luzesesonhos

As Obamacare hits enrollment milestone, some call for cheaper plans

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 17:00:00 +0000

<Discountp>If you're familiar with the different levels of Obamacare coverage, you've probably heard of the "metal" levels: Bronze, silver, gold and platinum, in addition to catastrophic health plans.

There have been some suggestions recently to add a cheaper coverage level to the Affordable Care Act to help draw people into the program. Karen Ignagni, head of America's Health Insurance Plans, suggested it this past week. The Obamacare "fix" package offered by five centrist Democratic senators and one independent yesterday would also create a lower tier of coverage. Insurance industry consultant Bob Laszewski offered a similar idea on his blog this week.

It's all happened in the same week that Obamacare hit a symbolic target - 6 million signups and counting in the program's first year. What's still unclear is the health status of those joining the exchanges. Insurers say adding a cheaper level of coverage would help attract into the program healthier people, who might not feel that strongly about their need for health insurance.

"People could gradually get into the program so they could be part of the risk pool, so we don't hold healthier people outside so the process could be working the way it's designed," said AHIP's Ignagni on C-SPAN's "Newsmakers."

At some point, there's a limit to how cheap plans could get without a change to the law. Plans have to live by ACA caps on out-of-pocket costs, provider network requirements and a mandated set of 10 benefits. Obamacare allies that fought for the law's passage wouldn't be thrilled about weakening those requirements.

Sabrina Corlette of Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute said she doesn't see the need to add a cheaper coverage level into the mix. "It strikes me as a solution in search of a problem," she said. "When you look at enrollments and where enrollment is going in the marketplace, we're seeing people gravitate to silver and above."

According to the Obama administration's most recent monthly enrollment report, the mid-level silver plan has easily been the most popular in the Obamacare exchanges - 63 percent have selected that level of coverage, in which insurers pay 70 percent of the costs. People choosing silver plans can also get federal help with out-of-pocket costs if their incomes are under 250 percent of the federal poverty level. The bronze plans, which offer cheaper premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs, have been less popular in the exchanges, accounting for 18 percent of signups.

Just 1 percent of exchange enrollees have selected catastrophic plans, but only two categories of people can purchase catastrophic coverage - anyone under 30 years old, or anyone who had their health plan cancelled this past year. People also can't receive subsidies for catastrophic health plans.

One wild card is we don't know much about what level of coverage people are buying off the exchange, where subsidies aren't available. The online Web broker eHealthInsurance gave us a glimpse of that market this week, reporting that 14 percent of its customers during the last six months have picked catastrophic plans and 43 percent chose bronze - both much higher rates than what the exchanges have seen.

Ceci Connolly, managing director of PwC's Health Research Institute, said there's been a shift toward cheaper plans in the later months of the six-month enrollment period. But it's too early to say whether another cheaper coverage level could bring more people into the market.

"There's so much we need to learn from this first year," Connolly said. "It probably makes sense to collect some information and make a more informed decision for next year."

Two coupon inserts coming in Sunday's N&O

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 18:15:00 +0000

Look for two Promo Codes inserts -- a Smart Source and the P&G BrandSaver -- in this Sunday's home-delivered Final Edition of The News & Observer. Plus, look for two coupons in Parade magazine.

All together, there will be 134 coupons with a face value of about $190.

As usual, I'll have the coupon database updated and the best of the drugstore deals posted early Sunday morning so you can get a jump on your bargain shopping for the week.

I'll also have a separate post listing the new deals you can score at Harris Teeter Super Doubles with the coupons.

Please note: Single-copy and State Edition papers may not contain all coupon inserts.

Nokia says Microsoft deal to be delayed by a month

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 09:45:00 +0000

Finnish handset maker Nokia on Monday said its $7.2 billion On Sales with software firm Microsoft is expected to be delayed by a month and will now be finalised by April due to pending regulatory approvals from some antitrust authorities in Asia.

The handset maker , which is facing multiple tax cases in India, added that the proceedings in the country will not affect the timing of the deal.

Last September, Nokia had announced it would sell a substantial part of its devices and services (D&S) business, including assets in India, to Microsoft for $7.2 billion by March 2014.

"It now expects the transaction whereby the company will sell substantially all of its D&S business and license its patents to Microsoft to close in April 2014," Nokia said in a statement on Monday.

Nokia and Microsoft remain committed to the transaction, it added.

The two companies have received most of the required regulatory approvals, including clearances from the European Commission and the US Department of Justice, it said.

"However, the transaction is pending approvals from certain antitrust authorities in Asia, which are still conducting their reviews," Nokia said.

The handset firm said it is confident the deal will close, resulting in the sale of substantially all of its D&S business to Microsoft.

"Nokia reiterates that ongoing tax proceedings in India have no bearing on the timing of the closing or the material deal terms of the anticipated transaction between Nokia and Microsoft," the Finnish firm said.

Microsoft said in a statement the completion of the deal will mark the first step to bring Microsoft and the Nokia D&S business together.

"We are nearing the final stages of our global regulatory approval process. To date we have received approvals from regulatory authorities in 15 markets on five continents.

Currently, we are awaiting approval confirmation in the final markets," Microsoft General Counsel and Executive VP (Legal & Corporate Affairs) Brad Smith said.

This work has been progressing and the firm expects it to close next month, in April 2014, he added.

"Our acquisition will accelerate our mobile-first, cloud-first imperatives. We're looking forward to accelerating innovation and market adoption for Windows Phones and introducing the next billion customers to Microsoft services via Nokia mobile phones," Smith said.

Last week, in another setback for Nokia, the Tamil Nadu government slapped a Rs 2,400 crore tax demand on the company related to devices sold from its Chennai factory.

Nokia has approached the Madras High Court challenging claims made by the Tamil Nadu government.

On March 14, the Supreme Court had refused to lift a restraint on the sale of its Indian assets in a separate case related to payment of tax dues.

The apex court dismissed Nokia's plea against a Delhi High Court order directing its parent company to give an undertaking it would fulfil the conditions related to payment of tax dues.

The apex court's decision not to interfere with the high court order had put hurdles for Nokia transferring its Chennai plant, which is a part of the deal with Microsoft.

Nokia's Chennai factory employs about 8,000 people, 20 per cent of them women, and about 30,000 sub-contractors.

For more news from Business Today, follow us on Twitter @bt_india and on Facebook at facebook.com/BusinessToday

Pitch

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 01:45:00 +0000

There is no other time of the year that compares to what is about to take place next week. That of course is March Madness and the NCAA Tournament. As conference championship week dwindles down to a close the NCAA Tournament bracket is quickly filling up as teams continue punching their tickets everyday. Presently there are 13 teams who have done just that by winning their respective conference tournaments.

As each year comes and goes so too do prices NCAA Tournament tickets which have increased each of the past three years. For instance in 2012 the average ticket Deal Now for the tournament was $215, in 2013 it went up more than 11% for an average price of $240 and this year its over $50 more than last year clocking in at a steep $292.

Getting a little deeper into the ticket data, we see that the East Region has an average price of $691, more than double the price of any other region. Currently, the West Region is averaging $287, the Midwest Region is averaging $263, and the South Region is averaging $226. Having a venue like Madison Square Garden hosting this year's East Regional is clearly driving up demand and ticket prices. If a team from the New York area, like Syracuse, ends up making it to the Sweet 16 in The Garden, expect to see that average price increase dramatically.

That astonishing average price of the East Region, up 114% from last year alone, is the highest of any we have on record with the next closest being the 2013 West Region which went for $342. In fact the East Region has such a high average ticket price this year that only the Final Four All Sessions ticket is the only one that is more expensive at $1,100 while a regular Final Four ticket goes for $641 and the Championship Game at $631. Ironically, the average price Final Four tickets this year is currently $641, with a get-in of $142, and is the only round that has a lower average price this year compared to both 2012 and 2013. Those two average prices for Final Four tickets were $723 in 2012 and $888 in 2013. This is most likely due to match-ups and fans of those final four teams driving up demand and price. Obviously, with this year's final four match-ups still weeks away from being decided fans are still waiting patiently to see if their team makes the big dance.

Amazon has a few deals on Wii U games

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 05:45:00 +0000

Deal Today has some great deals again on Wii U titles, if you're looking for a new game to play.

Occasionally we like to focus on great Wii U deals for gamers who make have missed a title when it was originally released. Amazon currently has several titles on sale for Wii U, including recently released titles. If you haven't had a chance to pick these up, now is the time. If you know of a deal we haven't listed here, be sure and comment so others can see it.

These are for Amazon in the United States. If you're from Europe and want to share some of the deals you find available with online retailers there, be sure and share them in the comments!

Online Coupons: Where Can You Find Them?

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 08:00:00 +0000

If you shop online often, you may be aware that there are many online coupons available that can help you save money on your purchases. These coupons can help you get items for free with a purchase, get free shipping on your purchase or save a certain percentage off your total purchase. Almost every online story has online coupons available, you just have to know where to find them.

Coupons Websites
The easiest way to find coupons for your favorite online stores is to search coupon websites. There are many of these online and they can all offer different savings, deals, and offers. Most will offer information and restrictions on the coupons and even tell you if the coupon code you want to use is still working or has expired. A few of the most popular online coupons websites are RetailMeNot, CouponCabin, and DealCatcher.

Store Newsletters
If you shop at a store often, you may have been asked if you would like to subscribe to their online newsletter that is delivered to your email inbox on a regular basis. While you may not opt for this subscription because you think of the newsletter as spam, you could be missing out on some great store coupons. These newsletters often contain information on deals, sales, and special offers and even Amazon Deal that can be used online.

Ads And Inserts
While you might not think that ads and coupon inserts would have coupons that can be used online, you are wrong. If you look carefully on certain coupons and ads, you will find that there is a code that can be used to enter the coupon online. Not every coupon will have this option, but many do. It's worth checking out if you have a few inserts or ads around your home.

If you shop online often, it is worth finding coupons that you can use to save money. What are you favorite coupon sites or where do you find your online coupons?

Image via Wikimedia Commons

Amazon Deal: HTC One is Now Free With a Contract

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 10:30:00 +0000

Every day we search for the best smartphone and tablet deals and now we've found a free HTC One at Promotional Codes.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=node%3D2407747011&field-keywords=htc+one&rh=n%3A2407747011%2Ck%3Ahtc+one&tag=dodevice-20">Amazon with a two-year contract with Verizon or Sprint, while with an AT&T plan is $49.

The HTC One is still a really good smartphone, even though it's been released one year ago. It's hardware is not outdated yet and this deal makes it worth if you're looking for a new smartphone that won't empty your pockets.

Amazon has the deal available for all three major carriers in the US and you can order the 32GB HTC One by clicking the following links: Verizon, Sprint, AT&T.

The HTC One comes with a 4.7-inch Super LCD3 1080p Full HD display with a 1,080×1,920 pixels resolution and a density of 469PPI, a quad-core 1.7Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, Adreno 320 GPU, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal memory. Out of the box it comes with Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, but it cna be updated to Android 4.4.2 KitKat, which is the latest version.

The Taiwanese maker has done a great job with their smartphone and it's been praised by most customers and critics. It's camera is also one of the best, even though it has only a 4MP sensor, marketed as Ultrapixel.

It's considered the most beautiful smartphone and it's built out of aluminium, making it feel premium and looking really good. Also it has probably the best sound quality, with the two stereo front speakers.

QPR v Leeds United: live stream guide and Championship preview

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 18:30:00 +0000

Posted by 1st March 2014, 10:03am

Queens Park Rangers take on Leeds United in a crucial Sky Bet Championship clash. Find out how you can watch a live stream of the game from Loftus Road here.

Where: Loftus Road, London

When: 12:15 GMT

Watch live: to watch on NowTV from Sky! Read on for a 50% discount!

Leeds United travel to Loftus Road to face Queens Park Rangers in an intriguing Sky Bet Championship battle, with both sides in middling form.

The hosts have lost their last three league games, and having led the division for much of the season, have dropped to fourth place in the table - seven points adrift from the automatic promotion spots.

QPR are missing star midfielder Joey Barton through suspension, as well as Alejandro Faurlin and Danny Simpson, while Charlie Austin and Matty Phillips' absences will see them miss approximately two months - which could prove damaging to their promotion hopes in the remainder of the campaign.

The loan signing of Ravel Morrison from West Ham United could prove a masterstroke from Harry Redknapp, but Leeds United have had a few tricks up their sleeves themselves.

Brian McDermott has brought Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland and Connor Wickham of Sunderland to Elland Road on loan, and both promising Englishmen will be hopeful of making starts here.

Tom Lees may return to the heart of the Leeds defence, while Alex Mowatt will be hopeful of gaining a place. El Hadji Diouf did not travel to west London.

The match will be live on Sky Sports with coverage starting at 12pm. If you don't have a Sky subscription why not grab yourself a NOW TV Sky Sports Day Pass - Pay As You Go access to all 6 Sky Sports channels for the first time ever!

fanatix has partnered with NOW TV to offer a special discount to our readers. Get 50% off usual price of £9.99 for a Sky Sports 24 hour day pass by entering this Best Buy: AFFSPORTS50

Click here to watch QPR v Leeds with a Now TV Sky Sports Day Pass.

You can enjoy all six Sky Sports channels live for 24 hours without a contract and because the 24 hours starts when the pass is activated, not when it's bought, you don't have to wait until kick off to get yours.

These Retailers Must Be Crazy to Partner With Amazon

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 00:45:00 +0000

You can tell just how desperate retailers are to gain sales when they're willing to give the greatest threat to their existence access to their greatest asset, their customers. They're putting their own heads into a noose by which their biggest rival will hang them, and they're doing so willingly.

We saw in the run-up to Christmas retailers' wild-eyed fear that seasonal sales would implode, a fear that has largely been borne out over the ensuing weeks as dismal holiday earnings numbers have been released. That only confirmed their clouded judgment, as The Wall Street Journal reported last week that some 10 name-brand retailers, from Abercrombie & Fitch to Neiman Marcus, will partner with Promotional Code.com to feature products on the online e-commerce king's website but complete the sales on their own sites.

It's a sneaky maneuver by Amazon, allowing the e-tailer to gain incredibly important insights into its brick-and-mortar rivals' customers, leverage it can then use to steal them back and ultimately sink the competition. We've seen these stealth schemes deployed before by Amazon; the only surprise is how often it's able to hoodwink its rivals into letting the fox guard the henhouse.

Several years ago both RadioShack and office supplies leader Staples let Amazon place lockers in their stores where its customers could pick up packages they ordered from the website. The thinking apparently was that while Amazon shoppers were in their stores they'd pick up some pencils or a capacitor or two, incrementally leading to higher sales for the retailer. Instead, RadioShack and Staples found they were only bolstering the competition's preeminence at their own expense, and both companies quickly ended the partnership.

Then last year Amazon launched a program called Amazon Source for independent booksellers to sell Kindle devices and e-books and earn a commission on the proceeds from their sale. With both Wal-Mart and Target refusing to sell the Kindle, the program was touted as a win-win partnership since Amazon could reach more customers while the booksellers would offer a technology readers have been moving toward in greater numbers anyway. Amazon managed to get at least two booksellers to sign up for the program, but the American Booksellers Association decried it as a blatant attempt to steal customers from the already hard-pressed retailers.

Amazon is once again pushing the latest cooperative program as an "everybody wins" idea. Amazon Prime customers, who are facing a hike in the $79 annual fee they pay for access to the service, would get free shipping on the items they ended up buying directly from the retailers. They also get a broad spectrum of brand-name clothes to choose from without the hassle of surfing to each company's individual site.

As for the retailers themselves, they will presumably get more traffic than they otherwise might, understanding their customers are trolling Amazon's website anyway, so they may as well get a potential sale out of it. Unfortunately, that sounds an awful lot like what RadioShack, Staples, and the booksellers were saying when they convinced themselves partnering with Amazon was a good idea, only to realize later on that the e-commerce leader was simply leading them down a crooked path to ruin.

Perhaps the retailers have a backup plan in place for when Amazon.com swoops in and steals their customers, but they're crazy if they think they'll come out on top.

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BusinessWest

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 00:30:00 +0000

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Daily Deals for February 24 2014, featuring Painter X3

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 01:30:00 +0000

<Promo Codesp>It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring exclusive TUAW Deals, a handy list from Dealnews and our own handpicked iOS and OS X selections.

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Save 30% on Become A Digital Artist With Painter X3 at TUAW Deals.

