text:
It was a bear of a summer on Cape Cod
Then came the sharks
By GREG O'BRIEN from the Providence Journal
It was a bear of a summer on Cape Cod. Then came the sharks.
A marauding black bear early on, mugging for the cameras, cut a serpentine path across Cape Cod on Memorial Day, then held sway in the press until Jaws returned.
At first it was a joke. You could hear the oboe wafting off Pleasant Bay as gray seals, thousands of them, sunned on the mudflats at low tide, then wobbled in blubber out to the killing fields. Scores of us were in our boats, chumming for a photo op.
An estimated 15,000 gray seals and a few dozen Great White Sharks, up to 20 feet long, crashed the party on the Cape where upwards of a half million people crowd onto this sliver of sand, the "bared and bended arm of Massachusetts," as Thoreau once described it, to celebrate the solstice.There was hardly room left for the Piping Plovers.
It's post Labor Day, thank God, and they're all gone, right?
But just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water, the Great Whites linger with the seals, and have now been spotted in Chatham Harbor. The sharks will be here thorough the holidays, says state Division of Marine Fisheries shark expert Greg Skomal of Martha's Vineyard, a Discovery Channel contributor. He's a modern-day Hooper, the cerebral oceanographer that Chief Brody hired on Amity Island to find the Carcharodon carcharias that could swallow you whole.
"We don't know if this summer represents a shift in the existing shark population, given exceedingly higher numbers of seals here, or if there's actual population growth with sharks," Skomal said in an interview.
There's no doubt that the gray seal population has exploded with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and will continue growing fast. The species was once hunted in the thousands for pelts and speared by angry fishermen apoplectic over hungry seals robbing the fisheries.
New math, old math, it's all the same. The more gray seals, the more Great Whites.
Yikes! We're gonna need a bigger boat. "The ocean beaches are still closed," declared Chatham Board of Selectmen chairperson Florence Seldin, affectionately called in these parts ''the mayor of shark city.''
"Chatham's ocean beaches are still closed. This is not about hype. It's simply the prudent thing to do."
- Chatham Board of Selectmen chairperson Florence Seldin."This is not about hype," she said. "It's simply the prudent thing to do."
Paul Fulcher, park superintendent at the neighboring Orleans Parks Department, where he oversees a swath of Atlantic shoreline from Chatham's new cut to the Eastham line, said Great Whites are coming so close to shore that you can almost spit on them. "I've seen them within 15 feet of the beach," he said.
The seals themselves also have closed beaches, 17 days in fact for bacterial contamination--fecal coliform. Seals "are not wearing diapers," Barnstable County's top health official George Heufelder told the Cape Cod Times, noting that contamination from seal colonies can be dispensed by ocean currents to the shoreline "like a shotgun."
Now that temperatures are dropping and the sun is lower in the sky, shark experts and Cape officials are pondering next season, which promises to bring even more intruders. Great Whites, the world's largest known extant macropredatory fish, are as mysterious as they are fearsome, relying on highly sophisticated sensory systems, Skomal says. "I have great respect for sharks," he adds, "I've been in the water with them for 30 years."
"I taste lousy" - Chris Myers.Fifty-year-old Chris Myers, a father of two who grew up on Joy Street on Beacon Hill, isn't so lucky. He was attacked by a Great White in late July, swimming with his son about 400 yards off bucolic Ballston Beach in Truro. Bitten on both legs, wounds requiring 47 stitches, he was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital, then Massachusetts General Hospital.
"I taste lousy," he joked afterwards.
Taste is key to a Great White's appetite, says Skomal, noting sharks prefer lard-- loads of it--to a long, hairy leg. Consumption of a 700-pound gray seal, a meal that starts with a ballistic strike that would spook the Antichrist, can satisfy a Great White for almost a month, adds Skomal.
"Call it 'shark-anoia."
- John Piekarski.It's the anticipation that strikes terror in all of us. Cue the oboe. "The dread of the unknown puts the fear of God in us," says counselor John Piekarski, of Sandwich. "We can't see below the surface of the water, and thus we are always frightful of what's nibbling at our feet. People take these fears home with them."
Call it 'shark-anoia.' Take three aspirin, Piekarski muses, call me in the morning, and rest assured there's nothing under your bed. Unless, of course, it's a land shark.
Surfers, the bane of many beachgoers who compete for the best waves, are generally relaxed about sharks, or so they say. Scores of surfers in full wetsuits, looking like baby seals, bob like wine corks in the roiling ocean waters, looking for swells.
"We don't talk much about sharks," says Rick Weeks, who has been surfing these waters for 48 years. "I suppose we're all in denial, afraid to confront what threatens our passion."
While the ocean beaches are still closed to swimming, the shops are bustling, selling a cornucopia of shark sticks, bumper stickers and shark patrol T-shirts (bought one). Soon all will be quiet here as Indian summer gives way to deep autumn. But don't be fooled. Sharks are staying for the "shoulder season.'' Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...
By Greg O'Brien
Codfish Press
When was the last time you had a good laugh—a real genuine, spirit-freeing belly laugh?
Laughter, a visual manifestation of joy and inward evidence of contentment, is a powerful antidote to the stresses of life. A good laugh, doctors say, reduces tension, and can leave muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes. Laugher boosts the immune system, decreases stress hormones, and triggers the release of endorphins—a drug of choice as we age.
No joke.
Laughter, doctors say, causes dilation of the inner lining of blood vessels, the so-called endothelium, and increases blood flow, offering an array of health advantages.
According to the Ririan Project, "Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, adrenaline, dopamine and growth hormone. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins, and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the efficiency of T-cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress. A good belly laugh also exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart. Laughing 100 times is the equivalent to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike."
So why not Laughter Yoga?
Dian Hamilton of Provincetown, a certified Laughter Yoga instructor, is all over it. A consultant to the newly created COAST, Council On Aging's Serving Together, a COA collaboration of programs and services, Hamilton performed her magic recently at a COAST forum, Live Your Life Well, held at the Barnstable Senior Center on Route 28 in Hyannis. The forum was part of a focus on healthy aging, promoting the proven connection between lifestyles chosen and mental wellness. These are dots that need connecting.
Hamilton embarked on her Laughter Yoga exercise with the ease of a maestro. Within minutes, she had a room full of seniors and consultants laughing ecstatically, not at jokes, but at Hamilton's deep breathing and laughing exhortations, which increase oxygen seven times to the body.
"Laughter Yoga," she said in an interview, "is like an aerobic exercise, a cardio workout, which brings more oxygen to your brain and makes one feel more healthy and energetic. It reduces physical, mental and emotional stress all at the same time, and strengthens the immune system. It can change mood in minutes."
"Everyone," she adds, "can laugh when time is good, but how to laugh when you face challenges is the building block of Laughter Yoga. Laughter gives you hope and optimism to deal with difficult times."
Hence the rudiments of Laughter Yoga, which were explained and applied at the COAST forum, coordinated by Katherine Wernier, director of the elder-based Reach program. At the core of senior wellness are ten principles in the COAST Live Your Life Well program—simple, direct and yet of no value if not practiced:
The success of Coast, with initiatives such as Live Your Life, is predicated upon cooperation and collaboration among local Councils on Aging—a critical sharing of care and resources. "Live Your Life Well is a program to help seniors with mental wellness and build resiliency, " said Liz Smith, former COAST chairperson. "Loss of health, once it begins, is a downward spiral, both physically and mentally.
"Taking control of aging and its challenges by working at 'wellness' gives one an added advantage," noted Wernier. According to most experts, Health and wellness through prevention programs, like Council on Aging services, are keys to successful aging.
Council on Aging programs today offer far more than in years past, added Smith, retired Orleans COA Director Smith. "We're not just bingo anymore. We have a range of programs and services that stretch the mind and renew the spirit."
