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Act Like a Man
My last blog post talked all about the stigma attached to mental illness. This stigma does not discriminate and almost anybody that's dealt with a mental illness is fully aware of the negative consequences derived from this stigma. If you haven't read it yet, please take a few minutes to do so. I go in-depth with the unseen struggles individuals facing stigma deal with (See "Blog #2" above). However, in trying to grasp the damage and destruction this stigma can cause, it might even be harsher for males with mental illnesses.
Since the beginning of modern society, males of every background have been held to and measured by unrealistic expectations. All males are subject to an invisible entity nobody seems willing to talk about. This entity makes a negative impact on every single male across the globe. This is an issue that needs more light shed upon it. What do we call this harsh invisible entity? Stigma. The stigma of what a male is supposed to be. Not exuding brawny masculinity every single second of every single day has become a plaguing stigma and an overwhelming weight every male has to carry. This stigma has been pushed onto every single human born a male (i..e. Male genitalia), especially in this country (America). Yet, this masculinity expected of males is only the tip of the iceberg for anybody diagnosed with a mental illness.
Before I continue, it's important to understand that there is a major difference between male/female vs. man/woman. Being a male/female is determined by your sex when you are born. Being a man/woman is a construct of ideals and expectations decided by a society's culture of what a man/woman is, does, and should be. In other words, being a man or a woman comes with a set of rules dictated by society. So, theoretically, everybody can ultimately choose to be a man, woman, or anything in between, but regardless, they will have been born into their sex (male/female/intersex). Further, the separation between an individual's sex is not always definitively male or female. So, it is not fair to say the only sex one can be born into is as black and white as male or female. Many fall into what has been deemed "intersex," which is to be in-between male or female. Point being, according to today's society and culture, being born with a male reproductive system dictates a whole set of standards one should or should not exhibit if they are to be a "man."
This stigma of masculinity affects all males because they become subject to judgment of what being a man is supposed to look like. These unrealistic expectations of being a man is ultimately where stigma is derived. This is a heavy burden most males cannot manage, especially if they are dealing with a mental illness. All of the stereotypical characteristics every male is supposed to exhibit is not a realistic assumption for any human being. Humans are imperfect, adaptable, emotional creatures...with an emphasis on emotion. A part of being human is to have and experience emotions. Just like we all breathe air, we all feel emotions. Regardless if a male has a mental illness, they will still have fluctuating emotions and feelings. This is a fact that cannot be undermined or refuted. All humans experience various issues in life that elicit these emotions, too. Yet, even as I type this, in the back of my head I hear a menacing voice telling me a real man doesn't have feelings or emotions. "Why are you even talking about this?"---says the voice. "Are you, a man, really wasting time writing a blog about your feelings?"---the voice prods. "Can you imagine all the ridicule and embarrassment this will bring?" --demands the voice. From the day every male is born, the standards of being masculine have been so deeply instilled and ingrained in us that it's hard to ignore that menacing voice.
The rules to being a man are not easy to maintain, but they are overwhelmingly impossible if you have a mental illness. To manage and overcome a mental illness is to quite literally go against everything being a man is all about. Firstly, you have to acknowledge and admit something is "abnormal" about you. Sometimes you're not always in control of your emotions. You need to have humility to ask for help from friends, family, or professionals. You might be weak at times. You might breakdown and have to cry it out. Notice by identifying a few struggles of managing a mental illness, we have already completely crossed all lines of being what a real man is. A mental illness can break you down emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Yet, if you're a true man, you'd never let any of this bother you, right? You'd keep it all hidden beneath the surface, shrug it off, and deal with it on your own because you're a real man, right?
If you know anything about having a mental illness, it's excruciatingly exhausting. However, what's even more draining is trying to pretend you don't have one. Talking about the emotions mental illnesses invoke in one is one of the best ways to manage a mental illness. Yet, if you're a real man, you're not going to share any of your widdle ole' feelings, right? In essence, being a man about it and keeping these things inside only compounds the problem. I truly believe that not talking about your mental struggles is maybe one of the most dangerous decisions you can make, whether it was a conscious decision or not. Not getting help and talking about your struggles has to be one of the most influential components in the suicide epidemic we're experiencing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), suicide is the second leading cause of death in the world for ages 15 - 29. Let me say that again. Suicide is the second leading cause of death! This is a complex issue and there are most likely numerous factors that play into those numbers, but without a doubt, there is a suicide epidemic among us. The frustrating aspect to all of this is that much of it is preventable! It's important to understand that keeping your thoughts to yourself can be extremely detrimental to your mental health. The numbers speak for themselves. Suicide is happening far too often when it has been far too preventable. These are harsh realities, but in better understanding the problem we can know how to best address the issue.
Males with emotional struggles NEED to get help. They NEED to know it's okay to ask for help. They NEED to know it's normal to have mental health needs. They NEED to know they shouldn't be ashamed for having emotional struggles. They NEED to speak up. And the world NEEDS to hear them...without judgment. These overall issues are something I am hugely passionate about. Maybe that's because this stigma of being a man impacted me every single day of my life. Being a male has it's own set of guidelines, but growing up with mental illnesses really tests those boundaries. I always thought I had to act a certain way or hide specific things because I wouldn't be accepted. I constantly feared fitting in and being man enough. Humans are extremely social creatures and needing to be accepted is what largely motivates our behaviors. Throughout my life, I have come to learn firsthand that society's belief of what a real man is, is a real problem.
If you ask me, a real man is somebody who can acknowledge their mental health issues and tackle them head on. A real man won't ignore, deny, or run away from their emotions. A real man will bravely do what it takes to overcome their mental health problems. A real man can and will accept their weaknesses so they can turn them into their strengths. Without this courage, humility, and vulnerability, no male, let alone any human, can effectively manage and ultimately overcome mental health struggles. An egotistical and overly prideful male will believe he has no weakness. He will never believe he's wrong. He will believe nothing is his fault. This type of male will believe only weak people have mental health struggles. This same male will deny his own emotional struggles because he is a man! This same male will not seek help when he needs it most. This male's masculinity, ignorance, and a lack of humility will be the end of him. Instead of facing the pain from the mental health struggles, he will drown his pain with substance abuse. Worse yet, it is not unlikely he may take his own life rather than acknowledging a man can hurt, feel pain, and be weak at times.
So you tell me what a real man is. Is it somebody who doesn't ask for help? Somebody who thinks only weak people have emotions? Or somebody who doesn't acknowledge their own overwhelming emotions that is ruining their life? I'll never regret acknowledging my struggles and asking for help. I believe a strong human, not man, WILL face their emotional problems with grace, courage, and bravery. Anybody willing to commit to recovery must be vulnerable, have humility, and be humble enough to acknowledge their problems. To me, these traits are only exhibited by somebody with true strength. Being a man or male has nothing to do with it.
While mental illness might not be preventable, suicide is. Know there is no such thing as a real man. Not just males, but individuals across the world NEED to know it's okay to ask for help. We ALL need to understand how important it is to have good mental health practices. I know everyone has heard this, but NOBODY is perfect. Not even close. Please never feel ashamed to ask for help or feel guilty that you have mental health needs because we all got 'em. Please take your mental health needs seriously. The sooner you face your demons, the sooner you'll wonder why you didn't in the first place.
More than anything, I hope this blog post instills 2 things: 1) There is no such thing as being a "real man" 2) Take care of your mental health needs shamelessly. Please think long and hard about what I have talked about here because these are intense issues that require our attention. Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I really hope there was something valuable you learned and that it helped you in some way. Also, don't be afraid to share this with a friend or family member you think it could benefit!
P.S. One last thing! I hope to start blogging about OCD specific issues so if you're looking for more OCD help, stay tuned for my next couple blog posts. There were a few topics I just had to get out of my system before I could narrow my focus onto OCD and the struggles it brings. I felt the stigma of mental illness and being a "man" were very important to address first. Now it will be time to get to the real nitty gritty!!!! By the way...if you haven't signed up for my newsletter please do so that way you can be kept in the loop for when I post the next blog. THANK YOU!
P.S.S. If any of this resonates with you, if you have any questions, or if you simply have any kind of input, please leave a comment below! We love hearing from you!!


