The Hill Healthwatch blog Reports on Bidding Train Wreck

The blog posting for February 1 reports- "War over bidding: One month since the beginning of Medicare's competitive bidding program for Durable Medical Equipment in nine metro areas, the American Association for Homecare says patients are reporting myriad problems.

Problems include difficulty finding a local equipment or service provider; delays in obtaining medically required equipment and services; longer than necessary hospital stays due to trouble discharging patients to home-based care; far fewer choices for patients when selecting equipment or providers; reduced quality; and confusing or incorrect information provided by Medicare."

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/other/141503-overnight-health-

This Blog Has Moved: Gambill.Wordpress.com

Everyone knows we move almost every year. To clarify only four out of five years of marriage. Anyway, with almost a year on Blogger we've decided to spread our wings a little with a site that gives us a bit more control of our blog. WordPress is the new site we'll be using.

The new address is http://gambill.wordpress.com/ You'll notice a better looking site that includes all of our previous posts from blogger plus new entries. Be sure to change your link to the new site.

You will notice a picture at the top of the page on the new site that is from college when I dropped Tilly. Evidently, we do not take enough pictures so until we find a better picture we're going to let that little seen pic from spring of 2001 take the top spot.

Please, let us know how you like the new site.

For Mom on Mother's Day

My mother enjoys reading our blogs. With Tilly and I being in Washington, DC, the blog has become an nice outlet to our family and friends at home. With tomorrow being Mother's Day, I thought I'd write a random post that only a mother could enjoy.

Tilly is at a Girl's Night Out with some friends tonight, so I thought I'd let you read what a typical night at home for a nearly five-year old married man nearing 30 (November) looks like? It consists of what our nights typically look like when Tilly is home. I thought about making this is a video journal or picture parade (I made the latter term up), but decided I'll just let your imagination go with the written word.

As most of you know, my first inclination is to eat. Tilly would do the same for herself in my absence. With age, I've gone from frozen pizzas to homemade pizzas with store bought dough. Trader Joe's has great pizza dough that I'm fond of, so I pounded out the dough to try my first thin crust pizza on our new pizza stone. New you ask? Yes, our original stone cooked its final pizza last month. It served us well, but was simply no match for the hot burner that was accidentally left on beneath it. Tonight's inaugural pizza is thin crust, extra sauce, less cheese, and pepperoni galore. I remembered the pineapple only minutes too late.

As the pizza cooked, I pulled out the laptop to get ready for my nightly work. Yes, I must keep up with the goings-on in Major League Baseball so tonight my, I mean, the Atlanta Braves are in Pittsburgh. They, okay I'll drop the gimmick, we had a six game winning streak as we swept our six game homestand. The fun ended last night as the Pirates defeated us on the road. We now have the best home and the worst road record in baseball.

Pizza is in my hands to eat as the first pitch is thrown. I am obviously not typing this in real time, so in the sixth inning we're down 5-2. I'll just say it, "How do we lose to the Pirates?" I mean the Washington Nationals owned us in April, but the Braves are always slow in April. Oh, you say its May? Yikes!

As the game starts, I leave the windows open to hear the traffic of the city and feel the nice breeze of the 58 degree evening. The dogs are at my feet. Our dog, Maddie, and Tilly's parents' puppy, Bella. We're halfway through our six weeks of keeping her. At present, Bella is deciding whether to bite my foot, but a quick gaze let's her know whose... Ow, there went a toe. Okay, so Bella is back in the box and Maddie is comfortably next to my feet.

I've left out some crucial details about the atmosphere. The television is off and the iPod is connected to the surround sound playing my favorite new album Raise the Dead by Phantom Planet. With my new found passion for music, there is rarely a moment that an album is not playing somewhere near me. Music post coming soon to this blog. Seriously, I promise. Maybe even tonight. During my commute, I have my iPod and ear buds in and it seems I've got a soundtrack to my life playing. Depends on the song of course, but there's nothing better than cruising around the corner for work with a great tune that gets the day started right with a view of the city and smile on my face.

Tilly will be home soon and we'll take the dogs out for their nightly walk before ending up sitting somewhere reading and listening to tunes. Unless of course, Tilly brought home another season of Gilmore Girls on DVD, which means the Atlanta Braves, music, and finishing Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. By the way, Tilly will wonder what I was thinking with this post. As I mentioned in the beginning, this random post is for my mother's enjoyment. She enjoys reading what I would be saying on the phone or in person if we were talking. Yes, I do talk as I write with more information than you could ever listen to. This post is for you, Mom. Happy Mother's Day. Be sure to ask her about the t.v. dinner Mother's Day card. Okay, scratch that.

Tunes of Note: May

In February, I posted on the blog that I would continue the musificiation of myself via researching, buying, listening, and posting about albums of note each month. I completed three of the four, so consider the February post the first, okay second, New Year's Resolution I broke quickly. What's the first? Tune in next time...