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Know Which Online Retailers Offer Coupons Via Live Chat

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 18:00:00 +0000

Can't find a coupon code anywhere? With the growing "live chat" customer service trend, many operators are trained to hand out Price Compare to polite shoppers that simply ask. I did the research and found a dozen of the most popular retailers that'll hand out a code via live chat to shoppers who play their cards right.

This post originally appeared on Rather Be Shopping.

Here is what I discovered (in alphabetical order):

Bass Pro Shops

One popular online store that readily hands out coupons via live chat is BassProShops.com, which is a huge shopping destination for hunters, fishermen, and outdoors-men. If you can't find a coupon the traditional way, be sure to pull up a live chat session and politely see if they have a coupon code up their sleeves. A few tips:

Always be polite and courteous when asking for a coupon since your words are all you have when trying to score an online discount.
[Customer service agent] Debi immediately hooked me up with a coupon code good for free shipping on my entire order. This coupon did exclude boats, but luckily I'm not in the market for a new boat!
If live chat fails to bring you a coupon at Bass Pro Shops make sure to check out their Facebook page as they have currently have a couple coupons posted on their wall.

Birthday Express and Celebrate Express

If you're in the planning mode for your child's next birthday party or any other big shindig, be sure to hit up a live chat operator for a coupon at Celebrate Express.com or Birthday Express.com. Here's the skinny:

Both websites use the same coupon codes so you can start the live chat feature from either site and the codes will work on both.
Leslie hooked me up immediately with a coupon code good for 15% off your $75+ regular-priced merchandise total. Not a great coupon but certainly handy for larger purchases.

Dress Barn

For those who love to shop for bargains at DressBarn.com you're going to want to get well acquainted with their live chat feature. Here are a few tips:

I got the impression that my operator, Laurel, had a big list of coupon codes at her disposal. I say this because she said "Try PRES14″ as if she had other codes up her sleeve if for some reason it didn't work.
So if you're buying more than one item, or any sale items, ask the Dress Barn operator for a coupon that better fits your online order. I think you'll be happily surprised with the results.

Eastbay

For those of you not familiar with Eastbay.com, they sell athletic footwear, apparel, and training equipment. They are known for their amazing selection but tend to also be on the expensive side so you'll always want to shop with an Eastbay coupon code. Here is how I scored one from live chat:

I was having trouble viewing their website and asked my operator, Dan, if they had any current coupons. He told me they did and it was viewable during step four of the checkout process.
I told him I couldn't see it on the website and he was able to tell me the coupon code needed to collect 20% off.
This is a good strategy for any website you're having trouble using as many retailers will give you a coupon for your inconvenience.

Footlocker

I can only assume that the Foot Locker live chat operators are sitting at their desk wearing a stripped ref shirt with a whistle around their neck.

My Foot Locker live chat buddy, Aaron, hooked me up with a free shipping on $75 or more coupon code. Not great, but if you shop regularly at Foot Locker you already know that most of their shoes are priced above $75.
I tried to get something better out of Aaron, like 20% off, but he did not have another coupon for me. He said that later in the month he'd have a 20% off coupon, but nothing right now.
I asked him if better Footlocker coupons typically come out later in the month and he confirmed this to be true.

Home Depot

Next, I hit up Jen via live chat at The Home Depot.com and asked her for a coupon code. She was unable to provide one but she did offer a pretty cool service that is worth sharing.

I told her I was doing a kitchen remodel and looking for a coupon for a new dishwasher. The washer was already on sale for close to 25% off and no additional savings were available but she was incredibly familiar with the washer and was able to answer all my questions. Very handy if you are doing a big remodel and have a bunch of questions.
Jen was by far the most helpful live chat operator I have ever talked to in terms of product knowledge. Well done Home Depot.

J.Jill

I was really impressed with the live chat operator at J.Jill.com, who ironically was also named Jill. I wonder if they only hire gals named Jill? But anyways, she really went beyond the call of duty.

First, Jill hooked me up with a free shipping coupon and then she dropped the 411 on where to find the best deals. She told me J.Jill was offering their entire "Sale and Outlet" section for an additional 30% off for a limited time. No code needed.
I love when live chat operators tell me where they most savings can be found on that particular day.
Also be sure to follow J.Jill on Twitter as they are known for dropping exclusive coupons on their feed on a weekly basis.

L.L.Bean

L.L.Bean is known for their quality clothing and outstanding customer service that includes a 100% satisfaction guarantee. These days they always offer free shipping on your purchase but rarely have other coupons. Your chances increase greatly if you use their live chat feature as they want you to finalize your purchase today. Here's the best strategy:

Be polite, maybe even compliment them on how happy you have been with prior L.L.Bean purchases. In other words, butter them up a little then ask for a coupon to help you save a little money today.
I was able to get a 10% off coupon code to apply to my purchase. Not huge savings, but well worth the few minutes it took to get my discount.

Lands' End

There is little doubt the live chat feature at Lands' End will pay off for you in one way or another. Here is the direct link to a Lands' End live chat operator. Here is your best strategy for savings:

By being polite and direct I was able to score an online coupon for 30% off all merchandise with free shipping on $50 or more.
Lori, my live chat operator, was very receptive to helping me save some money and she had excellent knowledge of Lands' End sizing and styles which was a very nice bonus.
If you can't find a Lands' End coupon always open up a live chat session and politely ask for one. Chance of success: 95% at the very least.

Office Depot

I opened up an Office Depot live chat session I was not very confident that I would get a coupon code as they can be pretty tight about handing them out. But my buddy Bobbi delivered the goods. Here is your best strategy:

I simply asked for a $10 off $50 or more coupon and was given it right out of the box, next time I will amp it up and ask for a 20% off coupon. I got nothing to lose.
Also, it is worth noting that over the years I have received tips that the Office Depot Facebook page is also a great resource to score a coupon when 'Live Chat' doesn't deliver the goods.

Shutterfly

I was really impressed with the customer service Shutterfly.com live chat employee "Sweety" gave me. Here is how it went down:

After I asked her if she had any coupons I could use, she asked me to make sure my order was in my virtual shopping cart so she could take a look at it and find the best coupon for me. Pretty cool.
After I placed my photo-book in my cart, she took a look at it and came back with the very generous offer of a $10 credit on my photo-book on top of the 25% off site-wide offer Shutterfly was already offering.
Tip: Make sure you add the maximum number of stuff you want to order in your cart, open a live chat session and start negotiating the best coupon you can get.

Snapfish

For those of you not familiar with Snapfish, similar to Shutterfly, they specialize in taking your photos and turning them into amazing prints, gifts, and cool books and calendars. Your order total can add up pretty quickly so be sure to hit up the Snapfish live chat feature and ask for a coupon code.

I simply asked for a coupon code, nothing specific, and my buddy "Shashank" hooked me up with a 30% off coupon. I couldn't help but think of Morgan Freeman as I collected my savings.
They typically allow you to stack coupons so feel free to politely ask for a free shipping coupon as well. They often have a free shipping coupon on $25 or more.

Have you had any success scoring a coupon code at other online retailers using their live chat feature? Let us know in the discussion below.

Ask For a Coupon | Rather Be Shopping

Kyle James is the founder of Rather Be Shopping, a website updated daily with the best online coupon codes, printable coupons, and bargains that we can find to all your favorite online stores.

Editorial: Make sure taxpayers get the best deal for prison plan

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 01:30:00 +0000

The Republican majority of the Utah House - including many members who make all or part of their living by buying, selling and developing real estate - really wants to move the state prison off all that yummy land in Draper and turn it over to the private sector. Really, really.

The good news is that they want the prison site so badly that they are at least promising to give the people of Utah something very valuable indeed in return. And that is not just a shiny new prison, which will probably sit somewhere to the west of the Wasatch Front, but what sounds like a comprehensive reform of the whole Utah correctional system.

That's the Discount deal the taxpayers are likely to get. But we should make sure to hold our brokers, er, representatives accountable for following through on their offer.

The House Republican caucus gave its blessing Thursday to House Joint Resolution 19. That's the measure that ratifies the conclusions of the state's Prison Relocation and Development Authority - the initials of which are also the brand name of a very expensive purse - in finding that the prison that sits on some 700 acres near the Point of the Mountain should find a new location and the current site be turned over to the market forces that have already transformed the area into a sea of bricks, glass and concrete.

The vision, of course, is that the land will go back on the local tax rolls and create a boon in economic activity.

The dark side of that view, of course, is that we might think we are just moving a storage yard. But we're moving a prison, with custody of a few thousand souls who must not simply be housed and fed, but treated, educated and prepared for a re-entry into society with, hopefully, the skills they will need to survive inside the law.

That requires more than even the newest bricks, beds and security cameras. It requires programs, experts, volunteers, medical care and a minimum of separation from families and other support systems that are always crucial in helping inmates make it on the outside.

The good news is that HJR19 makes careful and explicit note of all that. It sets out that the planning for a new prison include consideration of all those factors, including that every effort should be made to reduce, or at least slow the growth, of the number of people Utah incarcerates.

That, plus a demand that the sale and development process for both the new prison and the old site be as transparent as possible, could still make this a good idea.

But the people of Utah need to stand guard to make sure that happens.

New V2 Cigs Coupon Codes Released During the Largest Sale of the Year

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 09:46:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 01/30/14 -- ECigBuzz, known primarily for providing trustworthy e-cig reviews online, has released exclusive V2 Cigs coupon codes during a one day sales event. V2 eCigs has teamed up with leading review website ECigBuzz to offer the biggest discount on their products available anywhere online. Shoppers looking to save 65% can use the Amazon Deal Online "ECIGBUZZ15" and for 40% discount on flavor cartridges use "ECIGBUZZ10" until the 30th of January, and it even works in combination with any official promotions.

The new V2 coupons can be viewed here: http://www.ecigbuzz.com/coupons/v2-cigs-promo-code/

V2 Cigs has been awarded the number one position among the popular e-cigarette brands reviewed by ECigBuzz. The company has succeeded in maintaining its slot in the top 10 list, which is a clear proof of its manufacturing quality that manages to counter competition from its fellow brands, relentlessly. V2 has a robust standing in terms of reputation. ECigBuzz helps consumers in making the right choices by offering objective assessments of the pros and cons of each e-cigarette brand through its regular reviews.

Speaking about the innovative V2 eCigs, a company spokesperson commented, "The V2 Cigs electronic cigarette is a revolutionary alternative to traditional cigarettes. V2 electronic cigarettes offer an authentic smoking experience without the smoke, ash and odor produced by tobacco cigarettes."

The first V2 Cigs coupon code is ECIGBUZZ15, which provides a 65% discount on starter kits. So, if a user is making a switch from the traditional cigarette, this could be a great way to save as much as possible on kit purchases. The V2 Cigs promo code for the second offer is ECIGBUZZ10, which provides for a stellar 40% discount on flavor cartridge purchases. For both offers, the discount codes need to be entered at checkout and the savings are then deducted from the total purchase amount.

For smokers who have already switched to e-cigarettes, these V2 coupons hold the promise of comprehensive savings on one of the most coveted e-cig brands. And for those who are still contemplating a switch, this could prove to be an opportunity like no other.

About ECigBuzz:

ECigBuzz is an online e-cig review, news, and opinion site.

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Published January 30, 2014 – Reads 175
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Syndicated stories and blog feeds, all rights reserved by the author.

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Promo Code for Motley Crue Tickets: Customers of QueenBeeTickets.com are Enjoying Deep Savings on Motley Crue Tickets for Sale by Using a Promotional Code

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 08:00:00 +0000

GERMANTOWN, Wis., Jan. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- A Coupon Code for Motley Crue tickets can be found at QueenBeeTickets.com, enabling customers to obtain seats for the group's "Final Tour" at very reasonable prices. The musicians have come to the decision to retire, and hard rock music fans will be eagerly seeking Motley Crue tickets for sale.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140131/MN55000)

The members of the group have signed a contract claiming that they are breaking up and will tour one last time. Each musician has plans that he will put into action once the tour has wrapped up. In the meantime, music fans can find Motley Crue tickets for sale that will give them one last chance to catch a live performance. This is an opportunity that should not be passed up, especially when a promo code for Motley Crue tickets will bring the price of seats down even lower.

Shows in the United States and Canada will take the performers through North America from the 2nd of July until the 21st of November. Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, and Vancouver are on the tour schedule for Canadian fans who are interested in attending a final show. U.S. residents in a number of locations from coast to coast will also have the same chance to obtain tickets for an upcoming event.

Throughout the band's 33 years in the music industry, the group has released nine albums with over 100 million copies selling around the globe. Since the musicians have developed a huge following of devotees who have enjoyed their music over the years, tickets may sell out quite rapidly for final events. When the road trip concludes, the band will no longer tour as a group, and each member will go his own way, executing whatever plans he has in mind.

QueenBeeTickets.com has many Motley Crue tickets for sale that customers will want to obtain. To take advantage of lower prices, patrons can use a promo code for Motley Crue tickets that will bring about instant savings.

Media Contact: Andrea Pedersen, QueenBeeTickets.com, 262-422-9800, sales@queenbeetickets.com

News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com

SOURCE QueenBeeTickets.com

Published January 31, 2014 – Reads 130
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Syndicated stories and blog feeds, all rights reserved by the author.

Our Turn: No plans to kick the planning habit

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 03:15:00 +0000

Milestone birthdays matter. At least, in the world according to Pinterest, some parents and myself.

Guilty of whipping out the paper cutter more often than necessary, I've been known to design invites to parties of three, so imagine my enthusiasm as my husband's birthday nears.

Whether it's the result of my history in the hospitality business or the remnants of my third-grade passion to become "an artist," when I hear the word milestone, I immediately start planning a menu or choosing a location.

Unfortunately, when my husband hears "milestone" he thinks about mortality, death and the disappearance of his wife, who can be found either in the craft room or discreetly using up all the printer ink.

Each year I assume "no surprises" and "no big crowds" — knowing my better half would always choose intimate and small to a lavish celebration.

But in spite of his lower-than-average expectations, I still wake up at 3 a.m. with the perfect "small meets big" celebration idea only to forget it by 8. I rally friends who will never be included for ideas, ask restaurants for their availability without confirming reservations and likely hassle my mother-in-law with incessant emails.

Consumed with planning, he can see determination on my face as the day nears. I'm no longer listening, but instead heating up my hot glue gun and trying to book a theater in which he can watch his birthday "video card."

If "gift-giving-anxiety" is a thing, I have it. I thrive on the successful gifts so much that every birthday is outdone the next year. A trip to the beach turns into a weekend away, lunch includes a show and likely a hotel stay afterward. Dinner is a three-course meal paired with the perfect brew and ended with a three-tier cake.

Regardless of the year we're celebrating, the outcome is never that small, so the awareness that "this birthday matters more than most" causes an all-new pressure for planners like me, whose calendars are marked with more exclamation points than numbers.

And so imagine my surprise, and eventual satisfaction, when my mortality-obsessed husband came clean about my non-surprise plans for 14 people.

Too much, too many.

"Guest of honor" is a cardstock crown my man never plans to wear.

No sooner had he confessed before my early morning wake-up calls ceased. No longer stressed by concerns about my checking account or whom I may have left out, instead plans for possible chinese chinese new year cards food were made, friends were alerted via email, and my husband's face began to show less concern and more acceptance, with what might even be a hint of enthusiasm.

But, while I quieted his Aquarian concern and we reached a Gemini-friendly compromise, one twin agreed while the other secretly wondered if I would still have time for paper invitations, now that we had finally come to an understanding on the nature of the celebration.

Surely, a follow-up to the email request is called for; after all, this is a milestone birthday.

Just two. Two, real paper invitations, hand-written addresses. A keepsake, for my sake, not his.

Amazon denies reports it is in early stages of streaming pay TV service

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 00:45:00 +0000

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Amazon would not be not the only service attempting to chip away at the monopolies cable companies have on distribution.Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Amazon has denied a report that it plans to roll out a pay TV streaming service that will feature live programming from several media companies, according to USA Today.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Amazon had approached at least three media companies, citing people familiar with the matter.

Amazon now offers on-demand TV shows and movies free to customers who are members of its premium shipping service, Prime. A move toward such online streaming would add live television channels to the on-demand video service and come as a challenge to cable- and satellite-television service providers.

If the service did come into fruition, the world's largest online retailer would join the ranks of several other companies trying to own the living room with TV programming piped through the Internet. Intel attempted a similar move, though it scrapped its ambitions and sold its project to Verizon on Tuesday for an undisclosed sum.

