Kanye West is Changing Hip Hop Fashion With His Black Jesus Piece

Kanye West isn’t one to be shy about making fashion statements. This is the guy who shows up with some of the most stylish pieces of clothing. He isn’t afraid to push the envelope and try something different, sometimes even strange. A primary example is when he started wearing shutter shades, which were essentially plastic sunglasses that didn’t even have lenses. Instead, they just had horizontal plastic line going across the front. They came in all sorts of crazy colors too. Most recently he started wearing his custom made, one of a kind black Jesus piece. This is completely changing the way bling is defined!

Bling jewelry like Jesus pendants are usually flashy looking. They are large, made out of shiny silver, platinum or gold, and they are usually covered with glistening diamonds or multi colored gemstones. Kanye’s piece is totally different. It has a black colored finish that’s not very shiny. The stones are all black diamond stones. This black on black look is much more subtle than typical bling jewelry. It offers a truly unique look because the diamonds does not glisten and sparkle in multiple colors like on clear stones. They just have a nice black reflection, almost like a mirror. Because it’s so subtle, it can be worn by almost anyone who normally isn’t into flashy jewelry. Its versatile, it looks sporty when it has to be but it looks classy if you wear it with a nice blazer.

The black Jesus piece is a very rare piece because most jewelers have no idea how to make such a piece. Only the most exclusive jeweler to the stars have the ability to make such pieces. This black on black look has taken the hip hop world by storm. Jay Z, Lil Wayne and Soulja Boy have black on black jewelry. In fact, soulja boy seems like hes wearing nothing but black on black bling these days. The look is truly awesome.

For hip hop fans and people who just don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a custom made black on black Jesus piece or cross, there is a good solution. One company by the name of hip hop bling has been offering consumers affordable alternatives to high priced bling for over 10 years. They just recently released a line of black on black jewelry, including crosses, multi-row chains, and of course the famous black Jesus piece.

The black jesus pendant is particularly special because it started it all. It’s a classic piece that is a must-have for any hip hop fan. The details are incredible, the black IP plated finish looks stealth and rugged while the black cz stones add the unique looking bling factor. It even comes with a free 36 inch rosary bead chain, exactly like how Kanye and Jay Z wears theirs.

If you ever wanted that custom made, unique jewelry look, black on black bling is where its at. No one will have the same thing as you.

Evaporative Cooler Maintenance Tips – Changing Cooler Belts

Evaporative Coolers ? Maintenance Tips

Change Your Coolers Belts

You might at first think that changing your evaporative cooler belt is easy. Why spend your valuable time reading about it? Keep reading; because this information could not only give more time between belt changes it could also possibly save bearing problems down the road, and hundreds of dollars in costly repairs.

Tips to Keep in Mind

Most residential coolers originally come with a 4L V-belt (ex. 4L 55). These belts work just fine but, they usually stretch some through the life of the belt. When the belt stretches to the point where squealing is heard you often notice that it still looks to be in pretty good shape. Most people use the motor mount adjustments to tighten the belt and everything is fine. Or is it? Usually by the time the belt stretches again it must be changed. When it comes time to replace the belt, many owners neglect to readjust the motor mounts back to their original positions. This is where the trouble starts! When a brand new belt is put on the tension will be set far higher than the manufacturer’s suggested tension setting. Most people think the belt will just stretch again right? Big Mistake! This puts far more wear on the bearings and cause premature bearing and motor failure. Changing a bearing on a cooler that has had moisture in it for several years can be a nightmare!

Expert Suggestions

To make your life easier, here are two suggestions. First, instead of changing the original belt with another 4L V-belt, try using an A V-belt (ex. A 55). The A belt width is the same and they are for heavy-duty wear. In sizing the A belt you must keep in mind that the A belt is always two sizes smaller than the 4L belt. For example, a 4L 50 belt means that this belt is 50 inches around if you measured the outside length. For an A belt that is 50 inches outside diameter the belt would be an A 48, because these belts are measured on the inside. So you always need the A belt to be two numbers smaller than the 4L belt to have the same size belt. These belts are a little more expensive but, they usually last twice as long with less readjusting.

Second, make sure, with either belt you use, that you set the pulley tension to the original setting. To test tension, press on the belt half way between the motor sheave and the fan pulley. A 3lb. force should deflect the belt 3/4 of an inch. Usually only two things will cause premature belt wear. Either the belt tension is too tight or the pulleys are not in line with each other. In most cases you can remove the back cooler panel and check the pulley alignment visually. Another way is to get a straight edge, like a yardstick and placing it against the larger blower pulley and see how it lines up with the motor sheave. If both of these are correct you will get more life out of your evaporative cooler belts. For more tips go to http://www.swampcoolersonline.com

The Changing Landscape: Need Requirements for Participating Ambulatory Surgical Facilities

In order to manage the growth of independent ambulatory surgery facilities (”ASF”) throughout Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (”BCBSM”) created Evidence of Need (”EON”) standards for ASFs participating with BCBSM. However, BCBSM recently revised its standards for new and recertifying ASFs, creating a little more flexibility and making more ASFs eligible for participation with BCBSM. As part of its application for an ASF to become a participating provider, BCBSM originally created a two step process. The first step is for the ASF to demonstrate Evidence of Need (”EON”) from BCBSM by completing an “EON attestation,” showing that the ASF can sustain need for the surgical procedures it provides in its area. After the ASF has obtained its EON from BCBSM, then the applying facility may submit a full application for review. In March of 2008, BCBSM revised the EON requirements for applying and re-certifying ASFs. This article shall serve as a summary of the revised requirements that ASFs must keep in mind as they attempt to become and maintain their participating provider status with BCBSM.

