text:
103A -34150 South Fraser Way / Abbotsford, BC V2S 2C6
We are so glad you stopped by!
Classes: Our gymnastics programs are continuous and run 12 months of the year. Participants are welcome to join or drop a class at any time. Monthly tuition is processed through Autopay or E-Cheque on the 1st of every month. Once a drop request is received, we process the final months tuition. Your child may attend their final classes and you no longer have any financial obligations.
Trial Classes: Trial classes are available to new members only and provide a chance to try a class at a prorated charge before committing to a weekly class. The trial must be paid in full prior to attendance and will be used towards the monthly tuition should you choose to continue your enrolment.
Trial requests can be made from parent portal or by contacting our office and must take place in a class with available spaces.
We are unable to offer trial classes during Progress and Awards week.
Create a family account: By creating an account you will be able to register quickly for any of our programming at any time. Simply;
1. Enter your family details.
2. Add your Visa/MasterCard/Debit Card/E-Cheque information into "Autopay".
Payment options for monthly tuition include:
1) AutoPay with Visa/MasterCard/Debit Card ~ Credit Card information can be submitted through the parent portal, over the phone or in person at our office. *A 2% convenience fee is applied to all monthly tuition processed through AutoPay
2) E-Cheque ~ Cheque information can be submitted through the parent portal, over the phone or in person at our office. *There is no convenience fee applied to monthly tuition processed through E-Cheque.
3. Add your child's information under "Student".
Now you're ready! At anytime you may request a new password by clicking on 'forgot password' below.
Request enrollment: Available program information for Classes can be found in the filters in blue.
Please note: Once you have added the class to your "cart" the balance owing will show as "$0.00" until we approve your request. This is also true of Trial classes. Class tuitons are monthly. Prices are subject to GST. Autopay/E-Cheque information must be included to process a request. All members are required to have valid insurance. Registration/Insurance fees are non-refundable, valid from September 2019 - August 2020 and will be processed upon your child's first enrollment approval.
Upon request: We do our best to respond to all requests within 24 hours. Upon approval of your request, we will process your payment and send a confirmation email and receipt of payment.
We look forward to seeing you in the gym!
Already have an account with us?
Create your account now! It's fast and easy!


text:
Magic is fun….but magic is hard to believe in unless you see the magician actually pull off the trick. The Cubs magic number to clinch is down to six. I'll be a lot more excited about it when I see them complete the trick officially.
Today was a beautiful step in that direction, for sure. Ted Lilly…talk about tough acts to follow. A day after Zambrano pulls off the first Cubs no-no since 36 years prior (no wait, let me rephrase that, just in case, and let's say since 36 years earlier), Lilly had to take the mound and try to match the level of success Z accomplished not even 24 hours before. And by match success, I mean simply get the 'W'. He did…and then some. Lilly came out firing on all cylinders and no-hit the Astros even further, for a combined 15 innings when coupled with Z's performance! It started to get to the point where I felt bad for the Astros. It didn't quite get to that point, but it was close.
I don't know what's going to happen and where the Cubs will be come the end of October, when there's no more baseball to played in '08, but there's no doubt that this season has been full of special moments no matter what. Fukudome's start, Soto's year, Dempster's return to the starter role, Wood's surge to All-Star form, Theriot's all around great play, the incredible diversity and contribution of Derosa, the surprise addition of Edmonds, the up and down year of Soriano, Zambrano's no-hitter and today's performance by Ted Lilly. Lots of great moments, definitely worth the price of admission both financially and emotionally up until now. HUGE expectations exist though for the final trick of the season. The anticipation certainly has been exciting…have to wonder if they'll be able to pull it off…
Great game today, unbelievable lead in the Central all things considered and the magic number sits there at six. Let's hope Dempster continues to saw opponents half and doesn't begin a Cubs disappearing act with tomorrow's start against the Brewers. The series are just going to get bigger and bigger from here on out. GO CUBS GO!!!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Maybe it's just us, but her legs seem especially long… Photoshop Of Horrors? [Hindustan Times, Huffington Post]
- Dina Lohan is working on a new reality show which will follow Dina and her kids — and Lindsay Lohan will appear in some episodes. Dina says: "I want to prove that we are a good, hardworking family and we don't have the crazy lives that some people claim we do." Yeah… it's so normal to have cameras capture your every move. [Page Six]
- For your enjoyment: Justin Bieber's driver's permit picture. [OceanUp.com]
- At the BET awards, Kanye West made a "comeback," and Chris Brown broke down and sobbed while singing Michael Jackson's "Man In The Mirror." [NYDN]
- Video: Chris Brown crying. Maybe the words, "gonna make a change for once in my life," really hit hard? Or maybe he was faking. [The Sun]
- Prince Harry played polo in NYC yesterday and the ladies went wild. [NYDN]
- Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall: Living separate lives? [Daily Express]
- Sarah Ferguson has "fled" Britain. [Daily Express]
- Prince William and Kate Middleton were in North Wales Sunday night and stopped to buy snacks at a roadside store when they got to the register and realized that neither of them had cash. Kate ended up paying for the frozen pizzas and orange juice and stuff with a platinum card. Video surveillance pix at the link! [Daily Mail]
- Sienna Miller and Jude Law are planning their wedding, which will be a "low-key" affair, possibly in the French countryside. Apparently Sienna is making plans for Jude's kids to be part of the wedding party, without consulting their mother, Sadie Frost. And Sadie is pissed. [Showbiz Spy]
- If you believe an interpretation of this blind item, then Rihanna has been banned from a hotel in Barbados for smoking weed. [ONTD]
- Jon Gosselin's gigantic new tattoo symbolizes a rebirth. [Radar Online]
- Mel Gibson's ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, says that Mel is not paying child support for their nine-month-old daughter, and she has been forced to "live on credit cards." She also says: "He didn't dump me, I left him. I rescued my children and myself." [NYDN]
- Oksana Grigorieva also claims that Mel Gibson punched her in the face and knocked out her teeth. [TMZ]
- Mel Gibson's lawyer claims that Oksana Grigorieva is making up horrible stories about Mel because she doesn't like the custody agreement she signed. [TMZ]
- Does Oksana Grigorieva have "secret" video evidence against Mel Gibson? [Radar Online]
- A-Rod and Cameron DIaz had dinner in NYC on Friday night and "were very cute and affectionate." [E!]
- Ashton Kutcher is the new social media director for Popchips. [NY Post]
- Weird: Before he died, Simon Monjack left a voicemail on his own cell phone, saying, "I need to go to the hospital. I have a fever." Maybe he thought he was calling 911? [Daily Express]
- Ugh, let the dead rest in peace! Keep your pictures of Gary Coleman's penis to yourself. [NYDN]
- Kylie Minogue auctioned off a black Jean Paul Gaultier halter dress for amFar over the weekend, and it commanded $24,770. [AP]
- In a Michael Jackson memorabilia auction, a crystal-studded glove from the 1984 Victory Tour went for $190,000. [PopEater]
- BTW: The sale of MJ's glove received a standing ovation. [Daily Express]
- Also auctioned: Marilyn Monroe's chest x-rays. [Hindustan Times]
- Emma Watson has confirmed that she is dating model/musician George Craig , with whom she became close while shooting a Burberry ad campaign. [Daily Express]
- If you heard the rumor that Fergie is quitting The Black Eyed Peas, be advised: It's not true. [Daily Express]
- Stephanie Seymour's divorce from Peter Brant is ongoing, and she missed a drug test because she was on vacation in St. Barts. Brant alleges that Seymour mixes prescription drugs with booze. The saddest part of this item? A lawyer for Stephanie and Peter's children says: All of the kids that I interviewed, they all had memories of her drunk." [Page Six]
- Janine from Shear Genius (am I the only one who watches?) got married on Saturday! She is so tiny and adorbs in the photo at the link. [People]
- "I was supposed to look at this [comedy special] for editing purposes, and I made it through about 35 seconds and decided I would rather be hit in the face with a board repeatedly than listen to me, the sound of my voice, and see me do stand-up. That's not a comment on the content. It's a comment on how I don't know how anybody does that. I've seen other comics, with great pleasure, watching their own specials, and I don't know how or why they do it." — Janeane Garafalo. [A.V. Club]
- "If you're going to be a romantic idol and try to get every teenage girl to love you, then you'd be an ass to come out and say you're gay. Ricky Martin was so smart. He did what he did, made his millions and then he said, 'Guess what, every body? I'm gay…It didn't matter anymore because he didn't have to bring in 16-year-old girls." — Joan Rivers. [Page Six]
- "One day out of the blue, there was knock on the door and when I opened it-there stood the King of Pop in all his glory. I'm rarely without something to say, but on that day and at that moment I was speechless. He wanted to see what I'd done with the place (LOL), so I took him on a tour. As you might expect, he loved my recording studio and couldn't get over my round Superman bed that fits 45 people. He thought it was the coolest thing he'd ever seen. Having just gotten a taste of fame myself, I was really surprised by how normal and kind he was. I could tell he really enjoyed just hanging out and talking for a while about basketball and other stuff going on with me. He liked just being a regular guy for a moment." — Shaquille O'Neal remembers Michael Jackson, at the link. [Newsweek]


text:
You don't have any saved vehicles!
Look for this link on your favorites:
Once you've saved some vehicles, you can view them here at any time.
The 2019 INFINITI QX80 luxury SUV is a massive rolling showcase for INFINITI's most impressive technology, interior artistry and bold external styling. - Kelley Blue Book
Located in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale INFINITI is every car buyer's first choice when it comes to high quality luxury vehicles. Lauderdale INFINITI is a proud member of the Holman Family of dealerships. Since 1924, we have made every effort to provide an exceptional experience to every one of our customers and we continue that tradition with the INFINITI Total Ownership Experience.
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. Excludes options; taxes; title; registration; delivery, processing and handling fee; dealer charges. Dealer sets actual selling price. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at (954) 607-2660 or by visiting us at the dealership.
**With approved credit. Terms may vary. Monthly payments are only estimates derived from the vehicle price with a 72 month term, 4.9% interest and 20% downpayment.
*Number of views in last 30 days
† Based on 2019 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
You don't have any saved vehicles!
Look for this link on your favorites:
Once you've saved some vehicles, you can view them here at any time.
(954) 607-2660Call Now
900 E Sunrise Blvd • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304Get Directions
Open Today! Parts: 8am-5pm
Phone: (954) 607-2660http://maps.google.com/?q=900%20E%20Sunrise%20Blvd%2C%20Fort%20Lauderdale%2C%20FL%2033304