Since I have failed to post on music in the last three months, I'll have to make it up to you with an epic post tonight. Without further ado, here's what I've been listening to.

Consolers Of The Lonely by The Raconteurs

The Raconteurs is a side project of Jack White of The White Stripes, who had one of the great albums of 2007 with Icky Thump. This is easily my favorite album of the year, thus far. The opening track begins with a jam and never let's up until the album is complete. I've found myself listening to this album so much that I've had to try not listening to it. The riffs are great, the rock is solid, and the bluesy flavor at points is just right for this rock band. This is the second album by The Raconteurs, but this is there first genuine success. They should be touring this summer, so count Tilly and I as one of the patrons standing in line in hopes of see them rock in person.

Raise the Dead by Phantom Planet

This technically could be considered a May post. The album came out in April, but without reviews in Rolling Stone and only Blender to trust I decided to put it on my wait list. I bought the album on iTunes on Tuesday and I've yet to turn it off. I listened to it over and over for five days straight. Besides The Raconteurs and Switches (review to come), I cannot recall an album that immediately struck me as quickly. The first two songs play off of each other with some nice beats and intelligent grooves. This is an alternative band from California. Given my newbie mind to music, I am not familiar with their earlier work. This is their fourth album and with at least five songs I've got listed as four stars on my iPod, I'd put this as a must buy.

Lay Down the Law by Switches

I'd never heard of the band Switches until earlier this year. When I mention I research and preview albums, here's the way it happens. Every Tuesday, I take the latest issue of Rolling Stone and/or Blender (SPIN will be coming soon) and go album by album that each issue previews and listen to 30 second cuts of each song on the album via iTunes. There are always some albums I can mark off immediately as I noted in the original post such as country and most rap, R&B, and pop. I do listen to most all rock, alternative, punk, folk, and other non-discript genres. Switches were reviewed decently in Blender, but has yet to even get a mention in Rolling Stone. For the record, Rolling Stone tends to review only select albums each issue while Blender reviews most everything monthly. Stone sometimes realizes their error like with Phantom Planet and will review it a month or so later once it starts getting positive reviews elsewhere. Needless to say, I took a chance with Switches and have one as its my third favorite album of the year so far. Its an easy listen with an alternative rock sound with some pop-like lyrics. I am not a lyrics guy as much, but I'm beginning to try. If you like enjoyable alternative rock albums this one is a worthy purchase.

Attack and Release by The Black Keys

The Black Keys have had some successful albums previously, but I obviously have never heard them. I read an article on them and heard about the single for their upcoming album earlier this year. I went to listen to the single Strange Times and needless to say I was hooked. Its still my favorite single of the year, but the album was just as solid. Its a bluesy, rock album that I can listen to without fault everyday this year. Unlike Switches and Phantom Planet, The Black Keys album has gotten a lot of critical praise. They brought in Danger Mouse to help refine their sound for this new album and he did just that. In listening to their previous albums there is definitely an improved sound to this album. It hits you slowly, but before long you'll be wishing you could see this pair on a stage near you. Don't wait, just buy.

As this post is getting obnoxiously long, I'm going to go to the lightening round with some quick thoughts on a few other albums.

Good:

• Mudcrutch by Mudcrutch - One of the great stories of the music world this year. Mudcrutch is Tom Petty's original band before the Heartbreakers. With this album, he brought the band back together which consists of two members from the Heartbreakers and two more from the original Mudcrutch. The sound of the album is a bluesy rock/country hybrid that is a pleasure to hear. To my ears it leaned more country than I wanted, but I kept listening as you can feel the stories of the band's reunion in every beat. Click this link for more on the story of the band's return over two decades later.


• Accelerate by R.E.M. - This is the album where the Athens, Georgia band finally rocks again with a very good album after putting out some lackluster tracks over the last decade.


• Warpaint by The Black Crowes - If you like good, southern rock than Warpaint is the album for you. Its been a very satisfying album with Josephine being the stand out track from the album.


• For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver - This is another one of those great musical stories of the year. Hopefully, I have this generally correct. Bon Iver's girlfriend broke up with him so he holed up in a cabin for three months in isolation and this is what came out of it. The album struck me similar to Josh Ritter's early work with deep lyrics that evoke story-telling and passion. Its the perfect album for the background of a night reading or sullen time of thought introspection.

Neutral:

• Konk by The Kooks - As one of the breakthrough artists of 2007 with Inside In/Inside Out, the British bred Kooks quickly put out a new album this year. Although Inside hit it big in the states last year, it actually came out internationally in 2006, so I should probably retract the quick. In my quick listens thus far, its been solid but has not resonated as of yet. Not to say it won't, but I kept waiting for something that struck me like Inside, but it hasn't as of yet. Another British band, The Fratellis, are going to have the same issue this year as their album Here We Stand hits the states next month. Their first single from the new album Mistress Mabel has not been my favorite, but as one of my favorite albums of 2007 I have high hopes for the Fratellis.


