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A series of racy e-mails sent between Wall Street Journal reporter Gina Chon and Brett McGurk, President Obama's nominee for the ambassador to Iraq, in 2008 has been leaked to the public.
The e-mails were sent in 2008, when Chon was a Baghdad correspondent for the WSJ (she now writes for the Money & Investing section) and McGurk was an advisor on Iraq to the Bush administration. The emails highlight a flirtation that began with a dinner meeting and eventually evolved into flirtatious banter, planned dinner dates, talk of "blue balls," and a blatant reference to their first hook-up on June 23, 2008.
Chon and McGurk are now married, but the e-mails, sent from their respective wsj.com and state.gov accounts, are just plain embarrassing. The leaked exchange first appeared on flickr last week, and were then picked up by Cryptome.
"... I had a very real case of blue balls last night! I think they're still blue," McGurk wrote in one email to Chon. Then he added: "They really hurt and won't stop pouting. I may go see the nurse. :("
To which Chon shot back: "Depending on how u behave, we'll see about the nurse."
McGurk later wrote: "I did a nice self-healing exercise before dinner, btw, so the blueness has receded."
(See the whole email exchange at Cryptome >)
Aside from the fact that Chon probably committed the biggest no-no in the journalism industry by sleeping with her source, McGurk, by the way, was apparently still married when he and Chon had their rendezvous in the summer of 2008, the Washington Free Beacon is reporting.
We're not sure how this really affects McGurk's nomination—it doesn't appear McGurk divulged any actual state secrets to Chon—but Senator James Inhofe, a member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, has said he won't be considering McGurk's nomination until the e-mail exchange is cleared up, according to USA Today.
Chon will also be taking a leave of absence from the WSJ later this summer. Though it doesn't appear to be related to the recent leak—she asked for the break in March when McGurk's nomination was imminent, according to a statement the WSJ released to Gawker—it certainly is very good timing.


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HOUSTON (AP) — The former president of a Port Arthur chemical company has pleaded guilty to occupational safety crimes that resulted in the death of an employee.
Matthew Lawrence Bowman, former president and owner of Port Arthur Chemical and Environmental Services, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to violating the Occupational Safety Health Act and making a false statement.
The U.S. Department of Justice says Bowman admitted to not properly protecting employees from exposure to hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas. Truck driver Joey Sutter died in December 2008 after exposure.
Bowman also admitted that he told employees to falsify transportation documents to hide that wastewater was coming from his company, which was in operation from 2008 to 2010.
He faces up to five years in prison. Charges remain against the company.

subset: commoncrawl


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Saint Gratus of Thagura
One of a group of twelve African Christians who were martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. No other details have survived.
- 302 in Thagura, Numidia
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints
- Roman Martyrology, 1914 edition
- "Saint Gratus of Thagura". CatholicSaints.Info. 4 November 2009. Web. 10 August 2020. <>


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Dating in Howt Green
Below is a small selection of the latest members to join us from Howt Green
Are you interested in online dating in Howt Green ? Are you looking for Howt Green and ME10 dating advice? Then look no further!
How to Date with Single Women in Howt Green, England
Here are some suggestions on how to make singles dating friends through correspondence, either the traditional way via the post or online. How to meet singles dating letters work to greater success. Don't settle down too soon. Some guys will see one photo, fall in love, send dozens of letters to one gal. He stalks her, then feels let down when she does not reciprocate his feelings. Choose dozens of advertisements to reply to. Then once the answers start coming in, slowly narrow your local interest in Howt Green and England to the correspondents you are most comfortable with. Write to DOZENS, never just one or two. If someone seems to be too good to be true, she probably is too good to be true. Begin slowly. Contact her via letters or email. Watch out for any strange behavior. Trust your senses. If something feels odd about the way the person speaks, her words, or her reactions to you, go elsewhere in Howt Green. There are a lot of opportunities out there. Find the one that is right for you. Do your homework. Ask questions. Find out as much as you can about the person. Ask many questions. Where did she grow up, what kind of work does she do. Ask about her marital status. Ask about any children, etc. If you don't get clear answers to legitimate questions, be ready to move along.
We're so convinced that you will find love, romance, or whatever type of relationship in Howt Green you're looking for that we're offering this exclusive, amazing, offer. You will be matched with other singles from Howt Green and whole Kent- we guarantee it. We know this sounds unbelievable, but it is a cast-iron guarantee with no strings attached whatsoever. Join now to find out more about this totally new and unique offer in Howt Green area.


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The tracking solution in TC eMap® shows you all TomTom Telematics systems in a single platform. With the route planner you can calculate the route to the corresponding destination directly from within the freight and vehicle exchange TC Truck&Cargo®. And at the same time you can calculate trip costs and additional costs in TC eMap®. When entering vehicle offers companies can highlight that their vehicles can be tracked in TC eMap® – a big bonus when it comes to allocating orders.
TimoCom Soft- und Hardware GmbH is an IT service provider to the transport and logistics industry Europe-wide. Together with the European market leading freight and vehicle exchange TC Truck&Cargo®, TimoCom offers further business solutions for the transport industry. For example TC eBid®, the online platform for Europe-wide transport tenders and TC eMap®, a planning and calculation program for transport companies with an integrated tracking function.


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Leap offers a unique model for managing personal
finance that calculates every move and keeps clients
connected with their advisors every step of the way.
The Leap Model incorporates everything from income and investments to insurance and taxes, offering a full view of your financial picture. Having a model to evaluate your financial performance eliminates managing your finances from a "junk drawer" approach. This unique model blends financial science and visual simplification with a philosophy of protection-savings-growth helping you achieve your financial potential.
In today's fast paced, ever-changing environment, every move matters! To make the right moves at the right time, it's critical to see how money works. This means understanding the completeness of real financial life - personal realities, financial complexities, an eroding market, risk factors and taxes. Leap empowers financial professionals to help individuals, families and businesses simplify financial life through this discovery and design process.
With Leap's interactive tools, you not only learn how money works but you are also able to clearly see the impact of all your financial decisions. In addition, you and your Leap professional can simulate financial strategies and view potential outcomes, giving you clarity and confidence every step along the way. Through this design process, you own your financial journey and enjoy life on your own terms.
Because only addressing a portion of what impacts your financial life isn't enough.
Leap was the first and only scientifically based financial system that considers all the components influencing your money.This model not only factors in your income and investments, but also gives you the complete picture, including things like taxes, fees, interest rates, protection for life's uncertainties, and much more. Understanding the factors that may be eroding your wealth is the first step to maximizing it.
Financial Junk Drawer
Sane Sound Simple
Leap strategists and their clients work together to incorporate client data into Leap's celebrated protection, growth and savings diagram, better known as The Leap Model. It's made up of 27 individual drawers, letting both clients and advisors see the entire financial life at a glance, making coordination and wealth management a straightforward, uncomplicated process.
Like it or not, bank fees, government taxes, market volatility and more chip away at money and assets. This problem stretches far beyond the actual cost of the fees and penalties; it results in lost opportunity costs. What else could have otherwise been done with that money? The Leap Model helps you see the lost opportunity costs working against your wealth, and in turn offers strategic ways to overcome them.
Looking at every aspect of the financial picture is one of the key components of the Leap approach. It's a simple idea that is so often overlooked in the financial arena. From debt to savings and investments to insurance, each part is separately analyzed to make it the best it can be. Then – and only then – the individual parts can be primed for coordination as a whole, maximizing every asset's efficiency and productivity.
With Leap's interactive tools, clients and professionals are able to constantly communicate and stay on the same page – even when they're not physically together. Wealth protection, asset management and financial growth aren't simply a "behind the scenes" activity with Leap. They all come together as a transparent coordinated effort that can be seen by both clients and their advisors in a way that simplifies personal finance and makes the most of client's potential.
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Daily Archives: February 12, 2010
Valentine Roses
At the top of the list of gifts men will give women on Valentine's Day are roses. Being a person who likes to contemplate and take a deeper look into things, I focused my mind on the topic of roses. … Continue reading
Posted in god, Life after death, love, Reality, religion, spirituality, symbolism, unity Tagged angels, colors, Emanuel Swedenborg, faith, fragrance, heavenly marriage, roses, Valentine's Day, wish 2 Comments