The venture would also add to the growing number of services popping up that are eating away at the profit margins of legacy distribution companies like Comcast and Time Warner.

Television giants tend to be reluctant to make distribution deals that might upset long-standing partners whose fees and payments have fueled industry growth.

Companies like Netflix and Hulu have seen their customer base grow by 4 percent in the past two years, while TV subscriptions have dropped 6 percent, according to research from the NPD Group. Google's YouTube and Microsoft are also working to step up their streaming-video program services.

It's not just cable companies that have their backs against the wall. The four big broadcast companies have waged an all-out war on the streaming service Aereo, which uses digital "antennas" to broadcast local TV channels without paying the companies the traditional lucrative retransmission fee.

Aereo's customers, instead of paying cable companies a sizable monthly fee, pay the service as little as $8 a month for access to local channels and a collection of syndicated programs, movies and children's programming. The company also offers limited Spanish-language channels.

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Aereo has the right to operate without paying the broadcasters. So far, lower courts have sided with Aereo.

Verizon, meanwhile, announced on Tuesday that it is buying Intel Media for an undisclosed price. The chip-making giant intended to deliver movies and TV programming to customers via the Internet cloud, but the project never got off the ground.

Verizon said the acquisition "will accelerate the availability of next-generation video services" delivered to devices, including mobile phones and tablets.

The deal includes intellectual property rights and other assets for Intel's OnCue Cloud TV platform. Verizon will also offer to keep the 350-person Intel unit, which will continue to be based in Santa Clara, Calif.

Al Jazeera and Reuters

Cable companies have struggled to keep their subscriber base in recent years, as more people opt out over costly cable bills, poor customer service and subscriber-fee disputes between the distributors and media companies - like the recent feud between Time Warner and CBS - that leave millions of customers without access to channels they have paid to receive.

Kids' Christmas Cards Rejected In Sad Move by Veterans' Hospital

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 19:24:00 +0000

There are plenty of reasons to want the festive, cheery holiday season to go on and on, but angry debate about saying " Merry Christmas!" vs. " Happy holidays!" is not one of them. This year, it seems like the tension around the topic is at an all-time high. And sadly, both those who insist on Christmas being the one and only holiday acknowledged or others who want to keep season's greetings 100 percent secular 100 percent of the time are just plain wrong.

Take, for example, a recent upsetting incident in North Texas: Grace Academy students made Christmas cards for local bedridden veterans at the VA hospital in Dallas, thanking them for their service. But the teacher heading up the effort was told the hospital "can't accept anything that says 'Merry Christmas' or 'God bless you' or any scriptural references because of all the red tape.'" Oh dear.

According to the local FOX affiliate, an official with the VA later clarified the policy, which is in the Veterans Health Administration handbook, by stating the following:

In order to be respectful of our Veterans religious beliefs, all donated holiday cards are reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team of staff led by Chaplaincy services and determined if they are appropriate (non-religious) to freely distribute to patients. After the review is complete, the holiday cards that reference religious and/or secular tones are then distributed by Chaplaincy Service on a one-on-one basis if the patient agrees to the religious reference in the holiday card donation. The holiday cards that do not contain religious and/or secular tones are distributed freely to patients across the Health Care System. We regret this process was not fully explained to this group and apologize for any misunderstanding.

What a bummer! For those poor kids and veterans! While I understand what the VA is trying to do here by respecting that veterans may be Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, etc., I feel like this is a case where they're just going way too far for the sake of political correctness. Just like what reportedly happened at a Mississippi military base where soldiers were told their Christmas football event was to be called a "holiday football event." Oy! Even Lorne Michaels calls SNL's annual holiday show a "Christmas Special." And that's FINE!

Here's the thing ... As much as we want to try to make it one, this issue is not antique christmas cards and white. Public organizations shouldn't be banning mentions or greetings of Christmas! But at the same time, they should and can be sensitive to the fact that not everyone is Christian. As a Jewish American, I definitely appreciate , secular season's greetings that don't assume the recipient is Christian. But I would never begrudge anyone wanting to wish me or a veteran or anyone for that matter a "Merry Christmas!" It's a lovely sentiment!

What it boils down to: We shouldn't care what the specific greeting is, as long as it's about spreading cheer, good will, love, and not forcing religious beliefs on others. That's what this time of year and all the holidays that fall in December are supposed to be about anyway.

What do you think about what happened here with the children's Christmas cards for veterans? Do you say "Merry Christmas," "Happy Holidays," or both?
Image via theogeo/Flickr

Last Minute Gifts That Keep On Giving! | www.qgazette.com | Queens Gazette

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Last Minute Gifts That Keep On Giving!

With only 24 days this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we an all find ourselves lost in the land of last-minute gift shopping.

If you are finding it hard to come up with unique gift ideas because of the short season, or if you are having trouble finding the right gift for that hard-to-please person, you might want to consider giving a membership to a health or sports club, or one of a variety of clubs that offer gift cards in a variety of choices, from wine and beer, to jams, cheeses, to "Fruit of the Month" baskets.

Consider giving a "green gift" that gives back to the environment or a gift that helps a favorite charity. There are dozens of websites that list gifts that give back in many ways - from helping to save the life of a child to rescuing an abandoned or abused pet by donating to a local shelter.

Gifts that keep giving can include computer lessons, gym membership or gift cards to help pay for medications. Let us help with these suggestions:

Personalize It! Everybody has a favorite photo of friends or family members that can be printed onto a calendar, blown up to poster size or mounted in a special frame to make the perfect holiday gift. Act now and there is still plenty of time to order personalized gifts.
Give a gift that grows. Potted plants are a terrific idea because they are a wonderful addition to interior decoration - and they help clean the air. With so many household plants readily available you are sure to find one that's perfect for the person who has everything.
Give an experience. Often, it's not what's in the box, but the memory that stays with friends and family, long after the holidays. Giving an experience can make a truly meaningful gift.

Just think about what interests the person has, or an activity they've enjoyed - like a hot air balloon ride or white water rafting. If the person loves to shop, arrange for them to accompany a personal shopper for a day and let them see what it's like to shop for the stars. If the person loves to cook, purchase a spot in a class taught by Bobby Flay, or another Food Network star.

."Mommy and Me" aprons make a great gift for children and all proceeds benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, which provides life-saving treatment for youngsters with catastrophic illnesses. For information visit www.shop.stjude.org.
Give your child a new pair of shoes and TOMS shoes will donate a matching pair for a child who has no shoes. For details visit www.tonsshoes.com.
Help a family member support a pet by paying for a license or veterinary services. Give a gift card for pet food or buy toys for cats and dogs from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (beach themed christmas cards). All proceeds are used to help animals in need. For information visit www.aspca.org.
Give the gift of computer literacy. Pay for a course in computer instruction for any family member or friend - regardless of age.

Learning to master the Internet and other computer functions opens doors for seniors who live too far away for frequent visits.

Give A Day Trip: If you are at a loss for just the right gift, consider buying tickets on a bus headed for Atlantic City.

You can purchase a package that includes transportation and lunch, which will also provide a voucher (in a predetermined amount) that can be exchanged at slot machines and tables at casinos.

Basketful of Cheer: If you are in the market for a gift for someone who is homebound or for a hard-to-please senior, consider buying a gift basket - wicker, felt, wire or other. Fill the basket with an assortment of post cards, greeting cards, thank you notes, pens, pencils, markers (different sizes and colors), wrapping paper, scotch tape, packing tape, gift tags, shipping labels, shipping paper, postage stamps and other items that can be used on a daily basis by those who love to stay in touch with friends and family without using a computer. Include a note in the basket - a reminder that mail carriers will pick up letters and parcels from people who can't get to a Post Office or a mailbox.
A membership to a local health club, aerobics or other class could be the perfect surprise for runners and sports enthusiasts on your list. And remember - today's seniors are more likely to run a race than rock themselves to sleep.
If you have an aspiring student (young or senior) on your gift list, consider prepaying for a course at a local college or specialty school. It's a thoughtful, unusual gift that might pave the way to a new beginning for someone special.
Consider giving a gift of your services to someone on your list who may need a little extra help.

Offer free child care to a single parent, so they can go out for an evening - or an afternoon, without worrying about the kids, offer your time to help clean out a closet, cook some meals or help with supermarket shopping or a trip to the doctor.

You might also consider purchasing a Gift Card from a pharmacy or medical supply shop patronized by a senior friend or family member.

It's the perfect gift for seniors who are trying to meet the skyrocketing costs of prescription medications and other supplies.

Give a gift card from a hair or beauty salon, a beauty supply store or for a fill-up at a local gas station. Give a gift card for "Lunch For Two" at a local diner or restaurant, or for a year's worth of treats at a Baskin Robbins or Dunkin' Donuts shop.

Considering the current state of the economy, anyone would welcome a gift card that provides necessities - or plain good fun.

You might also consider purchasing gift cards from local supermarkets. The cards, sold in different denominations, are available at store courtesy desks. They make a perfect gift for friends and family members who are struggling to make ends meet.

The cards are available in a series of holiday designs, in denominations ranging from $10 to $100 at most major supermarkets.

One of the best gifts is still a free Library Card. It's an invitation to the world of books, free computer use, discussions and free classes.

Do something different, like purchasing a library book for just $25, in someone's name, that will be placed on the shelves of the local library. Go to www.quenslibraryfoundation.org for complete information.

And don't forget about the gift that keeps on giving - a subscription to the Queens Gazette. To purchase a Gazette gift subscription call 718-361-6161 or visit us online at www.gazette.com.

Nikon D5300 First Shots: Can Nikon's new mid-level DSLR not only beat the D5200, but compete with the D7100?

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 23:45:00 +0000

<Nikon D5300 Buy Cheapp>by Roger Slavens

In less than a year's time, the recently introduced Nikon D5300 has replaced the mid-level consumer D5200 DSLR. And while its upgrades may not be revolutionary, the new model stands as a compelling, affordable option for advanced amateurs who may be eyeing the higher-end, prosumer D7100 -- as well as an enticement for owners of Nikon's older models to take a step up. We just got the Nikon D5300 into the lab, and we've published our first batch of First Shots -- Still Life* test images -- for you to analyze closely.

The D5300's enhanced DX-format, 24-megapixel APS-C-type CMOS sensor was designed to maximize the camera's resolving power by omitting the optical low-pass filter (as Nikon did earlier this year with the D7100). If the D5300 can minimize moire and anti-aliasing as well as the D7100 did, forgoing the OLPF in a consumer-friendly DSLR could be the move that opens up a realm of incredible detail and sharpness to a mass audience. What's more, the D5300 incorporates Nikon's latest processor -- the EXPEED 4 -- which even the company's most recently announced full-frame prosumer DSLR, the D610, doesn't have. This next-generation imaging engine purports optimize the DSLR's detail-versus-noise output and enhance color accuracy, and its improved ISO sensitivity -- now ranging from 100 to 12,800 in standard mode -- could up the ante on low-light performance.

How do all these upgrades translate in terms of image quality?

Check out our Nikon D5300 First Shots for yourself. And be sure to pit these test images side-by-side with those from the D5200, D7100 -- or any other camera we've ever tested -- via our Comparometer™ image quality comparison tool.

For more information about the DSLR's new features and specs, read our first impressions Nikon D5300 review. In addition to image quality and performance enhancements, the camera also boasts built-in Wi-Fi functionality and GPS -- the first Nikon DSLR to do so -- as well as a more compact and lightweight design, and a 3-2-inch tilt-swivel LCD monitor that features a whopping 1,037K dots of resolution.

* Use our Still Life target images to look for detail (tone-on-tone, fine, highlights, shadows), as well as noise suppression, white balance, color accuracy and color shape retention.

Order your Nikon D5300 with trusted Imaging Resource affiliates Adorama or B&H now. The D5300 body runs about US$700, and kitted with a Nikon 18-140mm lens about $1,400.

Adorama:

B&H:

Source: Imaging-resource

New And Exclusive Micro-Site Content

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 17:45:00 +0000

ePHOTOzine's Micro-Site Roundup - Find out what's been happening on our five Micro-Sites.

Posted:

Here's a roundup of the exclusive content we've got for you to have a read of on our five micro-sites this week:

On PENTAXPORTAL this week, you can take a look at some top tips for photographing seals with your Pentax camera, and check out some top Pentax sunset photos. Plus, the brand new K-3 DSLR has been reviewed on site this week, and there's news of new images from Ricoh Imaging brand ambassadors.

Over On EIZO ColorZone, you can learn how to perform a monitor viewing angle check and find out why ColorNavigator software is a great tool for aiding calibration. Plus, there's news of a new 3D CG colour management handbook that's now available.

Meanwhile, on Olympus Image Space this week, there are techniques on how to use blur creatively, and there's news on Olympus workshops taking place over the coming months with Damian McGillicuddy and Steve Gosling. Plus, news on the Olympus Impressions 'Fall' competition, and £100 accessory cashback when you buy an Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera have also gone live.

On Totally Tamron this week, you can learn some top tips for taking better photos of ice with your Tamron lens, plus there are some top Tamron portrait photos for you to take a look at. Don't forget to take a look at David Pritchard's blog the days zoom past, too, as he's been out-and-about with his newly acquired Tamron 24-70mm lens.

Last but not least, on Nikon Nation this week, you can check out some ideas and tips for on location portrait shoots, get creative with colour balance and lots more. Plus, don't miss the Nikon D5300 Offers DSLR review and news of ono-to one training with Nikon School in December.

Make sure you check back to the Micro-Sites regularly, as new and exclusive content is posted weekly!

Source: Ephotozine

Nikon's D610 Gets a Dust-Free Green Light

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 20:15:00 +0000

Way back when, I wrote about the dust problems we were seeing in Nikon D600 cameras. There was enough of a furor about it that when the Nikon D610 was released I assumed that the dust problem would be fixed. But I'm rather the paranoid type, and I never like assumptions, so as soon as the first D610s were delivered I thought it worthwhile to just double-check that assumption.

I set up a fairly simple protocol for the first twenty-five D610 bodies delivered:

The first image taken with each camera was our standard f/16, white-wall shot with contrast enhancement to check for sensor dust.

The cameras then went to a tech for testing and checkout, which involves about 20-30 shots being taken, then back to me for a second sensor dust image.

The cameras then went out on their first rental and when they returned I took yet another sensor dust image.

Just like I did in the first article, I then stacked the images for each stage in Photoshop using the 'darken if' action to make a single image of the dust on all the cameras.

The results are pretty clear, and for those of you who hate to read, they indicate the sensor dust issues have, indeed, cleared up (I love puns) in the D610.

Remember, when you look at the images below, this is not the dust on one sensor; it's the total of all the dust on 25 sensors.

New - Out of the Box

For those of you who think a camera is always going to arrive with a dust-free sensor, let me assure you this is a really good result. One camera had a big chunk, 6 others had a small dust spot, the rest were clean to the limits of the test. That's an excellent result; as good as any camera we inspect.

After In-House Testing

We expect the 20 or 30 shots we do with initial testing to jar loose some more dust that's in the mirror box or around the shutter or sensor edges. That's the case here as you can see, but again, this is a good result. There is more dust now, but most of it is small, as opposed to the large chunks we often saw with the D600. This is about what we see with any other camera and no single camera had more than a couple of specs.

After Rental

So we cleaned all those sensors and sent them out on rental, then took another image when they came back. I've only had 10 cameras come back from rental, so this composite is for 10 sensors, not 25 as above. But things looked so good I thought I'd go ahead and post now. Obviously rental conditions vary - we don't know who was in studio and who went to the beach, but with D600s we definitely would see the pattern of large chunks in the left upper corner no matter where it went on rental.

With the D610 we just see a bit of scattered dust and one fiber. There's nothing of note in the left upper corner. If anything, this is a bit better than most cameras, but certainly no worse.

We'll keep an eye out, of course, for problems in the future, but as best I can tell (and as we all expected) the D610 does not appear to have any sensor dust problems.

I'll also note that when I evaluated the D600s I thought perhaps the shutter design, with its wider slot, was the problem. I was apparently wrong about that, since the D610 has what appears to be exactly the same shutter design. Since we saw the dust problem disappearing after 5,000 shots or so, it may be simply that there was a lot of dust inside the D600s that worked its way out early on. Perhaps the 'cure' was simply keeping dust out in the first place. Or maybe there's something inside the camera (I haven't had a chance to open one up yet) to prevent dust getting out to the sensor.