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Introduction: Wooden Locker Shelf
You know those stupid skinny napoleon dynamite lockers, well I have one of those lockers.
so I built this locker shelf.
Step 1: Materials
nail/screw/staple gun (just something to attach the pieces of wood together)
table saw
Step 2: Measure and Cut
Measure the length and width of your locker, the height is your choice.
The top shelf is the same width as the inside of the locker.
The two pieces below the top are the width minus the thickness of the two side pieces.
Cut the skinny piece of wood as shown.
Cut the side pieces to the length of your locker but to the height of your choosing.
Step 3: The Middle Shelf
Cut two pieces of wood to about 0.5" by 0.5" by the length of the locker.
mount it to the side piece at the height of your choice.
Step 4: Final Product
Your done.
if you measured and cut right it will fit in your locker.
Participated in the
Woodworking Contest
Participated in the
Back to School Contest

subset: commoncrawl


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Free mobile text and calling platform Viber is branching out to take on Skype with a new feature called Viber Out, which lets you call almost any phone around the world from within the app. Previously, Viber only allowed you to call or message other Viber users, similar to messaging platforms such as Whatsapp. With Viber Out, however, you can call any phone—as long as you are willing to pay for it. Watch out, Skype.
The new service first surfaced in the Philippines in November to help residents of the island nation communicate with emergency services and loved ones following Typhoon Haiyan.
Now, however, Viber Out is going global and a few of its long distance rates are even looking better than Skype's. Viber has different rates for calls to landlines versus calls to mobile phones, unlike Skype, which allows for a slightly better or worse pricing depending on the country.
Viber Out calls to U.S. landlines, for example, are free, while calls to a mobile device cost 1.9 cents per minute. Pricing for Skype pay-as-you-go credit is 2.3 cents per minute—a common pricing structure for international Skype calling—to the U.S. for any phone number. You can get a cheaper rate from Skype with a monthly subscription starting at $1.09 for 60 minutes, which works out to 1.8 cents per minute.
Calls to the U.K. on Viber Out will cost 1.9 cents to landlines, but calls to mobile devices are a whopping 5.9 cents per minute. Skype, by comparison, costs 2.3 cents per minute for any phone. Phoning a friend in Australia will cost you 2.3 cents per minute on Skype, and Viber Out offers the same price for calls to landlines. But if you want to call a mobile phone down under you're looking at a whopping 15 cents per minute ($1.05 for seven minutes) with Viber.
Viber Out can at times be cheaper than Skype, but it all depends on where you're calling and whether the number on the other end is mobile or not. One definite advantage of Viber Out is that your Viber account is tied to your mobile phone number. That means any calls you make with Viber Out will use your cell number on the receiver's call display regardless of whether they are using Viber or not.
Viber Out is currently available as on option inside the Viber app for Android, iOS, and desktop PCs, with plans to bring the new service to Windows Phone in the near future. Android users may run into a few issues though. In my tests, Viber crashed several times on a Nexus 4 running Android KitKat 4.4 when I tried to open the Viber Out service. In the end I got it to work, but it took several tries.


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Sydney Swans coach John Longmire (pictured) says there was plenty to like about his team's six point defeat by Hawthorn on Friday night.
The 3 and 7 Swans are almost no possibility of making the finals now and will enjoy the break this week to regroup.
There was no bigger performer for either team than Swans First Nations superstar Buddy Franklin whose five goals in a destructive display left the coach in awe.


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We continue to monitor COVID-19, flu and other respiratory viruses in our communities.
Read the most current information about prevention, testing and where to go if you're sick.
At the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center, we provide all the information and care you need to handle the physical, emotional and financial issues involved in transplantation. We are here for you before, during and after the transplant process, offering you guidance every step of the way.
Learn more about:
We understand that preparing to receive a heart transplant can be a stressful and emotional time, involving complex medical decisions. We take the time to thoroughly evaluate each patient and answer your questions and your family's concerns.
Each patient completes a transplant evaluation to determine if a transplant is the best option available. Patients approved for a transplant then are assigned to the transplant waitlist.
Here is what to expect during the transplant evaluation and waitlist period:
At the beginning of the transplantation evaluation process, you will be assigned a transplant nurse coordinator. The transplant coordinator will be your "lifeline" point of contact during your care. A transplant coordinator is available to you 24/7 if emergency care is needed.
The transplant coordinator will help you to understand:
After a transplant, another nurse coordinator will continue to follow your care for the rest of your life. This specific nurse will stay in touch with you to share lab work, results of follow-up testing and other information you might need.
As you recover from surgery, our heart transplant team will follow you closely. In the first few weeks after transplant, we will see you frequently in our outpatient clinic. If you live outside the St. Louis area, we help you arrange temporary lodging near the hospital during this time.
Over time, we will transition routine care to your primary care physician, whom we communicate with regularly. However, for continuity of care and to ensure the best outcome for you, we will follow you for the life of your transplant, while working closely with your doctor.
Follow-up care after a transplant is individualized, but patients often experience the following:
If, after 3 to 4 years, you have no evidence of heart disease, you may be offered the option of undergoing a dobutamine or exercise stress test (treadmill test) instead of a cardiac catheterization. Whenever we can, we prefer to offer these less-invasive options to make sure your heart is working correctly.
Our transplant team will help you manage and understand your medications. We also will advise you about taking any over-the-counter medications. As a transplant recipient, you will need to take immunosuppressive medications daily for the rest of your life.
Here is what to know about your post-transplant medications:
Because a transplanted heart is considered a "foreign object" to your body, your immune system may try to reject the organ. It is very common for this to occur within the first few months of transplant.
The risk of rejection decreases over time, but can occur at any time. It's important to follow all medication regimens and physician orders to prevent rejection, and to recognize the early signs of rejection.
Here is how we help identify and manage possible organ rejection:
In many cases, rejection does not cause any signs or symptoms. If you experience any symptoms of rejection, call your transplant nurse coordinator immediately.
Symptoms of rejection may include:
The same medications that help prevent rejection also increase your risk for infection. For the first 6 months after surgery, the likelihood of rejection is highest, so you will be taking higher doses of these medications. This makes you even more vulnerable to infection.
You must take caution to protect yourself from infection. You will be asked to follow these recommended guidelines:
You should call your transplant coordinator anytime if you have symptoms including:
Your caregivers are one of the most important parts of your transplant. We work to make your stay in St. Louis as convenient as possible, and to help you adjust to life awaiting transplant or post-transplant.
We help patients find convenient lodging options before or after transplant such as:
For off-campus lodging assistance and to receive special rates, call Concierge Services at 314.362.5301 or toll-free 800.551.3492, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Because a heart transplant is a major procedure with lifelong implications, we sponsor several peer-to-peer networking opportunities, including the Heart Transplant Support Group and our mentor network.
These support opportunities include:
For more information about the heart transplant program at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center, call 888.998.3757.


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It's been a long time coming. I promised an update in March. As you can see, it's mid-April. I simply didn't want to release a second edition that wasn't a significant update on the first.
I've finally built something that accomplishes just that.
Introducing The Consulting Bible
The second edition is a 92-page interview guide to conquering consulting interviews and landing jobs. Here's what's new:
1. Two brand-spanking new case studies, including one that's conversationally-based. You'll find that some interviewers prefer more interactive discussion, less traditional Q&A. Now you can master both – especially with the running commentary that I've added to each case
2. "Ethics and integrity" fit questions. Let's face it, the corporate world has been remarkably tarnished in the past decade, and client service demands ethical behavior. Master these questions to demonstrate that you have both the instincts and experience to make principled decisions
3. Two new, internationally-focused sizing questions (what I call mini-case studies). Global awareness is key to management consulting success
4. More than 15 additional fit questions scattered across categories including Personality, Teamwork, and Experienced hires
5. A new "Brainteasers" section. While relatively uncommon, chance favors the prepared consultant
6. More case study tips from the experts – learn tactics for tackling open-ended questions and why well-timed pauses can save you from disaster
7. 10 great interview followup questions – because 98% of interviewers miss a chance to make an excellent impression and strengthen the interviewer relationship. The other 2%? They're getting the offers
Here's what a customer said about the first edition:
"I decided to give it a try…I knew I made the right decision"
The guide is very comprehensive – especially the fit questions. I have to admit that I was initially skeptical because I've read the Vault Guide to Consulting and done a lot of prep already. But I decided to give it a try. After just reading the preface, I knew I made the right decision – you should consider putting the preface online because it answered my questions. I feel much more comfortable now. […] Thanks!"David Jang – Grad student interested in healthcare consulting
How much does it cost?
As a limited time launch promotion, The Consulting Bible will stay at $25. In full transparency, that price will increase to $35 at the end of May.
In addition, by purchasing in this time frame you'll still receive free lifetime updates. After the month is over, that bonus will officially end.
Thanks everyone for your readership of the site! Based on peoples' feedback, this week we'll focus on the consulting lifestyle – everything from job perks to understanding what separates great from mediocre consultants