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« Previous Page
En Español
Top of the page
Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that damage the nerve at the back of the eye (optic nerve), resulting in loss of eyesight, especially peripheral (side) vision. Neovascular glaucoma is a type of severe glaucoma in which blood vessels in the iris block the normal drainage of fluid out of the eye, causing increased pressure in the eye that eventually damages the optic nerve.
Neovascular glaucoma often causes pain and redness in the eye. It most often develops in people who have poorly controlled diabetes. But it also occurs in association with other vascular diseases, such as high blood pressure (hypertension).
Treatment of neovascular glaucoma may include medicines or surgery or both.
Current as of: December 18, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
© 1995-2020 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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A trio of colleges and universities is suing the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, claiming the state agency unfairly denied them millions of dollars in tax credits for environmental cleanup work done on contaminated properties.
In a complaint filed this month in Superior Court, Northeastern University, Boston University, and Wellesley College said the state essentially changed its own rules when it rejected the schools' applications for the credit.
"The university has incurred expenses to clean up environmental contamination," BU spokesman Colin Riley said. "The statute says the university is entitled to apply for and receive the tax credit."
The Department of Revenue declined to comment, noting that it has not yet filed its response to the complaint with the court.
The lawsuit centers on the state's Brownfields Tax Incentive program, which offers tax credits to property owners who perform environmental cleanup work on former commercial and industrial properties left contaminated by the previous occupants. The credits are worth between 25 and 50 percent of the costs incurred in the cleanup.
In 2012, the latest year for which data are available, the state issued $17.8 million in brownfields tax credits. In 2011, $51.4 million in credits was issued.
The program was created in 1998. In 2006, the Legislature amended it to allow nonprofit organizations, such as colleges and universities, to claim the credit. Nonprofits do not pay taxes, but they can claim these credits and sell them to companies or individuals looking to reduce the taxes they owe in Massachusetts.
Northeastern had applied for $6.4 million in credits, related to the redevelopment of the western side of the campus, said Daryl Lapp, a lawyer at the Boston firm Edwards Wildman, which is representing the three schools.
BU applied for $4.4 million in credits following its cleanup of properties along Commonwealth Avenue, an area once home to many car dealerships and service stations.
Wellesley requested $6.25 million in credits for environmental improvements made along Lake Waban on the site of a former paint factory.
The schools applied in late 2012 and early 2013. They included in their calculations costs incurred before the law was changed in 2006, under the belief that these expenses would be eligible for the credit.
Other nonprofits — at least eight, according to the complaint — had successfully claimed the credit for work conducted in that period.
In November 2013, however, the state issued a directive specifying that nonprofits may not claim the brownfields credit for work started before June 24, 2006. Shortly thereafter, the three schools were informed their applications had been denied. They appealed, but the Department of Revenue upheld the rejections.
The lawsuit calls the 2013 decree a contradiction of the law's intent and "an unlawful retroactive change in long-standing department policy."
The complaint was filed Aug. 18. The state has until Nov. 17 to respond.
Sarah Shemkus can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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GHS boys lacrosse edges Ridgefield in a four-overtime thriller
Recommended Video:
RIDGEFIELD -- As each intense overtime session passed, everyone at rainy Tiger Hollow Stadium kept wondering when, and if, Tuesday's boys lacrosse showdown between Greenwich High School and Ridgefield was going to conclude.
With just 26.8 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime quarter, Cardinals attack Decker Curran provided the answer.
Curran's goal ended more than 63 minutes of physical, back-and-forth action and gave Greenwich a dramatic 8-7 quadruple overtime triumph over Ridgefield in an early season regular season matchup that had a postseason game feel to it.
Patiently moving the ball around the perimeter while seeking an open shot, the Cardinals tallied the goal both squads worked almost 16 overtime minutes for, courtesy of Curran. Receiving a pass from senior attack Jamie Paradise near the crease, Curran quickly snapped a low shot past Tigers goalie Brendan Winne for the game-winner. Then it was celebration time, as the Cardinals stormed the field.
"Jamie Paradise sent a bullet to me right across the crease, I couldn't have asked for a better pass," Curran said. "I was just able to finish it. I've never had an overtime winner in my life, so this feels awesome."
Curran and senior attack Luke Finneran each recorded two goals and two assists, while attackman Bobby Goggin scored twice for Greenwich (3-0). The Cardinals received an outstanding performance from junior goalie Tommy Rogan, who rescued the team from defeat with several impressive saves over the course of the four overtime periods -- and a strong defensive effort.
"Kudos to Ridgefield, they are a really good, well-coached team," GHS coach Scott Bulkley said. "Both teams played hard, we almost played two games today. It's too bad somebody had to lose that game, but I feel good for our guys. We have worked really hard and some of the stuff we've been preaching to the team came true."
Ridgefield (2-1) was paced offensively by senior Dylan Maher, who scored two goals and junior Simon Mathias (one goal, one assist). Midfielder/faceoff specialist Matt Philbin won 16 faceoffs for the Tigers, who also saw its defenders rise to the occasion.
"We won the defensive battle and the faceoff battle, but we were terrible on offense," said Tigers coach Roy Colsey, who also received goals from Nick Esemplare, Will Bonaparte, Sam Boehle and Dan Ohrem. "Going to quadruple overtime is well and good, but we had so many more chances to score and didn't get the job done. I know their defense is part of it -- Greenwich has one of the best defensive groups in the state -- but when you get opportunities, you have to make some of them count."
The game, a rematch of last season's FCIAC Tournament semifinals won by Greenwich 6-5, seemed destined to enter a fifth overtime period, as GHS continued to search for an open look with under one minute remaining. Then Paradise found Curran, who was open for a second.
"I was at the crease and it was a little bit scary when I got the ball, but I knew I had to do my job," Curran said. "Jamie Paradise, Ryan Flippin, Kyle Foote -- our whole attack stepped up and came to play."
Ridgefield had two man-up opportunities during the third four-minute overtime, but didn't capitalize. Rogan made a save on a shot off the stick of Esemplare with just less than three minutes left in the third overtime and got his body in front a pair of shots during the second overtime. This is probably the best game I've played in. Four overtimes, it doesn't get much better than that."
"When they were coming down the field I was thinking, "you have been playing like this all day, but you have to get one more. You have to block one more shot.
"Tommy's a gamer," Bulkley added. "Sitting behind Will Waesche last year benefited him and he made some huge saves today."
Mathias forced overtime when he scored with 2:04 left in regulation, knotting the score at 7-7. Scooping up a ground ball in traffic, Mathias sprinted down the field before converting a high shot from five yards out. Winne won the game's opening faceoff and the Tigers promptly scored, as Maher converted a shot from the perimeter 40 seconds into the first quarter.
The Cards responded with four consecutive goals with Paradise tallying the first one off a feed from Curran. Finneran gave GHS its first lead of the game at 2-1, scoring off a Curran pass, and John Tooher tallied after being set up nicely by Finneran, making it 3-1. Gaining possession after senior long stick midfielder Cole Perry intercepted a pass, the Cardinals cashed in, with Goggin scoring off a pass by Finneran from behind, putting the visitors on top, 4-1 with 3:38 to go in the opening quarter.
The Tigers cut the Cardinals' lead to 4-2 going into the second quarter on Bonaparte's goal and went into halftime trailing 5-4. Boehle and Ohrem scored for Ridgefield in the second quarter, while Curran tallied off a pass from Foote for the Cardinals. Goals were hard to come by for both teams during the second half and in overtime with the Tigers playing their traditionally tough zone defense and the Cards' defenders marking their men tightly.
Seniors defenders Jack Harrington, Jack Nail and Nick Schepis, junior Griffin Tiedy, Cole Perry and sophomore Danny Colligan came up with key ground balls and helped slow down the Tigers vaunted attack.
"We used a great effort the whole game and carried it to the fourth overtime," Nail said. "When Decker scored it felt good knowing we beat Ridgefield on their home field, which is something I've never done before."
Said Colsey: "This was a great game for both teams. I'm proud of our guys for not quitting. In a game like this, you're just one big shot away from walking away happy."
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-625-4423.
Records: Greenwich 3-0; Ridgefield 2-1.
Scoring: G -- Decker Curran (2 g, 2 a); Luke Finneran (2 g, 2 a); Bobby Goggin (2 g); Jamie Paradise (1 g, 1 a); John Tooher (1 g); Kyle Foote (1 a); Ryan Flippin (2 a). R -- Dylan Maher (2 g); Simon Mathias (1 g, 1 a); Sam Boehle (1 g); Dan Ohrem (1 g); Nick Esemplare (1 g); Will Bonaparte (1 g); Ryan Dunn (1 a). Goalies: Tommy Rogan (12 saves); R -- Brendan Winne (8 saves).


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Magical Moments: Quiet Minds
Welcome to the Magical Moments Report for the "Quiet Minds" episode of Once Upon a Time. Here you'll find highlights and insights for the recent events affecting Storybrooke, Fairy Tale Land and more. WARNING: There are spoilers here if you haven't yet seen the episode. Enjoy!
Forgotten Father: In present day Storybrooke, Henry realizes that something is up with his mom. He wants to know the truth or he wants to go back to New York. Their conversation ends abruptly when Emma gets word that Neal is back. He has a strange marking on his hand. He has no idea how it got there. Neal is also very upset to hear the latest about Henry.
Arrow to the Heart?: While investigating the farmhouse, Regina finds she's not alone. No, it's not the Wicked Witch who catches her eye. It's an unfamiliar fellow who has a very familiar feel about him.
Protecting Your Children: Belle learns that the symbol on Neal's hand is from an ancient talisman on a key that opens the vault of the Dark One, who can only be restored in exchange for another life. If Neal used the key, he should be dead. Past and present events coincide. Neal collapses before Emma in the woods as well as before Belle by the vault. A fully restored Rumplestiltskin rushes to his son's side as the Wicked Witch appears.
An Unhappy Ending: Neal asks Emma to use her magic to separate him from his father. She reluctantly does so. Mr. Gold is back. He says that Zelena is the Wicked Witch. He knows that there's no way to save his son. Neal gives Emma the special locket he held onto through all this. He wants her to tell Henry he was a good father. Mr. Gold desperately wants to save his boy. However, this is beyond even his power.
Access the full recap for "Quiet Minds."


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One Course Option:
This course surveys the nation-rebuilding efforts of Native nations today, and compares and contrasts the two approaches to economic and community development that they typically pursue.
The Native Nation Building introductory course presents the five critical keys to successful nation building, and begins to explore why these each of these keys is so important to sustainable economic and community development.more info >
Six Course Options:
One Course Option:
The full course, which features all nine "Rebuilding Native Nations" modules, provides a comprehensive look at the nation-rebuilding efforts of Native nations across the United States and Canada. It presents in-depth examinations of critical governance challenges, from building an effective governmental bureaucracy to creating
an environment that fosters sustainable economic development, whether nation-owned enterprises or citizen-owned businesses.
* Course registration rates are based on a standard fee of $75.00 per module. Volume discounts are available for group purchases of six (6) registrations or more. To learn more, please click here or contact the Rebuilding Native Nations course series staff at 877-508-4442 or via e-mail.
The "Rebuilding Native Nations" course series was made possible in part by the Bush Foundation, the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and the U.S. Department of the Interior.