COAST indeed is testimony to this.
By Greg O'Brien
Codfish Press
Does a bear shit in the woods?
Maybe today in Brewster.
Or perhaps me!
A roving bear that was seen earlier in backyards and cranberry bogs on the Mid Cape has made its way to Brewster, off historic Stony Brook Road near the herring run where a few straggling alewives are still making their way up the stone ladders to spawn in the Mill Ponds.
The bear was reported judiciously to Brewster police; cruisers were then dispatched and a helicopter spotter was put in the air.
The Boston Globe reported that Brewster police Lieutenant Heath Eldredge said the first sighting today was near Red Top Road around 9 a.m., and a short time later, the bear was observed near Stony Brook Road and Herring Brook Lane.
The neighborhood where I've lived for 30 years had all the feel this morning of Mayberry R.F.D.
Stop! The Rod & Gun Club is that way!
"The bear most likely swam across the Cape Cod Canal, a feat that would be fairly easy for a bear if the tide were mostly flat," reports Colin Young of the Boston Globe, noting ironically that the bear, likely a two-year-old cub, was spotted earlier along Route 6A, fleeing toward the Bass River Rod and Gun Club.
Dutiful reporter than I am, I called my old buddy Brewster Police Chief Dick Koch just to rattle his cage.
He said he was on my street hours ago trying to locate the marauding cub. He must be hungry, I thought. The cub, not the chief.
What would late naturalist John Hay, a former neighbor, say if the bear snags a herring out of The Run?
The author of a classic book by the name would have been mystified, the cub displaying the same olfactory instinct of the alewife.
Brewster Town Administrator Charlie Sumner, a neighbor, was a bit more pragmatic.
He told a friend that he had called his wife Cindy in jest, and suggested to her that she strap a Salmon to her back on her walk in the woods today.
Last check, Cindy hadn't left the house.
By Greg O'Brien
Providence Journal
Ok, so the Almighty is ready for some football!
Tim Tebow's Hail Mary pass on Sunday—the Lord's Day—punctuated a trinity of testimonies: that the Denver Broncos are for real; that the New England Patriots might need some supernatural Ghostbusters on defense next Saturday; and that Tim Tebow can throw for 316 yards, paradoxically a reference to the Tebow's trademark scriptural verse inscribed on the "eye black" strips at University of Florida to cut glare—John 3:16. For those who don't have a Bible handy, it states: "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"—King James version.
In Tebow time, it was a come-to-Jesus moment, indeed; not to mention Internet reports of a "halo affect" above Mile High Stadium after the game.
So praise the Lord, and pass the damn ball again!
From my early parochial days at the knee of the Baltimore Catechism, effectively the orthodox Catholic school text in the United States from 1885 to the late 1960s, we clearly serve a Lord of redemption.
Can I hear an Amen to that brothers and sisters?
Redemption, folks, is now at hand. But while the Almighty may have been making a point about Tebow, the Lord—I believe—is not likely to mess with the point spread on the Pats game. Such an irreverent act would be tantamount to pronouncing that Purgatory and Limbo, like Pluto, have lost their glow.
Weeks ago, Saturday Night Live had it right, proselytizing that Tebow's righteous genuflecting was fully faithful because Jesus after all is responsible for all seven, now eight, of the streaking Broncos's wins. But as Jesus, through the on-stage persona of SNL's Jason Sudeikis, cautions: " Here's the thing. If we're going to keep doing this, you guys gotta meet me halfway out there. Let's face it. It's not a good thing if every week, I, the Son of God, have to come in, drop everything and bail out the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter. I'm a busy guy!"
Sudeikis conceded on-camera something New England fans have long harbored about their own divinely stirred quarterback. "This doesn't leave this room, OK?" Sudeikis, aka Jesus, declared, "but if I'm the Son of God, Tom Brady's gotta be (a) nephew. That guy's a miracle worker."
God's nephew and His Voice Crying In The Wilderness meet Saturday in Foxboro, and pardon the hype, this ought to be a Rapture to witness. Shame on those who get left behind.
Say what you want about Tebow, the youngest of five children, but he is an honest reflection of his parents, persevering Christian Baptist missionaries who labored in the Philippians. Some of us might not like the candor of his genuflections, the wear-it-on-his-sleeve moralizing like he's discerning a play for third and long, or the vocal callouts to his savior. Many of us prefer to express our beliefs in more traditional or private tones, but Tebow is true to his beliefs, no matter the fallout. That's not ego, hype, or disdain for unbelievers; it's a man following the tenets of his parents. And God bless him for it, in spite of the discomfited candor and heavenly high-fives that make some awkward.
Hey, we seem to give a free pass in public and in the media to the bad boys of sports. Collectively, we often celebrate it—the head butts and all-about-me prancing in the end zone. We have politically correct sympathy for jocks who shoot themselves or aim at others, who father children without a commitment to fatherhood, who sexually harass women, who violate every sense of decency, and yet when a decent guy wants to thank his Lord in public, following the role model of his parents, he's disparaged, mocked in some circles as if he's just burned down a convent full of nuns.
Political correctness could use a day in the confessional.
So bring it on Tebow! All the best on Saturday. Genuflect in prayer, lift your hands in praise, and inscribe all the scriptural passages you want on your eye black. We could all use some faith in a world racing toward Armageddon.
But for the record, I'll be rooting this weekend for God's nephew—the guy with three Super Bowl rings, completion stats that would impress Michael the Archangel, and a spirited quarterback with a smile, work ethic and innocence that could part the Red Sea.
Now, are we ready for some football?
(Greg O'Brien is a freelance writer and author/editor of several books. He contributes periodically to the ProJoe's commentary page, and has been a consultant to the Kraft Organization at Gillette and other Boston area firms.)
By Greg O'Brien
Grace Kobold has the heart of anangel, more than one could ever imagine.
Thestunning and spirited 14-year-old freshman at Nauset Regional High Schoolreceived the gift of life a year ago this month—a heart transplant from ateenager in the Midwest, who died after a long fight with disease.
LikeGrace, her donor was filled with life, yet battling limitations requiring theinner strength of a seraph. She was a young woman who wanted to save the world,and in the end, she saved it the only way she could, as her mother said in aheartfelt letter to Grace: "She became the ultimate recycler."
Ina touching exchange of anonymous letters, Grace wrote the donor's mother thather new heart is a "perfect match; it feels like mine but better."
Grace desperately needed a newheart. She was diagnosed at birth with congenital heart disease that onlyskilled cardiologists at Children's Hospital in Boston could fully comprehend—Dilatedcardiomyopathy (DCM), an often fatal condition in which the heart is weakenedand enlarged and cannot pump blood efficiently; and a Ventricular Septal Defect(VSD), medical code for a hole in the heart.
"Weknew early on that for Grace to live, someone else would have to die," Grace'smother, Julie, an advanced placement psychology teacher at Nauset High, saidopenly in a recent interview at the family home in West Brewster. Julie, theimage of Grace, is seated next to her husband, Jeff, a former Navy fighterpilot of F-14 Tomcats over war torn Somalia and Iraq, and now a mortgagelending officer at Cape Cod Five. The lanky Grace—with striking dark blackhair, piercing brown eyes, all the innocence of youth and yet articulate farbeyond her years—is stretched out on the living room floor, recalling with herparents more than a decade of turmoil, defined by great perseverance, courageand faith.
Herfather, a pensive man with military calculation, sits quietly in a sofa chaircollecting his thoughts, then speaks from the soul. "I was distraught. Wefeared we might lose Grace," says Jeff, noting that with the support of closefamily and the good counsel of a pastor in San Diego where Grace was born andfriends at Brewster's Cape Cod Bible Alliance Church where the family nowworships, "we came to realize that our children are on loan from God, andthere's ultimate peace in the reality of that challenge of trust." Those arestrong words of faith from a guy who on his own gut instinct used to flyfighter jets at speeds of more than Mach 1, and land them at night in heavingseas on wet flight decks the length of two football fields on the U.S.S. KittyHawk, stationed in the Persian Gulf. "You only get one life, and you don't know how long it will be," hesays.