text:
Yanukovych's colossal 'cottage' by the sea dwarfs presidential palace
LAPSI, Ukraine — Ukrainians were stunned by the opulent grandeur of Viktor Yanukovych's presidential palace when the doors were thrown open last Saturday, hours after the deposed leader fled for parts unknown ahead of formal charges this week accusing him of mass murder.
If those who gazed in wonder at the palace in Kyiv could have traveled safely to the primarily Russian Crimean Peninsula — where ethnic Ukrainians from the north are cursed and reviled at the moment for having toppled the old, pro-Moscow order — they might have had an even bigger shock at what is being built on a remote mountainside.
Another grotesque monument to Yanukovych's vanity and venality, with a commanding view of the sea, has been slowly rising for the past three years about 30 kilometres from the port city of Sevastopol. Or at least it had been until workers abruptly began to cart away building materials on Monday because, as several of them said, "nobody has told us anything, but we understand that everything is now frozen and we won't get paid."
A handful of Ukrainians and journalists was allowed into the massive work site Tuesday. What they saw was a villa so colossal that, at a guess, it was four or five times the size of the huge residence in Kyiv that provoked such disgust when the common folk were allowed inside to gawk.
A Russian website guessed that the "cottage" by the sea was about 8,000 square metres. It looked to be about six months to a year from being completed. But it was already possible to see that the basketball court-sized living room was about 20 metres high and includes a massive fireplace. Many of the floors have a network of wires running underneath to heat them.
Workers said that none of the Yanukovyches ever visited, but heard the same rumours as everyone else in Sevastopol about what was being built near Cape Aya and that it was to be the principal home of the former president's son, Alexander.
"I am 100 per cent sure that is Yanukovych's. Nobody else would have been confident enough to build something like this," said Dmitri Piltii who had just arrived by car from Kyiv where he had toured the presidential palace, with its zoo, private lake and, most incongruously of all for the landlocked capital, a full-scale mockup of a Spanish galleon perhaps meant to help him sail his plunder over the horizon.
Piltii had once camped and hiked around Cape Aya, which he said had been owned by the local trolley bus company during Soviet times, but all such visits were stopped several years ago.
Staggered by the immensity of the structure, the electronics store owner said that it was as if "Yanukovych had escaped from prison yet continued to live by the laws of prison. I had expected it be grand. But not this grand."
As often seems to be the case in such super homes, there was a giant indoor swimming pool made to look like a Roman bath with a staircase into the water as well as magnificent columns and balustrades. And, of course, there were those other essentials, an octagon-shaped gazebo, a helicopter pad and an elevator to get upstairs.
One wing of the three-storey structure, was said to be for the Yanukovych family. The other wing was to have been an art gallery looking out at a winter garden and the sea.
To make room for the copper-roofed villa, which is in the middle of an old growth forest, groves of very rare species of pine and juniper had been ripped out. To make it accessible, a private road several hundred metres long was cut into the mountain.
The man, in whose honour this shrine was being erected, is still on the lam. After surfacing in the northeastern mining region of Donetsk on Saturday and in the old British port of Balaclava on Sunday, the trace has gone stone cold.
What Yanukovych has left in his wake is an acting administration that is already so quarrelsome that it will be at least Thursday before they announce a new government amid rising tensions in Sevastopol where those attending an endless series of protest rallies declared their wish to reintegrate with Russia, which the Crimea had been a part of until 1954.
With few Ukrainian flags in sight, and the Russian flag flying everywhere, few people were hiding where their sentiments lay. Outside the city hall, near monuments to Sevastopol and the other Soviet hero cities in the fight against the Nazis, one of several handmade signs screamed "Kyiv cannot give us orders."
"We want to separate from Ukraine," said Svetlana Pletneva. "We are Russian. We speak Russian. Sevastopol will always be a Russian city.
"We are being mocked by these people who made the revolution in Kyiv. This will not be tolerated. Mother Russia will take us eventually."
Nor was there any affection for Yanukovych, who won 84 per cent of the vote in Crimea in presidential elections only four years ago.
"The Ukrainian peasants are our enemy and Yanukovych is the worst of them all," said Daniel Romanenko, who, despite his Ukrainian name, described himself as totally Russian.
Wearing a homemade officer's uniform that included a tightly braided horse whip, Romanenko vowed to use it on Yanukovych if he ever got the chance.
By nightfall the angry crowd of protesters had grown to several hundred. The man they all blamed for their misfortune had vanished and his gigantic, new villa looked as it would remain unfinished forever.


text:
MWC 15 Special
Google has announced to bring Google+ Hangout beyond simple "status updates", but connecting with the people users care about using the service's multi-person video. Therefore, the company has started to roll-out a number of improvements. Soon it will be possible to upgrade any conversation from long-form to live where certain posts act as kindling for face-to-face interaction by making it easy to start a hangout from any post on Google+. It's initiated by just clicking "Hangout" underneath a post that a user is passionate about and Google adds the invitation to the comments. If others are hanging out already, users will see their invitation in the comments as well.
However, the desire to "go live" isn't limited to desktop computers, of course, Google is also bringing hangouts to Google+ Messenger on mobile devices. The new Google+ app will be available in Android Market within a few days and it's also coming soon to the App Store.
Broadcast and record what matters most The Black Eyed Peas, the Dalai Lama and even the Muppets (see video bellow and watch till the end ;-) have all used Hangouts On Air to share their performances and peace talks with the world.
On Air is still under active development, but from today Google is doing three things to get it closer to general availability:
Hangouts On Air is now being rolled-out, just look for the new "broadcast and record" option after starting a hangout. If you don't see it yet, Google is working hard to give everyone the chance to go On Air.
Last but not least Google has introduced Dial-in Hangouts. Because not everyone has a webcam or a front-facing mobile camera (yet), but most likely a telephone, Google makes it possible now to dial-in anyone, from almost any country, directly into a hangout. Calls to the U.S. and Canada are free while international calling rates are super low. Dial-in hangout participants from almost anywhere Never miss a chance to connect
Cheers ~ Arne
Article Source
Related Articles Google
No items available


text:
Hi all,
Check out this bascilica by Ben Harris:
So many great features it's hard to start describing them. If I had to pick two they would be the curved wall with the arched windows behind the altar, and the beautiful domed roof.
While you're at it, check out his whole gallery:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/galle ... m=Tycho123
Lots of great creations--ships, trebuchet, fortresses, battle.


text:
Laminated Wood Systems, Inc. is the worlds leading supplier of engineered laminated wood structures and wood pole management products to the electric utility and telecommunication industries. Our patented products are the innovative, and economical solution for many of the infrastructure needs facing the industry today. E-LAM® laminated wood poles are made from an abundant, renewable, managed-growth timber resource.
The patented PhaseRaiser® and PoleEnforcer® systems allow utilities to save significant amounts of money and realize many additional years of service from existing infrastructure. Our extensive North American manufacturing network ensures extensive capacity and allows us to maintain consistent, short lead times.
The patent pending AVR Adjustable Vault Reinforcement® system is the most innovative solution to shoring underground concrete vault ceilings. Please contact us today for further details and to request a quote.


text:
Syrian regime used chemical weapons twice in Aleppo: U.S. letter
Syria's government used the nerve agent sarin on two occasions in the embattled city of Aleppo in March and April, according to a letter from a top U.S. diplomat that The Associated Press obtained Friday.
The letter from U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also cited two other incidents of possible chemical weapons use by the regime of President Bashar Assad.
President Barack Obama authorized military aid to Syria's rebels for the first time Thursday after the White House announced it had firm evidence of chemical weapons use by Assad's regime.
But Ban said Friday he opposes the U.S. decision to send weapons and that there can be no certainty of chemical weapons use in Syria without an on-the-ground investigation. The U.N. chief reiterated his longstanding position that there is no military solution to Syria's two-year-old conflict, which has killed more than 93,000 people. He said increasing the flow of weapons to either side "would not be helpful."
"The validity of any information on the alleged use of chemical weapons cannot be ensured without convincing evidence of the chain-of-custody," Ban said.
Rice, who will become Obama's national security adviser in July, told reporters Friday that the U.S. government is "very confident" in its assessment.
"We've taken two months to reach this through a very careful and deliberative process," Rice said.
In the letter to Ban, Rice said the United States has determined that sarin was used in a March 19 attack on the Aleppo suburb of Khan al-Assal and in an April 13 attack on the neighbourhood of Shaykh Maqsud. She said unspecified chemicals, possibly including chemical warfare agents, were used May 14 in an attack on Qasr Abu Samrah and in a May 23 attack on Adra.
"The United States requests that the U.N. fact-finding mission include these incidents in its ongoing investigation and report, as appropriate, on its findings," Rice said.


text:
True Highlands Blog
Days Out in the Forest & Walks with Wheels
Posted by True Highlands in Kit and Caboodle | 0 comments
One of my favourite type of walk are ones through the forest. Discovering hidden pathways, suddenly coming across an amazing view and lots of wildlife to be seen. Here are a few suggestions which are also suitable for buggys and wheelchairs.