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Even though they never really worked for a living and apparently never threw anything away, those pack rats known as the Collyer brothers of New York City have cut a remarkably broad swath through the clutter of popular culture. The story of their lives — and creepy deaths — in their Manhattan junk palace in the 1930s and '40s inspired Richard Greenberg's superb play "The Dazzle," (seen at Steppenwolf a decade or so ago), a more recent play by Michael McKeever called "Stuff," novels by E.L. Doctorow and Marcia Davenport, and numerous nonfiction accounts of how they lived and died and what garbage came out of their house when they did.
There's no question that hoarders fascinate us — they even have their own reality-TV show — not least because they are, simultaneously, examples of mostly harmless human eccentricity and cautionary extrapolations of something dangerous that many of us recognize in ourselves (although, for the record, I get enormous pleasure from filling a trash can). But when you've got a story already this well-told, you need to probe a little deeper than Mark Saltzman does in "Clutter," which had its Midwest premiere Thursday night.
Produced commercially with non-Equity actors by Wendy Kaplan's MadKap Productions and directed by Wayne Mell of the Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest, "Clutter" is mostly a straight-up account of the Collyer tale, told so as to emphasize the mystery of their deaths (their house at 128th Street and Fifth Avenue was, famously, filled with booby traps to repel the curious and the unwelcome). We learn of the brothers (exuberantly played by Andrew J. Pond and Edward Kuffert) through the police detective (the solid Joe Mack) who is obliged to investigate their situation after someone calling himself Charles Smith telephones the precinct to report a dead body inside 2078 Fifth Avenue.
We watch the two working-class police officers (Michael Bullaro is a junior patrolman) explore the atrophied abode and make an array of strange discoveries.
There are the beginnings here of the necessary deeper themes — the two investigating cops are brothers themselves, albeit of a very different stripe — and Saltzman does try to tease out a bit the question of why and how the Collyer brothers got this way and what that has to say about American life.
But the piece is structured far too much like a movie screenplay, full of short scenes that advance the plot more than the theme, when instead it needs to find a workable theatrical metaphor to extrapolate what we can learn from this tawdry tale. That problem is exacerbated by Mell's serviceable but often pedestrian production, which plods along without much imagination, and a set by Andrei Onegin that fails to really show us a house filled to the brim with clutter. The Collyers' lair actually looks quite appealing here — rather like a lovable antique shop — even though the characters are talking about narrow passageways and mountains of stuff, already filled with rats.
Saltzman, clearly, wanted to write a commercial story with some humor and suspense, and he and Mell have somewhat succeeded: Pond and Kuffert not only have quite the resemblance to pictures I've seen of the real Collyer brothers, but they forge a pair of intriguing, entertaining fellows, chased down by a couple of standard-issue Irish cops.
But that's not yet enough to cut through the clutter of a familiar yarn. Saltzman and Mell have yet to really find a reason for the Collyers to be in a theater, and for us to spend a night listening to their story.
When: Through March 11
Where: Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.
Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Tickets: $40 at 773-404-7336 or greenhousetheater.org


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Communist Party of the Philippines, Information Bureau
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) urged the Filipino people to oppose the Aquino regime's policy of national treachery in calling for increasing American military presence in the Phlippines through the Balikatan "joint exercises". The CPP issued this statement as around 4,500 US soldiers are set to arrive in the Philippines to hold naval and other maneuvers starting tomorrow along the South China Sea, off the coast of Palawan, in the general vicinity of the disputed Spratly islands.
"The so-called joint military exercises to be carried out this year by the US and Philippine governments are clear acts of power projection and military muscle flexing by the imperialist US government directed at China whose rising economic power, political influence and military strength are perceived by the US as threats to its aims of expanding and strengthening its hegemony over the Asia-Pacific region," said the CPP. Continue reading


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Standing out has always been our strong suit. We like to add pizazz to even the most simplistic designs. This 80's glam neon-sign inspired collection moves and bends effortlessly for a sleek, modern shape that is not only lighting, but art for your space. Artisan hand-crafting is what really makes our geometrics electric.
Dimensions: 15 in. H x 8 in. W x 4 in. Ext.
Lamping: 2 x 60 Watt Candelabra
Weight: 2.54 Lbs
Collections: Eliptico, Lighting, New Introductions, Vanity
Type: Bath/Vanity
Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more …
© 2020 Varaluz.
702-792-6900 | Contact Us | 4445 S Valley View Blvd, Ste 6, Las Vegas, NV 89103


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Terry Cavanagh
YouTube rejects Terry Cavanagh's copyright appeal on VVVVVV
YouTube has rejected Terry Cavanagh's copyright appeal over a video of VVVVVV he posted on the service.
Terry Cavanagh headlines
VVVVVV mobile, Ouya and Vita ports expected in 2014
VVVVVV creator Terry Cavanagh hopes to bring the challenging indie platformer to several new systems this year.
VVVVVV confirmed for release on VVVVVVita
VVVVVV will be heading to Vita after all, Nicalis' Tyron Rodriguez has announced. After teasing the possibility on Twitter earlier this month, on the PS blog Rodriguez went over the gameplay mechanics of the Terry Cavanagh title, but failed to provide a release date. Just know it's official and it's coming to PS VVVVVVita.
VVVVVV may be headed to Vita in the near future
VVVVVV may be coming to Vita in the near future if a tweet from Nicalis' Tyron Rodriguez is any indication. The picture of the game running on Vita, which was tweeted by Rodriguez yesterday, was met with surprise by the game's creator Terry Cavanagh who responded by saying: "Cool, I didn't know this was still […]
Experiment 12 is a free download featuring chapters from various indie offerings
Experiment 12 is a 12-chapter collaboration from indie developers which includes one chapter from games created by Terry Cavanagh, Ian Snyder, Jack King-Spooner, Zaratustra, Richard Perrin, Michael Brough, Robert Yang, Alan Hazelden, TheBlackMask, Jasper Byrne, Jake Clover, and Benn Powell. Each chapter even has a narrative after you completed it which will ties into the […]
Super Hexagon now available on BlackBerry 10
The simplistic-seeming but notoriously difficult Super Hexagon is the latest to make the jump to the latest BlackBerry platform.
Super Hexagon, VVVVVV creator shelves two unfinished projects
Terry Cavanagh has put long-delayed projects Nexus City and Selma's Story out of their misery.
Super Hexagon hits Steam next week
Super Hexagon, a hard-as-nails iOS game currently causing lifelong feuds between a number of rival games writers, is on its way to Steam.
Super Hexagon from VVVVVV developer out now on iPad, iPhone
Super Hexagon is the latest from VVVVVV creator Terry Cavanagh, and it's out now on on iPhone and iPad. You can see a video of it in action below. It is slated to arrive on PC and Mac at a later date. Thanks, PC Gamer.
VVVVVV finally releasing in Europe May 10 through Nintendo's eShop
VVVVVV will finally release in Europe on 3DS, according to the game's publisher, Nicalis. Those in the US have been playing the Terry Cavanagh title since last year. Expect it to land on the eShop May 10. Thanks, NintendoLife.
VVVVVV creator has eight games in the works
Indie developer Terry Cavanagh has vowed to complete three major and five minor unfinished projects during 2012, including anticipated RPG Nexus City, a collaboration with Jonas Kyratzes. 2D platformer VVVVVV is probably Cavanagh's best-known work; it's available on PC and 3DS in the US, with a European releases on the handheld expected this month. Hit […]
Terry Cavanagh latest
Experiment 12 is a free download featuring chapters from various indie offerings
Super Hexagon, VVVVVV creator shelves two unfinished projects
VVVVVV finally releasing in Europe May 10 through Nintendo's eShop


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cut (someone) to pieces(redirected from cut us to pieces)
cut (someone) to pieces
1. To violently kill, severely maim, or incapacitate someone. The soldier was cut to pieces by the roadside bomb. The devastating disease cut her to pieces.
2. To completely overwhelm, defeat, or decimate. The team's star striker has been cutting their defense to pieces. The recession has cut to pieces the hopes of many young and older workers alike.


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The ESP E-mail List
What is the ESP List?
"ESP" is an automated e-mail list (also known as a "listserv") open to all NEA members and staff of NEA and its affiliates. List members use the list to engage in community conversations around issues that concern education support professionals within the NEA, including contracting out, bargaining problems, training needs, and questions about how to improve and strengthen the Association.
If you are an NEA member or staff, the easiest way to subscribe to the ESP List is to use the simple form below. All information fields are required — this will help us verify your membership so that we may approve your subscription.
Using the ESP List
Once you become an ESP list member, if you have a question you want to ask or information you would like to share, all you need to do is to send an E-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com. Your message will automatically be sent to all of the ESP list members.
If you have a problem with the list, want to unsubscribe, change your E-mail address, or modify some other aspect of your list status, DO NOT send a message to the list. Instead, contact a list administrator at this address: firstname.lastname@example.com.
For more information about using the ESP list and other listserv lists, go to FAQ's about the ESP List, where we have assembled answers to some of the most common questions list users have.


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WJZY (Channel 46) announced Tuesday that Cheryl Butler-Brayboy will be the station's new anchor when it launches its own 10 p.m. newscast in January.
|Cheryl Brayboy
Brayboy, who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in English and cultural studies, has worked for stations in Allentown, Pa.; Columbus, Ga.; and Washington. She has also worked at Johnson C. Smith University as an assistant professor of literature and languages.
She was host of the "Queen City Blocks," a show about Charlotte neighborhoods and hotspots, on WTVI (Channel 42) in 2009.
She is the wife of Jack Brayboy, a Charlotte producer and former news host on "Fox News Rising" on WCCB (Channel 18).
WJZY will begin streaming daily rehearsals of its newscasts at 10 p.m. Wednesday on its web site, www.myfoxcarolinas.com.