InGrace's case, faith and fear were stretched to a point of total surrender.
"We realized there were criticalmedical issues just seconds after Grace was born," recalls Julie. "Grace, shesaid, turned purple "once doctors cut the umbilical cord and she went fromliving off my heart to her own."
A top San Diego cardiologistquickly diagnosed the symptoms as Dilated cardiomyopathy. Julie promptlyinquired of the doctor how many patients he had treated with the disease.
"I was afraid you would ask," hereplied. "I've had five, and none of them has made it past the age of five."
The room stood still, motionless,as Julie and Jeff collected their thoughts—minds racing toward the unthinkable.
At three months, Grace was still a"failure to thrive" baby with a defective heart, burning up more calories thanshe retained—"literally sweating to death," as her mother says. Doctorspersevered. A successful open heart surgery was performed when Grace was 11months to repair the hole, but years later, after her heart began anotherdecline, she was diagnosed with E-Coli that quickly morphed intoHemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS), a disease characterized by hemolytic anemia,acute renal failure and a low platelet count that triggers internal bleeding.Again, doctors found a fix.
About a year after Grace was born, theKobolds moved to the Cape, a relocation that made sense on a number of fronts:Jeff had just been hired as a Delta Airlines pilot flying 737s; Children'sHospital, the top pediatric hospital in the nation, was nearby; and Julie'sparents lived in Brewster where her dad Richard, a former Navy pilot himself,was longtime principal at Brewster Elementary, then appointed AssistantSuperintendent for Nauset Regional School District.
Stillthere were many heartbreaking adjustments for Grace. She says she firstrealized she was "different" from other kids at a first grade sleepover whenshe was the only one who had to take medication.
"My friends didn't seem tounderstand, they thought I had 'Old Man's disease,'" Grace recalls. "I wasthrowing up frequently, I didn't get invited to parties. I was crying a lot."
Sowere her parents. "The 'what ifs' were scary," says Julie. "We could only talkabout them when the lights were out because it seemed safer somehow." Grace'solder sister, Madeleine, now a freshman at Azusa Pacific University, wasfrightened as well, and had to juggle normal sibling rivalry with the coldreality that her parents were consumed with Grace. "Mad," as her mother callsher, always put Grace first. She often coped by channeling her feelings andfears into her acrylic paintings.
"Madeleine'shigh school senior year was very difficult competing for college and writingessays while we drove back and forth to Children's Hospital every day," Juliesays. "Somehow she managed. Our family activities slowly had to change, asGrace was not able to do much. On the upside, Mad is now a deeper person, moreaware of life's fragility, quick to see the shallowness of things."
In 2008, when Grace was in theeighth grade, doctors began transplant evaluations. With the diseaseprogressing, she was placed three years later on a transplant list with a rareblood type that made a timely transplant remote at best. Then in October, 2011,the Kobolds received a surprise call at 1:41 am that changed their livesforever.
"We might have a heart for Grace,are you ready?" a doctor said over the phone. Confirmation came an hour and ahalf later. "It's a go; pack the suitcases, wake up Grace!"
The family raced to Children's Hospital; Grace was soanxious and excited that she packed dirty clothes.
But the serpentine path oftransplant surgery, a progression of hurry up-and-wait, was bone chilling. WithGrace sedated in the operating room, another curve was thrown. The private Learjet carrying the donor's heart encountered severe thunderstorms along theroute. "The pilot isn't certain he can continue," the hospital cardiologisttold the Kobolds, who quickly gathered with family and friends in prayer.
"Ikept thinking," says Julie, "what am I going to tell Grace?"
Ahalf hour later, the doctor returned with news that she had informed the Learjet pilot that the patient's father was a former Navy fighter pilot. "You tellhim," the doctor relayed the message to the Kobolds, "that I'm going to GET this heart there. He can count on it!"
Therest was miracle clockwork: A race from Logan Airport to the hospital whiledoctors opened up Grace's chest cavity; as technicians were hurrying the preciouscargo up the hospital elevator and into the Operating Room, doctors removedGrace's defective heart; and within minutes the donor's heart was transplantedand beating new life as doctors carefully monitored for signs of rejection, asthey still do.
Recoverypain was intense given that doctors had to break Grace's breastbone, and fullblood circulation for the first time caused massive headaches and throbbing legcramps. "Ouchy!" Grace says in characteristic understatement.
There was another hurdle to clear. Aftera grateful Thanksgiving last November, one during which Grace rode a bike andcooked the entire turkey dinner, she became terribly ill for 28 days with afever of up to 105 degrees and symptoms that had the Kobold family collectivelyon its knees again. After a biopsy that inadvertently punctured a lung, Gracewas diagnosed with Histoplasmosis, also known as "Ohio Valley Disease," afarm-based fungus common to the Midwest, one that had been lodged for a time inthe donor's heart. Grace is still in recovery on medication, but the fungusappears to have run its course.
Onecould write a medical textbook on Grace, whose medical records caught theattention recently of Nick News on the Nickelodeon channel that featured Graceand others with organ transplants in a Linda Eleerbee segment called "A Gift ofLife." The segment can be accessed online here, and well worth the viewing.
In all ways, Grace's story is a gift of life. A broken heart in one part of the country has led to a new beginning inanother.
"Yourchild's heart beats on in my child, a steady beat with the promise of new memories,a chance at life," Julie wrote to the donor's mother. "Words of gratitude donot begin to convey the depth of our thanks."
Themother caringly wrote back in a three-page letter that Julie will save for alifetime, "Love is never wasted…(My daughter) will always have a special placein my heart, and now there is also a place for you."
Grace,today with the heart of an angel, is back to being a young adolescent—runningwith friends; scooping ice cream in July and August at Emack & Bolios inOrleans, the first summer job she's ever held; eating favorite foods verbotenon the menu years ago; and forever blessed with new life. There are some caveats. No contactsports and a regiment of warm up and pull down exercises before activities. Inthe transplant procedure, all nerves to the heart were cut, as in all suchtransplants, and only the major nerves reattached. "If I have a heart attack, Ijust won't feel it," Grace says.
But she has an intense feeling for lifenow. Always on the go now, she'soff now to a music social. "This has been a painful process, but the ending isgood," she says as she sprints out the door. "Life is a walk of faith. You putone foot in front of the next."
BlessMe Father, For I have Sinned!
By Greg O'Brien
The Providence Journal
BRONX,NEW YORK—I simply should have known better; my dad was spot on. Born on gritty SedgwickAvenue in the shadows of the House that Ruth Built, my late father, FrancisXavier O'Brien, was all New York—a second generation Irish American with rootsin County Claire, the father of ten children, the director of pensions in thesalad days of Pan Am, and a Yankee devotee once his beloved Brooklyn Dodgersturned tail to the west. Dad persuaded me as a kid that the National League nolonger existed; flat DOA on the closing of Ebbets Field. "Gotta fight for ateam that fights for you, "he taught me early on. A man of redemption, dadstill never forgave the betrayal, and passed it down to me.
Playinghigh school and college ball in the New York area, and on a Senior Babe RuthLeague All Star team that won two New York State Championships and qualifiedfor two SBRL World Series tournaments, I was marinated in pinstripes—sitting inthe Pan Am box next to the Yankee dugout in the magical 1950s and 60seyeball-to-eyeball with Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Don Larsen,Bobby Richardson, Elston Howard and the like.