text:
I have from July 2011 to June 2012 studied at USC in Australia, and has during my stay, noticed certain differences in the education system from USC to Aarhus University in Denmark. In this article I will try and highlight some of the key differences between the two education systems.
- Several Tests vs. One Exam
The system I experienced in Australia consisted in general of a mid-semester test, a possible presentation, a written report and a final examination. In Denmark a typical semester would consist of an end semester report and an oral examination.
The difference between the two systems is that the Australian keeps you focused and requires full attention from day one of the semester to achieve good grades overall, where the Danish system allows for the student to relax during the first half of the semester and still achieve good grades from hard work during the study break.
- Written vs. Oral Examination
The Australian systems does as standard not allow for oral examinations, despite a possible presentation in the beginning of the semester. In Denmark the use of oral examination is a pride and allows for the student to express in words, his or her knowledge on the subject. Both methods have its advantages and it really comes down to personal preferences. One of the aspects of the written examination is the use of multiple choice tests, which on average gives the student a probability of 25% to hit the correct answer without knowing about the subject at all. However, the oral examination as well allows for students with good communication skills to shine, where more shy students will not do as well of, despite being more knowledgeable on the subject. However, as said, it is all about person preferences.
- Structure vs. None
My experience at USC was very positive and in particular in consideration to the structure and order of each subject. Prior to each semester a course outline for each subject would be published, giving the student a clear overview of the semester's challenges and lessons. These course outlines are followed very punctual and makes it easy for every student to schedule his or her studies for the semester. This is one of the aspects that the Danish education system could learn a lot from. Allow the students to schedule his or her semester by clearly stating every single lesson, test and deadline.
- Independency vs. Supervision
USC is on a bachelor level, very much assisting the student in his or her studies, which seems a lot like a Danish high-school. Coming from a more independent system, as the Danish where the student is 100% responsible for his or hers own studies, it can seem a little too much like kindergarten. However, taking into consideration that it is common for Queenslanders to start university in the age of 17, it might be understandable. Aarhus University is on the other hand not offering much supervision what so ever and you as student are really relying on your own ability to read those books and keep your studies going. Finding a decent balance between independency and supervision might help more Danish students be more successful in their studies.
- Forming vs. Accepting
One last dot point in favour of the Australian way comes down to the possibility of forming your studies as preferable. At USC I was met by the opportunity to choose between a large range of subjects offered by the different faculties. Internationals as well as full degree students have the opportunity to form their own studies by selecting the subjects in the order they like to finish their degree. This freedom gives very unique qualities to every single student and encourages the student to work hard. Of course there is a range of subjects that are mandatory for the student to finish his or her degree, but the freedom allows for the student to do things in his or her phase. This kind of systems could be greatly adopted at Aarhus University and should be considered for the sake of educating Danish students of a challenging future.
So what is the conclusion of this little comparison of the two education systems?
The two systems deliver the same product, but do it in two unique ways. Both systems have its flaws and both systems can learn from one another. I have come to really admire the flexibility and possibilities of the Australian systems demonstrated at USC, which allowed me to do subjects that I wouldn't usually have done. However, USC really needs to drop the multiple choice tests and allow for students to challenge the rules. In Denmark the realization that multiple choice tests just doesn't allow for academic expression is just great.
However, Aarhus University should learn from USC and try to encourage its students to stay tuned from day one with the use of mid-semester tests or similar. Simply to keep the students in the fire and experience an overall learning process, instead of just end-semester exam reading. Furthermore, the structure and order experienced at USC are to be admired and really comes in handy for students when scheduling part-time work, travel, friends, party and of course school. I recall an American student telling me that college life in the USA is as much a personal experience as it is an academic journey. To be hones I believe the Americans are on to something here.
"University is as much about personal development, as it is about academic success." Keeping that in mind, why not try and design our educations systems around it.


text:
|Working Group I: The Scientific Basis
|Other reports in this collection
10.2 Deriving Regional Information: Principles, Objectives and Assumptions
For some applications, the regional information provided by AOGCMs might suffice (Section 10.2.1), while in other cases regionalisation techniques are needed in order to enhance the regional information provided by coupled AOGCMs. The "added value" expected of a regionalisation technique essentially depends on the specific problem of interest. Examples in which regionalisation tools can enhance the AOGCM information include the simulation of the spatial structure of temperature and precipitation in areas of complex topography and land-use distribution, the description of regional and local atmospheric circulations (e.g., narrow jet cores, mesoscale convective systems, sea-breeze type circulations, tropical storms) and the representation of processes at high frequency temporal scales (e.g., precipitation frequency and intensity distributions, surface wind variability, monsoon front onset and transition times).
The basic principles behind the regionalisation methods identified here are discussed in Section 10.2.2, high resolution and variable resolution AGCM experiments; Section 10.2.3, RCMs; and Section 10.2.4, empirical/statistical and statistical/dynamical models. The general philosophy behind regionalisation techniques is to use input data from AOGCMs to produce more detailed regional information. By design, many of these techniques are not intended to strongly modify the planetary scale circulations produced by the forcing AOGCM. This ensures consistency with the AOGCM simulation and facilitates the interpretation of the additional detail as due to the increase in resolution. However, high and variable resolution AGCMs, as well as RCMs with sufficiently large domains, can yield significant modification of the large-scale circulations, often leading to an improved simulation of them. This would tend to increase confidence in the simulations, but the implications of inconsistencies with the AOGCM forcing fields would need to be considered carefully in the interpretation of the climate change information.
Note that RCMs and statistical models are often referred to as "downscaling" tools of AOGCM information. The concept of "downscaling" implies that the regional climate is conditioned but not completely determined by the larger scale state. In fact, regional states associated with similar larger scale states may vary substantially (e.g., Starr, 1942; Roebber and Bosart, 1998).10.2.1 Coupled AOGCMs
The majority of climate change impact studies have made use of climate change information provided by transient runs with coupled AOGCMs without any further regionalisation processing. The primary reason for this is the ready availability of this information, which is global in nature and is routinely stored by major laboratories. Data can easily be drawn from the full range of currently available AOGCM experiments of the various modelling centres for any region of the world and uncertainty due to inter-model (or inter-run) differences can thus be evaluated (e.g., Hulme and Brown, 1998). In addition, data can be obtained for a large range of variables down to short (sub-daily) time-scales.
From the theoretical viewpoint, the main advantage of obtaining regional climate information directly from AOGCMs is the knowledge that internal physical consistency is maintained. The feedback resulting from climate change in a particular region on planetary scale climate and the climate of other regions is allowed for through physical and dynamical processes in the model. This may be an important consideration when the simulation of regional climate or climate change is compared across regions.
The limitations of AOGCM regional information are, however, well known. By definition, coupled AOGCMs cannot provide direct information at scales smaller than their resolution (order of several hundred kilometres), neither can AOGCMs capture the detailed effects of forcings acting at sub-grid scales (unless parametrized). Biases in the climate simulation at the AOGCM resolution can thus be introduced by the absence of sub-grid scale variations in forcing. As an example, a narrow (sub-grid scale) mountain range can be responsible for rain shadow effects at the broader scale. Many important aspects of the climate of a region (e.g., climatic means in areas of complex topography or extreme weather systems such as tropical cyclones) can only be directly simulated at much finer resolution than that of current AOGCMs. Analysis relevant to these aspects is undertaken with AOGCM output, but various qualifications need to be considered in the interpretation of the results. Past analyses have indicated that even at their smallest resolvable scales, which still fall under our definition of regional, AOGCMs have substantial problems in reproducing present day climate characteristics. The minimum skilful scale of a model is of several grid lengths, since these are necessary to describe the smallest wavelengths in the model and since numerical truncation errors are most severe for the smallest resolved spatial scales. Furthermore, non-linear interactions are poorly represented for those scales closest to the truncation of a model because of the damping by dissipation terms and because only the contribution of larger scale (and not smaller scale) eddies is accounted for (e.g., von Storch, 1995).
Advantages and disadvantages of using AOGCM information in impact studies can weigh-up differently depending on the region and variables of interest. For example, in instances for which sub-grid scale variation is weak (e.g., for mean sea level pressure) the practical advantages of using direct AOGCM data may predominate (see also Chapter 13). However, even if resolution factors limit the feasibility of using regional information from coupled AOGCMs for impact work, AOGCMs are the starting point of any regionalisation technique presently used. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that AOGCMs show good performance in simulating circulation and climatic features affecting regional climates, such as jet streams and storm tracks. Indeed, most indications are that, in this regard, the AOGCM performance is generally improving, because of both increased resolution and improvements in the representation of physical processes (see Chapter 8).
Other reports in this collection


text:
The University of Canberra is the first Australian university to ban the sale of bottled water on its campus, according to a blog post by Stephen Parker, the school's vice chancellor. The school plans to stop selling bottled water on campus by World Water Day, which is March 22 of this year.
Many schools in the United States and Canada have undertaken similar bottled water bans, and even more schools have considered such a ban. Of course, if a university or college bans bottled water, they should make sure that they have a plan in place to provide clean water to students.
The University of Canberra did that and then some.
The university has installed water bubblers and water refill stations throughout the campus so that its students have access to clean, filtered water. And, unlike bottled water, this water doesn't cost students a thing.
But the University of Canberra didn't stop there. They also had Water Vend machines installed. These machines provide "flash-chilled" filtered tap water, which students may have still, sparkling or even flavored. Sigg also supplied the school with reusable water bottles.
If your campus is considering a bottled water ban, you would do well to take a page out of the University of Canberra's book. There is no point in even considering a ban on bottled water if you don't have a clear alternative, as the University of Canberra clearly did.