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5 Dangerous Projects You Should (Probably) Let Your Children Do
Do your kids test their limits… and scare you to death?
Is it difficult to let go and let them learn things, the hard way?
Merriam-Webster defines adventure as "an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks."
In this article, I'll share five adventures that encourage parents like you and me to say "yes" and let our children learn by taking risks.
I gleaned them from Gever Tulley's book, 50 Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do).
Why Let Kids Do Dangerous Projects?
At what age would you feel comfortable letting your child use a sharp knife?
Before you answer that question, consider the risks of using a sharp knife; for example, small cuts and scratches or even deep wounds. Then start from age 2 and keep going up until you're sure you could hand your child a sharp knife without having to say, "Be careful!"
If the thought of exposing your children to the slightest dangerous situation makes you shudder, don't worry—you're not alone. Most parents wouldn't dream of putting their children in harm's way, at least not on purpose!
Unfortunately we live in a dangerous world.
As a parent, you must teach your children to navigate their way around dangerous situations to avoid a potential tragedy in the future.


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Frank Archambeault, a distant cousin of mine, scanned and sent me two weeks ago several tintype pictures of the Archambeault family to share with you.
Frank has fond memories of his grandmother Myra Alexandre who, back in 2010, was that unidentified young woman on the right on this picture sent in 2010 by Sandy, another distant cousin. Back then they were known as Bristol late 1890s' sisters.
Flavie (Phoebe) Alexandre Lestage and Myra Alexandre Archambeault
There is another young woman on this tintype picture who is just begging to be identified.
She is on the left in the first row.
I presume all these young women are Archambeault sisters.
This is another picture Frank sent me. The young lady had a very familiar look.
Could she be Mary Archambeault, one of several daughters of Jean-Baptiste Archambeault and Emilia Mercier whom we see here in another tintype picture with their children?
circa 1873
Mary would be on the right side just under the young man in the last row with his hand on her shoulder.
By looking at this next picture Robin had scanned last year, I think I recognize Mary.
Mary Archambault and Arthur Ashley were Ida Ashley's parents. Ida is the bride on this picture. Leo Combe is the groom.
Someone once told me that tintype pictures were a mirror reflection, but I don't remember who told me that.
So this would be the real Mary Archambeault…
Whether my theory is correct or not, where do you think Arthur Ashley was on this picture taken on Ida Ashley's wedding day?
The answer is…
Arthur Ashley is probably the man in the back on the right side because the man on the left side is Victor Combe, the groom's father. The old man in the second row on the extreme left is Jean-Baptiste Archambeault, the bride's grandfather.


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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Two different genetic mutations cooperate to induce adrenal cancer, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and University of Sao Paulo in Brazil.
The finding provides new clues to this rare and deadly cancer type, and researchers hope it will lead to better treatments by targeting both mutations.
About 600 Americans are diagnosed with adrenal cancer per year. It is typically diagnosed in late stages when there is nearly no chance of survival beyond five years.
"Because adrenal cancer is so rare, it has been challenging to find enough patients who can provide tissue samples for research. Only through collaboration can we do this," says senior study author Gary Hammer, M.D., Ph.D., the Millie Schembechler Professor of Adrenal Cancer at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The partnership between U-M and Sao Paulo has allowed researchers to collect tissue samples from 118 people with benign or cancerous adrenal tumors.
"Our goal is to understand these tumors and the genes that are critical lynchpins so that we can develop treatments that extend patients' lives," Hammer says.
By studying both benign and cancerous adrenal tissue samples, the researchers found aberrations in two genetic pathways: beta-catenin and insulin-like growth factor 2, or IGF-2. The benign tumors had a high percentage of mutations in beta-catenin, but IGF2 up-regulation was rare. On the other hand, most of the adrenal cancers exhibited IGF-2 up-regulation. Cancers that also had beta-catenin mutation were associated with high-grade disease and worse survival, compared to tumors with only IGF-2 up-regulation.
The researchers additionally tested this finding experimentally by inducing individual or combined mutations in beta-catenin and IGF-2 in the mouse adrenal. The mice developed cancer only when both mutations were present.
Results of the study appear in the September issue of the American Journal of Pathology.
The next step is to develop treatments that block both beta-catenin and IGF2.
"It's more complex than just finding genes that cause cancer. Early results targeting IGF2 alone, while promising, don't look as robust as we had initially hoped. That could be because we need to attack both IGF2 and beta-catenin. As cancer treatments move more toward targeted genetic approaches, it's likely that these therapies will need to be used in combination," Hammer says.
Additional authors: Joanne H. Heaton, Michelle A. Wood, Alex C. Kim, Ferdous M. Barlaskar, Rork Kuick, Derek P. Simon, Elisabeth Starnes, Dafydd G. Thomas and Thomas J. Giordano from U-M; Lorena O. Lima, Madson Q. Almeida, Maria C.B.V. Fragoso, Antonio M. Lerario, Ibere C. Soares, and Ana C. Latronico, from Sao Paulo University, Brazil
Funding: U-M Millie Schembechler Adrenal Cancer Research Fund; National Institutes of Health grants DK 062027, CA 134606, T32 DK07245, T32 HD007505, T32 CA009676; National Council for Scientific and Technological Development of Brazil; Coordination for Improvement of Higher Education, Brazil
Disclosure: None
Reference: American Journal of Pathology, Vol. 181, No. 3, September 2012
U-M Cancer AnswerLine, 800-865-1125
U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center
Clinical trials at U-M


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17 November 2012 - Kisii, Kenya - Emily Chebet, the 2010 IAAF World Cross Country champion, refused to relinquish the limelight in the KCB/AK National Cross Country Series when she completed her hat-trick of victories in Kisii on Saturday (17) in another polished performance.
The in-form runner, who is now virtually assured of the series jackpot in the women's long race, was not the only World Cross winner on show in the meet that attracted 305 entries.
Punta Umbria women's junior champion and London Olympics runner, Faith Chepng'etich was humbled in the 6km event by newcomer Roline Chepng'etich.
Moses Mukono recaptured top honours in the men corresponding men's 8km race after being forced down to second last weekend in Machakos.
The men's long race saw its third different winner with Richard Sigei, a 1:01:14 half marathoner, prevailing to leave the race for the series payout wide open during the event staged at the lush lawns of Kisii Golf Club.
Chebet three-peats
Having won two close races in Nyahururu and Machakos, there was no doubt about the outcome when the Bydgoszcz gold medallist charged to the lead in the penultimate lap before wrapping up her third successive win in 29:10.6.
"The race was tough but at least I was comfortable in the end and I'm pleased that I have won my third race. This is good build-up for the Nationals and I know I cannot relax."
"I'm pleased with my form and having tested my body in Nyahururu, Machakos and here, I can say that the injuries that bothered me are behind me," the African Cross bronze winner in her event said and is considering skipping the fourth leg in Kapsakwony next Saturday to recharge her batteries.
Incidentally, it was the second victory for Chebet in Kisii this calendar year having won at the same course on January 12 when the event wrapped up the seven-meet 2011/12 series.
"I love competing here, like today, the weather was cool and the course is good," she stressed.
With a $2,310 (Ksh200,000) series jackpot on offer, Chebet just needs to start the last event in Kericho in January to clinch the pay-out.
Unheralded Stacy Nagwa (29:32.0) followed the winner home to force Phenecier Jemutai (30:19.4) who was third here in January to repeat her finish as Amman World Cross 16th finisher, Delvin Meringor, who has not featured in competition for two seasons rounding off the top-four in 30:49.7.
Chepng'etich floored
The return of Faith Chepng'etich to action created the buzz around this meet and having been seemingly untouchable domestically in the women 6km event for the better part of two seasons, her bludgeoning reputation was on the line.
Chepng'etich added the World Junior track crown in Barcelona in July to her Lille World Youth title in the metric mile before she was given her Olympics debut in London where she was ninth in the 1500m heats to underline her credentials.
However, novice Roline Chepng'etich (20:51.8) gave the champion a bitter taste of what she has been dishing out to so many junior 6km fields when she out-sprinted the decorated athlete to cause the biggest upset of the day.
"Sometimes it happens but this is my first race after another tiring year and school and I'm working towards getting my shape back," the African Cross champion who finished fourth at the Bydgoszcz World Cross before winning the top medal a year later in Spain expressed after crossing the line in 21:08.0.
Agnes Jebet (21:10.3) replayed her third finish from Nyahururu (November 3) to continue her solid season as Jessica Chelangat (22:09.8) closed the top-four.
Mukono bounces back
After winning the opener in Nyahururu, Mukono was compelled to play the bridesmaid to Peter Namuria in Machakos.
The 17-year-old returned to winning ways with yet another dominant run in the men junior 8km race in 24:12.1 with Gilbert Kirui (24:19.5), Kiprono Bett (24:29.3) and Koech Bett (24:32.6) following the winner in that order to occupy positions two to four.
In the final event of the day, Kericho based runner Sigei who ran 1:01:14 in Lille in September completed the course in 38:01.0 after charging to the lead with 10km gone.
Philip Langat (38:12.5) led the chasing pack home ahead of Edinburgh, Amman and Bydgoszcz runner, Charles Kibet who completed the podium in 38:20.0 further back.
Mutwiri Mutuota (Capital FM) for the IAAF
Senior men 12km
1. Richard Sigei 38:01.0
2. Philip Langat 38:12.5
3. Charles Kibet 38:20.0
4. Silas Kipchoge 38:23.0 Iten
5. Eric Langat 38:40.2
6. Cheserek Kemboi 38:46.7
7. Timothy Kiptoo 38:50.4
8. Wilson Morwabe 38:55.0
9. Shadrack Kosgei 39:05.1
10. Amos Limakori 39:11.0
Senior women 8km
1. Emily Chebet 29:10.6
2. Stacy Nagwa 29:32.0
3. Phenecier Jemutai 30:19.4
4. Delvin Merigor 30:49.7
5. Jane Murage 31:01.2
6. Irene Mongare 31:30.1
7. Margaret Gachigwa (Ind) 31:41.4
8. Jacqueline Chirchir 31:53.7
9. Geddy Mutua (KDF) 32:05.3
10. Agnes Mutua (Isi) 32:13.0
Junior men 8km
1. Moses Mukono 24:12.1
2. Gilbert Kirui 24:19.5
3. Kiprono Bett 24:29.3
4. Koech Bett 24:32.6
5. Hillary Langat 24:35.8
6. Peter Limo 24:38.0
7. Elphas Cheptek 24:43.0
8. Limo Komen 24:48.5
9. Bernard Kimani 24:56.3
10. Joesph Chacha 25:09.7
Junior women 6km
1. Roline Chepng'etich 20:51.8
2. Faith Cheng'etich 21:08.0
3. Agnes Chebet 21:10.3
4. Jessica Chelangat 22:09.8
5. Vivian Chepkemei 22:10.9
6. Joyline Chemweno 22:12.1
7. Betty Chepkemoi 22:42.5
8. Damaris Cheptoo 22:49.7
9. Edna Okeyo 22:51.5
10. Winfridah Nakesa 22:58.5