Thencame George. I never took to Steinbrenner in his early years—the epitome of NewYork swagger, a posture that pennants could be bought if not deserved, thegenesis of the Evil Empire. And with that, the New York attitude came intofull, stinking bloom. New York, once a place defined by genuine working stiffs,gave way, brownstone-by-brownstone, to the upscale arrogant, the cocky nouveauriche whose talents often never quite measured up to the compensation. Butthis, after all, was New York du jour, a place of big dreams, bigger egos andboisterous bravado. What do I know?
SoI checked out of the Big Apple scene, seeking those little town blues on CapeCod, and ultimately finding a coveted lunch pail ethic in Boston as a beatreporter for the Herald American and as senior writer at Boston Magazine.Assigned to cover politics, social issues and the Red Sox from time to time, Ifell in love with my adopted city—its collective pride, perseverance andresilience. The Sox embodied this resolve.
Againstmy late father's wishes, I raised my three children, Brendan, Colleen andConor, to be obdurate Sox fans, to fully hate the Yankees and Bucky BeepingDent. As a family, we suffered wrenching defeats together, bathed in rousingvictories, endured the lacerating extended-family abuse in New York, andforever sought the everlasting promise of another season. All along—in spite,at times, of horrific errors, pathetic pitching outings and a wholesale lack offundamental baseball—the Sox have never given up in spirit. At least not untilnow, and in the face of the third highest payroll in baseball at close to $163million, four times that of competing Tampa Bay.
Call it what you must—injuries, thinpitching, choke hitting, bad karma, or a realignment of the stars, more on thefield than off—but the wretched truth is that this team retreated in an epiccollapse of will, inner discipline and execution from the field to the frontoffice. Such a breakdown has been brewing for seasons with a Sox let-it-bemanagerial style that is far more cheerleading than performance based. How doyou think Bill Belichick would have dealt with the longest season-openinglosing streak since World War II and an 80 percent losing percentage in aplayoff drive? Wind sprints up the Green Monster perhaps? The Sox need a coreattitude adjustment from top to bottom along with key personnel changes beyonda new manager, however agonizing.
SureSox owner John Henry and company are fans, but they are entertainers andbusinessmen first. That's what they do for a living, and if they think Fenwaysellouts and devotion to Red Sox nation come with a deed to 4 Yawkey Way, theywill soon see empty seats as an attention-deficit next generation losesinterest in a slow, cerebral game played by overpaid athletes allowed todisplay the fundamental skills of Little Leaguers with the competitive desireof a convent full of cloistered nuns.
Inthe fifth inning of Sunday's first game against the Yankees, ironicallyafter breakfast with an oldfriend, Brooklyn Dodger legend Ralph Branca, to celebrate the publication hisnew book, A Moment In Time, I did the unthinkable. In the wake of Derek Jeter'sdouble that drove in yet another Yankee run in a 6-2 win over the Sox, I leftmy seat on the third baseline next to my son Brendan, then purposefully walkedto the closest souvenir stand, and yes, I bought a Yankee cap for myself—thekind my dad was buried with and the first Yankee cap I've owned in 38 years. Myson was horrified. I put it on to make a point: gotta fight for a team thatfights for you.
MyYankee cap, after the Sox 14th inning victory in Sunday's secondgame, is now locked in my closet, awaiting the hope of an attitudeadjustment—both from me and from my adopted team in Boston.
By Greg O'Brien
The ProvidenceJournal
Thesky has fallen in the media many times of late. Pinch yourselves. Embrace theRapture.
Take NSTAR response poll. How was the Irene response?
Oh,it's just television news again, with enough Category 4 spin to exhaust thesupply of Dramamine. The format works nicely: Blow a story out of proportion,create fear, drive millions to their living rooms to watch every second of thepending apocalypse, along with a bazillion dollars of advertising, declarelater that we dodged a bullet, and then climax with isolated or exaggeratedfootage of damage, just to maintain a little credibility.
Whatwould be do without those brave young, Chicken Little reporters in theNortheast, risking a bad hair day in the name of television ratings and in theface of the fierce tropical winds with all the horror of an updraft on aroller-coaster ride?
Thesehandsome twenty- and thirty-somethings are dolefully lacking in perspective asthey hunt to upstage one another. For some, the most suspenseful event theyhave witnessed, to date, is a Red Sox/Yankee series.
Whatwill they do when a Category 5 rolls into New England, as it likely will someday, packing gusts of more than 200 miles an hour? First, we'll need to addwords to the dictionary. "Yikes" and "killer storm" just won't fly. Then, we'llhave to scramble these reporters from under their beds. And how do we convincepeople that now they really ought to take cover in the wake of such falsealarms from the Henny Pennys of the media?
Thatis not to say that Irene wasn't substantial but it sure was something less thanHurricane Gilbert, in 1988 — the most powerful storm recorded in the Atlantic,with winds of 200 miles-an-hour, or the Great Hurricane of 1785, which killedan estimated 22,000 in the Caribbean.
Sadly,there were several dozens deaths from Irene, an estimated 4 million people lostelectric power, and there was horrific flooding in Vermont. Officials wereright to warn others. But all in all the facts and media hype did not meet.
Witness,as we all did, the parade of plucky television reporters on deadline.
Anational news reporter on North Carolina's Outer Bank bravely stood next to aconcrete storm wall, predicting a momentous crash of waves at any second, thenpointed to a puddle in the parking lot as evidence of imminent doom.
ABoston television reporter standing at a South Yarmouth (Cape Cod) motel near aBass River overflow, declaring that she and her TV crew were almost "trapped!"Of course, she could have waded barefoot through the overflow.
Whatabout the grim Virginia Beach, Va., reporter on camera, sounding like PaulRevere, as three half-naked adolescents frolicked across the camera behind him.
Doyou think that this was the first storm in two millennia to threaten LowerManhattan with a tidal surge?
Andhow about the Boston television reporter in Falmouth, who spotted "a log" inBuzzards Bay and, with the gut instincts of a 3-year-old, suggested that itcould become a lethal projectile.
Oneveteran Boston news anchor, enticing viewers to watch an hour-long hurricanespecial, waxed a bit defensively about Irene, "A lot more has happened than youprobably think."
Pitythe reporter who stands on the beach in the throes of a storm during livecoverage and declares, "Hey, this ain't so bad!" The poor sap will be coveringJunior League luncheons the following week.
John Hay's palette is rich in hue for those who care to listen
By Greg O'Brien, Codfish Press
John Hay could paint brilliant word pictures with the stroke of a typewriter key as a master does with a brush. He fully absorbed the rhythm of the language, the art of creative flow, perhaps as much as anyone on a blank canvas of life.
"Listen and you touch on light twisting through the shallows; you sense a speech within a time eluding it, ripples on stone. It has no answer," Hay, the renowned Cape Cod naturalist, wrote in his classic work, Bird Song. "Music follows, music falls, with its magicians. With birds, we hear what we could be, never what we say we are."
John Hay spent a lifetime touching on light, always hearing what he could be, never what the world said he was. At 95, that light has been extinguished, but his spirit and his wisdom in words will survive an eternity. The author of 18 books on nature, a Harvard poet laureate, a recipient of the celebrated John Burroughs Medal for nature writing, and co-founder of the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Hay-early on a mentor to me and a neighbor in Brewster's ancient Stony Brook Valley-has been compared in many ways to the venerable Henry David Thoreau. "He (Hay) is probably a better naturalist than the son of Concord," the New York Herald Tribune once wrote.
To say that Hay had a way with words is to suggest that Hemingway was a journeyman writer. Hay captured the fragile beauty of Cape Cod as if drafting in the palm of the Lord's hand, and he taught us, often against our secular instincts, that nature in its purest form is the essence of all. If we lose the natural blessing of the world around us, we lose a part of ourselves. In that lesson, Hay has left behind an abiding gift to a fast-foot, drive-by, attention-deficient nation that is beyond his eloquent words.