text:
Marc Chagall, America Windows (1977), Art Institute of Chicago. Photos taken by author.
I used to play a little game with myself in the early years of having diabetes. When I brushed my hair or took a shower, I used to close my eyes and try to do everything without peeking. I told myself that if I went blind, at least I could dress and bathe myself so I wouldn't be embarrassed by needing help. Of course it was easy to open my eyes a few minutes later and puzzle at the mismatched earrings or crooked lipstick. It seemed like a distant fate that would happen to someone else.
In my 29th year of diabetes I sweat the annual retina exam like the rest of my DOC brethren. Will I have problems? Is this how it starts? I kicked myself good and hard this year because my A1C is up a full percentage point from last spring (7.4%). In Florida the strong sunlight - as well as the unforgiving glare of the fluorescent lights in my office - have my eyes in a tizzy some days. The floaters I've had for years seem darker and stick out like exclamation points. On the train to my doctor's office, I held my breath and hoped, just like I do every year.
How would I remember brown? I thought, sitting in the exam chair. Would I think of the touch of my niece's kitten-soft hair? When I feel the sun on my skin, will yellow or orange come to mind? What about red? I laughed to myself because the first thing that came to mind was the Diet Coke logo. Green would be a visual memory of my husband's eyes, and kelly green the color of my mom's. I could smell steel grey and black on the train, the ozone odor in the subway immediately recalling miles of smooth metal. For blue, there were too many shades. I thought of the lake in winter and the ocean at all times, the constant wash of wave and wind sliding up and down a scale from navy to cerulean to indigo. I thought of the flat slate stillness of the lake in winter, and the implacable blue-black ocean depths, or the neon aqua in the shallows. I always tell myself that I could live without my eyesight, really, as long as I could hear. Music has always been my friend and would be my great solace in this solicitude. I could even walk with my great friends, my books, again in the dark thanks to audio versions. It wouldn't be the end of the world. The drops took effect, and soon I went in. Moments passed.
"No evidence of diabetes," he said, putting the Star Trek headgear aside. I let out a sigh. He looked at me and nodded. He knows, I've been seeing him for over 15 years. "You're good."
After the exam I took a walk to the Art Institute of Chicago, since it's only a few blocks from his office. The bright blue sky and benevolent spring sunshine warmed my soul. Once again I came out of the darkness into the light. I vowed to get my A1C back down, to exercise and eat better. To be grateful for my relatively good health. And I went inside to see an old friend - a stained glass work by Marc Chagall that hadn't been on display in years. Kids like me grew up in Chicago going to the AI on school trips, standing in the glow of America Windows not knowing but somehow understanding that we were surrounded by such great beauty. I stood in the hallway squinting, my dilated retinas taking in every shape and shade of their glorious, happy light. I reflected on the gift of sight at noon on Good Friday, and said a silent prayer.
And this is what I want burned into my retina, sighted or blind, when I think of the color blue.


text:
Taking full advantage of a man advantage and two penalty kick goals, the Houston Dynamo extended their home unbeaten streak to eight by downing D.C. United, 4-0, on Sunday night at BBVA Compass Stadium.
The match turned in Houston's favor in the 17th minute when Bill Hamid charged out to cut down a Mac Kandji sprint in the box. The D.C. custodian took his chances with a sliding challenge and looked to catch a piece of the winger's foot, prompting referee Jasen Anno to immediately point to the spot and eventually show the goalkeeper a red card.
Dynamo talisman Brad Davis stepped up to rip the spot kick across goal beating a newly introduced Joe Willis – who guessed right – to make it 1-0 in the 19th minute and essentially end the contest.
It was an unfortunate turn of events for the Eastern Conference's second-best team, who carried the first 15 minutes of play. Freshly minted MLS All-Star Chris Pontius led United's early push, taking three shots, two on goal, in the first 10 minutes.
But once Houston took the advantage, they continued to pour on the attack, unleashing nine shots in the final 25 minutes of the first half. And they struck again just before halftime.
After Boniek García played Luiz Camargo to the end line, the Brazilian took a touch and slid a pass past a lunging Willis, leaving an easy tap in for the streaking Will Bruin, giving the striker 10 goals on the season and making him Houston's first double-digit goalscorer since Brian Ching tallied 13 times in 2008.
The second half was kick-started in the 62nd minute when Davis set Andre Hainault up on the right to deliver a well-crafted cross to a waiting García, and the Designated Player headed home his first MLS goal.
But Houston was not done. Anno pointed to spot again in the 88th minute when Danny Cruz took down Calen Carr at the end line, and Ching stepped up to score the Dynamo's second penalty goal of the night, making it two years in a row Houston has put up four goals on D.C. United.
With the loss, D.C. (10-6-3) stay on 33 points and, combined with Sporting Kansas City's 2-0 win over Columbus on Saturday, in second place in the East heading into next Saturday's match at the Crew.
Houston (7-5-7) improves to 28 points on the season, breaking a two-game scoreless streak while extending their shutout streak to three. With the win, the Dynamo remain in fifth, drawing to within three points of fourth-place Chicago. They'll host SKC on Wednesday.
Houston Dynamo (7-5-7) vs. D.C. United (10-6-3)
July 15, 2012 - BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 18,871
Scoring Summary:
HOU: Brad Davis 5 (penalty) 19
HOU: Will Bruin 10 (Luiz Camargo, Boniek Garcia) 37
HOU: Boniek Garcia 1 (Andre Hainault, Brad Davis) 62
HOU: Brian Ching 3 (penalty) 89
Houston Dynamo: Tally Hall; Andre Hainault, Bobby Boswell, Jermaine Taylor, Corey Ashe; Luiz Camargo, Geoff Cameron, Brad Davis (Je-Vaughn Watson 73); Boniek Garcia, Will Bruin (Brian Ching 64), Macoumba Kandji (Calen Carr 64)
Substitutes not used: Tyler Deric, Nathan Sturgis, Warren Creavalle, Brian Ownby
D.C. United: Bill Hamid; Robbie Russell (Chris Korb 40), Brandon McDonald, Dejan Jakovic, Daniel Woolard; Danny Cruz, Perry Kitchen, Branko Boskovic (Joe Willis 19), Chris Pontius; Dwayne De Rosario (Nick DeLeon 66), Maicon Santos
Substitutes not used: Lewis Neal, Hamdi Salihi, Marcelo Saragosa, Josh Wolff
Misconduct summary: Bill Hamid (ejection) 17
Referee: Jasen Anno
Referee's Assistants: Adam Garner, Jonathan Johnson
4th Official: Ismail Elfath


text:
I bought two different strings of LED lights of the same brand to replace my old lights with LEDs. Big multi-colored C9 bulbs with dangling white icicle strands of T1 bulbs.
The problem is that the big bulbs produce a lot less light than the cool white icicle lights. Is there any way to dim a chain of LED lights? I keep reading that standard dimmers don't work with LED lights.


text:
Forum:Need Help Completing Vice City!!!
Hey fellow GTAers,
I have been working towards 100% completion on Vice City for PS2. I have done everything I can think of and double checked my progress with several walkthroughs online, but I am stuck at 99%!!! I haven't used any cheats, so that is not the problem. I have read about a PS2 glitch where saving your game at Cherry Poppers Ice Cream estate prevents you from reaching 100%. Is this true?
Also, if anyone has ideas for things which would have been easy to miss that I could go back and check to make sure I completed them, I really want to finish this game!!!!! Thanks!!!
I have heard that saving your game on a memory card which has other saved games that contain cheats can also prevent you from gaining 100%, regardless of whether or not cheats have been used in your game. Is this true, because other games on my memory card have cheat codes saved?
Yes, the Cherry Poppers Ice Cream Factory glitch is true. And yes, some cheats ruin game progress. Gtavice 21:01, September 27, 2010 (UTC)


text:
- The following discussion is an archived discussion. Please do not modify it.
- This vote is meaningless. Canon is not decided by popular vote. -- Cavalier One(Wizarding Wireless Network) 08:54, June 15, 2010 (UTC)
Those who say that the image on the right is Aurora Sinistra, put your name under the "Yes" column. If not, put it under "No" and state your reason.
Pol 871 17:36, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
--Rodolphus 19:00, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
Joeworthy 11:15, May 15, 2010 (UTC)
Administrator comments
Unless an official source states that this image is of Sinistra, then it should not - and will not - be used to illustrate the article. Speculation is not allowed, only canonical facts. - Cavalier One(Wizarding Wireless Network) 17:47, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- In fact - where does it state that any of the images used in the article are of Sinistra? - Cavalier One(Wizarding Wireless Network) 17:49, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- As such, I have reverted and locked the article to it's imageless state until concrete proof - not theory - is provided. - Cavalier One(Wizarding Wireless Network) 17:51, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- The entire theory that this women is Sinistra is based on the fact that she is the only female teacher beside McGonagall to attend the Yule. However, this is incorrect. There is another women standing behind her, as can be seen in the image that Butterfly the rabbit was kind enough to provide. There is also Igor Karkaroff's Yule Ball partner, as well as several others. Jayce •Avada Kedavra•Crucio•Imperio• 19:06, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- As such, I have reverted and locked the article to it's imageless state until concrete proof - not theory - is provided. - Cavalier One(Wizarding Wireless Network) 17:51, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
Well, she was seen with Crouch/Moody, with whom Sinistra danced in the book. They don t do in the film, though.--Rodolphus 19:12, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- I'm with Cav on this one. It very well could be Professor Sinastra, but without some source identifying it, we cannot use it. Sorry. --JKoch(Owl Me!) 19:14, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- Hm, since when is a canonical fact decided upon by voting? Also, why would she be Sinistra? She could be loads of other female professors (Babbling, Burbage, a professor from a film-only subject, etc.) or even a non-teaching staff member (Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus, anyone?). -- Seth Cooper owl post! 20:27, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- But she is the only "extra" that we know exactly who is professor and teach in Hogwarts.The other "unnamed profesor",might not be teachers.Pol 871 21:06, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- There's a chance the individuals in the High Table are not professors but it's generally assumed they are. But that isn't the point: what I was saying was that there is absolutely no factual evidence (apart from the speculation presented until now) that the "unidentified female teacher (I)" is Sinistra. -- Seth Cooper owl post! 21:15, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- I'm agree with you."it's generally assumed they are".Since there is no proof that they are teachers, should be retired of this wiki.Pol 871 21:27, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- Deleted? No. Renamed to "Unidentified female/male Hogwarts employee"? Perhaps. But what does this have to do with Sinistra? -- Seth Cooper owl post! 21:39, May 14, 2010 (UTC)
- Unfortunately, this is not without precedent. It's the exact same scenario as the "Unidentified Death Eater" fiasco. A group of users get to gether with a bunch of screenshots from Order of the Phoenix and say hey, let's say that this guy is Rodolphus Lestrange, and this guy is Dolohov etc. And before you know it that's what everyone thinks is true. We are not saying that this women is Sinistra because of what a few people want to beleive. –K.A.J•T•C•E• 07:43, May 15, 2010 (UTC)
- It has much to do with Sinistra.No can rest assured that we know something.
We must eliminate that of "Teacher at Hogwarts" because, as with sinistra, we do not know if that's true.Pol 871 08:18, May 15, 2010 (UTC)
- Seth is quite correct; canonical issues are not decided on by popular vote. Therefore, the vote is invalid and closed from this point. No proof has been brought forward to state that official sources consider this individual to be Sinistra. The reasoning that she must be a teacher since she is at the high table is possible invalid, since I believe that Hagrid sits at the table in the first two films despite not being a Professor at this point. - Cavalier One(Wizarding Wireless Network) 12:41, May 17, 2010 (UTC)
- I agree that perhaps she is not Sinistra, but it certainly is a professor at Hogwarts, since so credited Natallia Hallam.However, the other unnamed professors could not, as we have no source to confirm it.Pol 871 15:32, May 17, 2010 (UTC)
- The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page, such as the current discussion page. No further edits should be made to this page.