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Conservation and Environment in Fiji: Monthly Updates
Fiji Shark Conservation - Bi-Monthly report – January + February 2015
What a great first two months here at The Shark Conservation Project. Even though we have been going through a transition period with the change over in staff, our new recruits have been passionate and have worked extremely hard to ensure that everything progressed as normally as possible.
We have conducted numerous educational activities with local villages and schools around Pacific Harbour and the province of Serua. Our staff and volunteers have had to brave the long and continuous rain during our tagging trips and survey dives but in spite of this their enthusiasm and upbeat spirit have been exemplary.
We have always undertaken an internal stock take and have spent a lot of time asking volunteers and discussing as staff on how we can improve. This January we celebrated our Projects 1st Birthday! We all enjoyed a huge Lovo feast and cake to celebrate. It was a fantastic celebration of our achievements and all the magnificent staff and volunteers that have aided us along the way. Moving forward we always try to learn from our mistakes and improve on our success. We as an organisation play an important role in the education and promotion of holistic conservation efforts and we can never afford to rest on our laurels. We, the staffs and volunteers celebrate in the honour and the continuous effort of being a part of it.
To an exciting year ahead.
Vinaka Vakalevu
The search for Fijian shark nurseries continues with Projects Abroad in 2015. The beginning of this year was a period of change. Diego Cardenosa, former lead scientist of the program, had 20 days to train his successor, Gauthier Mescam, before leaving the country to start his PhD. The month of January has proven rainy, leading to the presence of debris of all kinds in the river. This meant that the team was unable to use the net as often as they would like so long lines were used instead. After nearly a year, the data collection on Navua River has come to an end. Diego is now analysing the data and writing a report on his discoveries that could help the government to manage this area. For our last tagging trip on the Navua River one of our lovely Danish volunteers Heino, pulled a 64 cm Mangrove snapper (L. argentimaculatus) off the long line!
At the beginning of February, in collaboration with the professor Ciro Rico, from the University of the South Pacific, and his student Celso Cawich, the Fiji Shark Conservation Project has started to assess a new area of South Viti Levu. Local fishermen have told our team that Korovou Bay was a potential shark nursery ground for Scalloped hammerhead sharks. This was a month of trial. The gear, made for catching Bull sharks in a river, had to be changed to catch the smaller sized Hammerhead sharks in a deeper bay. 4 sharks have been caught in the net over the month of February: 3 juveniles Scalloped hammerhead sharks (S. lewini) and one adult male Blacktip reef shark (C. melanopterus) of 1.34 m long. Peter, volunteer from Netherlands, was lucky enough to catch such an amazing shark for his first tagging trip! We also had some unexpected visitors on the long-lines. A Green sea turtle (C. mydas) was captured and release safely, as well as a 57 cm Orange-spotted grouper (E. coioides)!
Our Mangrove Project just keeps getting bigger and better! Last month we replanted along the coast of the Serua Province. Volunteers have been working on various sites collecting propagules to replant and create a habitat for juvenile sharks. This process involves collecting propagules and replanting the propagules into the nursery to help them grow healthier and stronger.
Last Thursday, many of the mangrove propagules were ready to be planted in to an area which we are trying to make into a safe and healthy habitat for juvenile sharks. Firstly, we went to Vunibau Village and gathered the previously planted propagules into bags. After gathering many propagules we took them to (insert beach name here) and with the help of some of the villagers, we planted many rows of propagules that will grow into mangroves to create a safe and healthy habitat for the juvenile sharks! It was a great and memorable day.
In February we also partook in Uprising Beach Resorts publicity for Earth Hour as we are working closely with them on Mangrove Reforestation.
Community Education
It's been 2 great months for Community Education. We have been focussing on Vunibau and Galoa Village. In Vunibau Village, apart from educating the kids and the villagers about the importance of Mangrove, Recycling and Shark Conservation we have totally transformed their Kindergarten into an underwater world. The Teacher has mentioned that there has been a great interest in learning about marine ecology and children attendances have increased!
On the 20th February, a group of Project Abroad volunteers went out to the Vunibau Kindergarten. When we got to the school we were greeted by a classroom of kids ages (5-6) and introduced ourselves. We told them where we were from and why we were here, many of the reasons were we loved marine life and wanted to save sharks. After introducing ourselves, we handed out pictures of friendly and funny looking sharks that the kids could colour in. We then spent the morning playing games, one of them was duck duck goose which they really loved. After running in circles, we went back into the classroom and learnt Fijian songs, which the kids sang and danced to. Although we weren't as good as the kids at dancing it was really fun! We taught them some of our childhood songs which included the Hokey Pokey and a very catchy song Baby Shark. After playing around for a couple of hours, we were fed a delicious lunch and said our goodbyes. It was a great and memorable day!
Emma Eustence - Canadian Volunteer
Dirty Day
An important part of the Shark Conservation Project involves what is called "Dirty Day." This day is in place to emphasize the way this project goes far beyond a simple conservation project. It isn't just survey dives and shark lectures, but rather a project that takes care to interact and help the entire community it is immersed in. Dirty Day can vary each month, including activities such as painting a school, building a fence, or developing a nature area.
On January 19th, a group of Project Abroad volunteers went to Kilikali Settlement. This day was organized through a charity called The Happy Homes Trust, with whom we work once a month. For this project, we were tasked to fix up a house for a young girl, who had cerebral palsy. Throughout this day, we fixed the floor, door, adjusted the ramp and fixed the window frames. The work was hard but very rewarding and the family was truly grateful!
Dirty Day in February was located in the same community and was directly next door to the home that was helped on the January Dirty Day. The family in question has a son with Muscular Dystrophy, and another son who seems to be developing the disease. It had become hard for the boy to access the home due to it having steps leading inside.
The volunteers arrived that day with a clear goal. Make life easier for this family. Armed with an anonymous donation of timber worth $1,000, we got to work. The day began busy; with some volunteers measuring and cutting wood, some digging mud out of the house, and some carrying the mud over to fill holes in the road. The house had a simple, packed mud floor, with a fairly low ceiling so the wooden floor could not be simply be built on top. We dug two deep parallel strips in the floor to place beams of wood into, and then striped down several layers of mud from the rest of the house. All the while the mud was being shovelled into bags which were then carried outside. The mud was used to fill in holes in the road that passed by the home.
While this was being done, a separate group of volunteers worked on creating ramps for wheelchair access into the home. Two ramps were built. One permanently in place outside leading onto the front stoop. The other was a temporary ramp that could be placed inside for access from the stoop into the house and vis versa. These ramps were especially important because, although the steps were not significantly sized into and out of the house, pushing a wheelchair several times a day up and down would be unnecessarily draining and eventually impossible for a pregnant mother with several young children.
Once the mud had been dug out to where it would be possible and comfortable to place the wood on top, the assembly line began. There were two groups of volunteers cutting wood, with volunteers inside measuring for lengths, yelling lengths outside, and nailing the wood into place. Other volunteers handed the cut wood inside or made sure there was always a fresh piece of wood ready for cutting on the table.
The end result was worth every moment of work on that hot day. The sense of accomplishment for being able to help out a family that much was something that could never be recreated. We all were very aware of the appreciation felt by the family and the pride that we had given them for the future, to have a home with a nice floor instead of the packed mud they previously lived on.
Survey Dives
January survey dives were lead by Kira and Gauthier. No dives were cancelled or recalled in this month and the survey dives were often held around Yanuca reserve with a few dives at Frigettes on the outer reef in Beqa Lagoon. This site proved to have lots of the indicator species including numerous sittings of hawksbill turtles, spotted eagle rays, giant reef ray (marble ray) and a large population of white tip reef sharks.
As of February 8th 2015 the new dive staff, Juan and Lauren, took over after a week of training with Kira. Some new standards and protocols were changed that week. The pace of the dive slowed down and the size of the group are the primary changes. The BAD Dive Master has been used to lead the dives while both the Survey Divers (Lauren's group) follow behind and the Survey Divers in Training (Juan's group) are in the back. If the groups are split due to training needs or other unseen problems, then the data collected by the Training Group does not count towards the official data collection but is still used in the data discussion after the dive for training purposes.
The new staff started to develop the training and the curriculum for an official distinctive specialty for shark survey diving. The extended training was implement in the middle of February and the new standards are still being finalized and integrated with the old and new volunteers. The training group focuses on perfecting dive techniques and being able to identify the families of fish in the indicator species list. Independent study and time spent in the training group during the dive days is meant to further their fish identification skills to specific indicator species.
Majority of the dive sites have been exploratory dives at 'Random Reefs' around the east side of Beqa Lagoon around the Small and Medium reserve/control areas. Some sites have proved to be very plentiful with lots (min. 4) of curious white tip reef sharks and benthic rays. Furthermore a large 2.5 m leopard shark was seen at Leopard Reef around the medium reserve. However some sites have proved to be very empty of the indicator species with only one or two groupers spotted during the dive. We want to continue surveying random dive sites and compare the data from the reserves and the control areas.
The diving conditions have varied in the month of February. The visibility has been a low of 4m and a high of 20m, averaging around 10-15m. This large variance limits the ability to see some of the faster indicator species such as snappers and trevallies.
There was one diver recall that occurred due to unsafe weather conditions. The recall was the decision of Captain Ace from Baqa Adventure Divers at 19 minutes into the survey dive, cutting our survey dive 11 minutes short. The conditions are better in the morning with rain, wind, and overall bad weather almost continuously coming in around 3pm on dive days.
There are two main points of note in the BRUVs in January and February. Firstly, a male tiger shark was spotted on the BRUV at the end of January. Secondly, there was a random male diver in a Cressi BCD that tampered with the BRUV at the end of February in a drop in Yanuca Reserve. He was seen moving the BRUV and placing it on top of coral around 5 minutes before the BRUV was retrieved.
Our BRUV drops are proving more and more interesting and showing us not only what we already knew was out there but what we had hoped was out there! That being said, no data is still good data. When we see nothing on the BRUV in MPAs and non MPAs the data is important in showing which areas are being protected and which are not.
Recycling + Social
As an environmental and conservation group we try to raise awareness and find alternative solutions to managing our garbage. We have already started to buy all the empty plastic bottles from the villages for our mangrove project, however we have now found another project to work on – building bricks out of rubbish.
There's no denying that building bricks from rubbish is time consuming work, but highly environmental friendly. It is incredible how much rubbish you are able to stuff into one milk carton. All the pizza cartons from Saturdays dinner, as well as other plastic and paper materials, had turned into something useful. Our plan is to use the bricks to build retaining walls for our veggie garden and our compost box. However there are many other things you can use with these bricks.
To celebrate the end of a successful week of work the Volunteers help prepare a delicious Lovo feast and share Kava. On the weekends they enjoy all the fun activities Fiji has to offer like; shark diving, hiking, white water rafting, skydiving, beach going and of course Volunteers vs Staff Volleyball games and more.
We've had such an incredible start to 2015 and are so looking forward to the coming months!
Moce and Vinaka Vakelevu!


