brain and nervous
system. In small doses, it can make you feel refreshed and focused. In large
doses, you are likely to feel anxious and have difficulty sleeping.

Like many other drugs, it is possible to develop a tolerance to caffeine,
which means ever greater doses are needed to achieve the same effect.
Caffeine is also found in chocolate bars and some over-the-counter
medications, like cough syrup and slimming tablets.

A short term burst of energy
Stimulants work on the body in similar ways to the hormone adrenalin. The
adrenal glands are located near the kidneys and, when we are frightened or
stressed, the glands squirt adrenalin directly into the bloodstream. The
results are dramatic and instantaneous, with an increase in breathing and
heart rate, accompanied by a short term burst of physical energy. Some of
the signs and symptoms of excessive amounts of caffeine include:

A rise in body temperature
Frequent urination and dehydration
Dizziness and headaches
After the energy burst, an even greater feeling of fatigue
Rapid heart beat (palpitations)
Restlessness and excitability
Anxiety and irritability
Trembling hands
Sleeplessness.
Addiction and withdrawal
Like many other drugs, it is possible to build up a tolerance to caffeine,
which means you need to take larger and larger doses to achieve the same
effect. Over time, your body might come to depend on caffeine in order to
function at its best. Withdrawal symptoms can include tiredness, crankiness,
a persistent headache, sweating and muscle pain. The easiest way to break
caffeine dependence is to cut down gradually, giving your nervous system
time to adapt to functioning without the drug.

How much is too much?
Your susceptibility to caffeine depends on your build, state of health,
metabolism, and whether or not your body is used to getting regular doses of
caffeine. Generally speaking, 500mg per day or less is considered an
acceptable dose. Approximate caffeine levels per cup in everyday drinks
include:
Chocolate drinks - 40 to 80mg
Coffee - 50 to 350mg, depending on the type and strength of the brew
Cola drinks - 40mg
Decaffeinated coffee - around 3mg
Tea - 10 to 80mg, depending on the type and strength of the brew.
Special considerations
Some people need to take special care with caffeine, for example:
Pregnant women - limit your caffeine intake to 200mg per day or less - or
eliminate it altogether.
Athletes - be aware that caffeine is considered a banned or restricted drug
at a competitive level. Depending on your build and metabolism, an intake of
around 500mg of caffeine over a few hours would probably be enough, in most
cases, to fail a drug test.
Where to get help
Your doctor
Chemist
Dietician.
Things to remember
Caffeine is a stimulant drug that acts on the brain and nervous system.
Like many other drugs, it is possible to become addicted to caffeine, such
that you need a certain dose every day in order to function normally.
Pregnant women and athletes should limit their intake of caffeine.


author: OmManiPadmeOmelet

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <db68ib$pj2$[email]>, "fj" <[email]> wrote:

My gastroenterologist said it has nothing to do with the caffiene...

It's the acids and other nasty compounds in it that tend to irritate the
digestive system in a lot of people.

I'm not convinced tho', that in normal people with a non-irritable gut,
that coffee is harmful in moderate amounts.

Moderation is the key just like with anything else.

Don't drink a pot a day like some coffee junkies do. ;-)

Just my 2 cents, YMMV!

And no, I don't drink it...
I drink tea.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Axel of the North! wrote:

Caffeine is not the primary stimulatory pathway in green tea.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Nothing wrong with coffee, it's good for you (as long as you don't
drink it).


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
On 2005-07-15, Runs With Knives <[email]> wrote:

Disagree with this. The small air roaster generates a little smoke when I'm
roasting dark, and in fact if I roast for drip, it doesn't generate any
smoke (though there is a "coffee roasting" scent)

Tom at sweetmarias website for example believes that many beans peak
after they get time to degas a little.

Yep. For this reason, I prefer the press to a drip machine. Another thing
I found worked well was something like the "swiss gold" method -- I simply
took the cone out of a drip machine, loaded it up, and held it over the cup.

(-; two words -- french press.

Yep.

Especially with espresso. Had boilers on espresso machines die because of
lime scale from tap water (even with Brita -- I suppose I didn't change the
filters enough). I always use bottled water now.

Cheers,


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
 [email] (Runs With Knives) wrote:

<snipped>

I'll second that... ;-)

Before I pretty much gave up coffee, I had switched to Arabica coffee as
well. There is a WORLD of difference in flavor!

I did abuse it tho' and had a headache from withdrawl for a solid 2
weeks after giving it up cold turkey.

That was shortly after having an Endoscopy. <lol>

Shaky hands aren't real good for holding a site eh?
Who'da guessed?


author: Steve Freides

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
"Runs With Knives" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...

Good points, Jim.

People who do things like Paris-Brest-Paris, a 1200 km bike ride, often
stop drinking caffeine for a week or two before their event so that they
get the kick out of the coffee when they need it during the ride.
Myself, I find that after having a cup or two of coffee every day for a
week, I always want a day or two off from it, and sometimes I take a
week or two off.  When I first met my wife (we were both in college),
she was one of those people who drank coffee all day long - we
calculated 8-12 cups per day.  She began having some health issues and
her doctor told her to get off coffee - her detox wasn't much fun for
her or anyone around her. :)  She now drinks 2 cups or so per day.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com


author: mike

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
<[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...
Which you need !!!


author: fj

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
"Mike" <[email]> wrote in message
news:db7fsj$shm$[email]...

woohoo, that's a comprehensive one.

I read at somewhere that caffeine is good for burning calories because of
the increase of heart rate.  It gives me an excuse for drinking coffee.

-fj


author: Axel of the North!