text: When it comes to gifts, Santa knows juicy Florida Indian River grapefruit and oranges are a sure hit. The jolly elf, joined by Barbi Jo DiMaria of 92 PRO-FM, did a little promotion for the Warwick Rotary citrus drive Saturday at the Warwick Mall. Proceeds from the drive will support community non-profits. More photos on page cccc. (Warwick Beacon photo)


text:
How to Get Free Marketing Videos from Your Suppliers
Promoting your business with simple product videos isn't enough to set you apart from the competition. Customized videos highlighting your staff and facility prove to be much more effective. Good news: suppliers are more willing than ever to sponsor these videos for a simple win-win collaboration.
This Tool Converts Leads into Clients: Now Faster and More Affordably
Imagine you have a set of videos from your most satisfied clients, talking about how much they love working with you. Imagine you can use these videos, again and again, to win over more clients than you know what to do with. Imagine that by doing this, you build deeper relationships with existing clients, and you save time and money because you outsourced all… Read More
Increase Digital Conversions with this Proven Strategy
What would you do to massively increase your conversion rates? What would you invest in a strategy that boosted social media engagement, drastically improved your Search Engine Rankings, and substantially increased customer acquisition and loyalty?
Marketing Insights from Castrol
Customers today have access to more information than ever, which means you and your clients need to be experts on your product. Matt DiPaulo, Castrol's Channel Marketing Manager, is constantly challenged with educating the shops who use Castrol oil, as well as the prospects who may not understand the value Castrol oil provides their shop. How does… Read More
A Lesson in Successful Marketing from Rytec High Performance Doors
When your key product has such a wide range of benefits, marketing can become a challenge. Not that a great product is more difficult to sell, but because a diverse customer base means a diverse range of needs, these segments must often be addressed in different ways. Even if your product would help the customer in question,… Read More
The Overlooked Key to Attracting and Retaining Customers
Sales and marketing change quickly these days. The strategies and tactics that seemed cutting-edge only yesterday seem to have become obsolete overnight. At the core of every successful and resilient strategy though lies a timeless concept: the importance of building trust. Why is trust so important to grow a successful business? How do you build trust with… Read More
The B2B Marketing Channel Your Competitors Aren't Using
As a marketer or decision maker in your company, you'd love to find a lucky break. Something your competitors aren't taking advantage of. So what if there were a platform hiding in plain sight, broadly overlooked within your industry? Here's the thing: there is.
5 Data-Backed Strategies to Use Videos In Your Marketing Mix
Marketing your business these days may seem less straightforward than the TV ads of the past, but that doesn't mean it can't be easy. In fact, with the right mix of video content you can attract customers more effectively and more economically than ever before. Read on to learn the best ways to use video content in… Read More
The Next Big Thing in Video Testimonials?
How is the shared economy making video testimonials more accessible?
Deepfakes and Video Fraud: Should You Be Worried?
New technology can provide ample opportunities to improve our marketing and branding. Just as often though, it seems to spawn new threats. Deepfakes – faked videos made by machine learning algorithms – can now convincely imitate real people, from CEOs to politicians to celebrities. The software takes real videos and uses them to create convincing fakes, allowing… Read More


text:
To search start typing
With a history of technical, sport-savvy design, Fred Perry has moved with the times for over 60 years; reinventing classic styles with modern nuances, yet never losing the crisp simplicity that made these sneakers so popular during the Mod movement.
Browse the latest shoes and trainers from Fred Perry here at Offspring, including exclusive designs that you won't find anywhere else and red-hot drops for men and women. With leather and canvas styles, there's a pair of Fred Perrys for all occasions, and whether you choose a traditional white tennis design or a dual colour slip-on, you'll find that they give any look a cool, sporty edge.
Our handpicked selection is sure to feature the Fred Perry footwear you're looking for. Shop the whole collection of men's and women's sneakers today and look out here first for new releases!


text:
A former attorney for Palo Alto-based law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati pleaded guilty in a New Jersey federal court Wednesday (Dec. 14) to four felony charges in connection with a securities-fraud scheme.
Matthew Kluger, 50, was arrested April 6 for allegedly stealing information from Wilson Sonsini's computer network, which resulted in $32 million in illegal profits for an insider-trading ring.
Kluger stole information on Silicon Valley and other company mergers and acquisitions and passed the material on to New York trader Garrett Bauer, 43, through a middleman, Kenneth Robinson of Long Beach, N.Y., according to federal criminal complaints against the men filed by the U.S. government in April.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a separate 22-page civil complaint on April 6.
Kluger faced one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud -- insider trading; 11 counts of securities fraud -- insider trading; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and four counts of obstruction of justice. He pleaded to four counts and agreed to forfeit $415,000 in assets.
Under the plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Kluger will be sentenced to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, one count of securities fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice.
The first count carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and maximum $250,000 fine. The other three counts each carry a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a total of $5.75 million in fines. Bauer and Robinson have also entered separate guilty pleas, according to court records.
Kluger worked for Wilson Sonsini at its Washington, D.C., office from December 2005 through March 2011 as a corporate associate with a focus on mergers and acquisitions.
The insider-trading ring began around 1994, according to court documents. At the time, Kluger worked for prominent New York law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP. In 1998, he worked for Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP.
Beginning in April 2006, four months after he began working at Wilson Sonsini, Kluger searched the firm's computer network to identify documents that showed a client was about to participate in a merger or acquisition.
He tipped Robinson, who passed the information along to Bauer using public telephones or prepaid disposable mobile phones to avoid detection, according to court documents.
Bauer placed trades for himself and on behalf of Kluger and Robinson. Once the merger or acquisition was announced, Bauer sold the stock and passed on a portion of the profits in cash to Robinson and Kluger, according to the criminal complaint.
Kluger and Bauer traded at least nine pending mergers and acquisitions in advance that were Wilson Sonsini clients.
Kluger accessed information on Silicon Valley companies, including HP's acquisition of 3Com Corp.; Intel Corp.'s acquisition of McAfee, Inc.; Adobe Systems, Inc.'s acquisition of Omniture, Inc.; and Oracle Corp.'s acquisition of Sun Microsystems, Inc., according to the complaint.
Kluger currently resides in Oakton, Va. He had his license to practice law in New Jersey revoked in September 2010 for failing to make certain required payments, according to court documents.
Kluger is scheduled for sentencing April 9, 2012, U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Rebecca Carmichael said.


text:
- X Z Bongs
- X Z Pipes
- X ZVapes
- X ZRolling Papers
- X ZAccessories
- X ZLifestyle
- XZHome
Please verify your age to enter.I am 18 & Over I am under 18
Why am I seeing this?
This website contains products than can only be purchased by customers over 18 or 21 where applicable. By clicking 'I am 18 & Over' you are confirming you are of legal age to view and purchase these products in your country.
The Justin Hale Smokeware is a premium brand of smoking accessories featuring a stunning collection of premium glass and acrylic bongs. High quality Smokeware for the discerning smoker.
The Screen Queen Deluxe Screenless Pipe is an innovative design in pipes as it does not require replaceable screens. The pipes come apart into 3 pieces for easy cleaning and is available in 6 colours. Each pipe comes in a presentation box and are made from anodised aluminium.
Check out our range of colourful and innovative UV Reactive Glitter paint sticks, UV Reactive Face and Body Paint, and Neon UV Lipsticks all in vibrant long lasting colours.
RAW has teamed up with award winning rapper Wiz Khalifa to develop a unique collection of skins. All packets contain RAW's latest innovation - a wooden poke tool.
Dutchie rolling papers are a range of premium quality rolling papers made from natural, unbleached paper and organic hemp to ensure a smooth, even burn and natural taste.
Dutchie papers are 100% vegan, 100% gluten free and utilise only the finest organic Arabic gum. Dutchie papers come in both regular 1 ¼ size as well as king size slims, giving you the option to roll however you choose. Just remember to pass it to the left-hand side!
The LIMPURO bio cleaner is 100% bio-degradable and is safe for use on all materials! LIMPURO cleans your Bong or Pipe and keeps it looking like new. LIMPURO® Air Fresh is a natural and completely non-toxic odour neutraliser that works by evaporation or spraying.
The all new Samurai Grinder from Head Chef is a 4 piece 55mm aluminium sifter grinder that features a set of extremely sharp grinding teeth that will grind even the toughest of herbs with ease.
Available in 10 awesome colours. Now we're cookin!
Price: £6.50
Willy Banjo Blues Brothers Shades »
Price: £4.99
Limpuro Bio Cleaner Concentrate 100ml »
Price: £3.00
Stargazer Face and Body Glitter »
Price: £3.50
Stargazer Crackle Nail Polish »
Price: £7.99
Killer Grinder 50mm 2 Part »
Price: £18.99
On Balance Pro PRS-100 100g Digital Scale »
Price: £14.99
Screen Queen Deluxe Screenless Pipe Red »
Price: £1.60
RAW Connoisseur King Size Slim with Tips »
Price: £99.99
Da Vinci Hand Held Vapouriser »
Price: £350.00
Volcano Easy Valve Classic Vaporiser »
Price: £3.99
Stargazer Neon Colour Hair Spray Blue »
Price: £17.99
Stargazer UV Glow Face & Body Paint 10 Pack »
Price: £3.50
Stargazer Neon Nail Polish »
Price: £1.50
Juicy Jays Rolls Raspberry »
Price: £5.00
Willy Banjo Mirror Shades »
Price: £9.99
Peace Pipe KB-02805 »
Price: £21.99
Head Chef Samurai 55mm 4 Part Grinder »
Price: £250.00
Crafty Portable Vaporizer »
Price: £7.99
Killer Cleaner Air freshener Liquid »
Price: £1.00
Highland Cosmic Papers »
Retailers of Smoking utensils, Bongs, Pipes, Novelties, Fashion Accessories, Gifts, Party Fashion Contact Lenses, UV Body Paint, and a huge selection of Rolling Papers. The Legendary Willy Banjo Shop since 1993.