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Emily Yoffe, aka Dear Prudence, is on Washingtonpost.com every Monday at 1 p.m. to chat with readers about their romantic, family, financial, and workplace problems. (Read Prudie's Slate columns here.)
Emily Yoffe: Good afternoon. I'm looking forward to your letters.
Greenwich, Conn.: My husband and I went on a long weekend vacation to celebrate our anniversary.
Trying to relive our honeymoon, we ordered an in-room couples massage from a reputable establishment in the area. When our masseuse showed up, she was a—to put it lightly, a working girl and proceeded to lay across our hotel bed offering her services. This took us by surprise and we immediately ran into the bathroom to discuss how to kindly ask this woman to leave.
My husband went out to the room and asked her to leave but she wouldn't without $300 in cash for her time—which he gave.
Was this the right thing for us to do? Should we have given her money or forced her to leave?
We were also a little traumatized by the event and have had some trouble "getting over it."
Any advice?
Thanks, Prudish But Progressive
Emily Yoffe: Maybe this "reputable establishment" is used to getting calls from politicians, and so it had a different idea of what's involved in releasing stress than you and your husband had in mind. No, you should not have had to pay for the young lady's services—unless she developed a sudden expertise in shiatsu. You should have called the place that sent her, explained you didn't know it was an escort service, and told them unless they gave young lady orders to leave immediately, you would have her escorted out by hotel security and/or the police. Then you should have reported the incident to the hotel management, especially if they're the ones suggesting the establishment. You could have said that on no list of gifts for significant anniversaries does "prostitute" appear.
As for your trauma—I can understand you were shaken, but look at it another way. When you tell your friends the story of this memorable anniversary, they will be shaking with laughter.
Dear Prudence Video: Flashing Too Much Skin?
Dear Prudie, a coworker (closest to me) had a baby about 4 months ago. Two months before that, the office threw her a shower and a group of 20 coworkers pooled our money and bought her her dream crib (for $700 if it matters). She thanked us profusely during the shower, but never sent around thank you notes (neither a group one nor individual notes). I don't believe she sent any notes to anyone in the office.
She returned to work 2 weeks ago, and I'm getting pressure from my coworkers to tell her to "do her duty" and write a thank you note to each of us. We all signed the card, so there's no mystery who contributed to the crib. Personally, I am a sender and lover of personalized thank you notes, so I see their point; however, I'm feeling awkward about approaching the new mom 6 months after the gifting to say that she owes us written thanks. What should I do?
Emily Yoffe: People who don't write thank you notes think they're just some relic from a day when people left calling cards, and dipped their hands into finger bowls. They're right that thank you notes have an ancient lineage, but they should look further back, to the mists of time when our species first emerged as social creatures. All social beings have a deep-seated need for reciprocity, and if that sense is violated it's a deeply taken offense.
Your friend and colleague doesn't know it, but because of laziness she is forever damaging her relationship with her co-workers. They banded together and made an extravagant gesture for her, and she hasn't take the time (write five notes a night for four nights, and she's done) to properly thank them. Yes, I think you should pull her aside and say you know how overwhelmed she has been—blah, blah, blah—but explain there's a simmering resentment at the office because people haven't gotten thank you notes for the crib. Tell her it may seem silly, but the good feeling she will engender at even this late date if she writes a few lines to each person will be well worth it.
Boston: My husband and I have a friend with high-functioning autism. He is kind, funny and endearing, but has trouble navigating social situations. He has confessed several times in the past that he feels uncomfortable in larger groups, and he also feels awkward when people around him are drinking alcohol, which he has never done before. For these reasons, we decided not to invite him to our wedding, which took place several weeks ago. The next day he wrote on his blog, which many of our friends read, about how disappointed he was not to have been invited! This was very upsetting and embarrassing, and though his public complaint was inappropriate, we felt awful for having excluded him. Our wedding was not large, and he's not one of our closest friends, but now I realize we should have let him decide whether he would be at ease at the wedding. My husband wrote him a heartfelt apology, and it seemed that we had made amends. But now I feel like I must include him in every social gathering to show him that we like him, and another friend expressed his surprise that our autistic friend was not at the wedding (seemingly accusing us of insensitivity).
For an event that is supposed to be joyful, weddings certainly seem to generate their share of agita. Were we awful to have left our friend out, and how can we make it right?
Emily Yoffe: You're right your friend should not have complained on his blog about not being at your wedding. (It's a separate issue that more and more things that once were kept private—like wedding guest lists, and hurt feelings about not being on the list—play out on the Internet for everyone to see.) However, if he, and everyone else, would have expected him to be there, and you didn't invite him to save him "discomfort" then you made a mistake. Probably the discomfort was mostly yours—I have heard from other couples who leave out friends who family who might mar their "perfect day." You have apologized already, so now it's time to move on. But at your earliest chance invite your friend out for dinner, or out with a small gathering, to let him know how much you enjoy his company.
Midwest: I have a question about a very unusual, delicate situation. A dear friend of mine was married two weeks ago. In the course of celebration, I and many of our other friends purchased wedding gifts to give to her. However, we weren't all able to give them at the reception, for various reasons (not being in town, waiting for it to arrive in the mail, planning on getting something from a special vacation location later in the year, etc.) The bride unexpectedly passed away six days after the wedding. It's a tragedy, of course, and we are all grieving. My question is…what do we do with the gifts we weren't able to give her? Do we still give them to the husband? Return them if possible and donate the money to a charity in her name? What if returning them isn't possible? He has two small children from a previous marriage, and so we are all doing everything possible to support them, and I'm sure he could still use new plates and glasses, but none of us want to give him reminders of what should have been a very happy time in his life. Thanks.
Emily Yoffe: How horrible! And now you don't make a ghastly mistake of saying, "I know Janice would have enjoyed this trivet, so I hope you can use it in your new, single life." If the family has asked for donations in her name, yes, it would be a good idea to return the gift and use that money it toward a contribution. If you can't return the gift, jeez, then regift it, use it yourself, whatever, just don't sent it along to the grieving widower.
Washington, D.C.: Prudie—help! I have a weird situation and I can't find advice about it on the Internet.
After years of fruitlessly spending time on a creative pursuit I've had an enormous success. I just got the first of several paychecks for a multiple of my annual salary. Great, right?
But I don't know how to tell my friends or family and so I haven't said anything even though this happened a month ago. I'm old enough to have seen money tear apart a lot of friendships and families, even between genuinely good people. When I think it, though, any approach seems wrong. Matter-of-fact is arrogant, celebration is vulgar, trying to act like it didn't happen is phony and maybe even condescending. I feel like socially it's a lose-lose.
Emily Yoffe: Congratulations! But I don't see what your problem is. You tell people you sold the screenplay and you're so excited; or that documentary you've been slaving away on for years has just been picked up by a distributor; or your history of macramé plant holders has been chosen by Oprah as her fall book club selection. The point is your creative efforts are being recognized in the marketplace, and everyone who knows how hard you worked should be happy for you. It's not anyone's business, and you don't have to mention, just how gratifying the marketplace has been.
Seattle: My father was abusive to me and my youngest brother, and in addition to the physical and verbal abuse, I was also molested by this man. I told my mother, or tried to tell my mother, a couple of times when I was younger that it was going on, once when I was 11, and again when I was 14. She ignored my attempt to ask for help, and swept it all under the rug. It was just a non-event.
Several years later, when I was about 16, my parents got divorced because my father was having an affair that he was not willing to give up—just one in a string of others. I saw this as a sign that my mother was finally seeing him for how he truly was, and took that opportunity to talk to her about the previous years of abuse. She claimed she never knew about it (a convenient go-to excuse for everything regarding her husband apparently) and swore to never try to rekindle their marriage now that she knew about this.
Fast forward ten years later, they have remarried each other. She says now that he was 'saved' and goes to church with her every Sunday, and that I must have been mistaken about some of what I 'remember'. In other words, she is happy to just have her husband back and is eager to sweep everything under the rug, once again, even if that means thinking of me as a liar.
I have since moved to the west coast—they live on the east coast, and have a family and four children. My parents have been re-married for many years now, and after several years of frankly avoiding speaking to her and her new-again husband (I refuse to call him 'dad' any longer), I finally started accepting phone calls from her a few years ago for the sake of my 3 daughters—her grandchildren, who are teenagers now. My youngest son is 5 and has never met them.
She occasionally makes remarks about why I don't visit, or suggests that I let my daughters spend the summer there with her.
She is clearly in the complete denial phase again, and I just don't know how to respond. Normally I just say we're busy or we have a trip planned or some other excuse. I have no intentions of EVER visiting these people (my parents) ever again, and I have no desire to ever have them around my own children. I barely tolerate phone calls, which is my limit, for the sake of my kids, and those are only with my mom, never my dad.
I do not want to dredge these painful memories out of the closet again, as I feel I have moved on and dealt with them. But what can I say to my mother to get her to close the 'visit' topic forever without cutting off all communication with her, which would hurt my kids?