Of course, figuring out why it's better is just to satisfy my curiosity. It doesn't really matter what's different as long as the problem is fixed, and it certainly does appear to be fixed.

About the author: Roger Cicala is the founder of LensRentals. This article was originally published here.
Source: Petapixel

Nikon's D5300 - Wireless and with a New 58mm f/1.4G lens -First Look

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 19:45:00 +0000

<Nikon D5300 Cyber Monday Dealp>Feeling Connected with Nikon's New Mid-Range APS DSLR

By Mason Resnick

With smart phones and tablets becoming a photographic viewing and sharing medium of choice, Nikon today announced their first Wi-Fi-friendly DSLR, the D5300. Is it the best of all worlds?

Nikon today announced a wireless refresh of its mid-range APS DSLR. The In addition to the 5300, Nikon announced a new Nikon D5300 is the first APS sensor Nikon DSLR to offer full Wi-Fi communication ability, giving users the option of sharing images online directly from their camera, or to operate the camera remotely using a free app on their smart phones or tablet computers. As with its predecessor, the Nikon D5300 comes with the superb 24MP DX sensor, which can also be found in the higher-end D7200. Also new is an extra-large 3.2-inch swivel LCD monitor, The D5300 accepts all Nikon F-mount lenses, but is best suited for use with DX lenses, and works seamlessly with the Nikon i-TTL flash system using Speedlights such as the SB-910; flash exposure is seamlessly calculated using the cameras matrix and center-weighted metering system.

58mm f/1.4G lens (see description below).

The Nikon D5300 can be pre-ordered now from Adorama. Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. Credit cards will not be charged until orders ship.

Photo enthusiasts
Photography students looking for a camera to grow with
First-time DSLR users who aren't intimidated by an moderately extensive control set
Habitual online photo sharers who aren't satisfied with cell phone photo quality

What's New

Nikon added Wi-Fi, instant photo sharing, and wireless camera control via smart phones and tablet comptuers using
Differences:
Wi-Fi enabled
Instant photo sharing via smart phone or tablet
Control camera via smart phone or tablet
Built-in GPS and geotagging
Monitor resolution increased from 921k dots to 1,037k dots, 3.2 vs. 3 inches

24MP DX (APS) sensor measures 23.5x15.6mm
RAW and JPEG Image Capture in 12 or 14 bit
ISO range 100-12,800, pushable to ISO 25,600.
39 point AF system with 9 cross type sensors
Full-time servo Autofocus
Built-in HDR
On-board photo retouch menu
Picture Control System

The
Nikon D5300 vs. D7100 vs. D3200

All three Nikon APS DSLRs feature the same highly-rated 24MP sensor. According to DxOMark labs, all cameras performed almost identically in the lab, producing outstanding image quality with excellent color depth, a dynamic range of over 13 stops, and clean image quality through ISO 1200. So, if their image quality is almost identical, what are the differences between these three cameras?

The Nikon D3200: Nikon's entry-level DSLR, the D3200 guides beginners through the picture-taking process, offering on-screen explanations of modes and settings. It is the lightest and least expensive DSLR. Read more.

The Nikon D7100: Designed for enthusiasts and semi-pro photographers, the D7100 puts extensive focus and exposure controls at the user's fingertips. Nikon has removed the low-pass filter, allowing for more light to hit the sensor and effectively boost image quality and low-light performance. Read more.
Nikon D5300 strives to strike a balance, offering many enthusiast-oriented features but at a price that will meet tighter budgets. Unlike the other two cameras, the D5200 has a high-resolution flip-out LCD monitor. Compact and ergonomic, it is also capable of high-quality HD Video (as are the others) but it is the only one that will let you easily share these videos online.

Wi-Fi and beyond

Nikon is hinting that there will be more DSLRs with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, but right now the D5300 is the first and only that will wirelessly connect to D5300 with your smartphone or tablet,* then browse the photos on D5300's memory card, import your favorites and instantly email them, text them or post them online. While connected, your smart device can also act as a remote monitor for the D5300. See what the camera sees and even fire the shutter-perfect for group shots and self portraits! When travelling, built-in GPS geotags all of your shots. Create exciting travel journals, find nearby Points of Interest and easily share your location data when posting photos on Facebook or Flickr.

The Sophisticated AF and Metering

The D5300 has 39 point high-density autofocus system with 9 cross-type sensors. Nikon has 3D tracking that uses the 2016-pixel RGB sensor, so it can recognize a moving subject and follow it and keep it in focus as it moves across the frame. Nikon's Scene Recognition System analyzes each shooting situation and compares it to an onboard database of thousands of scenes and automatically determines the best exposure. If using flash, it calculates and balances flash and ambient light exposure, as well as white balance and autofocus settings.

For more experienced photographers, the camera puts manual exposure, focus, flash and white balance settings within easy reach. You can manually set one, a few, or all of the above. It's your choice. Built-in HDR combines two photos into one image, expanding the dynamic range. D-lighting is another well-known Nikon feature that automatically brightens shadowy areas in images.

The Nikon D5300 also offers the ability to edit photos in camera. Options include cropping, applying filters and effects. And, since the camera has Wi-Fi connectivity, you can immediately share the edited photos via your smartphone or tablet computer.

Nikon D5300 will cost $799.95 at Adorama, body only.

In addition to the D5300, Nikon today announced the New Low-Light Lens

AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G ($1,699.95 at Adorama), designed for use in both DX (APS) sensor and FX (35mm) sensor Nikon cameras. When shooting with a DX sensor camera, the lens effectively becomes a medium telephoto lens, offering a portrait-friendly 85mm field of view. Nikon says the lens produces evenly-lit images with edge-to-edge sharpness and no saggital coma or light falloff, even when shooting at the widest aperture, where many lenses display such optical problems. The 9-blade diaphragm has rounded edges for pleasing bokeh.

Source: Adorama

Nikon Coolpix S6600 Review

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 23:30:00 +0000

Introduction

The Nikon Coolpix S6600 is a back-illuminated 16 megapixel digital compact camera which also boasts an articulated screen, wi-fi capability, 12x optical zoom and FullHD video. As part of the Style range, the Nikon Coolpix S6600's curvy body looks good and is packed with technology. But will it cope in our stringent test? Costing around £199, the Nikon Coolpix S6600 is available in silver, red, black, purple and white.

Ease of Use

It's always nice to see the designers of a camera start from scratch when updating a model. The Nikon Coolpix S6600 is one such example because it looks completely different to the S6500. The new model has a larger, curvier lens bezel - undoubtedly to incorporate the 12x optical zoom inside the thin chassis. The rest of the camera has been rounded off to carry on the feel which flows around the corners for a fluid, organic look to it.

Because of the movable screen on the back, a few of the buttons have been placed on the top plate in order to retain a reasonable size to them. The Shooting and Playback buttons (used for flicking between taking pictures and replaying them) sit centrally with the sunken power button situated next to the shutter release. On the back and considering the restricted space, a large space has been reserved as a thumb rest. The rest of the buttons are crammed in underneath, which is a bit unusual. The space for resting your thumb could be halved.

The majority of the space is occupied by the articulating screen. It twists all around so is perfect for self portraits or low/high angle photography. It's great to see a twisting screen on a compact camera, they're so few and far between, but extremely useful.

Front

Rear

The Nikon Coolpix S6600 is part of a growing number of digital compact cameras that have built-in wi-fi capability. The wi-fi menu is in the set-up section of the Main menu. It can't upload images directly onto the internet, but it can transfer images to your smart phone for you to then upload from there. You can also add a GPS location to your pictures if you're abroad and wish to show friends on Google Maps. There's also an option to use the smart device as a remote control for taking pictures. You have to download the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility from iTunes or the Google Play store.

The sensor on the Nikon Coolpix S6600 is a back-illuminated type sensor, which - in theory - reacts better in low light. The reason is can do this is all down to the way the sensor is constructed. Traditional sensors have circuitry around each pixel and this in turn blocks light getting onto the photo site. Back illuminated sensors have the circuitry placed on the back of the sensor. Because it's then out of the way, more light gets onto the pixels and increases the performance of the sensor. The name stems from the appearance of the sensor as it sits in the camera. Because the circuitry is at the back, it looks as though it's on backwards and that the light is hitting the rear of what would be a traditional sensor.

There are a number of continuous shooting modes on the S6600. The Continuous Hi mode takes seven frames in just over half a second. Taking reflexes into consideration and any shutter lag, it could probably take around ten frames in a second if it wasn't capped at seven.

Front

Top

Start up time seems pretty standard at 2.5sec. We've seen a spate of cameras covering a faster time recently and we thought maybe it showed an increase in technology, but it could've just been a coincidence. Saying that, pressing the power off button seems to put a long winded close down of the systems into operation. It must take another two seconds to close the lens, which doesn't sound much, but when you're stood watching it, it's like a case of a watched kettle never boiling.

There are a number of other continuous or burst modes within the menu system such as the pre-shooting cache. Two high speed continuous shooting modes (120fps and 60fps) as well as the BSS (Best Shot Selector) and Multi-Shot 16.

Playback is operated using the button with the arrow icon on the top plate of the camera. It can switch on the playback regardless of whether the camera is switched on or not. If the camera is off, you just need to hold the button down for a few seconds so that it doesn't think you're knocking it while carrying the camera. The display is a standard amount of basic information. It shows simple shooting features, such as the ISO, frame number, flash status, battery level etc. You can change this in the set up part of the Main menu. There's an option to hide it all, show it constantly (the auto mode will lose the info after a few seconds), Add a video frame to it or add a rule of thirds grid.

Memory Card Slot

Battery Compartment

Pressing ok while the information is on screen will bring up the Quick effects menu and there's options for all types of vintage or retro effects, such as Vivid, High key, Toy camera, multiple cross processing options, cross screen, miniature effect and cyanotype. The latter adds a blue cast that is based on old cyanotype style photography which is the foundation of blue prints. You can access the Quick menu in the Playback menu as well. There's also a D-Lighting option - which is a kind of HDR feature. It gently adds more detail to shadow areas while capping burn out in highlights. You can add red-eye correction and if you like your portraits, there's the Glamour retouch to add a bit of pizzazz to your face.

Upon opening the Nikon Coolpix S6600's box, we were faced with a thick looking booklet which is actually a Quick Start guide and is in multiple languages, so you don't have to read the whole thing. There's also a CD with Nikon ViewNX 2 which is Nikon's editing and tagging suite for your photographs. The camera comes with a lithium ion battery, USB cable and a charging unit. The unit comes in two pieces; the first accepts the USB cable which doubles as a charging cable and it has a two pronged mains connector. This can alternatively be plugged into the second unit which adapts it to the UK connector. There's also a wrist strap to keep it safe while in between photographs.

Entry Tags

Source: Photographyblog

Weekend: Your guide to entertainment in Northeast Pennsylvania

blogluzesesonhos@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 05:21:00 +0000

SEASONAL

27TH ANNUAL FALL FOLIAGE ANTIQUE SHOW & SALE: today, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $5; Dorflinger Glass Cutting Factory, White Mills. 570-226-7513.

39TH ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL: today and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, 347 Quiet Valley Road, Stroudsburg, $5/$10. Visit www. quietvalley.org. 570-992-6161.

COMMUNITY WOMEN'S CLUB OF GREENTOWN AND NEWFOUNDLAND THIRD ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL AND SOUP EXTRAVAGANZA: today, 10:30 a.m., Wallenpaupack South Elementary School, Main Street, Newfoundland, free. 570-857-7051 or 570-676-3711.

ANNUAL HARVEST & HERITAGE DAYS: today and Sunday, downtown Honesdale; pumpkin painting, today, noon to 4 p.m., Honesdale National Bank Corporate Center, Main Street; Ninth Annual Corn Shucking Contest, today, 1 to 3 p.m., Fred Miller Pavilion; old-fashioned hayrides, today, 1 to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.; antique car cruise, today, 5 to 9 p.m., Central Park; Wing & Chili Taste-off, Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., 570-253-6363, 570-251-8994 or 570-253-5492; Dessin Animal Shelter seventh annual Pets on Parade costume competition, Sunday; parade, 1 p.m., Main Street; costume judging, 2 p.m., Fred Miller Pavilion; 570-647-0057.

HAUNTED LANTERN TOURS: today, Friday, Oct. 19 and 25-26; rain dates Sunday and Oct. 20 and 27; doors open 6 p.m., first tour 6:30 p.m., Eckley Miners' Village, 2 Eckley Main St., Weatherly, $5/$10, not recommended for children under 6.

EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL: Limelight Players; today and Friday, 7 p.m.; Sunday and Oct. 20, 1 p.m.; Oct. 19, 7 p.m. and midnight; Phoenix Performing Arts Center, 409 Main St., Duryea, $12. 570-457-3589.

PUMPKIN FEST: Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m., Endless Mountains Nature Center, Tunkhannock, $5 children/free for children under 2 and adults with a child's paid admission. Visit www.EMNConline.org. 570-836-3835.

DEARLY DEPARTED PLAYERS DUNMORE CEMETERY TOUR: Sunday, 2 p.m., Dunmore Cemetery main gate, Warren and Church streets, Dunmore, free. 570-344-3819.

DICKSON CITY CIVIC CENTER HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES: Circle of Screams trip, Sunday, departs 6 p.m., returns 10 p.m., 12 and older; Halloween dances, Oct. 25, 7 to 9 p.m., grades three to six, and Oct. 26, noon to 2 p.m., children up to second grade; Toddler Time Halloween Party, Oct. 29, 10:30 a.m. to noon; Family Fun open house, Oct. 31, 6 to 9 p.m., all ages; 935 Albert St., Dickson City. 570-383-1813.

OKTOBERFEST: Sunday, Montage Mountain, 1000 Montage Mountain Road. Visit www.montageisback.com.

POCONO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER FALL EVENTS: Fall Photography, Sunday to Friday or Friday to Oct. 20, fees vary; Fall Foliage Hikers' Paradise, Oct. 19, 1 to 3 p.m., free for members/$5 nonmembers; 538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry, registration recommended. Visit www.peec.org. 570-828-2319.

SECOND THE WINE, THE WITCHES AND THE WARDROBE FASHION AND MARKETPLACE EVENT: benefiting Dress for Success Lackawanna, Thursday, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, $40. 570-941-0339.

ANNUAL VINTAGE HORROR FILM SERIES: "The Pit and the Pendulum," Friday; "Scream of Fear," Oct. 25; "Clue," Nov. 1; 7 p.m., Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., $5/$6/$8/free for children 2 and younger. Visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org. 845-295-2060.

TEEN LIBRARY GHOST HUNT: with Dickson City Paranormal Investigators, Friday, presentation for teens/parents 7 to 8 p.m., teen paranormal investigation 8 to 10:30 p.m., Pittston Memorial Library, 47 Broad St., Pittston, registration required. 570-654-9565.

TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH ANNUAL FALL BAZAAR AND BOOK SALE: Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1546 Monsey Ave. 570-346-1383.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES FALL CRAFT FAIR: Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 493 Meridian Ave. 570-961-5495.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY CHILDREN'S LIBRARY HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES: Spooky Art with Miss Liz, Oct. 19, 2:30 p.m., ages 9 to 12; Halloween Circus: A Night of Oddities & Twisted Acts Halloween party, Oct. 24, 6 p.m., ages 6 to 12; pre-K Monster's Mash, Oct. 30, 4 p.m., ages 3 to 5; Little Monsters' Mash, Oct. 31, 10:30 a.m., ages birth to 5 years; 520 Vine St., registration required for all activities. 570-348-3000, ext. 3015.

THIRD ANNUAL BONFIRE AT THE IRON FURNACES: Oct. 19, 6 to 11 p.m., Scranton Iron Furnaces, 159 Cedar Ave., $15 advance/$20 at door/free for children under 12. Visit www.scrantonbonfire.com. 570-963-4804.

PITTSTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY OKTOBERFEST: Oct. 19, 6 to 10 p.m., Susquehanna Brewing Company, $15. 570-654-9565.

CELTIC NEW YEAR CELEBRATION: Oct. 19, 7 p.m., Irish Cultural Society, Beech Street and Wintermantle Avenue, $20. 570-983-4087.

GRIFFIN POND ANIMAL SHELTER HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES: Halloween Parade, Oct. 20, registration noon, parade 1 p.m.; Phantom Ball, Oct. 31; 967 Griffin Pond Road, South Abington Twp.