text:
Sign up for newborn stem cell news and more.
You're on the list!
Check your inbox for the latest news
Sign up, get your kit in the mail, bring it to your delivery, and call our courier to pick it up when it's ready. We'll take care of the rest.Free Info Kit Ready to Enroll
Get Answers from a Specialist
Call us at 1-888-932-6568 or schedule a call by providing your contact info and availability preference below.
To help us best serve you, tell us a little bit more about yourself.
A representative will contact you shortly.
Stem cells can heal the body, promote recovery, and offer an enormous amount of therapeutic potential. CBR aims to advance families' access to new clinical applications of newborn stem cells for conditions that currently have no cure through regenerative medicine. Cord blood stem cell therapy is being investigated in patients for regenerative medicine applications in FDA-regulated clinical studies for conditions such as:
In addition to current, FDA-regulated clinical trials, the same types of stem cells that are found in cord blood and cord tissue are being used in early-stage research. Although researchers can't say what these studies will yield, newborn stem cells are demonstrating a growing range of potential uses across a variety of therapeutic areas.
A study published in June 2010 in the journal Spine, found that newborn cord blood stem cells can improve the neurologic function of rats after an acute spinal cord injury.24 The rats treated in the study experienced a significantly improved recovery of locomotor function (the ability to move from place to place) over a six-week period compared to untreated rats. In addition, six weeks after treatment, the injured area was noticeably smaller in the treated animals than in the untreated animals. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that supports the therapeutic potential of cord blood stem cells for nerve repair.
Research shows that mesenchymal stem cells from cord blood may significantly reduce lung injury and inflammation in infants suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). BPD is a lung disease that usually occurs in premature infants who receive ventilator support and oxygen supplementation to treat respiratory distress. The damage associated with BPD can lead to long-term complications and even death. Recent animal studies suggest that newborn stem cells may offer a treatment option.15
Mesenchymal stem cells found in cord tissue are being evaluated in animal studies for their ability to treat ishemic stroke, a condition that occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked. Animals treated with cord tissue stem cells experienced a decrease in the size of injury, with increased blood flow to the affected area. Treated animals also experienced increased motor control, likely due to the stem cells' ability to secrete factors that promote blood flow and encourage the brain's natural healing process.16
Early laboratory studies suggest that mesenchymal stem cells from cord tissue can help improve motor function in animals afflicted with Parkinson's disease, a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. One study indicated that the stem cells reduced some functional effects of the disease, making stem cell treatment a potential therapeutic strategy.17
Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by insoluble protein deposits in the brain called beta amyloids. A study evaluating the effect of human cord blood mesenchymal stem cells on Alzheimer's disease in mice showed a marked reduction in beta amyloids, as the stem cells actively migrated to the affected parts of the brain. These results have led to human clinical trials.18
Peripheral artery occlusive disease, a hardening and narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs, can result in decreased blood flow to the limbs, which could result in pain, wounds that don't heal properly, and a noticeable change in skin color. Animal studies using stem cells from cord blood show promising results in the creation of new blood vessels and restoring blood flow. In animals, limbs injected with cord blood stem cells experienced an increase in the number and density of blood vessels over the limbs that weren't injected.20
Early laboratory studies evaluating the effects of mesenchymal stem cells from cord blood on liver cirrhosis showed significant improvements in function after infusion. Liver cirrhosis is characterized by tissue scarring, fluid retention, and risk of infection. Results of stem cell infusion showed increased generation of glucose and insulin, which improves liver function.21
According to laboratory research conducted at the University Hospital of Munich in 2008, umbilical cord blood may help repair defective heart valves in infants. In the study, stem cells were seeded onto eight heart valve scaffolds constructed of a biodegradable material. The bio-engineered valves acted similarly to natural heart valves when they were tested for normal blood flow and pressure. Over time, the scaffolds dissolved, leaving behind fully formed valves made from the stem cells.22
In March 2010, researchers at Columbia University made significant progress in an area of regenerative medicine focusing on bone repair. They report that they created a tissue-engineered jaw bone using mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow. These stem cells, which are also found in cord blood and tissue, naturally generate connective tissue such as bone and cartilage, making bone regeneration one of the most investigated therapeutic areas for mesenchymal stem cells today. These studies demonstrate the possibilities of bringing tissue-engineered bone to the operating room. A number of global institutions are testing tissue-engineered bones from a variety of mesenchymal stem cell sources for safety and feasibility.23
Early studies are investigating the effect of human cord blood stem cells on wound healing in diabetic mice. Slow wound healing in diabetics may be caused by poor circulation, nerve damage, or complications with the immune system. Results of these animal studies show a significantly accelerated healing process in the mice that were injected with cord blood stem cells, especially those injected directly into the wound. Researchers also found, as the wound healed, the number of newly formed blood vessels increased in the mice that received the cord blood.25
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and pain in the joints, is triggered by an increase in the number of certain cells in the joints. Laboratory studies using mesenchymal stem cells derived from cord tissue were able to slow down the increase of these cells in the joints and suppress their inflammatory effects. Researchers note that injecting cord tissue MSCs in mice reduced the severity of the disease on a whole.26
Sign up for newborn stem cell news and more.
Check your inbox for the latest news


text:
George Barrington
Jump to navigation Jump to search
George Barrington (May 14, 1755 – 27 December 1804) was an Irish pickpocket and later a policeman.
|This People article is a stub. You can help Wikiquote by expanding it.
- True patriots all; for be it understood
We left our country for our country's good.
- Prologue written for the Opening of the Play-house at New South Wales, Jan. 16, 1796. Compare: "'T was for the good of my country that I should be abroad", George Farquhar, The Beaux' Stratagem, Act iii, scene 2.


text:
Cooking For Engineers
Analytical cooking discussed.
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
Kitchen Notes: Scoville Units
Goto page
Cooking For Engineers Forum Index
Comments Forum
View previous topic
View next topic
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:00 pm
Post subject:
I bought a small bottle of 120K 'Da Bomb Beyond Insanity' sauce 5 years ago. While I used to buy 2 bottles of regular Tabasco at $3 each per year - needing full tablespoons to season my food - this $10 bottle is only about 15% gone now, and still good. It may last the rest of my life...
Back to top
Luke in OZ
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:00 pm
Post subject:
HPLC is used in the Industry to test Chiles the cost is still rather prohibitive for the average grower..
Trust me I know I was a List member on the now it seems defunct Chileheads List for 10 years..
I currently am growing Houston USA sourced Tepins here in OZ (why because the little shits are hard to grow, and I take it as a Personal Challenge".. FWIW i won 2 out of three local Chile Eating contests here, first time was 1 15 oz glass of blended chiles Habanero's included second time was 12 Habaneros , third time as defending champ i was nobbled by being made to take a small tub of Extract based sauced probably 350k scovies before participating and even then the guy who beat me swallowed several Habaneros whole.. "we were supposed to chew them for the ammusement of the 2000+ crowd..
FWIW Blairs Death sauce brand has more flavour than Daves, Std disclaimers apply although I did have snail mail intercourse with Blair Lazar once in 95-96..
A Fireman mate of mine Jim Campbell in Franklin Indiana does a mean apple smoked habanero Flake and lots of other products, no disclaimer apply here as he does send me a care package of new products from time to time
Luke in OZ
Back to top
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:01 pm
Post subject:
If anyone wants to read a pretty fascinating book on one man's disovery (or rediscovery, as it were) of the pepper, look up Amal Naj's "Peppers." C. 1992; ISBN 0-679-74427-4. It's a good a read as any, though may be a bit dated now. I think it holds up and is still a substantial store of knowledge and information for me...
Back to top
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:01 pm
Post subject:
Hey all, I am now the food science intern at the company that makes the worlds hottest hot sauce. Original Juan Specialty Foods makes "The Source" registering at 7.1 million scoville units, making it nearly half pure capsaicin and somewhere near tear gas. We send most of our product off to get tested for on the scoville scale and actually part of what I'm doing here is figuring out the feasability of doing it in house. You can get all of our products online (including the above mentioned Da Bomb) at
{Just testing to see if the admin forgot to turn off the priveleges for 'other' people to edit 'guest' posts. If so, then the admin will need to turn off this feature. - Kenny}
{update....yes...this is no good, I will have to inform the admin to fix this up...it means others can change this message too. Not good.}
Last edited by Guest on Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:36 am; edited 2 times in total
Back to top
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:01 pm
Post subject:
how come they dont jus take the capsaican out and put it in a bottle that would kick ass
Back to top
Michael Chu
Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 1654
Location: Austin, TX (USA)
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:03 pm
Post subject:
Someone did and charge $199 for it:
Blair's 16 Million Reserve
He's sold out.
For a more reliable but not as cool source, try a chemical supply company that will gladly sell you a gram of synthetic capsaicin for around $650 (natural will run you $950):
Fisher Scientific
Finally, here's a list of manufacturers of pure capsaicin:
Buyers Guide Chem
Back to top
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:04 pm
Post subject:
ok... all right.. but.. if I want make at home a scoville test, u know the exact procedures?
(exampe: take xxx grams of peppers, keep in xxx ml of alcohol, etc>).
many thanks.
Back to top
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 5:04 pm
Post subject:
Chipotles are smoked and dried red jalepenos. The drying process will reduce the weight by as much as 10 to 1 and therefore increase the heat by the same ratio.
Back to top
Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:31 am
Post subject: wondering
I notice that some people say that an already intense hot-sauce is not as hot as another kind. So I'm kind of wondering if the solution to fix that is to simply increase the quantity of the hot sauce that one deems to be 'less-hot'. For example, if somebody thinks a drop of dave's ultimate insanity sauce is not hot enough, then putting 10 drops into their mouth should do the trick ... right? And a good swish around the mouth should also help to get that capsaicin working really good on the taste buds too.
- Kenny
Back to top
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:32 pm
Post subject:
It is important to realize the difference between a basic jalapeno and a chipotle. Obviously the main difference is that a chipotle is smoked, but it does not stop there. To make a chipotle pepper, the fruit is picked when it is ripe. That means that it is red, has a more mature flavor, and has a higher heat content (many people believe that red peppers are not as hot, but they are actually hotter; more sweetness causes the confussion). When sold as jalapenos, the peppers are picked while still green and just beginning to "cork" (the brown lines on the outside of the pepper).
Thus the chipotle pepper (being ripe) is hotter than the green jalapeno. Drying the pepper serves to increase the heat as a ratio of mass, but scoville units are a measure of capsaicin capacity, not ration so drying the pepper does not change the scoville rating.
Back to top
Matthias 'moeffju' Bauer
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 1:14 pm
Post subject: max. Scoville units
The capsaicin concentrating in parts per million is directly proportional to the Scoville rating system - by a factor of approximately 16.
Do you have references for the 16 figure? Most other sources speak of a factor of 15, which would also put the max attainable SCU value at 15 million.
Back to top
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:26 pm
Post subject: hab flake
I am looking for the hottest Habanero flake around.........who has it?
Back to top
Joined: 13 Dec 2005
Posts: 15
Location: Republic of Panama
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:30 pm
Post subject:
Googling pepper types this afternoon instead of working seems to demonstrate that (A.)there is always something better to do then work, and (B.) there seem to be some regional differences in names.
We have a type of pepper that grows down here on the isthmus of Panama commonly called a
pico de pajaro
, but if that term is used as a search term a completely different type of pepper is what comes up on google.
What we call
pico de pajaro
here in panama is a very small, roundish pepper which grows wild and is very hot.
Just something interesting I came across.
Back to top
Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2006 6:08 am
Post subject: Better scoville measurement?
During junior high I did a science experiment where I used a calorimeter and measured the crystallization time of the capsaicin in various chili vinegar mixtures. My equipment wasn't so great so the results were crude. However, using the data I was able to correctly order the chillies where scovile placed them.
Back to top
Joined: 12 Apr 2006
Posts: 1
Location: Near Allentown, PA
Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 4:07 pm
Post subject:
There is a second article on Digg related to this. It is about Hot Lemonade made with cayenne pepper.
The lemonade is served cold but is heated up to a minimum of 90,000 Scolville and is used to boost energy and a number of other benefits. Check out both.
If you like them, don't forget to digg them by clicking the little dig icon.
Back to top
Display posts from previous:
All Posts
1 Day
7 Days
2 Weeks
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
1 Year
Oldest First
Newest First
Cooking For Engineers Forum Index
Comments Forum
All times are GMT
Goto page
Jump to:
Select a forum
Cooking For Engineers
Cooking For Engineers Website Discussion
Messages from Michael
Comments Forum
Travel Comments Forum
Useless Stuff Comments Forum
Food, Cooking, & Dining
Cooking Tips
Cooking for Two
Favorite Foods
Tools, Equipment, and Gadgets
General Food Discussion
General Discussion
Anything Goes
Engineer Speak
post new topics in this forum
reply to topics in this forum
edit your posts in this forum
delete your posts in this forum
vote in polls in this forum
Powered by
© 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