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 12:54:59 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
<[email]> wrote:

i've heard it destroys the villi in the small intestine. also that it
increases stomach acid too much in some people.

also it is too high in caffeine for me. green tea is enough. white tea
is even more. and quality dark chocolate by itself is also enough. we
shouldn't be dependent on stimulants. using our adrenal glands for
energy is just faulty/dysfunctional living.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text: I know green tea is good. Unfortunately it doesn't taste like coffee.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
On 14 Jul 2005 14:10:34 -0700, "JMW" <[email]> wrote:

EGCG?

i have an antioxidant blend, "Salada" brand, proudly declaring "Green
Tea w/ purple antioxidants" supplement fortified with grapeskins,
rooibos (red tea), anthocyanins & vitamin C. says its naturally
decaffeinated using only spring water and effervescence. the list of
ingredients continues under the supplements facts section:  other
ingredients:  hibiscus, natural blueberry flavor, elderberries,
rosemary leaves.

but this stuff keeps me awake for hours if i have it within even six
hours from bed time.

perhaps if i take enough l-theanine. i liked bulk nutrition's web site
for explanations on supplements (LEF is good, too). it's kind of sad
to feel like taking l-theanine, most likely extracted from green tea,
to counteract the energy burning (thermogenic) effect of my freakin'
antioxidant, naturally decaffeinated green tea bags.

what the hell do i gotta do to get some antioxidants and a decent
night of sleep?!!! gahhhhHHHH!!!


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
"Donovan Rebbechi" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...

Well, I'll reply to yours this time, Donovan.

We use a gold filter in our drip machine, not paper.

The water we use is RO filtered (reverse-osmosis) - it's about as pure
as one can get short of distilled water.

I'll read more, poke around more, and report back.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <db6lsu$spg$[email]>, "fj" <[email]> wrote:

True, but there is a whole world of teas. ;-)
I drink Earl Grays, hot.

With cream and splenda......


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
"OmManiPadmeOmelet" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...

Green Earl Gray (Grey?) tea is available.  We get it at Trader Joe's.
Earl Grey is just the addition of a bit of oil of bergamot to the tea -
once can buy oil of bergamot separately although I've never done this
myself.

-S-


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
 "Steve Freides" <[email]> wrote:

But, I don't like green tea! :-P
It tastes wierd.

I prefer variations on black tea, of which there are many,
and it has it's own "medicinal" properties. :-)


author: Suze

subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Quoting OmManiPadmeOmelet:

I don't care for the taste much myself.  Unsweetened, it tastes weak
and bitter.  Sweetened (with Splenda), it just tastes like a cup of
hot Splenda water to me.

With a generous squeeze of fresh lemon, it's not that bad though.
Steve's suggestion about the Earl of Grey (bergamot) flavored green
tea doesn't sound like a bad idea either.

I drink a few cups a week; generally when I just don't feel quite
motivated to lift for whatever reason.  It seems to help me to get my
arse in gear, moreso than either black tea or coffee would.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Suze <suze_anderson@spamcop/dot/obvious> wrote:

Try matcha.  Super fine powder mixed directly with water, the same as
in the Japanese tea ceremony.  I don't guarantee you'll be fond of the
taste, but it will definitely be strong enough for you.  The
psychoactive effectives are stronger, too.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
"Suze" <suze_anderson@spamcop/dot/obvious> wrote in message
news:[email]...

I don't understand sweetener in tea or coffee - first of all, I don't
like articificial sweeteners and stay away from anything low-fat,
no-this or reduced-that.  But sugar really changes the experience of
drinking tea.  Lemon doesn't seem to ruin tea, neither does cream, and
likewise I don't find cream to ruin coffee, but sugar - yech.  My
personal preference is for light cream in my cold coffee, nothing or
light cream in my hot coffee, and nothing in my tea.

Our favorite green tea is Japanese "sushi bar style" tea - I don't know
exactly what makes it "sushi bar style" but the Japanese have several
kinds of green tea and that's the one we prefer.  (I think maybe there's
some sort of rice in it - will have to check...)  Japanese friends of
ours get it for us from a Japanese grocery store, and in the summer we
usually use an old coffee carafe to brew up what we drink as iced green
tea.  We mix and match, sometimes using all Japanese tea, something half
and half with plain American green tea, and sometimes throwing a Earl
Grey green tea bag into the mix.  The variety is nice.  We throw the tea
bags in and just leave them there for the day usually, generally using
2-3 tea bags for 8-10 cups of water, and it seems plenty strong.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
 Suze <suze_anderson@spamcop/dot/obvious> wrote:

As I am well aware of the benefits of green tea, I take a green tea
extract capsule as part of my pre-workout supplements...

And you are right. It gets you moving!

This way I don't have to taste it...

There are a couple of different brands on the market of the extract
capsule that are quite effective. Check Sun Harvest or Whole Foods.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Quoting Steve Freides:

I don't really care for any of them except for Splenda, and in this
case am basically using it to cover up the taste :).

Interesting; I've heard several tea lovers say this.

Thanks for the recommendation.


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
Quoting OmManiPadmeOmelet:

Okay, may do so.  I already take a lot of supplements in pill form
though.  Between the fish oil, and the electrolytes, vitamins, blah
blah...

Oh the other hand, what's a few more ?


subject: Re: Is coffee bad?

text:
In article <[email]>,
 Suze <suze_anderson@spamcop/dot/obvious> wrote:

<lol> I know exactly what you mean...... ;-D


author: John

subject: Re: Roads Work Best (WAS:  Re: Transit Keeps the Highways Moving)

text:
--
___>^..^<___

"David S Chesler" <[email]> wrote in message
news:[email]...
Portland has one of the worlds largest urban wilderness parks.