• Elephant Shell by Tokyo Police Club - I heard about this album everywhere as this is the first full-length album from the band. They put out a couple EP's that were quite impressive. To be honest I like those much better than this album. I've not given it a fair shake as of yet, which is why its in the neutral category. Maybe the critics are right, but even most of them think the LPs were better than the album. Time will tell.

Disappointing:

• Age of Understatement by The Last Puppet Show - This is one of the albums I've had high hopes for over the last couple months. Its one of those side projects similar to The Raconteurs only this is with a couple members of the Arctic Monkeys and The Rascals. Arctic Monkeys you may recall had one of the best albums of the year in 2007. Well, the album finally came out last week and I bought it before reading any reviews as I'd purchased the EP and was impressed. I listened to the entire album on my way to work Tuesday morning and then again on the way home in the afternoon. The album is about girls, dating, and break-ups, etc. If I was in high school, I might love this album but as a married man this was disappointing. Some good riffs, but for the first time I could not get past the lyrics to enjoy the album. Well, at least I still have the EP to enjoy.


• Pretty. Odd. by Panic at the Disco - This was one of the more anticipated albums of the year. While I've never owner a Panic at the Disco album as someone getting to know music more, I seemingly need to try some of the name bands to get a feel for their sound. Little did I know that this album would be a one hit wonder of a record. The album took a turn as the lead singer listened to The Who, Beatles, and other classic bands for the first time since the last album. He used what he learned from those bands to tryout some new things. I do not think he lost with this album, but none the less its not been on my must play list so it has to be in this category. The best track on the album is Nine in the Afternoon. Its a must listen.


• Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings by Counting Crows - This album has a great premise that the first half rocks like a Saturday night with the second half of the album being the remorse of a Sunday morning after a wicked hard night out. Problem is the second half of the album just kills the rest. If they had two first halves of the album this one would've been worth the price.


• Lust Lust Lust by The Ravonettes - This is one of the critically acclaimed albums of the year that I trusted would be great based on what I read. Consider it lesson learned as I've tried to like this album but I just can't get past the scratchy guitar sound that they are going for. Maybe later this year, I'll run across this album and love it but as for today I'd prefer a refund.

As for singles, I've only got a couple for you. Tilly always gets hooked on the Apple commercials so the latest is Shut Up and Let Me Go by the Ting, Tings here's a link to the music video for the song. These New Puritans put out a the album Beat Pyramid. I wasn't sold on the album, but I found a couple tracks of interest in Numerology and En Papier.

So ends my quarterly Tunes of Note for May. Go ahead and make your wagers now if I return in June for a monthly music update.

ADDENDUM: I was not aware that bullets in this format were flowers. Not my taste, so consider it Tilly's input on this post.

ADDENDUM #2: I realized after I hit "publish" that I'd left off what is probably the best album by a new band for the year.

Best Debut Album:

• Antidotes by Foals - Vampire Weekend's Vampire Weekend had one of the best albums of the year, but Foals debut Antidotes is at least its equal. Comparing the albums may not be fair as Foals is easily more listenably long-term than Vampire Weekend's campy hit. Antidotes mixes precussion and guitars in a way that provides a mellow, bright indie-rock. Its one of those transitional albums that sounds like something unique and new while providing family tones to balance out your reluctance to jump into something different.

Year of the Wedding Continues...in Philadelphia

The year of the wedding continued with our latest tour of the country. Last weekend, we were in Philadelphia for a Ilan and Traci's wedding. Tilly used to work with Traci at Docs for Tots. They had a private wedding for family on Friday. On Saturday night, they held a party for all of their friends and family at Davios. The event was held on the Penthouse Level that has two private rooms and an outdoor terrace with a wonderful view of the city's skyline. Sunday morning, we had brunch at the Sofitel Hotel with some close friends before taking a quick tour of Philadelphia. Here's some pictures:

Brent outside Indepenence Hall.

Tilly posing with the Liberty Bell.

This one's for you Mom. Here's the picture to further the rumors I've been growing my hair out.

Next weekend's wedding destination: Hot Springs, Arkansas. Enjoy, Tilly. Maddie and I will have a weekend together at home in D.C.

Tilly Meets Nationals Park

On Friday night, I got to take Tilly to her first ball game at Nationals Park. I know, I know. Baseball, Baseball, Baseball. Its the job, but its also entertainment. I just happen to get paid to follow it, but there are still rare moments when I can be a fan. Two weeks after the Atlanta Braves lost on Opening Night, they returned to the District of Columbia for their first three-game series of the weekend. On this wonderful occasion, I was able to score some corporate tickets to take Tilly.