"He is probably a better naturalist than the son of Concord." - Herald Tribune.
In writing about nature, he was often reflecting on the fight for survival in all of us. "The fish kept moving up," he wrote in his first book, The Run, an acclaimed chronicle of the annual alewife migration, thousands of them, up the stone ladders of Brewster's Paines Creek to spawn upstream in the mill ponds, responding each year to a biological clock at the strike of spring. "I watched the swinging back and forth with the current, great-eyed, sinewy, probing, weaving, their dorsal fins cutting the surface, their ventral fins fanning, their tails flipping and sculling. In the thick, interbalanced crowd there would suddenly be a scattered dashing, coming up as quickly as cat's-paws flicking the summer seas. They have moved by 'reflex' rather than conscious thought, but what marvelous professionals they were in that!"
Just another day on the job for all of us, fighting the downstream currents of the moment.
The son of noted archaeologist Clarence Hay and the grandson of John Hay, secretary of state under Theodore Roosevelt and a private secretary to Abraham Lincoln, the reclusive and pensive Hay published his first collection of poetry in 1947, the year he moved to the Cape. Surrounded by an awe-inspiring setting, he turned to nature writing with a perspective wider than an aerial view.
"There has been a pronounced detachment, and pulling away from, our land, primarily thought of as an area of what may falsely be called 'improvement.' We do not see our nature or natural history as a necessity or food for our well-being." - John Hay.
Other celebrated books soon followed, among them Nature's Year, The Season of Cape Cod, The Great Beach, Sandy Shore, In the Company Of Light, and A Beginner's Faith In Things Unseen. The New York Times Book Review has termed Hay "gifted and perceptive." The Christian Science Monitor has said he "dramatizes our isolation from the rest of life." And Publisher's Weekly once described Hay as "a man with an almost religious sense of nature."
In a call to arms many years ago, Hay warned, "There has been a pronounced detachment, and pulling away from, our land, primarily thought of as an area of what may falsely be called 'improvement.' We do not see our nature or natural history as a necessity or food for our well-being. We need to involve people in the process of seeing-innate, natural sight-not substitutes for sight...We need help from people, young and old, who will participate in its vision. We are nothing about the life we are given to share."
Hay has shared passionately, and I will always treasure the talks in his living room up the street and in his snug writing studio about observing nature and crafting the language. He taught me and others to think and how to feel.
"It may be surprising, in our age of information, to hear that nothing in nature is finally known," he writes in a Guide to Nature on Cape Cod and the Islands. "There is always more to be discovered about the most commonplace of things we see around us, or pick up, like colorful stones or shells on the beach. The novelty lasts for every individual and for generations to generation... The practice is as old as the world and as new and exciting as any child seeing things for the first time."
As an old friend once said, it is the dabs of color applied by others in great wisdom and in love over the years that joins the dots in one's life.
John Hay's palette is rich in hue for those who care to listen.
(Greg O'Brien, a freelance Cape Cod writer, was a neighbor to John Hay and the editor of some of his writings. O'Brien worked closely with Hay as a longtime trustee of the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History.)
The mating sound of dinosaurs
By Greg O'Brien
All eyes in the paper industry, with consequences from Cape Cod to California and around the world, will be focused once again on NewPage Corp early next month as the embattled company releases its second quarter earnings report. NewPage in many ways is emblematic of segments of corporate America today, a case study in progress.
The earnings report announcement comes in the wake of the resignations last month of top company executives: NewPage President and Chief Executive Officer E. Thomas Curley, Board Chairman Mark Suwyn and Vice President of Human Resources Michael Edicola. Curley had been CEO for only a few months, the fifth CEO at the Ohio-based company in four years in an industry plagued with severe losses and rigorous competition from the electronic media. The company is a unit of NewPage Group Inc., which is owned by the private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management LP. Curiously enough, in ancient Greek and Roman mythology, Cerberus is a multi-headed hound that guards the gates of Hades.
Earlier this year, the company reported that its profit dropped 62 percent in the first quarter of 2010, in spite of an increase in sales and an increase in market share in coated paper sales volume, and NewPage year-end debt in '09 was up $697 million over the previous year, according to reports. The company had planned an IPO, but in May withdrew an initial public offering plan that was underwritten by Goldman Sachs.
Former CEO Curley has been replaced in the interim by Robert Nardelli, CEO of Cerberus Operating & Advisory Co. and former chairman of Chrysler LLC and Home Depot Inc; Nardelli was named director and non-executive chairman. Nardelli has the distinction of being named in a CNBC survey as one of the "Worst American CEOs of All Time." Ranking Nardelli 17th on the list, CNBC wrote on its website that "Nardelli was fired from Home Depot after losing market share, alienating executives, downplaying customer service, and refusing to cut his fat pay package. He was then hired by the private equity group Cerberus, which put him in charge of its struggling Chrysler unit (and overseeing its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing). There he took billions in government aid, only to face an ultimatum: Merge or face certain liquidation." CNBC noted that "Nardelli's Home Depot exit package of $210 million was regarded as one of the largest ever."
It would appear that Nardelli has the same challenge before him yet again—both on internal and external business fronts and in public relations sectors. Stereotypical of today's corporate culture, Nardelli's tenure at Chrysler was highlighted by the private jet he took to Washington, D.C. to plead for a government bailout. Not surprisingly, NewPage bonds" fell the most in almost six weeks" after Nardelli took over, Bloomberg Businessweek reported. Now there is industry speculation that the company will be sold as a whole or Balkanized, broken into smaller divisions and sold off separately, before the end of the year.
The Miamisberg-Ohio-based NewPage owns paper mills in Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nova Scotia, Canada with yearly capacity to produce 4.4 million tons of paper. The company has about 7,500 employees. And for a firm that posted a $175 million net loss the first quarter of 2010, a 62 percent drop in spite of an overall sales gain of 13 percent, a company that—observers say—faces potential sale or possible dissolution of some manner by the end of the year, NewPage indeed takes care of the help, but only in executive suites and the boardroom. Even recent management castoffs exit with a smile. The math is stunning.
In sharp contrast to earning statements, it was reported late last month that several NewPage corporate executives are expected to receive millions of dollars in bonuses on the heels of poor company performance and mill closures, assuming they stay with the company through the end of 2012 and meet certain performance criteria, according to company financial reports filed last month with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, NewPage said it will give outgoing executive Curley, CEO for just four months, $1.1 million in severance pay—equal to twice his base pay, as part of his contract, as well as a $165,000 pro-rated performance bonus. Suwyn will receive a $2 million severance payout. And Michael Edicola, vice president of human resources who also recently resigned, will receive $650,000 for severance and a $243,000 prorated performance bonus. Two weeks ago, yet anotherNewPage senior management official resigned— Mike Marziale, senior vicepresident of marketing, strategy and general management. Marziale will receivemore than $1.4 million in payments from NewPage, according to a newspaper report and documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Great country, America! When do the rest of us get to become citizens.
NewPage's long-term incentive plan, adopted in January, provides key executives with cash bonuses, based on performance and/or length of service, as incentives for staying with the company, according to SEC documents filed earlier this year. Such nosebleed executive bonuses must be debilitating to hundreds of workers unemployed or temporarily laid off as a result of recent downtime and mill closures.
On related fronts, there is a serious threat to U.S. printing jobs from what appears to be unfair and anti-competitive paper industry tactics, assisted by generous tax loopholes and subsidies, that are restricting industry and distorting the market to raise prices as high as possible. While some paper company executives are getting rich, the American printing industry is on the brink. Overall demand for paper is down due to market conditions and competition from electronic publishing. More than 73,000 printer and graphic communications jobs have been lost since mid-2008, with thousands more expected, according to reports. In today's economy, a rise in paper costs—a printer's biggest expense—is ruinous.