Emily Yoffe: Your mother suggests you send your daughters to spend the summer! Is this so grandpa can find some new victims? You need to tell your mother what you've expressed so well here: you are willing to have phone contact so your children will have some relationship with her. However, there will not be any visits because your father is a pedophile who sexually assaulted you, and you will never, ever allow your children to be in the same room with him. You can tell your mother if she is unsatisfied with this arrangement, you can go back to having no contact whatsoever. And your letter leaves me worried that your father is still out there in the community, possibly hurting other children.
Hendersonville, N.C.: I have a family problem that has stumped even my wise circle of friends. My father-in-law has a single-wide mobile home at my husband's home town at the beach. He has invested quite a bit of time and effort to make it livable for my husband, my five-year-old daughter and me when we come to visit. My problem is this: I can't go back to stay there. Despite his efforts, the place is a mess. He smokes indoors, and constantly. No matter how much he tries to clean, the smell has settled into the walls and carpets and I can't stand it. The rest of the house, especially the kitchen, is obviously the domain of a man who has no use for what I would consider basic cleaning supplies. And even if I came to visit armed with said supplies and spent ten hours using them, the smell of stale cigarette smoke would still be there, vile and nauseating. Given these issues, how do I present my feelings to my husband in such a way that will not offend him and his father? I truly feel awful about it, but I just cannot go back, and I don't want my daughter there, either. Help!
Emily Yoffe: Your marriage should be comfortable enough so that you can say to your husband that you adore your father-in-law and love visiting him, but the cigarette smoke makes staying in the mobile home a no-go for you. Tell him when you visit you need to stay in a motel or with other relatives for your physical comfort. It also might be possible that your husband and daughter could visit Grandpa for a few days without you. The rule would have to be he doesn't smoke in the house when your daughter is there. Unless she has asthma, etc., a few days in his place surely won't hurt her.
Thank you notes: I was given to understand that thank-you notes, while always nice and almost never improper, were only necessary when the recipient opens the gift outside the presence of the giver and doesn't have the opportunity then and there to thank the giver. Thus, if the new mother got the crib at a shower with everyone present and did the requisite fawning over what a wonderful and thoughtful gift it was, it seems she has done her duty.
And since when does failing to send thank-you notes give license for people to get affronted? Presumably you gave a gift because you wanted to help celebrate whatever occasion the gift was for. If people start demanding thank-you notes in return… well that just seems petty. Again, I'm not saying people should just ignore their obligations to write thank-you notes, but getting your knickers in such a huge twist when you don't get one seems ridiculous.
Emily Yoffe: I hope this wasn't your stance at your wedding and baby showers because a lot of people now think you're an ungrateful lout. Sure, at showers people know you liked the gift that they took the time money and trouble to obtain and give to you. That doesn't mean you don't sit down and take the time to write a note. This woman can take your position, or she can make a gesture and change how people think of her. It's often petty-seeming things that really rankle.
Princeton, N.J.: On Friday, my husband and I had an unexpected evening to ourselves and we decided to take advantage of this by enjoying a dinner out. When we got to the restaurant, we had to wait for a table. We sat at the bar for a few minutes, and I happened to notice a teenage couple kissing and cuddling in the corner. I thought it was cute and looked over periodically. When they pulled apart, however, I was shocked to see that my oldest daughter (17 years old) was one-half of the couple! And the boy she was kissing was most definitely not her boyfriend of ten months. Deciding it was best not to cause a scene in the restaurant, my husband and I finished our drinks and went to dinner somewhere else. When our daughter came home that night, we confronted her with what we'd seen. She became defensive and hostile, but I did manage to wheedle out of her that she'd been cheating on her boyfriend for several weeks. I've tried explaining to her that her actions may be unforgivable and that she needs to be honest with her boyfriend, but she's refusing. How can I get her to see that what she's doing is morally wrong and unfair to a boy who has only ever treated her with respect?
Emily Yoffe: You confronted your teenager about her lousy values and moral failings and she became defensive and hostile? What a surprise! You were wise to quietly exit the restaurant. You should have exercised this restraint when "talking to" not "confronting" your daughter about this the next day. You should have unemotionally explained you saw her out with another guy and you're concerned that she's getting in a situation that is going to be painful for everyone. You should have listened if she wanted to open up, and dropped it if she didn't. Your remaining calm and available to her as this unfolds will be more helpful than driving a wedge between you by berating her.
Crystal City, Va.: My cousin is married to a man who is an extremely aggressive and reckless driver. He tailgates at very high speeds, speeds everywhere, including through residential neighborhoods, runs stop signs, aggressively weaves through traffic—you get the idea. How he has avoided getting into a major accident all of these years, I'll never know. He does all the driving in the family (my cousin doesn't like to drive) and drives the kids to school every day. I do whatever I can to avoid getting into a car with him. Here's my question: should I call the police in the town he lives in and tell them about this guy? One of these days he's going to kill someone and I think I'll feel horribly guilty if I don't do anything about it.
Emily Yoffe: Many communities have signs on the highway asking for people to report aggressive drivers. You would be doing a public service to alert the police to be on the lookout for this maniac. I don't know what your cousin is thinking, but this guy needs to be stopped.
Washington, D.C.: I was wondering how you would handle this situation. I have a friend that I have been friends with for many years, but have recently realized that because she does not have a car, the only things she asks me to do socially with her involve things she couldn't get to herself without a ride. Not only that but when she has people over for dinner I am never invited, which would be an easy gesture to make me feel included.
Instead I get the "I'd love to take this pilates class that's in such and such area (without public transportation), would you like to go with me?"
I'm starting to feel very resentful and don't know quite how to approach this. Do I say something or just start backing away from this friendship?
Emily Yoffe: Say something before you put the car in reverse and drive off. Explain that you have started to feel you only see her when she needs a ride someplace. You can say many of things you do are fun, but the relationship is starting to feel not very reciprocal to you because of this.
Ignoring the tone … : of the previous message about thank-you notes, the standard rule I've always seen is that if you thank someone in person, a note is NOT required. In fact, the Emily Post Institute has this on their web site: "All gifts should be acknowledged with a note, unless the goodies were opened in front of the giver—then you have the chance to thank them in person."
Emily Yoffe: Fine, but guests expect to be thanked for gifts they give at a shower. This is why people have started the awful custom of having guests address your own envelope at the event. I'm sure (please correct me if I'm wrong) that Miss Manners expects newlyweds and mothers-to-be to write thank yous for gifts opened at showers. Believe me, if you don't write the note, people will be deeply annoyed.
Dayton, Ohio: Dear Prudence,
Several days ago, we had some friends over for dinner and a board game. During the course of the game my fiance said to me "you are so stupid" and he said it with a fair share of contempt. This has happened before, always with guests present. When I spoke with him about it after they had left, he claims he doesn't remember. We both don't like confrontation, but we need to talk about this. I've told him the last time that my hot button was being told I'm stupid, and he was truly amazed. How can I talk to him about this and impress on him how seriously I'm taking this comment/behavior. I've been upset for several days and know I need to resolve this issue.
Emily Yoffe: Yes, you do need to resolve this. Particularly since your fiance seems to have amnesia about insulting you vigorously in front of other people. Frankly, I think you should put the wedding on hold until you two get some counseling and you see this issue ameliorated.
Los Angeles, Calif.: How do you know when you should give up a career field because it's not working out? I've been trying to break into an extremely competitive field for the past 2.5 years. I've some bites here and there, but nothing concrete has panned out. I'm torn. I can't decide if I should just give up because I'm not qualified or because the field is competitive itself and trying to break in should take a lot of time. Should I take this personally or chalk it up to what I've decided to dedicate my life to? I've read lots of stories of people who persevere and go on to be really good at what they do after years of rejection, but you never hear about the people who gave up and what they did. What to do?
Emily Yoffe: I wonder how long the letter writer above who just made gobs on money in her creative endeavors slaved away? If you are going into a field where it's a struggle, but most people with a lot of drive and enough talent can make a go of it, then you need a better idea from more senior people about how to make sure you are making sufficient progress. But if you're in a field (show business, for example) where the vast majority of wannabes wash out, then one of the worst things you can do is read those stories of the people who struggled for 20 years and finally made it big. You need to draw up a plan—say give yourself another two years, but only if you're meeting some milestones along the way. And while you do that, look into other careers would satisfy some of these itches, and what it would take to switch.
Bi-Bi Husband: Your advice to the woman who has discovered her husband's taste for gay porn was generally right on, but you lose points for not pointing out her husband of 30 years—who says he loves her and cherishes their marriage—might not be gay, but bisexual. This piece of advice is missed out nearly as often as "you could give it up for adoption." You say "It's possible your husband has always struggled with homosexual impulses, but that he also truly loves you and treasures your years together and the family you've made." Why not just mention the B-word here? Thanks, from all us invisible bisexuals out here!
Emily Yoffe: This is in response to a letter in the column last week from a woman who found out her husband of 30 years views gay pornography, has a membership to a gay health club, and carries Viagra in his gym bag he's not using for her. I have heard from many people denouncing me for not recognizing the man could be bi-sexual. But so what? When you marry someone you don't have a caveat that if they discover other aspects of their sexuality, they should be free to cheat on you because of that. He's been hiding a crucial part of himself. He has to be honest now, and the marriage has to be re-assessed on that basis.
Emily Yoffe: Thanks everyone! And I believe Emily Post will not take you to task if you write the thank you note, anyway.