text:
Auto-Trail 2015 model range launches with new Imala
AUTO-TRAIL'S range of motorhomes have a smart new look this year thanks in part to Fiat's new and thoroughly modern looking cab. Codenamed the X290, it features redesigned lights and grille and looks completely different. Gone are the bug-eyed headlights in favour of much narrower profile light units giving the entire range an updated, more modern base vehicle that's a big improvement.


text:
At Lakota, we are committed to providing an individual, student-centered learning experience for every single child. We offer a full range of services to help children explore their passions and interests and achieve to their fullest potential, no matter where they are in their learning.
The Lakota Curriculum & Instruction Department provides leadership and assistance in the areas of curriculum, instructional practices, and assessments. A strong academic foundation is essential to students' future success; and we contribute to that foundation through the following:
Explore the many facets of Lakota's curricular offerings, ranging from Gifted Services and Student Services to English as a Second Language and Special Education. Learn about our approach to both elementary education and secondary education, including the strong foundation we establish as early as preschool and kindergarten. For students seeking an alternative high school educational experience, explore our Career Readiness Academy.
Our internship program for high-schoolers is an exciting step toward preparing students for a career path they'll excel at and enjoy. We hope you'll consider becoming a business partner, too, to support this budding program and all the students who pass through it.


text:
|But I Love My Kids (Parents With Thoughts of Harming Their Children)
"But I Love My Kids "
Parents Who Think About Harming Their Children
By Fred Penzel, Ph.D.
Make no mistake about it, obsessions, whatever the category, are nasty in content, and very difficult to live with. If I were asked about which ones I think are among the most punishing to sufferers, I would have to say that my own selection as a therapist would be morbid thoughts, and of the many subtypes of morbid obsessive thoughts, wanting to harm your own children would probably get my vote. In actuality, all forms of OCD are unpleasant and torturous for sufferers, so perhaps this may be my own prejudice showing, being that I am a parent myself.
Any normal parent feels a strong protectiveness toward his or her offspring. When they are very young, we feel concern for every aspect of their lives. Even after they have become adults, we worry about their well-being and happiness. Is it any wonder, then, that when a parent suddenly begins to have thoughts about injuring, sexually molesting, or murdering their beloved child (or children) this would strike fear in the deepest recesses of their instincts?
Some of the most anxious and depressed people I ever see in my practice fall within this group. I am not thinking here about parents who obsess about causing their children harm via forgetfulness or carelessness. I am not even referring to those who think of doing harm to other people's children. These, too, are all very difficult thoughts to have to endure. I am strictly speaking about those who experience ideas that they are going to actively stab, strangle, drown, suffocate, beat, sexually fondle, or rape their own children. I would also include here those who think they may have intentionally molested or injured their own child (or children) in the past.
I would ask all those neurotypicals (those of you with normally functioning brain structures and chemistry) who may be reading this to imagine, for a moment, what it is like to experience such unpleasant things being broadcast from within your own mind on a steady basis, and not being able to change the channel. I would further ask you to imagine questioning yourself continually why you are having these thoughts, and what their occurrence might mean in terms of your own motives and intentions. One of the most frequent questions I get asked by patients is, "Why would I think such things if I haven't done them, or didn't want to do them?"
Within this subcategory of morbid obsessions, there are further subcategories, that would commonly include thoughts such as I will list for you below. Please note that I divide these thoughts by younger and older children. Also note that these categories are by no means exhaustive and there can be overlap between them.
Thoughts More Exclusively About Infants and Toddlers:
Drowning, suffocating, choking, or smothering them
Shaking them violently or striking them
Dropping them out a window, off a balcony, a bridge, or other high place, or dropping them on their heads
Stabbing them
Poisoning them
Sexually molesting or raping them
Thoughts More Exclusively About Older Children And Adolescents:
Stabbing, punching, or striking them with objects
Poisoning them
Sexually fondling them
Raping them
Suffocating them in their sleep or choking them
Within this group of sufferers, there are also three broad categories:
Those whose thoughts take the form of severe doubts about the present or past
Those who experience sudden impulses to carry out these acts
Those who have both of the above
Those in the first category worry that having these thoughts indicates they are crazy and dangerous and will be likely to act on their thoughts (or, "Why else would I be thinking them?"). Their thoughts generally take the form of "How do I really know I won't harm my children?" OCD could be summed up in two words: pathological doubt. It is doubt that just won't quit, and cannot be put off with simple answers. A complicating factor is that sufferers tend to mistakenly believe that the obsessive thoughts are their own real thoughts, and therefore must be important and paid attention to, rather than actually being irrelevant and the product of bad brain chemistry. This leads to the idea that thinking is the step before actually doing, and that these thoughts must be heeded and dealt with, simply because they are occurring within their own minds. They tend to respond to them with compulsions.
Simply put, compulsions relieve the anxiety produced by obsession, if only for a short time. There is a compulsion for almost every obsession. The main compulsive strategies that morbid thinkers tend to use to cope with their thoughts include:
- Avoiding being around their children, or at least being alone with them
- Checking their reactions when around their children, to see how they really feel
- Arguing with their thoughts, to try to prove to themselves that they would never do these things
- Analyzing their thoughts, to see if they really do agree with them
Another variation on this would be those who keep questioning themselves as to whether they might have already done some of these things, either very recently, or in the past. An example would be a sufferer who has older children, but looks back in time wondering whether or not they may have inappropriately touched them in sexual ways or molested them when holding, hugging, dressing, playing with, or bathing them. They will continually reanalyze these events, relive them, and try to fill in the missing details or clarify hazy memories. This activity can literally occupy hours of their lives. In some cases, they may question those close to them, either directly, or in subtle ways, hoping to utilize other people's memories in order to fill in the blanks.
Those in the second category experience what I like to call 'impulsions', or mental calls to action that, for example, might sound like "Go ahead stab them!" They might also get physical dysperceptions. By this I mean experiencing sensations that they:
- moved their hand in an almost imperceptible way, as if to strike their child, or to fondle them in an improper way
- thrust their pelvis toward their child in a sexual way or leaned or brushed against sexual areas of their child's body, or held them in their lap while moving in a sexual way
- somehow pushed or shoved their child because they wanted to make them fall or injure themselves
- somehow exposed a private area of their body to their child
These are not just thoughts, but physical sensations in their bodies that seem very real and almost (but not quite) certain. There has always been a question as to whether or not symptoms of this type may fall into a gray area between OCD and the tics seen in Tourette's Disorder. This has yet to be determined.
New mothers make up another distinctive subgroup where thoughts of harming one's child are frequently seen. Post-partum OCD is a well-known phenomenon, which may have links to post-partum depression. It can result in the sudden appearance of OCD where no symptoms were previously seen, or else may involve the worsening of mild OCD, or OCD that was previously under control. I have encountered a number of cases of women with or without prior histories of OCD, who within a short time after giving birth began to think of ways in which they might be able to harm their newborns. In one particular case, a patient of mine, a new mother, shared these thoughts with an obstetrics nurse, and was then denied contact with her baby by hospital administrators, who feared an act of violence might occur. Only an intervention on my part with the hospital's department of psychiatry set the situation right, after I convinced them that my patient, a known OCD sufferer, was being obsessional, and was absolutely not capable of such behavior.
One potentially difficult situation for parents who suffer from morbid thoughts is feeling anger, as in their minds, this could surely lead to acting their thoughts out. We all lose our tempers with our children now and then. None of us are saints, and it is a rather normal occurrence except when you then move on to experiencing thoughts about how you might now want to kill your child. In such cases, ordinary parental anger over everyday occurrences quickly turns to fear. Parents with this form of OCD tend to work extra hard to never lose their temper, or to squelch their rising emotions. This leads to constant fears of emotion, and a great deal of overcontrol when around their children.