We sat in section 124, row H which is directly behind home plate. We had tickets for the Diamond Club which is the exclusive area where you can eat. After we got our arm bands for admittance, we were then able to check the tab on our tickets which would pay for our food and drinks. After weighing the option of made to order v. buffet, we went against our usual judgment and selected the buffet. The fact it was all you can eat throughout the entire game, I was sold. We got seats on the deck above our seats and had dinner. By the fourth inning, we figured it was about time to leave the food behind and find our seats.

Tilly was treated to a masterful pitching performance from the Braves Tim Hudson with the offense provided by future superstar Yunel Escobar. If you are not familiar with Escobar, go check him out as he's going to be a name everyone will know real soon. It was great to take Tilly to see the new park, but the best for me was getting Tilly to wear an Atlanta Braves cap (retro 1972 Atlanta Braves All-Star hat). She wants to adopt a local team, but as I told her "a house divided will not stand" so she happily wore the Braves cap. She did pretend to be confused by who the Braves were and cheered incorrectly on a couple occasions, but by the end she bought into greatest team in professional sports. I might be a tad bias of course. As for me, I was decked out in my ratted out Braves cap along with a Jeff Francoeur t-shirt. I was not working, so I got to be "that" fan rooting for the opposing team at the home team's ballpark. Unsurprisingly, I enjoyed my role as the Braves fan at Nationals Park. Somehow my picture never made it on the scoreboard.

Baseball's Opening Weekend (Tardy)

When we started the blog, I had no idea my role would be the slacker blogger while Tilly would take the role of historical blogger of our lives. I've become our regular photographers on trips while Tilly reminds me to actually write something. Here's my tardy baseball opening weekend recap:

The final weekend of March, I was in Memphis, Tennessee for Major League Baseball's second annual Civil Rights Game at AutoZone Park. Last year, I was at the original game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians. This years contest was between the New York Mets and Chicago White Sox. We originated a broadcast meaning we did our own play-by-play for the game. I was housed on the on-field producer from the dugouts during the game and on the field for post-game.

In case anyone's curious we spoke with numerous guests either pre-game, during the game, or post-game. They are as follows: Hank Aaron, Sharon Robinson, Martin Luther King, III, Ozzie Guillen, Frank Robinson, Jimmie Lee Solomon, Harold Baines, Orlando Cabrera, Kenny Williams, Omar Minaya, and Jerry Manuel. We also taped with Jerry Reinsdorf and actress Robin Givens.

On Friday, I attended the Civil Rights Game Panel including New York Mets General Manager Omar Minaya, Chicago White Sox General Manager Ken Williams, Ambassador Shabazz (Malcolm X's daughter), Sharon Robinson (Jackie Robinson's Daugther), Martin Luther King III, Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, and actress Ruby Dee. The panel was held the National Civil Rights Museum. This is my second year covering this event. The purpose is to bring light of the lowering number of African-Americans playing baseball. I would highly encourage anyone take time to visit the Civil Rights Museum. For many of us born following the Civil Rights movement its an overwhelming experience to see pictures from a time when individuals were not all treated equal.

The museum is attached to the hotel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. I attended the event with two friends who grew up during this time. They were each touched immensely as they saw the sight of where MLK was killed. The museum has refurbished the room where MLK was staying as well as a room as it would have been before someone stayed. I took the following video of the areas:

The game was on Saturday evening, but with Opening Night on Sunday I hopped a plane and headed back to the nation's capital to cover the Washington Nationals open their new ball park (Nationals Park) against my beloved Atlanta Braves. The picture is of the pre-game ceremony taken from our broadcast booth (the highest point in the stadium and also quite possibly the worst seat in the park). This was right before President Bush came out to throw the first pitch. The record it was 60-40 boos from the crowd.

The new ballpark was quite a sight as the sell-out crowd watched a game they'll probably never forget. My Braves wore their new alternate jerseys which are navy. After the Braves tied the game at three in the top of the ninth inning, Ryan Zimmerman hit a walk-off home run to end the first game at Nationals Park. I was on the field as he hit the home run and standing behind home plate as the team mobbed him. Television always gets the first interview, so I stood in the dugout while ESPN interviewed him. If you were watching you would have noticed me unfortunately standing in their shot. I never want to be on camera, but on occasion it happens. Anyway as soon as ESPN finished, Zimmerman was on the air live with us at XM. We wrapped and I had the Nationals GM Jim Bowden on with our host and then it was time to find a cab and head home.

The season has begun. While it began badly for my Braves, I have all the faith in the world that this could be there year. Just like I do every year. That's the great joy of baseball. Its a 162 game season and one night can be quickly forgotten. Unless your a Nationals fan of course...