For corporate executives, the best defense is often a good offense: deflect and point fingers around the world, wrapping oneself in the American flag. NewPage and other American paper companies today are pressuring the International Trade Commission (ITC) and the Department of Commerce to investigate whether countries like China and Indonesia have engaged in illegal "dumping" of coated paper suitable for multi-colored catalogues, books, magazines, labels, graphics, greeting cards and other products requiring high-quality print graphics. Backed by U.S. labor unions, NewPage and others are seeking tariffs of up to 100 percent on coated paper from China and Indonesia. Given corporate strategies of shutting down North American mills and taking paper off the market, this would have catastrophic impacts on the printing industry and other related industries, now struggling with the worst economy since the Depression.
Some revealing statistics: NewPage shut down six mills in 2008. It closed its paper mill in Niagara, Wisconsin, the only major source of employment in a city of 1,800. The mill provided 319 jobs, with workers averaging $60,000-a-year. According to local officials, the plant had two potential buyers, but NewPage let the mill sit idle. Wrote newspaper columnist Ed Lowe at the time, "The hardship of the mill closure here parallels that of Kimberly (Wis.), where 600 well-paying paper mill jobs were scuttled as part of the evolving business plan of NewPage…Both mill closures devastated their communities…Some lifelong residents of Niagara worry that their city's future ended with the production at the mill."
In Kimberly, NewPage refused to sell to two buyers and declined the support of the Governor to keep the plant open. "This is a case of a corporation taking a productive, profitable plant and closing it, and refusing to sell it to anyone else," Andy Nirchl, president of the United Steel Workers local, said at the time.
Other similar examples:
Nationally and internationally, there is clearly a double standard at play in the paper industry. Fair trade laws, governed by agencies like the ITC are written to guarantee a level playing field on which all companies and industries can compete on equal terms, without unfair help from governments and other sources. Ironically, U.S. paper firms that are accusing China and Indonesia of gaining unfair subsidies are actually the ones benefiting most from the largesse of market-distorting government subsidies. Analysts report that U.S. paper makers as an industry received a collective $9 billion in "black liquor" tax subsidies last year. Observed U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingham, the Democrat from New Mexico, "Congress never intended that this tax credit would be used in this way to avoid payment of taxes. Added U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat, "Bad economic times are no excuse to cheat, and that's the only word for what these companies are doing."
The Obama Administration is clearly in a political squeeze—support the U.S paper industry and its constituent-rich unions, or risk losing thousands more jobs in the printing industry. In supporting the paper industry and its unions, President Obama will contribute to a disruption of paper supplies, a reduction in the number of available paper supplier options, and the elimination of U.S. printer jobs because some publishers will simply ship business to less costly printers in Canada or Mexico or cutback on printing products. Dr. Thomas Prusa, Ph.D., a professor of economics at Rutgers University, is referenced on the website saveprinterjobs.com as noting that "market-distorting protective actions, such as tariffs, destroy 10 to 20 times as many jobs as they create, most often because the jobs move outside the U.S. Once those jobs are lost, they don't return. In printing, jobs would move to Canada and Mexico and hundreds of printers would have to close their doors."
There is plainly no legal or factual basis to suggest that Chinese and Indonesian paper producers are harming domestic production of coated paper: there has been no significant increase in imports, sales are at normal levels and domestic companies are not losing business. Domestic shipments of coated paper are down only because overall demand is down in this economy, not as a result of alleged unfair practices of the Chinese and Indonesian producers and importers. But U.S. paper companies are asking the federal government to keep the Chinese and Indonesian coated paper competitors out of the U.S. market through high tariffs.
A tariff on imported coated paper from China and Indonesia would hurt the U.S printing industry in the following ways: paper supplies would be disrupted; deliveries would be delayed; paper supplier options would be reduced; higher costs will force publishers to seek cheaper printing options in Mexico and Canada or eliminate printing products; thousands more U.S. printer jobs would be lost and the competitiveness of the U.S. printing business would be at risk.
In recent developments:
Any way you cut the cards in the paper industry deck, real money indicates that U.S. paper companies, backed by special interests, are the aggressors, not the victims of market distortion.
What Hell Looks Like When It Freezes Over In Massachusetts!
Scott Brown: 52%
Martha Coakley: 47%
To the Nation:
In Massachusetts, we've given you the Pilgrims, the Great Awakening Revival of the early 1700s, the American Revolution and now this: the greatest individual political upset of our lifetime.
It all began here, and the revolution continues.
We've restored the balance of power. Now, is there anything else we can do for you today?
Go Brown! Keep on truckin'!


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Jobs with Penguin - Penguin Books Ltd At Penguin the opportunities for employment are wide-ranging and extend into almost every aspect of publishing. Here, we will look in more detail at specific departments and show how each area, in its different way, contributes to the publishing of many wonderful books at Penguin. Please click here to view our Working in Publishing booklet. Pearson Diversity Summer Internship Programme: Pearson plc – Penguin's parent company runs The Pearson Diversity Summer Internship Programme*, a positive action programme run under Section 37 and 38 of the Race Relations Act which offers bright and talented final year students and graduates from ethnic minority backgrounds the opportunity to work in Pearson's world leading businesses, including Penguin; other participating companies include The Financial Times, Edexcel, Pearson Vue, The Economist, or Pearson Education, the world's largest educational publisher.
YA Wednesday: Best Teen Books of theYear 2012 has been an embarrassment of riches for Young Adult literature. Some of our favorite series (Maze Runner, Matched) have come to a bittersweet end, but we've discovered a few new series to love (Cinder, Grave Mercy, The Diviners), and read some incredible titles that stand on their own. Thanks to The Hunger Games, 2012 has also seen more and more adults reading and sharing teen books. Really good YA novels get right to it--they draw the reader in within the first 10 pages and hold you captive to the very last one with action, atmosphere, and raw emotion.
Penguin Books UK Upload penguin.co.uk Subscription preferences List of largest UK book publishers This is a list of largest UK trade book publishers, with some of their principal imprints, ranked by sales value, according to Nielsen BookScan:[1] Year to end of 2009[edit] Faber Independent Alliance £57.4m (3.3%)Faber & Faber, Atlantic Books, Canongate, Granta Books, Icon Books, Portobello Books, Profile Books (including Serpent's Tail), Quercus Publishing, Short Books. A number of financially independent smaller publishers that have formed an alliance to share promotion and administration, led by Faber.[2] Historical comparisons[edit]
Sophie McKenzie's top 10 teen thrillers 'The Hunger Games has a fantastic premise, brilliantly realised, as teenagers fight each other to the death on live TV.' Photograph: Murray Close "I have to admit to struggling with all aspects of this list! For a start, how do you pick just 10 books from the amazing range of stories available to young people today? More importantly, what defines a book as a 'teen' novel or, come to that, a thriller? I read (and try to write) books where the central premise draws me in, the characters (of whatever age) are compelling and the story grips and then propels me through the pages.