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On June 8, 2019, Nansen Dialogue Center Skopje organized a lecture, as a final training of advanced and specialist level of training in the Training Center of NDC Skopje.
The lecture was followed by teachers from the groups 22, 23 and 24 of advanced level, coming from MPS "Penestia", Debar, MPS "Goce Delcev", Bitola, MPS "Toli Zordumis", Kumanovo, MPS "Krste Petkov-Misirkov" SMS "Gostivar", Gostivar, as well as two groups of teachers from the specialist level from the MPS "Bratstvo", Skopje, MPS "Goce Delcev", Gostivar, MPS "Goce Delcev", Bitola, SSCS "Georgi Dimitrov", Skopje, MPS "Goce Delchev", Konche, MPS "Bitolski Kongres", Lopate, MPS "Kiril i Metodij", Kanatlarci and MPS "Nikola Karev", Krushevo.
After the official opening of the event by Biljana Krsteska-Papic, Manager of the Nansen Training Center, Mr. Erwan Fouéré, former ambassador to the EU Delegation in Skopje, and member of the Managing Board of NDC Skopje addressed the audience.
Professor Steinar Bryn from the Nansen Academy, Lillehammer, Norway lectured on topic "10 advices from teacher to teachers", where he emphasized the importance of mutual trust in intercultural school environments.
At the same time, 90 teachers and professors from primary and secondary education were awarded certificates for successful completion of the advanced and specialist level of training for intercultural education. The certificates were solemnly handed by: Ms. Simone Filippini, Mr. Erwan Fouere and Mr. Safet Neziri.
The act of awarding of certificates of international character was also enriched with the addresses of: Mr. Saso Stojkovski – Executive Director of NDC Skopje, Mr. Safet Neziri – State Advisor at the Ministry of Education and Science and Mrs. Bente Kneneghejlm – Member of the Managing Board of NDC Skopje, who emphasized the need for continuous support of intercultural educational initiatives.


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Return to: Archives
"Kings Burl" (18)
In March of 2012, strong gusts of wind brought down two ancient cypress trees that graced the entrance of Maui's Winery. Planted in the 1870s, the trees formed part of a ring known historically as the Hula Circle. Here, the "Merrie Monarch," King David Kalakaua, used to sit and watch his hula dancers perform. It was one of his favorite pastimes during his frequent visits to Rose Ranch, symbolizing an era of reawakening for Hawaiian culture and tradition.
The devastation of the two trees—one lifted right out of the ground, roots and all, and the other snapped four feet up—was deeply sad
Maui Cypress Burl, 9 x 26 x 10 inches


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Pretty Little Liars Season 7 Episode 6 "Wanted: Dead or Alive" Promo
Pretty Little Liars 7×06 "Wanted: Dead or Alive" – As the police gain new leads in Rollins' disappearance, the Liars wonder if he really is dead while someone else meets his/her end, in "Wanted: Dead or Alive," an all-new episode of Freeform's hit original series "Pretty Little Liars," airing Tuesday, August 2nd on Freeform. The Rosewood P.D. begins to unravel the Liars' cover-up, which leads them to question Rollins' death altogether. Hanna deals with an inward battle on whether or not to tell the cops the truth, while Ezria struggles with an awkwardness in their relationship. Jenna reveals part of her plot and a new partner she is in cahoots with. Ali learns that the Liars gave her up as Charlotte's killer in order to free Hanna, which does not go over well. Meanwhile, someone is murdered for playing with the wrong team.


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Hello everyone,
It's Jackeline here with a project that was inspired by the wonderful Butterflies die sets part of the Els van de Burgt Studio Collection, and my visit to the Butterfly Pavilion with my family. I created a card in black and white tones to highlight the butterfly using Silk Microfine Glitter.
Let's get started:
1. Cut a rectangle piece of 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ in black cardstock. Score at 4 1/4″ and fold in half to create your card base.
2. Apply a piece of Transparent Double-Sided Tape to white cardstock large enough to die cut:
- The Frames using the new Fitted Frames 3.
- The flowers using the new die Flower Cluster.
- One butterfly silhouette using the new die Butterfly 1.
- One Small butterfly silhouette using the new die Small Butterfly.
To built the Butterflies:
3. Die cut one big butterfly overlay and one small butterfly overlay on the release sheet from the tape.
4. To apply the Silk Microfine Glitter: peel off the release sheet from the big butterfly silhouette and place the overlay mask on top.
5. Start applying the Orange Silk Microfine Glitter glitter from the inside to the outside of the wings. Tap it off and proceed with the next color glitter. I used Solar Gold.
6. Brush off the excess and polish. Before removing the mask make sure to clean any glitter left attached to the mask.
7. Take off the mask. Place the body on top of the butterfly and apply black glitter.
8. Die cut one big butterfly silhouette and one small butterfly silhouette in yellow cardstock.
9. Assemble the butterfly, placing the glitter one on top of the one die cut in yellow cardstock using double sided adhesive.
10. Repeat this process with the small butterfly.
For more info on how to use this technique, watch a tutorial by Els Here
Decorating the card:
11. From your die cut Fitted Frames 2, remove the release sheet of the largest frame and apply to card front. You can use the other frames for a next project.
12. Remove the release sheet of the die cut Flower Cluster and apply to card front as show (left bottom corner inside fitter frame).
13. Decorate the center of the flowers from the Flower Cluster with Gold Glitter Dots. Also apply some Glitter Dots to the center of the flower swirls and inside the frame as shown.
14. Apply butterflies as shown using double sided adhesive.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.
Elizabeth Craft Designs
1063 Fitted Frames 3 Curvy Rectangles
1067 Poinsettia
1068 Flower Cluster 1
1072 Small Butterfly
1073 Butterfly 1
502 Transparent Double Sided Tape Sheet – 8.5″ x 11″ – 5 pack
638 Solar Gold – Silk Microfine Glitter
601 Basic Black – Silk Microfine Glitter
613 Orange – Silk Microfine Glitter
7018 Gold Glitter Dots
Black, White and Yellow Cardstock


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Looking for more info? The following suggestions are favourites of mine!
Garden Inspiration
- The Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal
- Muttart Conservatory
- Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
- Butchart Gardens in Victoria
- VanDusen Botanical Garden
- Assiniboine Park Gardens
- Kew Gardens
- Giverny Gardens
- Monticello
Garden Info
Recipe Sites
Organic and Local Foods
- Nova Scotia Organic Farmers
- Taste of Nova Scotia
- Nova Scotia Wineries
- Nova Scotia Farmers Markets
- The Dutchman's Farm
- Holmestead Cheese
- Fox Hill Cheese


text: California Christmas December 21, 2014, 5 Comments on California Christmas Over the weekend Patrick and I did a bit of last minute Christmas shopping. We've been super busy lately and while getting dressed up to go shopping is always appealing, we were rushing around so I opted for a more casual, but still festive look. So here's a somewhat random fact about me, I love Christmas music, and often the funkier the better. I blame my dad, because Dr. Demento's Christmas album was a staple of my childhood (And every Christmas I change my ringtone to "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"), so I love adding unique and often ridiculous tunes to my already massive collection. Thus I was thrilled to be introduced to some fresh tunes off of the mix Christmas CD that was in Hicksville's jukebox, including this gem here by Gram Rabbit: Outfit Mexican Tourist Jacket: Don't remember! Western Shirt & Cowboy Boots: Buffalo Exchange, Ore. Jeans: Freddies of Pinewood String Tie: Magpie, Portland, Ore. Silver Bell Earrings: Private Sale Purse & Belt: Found by my dad Rings: Gift, Expo, and an antique shop in Astoria…don't recall the name.