NANCY KAY HOLMES BRANCH LIBRARY FALL ACTIVITIES: Painted Pumpkin Contest, Oct. 21-31; Halloween Celebration, Oct. 30, 5:30 p.m., all ages; Trick or Treat at Your Library, Oct. 31; Green Ridge Street and Wyoming Avenue. 570-207-0764.

ST. STANISLAUS YOUTH GROUP 20TH ANNUAL TRAIL OF TERROR: Oct. 19, 25-26, 7 to 10:30 p.m., YMS of R Park, Kane Street, $6.

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA PHILHARMONIC: THE HAUNTED SYMPHONY: Oct. 19, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre; Oct. 20, 2:30 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.; $31 and more, email info@nepaphil.org. 570-270-4444.

GHOST HUNTERS LIVE!: Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $25, $35, $60. 570-826-1100.

MOVIE NIGHT: CASPER'S SCARE SCHOOL: Oct. 24, 5:45 p.m., Pittston Memorial Library, 47 Broad St., Pittston. 570-654-9565.

THE TIMES-TRIBUNE CHILDREN'S SERIES: BUNNICULA: Theatreworks USA, Oct. 26, Wiggles and Giggles workshop, 10 a.m., show 11 a.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

ANNUAL CHILDREN'S HALLOWEEN PARTY: Oct. 26, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Waverly Community House, 1115 North Abington Road, Waverly Twp., free. Visit www.waverlycomm.org. 570-586-8191, ext. 2.

SPLATTERDAY: Oct. 26; "Ghostbusters," 2 p.m., rated PG; "Young Frankenstein," 4:30 p.m., rated PG; "Night of the Living Dead," 7 p.m., not rated; "Halloween," 9:30 p.m., rated R; "Rocky Horror Picture Show," midnight, rated R; F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $3/$5 one film, $20 all films. Visit www.kirbycenter.org. 570-826-1100.

OLYPHANT CRIME WATCH TRUNK OR TREAT: Oct. 26, Monsignor Hrynuck-Joe Beckage Baseball Park, 700 block of East Grant Street, Olyphant, 5 to 8 p.m. 570-766-1570.

HAUNTED HALLWAYS OF WEST SCRANTON HIGH: West Scranton High School Drama Club; Oct. 26, 6 to 10 p.m.; Oct. 27, 5 to 9 p.m.; West Scranton High School, 1201 Luzerne St., $5. Visit www.westscrantondrama.weebly.com. 570-348-3616.

GRAVESTONE MANOR THEATRICAL HAUNTED HOUSE: Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 26, 7 to 11 p.m.; Sundays through Oct. 27, 7 to 9:30 p.m.; $10, benefits United Way of Wyoming Valley. Visit www.gravestonemanor.org. 570-821-6500.

TRAILS OF TERROR: Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 26, 8 p.m., 926 Shoemaker Ave., West Wyoming, $8, benefits West Wyoming Hose Company No. 1 Volunteer Fire Department.

HALLOWEEN IN THE HALLS: Oct. 27, 3-5 p.m., McHale, Alumnae, McGowan, Gildea and MacDowell halls, Misericordia University, Dallas, free.

KING'S CHEMISTRY CLUB 17TH ANNUAL THINGS THAT GO BOOM IN THE NIGHT: Oct. 29, 7 p.m., Burke Auditorium, William G. McGowan School of Business, King's College, Wilkes-Barre. 570-208-5900, ext. 5390.

CHILDREN'S HALLOWEEN PARADE: Oct. 30, 4:30 p.m., Co-Operative Farmers Market, 900 Barring Ave. 570-961-8251.

HAUNTED HOUSE: Oct. 30-31, 6 to 9 p.m., building across from First National Bank, Main Street, Forest City, $3. 570-282-4821 or 570-785-4100.

HALLOWEEN CONCERT: University of Scranton Jazz Band, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m., Houlihan McLean Center, University of Scranton, free if dressed in costume, email music@scranton.edu. 570-941-7624.

GREATER CARBONDALE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE YOUTH BOARD CITYWIDE TRICK OR TREAT: Oct. 31, 3 to 5 p.m., downtown Carbondale.

TRICK OR TREAT AT YOUR LIBRARY: Oct. 31, Library Express, second floor, Mall at Steamtown. 570-558-1670.

CIRCLE OF SCREAMS HAUNTED DRIVE-IN: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 2, Circle Drive-In, 1911 Business Route 6, Dickson City. Visit www.circleofscreams.com. 570-876-1400.

HAUNTED! MYSTERIES OF THE BEYOND: daily through Nov. 30, 8 p.m., Houdini Museum Theater, 1433 N. Main Ave., $35, reservations required. 570-383-9297 or 570-342-5555.

CLUBS

ARLO'S TAVERN, 10340 Route 171, Union Dale: today, Jim Carro Band; Sunday, Big Boss Wally Band.

BAR LOUIE, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Plains Twp.: today, Graces Downfall; Sunday, Nowhere Slow.

BAZIL, 1101 Northern Blvd., Clarks Summit: Wednesdays, Marko Marcinko Jazz Quartet.

BLU WASABI, Route 6, Dickson City: Tuesdays, Solo-Tu; Thursdays, Carl and Harley Dynamic Duo.

THE BLUE SHUTTERS, Route 435 at Blue Shutters Road, Elmhurst Twp.: today, Paul Oschal.

BOMB BAY CAFE, 80 S. Main St., Archbald: Wednesday, Jackson Vee.

BREAKERS, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Plains Twp.: today, Shorty Long.

CLAYTON PARK RECREATION AND ARTS CENTER, Lake Ariel: today, Marilyn Kennedy.

EVOLUTION NIGHTCLUB, The Woodlands, 1073 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre: today, DJ Davey B, DJ Kev the Rev.

EXECUTIVE LOUNGE, The Woodlands, 1073 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre: today, Wallstreet.

FORMOSA, 727 S. State St., Clarks Summit: Thursdays, Ron Leas & Kenny McGraw.

FOUR SEASONS ASIAN BISTRO, 1146 S. Main Ave.: Wednesdays, open mic.

GUBBIO'S UNIQUE ITALIAN RESTAURANT & BAR, 411 Chestnut St., Dunmore: today, Tommy Rogo.

HEIL'S PLACE, 1002 Wheeler Ave., Scranton: Wednesdays, The Village Idiots.

HUB LOUNGE, Clarion Hotel: Wednesdays, Open Mic Night; Fridays and Saturdays, Wise Crackers Comedy Show.

JJ BRIDJES, 925 Northern Blvd., Clarks Summit: today, Wanabees.

JUST RUMORS BAR & GRILL, Tafton: today, DJ Luis Luis.

MANHATTAN DRIVE/BEST WESTERN PLUS, Dunmore: today, the Girlz.

MENDICINO'S PIZZA AND LOUNGE, Routes 502 and 435, Covington Twp.: today, Paul Martin.

MERT'S, 302 Penn Ave.: today, Nowhere Slow.

MINOOKA PUB, 2934 Birney Ave.: today, Dave & Chae.

THE NEW PENNY, 1827 N. Main Ave.: today, Militia, 9Platform9.

OAK STREET EXPRESS, 729 Oak St.: today, DJ Devil Dog; Wednesday, karaoke with Speaker Jam.

O'LEARY'S PUB, 514 Ash St.: today, Giants of Science.

POOR RICHARD'S PUB, 125 Beech St.: Fridays and Saturdays, DJ Honey Do.

RIVER STREET JAZZ CAFE, 667 N. River St., Plains Twp.: today, Strawberry Jam; Wednesday, Scott Pemberton Trio & Mystery Fyre.

RUSTY NAIL, 732 S. Irving Ave.: Thursdays, DJ 10-4.

RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Plains Twp.: today, Jimmy Waltich Jazz Trio; Tuesday and Wednesday, Phil Hinton Top 40.

SAMBUCA GRILL, 234 Penn Ave.: Fridays and Saturdays, Paul Ardito.

THE SETTLERS INN, 4 Main Ave., Hawley: today, Dan Bradley.

SKYTOP LODGE, Skytop: Saturdays, Doug Smith Orchestra.

SLINGSHOTS BAR AND GRILL, 110 Main St., Moscow: today, Comedy Night with Teri Granahan.

STATIC NIGHT CLUB, I-81, Scott Exit 199: Fridays, under-21 DJ party; Saturdays, Latin DJ party.

TOMAINO'S, Archbald: today, Gypsy Wagon.

VILLA MARIA, 1610 Washburn St.: today, Bill Arnold Band; Wednesdays, Jack Mead, Chris Gratz, Bob Scorey.

WELLINGTON'S, Clarks Summit: today, See You Next Tuesday.

THE WOODLANDS INN, 1073 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre: Sunday, 90 Proof; Wednesday, karaoke with DJ Tony Piazza.

MUSIC

THE COOPERAGE PROJECT OPEN MIC: today, 2 to 4 p.m., Pocket Park, Honesdale. Visit their website thecooperageproject.org. 570-253-2020.

CELEBRATE HARMONY: Northeasters Honesdale Barbershop Chorus of the Barbershop Harmony Society 35th annual show, today, 7 p.m., Honesdale High School, Honesdale, $10. Visit www.northeastersbarbershopchorus.org. 570-493-1153.

CONTRA DANCE: today, 7:30 p.m., the Cooperage Project, 1030 Main St., Honesdale. Visit their website thecooperageproject.org. 570-253-2020.

SUZIE BROWN: today, 7:30 p.m., Boiler Room, Hawley Silk Mill, 8 Silk Mill Drive, Hawley, $16 advance/$20 at door, email jill@silkmillharmony.com. Visit www.harmonypresents.com. 570-588-8077.

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS - MUSIC FOR THE MOVIES FROM SILENTS TO THE 1960S: bus trip to WVIA concert, Sunday, departs 1:30 p.m., concert 3 p.m., departs Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free, reservations required. 570-996-1500.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT SEM: RECITAL FOR PIANO TRIO: Sunday, 2 p.m., Wyoming Seminary Great Hall, 228 Wyoming Ave., Kingston, free. 570-270-2192.

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS ... MUSIC FOR THE MOVIES FROM THE SILENTS TO THE 1960S: Sunday, 3 p.m., WVIA Sordoni Theatre, Pittston, free. 570-655-2808.

HOMEGROWN MUSIC CONCERT: Three Imaginary Boys and Michi Egger, Monday, 8 p.m., Sordoni High-Definition Theater, WVIA Studios, Pittston, free. Visit www.wvia.org/hi-deftheaterentry. 570-655-2808.

SIMPLY STREISAND: Wednesday, 1 and 3:30 p.m., Mount Airy Casino Resort, Mount Pocono. 800-468-0046.

BUTCHER BABIES: Wednesday, Brews Brothers West, Luzerne, $10 advance/$12 day of show. Visit www.SLPconcerts.net.

WORLD STAGE SERIES: JazzReach Presents She Said/She Says, Friday, 11 a.m.; Evan Mack's My Other Journey Home, Oct. 20, 2 p.m.; Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., email Education@BethelWoodsCenter.org. 845-295-2521.

NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA PHILHARMONIC: An Evening in Eastern Europe with Erica and Pascal, Friday, 7 p.m., Shopland Hall, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.; French Woodwind Delights, Nov. 14, 7 p.m., Westmoreland Club, Wilkes-Barre; Masterworks: Music and Dance, with Ballet Northeast, Nov. 16, 8 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center; A Very NEPA Christmas, Dec. 7, 7 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center; Dec. 8, 2:30 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center; A Romantic Masterpiece by Brahms, Jan. 16, 7 p.m., Westmoreland Club; Steve Lippia - Simply Sinatra, Feb. 21, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center; Feb. 22, 8 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center; String Chamber Music, March 6, The Colonnade, 7 p.m., 401 Jefferson Ave., Scranton; Stringfest, March 8, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center; Debbie Gravitte: Broadway Baby, April 4, 8 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center; April 5, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center; Beethoven's Ninth, April 25, 8 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center, $31 and more, email info@nepaphil.org. 570-270-4444.

ALICE COOPER: Friday, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $39/$49/$59/$75. Visit kirbycenter.org. 570-826-1100.

BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY: Friday, 8 p.m., Wiltsie Center at the Historic Castle, 700 N. Wyoming St., Hazleton, $19 to $45. Visit www.wiltsiecenter.org. 855-945-8743.

POP EVIL: with Age Of Days, Friday, Brews Brothers West, Luzerne, $12.50 advance/$15 day of show. Visit Ticketmaster.com. 800-745-3000.

WYCLIFFE GORDON: with University of Scranton Jazz Band, Oct. 19, 7 p.m., Houlihan McLean Center, free, email music@scranton.edu; talk, with Loren Schoenberg, precedes concert. 570-941-7624.

THE STYLISTICS: Oct. 19, doors open 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., Mount Airy Casino Resort, Mount Pocono, $30/$45.

UP & COMING COMEDY SERIES: Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Jan. 18, Feb. 22, March 22 and April 26, cocktails 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

ECHOES OF ARCADIA: Arcadia Chorale (formerly Robert Dale Chorale); Oct. 19, 8 p.m., St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 232 Wyoming Ave., Scranton; Oct. 20, 3 p.m., St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre; $7/$12/$15/free for children under 12. Visit www.arcadiachorale.org. 570-871-0350.

OLD TIME FIDDLERS ANNUAL FIDDLE FESTIVAL: Oct. 20, doors open 1 p.m., music 2 p.m., Beach Lake Fire Hall, Route 652, Beach Lake, $5/$7/$10/free for children 12 and younger, email fiddlinaround@verizon.net. 570-224-6330.

PATRICK FITZSIMMONS: Oct. 20, 3 p.m., the Cooperage, Honesdale, $15 advance/$18 at door. 845-252-6783.

CYNDI LAUPER: SHE'S SO UNUSUAL TOUR: Oct. 22, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $34/$49/$59/$75. Visit www.kirbycenter.org. 570-826-1100.

THE STARGAZER LILIES LP RELEASE SHOW: Oct. 22, the Rattler, 137 N Main St., Pittston.

MUDRAS: Oct. 25, doors open 6:45 p.m., show 7:30 p.m., the Cooperage, 1030 Main St., Honesdale, donations accepted. Visit thecooperageproject.org.

SING! SING! SING!: demonstration with Endless Mountains Barbershop Chorus, Wyoming County Chorale and Tunkhannock First United Methodist Church Choir; Oct. 26, 11 a.m., Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free, all ages, registration required. 570-836-8595.

AMY GRANT: Oct. 26, doors open 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., Theater at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine St., $43/$53. 570-955-1455.

ST. BERNARDINE'S GOSPEL CHOIR: concert, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.; liturgy, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.; J. Carroll McCormick Campus Ministry Center, King's College, Wilkes-Barre. 570-208-6044.

FIRST FRIDAYS: Nov. 1, doors open 6:30 p.m., show 7:15 p.m., Equinunk Historical Society's Calder Cafe, 1972 Pine Mill Road, Equinunk, acoustic only. 570-224-0223 or 570-224-6722.

PIANO AND VIOLIN CONCERT: with Barry Hannigan and Sophie Till, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m., Waverly Community House, 1115 North Abington Road, Waverly Twp., free. Visit www.waverlycomm.org. 570-586-8191, ext. 2.

REMAKING OF A MASTERPIECE: Arcadia Chorale, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Organ Recital, Nov. 2, 4 p.m.; dedication of its renovated sanctuary/new pipe organ, Nov. 3, 10:30 p.m.; Covenant Presbyterian Church, 550 Madison Ave., free. Visit www.covenantchscr.org. 570-346-6400.

B.O.B.: Nov. 1, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $35. Visit kirbycenter.org.

MERLE HAGGARD: Nov. 2, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $40/$53/$63/$99.

COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ORGAN DEDICATION RECITAL: with organist Timothy Smith, Nov. 2, 4 p.m., 550 Madison Ave.. 570-346-6400.

AARON LEWIS: Nov. 9, doors open 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., Mount Airy Casino Resort, Mount Pocono, $45/$65.

NAOKO TAKADA: Nov. 9, 5:30 p.m., Milford Theatre, 114 E. Catherine St., Milford, $15 advance/$20 at door/free for children under 15. Visit kindredspiritsarts.org/.

AN AFTERNOON OF EARLY FRENCH BAROQUE MASTERPIECES: Nov. 10, 3 p.m., Event Gallery, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., $10/$25. Visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org. 800-745-3000.