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Teen Hits Miraculous Game-Winning Full-Court Buzzer Beater — Twice! [VIDEOS]
Attention NBA scouts: keep your eye on Easton Gamoke.
Check out this amazing shot of the 13-year-old hitting an improbable full-court game-winning shot at the buzzer to lift his Minnesota youth basketball team to victory during a tournament in Wisconsin last weekend. Pretty amazing, right?
What's even more amazing is Gamoke managed to drill the shot again on his first attempt when a news station asked him to replay the scene.
Way to go, Easton. Remind us never to play you in a game of horse.


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Child Safe Blinds & Shades
- Ensures the safest room for children
- All products have cord-free options
- WCMA approved cordless options
- Cordless operation is easy at low heights
- Add motorization for hard to reach windows
Blindsgalore supports the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) and the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) in providing window treatments that meet the highest standards in cord safety to avoid any unwanted injuries or mishaps. The WCMA has created the Certified Best for Kids label to help identify products that are both suitable and strongly recommended in homes with young children. This certification program is the first of its kind and cordless lift options with this label have undergone rigorous third-party testing to ensure they meet stringent safety criteria. Select lift options labeled as Certified Best for Kids for utmost safety. Blindsgalore also recommends upgrading to a motorized blind or shade when available for extra protection and greater accessibility. Window treatment options that have been Certified Best for Kids are the smartest and safest choice for all of your blinds and shades.
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"Beautiful Shades!"
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I absolutely love my custom shades. The swatch samples came in very quickly. Having the color swatch in hand made the ordering process much easier. The material is beautiful. I had the light filtering backing added for heat resistance; my kitchen gets a lot of sun and gets warm quickly. I will definitely order again.View this product
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Aurora Ice Evergreen Yardage by Kate Spain for Moda Fabrics
$ 3.50 $ 4.99
Ice Evergreen yardage from the Aurora collection by Kate Spain for Moda Fabrics.
Yardage is offered in 1/2 yard cuts. More than one half yard will be cut as one piece.
A quantity of 1 refers to a 1/2 yard cut.
A quantity of 2 refers to a one-yard cut.
Collection: Aurora
Designer: Kate Spain
Manufacturer: Moda Fabrics
Piece Count: 1/2 yard continuous cuts
Material: Cotton


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Man Proposes With Boy Band Video
This guy definitely went to a lot of trouble to propose to his girlfriend. He wrote a song, made a music video, flew her to Australia and arranged to have it played at the end of another video at a giant party with all of his friends. Sincerely, how would you say no to that?
Lauren couldn't say no, and now she and Dean are getting married. As a bonus, you can buy the song (which is quite catchy) at the iTunes store and help them pay for their wedding. How sweet.


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Welcome to Viking Afloat Canal boat and narrowboat holidays
One of Britain's biggest Independent self-drive canal boat and river boating holiday operators.
Read all about Viking Afloat, a privately owned business with an enviable reputation for providing first class canal boat and narrowboat holidays and a concern for the small details that have helped build it up into one of the largest companies on the UK Canal system.
All availability and prices online.
Click here for our Narrowboat holidays brochure (Our holidays are booked through ABC Boat Hire)
Your safety and enjoyment is of paramount importance to us. Our hand-over of the boat has been approved and audited by the British Marine Federation. You will be provided with comprehensive information prior to your holiday, and personal instruction and information on arrival at the start base. Life jackets are provided free of charge. With all of this no previous experience is necessary and beginners are always welcome.
We rate personal choice very highly - choice of cruising routes from one of our four bases; choice of hire periods, including Short Breaks, one and two week holidays; choice of no less than four different start days and a remarkable choice of boats which are fully equipped for parties of two to ten people. We want you to enjoy the special experience of a holiday with Viking Afloat and so we try to make your booking as all inclusive as possible whilst at the same time offering genuine flexibility.
As a result of listening to what our customers say, we provide one of the most extensive inventories to be found on a hire craft anywhere in Britain. We are also one of a very few companies that provide pure filtered drinking water on all of our boats and as part of the service, we provide everyone with a full demonstration of the boat and its systems, as well as teaching newcomers how to handle the boats and how to work the canal locks. Every boat has on board a comprehensive manual and we provide expert help around the clock with our 24 hour emergency helpline.
For your added convenience we are now able to offer an online booking availability request. Just select a base and class of boat, decide when you would like to take your holiday and then click on the check availability button.
Viking provide short breaks and longer holidays on the inland waterways of England and Wales.
Please follow these links for more specific information on canal boat holidays and hire as well as boating holidays.


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Radiantly Raw
When you look at raw food, you're seeing and getting exactly what nature intended—no more and no less. Neatly presented in its natural "packaging," you know you're getting all the goodness that RAW has to offer.
And it's a lot of goodness, too. In fact, you might say that eating raw food—pure, deliciously fresh live food—leads to radiant results. Of course, you need to choose clean, organic, non-GMO raw foods. Otherwise, you will be taking in unwanted toxins, pollutants, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and other "dirty" dangers.
Some benefits raw food eaters have experienced or mention frequently include:
- feeling lighter in body, mind and soul.
- increased energy
- having healthier skin and stronger, thicker and more lustrous hair.
- feeling excitement about this new life with living, raw foods.
- feeling good in your own skin.
- sensing that you're more purposeful and clear on the direction in your life.
- gaining two hours or more in your day from not having to cook foods.
- loving being alive, passionate and "connected" to the earth and others.
- having hope for great health and happiness.
All of those outcomes, of course, are often subjective, even though they are frequently cited by raw food eaters. However, scientific studies and research also reinforce the benefits of eating raw food. For example, a study in The Journal of Nutrition found that following a raw food diet over the long haul can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and lower the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides.
Another study conducted by Luigi Fontana, M.D., Ph. D., a research assistant professor in medicine in Geriatrics & Nutritional Science at Washington University School of Medicine, along with his team of researchers, found that those who eat a raw food diet have a low body mass index (BMI), high vitamin D levels, low levels of C-reactive protein (CRP)—an inflammatory molecule linked with the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic disease—and lower levels of IDG-1, which is a growth factor linked to the risk of breast and prostate cancer.
Additionally, Dr. Fontana and his team found that eating a raw food diet can lead to strong, healthy bones. In short, those who adhere strictly to raw food vegetarian diets are thin, but they also have surprisingly robust bones.
All summed up, this means lower risks for poor health.
Likewise, a study conducted over a period of two years on those following a raw food diet showed some noteworthy outcomes for women, in particular. There was a substantial improvement in women's menstrual cycles and a lowering of overall stress levels. They also experienced a decrease in the amount of sleep required in order to feel well rested.
Then there's the "body friendly" element of raw foods. Raw food eaters typically have higher blood levels of key nutrients, since raw foods' vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber, protein and healthy fats remain intact because they're not heated above a certain temperature.
The truth is that most cooking or processing of food destroys nearly all enzymes in foods, and without those enzymes, our digestive systems work harder to digest food. The pancreas and other organs feel the strain, too, as does your body's ability to rebuild cells and tissues or to keep the immune system strong.
That's why eating raw is body friendly. The body responds favorably to raw foods, but not to too many cooked foods. Too many cooked foods can cause the blood to increase in white blood cells, mimicking an infection or toxin-fighting response. This was thought to be a normal reaction until researchers noted that this response didn't occur when people ate raw foods.
So, there you have it—reasons to be radiantly RAW.
This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.


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Rootstown April 19th 1868==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==
Dear Sister
This is sunday evening and I thought that I would answer your letter that I received last night. We have been having real cold and winterish weather and had conciderable snow this month but it has cleared off and is warmer now. snowed and blowed all last sunday. we have not moved yet. expect to move this week, thursday. Converse are going to move tomorrow and then I am going to have Mary clean the house and put down the carpet and have it all ready to put the things in.
I want to buy that hit or miss Carpet of you to put down in the kitchen as I dont know as I ever will get time to make one. will pay you what you asked for it a year ago. will pay you when you come back. I thought that I would put it down without waiting for an answer as I thought that you would want to sel so it but if you dont want to tel me have it let me know and I will take it up. we have sold our calf for 28 dollars and George said that I might have it to put in the house. have got sixteen yards of sale carpeting for the sitting room. I think that it is real good. it as a remnance and he got it cheeper.
we have not sold our place yet but I think that Charlie Holden will buy it. he is after it. Troy Honeyrock has bought his place. I am glad that Mary has got a place. hope that she will like it. was going to write to her this evening but did not know how to direct. thought I would wait until after we get moved and then would direct to Locke and our folks could send it to her. I have not found her shoes yet.
Susies cough is better. we kept doctoring her for the croupe and nothing seemed to help her and we finly sent for the doctor and he said she had worms and gave her some medicine and she is getting better. dont cough hardly any. well I must stop writing as it is late and must get up early. George is going to Cleveland tomorrow. I wish when you come you would bring me some early beans to plant and some parsnips seed and some cucumber seed. I must close. Give my love to all the folks. Good Night.
Susie is Sarah's 2 1 /2 year old daughter and George is Sarah's husband.
See The Berlin Family :: List of The Letters for a complete listing of all of the family letters.