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BEVERLY, Mass. – January 21, 2020 – LexaGene Holdings, Inc., (OTCQB: LXXGF; TSX-V: LXG) (the "Company"), a biotechnology company that develops genetic analyzers for rapid pathogen detection and other molecular markers, announced today it has expanded its number of validated tests for antibiotic resistance and has completed testing different superbug isolates provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Isolate Bank.
Dr. Jack Regan, LexaGene's CEO and Founder states, "Antibiotic resistance is a big problem. People are dying every day due to the lack of high-quality, rapid diagnostics at the point of care that can both identify the cause of an infection and determine whether it is resistant to common antibiotics. To address this shortcoming, LexaGene has developed a fully automated, molecular-based diagnostic that can provide these answers in an hour – rather than the typical 3-day turnaround time for a sample shipped to a reference laboratory. To evaluate our newly developed assays, we tested them against the most dangerous antibiotic-resistant bugs we could get our hands on and have been thrilled with the data – as we successfully detected 100% of the targeted genetic sequences."
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest public health threats of our time. Currently, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result.1 The CDC has predicted that by 2050, 10 million people will die from antibiotic-resistant strains every year – surpassing the number of deaths due to cancer in present times.2
LexaGene's study was broken into two parts, pathogen identification and antibiotic resistance detection.
For pathogen detection, LexaGene's tests successfully detected each of the 125 targeted strains of bacteria, specifically: 55 Klebsiella sp., 31 Escherichia coli, 22 Enterobacter sp., 14 Acinetobacter baumannii, 12 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and 5 Proteus mirabilis.
For the second part of the study, 13 different antibiotic resistance tests were used to successfully detect 90 carbapenemase resistant strains and 123 multi-drug resistant strains (carbapenemase + extended-spectrum beta-lactamases).
Dr. Regan concludes, "We now have tests that will detect bacterial pathogens that carry antimicrobial resistance and are responsible for the most commonly misdiagnosed infections. Our goal is to provide healthcare professionals with an easy to use, on-site technology that quickly informs on identified pathogens and detected antimicrobial resistance so they can improve prescription practices. This would be a significant improvement over the current standard, which is to wait three days for lab-generated test results that indicate whether the correct therapies were prescribed."
1 https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/biggest-threats.html
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5127510/
About LexaGene Holdings Inc.
LexaGene is a biotechnology company that develops genetic analyzers for pathogen detection and other molecular markers for on-site rapid testing in veterinary diagnostics, food safety and for use in open-access markets such as clinical research, agricultural testing and biodefense. End-users simply need to collect a sample, load it onto the instrument with a sample preparation cartridge, enter sample ID and press 'go'. The LX Analyzer delivers excellent sensitivity, specificity, and breadth of detection and can return results in about 1 hour. The unique open-access feature is designed for custom testing so that end-users can load their own real-time PCR assays onto the instrument to target any genetic target of interest.
The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors — including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts, the success of technology development efforts, the cost to procure critical parts, performance of the instrument, market acceptance of the technology, regulatory acceptance, and licensing issues — that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations as disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


text: Questions? Click to Call Us Now! (800) 482-1553 Your Name/Company* Your Email* PhonePreferred Method of Contact Email Phone Carrier Pigeon Am I supplying the item(s)/wood, or are you supplying it? Are you shipping the item to me? If "Yes" please send it to - Attn: (Your Name Here) Laser Engraving Pros - 5606 Greendale Rd. Henrico VA 23228 No Yes Describe your project Here - Please be as descriptive as possible. What do you want to have laser engraved or created?When do you need this by? MM slash DD slash YYYY If you have artwork, you may upload it here. Drop files here or Select files Max. file size: 512 MB. Anything else you'd like us to know?FYI - Our replies and quotations have been known to end up in your JUNK MAIL. Please be sure to check your Junk Mail for our responses if you have not heard back within 24 hours. You can always call 800-482-1553 to say hi! Please note. If you get an error when submitting the form, try again. Also, make sure you're not double-clicking the SEND button. If you are getting error messages and you are unable to submit the form, please send us an email to [email protected]CAPTCHA


text:
ldns_rr_set_pop_rr (3) - Linux Manuals
NAMEldns_rr_set_push_rr, ldns_rr_set_pop_rr
SYNOPSIS#include <stdint.h>
#include <stdbool.h>
#include <ldns/ldns.h>
bool ldns_rr_set_push_rr(ldns_rr_list *rr_list, ldns_rr *rr);
ldns_rr* ldns_rr_set_pop_rr(ldns_rr_list *rr_list);
- ldns_rr_set_push_rr()
- pushes an rr to an rrset (which really are rr_list's). .br *rr_list: the rrset to push the rr to .br *rr: the rr to push .br Returns true if the push succeeded otherwise false
- ldns_rr_set_pop_rr()
- pops the last rr from an rrset. This function is there only
for the symmetry.
rr_list: the rr_list to pop from
Returns NULL if nothing to pop. Otherwise the popped RR
AUTHORThe ldns team at NLnet Labs. Which consists out of Jelte Jansen and Miek Gieben.
REPORTING BUGSPlease report bugs to ldns-team [at] nlnetlabs.nl or in our bugzilla at http://www.nlnetlabs.nl/bugs/index.html
COPYRIGHTCopyright (c) 2004 - 2006 NLnet Labs.
Licensed under the BSD License. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
REMARKSThis manpage was automaticly generated from the ldns source code by use of Doxygen and some perl.


text:
Quinine, the precursor to anti-malaria drug and potential COVID-19 cure and preventative medicine hydroxychloroquine, was first discovered by Inca herbalists, who eventually shared this information with Jesuit priests in the early 17th century.
In a practice with no clear origin, Inca herbalists used chinchona bark, rich in quinine, to treat malaria. Eventually Spanish explorers were introduced to this tree bark and its uses very early in the 17th century, and soon brought it back to Europe to treat the illness beginning in the 1630s.
Inca herbalists would grind the tree bark into a powder, then make it into a drink, and give it to those suffering from malaria. Herbalists had likely been doing this for some time, as due the the geography of the Inca Empire, which was founded in 1438, it was likely an ever present threat. Even before the Inca Empire was founded, native peoples lived in Peru in organized societies since at least 900 B.C.
Until the 20th century, a fable suggested that the first two Europeans to be cured using quinine were the Viceroy of Peru and his wife in 1638, who were romantically saved by the substance. This was eventually proven to be false through closer examination of the story in the 1940s. It was, however, established that the chinchona tree was used to treat malaria around this time, and the plant was detailed in medical documents in the following century.
Regardless of the romantic story's authenticity, use of quinine in Europe picked up in the 1630s. Jesuit priests were first credited for sending chinchona tree bark, and its quinine rich powder, to Europe in 1632. Cardinal John de Lugo, an eminent Spanish theologian of the era, went on to promote using the ground tree bark until his death in 1660.
As technology advanced, the safest and most useful compounds of quinine were broken down into what is now known as hydroxychloroquine. This was accomplished during World War II to treat soldiers suffering from malaria while fighting in Africa.
The drug is now being investigated for its potential usefulness in treating COVID-19, though the media and members of the medical establishment have repeatedly questioned its efficacy.
On Monday afternoon, however, a doctor went viral when speaking at the Frontline Doctors Summit in Washington, D.C. after claiming that hydroxychloroquine can not only cure COVID-19, but prevent it from spreading to vulnerable populations when used as a prophylactic.
"Nobody needs to get sick," said Dr. Stella Immanuel. "This virus has a cure. It is called hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and zithromax."


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You may remember a while back I reviewed some of skincare brand Ziaja's SenSitive range (HERE) and loved it. It was all well suited to my dry, sensitive skin and I've since used up two out of the three products I reviewed with a good dent made in the third. Basically, I really like this brand. Aside from being inexpensive (which is really important in these recessionary times), their products actually work, and work as well as some of their more pricey peers do too, which is no mean feat.
The brand's latest offering is for oily/combination skin and is the Manuka tree Purifying range.
I've been sent the deeply cleansing peeling paste, astringent face toner and normalising day cream to try out. Here's how I got on:
So the story with this range is that it was created with oily/combination skin in mind. If you're trying to find a balance between keeping your skin moisturised while also trying to control shine and battling blackheads, dilated pores, minor spots, acne breakouts or blemishes then this is the range for you. The manuka leaf (coming all the way from New Zealand and Australia) is proven to be highly effective in treating oily skin problems as it has antibacterial properties to reduce infection and soothe irritation. Good news is that this range is suitable for teenagers, women and men and all of the products are alcohol free and contain hyaluronic acid salts (a big deal in skincare at the moment). So that's what the brand says. Here's what I thought of each product:
Deeply Cleansing Peeling Paste
This was the first of the three that I tried out and to start with I was slightly confused by the name. This involves no physical peeling on my part, the peeling here refers to the fact that it's a scrub and removes dead skin cells. With that sorted, I applied this like a mask but gave a little scrub as I was putting it on. It says on the tube to then wash it off but I left it on for a minute just to test it for that bit longer. The idea behind it is that it unblocks pores, keeping shine and oil at bay. The great news about this for me though is that it's an incredible exfoliator. Probably one of the best I've ever used actually. My skin felt soft and smooth afterwards (and super clean, it was heavenly!) but it wasn't harsh at all- my skin just looked pink and smooth and healthy. No redness or irritation. Perfect. Another important point to mention here is that this washes off incredibly easily. The texture of it is actually a paste filled with exfoliating granules, as you can see here:
Despite the fact that it's packed with exfoliating granules, it washes off really well. I love my Liz Earle exfoliator but by god do I struggle to get it off my face, so this gets a big tick in that column. This, like the rest of the range smells AMAZING. It's just incredibly fresh and invigorating. Recommended use is once a week and should be used first to prepare the skin for the rest of the manuka range. This is a measly €4.99 for 75mls. Can't go wrong.
Next up is the Astringent Face Toner.
I'm not gonna lie, I saw the word "astringent" and I freaked out a bit. Sensitive skin and astringent have traditionally not gone together but I had my blogger testing cap on so I proceeded regardless (note: I don't have a cap, I wish I did though. It would for sure have tassels and some sort of badge on it). This is a serum-blitzing toner that refreshes while removing any traces of dirt. It also clarifies pores and helps to soothe acne breakouts and helps improve blemishes. Because of the "dirt removal" part, they suggest you spray this onto a cotton pad and use it that way but to be honest, it's quite a light spray and I felt I got a better effect from spraying it directly onto my face. It dried within seconds and left my face feeling fresh and cool, like a good toner should. I don't suffer from acne and I currently have no breakouts so I can't judge how it works for that but at €4.99 for 200mls, this is again an extremely bargainous way of treating spot-prone skin.
Lastly, I tried out the Normalising Day Cream.
This is a light moisturiser, again designed for oily/combination skin so it reduces t-zone shine and has mattifying properties. Apparently it's working away throughout the day to blot out oily patches, get rid of blemishes, all while providing moisture and soothing irritations but crucially- without overloading your pores. I liked this, it was nice and light and definitely mattifies (I think that's something the brand does really well- their moisturiser for men is also excellent for mattifying the skin). Again, I can't comment on any of the other claims as I don't have that type of skin but as a daily moisturiser I quite liked it- I personally need something a bit more intensive on the moisturising side (dry skin and whatnot) but if you do have an oily complexion, I think this would be perfect. This has an SPF of 10, which would be a bit low for most people. If you're planning on being out in the sun you'll need to wear a stronger factor over this, just to bear that in mind.
This fella is €6.99 for 50mls.
Also in the range, you can get the gently exfoliating night cream and the normalising cleansing gel.
You can find Ziaja online at Original Beauty and in select pharmacies nationwide (handy hint- if you follow Ziaja on instagram they've recently been popping up photos of the pharmacies around the country where they are stocked).
What do you think, does the Manuka Tree Purifying range sound like your type of thing?
I've yet to be disappointed with anything I've used from them and that includes products not even suitable to my skin type!
Must be witchcraft :)