A TRIBUTE TO THE RAT PACK: Nov. 13, 1 and 3:30 p.m., Mount Airy Casino Resort, Mount Pocono. 800-468-0046.

SIMPLE GIFTS: visits, Nov. 14-17, March 6-9 and April 24-27; World Celebration Festival music workshop, Sept. 15; Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., email Education@BethelWoodsCenter.org. 845-583-2097.

TRAPT: with Devour the Day and Righteous Vendetta, Nov., 14, Brews Brothers West, Luzerne, $13 advance/$15 day of show. Visit Ticketmaster.com. 800-745-3000.

ARTS AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CONCERT SERIES: church ensembles recital, Nov. 17, 4 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 300 School St., Clarks Summit, donations accepted. Visit www.fpccs.org. 570-586-6306.

THE RASCALS: ONCE UPON A DREAM: Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $65.50/$75.50/$99.

YAMATO - THE DRUMMERS OF JAPAN: Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $25/$35.

CHORAL SOCIETY OF NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA: St. Nicolas, with Symphonic Chorus, Cantare and soloist Mark Kratz, Nov. 23, St. Stephen's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre; Christmas with the Choral Society, Dec. 1, 4 p.m., Covenant Presbyterian Church, Scranton; NEPA Philharmonic holiday concerts, Dec. 7, F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre; Dec. 8, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple; A Ceremony of English Carols, with Choral Artists of NEPA, Cantare and organist Dr. Timothy Smith, Dec. 15, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 232 Wyoming Ave., Scranton; Concerts at Covenant series, with Symphonic Chorus and Cantare, March 16, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Scranton; Chorus and NEPA Philharmonic, April 25, Scranton Cultural Center; Choral Artists ensemble, May 10, Stephen's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral.

ARLO GUTHRIE: Nov. 23-24, 8 p.m., Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., $75. Visit Ticketmaster.com. 800-745-3000.

NORTHERN TIER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Nov. 23, 8 p.m., Tunkhannock Middle School, Tunkhannock, $5/$10, email northerntiersymphony@yahoo.com. Visit www.NorthernTierSymphony.org. 570-289-1090.

DANI-ELLE'S CD RELEASE: Nov. 24, doors open 1:30 p.m., show 2 p.m., Genetti Manor, Dickson City, $10/$20/$30, benefits Marley's Mission. Visit www.Dani-ellesings.com. 570-876-3461 or 570-383-0206.

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND: Nov. 24, doors open 6 p.m., show 7 p.m., Theater at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine St., $30/$40. 570-955-1455.

ELVIS COSTELLO: Nov. 25, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $59, $79, $95.

KENNY ROGERS: CHRISTMAS AND HITS THROUGH THE YEARS: Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $50/$60/$75. Visit www.kirbycenter.org. 570-826-1100.

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: THE LOST CHRISTMAS EVE: Dec. 6, 4 and 8 p.m., Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Twp., benefits the Center for Cancer Wellness Candy's Place. Visit www.trans-siberian.com.

SUNDAYS WITH FRIENDS SERIES: Lincoln Center Family Holiday Concert, Dec. 8, Event Gallery, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., $42.50 each/series passes available. Visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org. 800-745-3000.

JOE NARDONE'S A CHRISTMAS DOO WOP SPECTACULAR: with Kenny Vance, the Flamingos, Larry Chance & the Earls, the Drifters and the Paramounts; Dec. 14, 7 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $29.50/$39.50/$49.50.

TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE: SAY THAT TO SAY THIS: Jan. 17, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $29/$39/$49.

RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS: Feb. 22, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $25/$35.

JOE BONAMASSA: May 7, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre.

MYSTERYLAND ELECTRONIC MUSIC FESTIVAL: May 23-26, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y. Visit Mysteryland.com.

OPEN MIC: Wednesdays, 6 to 8 p.m., Center Court, Mall at Steamtown.

Stage

HELLO, DOLLY!: Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania; today, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 1 and 6 p.m.; Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., $37/$47/$57. 570-342-7784.

THE ODD COUPLE: Center Stage Players; today and Friday, 8 p.m.; Wednesday and Oct. 20, 2 p.m.; Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee on Delaware, $15/$25/$28. 570-421-5093.

THE FEMALE ODD COUPLE: Center Stage Players; Sunday and Thursday, 2 p.m.; Oct. 19, 8 p.m.; Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee on Delaware, $15/$25/$28. 570-421-5093.

DINOSAUR TRAIN - LIVE! BUDDY'S BIG ADVENTURE: Thursday, 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $15/$25. Visit www.kirbycenter.org. 570-826-1100.

THE MAGIC OF BILL DICKSON: Oct. 19, 11 a.m., Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free, all ages. 570-996-1500.

COMEDIAN RICH VOS: Oct. 19, doors open 7 p.m., show 8 p.m., Gravity Inn, 40 Gravity Planes Road, Waymart, $15 advance/$20 at door. Visit richvosgravityinn.brownpapertickets.com. 570-488-6918 or 570-357-2693.

NYC COMEDY NIGHT: with Jerrold Benford, Teddy Love and Father Paul, Oct. 19, 8:30 p.m., Corner Bistro Theater, Carbondale, $15. 570-282-7499.

ANTHRACITE OPERA COMPANY HEART AND SOUL CONCERT: Oct. 20, 3 p.m., St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Taylor Avenue and Ash Street, $7/free for children.

POETRY READING: with Amy Bloom, Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m., Burke Auditorium, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, free; question-and-answer session/book signing, follows reading. 570-208-5900, ext. 5487.

IN THE MOOD: Oct. 23, 2 and 7 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., $32.50/$39/$49. Visit www.scrantonculturalcenter.org. 570-344-1111.

A SEA OF PUPPETS: Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company; Oct. 24, doors open 5:30 p.m., show 6 p.m.; Oct. 25, doors open 5 p.m., show 5:30 p.m.; McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center, University of Scranton, free; All the World's a Stage: Puppets and Modern Taiwanese Identity lecture, Oct. 24, 11:30 a.m., Studio Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts, free. 570-941-7401 or 570-941-4094.

THE MIRACLE WORKER: BBC Drama Department, Oct. 24-26, 7:30 p.m., Phelps Student Center, Baptist Bible College & Seminary, South Abington Twp. Visit www.bbc.edu/events. 570-585-9000.

OPEN MIC NIGHT: Oct. 25, doors open 6:30 p.m., show 7 p.m. featured performer Caitland Hawk 8:15 p.m., Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free. 570-996-1500.

NATIONAL PASTIME: Oct. 25-26 and 31, Nov. 1-2, 7-9, 8 p.m.; ; Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 and 10, 3 p.m.: Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, 537 N. Main St., Wilkes-Barre.

WE WON'T PAY, WE WON'T PAY: University of Scranton Players; Oct. 25-26 and Nov. 1-2, 8 p.m.; Oct. 27 and Nov. 3, 2 p.m.; McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts, University of Scranton, fees vary, email players@scranton.edu. 570-941-4318.

SEUSSICAL JR. - THE MUSICAL: Oct. 25-27, Music Box Dinner Playhouse, 196 Hughes St., Swoyersville. 570-283-2195 or 800-698-PLAY.

AN ALTERNATE PERCEPTION OF REALITY: with Denny Corby, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m., Corner Bistro Theater, Carbondale, $12. 570-282-7499.

CAMPION LITERARY SOCIETY OPEN READING: Oct. 30, 7 p.m., Gold Room, Administration Building, King's College, Wilkes-Barre. 570-208-5900, ext. 5487.

HAMLET: Pocono Shakes, Nov. 1-2, 8 p.m.; Nov. 9-10, 2 p.m.; Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee on Delaware, $10/$15/$18, email ShawneePlayhouse@hotmail.com. 570-421-5093.

THE LAST THOUGHTS OF GINO MERLI: Scranton Public Theatre, Nov. 1-2, 8:15 p.m., Olde Brick Theatre, rear 128 W. Market St., $10. 570-344-3656.

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD: Pocono Shakes, Nov. 2 and 4, 2 p.m.; Nov. 8-9, 8 p.m.; Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee on Delaware, $10/$15/$18, email ShawneePlayhouse@hotmail.com. 570-421-5093.

THE BRADSTAN CABARET SERIES: Sibling Revelry, with the Callaway Sisters, Nov. 2, $59.50; Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, with Karen Mason, Dec. 14, $49.50; all 8 p.m., Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y. Visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org. 800-745-3000.

DEATH BY ARIA: Pennsylvania Lyric Opera, Nov. 3, 3 p.m., Cecilia Cohen Recital Hall, East Stroudsburg University, $5/$10/free for children 6 and younger. Visit www.griceartists.com. 570-328-5864.

JIM BELUSHI AND THE chicago costume wolf BOARD OF COMEDY: Nov. 3, Cove Haven Resort, 194 Lakeview Drive, Lakeville.

BLUE MAN GROUP: Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Nov. 8, 8 p.m.; Nov. 9, 2 and 8 p.m.; Nov. 10, 1 p.m.; Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., $35/$49/$60. 570-342-7784.

AN EVENING AT FORD'S THEATRE: Dearly Departed Players; Nov. 9, 8 p.m.; Nov. 10, 2 p.m.; Temple Israel, Monroe Avenue and East Gibson Street, fees vary, benefits Temple Israel. 570-342-0350.

DISNEY JUNIOR LIVE ON TOUR! PIRATE AND PRINCESS ADVENTURE: Nov. 10, 2 and 5 p.m., Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Twp., $26/$50/$65. Visit www.ticketmaster.com. 800-745-3000.

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: Nov. 15, 17, 22 and 24; Dec. 1, 8-9, 15-16 and 22, 2 p.m.; and Nov. 16, 23, 29-30; Dec. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 2 and 8 p.m.; Shawnee Playhouse, Shawnee on Delaware, $15/$25/$28, email ShawneePlayhouse@hotmail.com. 570-421-5093.

THE TIMES-TRIBUNE CHILDREN'S SERIES: "Madeline and the Bad Hat," ArtsPower Touring Co., Nov. 16; "The Monster Who Ate My Peas," ArtsPower Touring Co., April 5; "The Teacher From the Black Lagoon and Other Storybooks," Theatreworks USA, May 3; Wiggles and Giggles workshops, 10 a.m., shows 11 a.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

OPEN MIC NIGHT: Nov. 22, doors open 6:30 p.m., open mic 7 p.m., Ed Crawley and the Everything Natural Drummers 8:15 p.m., Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free. Seating is limited. For reservations and details, 570-996-1500.

HEMISPHERE 50TH ANNIVERSARY COMPETITIONS: Nov. 24, registration noon, show 1 p.m., Best Western Pioneer Plaza, 25 S. Main St., Carbondale, registration required, email misshemisphere@gmail.com. Visit www.misshemisphere.org. 215-791-0844 or 570-281-9797.

DIETRICH RADIO PLAYERS PERFORMANCE: Dietrich Theater Radio Players, Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free; casual reception afterward; for reservations and details, 570-996-1500.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - THE MUSICAL: Music Box Players; Dec. 5-8, 12-15, 19-22; Music Box Dinner Playhouse, 196 Hughes St., Swoyersville.

RED, HOT ... BLUE CHRISTMAS REVUE: Dec. 11, 1 and 3:30 p.m., Mount Airy Casino Resort, Mount Pocono. 800-468-0046.

HANSEL AND GRETEL: Delaware Valley Opera, Dec. 15, art activity 12:30 p.m., show 2 p.m., Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., email Education@BethelWoodsCenter.org. 845-295-2521.

MAX & RUBY IN THE NUTCRACKER SUITE: Dec. 19, 6 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $20/$30.

JEFF DUNHAM: Dec. 28, 5 p.m., Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Twp., $49.50. Visit Ticketmaster.com. 800-745-3000.

DUTY/HAPPILY, EVER AFTER/18/ASSISTANTS, PLEASE: Jan. 4-19, Shawnee Playhouse, 552 River Road, Shawnee on Delaware, $11/$16/$19. Visit www.theshawneeplayhouse.com. 570-421-5093.

YOUR ENEMIES CLOSER: Jan. 24-Feb. 2, Shawnee Playhouse, 552 River Road, Shawnee on Delaware, $11/$16/$19. Visit www.theshawneeplayhouse.com. 570-421-5093.

MEMPHIS: Jan. 25, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $35/$52/$62.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: Gaslight Theatre Company, Jan. 30-Feb. 2, Theater at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine St., $10/$12. 570-955-1455.

CARMEN: Jan. 31, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $24/$39/$54.

JERSEY BOYS: Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Feb. 4-6 and 11-13, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 7 and 14, 8 p.m.; Feb. 8 and 15, 2 and 8 p.m.; Feb. 9 and 16, 1 and 6:30 p.m.; Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave. 570-342-7784.

YOUNG PEOPLE'S THEATER SERIES: "Doktor Kaboom," Feb. 13; "Junie B. Jones," March 28; "The Monster Who Ate My Peas," April 4; "Peter Pan," May 15; all 10 a.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $7.

AMERICAN IDIOT: March 5, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $34/$49/$59/$75.

RAIN: Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania, March 5, 7:30 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., $37/$45/$55. 570-342-7784.

DRIVING MISS DAISY: Walnut Street Theater, March 6, 7 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $15/$25/$35.

CESAR MILLAN: March 15, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $39/$54/$85.

ROCK OF AGES: Broadway Theatre League of Northeastern Pennsylvania; March 28, 8 p.m.; March 29, 2 and 8 p.m.; March 30, 1 and 6 p.m.; Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave. 570-342-7784.

THE FANTASTICKS: Nebraska Theatre Caravan, March 29, Theater at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine St., $30/$40. 570-955-1455.

RED GREEN: HOW TO DO EVERYTHING: March 31, 7 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $47.50. Visit kirbycenter.org.

IRELAND: THE SHOW: April 2, 7:30 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $29/$39/$49.

CIRQUE DREAMS ROCKS: April 11, 7:30 p.m.; April 12, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; April 13, 1 and 6 p.m.; Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave. 570-342-7784.

BALLROOM WITH A TWIST: April 12, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $29/$39/$49/$79.

THE MIDTOWN MEN: April 26, 8 p.m., F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Wilkes-Barre, $35/$45/$55.

THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE SCIENCE SERIES: Motion and Machines, May 5; Electricity, May 6; Life in Space, May 7; Flight, May 8; Hot and Cold, May 9; 10 a.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

AN EVENING WITH PATTI LUPONE AND MANDY PATINKIN: May 9, 8 p.m.; May 10, 2 and 8 p.m.; May 11, 1 and 6 p.m.; Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave. 570-342-7784.

JASON MILLER PLAYWRIGHTS' PROJECT DRAMATISTS SUPPORT GROUP: writing group, meets third Thursday of the month, 7 p.m., Olde Brick Theatre, 128 W. Market St., Scranton.

THE POCONOS TONIGHT SHOW: Fridays, doors open 7 p.m., Paradise Stream Resort, Mount Pocono, $15/free for resort guests; dance party, follows show until 1 a.m. Visit www.CPResorts.com. 800-972-7168.

ART

SEVENTY YEARS OF PAINTING: works by Carol Oldenburg and Earl Lehman, on display through today, Afa Gallery, 514 Lackawanna Ave.

GATES TO INFINITY: works by Pilar Jimenez, on display through today, Afa Gallery, 514 Lackawanna Ave.

CRAYONS AND CARE II: works by children from Litewska Hospital, Warsaw, Poland; on display through Thursday, Luzerne County Community College, 1333 S. Prospect St., Nanticoke.

THIRD FRIDAY: works by Michael Sorrentino, on display Friday through Oct. 29, Blue Shutters Restaurant, Elmhurst Twp.; opening reception, Friday, 5 to 8 p.m.

NORTHEASTERN BIENNIAL TWENTY THIRTEEN: on display Oct. 19-Nov. 13; Mahady Gallery, Marywood University; Afa Gallery, 514 Lackawanna Ave.; Hope Horn Gallery, University of Scranton; and ArtWorks Gallery & Studio, 503 Lackawanna Ave., email gallery@marywood.edu; opening receptions, Oct. 19, 2 p.m., Hope Horn Gallery; 3 p.m., Afa Gallery and ArtWorks Gallery & Studio; 4:30 p.m., Mahady Gallery; awards ceremony, Oct. 19, 5:30 p.m., Mahady Gallery. 570-348-6211, ext. 2428.

