According to the state's Department of Heath and Human Services, Massachusetts has received just over one million doses of the H1N1 vaccine - less than one third of the amount the state ordered.

However, there does seem to be a light. According to commissioner John Auerbach, the government projects a significant increase in the volume of doses by the second week of December. However, Auerbach writes, "given the changeability of the production processes we don't know what amounts or what formulations of vaccine doses will become available ahead of time. This makes it very difficult for clinical practices to plan ahead or to notify their patients of what to expect."

The best bet? Utilize the state's public flu clinic finder for updates, and be sure to call ahead.

H1N1 Vaccines Reach One Million originally appeared on About.com Boston on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 13:36:43.

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It's certainly been a pretty temperate November so far, but winter is indeed on the way. So, grab your skates and head to Boston Common, where Frog Pond opens for the season Thursday night.

Mayor Menino will help kick off the rink's annual opening with a gala featuring many of Boston's top national and international figure skating competitors, including Brittany Rizo and Curran Oi, as well as many local up-and-coming young skating stars. Opening night will also feature raffles for season and night passes and special guests Frog Pond Freddie and Blades from the Boston Bruins. Mardi Gras masks and beads will also accompany a special musical performance by the Hot Tamale Brass Band.

Admission on opening night is free, while normal skate rental rates will apply.

The 2009-2010 Frog Pond hours of operation are as follows: Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. (except Monday when the rink closes at 4 p.m.), Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, open Christmas Eve 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., New Year's Eve 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and New Year's Day 12 noon to 5 p.m. On December 28, and February 15, 2010, Frog Pond will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information, visit the rink's official web site.

Photo courtesy Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau

Frog Pong Skating Open For the Season originally appeared on About.com Boston on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 20:52:53.

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Maybe we just can't get the Patriots off our mind after that devastating loss to the Colts, but instead of the Lions and Cowboys every year, shouldn't the Patriots play on Thanksgiving?

After all, the first Thanksgiving Day celebration took place on Massachusetts shores back in 1621. What did Detroit ever do?

Nevertheless, this weekend does offer a fine opportunity to commemorate the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, where the American Hometown Celebration will take place. The celebration includes a parade, food festival, concert series, and other activities, including a historic village re-enactment, all to commemorate the Pilgrims' landing at Plymouth Rock. If anything, it's a great way to escape the already-overbearing Christmas presence in retail America, and get back to understanding the historic importance of Thanksgiving.

Click here for complete information.

Hometown Thanksgiving in Plymouth originally appeared on About.com Boston on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 20:24:51.

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Even the overwhelming blind faith of Patriots fans is having a hard time justifying head coach Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on fourth-and-two on New England's own 28-yard-line last night. Leading the Colts, 34-28 with 2:08 to play, a punt would have forced the Colts to drive the field for the game-winning score. A first-down would have enabled the Patriots to take a knee and savor the win over their rivals.

Neither happened. Tom Brady's quick pass to Kevin Faulk might have been a first down, but Faulk juggled the ball on the catch, and the ruling on the field was that he was short. The Patriots could have challenged the call, had Belichick not erroneously already burned his team's final time out.

Whoops.

Of course, the Colts scored, kicked an extra point, and won. That's five out of six times that these teams have met now that the Pats have come away with an "L," and Belichick's decision to try and finish the now 9-0 Colts off last night in gutsy - albeit stupid - fashion can only prove that Peyton Manning is in his head.

Remember when it was the other way around?

Even prior to Belichick's gaffe, the game was another classic in the storied rivalry between these two. Still, the loss pretty much assures home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is gone for the Patriots (6-3), who are still in the driver's seat for the AFC East. If the AFC title game goes through Indianapolis, it will be one of the more anticipated rematches in NFL history.

It should have been in Foxborough.

Even Blind Faith Can't Justify Belichick's Move originally appeared on About.com Boston on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 08:24:54.

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If you're up for some somber reading on the state of the MBTA, this should do the trick.

The recently-released independent review, commissioned by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, only took place over 60 days, yet even that small time frame allowed the commission to provide a frightening and frank assessment of the MBTA's present condition. You only get to Page 3 before you see the bold headline, "The Outlook is Bleak." Great.

On Page 24, you'll find the frightening section on "Unfunded But Critical Safety Projects." Like, oh how about the Alewife/Harvard Project? "In addition to the potential of derailment, if the situation exacerbates, speed along that portion of the Red Line could slow to 10 mph," the report states. "This will have a residual service impact with delays along the entire Red Line."

That would only cost $80 million to fix, and it's one of only 51projects deemed "a danger to life or limb of passengers and/or employees."

Fifty-one. Boy, last week's nice PR of the Orange Line driver who stopped before hitting a woman on the tracks couldn't have come at a more opportune time for the MBTA.