text:
As an online William Blake fan, I receive at least one request per month from students asked to interpret William Blake's wonderful lyric, "The Tyger."
The contrast with "The Lamb" is obvious. ("Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee?" The answer is God, who became incarnate as Jesus the Lamb.) "The Tyger" asks, "Did he who made the Lamb make thee?" And the answer is, "Yes, God made the Tyger too."
To understand "The Tyger" fully, you need to know Blake's symbols. One of the central themes in his major works is that of the Creator as a blacksmith. This is both God the Creator (personified in Blake's myth as Los) and Blake himself (again with Los as his alter-ego.) Blake identified God's creative process with the work of an artist. And it is art that brings creation to its fulfillment -- by showing the world as it is, by sharpening perception, by giving form to ideas.
Blake's story of creation differs from the Genesis account. The familiar world was created only after a cosmic catastrophe. When the life of the spirit was reduced to a sea of atoms, the Creator set a limit below which it could not deteriorate farther, and began creating the world of nature. The longer books that Blake wrote describe Los's creation of animals and people within the world of nature. One particularly powerful passage in "Milton" describes Los's family weaving the bodies of each unborn child.
In believing that creation followed a cosmic catastrophe and a fall of spiritual beings into matter, Blake recalls Gnosticism, a multi-faceted religious movement that has run parallel to mainstream Christianity. Unlike most other Gnosticizers, Blake considered our own world to be a fine and wonderful place, but one that would ultimately give way to a restored universe. Blake believed that his own visions, which included end-of-the- world images and sometimes a sense of cosmic oneness, prefigured this, and that his art would help raise others "to the perception of the infinite." For Blake (and for many, if not most, mainstream Christians), the purpose of creation is as a place for our own growth, in preparation for the beginning of our real lives. Although the natural world contains much that is gentle and innocent ("Songs of Innocence"), those who are experienced with life ("Songs of Experience") know that there is also much that is terrible and frightening. (The "fearful symmetry" might be that of the lamb and the tyger, innocence and experience. What do you think?)
A casual reader or student does not have to understand Blake's mystical-visionary beliefs to appreciate "The Tyger". For the casual reader, the poem is about the question that most of us asked when we first heard about God as the benevolent creator of nature. "Why is there bloodshed and pain and horror?" If you're like me, you've heard various answers that are obviously not true. "The Tyger", which actually finishes without an answer, is (on this level) about your own experience of not getting a completely satisfactory answer to this essential question of faith.
There is more. "The Tyger" is about having your reason overwhelmed at once by the beauty and the horror of the natural world. "When the stars threw down their spears / And watered heaven with their tears" is the most difficult section of "The Tyger". In the creation story in "Job", the stars sing for joy at creation, a scene that Blake illustrated. In Blake's later books, the stars throw down their cups (the notebook poem "When Klopstock England Defied...") and in "The Four Zoas" figure prominently in the account of Urizen's failed clockwork universe founded on pure reason. For Blake, the stars represent cold reason and objective science. (They are weaker than the Sun of inspiration or the moon of love. Their mechanical procession has reminded others, including the author of "Lucifer in Starlight", of "the army of unalterable law"; in this case the law of science.) Although Blake was hostile (as I am, and as most real scientists are) to attempts to reduce all phenomena to chemistry and physics, Blake greatly appreciated the explosion of scientific knowledge during his era. But there is something about seeing a Tyger that you can't learn from a zoology class. The sense of awe and fear defy reason. And Blake's contemporary "rationalists" who had hoped for a tame, gentle world guided by kindness and understanding must face the reality of the Tyger.
Other people will tell you the Tyger represents evil. When I hear the word, I think of (among other things) a blathering alcoholic adult bully ridiculing and beating a small child. This should not happen, and makes no sense, but it happens all the time, and when it does, "the stars throw down their spears / and water heaven with their tears." Given that different people use the word "evil" in different ways, you'll need to decide for yourself whether the Tyger encompasses more. It seems to me that it is not "evil" for a real tiger to eat a lamb, but is part-and-parcel of our world. Yet it still inspires a certain horror and a sense of awe, that we are in the presence of a transcendent mystery at the very heart of creation -- and a certain terrible beauty. If Blake's lyric has brought this to our attention, it has been successful.
The poem is often quoted. One extended example is in the graphic novel "Origin: The True Story of Wolverine", in which it reminds the heroine of the clawed hero's ferocious character and mysterious origins.
If you found that you really enjoyed "The Tyger", then I hope you'll have a chance to explore more of Blake's writings -- even the difficult "Prophetic Books" -- as well as his own influences (especially the Bible and "Paradise Lost"). You may also enjoy learning about his times, and the social injustices of which he was so deeply aware.
You may also enjoy reading about T.S. Eliot and "Christ the Tiger".
Yesterday's romantic poets and today's liberation theologians
write about Christ as rebel, liberator, advocate for the politically
oppressed, type of Prometheus, and so forth. The Bible and the
human family's mystics and visionaries have written
much aout the fear and awe that come from encounering thd Lord.
Do you think "The Tyger" is actually
about Christ's coming... to individuals, in historical movements, at the end of time?
I have always loved the classical poets like Blake because of the intensity and compactness of their expression, especially within the discipline of rhyme and meter that make it easy to remember the words. Today there is very little interest outside of academia and trendoid circles in the amorphous stuff that passes for "contemporary poetry". But Shakespeare, Chaucer, Milton, Keats, and Tennyson were extraordinarily popular with ordinary people. Blake was less well-known to his contemporaries, but now is hugely popular with casual readers.
The real heirs of the classical poets are the lyricists of popular music. Sometimes lyrics make no sense, and it's hard for me to appreciate this. (A friend who's knowledgeable about such things told me: "'Stairway to Heaven' is supposed to mean whatever you want it to mean.") At their best, they present a bit of human experience that makes you say, "Wow! I knew that, but never heard it expressed so clearly!"
If you like "The Tyger", you may want to go on to learn more about Blake. For his era, he was extremely radical, both politically and philosophically. He and his wife practiced nudism in a friend's garden ("It's okay, we're just Adam and Eve"). Blake was tried for treason for saying something like "you soldiers of the god-damned king, I hope Napoleon kills all of you" while throwing a drunken soldier out of his garden. Blake used to see visions and hear voices, and we have sketches he made of famous people who visited him. In my undergraduate thesis paper, Understanding William Blake's "Milton", I have described how Blake's visions appear identical to those typical of schizophrenia.
One of the most important principles of medicine is that "just because something is diagnosable, it isn't necessarily a disease." It would be very foolish to claim that Blake was "sick" or "disabled". Blake's genius transformed what for many would be a crippling illness into a vast treasure of art and poetry of great meaning and beauty.
By the way, the claim has proved extraordinarily unpopular among Blake's non-physician admirers. But since I'm the only physician who's addressed the question, and the extraordinarily high quality of Blake's character and output speak for themselves, I'm standing by it.
To include this page in a bibliography, you may use this format: Friedlander ER (1999) Enjoying "The Tyger" by William Blake Retrieved Dec. 25, 2003 from http://www.pathguy.com/tyger.htm
For Modern Language Association sticklers, the name of the site itself is "The Pathology Guy" and the Sponsoring Institution or Organization is Ed Friedlander MD.
La Belle Dame Sans Merci
Moby Dick
Prometheus Bound
Oedipus the King
The Book of Thel
The Knight's Tale
The Seven Against Thebes
The Tyger
I'm a pathologist in Kansas City. I do autopsies, help with criminal and civil cases, and carry a big teaching load as a medical school chief. My undergraduate work's in English Lit. You can visit me at my home page and follow the links from there to my autopsy page, my notes on disease (the largest one-man online medical show; presently I receive about 30 requests for help each day and am able to respond to most of them), my adventure gaming pages, or any of the other sites. You can E-mail me at email@example.com.
|New visitors to www.pathguy.com
reset Jan. 30, 2005:
Teens: Stay away from drugs, work yourself extremely hard in class or at your trade, play sports if and only if you like it, and get out of abusive relationships by any means. If the grown-ups who support you are crazy, pretend to love them even if you really don't -- it's not right, but it's the best way to ensure your physcial and emotional survival. If you do love them, let them know. It'll help you and them. The best thing anybody can say about you is, "That kid likes to work too hard and isn't taking it easy like other young people." Health and friendship.