Blog A Penguin Classic - Penguin Books Ltd The Count Of Monte CristoAlexandre DumasReviewed by kelly-r When I first received The Count of Monte Christo I was concerned that I'd never be able to finish it because it was so long. However, I soon realised that putting the book down would be more of a problem. Penguin Books Penguin Books is now an imprint of the worldwide Penguin Random House, a newly emerging conglomerate which was formed in 2012 by the merger of the two publishers.[5] Formerly Penguin Group was wholly owned by Pearson PLC, the global media company which also own the Financial Times,[6] but it now retains only a minority holding of 47% of the stock against Random House owner Bertelsmann who controls the majority stake. Origins[edit] The first Penguin paperbacks were published in 1935,[7] but at first only as an imprint of The Bodley Head[3] (of Vigo Street) with the books originally distributed from the crypt of Holy Trinity Church Marylebone. Only paperback editions were published until the "King Penguin" series debuted in 1939,[8] and latterly the Pelican History of Art was undertaken: these were unsuitable as paperbacks because of the length and copious illustrations on art paper so cloth bindings were chosen instead. War years[edit] Post-war history[edit]
the-50-best-winter-reads-8223466 Fiction: The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers Sceptre, £14.99 "This intimate novel bears witness to the impact of the US invasion of Iraq on a small cast of soldiers, and is drawn from the author's own time in the US army," says Janine. The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window... by Jonas Jonasson Hesperus Press, £8.99 Entry Level - Welcome to Random House Careers! For college students interested in a career in book publishing, Random House, the world's largest publisher of general interest fiction and nonfiction books, offers an enormous diversity of opportunities in editorial, sales and marketing, financial, technological and other capacities. Its highly decentralized organizational structure enables each of its publishing divisions to maintain the ambience and creative entrepreneurial autonomy of a small company while enjoying all the resources and operational support of a market leader. What kind of entry-level jobs exist at Random House?We look for college graduates for a variety of roles not only in traditional publishing areas such as editorial, marketing and publicity, but also in publishing operations, sales, information technology, finance, human resources, legal, subrights, new media, and other areas. Entry-level positions open up throughout the year at Random House.
'A Monster Calls' Wins Carnegie and Greenaway Medals A Monster Calls (Walker) achieved a remarkable first on Thursday when author Patrick Ness was awarded the CILIP Carnegie Medal and illustrator Jim Kay scooped up the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. No book has ever won both prizes since the Greenaway was first awarded in 1956 (the Carnegie preceded it, in 1936). The result was unanimously reached by the librarian judges, who awarded the medals in separate sessions. Random House Random House, USA[edit] Random House was founded in 1927 by Americans Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer, two years after they acquired the Modern Library imprint, reprints of classic works of literature, from publisher Horace Liveright. Cerf is quoted as saying, "We just said we were going to publish a few books on the side at random," which suggested the name Random House.[6] Its American divisions currently include the Crown Publishing Group, the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, the Random House Publishing Group, and Random House Children's Books. Random House entered reference publishing in 1947 with the American College Dictionary, which was followed in 1966 by its first unabridged dictionary. Today it publishes the Random House Dictionary of the English Language and Random House Webster's College dictionaries, probably the main competitors for Merriam-Webster reference titles. The American publishers Alfred A.
HarperCollins History[edit] Collins[edit] Harper[edit] Macmillan Publishers 2008 conference booth Macmillan Publishers Ltd,[1] also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others. History[edit] Other major writers who would be published by Macmillan included W. Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln ("Max") Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers and publishing houses, alongside Random House, Penguin, and HarperCollins.

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This is the place to get the latest tweets and information about Pura Vida. From what events we'll be appearing at, to special offers.
After surpassing our expectations and reaching the final five businesses in the category of Best Complementary Therapy Centre in Somerset of the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2017, we've now been crowned the overall winners! With over 40% of the total votes, Pura Vida is officially the Best Complementary Therapy Centre in Somerset! And it's all thanks to our amazing clients, friends and family and the readers of the Muddy Stilettos Blog who have been voting over the last week. Thank you so so much!
We're now a Tropic Skincare Ambassador! The introduction of our Holistic Facial range could only mean one thing…the introduction of some amazing skincare products! We've spent a lot of time researching these over the last six months to make sure the skincare products we chose lived up to the Pura Vida name ('Pure Life', for those who hadn't guessed) and our philosophy of natural, chemical and cruelty free health and wellbeing. Tropic are a 100% vegan and cruelty free skincare company, with a naturally derived range that is free from parabens, synthetic fragrances and toxic chemicals. These ethically sourced, freshly handmade products have absolutely knocked our socks off and we can't wait to let you all experience them. Not only do they smell divine and leave your skin feeling silky smooth and soft, they really are what they say…absolutely chemical free! We'll certainly be promoting Tropic's #CleanGreenBeautyRevolution! You can find out more or shop the Tropic range here.
Not content with offering just one amazing skincare brand, we've also become a Neal's Yard Remedies Consultant! Neal's Yard not only offer a wide range of skincare products, massage oils and make up, but they also offer health and beauty from the inside out with their range of supplements, herbal remedies and tasty teas. You can find out more or shop the Neal's Yard range here.
It's been a labour of love but it's finally here and the very first blog has been published! You can check it out here. The blog is about our quest for a 'Pure Life' and we'll be blogging about all things natural and holistic, from complementary therapies to natural skincare, and health and wellbeing to diet and nutrition.
Whatever the occasion – birthday, anniversary, Mother's Day – our parties are a great way to celebrate. All you need to do is gather your nearest and dearest together and sit back to enjoy a massage or two, we'll take care of the rest. Drop us a line to request our Pamper Party Brochure.


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Our after school clubs take place from 3.15 pm.
Mondays – Street Dance All Years, Little Volcanoes Science Club All Years, Game Design Y1 & Y2
Tuesdays – Brazilian Football All Years, Dramavision All Years, French All Years
Wednesdays – Brazilian Soccer Y1 & Y2, Cooking Club All Years
Thursdays – Gymnastics Y1 & Y2, French All Years
Fridays – Gymnastics Reception, Little Volcanoes Science Club All Years, Art & Craft Club All Years
Further information about after school clubs can be found on the Clubs Board next to the School Office. Applications and payments must be made directly with the club provider.
If your child is attending an after school club this must be written in the 'Going Home Book'. Your child will then be collected from class and taken to the club.


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Are you presently looking for a plumbing in the Spring Valley IL location that has a credibility for offering correct maintenance of customers? This is one of the most crucial details when sorting through the many various services that offer this type of service, no matter for how long they have actually been running in the Spring Valley area or even the costs that they charge. If you have a true crisis on your hands where you need someone right away, or if you want to feel great that you can call your plumber to help you with any issue that you might have been offer outstanding considerate service, this is a factor to always think about before making that call. Here are a couple of reasons why you should contact brand name for all of your plumbing requires, a reliable service that is not just cost effective however has a track record for providing the very best possible service for their customers. Related:Branches of thermodynamics Spring Valley
The Best Water Heater Install And Repair Spring Valley IL
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Drain Cleaning Spring Valley IL
If you are not getting hot water in your sink or shower, there is the possibility that your warm water tank may have to be replaced. When you have a plumber come out to assess the condition of your water heater, and they have actually determined that it would cost you more in repairs than it would to obtain a brand-new one, the very best strategy is to follow their guidance. Just like repairing your hot water heating unit, if you have no idea the best ways to do this, you will definitely want to call a reputable hot water heater installation business that has a track record for providing excellent service. For either repairs or new installations, Call A Plumber is the company that you will wish to deal with. efficiency toilets Spring Valley
Hot Water Heater Leaking
One thing that you might see by yourself, relying on the area of your warm water heating system, is that it may really be dripping. Many people notice this initially because of a puddle of water that has actually appeared on the ground adjacent to the hot water tank, triggering them to provide a plumbing professional a call. There are a number of things that an individual can do to aim to repair this by themselves such as switching off your electrical or gas water heater using either the breaker or on off switch, respectively. You need to also shut off the cold water shut down valve and after that aim to identify where the leakage is which could be anything from a dripping pipe, a valve that needs to be replaced, and even a rupture in your tank. If you can not discover where the problem is, and even if you do, and can refrain from doing the repair work by yourself, it regional plumber need to be called to assess the situation and fix the problem so that you will be able to use your hot water heater once again. Related: Why Do You Vent Plumbing Spring Valley
Gas Hot Water Heater Repair
There are a couple of different water heaters that you might actually have it your house. The first and most common is an electrical hot water heater, and the other will operate on gas. Both of these are really dangerous to work with so unless you have some previous experience with operating the shut down valves, and changing the system on your own, a professional ought to constantly be employed. An electric water heater might lead to electrocution, and a gas hot water heater might lead to a prospective explosion, reasons that plumbings must be contacted when things fail. They will have the knowledge and tools required to assess what's going on, repair or replace your gas warm water heater, permitting you to avoid any possible harmful or pricey issues. Related info: What Plumbing Is All About Best Plumber Spring Valley Illinois
Electric Hot Water Heater Repair
The most common warm water heating system is typically an electrical one, as well as the least costly to purchase. Relying on the quantity of usage that your warm water heating system will get, they can sometimes last for a years or more. Nevertheless, if you have a big family that is continuously showering, and if you are washing clothes routinely, there is always a high possibility that when this years mark is reached, you will begin to see some significant issues. It could begin with a little leak, subsequented by periodic functionality which may be the outcome of a defective electrical processing system. If you get in touch with a local plumbing professional in the Spring Valley area, they must be able to fix the electrical warm water heating unit that you have in no time at all at all.Villa Park Spring Valley
No Hot Water In House
One last issue to consider is no warm water in your house which is often reflective of a water heater that is not operating correctly, or has merely quit working completely. When you call the experts at brand name, they will have the ability to look at all of the possibilities as to why you no longer have hot water throughout your whole house, and will also have the ability to repair the problem. This could need the replacement of tubes, water lines, or even changing the whole unit. They will have the ability to show you precisely where the problem is, provide you with the many different alternatives that you might need to fix it, or just tell you that it is beyond repair which they will have the ability to install a brand-new one for you.