According to the new BCBSM EON requirements, an ASF located within a rural county must have a minimum of one operating room, while ASFs in non-rural counties must have a minimum of two operating rooms. Under the old EON requirements, there were different operating room requirements for single-specialty ASFs and multi-specialty ASFs. Now, the minimum for all rural ASFs, regardless of the number of specialties offered, is one operating room, and the minimum for all non-rural ASFs is two operating rooms.

Under the old EON requirements, BCBSM required that the ASF demonstrate a specific number of surgical cases per room per year or surgical hours per year. However, BCBSM now states that an ASF must be “in compliance with the state of Michigan’s Certificate of Need standard.” Currently, in accordance with Michigan’s CON standards, BCBSM requires that an ASF accommodate a minimum of 1,128 cases per operating room per year. Thus, if Michigan’s CON standards for an ASF are modified, then the participating provider standards would also be modified and the ASF must meet the new standards to continue to be a participating provider with BCBSM. In addition, when applying for participation, an ASF must a report at least four months of surgical case volumes per operating room to demonstrate they can meet the minimum volume requirements. Previously, BCBSM required a reporting period of six months for each operating room. More ASFs may be eligible for participation if they can meet the volume requirements over a four month period instead of a six month period.

In addition, new applicants may be eligible for an adjustment to the EON minimum volume requirement. The adjustment is based upon BCBSM’s market share in Michigan and is applied only if the facility has not provided services to BCBSM members. The calculation of BCBSM market share, which is used to determine minimum volume expectation for ASFs applying for participation, has been changed from using overall outpatient charges to using outpatient surgery charges. This results in a market-share adjustment of 30 percent in the lower peninsula, and 40 percent in the upper peninsula. If this adjustment is applicable to a particular ASF, then the minimum volume requirements set forth above may be reduced, again, making more ASFs eligible for participation with BCBSM.

The EON requirements continue to allow for an ASF to temporarily disable an operating room, so that the facility can meet the volume minimum set forth above. For example, if an ASF in a non-rural county with three operating rooms has a volume of 2,600 cases for the three rooms, the ASF could temporarily disable one of the operating rooms, meaning that the two remaining operating rooms could each accommodate 1,300 cases per year, meeting BCBSM’s minimum volume requirement for each operating room. The ASF must attest to BCBSM that the operating room is disabled, with all gasses capped or with valves turned off, and all operating lights removed. However, a facility that has temporarily disabled an operating room to meet the volume requirement is expected to meet the full volume standard for all licensed rooms, including any disabled operating rooms, before the ASF’s next recertification period, which, as set forth below, occurs approximately every three years. Moreover, if a provider can still not meet the minimum volume requirements, the ASF can still delicense one or more of the operating rooms to meet BCBSM’s volume requirement.

An ASF participating with BCBSM will be re-certified approximately every three years. Previously, BCBSM would review an ASFs participation every other year. Upon re-certification, participating facilities will fall into one of three categories:

The changes noted above to the EON requirements have been reflected in the BCBSM’s ASF application for BCBSM participation as well as the BCBSM ASF Participation Agreement.

Initially, BCBSM established strict EON standards. These EON barriers prevented many ASFs from participating with BCBSM and deprived ASFs of a substantial source of revenue. However, the revised EON requirements provide more flexibility and greater access for participation for ASFs with BCBSM. In light of these revisions to the EON requirements, many ASFs may now be eligible to become participating providers with BCBSM. Further, current providers with BCBSM may want to revise their strategies for meeting BCBSM’s new EON requirements.

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About Author
Wachler & Associates, P.C., is a law firm providing healthcare legal services to healthcare providers, suppliers and entities nationwide. Since 1980, the attorneys of Wachler & Associates, P.C., have successfully defended thousands of Medicare, Medicaid and other third party payor audits.

Changing Technology

How is technology changing? How changing technologies are bringing visible changes in work places (as well as life)? What difference it is making? The technology that was hot and hip only some ten years ago seems form stone age today. Look back at what gadgets you have been using in the past and then compare them with what you use today and you will know the differences. I was just wondering if Techno Station readers remember what they have been using in the past? I started computing (with DOS operating system) in around 1998. It was a rare phenomenon then. It was totally different. So were many other things in my personal us. Newspapers were written with longhand and or composed alphabet by alphabet. Photos were taken developed and then plate transferred on paper. And now! Remember when Apple surprised users with the first appearance of the MacBook Air, the world’s (then) thinnest notebook. Imagine in 1998, Apple users were as happy to use their first iMac, the Bondi Blue. Yes, it was marketed as a