text:
The Eurozone's exports fell by 24% in February leading to fears that the worst might still be ahead for the region.
While it may be a one month phenomenon, the Eurozone also ran a trade deficit of 2 billion euros versus a 1.7 billion euro surplus in February 2008. Traditionally it has run a trade surplus.
Europe is going to have to reconsider its economic model. Their existing export oriented economies might not be up to the challenges that will emerge in the next few years.
more: here


text:
My vision
In today's Sales world trust is all that matters to make a difference. Without trust the sales professional can't create value, and without value, your customer walks or won't be willing to spend anything more than the lowest possible price. According to the report 'Death of a (B2B) Salesman by Forrester Research', almost 60% of buyers prefers not to interact with a sales rep to buy their goods or services. This shocking high number is an opportunity for any company or salesforce to approach buyers differently. It becomes a true competitive advantage to have your sales force get to that trustlevel, so value can be unlocked and created, benefiting both the customer and yourself.
In my professional journey I have always been passionate about sales. The ability to forge new relationships, making a difference for the customer, ability to excel and grow as a person. In my 15 years of selling I had to unlearn the old sales techniques of pushing myself, my product and story onto the customer. They had proven to be counterproductive and counterintuitive. Something just wasn't right. Then everything changed. I came to realize that reason for sales success came when I was with complete awareness of my prospect's situation and how a deal could benefit them. On top of that it gave me much more satisfaction. I was contributing to the success of my customer. That was and is my sales profession. The last 12 years I have been passionately helping hundreds of sales organizations truly embracing their ability to excel and take their opportunities to another level.
When you have your entire sales team together in one place, you have this great opportunity at your finger tips. You can have your sales people truly get engulfed by your vision, desired change or key message. This opportunity should not go to waste. The right external speaker can empower you to reach your goals. Let's brainstorm together how we can maximize impact with your sales force.


text:
The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery (Paperback)
List Price: $19.99
Our Price: $17.99
(Save: $2.00 10%)
On Our Shelves Now
The author of the bestseller The Disappearing Spoon reveals the secret inner workings of the brain through strange but true stories.
Early studies of the human brain used a simple method: wait for misfortune to strike -- strokes, seizures, infectious diseases, horrendous accidents -- and see how victims coped. In many cases their survival was miraculous, if puzzling. Observers were amazed by the transformations that took place when different parts of the brain were destroyed, altering victims' personalities. Parents suddenly couldn't recognize their own children. Pillars of the community became pathological liars. Some people couldn't speak but could still sing.
In The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, Sam Kean travels through time with stories of neurological curiosities: phantom limbs, Siamese twin brains, viruses that eat patients' memories, blind people who see through their tongues. He weaves these narratives together with prose that makes the pages fly by, to create a story of discovery that reaches back to the 1500s and the high-profile jousting accident that inspired this book's title.
With the lucid, masterful explanations and razor-sharp wit his fans have come to expect, Kean explores the brain's secret passageways and recounts the forgotten tales of the ordinary people whose struggles, resilience, and deep humanity made neuroscience possible.
About the Author
Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of Caesar's Last Breath, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist's Thumb, all of which were also named Amazon top science books of the year.
The Disappearing Spoon was a runner-up for the Royal Society of London's book of the year for 2010, and The Violinist's Thumb and The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons were nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2013 and 2015, as well as the AAAS/Subaru SB&F prize.
His work has appeared in the Best American Nature and Science Writing, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, Psychology Today, Slate, Mental Floss, and other publications, and he has been featured on NPR's "Radiolab," "All Things Considered," and "Fresh Air."
Praise For…
Longlisted for the 2015 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award
One of Amazon's Best Books of the Year: Science
One of The A.V. Club's Best Books of 2014
A Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist: Nonfiction
"This is Sam Kean's finest work yet, an entertaining and offbeat history of the brain populated with mad scientists, deranged criminals, geniuses, and wretched souls. The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons is one of those books that will have you following your friends around, reading passages out loud, until they snatch the book away from you and read it for themselves. Good luck getting it back."—Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist
"Put your Netflix queue on hold. Sam Kean's The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons will command your full attention from the first page. It's not just an engaging guide to mysteries of existence; it's compelling story-telling for anyone with a taste for the bizarre and metaphysical."—William Poundstone, author of Rock Breaks Scissors
"In tale after tale, best-selling author Kean provides a fascinating, and at times gloriously gory, look at how early efforts in neurosurgery were essentially a medical guessing game.... Entertaining and quotable, Kean's writing is sharp, and each individual story brings the history of neuroscience to life. Compulsively readable, wicked scientific fun."—Kirkus
"Reading this collection is like touring a museum of neuroscience's most dramatic anomalies, each chapter taking us to a different place and time.... Kean's colloquial language and intimate voice bring all of this series of mini-histories to life -- all of which are sure to stimulate a wide range of brains."—Publishers Weekly
"[Kean] proves an able guide, connecting each story with the science behind it, always with an air of enthusiastic curiosity."—Kate Tuttle, Boston Globe
"[Kean's] strength lies in his storytelling, and in the humane combination of humor and compassion toward the strange life histories he pieces together.... Kean has a penchant for the kind of vivid description that makes one want to clutch one's head tenderly close."—Margaret Quamme, Columbus Dispatch
"To pick up one of these stories is to lose oneself in them. Where does the brain end and the mind begin? Curious readers will find both brain and mind fully revved up while engaging with this powerfully appealing and thought-provoking work of neuroscience history."—Donna Chavez, Booklist
"The author's skill in illuminating how the brain functions and malfunctions manifest themselves in people's lives makes for absorbing reading....These avowals ultimately raise weighty, compelling questions about the nature of identity and what it means to be human."—The Wall Street Journal
"Strokes, seizures, accidents: if they don't kill, they can traumatize the brain so badly that an individual's personality can be significantly changed. But, explains New York Times best-selling author of the terrific The Violinist's Thumb, early neuroscientists saw such traumas as an opportunity to study the brain's wondrous workings."—Library Journal, "Barbara's Picks"
"Beyond paying tribute to the scientific advances these patients made possible, Kean humanizes the patients themselves."—Scientific American
"After tackling DNA and the periodic table in his previous books, Kean has moved on to the human brain, which he dissects via dozens of vivid anecdotes.... His subtle meta touches are a heady delight."—Joe McGovern, Entertainment Weekly
"Sam Kean can spin a tale as well as any fiction writer....Kean is a rare writer who approaches science writing as a child would a playground at recess. It's a wide-open field full of possibilities, limited only by the surroundings and what our imaginations can do with them."—PopMatters
"In the capable hands of science writer Sam Kean, stories of brain injuries shine just a bit brighter, illuminating not only the interesting characters delivering bedside diagnoses or lying on the examination table, but general principles of scientific discovery that are still relevant today....Kean breathes life into the patients as well as the physicians and scientists tasked with understanding the injuries."—The Scientist
Kean is "science's premier storyteller, the man who regularly turns the history of science into sagas filled with adventure, mystery, fascinating people, and fun."—The Washington Post
"Entrancing.... Sam Kean burrows into the workings of an organ once deemed as unknowable as the far reaches of the galaxy, and does so with boyish charm, accessible language, a prodigious amount of enthusiasm and the sobering realization that throughout history a catastrophic brain injury has ghoulishly been the neuroscientists best friend."—James Macgowan, Toronto Star
"These stories are entertaining....But they're also illuminating, as Kean shows how each one advanced scientific knowledge."—Washingtonian
"Kean delves into a scientific world before modern technology, and tells the stories of people who had sudden changes in personality, felt phantom limbs, pathologically lied, and experienced other mysteries traced back to the brain. He does so with humor and humanity, making the mind-boggling history of neuroscience a fun read."—Nicole Dubowitz, DCist
"Crammed with curious anecdotes from neuroscience's gory past."—Nature
"Mesmerizing.... With a razor-edged wit and intriguing narrative, the pages are easily devoured, all while Kean explores the deepest labyrinths of the brain."—Mellinda Hensley, Los Angeles Magazine
"Dueling Neurosurgeons will confirm Kean's already-solid reputation as a writer who can make anything understandable and interesting.[...] Although hugely entertaining (perhaps especially so in this era of vampire and zombie fascination), Kean's book contains amazingly clear details about our brains."—Winnipeg Free Press
"Engrossing, cleverly narrated."—Simon Lewsen, The Globe and Mail
"Breezy, informal, entertaining stories that link what we now know of the nervous system to events and personalities of the past."—James W. Kalat, American Psychological Association's PsycCRITIQUES