THE ART OF BALLET: on display through Oct. 20, Sordoni Art Gallery, Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, free. 570-408-4325.

THROUGH THE LENS: Northeast Photography Club members' juried exhibition, on display through Oct. 24, Windsor Studio, 408 Spruce St.

11TH INVITATIONAL EMERGING ARTISTS EXHIBITION: works by area high school students, on display through Oct. 25, Widmann Gallery, Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center, King's College, Wilkes-Barre. 570-208-5900, ext. 5328.

THIS SHOW IS FOR THE BIRDS: works by John Goldman and Raymond Listanski, on display through Oct. 29, Camerawork Gallery, 515 Center St. Visit www.cameraworkgallery.org. 570-344-3313.

CAPTURING REALISM 2013: works by Ani Art Academies instructors, alumni and apprentices, on display through Oct. 31, Pauly Friedman Art Gallery, Misericordia University, Dallas.

SUPERHEROES: paintings, drawings and digital prints by Ryan Ritterbeck and Gerry Stankiewicz, on display through October, 417 Lackawanna Avenue LLC, 417 Lackawanna Ave.

GRAND OPENING: works by various artists, on display through October, Arts on Adams, 348 Adams Ave.

GONE TO THE DOGS: works by Elaine Tweedy, on display through October, Bella Faccias Personalized Chocolates & Gifts LLC, 516 Lackawanna Ave.

CHOE FO SHO: works by Jonesy, on display through October, the Bog, 341 Adams Ave.

SEVERAL ACTIVITIES: photography by Lacey Lynn; D&E "Duct Tape Design" by Danielle Jenkins & Emily; on display through October, Café Trio, Chocolate Creations, Ferrone Winery and Realty Network Commercial Group, 400 Spruce St.

RAILFANNING 50 YEARS: original railroad photography, 1963-2013, by Joe Cimini, on display through October, City Café, 116 N. Washington Ave.

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS: works by Patrick Murphy, on display through October, Eden - a vegan cafe, 344 Adams Ave.

BELLY DANCING: on display through October, Exhale Hookah Lounge & Kabob Grill, 136 Wyoming Ave.

A DAY TO REMEMBER: works by Matt Wheeler, on display through October, the Keys Beer & Spirits, 244 Penn Ave.

ABSTRACTIONS: works by Erin Jordan, on display through October, Lounge 414, 414 Spruce St.

ASSORTED ART & COOKOUT: on display through October, New Life Baptist Church, 326 Spruce St.

PICTURE YOUR IMPACT - WE HAVE THE PROMISE!: works by various children; United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties photography project; works by Marywood University students; on display through October, Penn Security Bank, 150 N. Washington Ave.

LATEST PAINTINGS: works by Heidi Van Leuven, on display through October, Pierre's Fine Clothing and Accessories, 406 Spruce St.

GENRE PHOTOGRAPHY - A WALK IN OUR SHOES: works by Kaitlin Staples, on display through October, Shopland Hall, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

SCHOOL SPIRIT: photos from The Scranton Times archives, on display through October, The Times-Tribune Newseum, 149 Penn Ave.

SHAPE SHIFTERS: works by Kati Kameroski, Baba Yarnga and Diana Perciballi, on display through October, the Vintage Theater, 326 Spruce St.

ALL THINGS PRINTED: works by various artists, on display through October, the Workshop, 334 Adams Ave.

CAMERA FOR A CURE: works by Timmy Walsh, on display through October, Abington Art Studio, 208 Depot St., Clarks Summit. Visit www.cameraforacure.com.

WORKS FROM 'THE STUDIO': A COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITION: on display through Nov. 1, Lackawanna College Environmental Institute, 10 Moffat Drive, Covington Twp., free. 570-842-1506.

PLACES I LOVE: on display Nov. 8-Dec. 6, Lackawanna College Environmental Institute, 10 Moffat Drive, Covington Twp., free; opening reception, Nov. 8, 5 to 7 p.m., free. 570-842-1506.

THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH VIETNAM 1966-67 - THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF A YOUNG SOLDIER: photographs by John Hudanish, on display through Nov. 12, Chamber Gallery, Greater Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Building, 27 N. Main St., Carbondale, free.

MARKS: juried exhibit, on display through Nov. 14, Madelon Powers Gallery, East Stroudsburg University, Fine & Performing Arts Center, Normal and Marguerite streets, East Stroudsburg. Visit esuarts.esu.edu. 570-422-3483.

AIRING OF THE QUILTS - CIVIL WAR ERA QUILTING: on display through Nov. 15, Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free, all ages. 570-996-1500.

DISTINGUISHED VISITING ARTISTS LECTURE SERIES: Painter David Reed, Nov. 20, 3 p.m., Media Center 160, Learning Resources Center, free.

ANNUAL FACULTY/ALUMNI EXHIBIT: Dec. 6-Jan. 2, Luzerne County Community College, 1333 S. Prospect St., Nanticoke.

INFUSING THE ARTS IN OUR COMMUNITY: works by Arts Alive visual arts faculty, on display through Dec. 7, Suraci Gallery, Marywood University, email gallery@marywood.edu. Visit www.marywood.edu/galleries. 570-348-6278.

GLENBURN TWP. NINTH ANNUAL ART SHOW AND SALE: on display through Dec. 12, Glenburn Twp. building, 54 Waterford Road, Glenburn Twp. 570-954-1489 or 570-563-1177.

COMMUNITY ART AT THE EVERHART: DECKED OUT: on display through Dec. 30, Everhart Museum, 1901 Mulberry St. 570-346-7186.

SIDEWALK SURFING: THE ART & CULTURE OF SKATEBOARDING: on display through Dec. 30, Everhart Museum, 1901 Mulberry St. 570-346-7186.

FOUR ARTISTS RETURN: works by Sue Hand, Joe Welden, Jan Henning and Barbara Kapalski; on display through Dec. 31, Wyoming County Courthouse Gallery, 1 Courthouse Square, Tunkhannock. 570-836-3200.

RECENT WORKS: works by Joseph Opshinsky, on display through December, Friedman Art Gallery, Nesbitt Academic Commons, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Old Route 115 and University Drive, Lehman. Visit www.JosephOpshinsky.com.

EXCEPTIONAL ART - EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTS: on display through April, Speech-Language and Hearing Center, Misericordia University, Dallas; works by Verve Vertu Art Studio artists. 570-674-8255.

ART WALK: second Friday of the month, 5 to 8 p.m., downtown Clarks Summit venues.

THIRD FRIDAY WILKES-BARRE: art walk, third Friday of the month, 5 to 8 p.m., downtown Wilkes-Barre.

THIRD FRIDAY EXHIBITS: third Friday of the month, Blue Shutters Restaurant, Route 435, Elmhurst Twp.

JESSUP ART LOOP: second Saturday of the month, 3 to 8 p.m., downtown Jessup. Visit www.jessupartloop.info.

WATERCOLORS: by Jeff Lewis, permanent display, Linda Kay's Ole Green Ridge Diner, Sanderson Avenue.

EAT. SLEEP. POOP.: ongoing, Timmy's Town Center, Mall at Steamtown, $3/free for children under 2. Visit www.timmystowncenter.org. 570-341-1511.

SELECTIONS FROM THE MASLOW COLLECTION: ongoing exhibit, Maslow Study Gallery for Contemporary Art, Shields Center for Visual Art, Marywood University.

WATERCOLOR AND MIXED MEDIA: by Bill Woelkers, ongoing exhibit, Community Bank, 108 N. Washington Ave.

ETC.

25TH ANNUAL JUNK AND JEWELS SALE: today, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sawtelle Auditorium, Covenant Presbyterian Church, 500 Madison Ave., benefits Covenant Women pledged mission projects. 570-346-6400.

LACKAWANNA COLLEGE ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE ACTIVITIES: Art in Nature: Bird Seed Wreath, today, 9 a.m. to noon, $25; Bears in your Backyard, Tuesday, 6 to 8 p.m., Lackawanna College Environmental Center, $5, all ages; Wolf Visions, Oct. 26, 6 to 7:30 p.m.; Art in Nature: Mother Nature's Zen Patterns, Nov. 2, 1 to 4 p.m., $30; Natural Wonders, every other Thursday through Dec. 5; Lackawanna College Environmental Center, $5; Lackawanna College Environmental Institute, 10 Moffat Drive, Covington Twp., registration required for all activities. 570-842-1506.

ABINGTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY ACTIVITIES: Friends fall book sale, today, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Clarks Summit United Methodist Church; library closed, Monday; Savvy Social Security Planning, Tuesday, 7 to 8 p.m., adults; afternoon book club, Wednesday, 2 to 3 p.m., adults; story time, Friday, 10:30 a.m., ages 1 to 3; Oct. 29, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., ages 3 to 5; Oct. 31, 10:30 a.m., ages 2 and 3; registration requested; canned goods collection, through Oct. 31, benefits Dalton Food Pantry; Caring Hands Group, Mondays, 1 p.m., grade seven to adults; mahjong, Tuesdays, 1 to 3 p.m., adults; bridge group, Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to noon, adults; Scrabble, Thursdays, 1 p.m., adults; 1200 W. Grove St., Clarks Summit. Visit www.lclshome.org/abington.

ST. MARK'S CHURCH CRAFTY FLEA: today, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., VFW, Route 590, Lackawaxen. 570-685-1998.

BOOK SIGNING: with author Edward Murphy, today, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Gander Mountain, Dickson City.

SCRANTON READS: ONE BOOK ONE CITY: drop-by craft, today, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lackawanna County Children's Library; "To Escape My Fate," Monday, 7:30 p.m., Studio Theater, University of Scranton; Movie Night: Buster Keaton's "The General", Friday, 7 p.m., Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library, University of Scranton; Children During the Civil War, on display through Oct. 26, Lackawanna County Children's Library lobby; Addy raffle, now through Oct. 31, Lackawanna County Children's Library. Visit www.ScrantonReads.org.

CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL AND CHILI COOK-OFF: today, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y., fees vary, beer festival 21 and older, chili cook-off all ages. Visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org. 800-745-3000.

BOOK SIGNINGS: with author D'Orsay Logan; today, 1 to 3 p.m., Northern Light Espresso Bar, 536 Spruce St.; Nov. 1, 6 to 8 p.m., Library Express, Steamtown Mall.

GRIFFIN POND ANIMAL SHELTER DOG-A-THON: today, 1 p.m., Mall at Steamtown.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY CHILDREN'S LIBRARY ACTIVITIES: Lego Club, today, 2:30 p.m., ages 5 to 12; pre-K story time, Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., ages 3 to 5; Tales for Tots, Wednesday and Thursday, 10:30 a.m., ages 2 and 3; I Am a Hero - Part 3, Wednesday, 2:30 p.m., ages 9 to 12; Read with the Welcome Waggers, Thursday, 6:30 p.m., ages 5 to 12; Ma Goose Lap Rap, Friday, 10:30 a.m.; 520 Vine St., registration required for all activities. 570-348-3000, ext. 3015.

SECOND CORN ROAST AND PULLED PORK DINNER: today, 4 to 6 p.m., Clarks Green United Methodist Church hall, 119 Glenburn Road, Clarks Green, $4/$8.

A MIRACLE FOR AVA INAUGURAL GOLDEN GALA: today, 7 p.m., Genetti Manor, Dickson City. $25/$65. Visit www.amiracleforava.org. 570-677-0292.

UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON BUS TRIP: to Bucks County, today, 7 p.m., email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu 570-941-7816.

MODEL TRAIN SHOW & SALE: Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Hawley Fire Department, 17 Columbus Ave., Hawley, $3/free for children under 12. 570-226-3206.

ELMHURST ROARING BROOK VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT CHICKEN BBQ: Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., St. Eulalia's Church Hall, 214 Blue Shutters Road, Roaring Brook Twp., $5/$9. 570-842-8309.

THINKBIG PEDIATRIC CANCER FUND FUNDRAISER: Sunday, 2 to 5 p.m., Gubbio's Restaurant, Dunmore, benefits ThinkBIG and children and families treated at Janet Weis Children's Hospital, email wlhinchey@geisinger.edu. 570-969-8179.

WAYNE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY SUNDAYS AT THE MUSEUM: Travel to the Time of the Lenape Indians, Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m., Wayne County Historical Society, 810 Main St., Honesdale, free. Visit www.waynehistorypa.org. 570-253-3240

PITTSTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY EVENTS: Teen Read Week, Sunday to Oct. 19; Wii Gamefest, Monday, 5 to 7:30 p.m., grades six to 12, free; Steampunk Craft, Tuesday, 3 to 4:30 p.m., grades six to 12; Fantasy Vs Sci-fi: Character Smackdown, Thursday, 6 p.m., grades six to 12; Lego Club, Mondays, 4 p.m.; Board Game Night, first Monday of the month, 6 p.m.; Craft Club, second Monday of the month, 6 p.m.; Snacks and Stories story time, Wednesdays, 4 p.m., all ages; Science Club, third Thursday of the month, 4 p.m.; toddler story time, Tuesdays, 10 a.m., and Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.; preschool story time, Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m., and Wednesdays, 10 a.m.; 47 Broad St., Pittston. 570-654-9565.

THE MENU: Farmstand Fresh, Monday; Vegan Thanksgiving 101, Nov. 11; Back from Sorento with Chef Joe Caputo, Dec. 9; Superbowl Super Snacks with Wegmans, Jan. 13; Mario Bevilacqua of What the Fork Food Truck, March 10; Patio Party!, April 7; cocktails 6 p.m., program 7 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., $10.

LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMISSION FOR WOMEN ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST: Wednesday, 8:30 to 11 a.m., La Buona Vita, Dunmore, $15. 570-963-6800.

NANCY KAY HOLMES BRANCH LIBRARY EVENTS: Family Place, Wednesday and Oct. 23 and 30, 10 a.m., birth to 3 years and parents, registration required and limited; Story Time, Mondays and Fridays, 11:30 a.m., all ages; Friday CRAFTernoon, Fridays, 3 to 4:30 p.m., 3 and older; Green Ridge Street and Wyoming Avenue. 570-207-0764.

EVERHART READS BOOK CLUB: "Open City," Thursday; "Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found," Nov. 21; "The World Without Us," Dec. 19; 6 p.m., Library Express, Mall at Steamtown. 570-346-7186.

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 BAD MOVIE THURSDAYS: "Werewolf," Thursday; "Eegah!", Nov. 14; "Santa Conquers the Martians," Dec. 12; 7 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

ALBRIGHT MEMORIAL LIBRARY EVENTS: Ancestry.com workshop, Thursday; eBooks and Digital Magazines workshops, Oct. 24; National Novel Writing Month Kickoff Party, Oct. 27, 2 to 5 p.m.; Love, Loss and German Shepherds with Allie Larkin via Skype, Oct. 29, 7 p.m., register at ToGather.com; Mango workshop, Oct. 31; 500 Vine St. 570-348-3000.

KEYSTONE COLLEGE HOMECOMING: Friday and Oct. 19, campus, La Plume; Alumni Night, Friday, 5:30 p.m., Chef's Table Restaurant; Anthony Hannigan and the Hickory Project, Friday, 8 p.m.; breakfast, Friday, 9 a.m., Hibbard Campus Center; guided hike through wooded campus, Oct. 19, 10 a.m.; annual homecoming parade, Oct. 19, 11 a.m., College Avenue, Factoryville; alumni lunch/awards presentation, follows parade; Athletics Hall of Fame induction/reception, Oct. 19, 4:30 p.m., Theatre in Brooks. Visit www.keystone.edu/homecoming.

14TH ANNUAL BLACK BEAR FILM FESTIVAL: Friday to Oct. 20, Milford Theatre, 114 E. Catherine St., Milford; opening night gala, Friday, 6 to 8 p.m., St. Patrick's event venue, 111 E. High St., Milford, $60/$150; email info@blackbearfilm.com. Visit www.BlackBearFilm.com. 570-409-0909.

COLUMNS MUSEUM EVENTS: "The Vanishing American" film screening, Friday, 7 p.m.; Smoky Joe Wood Day, Oct. 25, 6 p.m., Rohmans Inn, 100 Rohman Road, Shohola; Dinner and a Movie: "Cool Hand Luke," Nov. 8, 6:30 p.m.; Pike County Historical Society, 608 Broad St., Milford. 570-296-8126.