So, having reviewed the various forms of this insidious form of OCD, then question remains, "What to do about it?" I think that in tackling OCD, it is crucial to have an understanding of what it is you need to do. The first thing to understand is that OCD is chronic; that is, you cannot be cured, but you can recover and live a normal life like everyone else. It won't simply go away, but with work, you can get it under control and keep it under control. Secondly, when it comes to controlling OCD, I think the single most important thing to understand this: "The problem is not the anxiety the problem is the compulsions." If you think that the problem is the anxiety, then you will most likely keep doing compulsions as a way of relieving it. This is, of course, wrong, as the compulsions only keep things going, and convince sufferers that the thoughts really are important and should be acted upon. In actuality, when you stop doing the compulsions, the anxiety eventually subsides, when nothing bad occurs. It is also important to realize and accept that you cannot block the thoughts out, switch to a different set of thoughts, argue with them, or reason them away. You need to see that when it comes to escaping the thoughts, you have lost this particular battle, and that it is one you will never win. Once you understand this, you can then get down to the business of confronting and overcoming your frightening thoughts.
This is obviously a bit of an oversimplification. Learning to not do compulsions has to be done gradually, takes time, and along with it, you have to learn to stay in the presence of what you fear not run away or avoid. In this way, you build up tolerance to what you fear, and at the same time, discover the truth of the situation. That is, you learn to test your theories of what may happen to you or others if you don't avoid things, or perform compulsions. As I mentioned earlier, nothing ever happens. It is really a lot like being a scientist.
All this is best done within a program of behavioral therapy that is, Exposure and Response Prevention. Within such a program, patients learn to gradually expose themselves to what they fear, be it thoughts or situations, and at the same time, resist performing the compulsions they usually do to relieve their anxiety. In this way, as I have said, they learn the truth. As part of my own approach to treatment, we first make a listing (called a hierarchy) of all possible situations and thoughts relating to the problem, which can cause any noticeable anxiety, and assign number values to them from 0 to 100. From this list, patients are given weekly homework assignments to help them do these things, and which they, themselves, are responsible for carrying out between visits. Some typical assignments might include the following (and I list these in no particular order of difficulty, as this can be different for each sufferer):
- Agreeing with thoughts of harming the child (or children) in question, instead of analyzing or studying them
- Resisting the reviewing of past events in detail to determine if they actually did something harmful or unacceptable
- Not questioning others, directly or indirectly to determine if they might have done something wrong in the past, or will do something in the future
- Writing, taping, and then listening repetitively to compositions about how they really want to do (or really did) the unacceptable things they are thinking about
- Holding their young child near a window, balcony or other high point
- Becoming more physical in playing with their child (if they are avoiding this), and creating more opportunities to hold, hug, massage, cuddle, etc.
- Reading news articles or books about parents who have injured, killed, or molested their children
- Being around their child while holding sharp, or pointed objects, or other weapon-like things
- Visiting websites concerned with child molesters and murderers
A sufferer might look at such a list and say, "You are asking me to do these scary things as if you think they're easy!" My answer is that I would never tell anyone that these assignments are easy, but then, having unrelenting OCD isn't easy either. No one usually argues that point. When correctly educated, the overwhelming majority of patients are able to successfully carry out these assignments. Some have suggested that having people carry out such therapy work is cruel or mean in some way, but thirty-five years of research contradicts this. It is a complete misrepresentation of behavioral therapy. If the therapy ultimately relieves people of their suffering in the quickest and most efficient way, and enables them to function as parents again, I would label it as kind. Besides, as I tell my patients, "You know what I would really do if I wanted to be mean? I'd leave you the way you are."
When most sufferers come to see me for the first time, they are, of course, seeking reassurance that they aren't crazy, and won't act on their violent thoughts. I explain to them that they aren't (OCD sufferers do not act on their thoughts, in fact, quite the opposite), and they won't, but I also make it clear to them that I do not give ongoing reassurance about these things, as this will only make them worse. I also try to disconnect family and friends from any involvement in responding to compulsive pleas for reassurance or help in avoiding as well. This is often a crucial factor in treating these types of symptoms.
One typical fear that patients sometimes express goes something like this: "Maybe I really don't have OCD, and my anxiety about doing something awful to my children is the only thing keeping me from acting on it. If I get rid of my anxiety, will I then do it, because nothing will be holding me back?" I will initially reassure them that this is never seen to happen in those with OCD. If they can't stop worrying about it, we then treat it as just another obsession.
Over the following weeks, patients systematically work their way through their hierarchy, carrying out the homework assignments at their own pace, and in order of difficulty. While everyone would like an exact figure as to how long this takes to finish, it may vary from person to person. I tell them that on the average, it can take from about six to twelve months, barring complicating factors, such as depression, serious life problems, or other types of disorders.
Medications can also be of help. They should be viewed as a tool to help you to get through therapy, and not as a magical complete treatment by themselves. What they can do is lower the level of obsessions, anxiety, and depressed mood. What they cannot do, is teach you how to face what you fear, or how to develop the tools necessary to resist compulsions or avoidance. That is where the behavioral therapy comes in.
With current technology, OCD can be successfully treated, and the vast majority of sufferers can recover. This can only happen, however, if you get yourself out there and get help. Too many individuals still suffer in silence, or put themselves in the hands of practitioners who lack the expertise to treat them. My advice is to not wait, and start working to find the way to recovery today.
If you would like to read more about what Dr. Penzel has to say about OCD, take a look at his self-help book, "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders: A Complete Guide to Getting Well and Staying Well," (Oxford University Press, 2000). You can learn more about it at www.ocdbook.com
|Last Updated on Thursday, 14 April 2011 14:35
Please Note: Then information in this site is presented as a public service to our patients and friends. It is not a substitute for a careful evaluation by a qualified mental health professional. If you are already under treatment, do not make any changes in your regimen without consulting your doctor.
Staff Articles
- Behavioral Treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- The Boy Who Didn't Know Who He Was (Teen Obsessions About Homosexuality)
- Acceptance and OCD
- Acceptance and OCD
- But I Love My Kids (Parents With Thoughts of Harming Their Children)
- Call Me Irresponsible (OCD and hyperresponsibility)
- Coming To Terms With The Lost Years
- Contamination and OCD ("Stronger than Dirt")
- Do-it-Yourself Therapy: Self-Directed Treatment
- Fight for Your Rights: Getting Insurance to Pay for an OCD Specialist
- Getting the Right Treatment (Finding proper CBT treatment for OCD and BFRBs)
- Here's Looking At You, Kid: People With OCD Who Notice Things Too Much
- How Clean is Clean? (Compulsive cleaning and ordering)
- How Do I Know I'm Not Gay? (Homosexuality obsessions)
- How I Treat Violent Obsessions
- How Much Is Too Much? (Taking a more humane approach to behavioral therapy)
- How to Manage Your Parents When You Have OCD (a guide for teens)
- In Search of the Elusive Behavior Therapist
- Inositol and OCD
- Intensive vs. Self-Directed OCD Treatment
- Langley Collyer: The Mystery Hoarder of Harlem
- Let He Who is Without Sin (Religious obsessions)
- Loves Me? Loves Me Not? (Relationship obsessions)
- Morbid Obsessions
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (General information)
- Obsessive Love (When People Become "Obsessed" with Other People)
- Panic Disorder (General information)
- Samuel Johnson: A Patron Saint of OCD
- Saving the World (Compulsive Hoarding)
- Teens With Morbid Obsessions
- Ten Things You Need to Know to Overcome OCD
- A Touching Story (Touching and movement compulsions)
- Treating Morbid Obsessions
- Very Superstitious (Magical and superstitious obsessions)
- What Do You Say After You Say You're Sorry (Coming to terms after you recover from OCD)
- What The Heck Is "Obsessive Slowness?"
- When Epidemics Collide: OCD and AIDS
- Your Number is Up! ("Magical" numbers and OCD)
- Advice for Significant Others (Dealing with a TTM sufferer)
- Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Trichotillomania
- Coming to Terms With Your Child's Hair Pulling
- Childhood Trichotillomania (Dealing with the reluctant child's pulling)
- Fight for Your Rights: Getting Insurance to Pay for Your Treatment
- Inositol and Trichotillomania
- A Stimulus Regulation Model of Trichotillomania (Why people pull)
- Trichotillomania (General information)
- Unconditional Self Acceptance and Trichotillomania
- What Cognitive Therapy Can Do for TTM
- Skin-Picking and Nail-Biting - Related Disorders
- Anxiety Disorders: More Than "A Bad Case of Nerves"
- Common Questions, Myths and Misconceptions About Psychiatric Medicine
- Medications that Treat OCD and OC Spectrum Disorders
- OCD and Managed Care
- PANDAS: The OCD - Strep Connection
- Depression: from Children through Adults
- How Do I Know I'm Not Really Gay - Part 2
- How To Defeat OCD By Surrendering
- Living With Your Loved One's OCD: Some Advice For Significant Others
- NAC and Trichotillomania
- Stimulation Substitutes for Trichotillomania
- To Be Or Not To Be. That Is The Obsession: Existential And Philosophical Obsessions
- 25 Tips For Succeeding In Your OCD Therapy
- My Parents Don't Believe I Have OCD
- Both Ends Against The Middle: When OCD Tries To Disrupt Its Own Treatment
- Driven To Distraction: Hit and Run OCD