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Good thing is mayron silang Natural flavor, Strawberry flavor and a mixture of the two flavors!
Looks yummy no??
Lulubelle is located at the 3rd Floor of the Powerplant Mall
My other Weekend Snapshot: Baker's Dozen
early mornings...rainy afternoons...travel...boring days...coffee& desserts...friendships ...my family...life with my husband & daughter...living,loving,eating...
Ah..another food pics here! Enough to make me drool! LOL :) Happy Monday!~
The soft shade of pink is really sweet looking....looks yummy as well!! :) Perfect on a hot day!
Wa. U had a cool weekend huh? ;)
That looks delicious!
looks delicious but it's quite pricey.
My WS are posted here and here. Please drop by if you have some time. Thanks!
wow, your post is so yummy!
thanks for the visit. ^_^
happy ws!!
Please drop at my WS post also : in HERE Thanks
Where's the cow? hehehe.... I love ice-cream, this is so pretty.
oh my..nalaway ako:D might try that next time we get to Powerplant.
i love fruit in ice cream! those treats look so sinfully delicious! i could almost taste them! :D
have a great week!
Colorful Noodle Soup
Off to the Farm
another mouth watering pics.
my ws entry is posted here. hope you can visit. have a great week! thanks.
The calamansi sorbet looks so nice, yum!!
have a pleasant week and happy ws!
Calamansi Sorbet!! Humm,, wondrin what it taste like....
Here is mine http://aussietalks.com/2008/10/weekend-fun.html
Oh i like that ice cream...Sweet weekend..TC
you made me crave!!!this is new no, i've never been here while we were in PI:)
wow! my family likes yoghurt. and i am an ice cream addict. so this place must be a visit on our next Pinas vacay. Thanks for sharing and for the visit as well. take care and till next WS!


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Dr. Kathleen Lubey
B.A., Ithaca College
M.A., State University of New York at Buffalo
Ph.D., Rutgers University
Research Focus: literature of the long eighteenth century; history of sexuality; feminist and queer theory; literary theory; theory of the novel
My research and teaching interests include the literature and culture of eighteenth-century Britain, sexuality and gender studies, feminist theory, the history of pornography, literature of the British slave trade, and literary criticism and theory. My book Excitable Imaginations: Eroticism and Reading in Britain, 1660-1760 (Bucknell 2012) examined the relationship between sexual representation and discourses on morality, aesthetics, and reading in a broad range of eighteenth-century texts. I am now at work on two long-term projects: a book on the history of narrative pornography from the eighteenth century to the present, under contract with Stanford University Press, and a study that asks skeptically if marriage was revered by eighteenth-century writers, as is often alleged. A special issue of The Eighteenth Century: Theory and Interpretation on the "The Novel as Theory," which I co-edited with Rebecca Tierney-Hynes, is forthcoming in Spring 2020. Journals that have published my work include ELH, Eighteenth-Century Fiction, differences, Eighteenth-Century Studies, and Studies in Eighteenth-Century Culture. In the past several years I have been awarded research fellowships by the Walpole, Beinecke, and Chawton House Libraries. I am also the chairperson of the Columbia University Seminar in Eighteenth-Century European Culture.


text: Will Porcelain Veneers Work For Your Dental Problem? 5 October 2015 Categories: Dentist, Blog If you have certain dental issues, you may be able to have veneers put on your teeth to treat the condition. Veneers are like porcelain coverings, and they have a natural look to them. The veneers will be made to fit your teeth, give them a natural appearance and work as your natural teeth would against your other teeth. If you think veneers sound like a good option, you can learn about some of the types of dental problems they can help with in this article. Read More


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LA PLATA, Md. (Sept. 21, 2010) - The Charles County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.
MAN CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE ASSAULT: On September 20 at 3:10 a.m., a Charles County Sheriff's officer was on patrol in the 3700 block of Leonardtown Road in Waldorf when he saw a woman lying in the parking lot of a business. The officer went to investigate and observed the woman run inside the building through a side door. The officer drove to the side of the building where he observed a man run into the building behind her. Officers knocked on the door at which time the man, Chad Eugene Fowler, 38, answered. Officers continued searching the building for the woman and found her in a room that had been converted to a living space. She was lying on a bed with multiple injuries. Officers learned Fowler assaulted the victim - his girlfriend - and strangled her. The victim, 23, was transported to a nearby hospital where she was treated for injuries. Fowler was arrested and charged with first-degree assault. Cpl. Jackson made the arrest.
BURGLARY: Between September 17 and September 18, an unknown suspect broke into a floral shop at 2040 Old Washington Road in Waldorf and stole property. There were no signs of forced entry. Officers canvassed the area and processed the scene for evidence. Officer J. foster is investigating.
MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE A CONTROLLED DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE: On September 17 at 4 p.m., officers with the Charles County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit arrested Walter Leon Skinner, 20, of Brandywine, in connection with selling illegal drugs from a room he rented at the La Quinta Inn, 11770 Business Park Drive in Waldorf. Detectives served a search warrant and recovered marijuana, drug paraphernalia and gun ammunition. Skinner was charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance.
BURGLARY: Between September 15 and September 16, an unknown suspect broke into the Blue Bay Restaurant and Liquor Store at 9425 Berry Road in Waldorf and stole cash and other items. Detective J. Long is investigating.