Photo by Eric Wilbur

Outlook is 'Bleak' for MBTA originally appeared on About.com Boston on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 09:38:20.

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We may have gone through a mini semblance of a heat wave these past few weeks (as far as November is concerned anyway), but with the cold and snow on its way, it's time for New England skiers and riders to wax the boards and prepare for another season on the slopes.

For skiing and snowboarding stoke, nothing gets locals geared up for the winter like the annual Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo, taking place Nov. 19-22 at the Bayside Expo Center. The show is annually seen by ski and snowboard enthusiasts as the unofficial start to the season, as well as a place to score some sweet lift ticket deals. Also on hand: An always-dazzling aerial show, the newest equipment on the market, and a 2010 Olympic preview with former Olympic moguls gold medalist Donna Weinbrecht.

Admission is $12, but reduced admissions can be purchased by visiting www.onthesnow.com or www.skisnowboardexpo.com. The Bayside Expo Center is located right off Exit 15 on the Southeast Expressway, or at the JFK/UMass stop on the Red Line.

Of course, if you want to do some actual skiing instead, Sunday River in Bethel, Maine will be open seven days a week starting this weekend. Skiers and riders score either way.

Photo courtesy Sunday River

Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo Offers Deals, Stoke for Upcoming Season originally appeared on About.com Boston on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 18:01:05.

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The 6-2 Patriots hope to end the 8-0 Colts' aspirations of a perfect season, a historic achievement that eluded New England only two seasons ago. Despite the Patriots' dominance over Indy earlier this decade, the Colts have won four of the last five meetings, and another win on Sunday would give them an added advantage in their quest for the No. 1 playoff seed in the AFC.

The Indy Star has been running a survey this week, asking readers and users who is the better quarterback, the Patriots' Tom Brady or the Colts' Peyton Manning. You would expect the hometown favorite Manning to be winning in a landslide, but that's not the case (as of this writing, Manning held 53 percent of the vote). That could be thanks to an infiltration of Patriots fans to the site, or simply unbiased voting on the part of the Indianapolis public. Odds are that it's probably a little bit of both.

OK, it's probably more of the former.

Still, even for the most ardent Colts or Pats fan, it's a close call. While you might be able to argue that the best quarterback in the game today is New Orleans' Drew Brees, it's tough to make a case against the Manning vs. Brady rivalry as the best that the NFL has to offer.

Brady and Manning Take Spotlight in Another Patriots-Colts Bout originally appeared on About.com Boston on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 18:40:08.

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Don't have to work on Veterans' Day? There's plenty in the city to keep you busy, while remembering what the holiday is all about in the first place.

Boston will host its annual Veterans' Day ceremony tomorrow morning at 11, the perfect way to support and show appreciation for those who have served this country. The event, held at the state house's Memorial Hall, is free and open to the public.

The Second Annual Veteran Training Freedom Trail Walk will also take place tomorrow between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. All those wishing to walk the trail with Veteran Training are welcome at any point during those hours, and are asked to donate a minimum of $35, the amount it costs to send a care package to a single soldier or disabled veteran.

Veterans and active duty military will also eat free of charge at Applebees restaurants nationwide (click here to find your nearest location), and whether you're a veteran or not, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts is free for the day.

Photo by Eric Wilbur

Veterans' Day in Boston originally appeared on About.com Boston on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 17:36:12.

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Remarkably, Thanksgiving is a little more than two weeks away, which still leaves plenty of time to plan dinner at home for the day. However, if you plan on dining out, you might want to start the process of making reservations.

A number of Boston restaurants (including the Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square) are offering special Thanksgiving Day menus and specials for the holiday, featuring a grand assortment of turkey, pasta, seafood, and desserts. Many menus are prix-fixe and offer a tremendous value for those looking to leave the holiday cooking to someone else.

Click here to see some of the options, menus, and how to make a reservation.

Photo by Eric Wilbur

Dining Out on Thanksgiving originally appeared on About.com Boston on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 12:46:05.

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No longer. The song now plays numbing agent, much like the rest of corporate America's insistence to force Christmas down our throats the first week of November in order to secure profit margins. No Christmas until after Thanksgiving, please.

However, there are exceptions to the rule, including this weekend's annual Boston Christmas Festival at the Seaport World Trade Center. For 23 years now shoppers have been able to browse products and designs from hundreds of craft artists, with items including designer fashions, artisan jewelry, and handcrafted holiday décor. The event also features specialty foods and a gingerbread house competition.

The show continues today and tomorrow. Cost of admission is $12 (kids are free). For a $2 discount coupon, visit the Christmas Festival's web site. This year's festival is expected to draw more than 30,000 people.

Early Holiday Shopping a Breeze at Annual Christmas Festival originally appeared on About.com Boston on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 08:47:23.

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