SALT SPRINGS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS: Bats! Oh My!, Friday, 7 p.m., free for members/$5 individuals/$10 families; full moon hike, Oct. 19, rain date Oct. 27, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., $5 individual/$15 families/discount for members; Movie Nights, Nov. 2, 7 p.m., donations accepted; Take a Step Back in Thyme, Nov. 3, 1 to 3 p.m., $10 individual/$15 pairs/discount for members; Game On, Nov. 8, 7 to 8:30 p.m., donations accepted; Salt Springs Park, Silver Creek Road, Montrose.

EOTC FAMILY FUN WALK: Oct. 19, registration 8 a.m., walk 9 a.m., Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, $15 per family, benefits EOTC children's programs; registration/giveaways, EOTC Seventh Avenue Center, 431 N. Seventh Ave. 570-348-6484 or 570-558-7562.

ST. THOMAS MORE PARISH RUMMAGE SALE: Oct. 19, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Thomas More Catholic Parish, 1625 N. Main Ave. Visit www.stmscranton.org/flyer2.pdf. 570-343-0634.

PASSPORT TO SCIENCE/OPEN HOUSE: Oct. 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lawrence and Sally Cohen Science Center, Wilkes University, 140 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre, free, registration encouraged and required for groups of 10 or more. Visit www.community.wilkes.edu/PassportToScience.

COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY CHURCH ANNUAL TURKEY SUPPER & BAKE SALE: Oct 19, takeouts 2:30 to 4 p.m., dine-in 4 to 7 p.m., 14011 Orchard Drive, Clarks Summit, $12 adults/$6 children under 12. 570-587-3206.

NADINE CENCI MARCHEGIANI FOUNDATION PASTA DINNER: Oct. 19, 5 to 8 p.m., Café Soriano, 523 Main St., Peckville, $10, benefits NCMF; dine-in reservations, 570-383-5425; tickets, 570-383-0783.

THE COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL COLLEGE FIFTH ANNUAL GALA: Oct. 19, 6 p.m. to midnight, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., $175. Visit www.thecommonwealthmedical.com/gala. 570-504-9650.

POCONO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER ACTIVITIES: Nature at Night, Oct. 19, 6 to 8 p.m., $5; The "Easy Does It" Hikers, Oct. 20, 10 a.m. to noon, free; ECO book club, Oct. 20, 1 to 2:30 p.m., free; EcoZone! Afternoon, Oct. 20, Nov. 3 and 10, and Dec. 8, 1 to 4 p.m., free, and Nov. 16 and Dec. 7, 1 to 4 p.m., $5; Girl Scout Badge Fest, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $12 half day/$20 full day; Boy Scout Badge Fest, Nov. 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $12 half day/$20 full day; Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, Nov. 3, 5 to 7 p.m., free; 538 Emery Road, Dingmans Ferry, registration recommended. Visit www.peec.org. 570-828-2319.

SCRANTON SKI CLUB AUCTION: Oct. 19, 6 p.m., Montage Mountain, free, benefits Special Olympics and Wounded Warriors, 1000 Montage Mountain Road.

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR AT HOLY FAMILY RESIDENCE ANNUAL ROAST BEEF DINNER: Oct. 20, noon to 4 p.m., Holy Family Residence auditorium, 2500 Adams Ave., $10 advance/$12 at door/$6 children 10 and younger, benefits new mattresses and beds for residents. Visit www.littlesistersofthepoorscranton.org. 570-343-4065.

GREEN RIDGE HISTORIC WALKING TOUR: Oct. 20, 1 p.m., departs Green Ridge Presbyterian Church, Green Ridge Street and Wyoming Avenue, free. 570-346-6179.

SEVENTH ANNUAL MICHELE'S LADIES IN PINK PARTY: Oct. 20, 2 to 6 p.m., Fiorelli's, Main Street, Peckville, $32, benefits local breast cancer patients, two Valley View High School scholarships and monetary gifts to local families affected by cancer. Visit www.michelesladiesinpink.com. 570-650-0617, 570-383-2031, 570-313-7795, 570-510-4659.

NINTH ANNUAL CHOCOHOLIC FROLIC: Oct. 20, 6 to 8 p.m., Hilton Scranton and Conference Center. Visit www.uncnepa.org. 570-346-0759, ext. 114 or 104.

DANCE NIGHTS: Oct. 20, 6 to 9 p.m.; Gala Christmas Dance, Dec. 2, 8 to 10 p.m.; Latour Room, Nazareth Hall, Marywood University, free.

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE GROW YOURSELF SERIES: Walk and Birding Experience, Oct. 20, Lackawanna State Park, Dalton, $5 nonmembers/free for members; Tea Party with the Clelands, Nov. 13, 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., Cleland House, 520 Madison Ave., $5 nonmembers/free for members; Introduction to Belly Dancing, Jan. 29, 6 to 7 p.m., Step by Step Dance Studio, 1200 N. Keyser Ave., $15; reservations required, mbushwick@jfsoflackawanna.org. 570-344-1186.

10TH ANNUAL CHEFS UNITED DINNER: Oct. 23, cocktails 5:30 p.m., dinner 7 p.m., Inn at Woodloch, benefits United Way of Pike County.

LIBRARY EXPRESS EVENTS: Open Mic Poetry Night, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m., adults; Wild Thing Celebration, Oct. 24, 6 p.m., children; second floor, Mall at Steamtown. 570-558-1670.

ANNUAL UNITED NATIONS DAY LUNCHEON: Oct. 24, noon, Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel, reservations required. 570-344-7684.

WAYNE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY JAIL TALES: Oct. 25-26, 6 to 9 p.m., historic Old Stone Jail, 10th and Court streets, Honesdale, $10 advance/$12 at door, email wchs@ptd.net. Visit waynehistorypa.org. 570-253-3240.

ANNUAL STORYTELLING DINNER: Oct. 25-26, 6:30 p.m., Settlers Inn, 4 Main Ave., Hawley, $65. Visit www.TheSettlersInn.com. 570-226-2993.

BRIAN FANELLI BOOK LAUNCH/READING FOR ALL THAT REMAINS: Oct. 25, 7 p.m., Vintage Theater, 326 Spruce St. Visit www.brianfanelli.com.

SS. CYRIL AND METHODIUS UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: Ukrainian Cultural Day Show, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. Cyril's School Gymnasium, 135 River St., Olyphant, 383-0319; banquet, Oct. 27, 5 to 9 p.m., Fiorelli Catering, 1501 Main St., Peckville, $12/$40. 570-383-9487. Visit www.stcyrils.maslar-online.com.

HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS CLUB CRAFT FAIR AND HOME SHOWCASE: Oct. 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Holy Cross High School, 501 E. Drinker St., Dunmore, $2/$3. 570-346-7541.

ANNUAL DUNMORE ROTARY FALL SPAGHETTI DINNER: Oct. 27, noon to 4 p.m., Carmella's Restaurant, 140 Erie St., Dunmore, $4/$9.

REMEMBER JOHNNY MITCHELL DAY: Oct. 27, 2 p.m., Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum, McDade Park. Visit www.anthracitemuseum.org. 570-963-4804.

SKYTOP LODGE EVENTS: book signing and photo/autograph session, with author Melissa Gorga, Oct. 27, event 3 to 5 p.m., cocktail reception 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Skytop Lodge, Skytop, $50 hotel guests/$75 public. Visit skytop.com/Events. 855-345-7759.

SIXTH ANNUAL A NIGHT FOR THE CURE: Oct. 27, 5 to 8 p.m., Woodloch Pines Resort, Hawley, $10, benefits Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation through BK Hope Cures. Visit www.bkhopecures.org/trickytray. 570-685-8002.

HYPNOPHOBIA FILM SCREENING: Oct. 27, 6:30 p.m., Carbondale Chamber of Commerce foyer/gallery, 27 N. Main St., Carbondale, 18 and older.

AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION PROFESSIONAL CHEFS OF NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA INC. SECOND CUPCAKE WARS: Oct. 28, 3 p.m., Vanderlyn's Restaurant, 239 Schyuler Ave., Kingston, $25, register by Oct. 20, email chefjohn21@comcast.net. 570-574-9310.

SECOND NORTHEAST REGIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE SPIRIT OF HOPE CELEBRATION: Nov. 1, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, Plains Twp. 570-941-7984.

PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER OF LUNG CANCER ALLIANCE INAUGURAL LAPS FOR LUNG CANCER MALL WALK: Nov. 2, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mall at Steamtown. 570-342-8874.

FASHION SHOW: Nov. 2, 2 p.m., Gouldsboro United Methodist Church, 495 Main St., Gouldsboro, $15, benefits Gouldsboro Train Station. 570-842-6129,

ST. ANDRE BESSETTE PARISH ANNUAL TOY BINGO: Nov. 3, doors open 11:30 a.m., games 1 p.m., Monsignor Curran Hall, Holy Saviour Church, 52 Hillard St., Wilkes-Barre, $5. 570-823-4988.

ST. PETER'S CATHEDRAL TURKEY DINNER: Nov. 3, noon to 4 p.m., St. Mary's Center, 310 Mifflin Ave., $5/$12. Visit www.stpeterscathedral.org. 570-344-7231.

OUR TASTE OF THE TOWN: Nov. 3, 2 to 5 p.m., Best Western Pioneer Plaza, Carbondale, $25 advance/$30 at door, benefits Carbondale Chamber of Commerce and Carbondale and Forest City historical societies. 570-282-1690.

WAYNE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY ACTIVITIES: Lunch and Learn series, Power to Make a Difference - Shopping for and Saving Electricity, Nov. 6; noon to 1 p.m.; library chess hour, Tuesdays through Nov. 12, 6 to 7 p.m.; 1406 Main St., Honesdale, email ewilson@waynelibraries.org. 570-253-1220.

ST. JOHN'S RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: Nov. 8-9, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Nov. 10, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Parish Center, Hill Street, Mayfield. 570-876-0730, 570-254-6882 or 570-906-4520.

STEAMTOWN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE: Veterans Day entrance-fee free weekend, Nov. 9-11; Canadian Pacific Railway annual Holiday Train, Nov. 26, 5:15 to 5:45 p.m.; Steamtown Limited Short Train Rides, Wednesdays to Sundays through Nov. 24; $5 age 6 and older/$35 locomotive cab rides; Steamtown National Historic Site. Visit www.nps.gov/stea. 570-340-5200.

VALLEY COMMUNITY LIBRARY FALL BOOK SALE: Nov. 13-14, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 739 River St., Peckville. 570-489-1765.

INTERACTIVE COOKING DEMONSTRATION/PRESENTATION: with the Rev. Leo Patalinghug, Nov. 14, 7 p.m., Huntzinger and Alden Trust Rooms 218-219, Sandy and Marlene Insalaco Hall, Misericordia University, Dallas, free; book signing, follows demonstration. Visit www.misericordia.edu. 570-674-6400.

SCRANTON SKI CLUB 55TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER-DANCE: Nov. 15, Al Mio Amore, 280 Main St., Dickson City. 570-706-3872.

CUB SCOUT PACK 21 HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR: Nov. 16, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., LaSalle School, Dickson City, $1.

WAVERLY COMMUNITY HOUSE EVENTS: Artisans' Marketplace Preview Party, Nov. 22, 6 p.m., $25; Juried Fine Arts & Crafts Show, Nov. 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Nov. 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., $6; Wreathmaking with Abby Peck, Dec. 6, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., $2; Breakfast with Santa, Dec. 14, 10 a.m., $10; 1115 North Abington Road, Waverly Twp. Visit www.waverlycomm.org. 570-586-8191, ext. 2.

ANNUAL SANTA PARADE: Nov. 23, 9 to 11 a.m., downtown Scranton, email info@santaparade.net. Visit www.santaparade.net. 570-483-8757.

SECOND MATT FLYNN MEMORIAL FUNDRAISER: Nov. 23, 7 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON ASTRONOMY CLUB PUBLIC OBSERVATION NIGHTS: 2013 Comet ISON, Nov. 25, 8 p.m., Loyola Science Center Observation Deck, University of Scranton; email Astronomy@scranton.edu.

HARVEST & HERITAGE DAYS: Nov. 29-30, downtown Honesdale. 570-253-5492.

DALTON FIRE COMPANY LADIES AUXILIARY CRAFT SHOW: Nov. 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dalton Fire Hall, 109 S. Turnpike Road, Dalton, free. 570-563-1268 or 570-563-3298.

SECOND SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY ARTISAN FAIR: Nov. 30, 10 p.m. to 4 p.m., Vintage Theater, 326 Spruce St., free, email info@scrantonsvintagetheater.com. 570-507 9671. Visit www.scrantonsvintagetheater.com.

SECOND BUY LOCAL HOLIDAY: Dec. 1, 11 a.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

FILM SCREENINGS: "Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas," Dec. 6-7, 5:30 and 7 p.m.; "It's a Wonderful Life," Dec. 17, 2, 7 and 8 p.m.; Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free. 570-996-1500.

HOLIDAY WORKSHOP: Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free, all ages. 570-996-1500.

HOLIDAY MOVIE SCREENING: "Mickey's Christmas Carol" and "A Muppet's Christmas: Letter's to Santa," Dec. 19, 6 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., free.

ST. PATRICK'S PARADE DAY PARTY: March 15, noon, Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

EVENING OF FINE FOOD AND WINE: April 27, 5:30 p.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

GREY TOWERS MANSION TOURS: daily, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Grey Towers National Historic Site, 122 Old Owego Turnpike, Milford. 570-296-9630. Visit www.greytowers.org or www.fs.fed.us/gt.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN SCRANTON GHOST WALKS: daily, 8 p.m., $15/$20, reservations required. Visit scrantonghosttours.com. 570-383-1821.

EVERYBODY EATS FREE MEAL AND LIVE MUSIC: third Monday of every month, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Myrtle Street United Methodist Church, 840 Harrison Ave., free. 570-346-9911.

HAWLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES: role-playing game, Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m.; Music and Movement, Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.; story time, Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m.; Read with Tess, Wednesdays through summer, 3 to 5 p.m.; Read with Twiggy, Thursdays, 3 to 5 p.m.; parent/child workshop, Fridays, 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; 103 Main Ave., Hawley. 570-226-4620.

CRAFT NIGHT: Tuesdays, 7 p.m., The Vintage Theater, 326 Spruce St., free, donations accepted. Visit www.scrantonsvintagetheater.com. 570-507-9671.

DORFLINGER GLASS MUSEUM: Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m., White Mills. Visit www.dorflinger.org. 570-253-1185.

TASTES OF WAYNE - FIRST WEDNESDAYS: first Wednesday of the month, various Wayne County restaurants, benefits Wayne County Historical Society. 570-729-8187.

PIKE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY: canasta parties, second Wednesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., 608 Broad St., Milford, $5, email pikemuse@ptd.net. 570-296-8126.

TROLLEY EXCURSIONS: Thursdays to Sundays, 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 and 3 p.m., Electric City Trolley Museum, 300 Cliff St. 570-963-6590.

WRITERS' GROUP: Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Dietrich Theater, 60 E. Tioga St., Tunkhannock, free, 18 and older. 570-996-1500.

MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS: activities for children, first Thursday of every month, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Ben-Mar Restaurant, 89 N. Main St., Carbondale, $10 per child. Visit www.theAHDC.com. 570-282-1771.

INTERNATIONAL DINNER CLUB: second Thursday of the month, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m., St. Mary's Center, 320 Mifflin Ave., $19.95 advance only.

WEST PITTSTON LIBRARY EVENTS: weekly story time, Fridays, 1 p.m., free; book club, first Tuesday of the month, 6:45 p.m., free; West Pittston Library, 200 Exeter Ave., West Pittston. 570-654-9847.

PIKE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY EVENTS: The Columns mansion tours, Fridays, 6 to 8 p.m.; museum, Wednesdays and Fridays, 6 to 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. Visit www.pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.

TASTINGS AND DEMOS: Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mill Market, Hawley Silk Mill, Suite 111, 8 Silk Mill Drive, Hawley, free, info@millmarketPA.com. Visit MillMarketPA.com. 570-390-4440.

HOUDINI MUSEUM TOUR AND MAGIC SHOW: weekends, 1 to 4:30 p.m., 1433 N. Main Ave., $17.95 adults/$14.95 children 11 and younger in advance, $20 at door, reservations recommended. Visit houdini.org. 570-342-5555.

HISTORY MYSTERY TOUR & MAGIC WORKSHOP: year-round, 10 a.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

A DAY AT THE CULTURAL CENTER: year-round, 10 a.m., Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave.

Source: Thetimes-tribune