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Until a few months ago, Carlos Hernández was a government health promoter in central El Salvador. His job was to visit poor families and ensure their children attended school and received health checks, in exchange for modest cash benefits.
One day in March, on his way to visit a family in a neighbourhood controlled by the Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) gang, Hernández witnessed a beating by gang members. Too scared to intervene, he hurried past, completed his visit and started his long walk home.
The four assailants were waiting for him.
"I pleaded with them to let me live. I said I had children, that I'd say nothing," said Hernández, 31. "They agreed to spare my life but told me never to return."
The victim was found dead three days later – one of 611 homicides in the tiny Central American nation that month.
Hernández was scared, but couldn't find another job. So when he returned to visit the same family a month later, he took a different route and left his uniform at home in hope of going unnoticed.
But he was spotted by gang informants, and the same four youngsters confronted Hernández with baseball bats, accusing him of spying for a rival group.
"They took down my address from my identity card, and threatened to kill my whole family if they ever saw me again. We left El Salvador five days later," said Hernández, now living with his wife and two children in a sparsely furnished room in Tapachula, in southern Mexico, where they are seeking asylum.
The Hernández family are part of an alarming exodus of entire families forced to flee widespread violence in Central America's northern triangle, the world's most dangerous region outside an official war zone.
As huge numbers of Syrian and African refugees risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea to escape war-torn states, advocates say a parallel refugee crisis has unfolded on America's doorstep amid an undeclared but increasingly brutal war between criminal groups and security forces.
An estimated 80,000 people from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, mostly families and unaccompanied children, are expected to apply for asylum overseas this year – a 658% increase since 2011, according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR). Tens of thousands more will be forcibly displaced, but not seek international help.
During the 1980s, the three countries known as the northern triangle were blighted by vicious civil wars between US-backed military dictatorships and leftist guerrilla groups. But even after ceasefires were agreed, peace never came to the region as unresolved inequalities and amnesties which let war criminals escape justice fuelled a new wave of violence and corruption.
This toxic mix of warring gangs and corrupt security forces is driving one of the world's least visible refugee crises, Amnesty International will say in a new report on Friday.
"What is shocking is the absolute lack of protection their governments are providing their own people," Salil Shetty, Amnesty's general secretary told the Guardian.
In El Salvador, people are fleeing – and dying – at the same rate now as they did during the country's 12-year civil war in which 1 million were forcibly displaced and 75,000 were killed. Last year, 6,657 people were murdered and violence forced at least 23,000 children to abandon school, in a country of 6 million people.
"The current internal displacement and forced migration is the same human drama we saw during the war," said Celia Medrano from the Civil Society Roundtable against Forced Displacement in El Salvador.
Often the same weapons are doing the killing: many gangs are assault rifles left over from the civil war.
While reaching the US remains the primary goal for most Central Americans in flight, Mexico is an increasingly popular final destination.
In Tapachula, the largest city near the Guatemalan border, shelters which once served transient migrants hoping to find work in the US are now full of frightened asylum seekers.
"Before, people left home in search of a better life – now they're fleeing overnight to save their lives," said Olga Sánchez Martínez, founder of Jesus the Good Shepherd shelter.
The shift is in large part down to the Southern Border Plan: the US-instigated immigration crackdown on Central American migrants, launched in June 2014 after a surge of unaccompanied minors that year, which has made it much harder to traverse Mexico.
The Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, has pledged to build a wall on the US-Mexican border to keep migrants out. But the proliferation of immigration checkpoints and bandits who prey on migrants has already created a formidable barrier, forcing people to risk clandestine new routes through even more isolated regions – or to stay in Mexico.
In the first six months of this year the Mexican refugee agency, Comar, received 3,486 asylum applications – a 150% rise compared to same period in 2015. More than 8,000 are expected by the end of 2016.
But despite a significant rise in approval rates over the past year, activists say too many asylum seekers are rejected or simply drop out because of long delays in processing.
The Hernández family are such a case: their application for asylum was rejected on the grounds they could return to El Salvador and move to a district designated as a safe space after a gang truce was brokered in 2012.
But the truce – which initially reduced murders by almost 50% – was abandoned in 2014. Since then, gang warfare, organised crime and police brutality have intensified across the tiny country.
"The gangs are stronger than ever, it's a national problem. If you move to a community controlled by a rival gang, you're suspected of being an informant –which is enough to get you killed too," said Hernández.
His wife Elizabeth Portillo, 24, said: "We left everything we had, our beds, cots, fridge, our families, to come and sleep on the floor in this room. We didn't want this, we left because we had to."
Rejecting asylum claims on the grounds people can relocate within their own country violates national and international protocols, according to Perrine Leclerc, director of UNHCR in Tapachula.
"Internal relocation as a safe alternative to asylum should only be used in very specific circumstances and not in small countries like those in Central America where violence is generalized," she said.
The family is challenging the decision, but appeals are rarely successful; in the meantime they cannot legally work and are reliant on stipends from UNHCR.
Comar did not respond to questions from the Guardian. But strong refugee laws coupled with pressure from activists means a small but growing number of families are being granted asylum in Mexico.
Janet Machado, 48, fled the city of La Ceiba in northern Honduras after her youngest daughter was shot and paralysed by a neighbourhood thug in January.
Machado travelled overland to Mexico with two wheelchair-using children –Gabriela and son Eric, 30, who is severely physically and learning disabled as a result of childhood meningitis – as well as her 17-year-old daughter Maholy and grandson Donavon, aged two.
Gabriela, 14, was shot in the left shoulder on her way to buy tortillas at the corner shop, following an argument with a male classmate. The boy's father, who was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, shot her at close range and kicked her unconscious body. The bullet damaged the spinal cord and remains lodged between her lungs.
"My life completely changed, just like that. I spent three months in hospital, I haven't been to school since January," Gabriela told the Guardian after a rare physiotherapy session. The family struggle to pay the taxi fair to the rehab clinic and do not qualify for UNHCR cash benefits.
After four months living in a crowded shelter in Tapachula, the family were recently granted refugee status by Comar. Eventually they hope to make it to the US to join Donovan's mother, an undocumented migrant working as a cleaner in Texas.
Going home isn't an option.
"Security in Honduras is getting worse, and you cannot trust the authorities. Everyone knows who shot my daughter, but he's still free. Even if they arrest him, it could make it things worse for us. We can't go back," said Machado.
A blend of organised crime, state brutality and deep-seated impunity left 8,035 people dead in Honduras last year, which has a population of 8.5 million.
In reality, those receiving international protection are a tiny proportion of those who would qualify.
Less than 1% of those crossing Mexico's southern border – or 3,423 people – sought asylum here last year. In comparison, 170,323 Central Americans were detained by Mexican immigrations agents, and most were immediately deported home.
In addition, more than 100,000 families and unaccompanied children from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala were detained at the US southern border in the past year.
Nevertheless, neither the US, Mexico nor the northern triangle countries have acknowledged the escalating refugee crisis despite warnings from the UN and rights groups.
Meanwhile, many people are too scared to apply for asylum or are simply unaware of their rights, said Fermina Rodríguez, from the Fray Matías Human Rights Centre in Tapachula.
"People are fleeing Central America to save their own lives, to save their children's lives, in need of help. Yet Mexico's main policy – which is always directed from Washington – is to detain and deport them, to stop them reaching the US, rather than offering them protection," she said.
Leclerc, the UNHCR official, said: "The American dream still exists – but now most people are just looking for a safe place to live with their families; they're searching for a normal life."


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Nail Your Listing Presentations by Making Them More "Meme"orable
Landing yourself a listing appointment is hard enough, but then you still have to nail your presentation in order to walk out of it with a signed listing agreement in hand. It's not an opportunity you want to squander.
Unless you're a seasoned veteran or have a super polished presentation, it's super common to worry about how it'll go…
- Will I forget to go over something important?
- What if they interrupt me with questions and I get sidetracked and I can't get the presentation back on track?
- Does my presentation set me apart from the competition?
- Does my competition have a better presentation? Is it more flashy or techy?
The good news is, you're not the only agent who worries about these things! Many agents don't have a set listing presentation, or at least one they love or "own" and can present confidently. At best, they're just using some cookie-cutter, boring presentation from their company.
The better news is that you can easily take your existing presentation and make it way more memorable! All you have to do is sprinkle in some funny memes that also make a point you want sellers to remember or agree with.
Let's look at some examples…
Here's one you could use as an icebreaker at the beginning. Take the pressure off by joking about performing under pressure! (Your call whether you actually break out singing some Bowie in front of them!)
Insert this one into your presentation where you talk about prepping their house for photos. This will give you the chance to talk about presenting the house in the best, but most honest light in your photos. You can filter and photoshop all you want, but at the end of the day, you don't want buyers feeling let down the minute they pull up to the house.
This one has a couple of angles! Use it to bring up the importance of keeping their house tidy for showings, but also how it's easy to get discouraged when there aren't a lot of showings. They'll remember this one a month or two into the listing when they're upset there hasn't been any showings and you suggest leaving a pair of underwear on the floor. The value of humor can extend beyond the listing presentation and help you deal with their concerns (and complaints) throughout the listing period.
Here's one to drive home the importance of disclosing any problems with their house…
If a homeowner doesn't bring up how much a neighbor is asking for their home, is it even a listing appointment?! This is a witty way to defuse and handle that age-old issue…
Or, you can throw in a quote from a famous real estate guru to hammer home the importance of pricing…
If it's not the neighbors' asking price, then it's their Zestimate (or both) that'll come up! Here's one to make light of how much emphasis agents put on Zestimates.
Throw in a fun fact to show them you're a student of your craft and think about the finer details, even down to the words you'll use in their listing description…
…or to gently explain why you won't be spending money on print ads when they insist on a full page ad in the New York Times.
When (inevitably) they ask you to reduce your commission, hit 'em with this pan…of spinach.
Of course they'll want to see some testimonials! Whether you have some legitimate rave reviews to show them as well or not, throwing this one in will address their request and give them a laugh.
And then close on them with this one as you hand them a pen to sign on the dotted line!
Hopefully those get your creative juices flowing and on your way to crafting a listing presentation you'll look forward to using! If you want access to even more memes you can use in your presentation, and a whole lot of other types of content to help you land listing appointments, then click here and consider joining our Inner Circle.
Using memes in your presentation will break up the boredom of a typical presentation and give you moments to truly connect with the homeowners. Ultimately, people like to laugh, and they like doing business with people they like. Sure, another agent you're up against may have a better resume, more sales, or a killer listing presentation of their own. But, will they connect with clients as much as you do with a presentation like this?! That's the question other agents should be asking themselves…


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