If you go on the Internet, you can learn more about this company by going to GetAPlumberNow. They are market leaders in the Chicago location, a business that is suggested by those that have utilized to their services, clearly revealing that they are one of the very best. brand is a terrific business to contact and will be more than delighted to provide their expert services for you and your household. They have years of experience in this market, and will have the ability to not just repair or replace your hot water heating system for you, however can also give you fantastic ideas on ways to ensure the problem does not occur once again. Their suggestions will also extend into the area of helping you make a hard option if it is economically based, showing you how much cash you may be losing because of your existing hot water tank, and just how much cash you will save in the long run. This generally makes it possible for individuals to make that leading option in using the services of this plumbing business in Call A Plumber Spring Valley for warm water heater repairs and replacements.


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60150 fast sportscar
Alternate model of LEGO City 60150 set. When Luigi needs a faster option for delivering the pizza then his choice is this sportscar vehicle!
Already have some of the parts? Use the Build this MOC page to only show the parts you are missing.
Waiting for Inventory to load
As designed - front + stickers - would probably look better without them. Hours of fun with this MOC! Lots of mods and some interesting leftover parts builds - keep scrolling down.
As designed - rear.
Mod version 1 - front.
Mod version 1 - rear.
Mod version 2 - front.
Mod version 2 - rear.
Mod version 3 - front.
Mod version 3 - rear.
Added a 1x2 Dark Red plate to the steering column and flipped the steering wheel 180 degrees. Brought the steering wheel closer to the mini figs.
Close up of steering mod installed.
Steering wheel and rear cabin area mods.
Mod version 5 - front.
Mod version 5 - rear.
Mod version 6 - front.
Mod version 6 - rear.
Simple display stand made from leftover parts. Can be used with any of the above cars.
Stand needs one extra piece on the top to attach to the Viper shown below.
Attachment point for the Viper.
Stand attachment point for any of the cars.
Car on the stand.
Tried to follow LegoOri's lead and build a Viper with the leftover parts after completing Keep On Bricking's cool little car. Doesn't much look like a Viper, but this is what I ended up with. ;-) I did manage to get the 45 degree angle on the wings. Actually adjustable from 44 to 66 degrees.
Posted as MOC-27140.
Posted as MOC-27140.
Wings shown in the down position. Will be used in pictures below to secure a detachable Rover.
Viper shown with holding brackets to assist in building on a flat surface. One wing removed for a better view.
Bottom view of holding brackets.
Viper wasn't working out, so I built this little Explorer Rover. Grab arm, twin atmospheric samplers, solar panels, Mr. Fusion power backup generator, programmable keypad and three tow hooks. The fact that it can be attached to the Viper was pure coincidence. See Photos below.
Rover rear view.
Posted as MOC-27241.
Posted as MOC-27241.
Viper with wings lowered securing the Rover.
Viper with wings open and Rover being lowered.
Modded car - Viper - Rover - Stand all at the same time from this kit.


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Lockerbie Bomber 'Can Get Out of Bed, Walk'
The cancer-stricken Lockerbie bomber can get out of bed and walk, although he is a very sick man, the father of a victim reportedly said after visiting him in Libya.
Abdelbaset Al-Megrahi invited Jim Swire, whose 23-year-old daughter Flora was killed in the 1988 bombing, to visit him and the two men spent an hour together in a hospital ward in Tripoli on Tuesday, Agence France-Presse news agency reported late Sunday.
Al-Megrahi was freed from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds in August 2009. Doctors had given the Libyan, who has prostate cancer, three months to live. A year later, he's still alive.
Al-Megrahi was the only person convicted of the Lockerbie attack, which killed all 259 people aboard a Pan Am plane — most of them American — and 11 on the ground.
Swire, who is British, is convinced Al-Megrahi is innocent and has launched a campaign for an inquiry into the bombing.
"I was very relieved to see him as well as he was. He is a very sick man but he can get out of bed and walk though not very far," the 74-year-old told AFP. "I think one of the reasons he has lived so long is he has had good treatment in Libya and he has been returned to his family and his community and his country."
Scottish and British officials have already turned down requests to appear at Senate committee hearings in Washington. Tony Hayward, the outgoing chief executive of BP PLC, also declined to attend.
Some U.S. legislators have expressed concerns that oil giant BP — seeking better access to Libyan oil fields — may have pressured officials to approve Al-Megrahi's release, a claim strongly disputed by ministers in Scotland and London.
The flight he bombed had taken off from London's Heathrow Airport headed for New York, and many of the victims were from New Jersey and New York. New Jersey's senators, Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, have renewed calls for more details on the circumstances of his release. They sent a letter to the British, Scottish, Libyan and Qatari governments citing evidence of commercial pressures influencing his release.


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Check out the drink of the week and get fashionably inspired >>
[The shake]:
Kiwi-Papaya Smoothie
1 serving
3 kiwis
1/2 seeded and sliced papaya
Throw everything into a blender and liquify.
[The fashion]:
For a summer outfit but thinking off those Fall days, a ensemble that catches the summer vibe with the skirt making it the statement piece. A relaxed, casual yet fun outfit with Torn Astrid Mini Multi Aztec Aztec pattern mini skirt, Haute Hippie Baggy Tee, boots from H&M, Friis & Company Clutch Blocka Red, Lanvin turquoise and brass bracelet, Spitfire weekend sunglasses, and Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Sheer Candy - 2: Dewy Papaya.Pin It


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Home Cleaning Solutions in order to help keep Your Home Clean
A residence is a location where you most likely to rest and also kick back, kick your footwear off and also take the anxiety away. Well, if your house is a pit it is really tough to be able to get any type of remainder or relaxation whatsoever because you recognize darn well you should cleanse it. Trust me when I state it is much easier to rest and unwind in a house that is clean. Here's a rundown of some home cleaning solutions in order to help make the clean job simpler and also extra effective for you. Before you clean you like to categorize things as in concern or non-priority. The priority things clearly have to be cleaned now, as soon as possible, and the non-priority are points that I could clean up in little surges throughout the remainder of the week thinking I would not have time to do them now.
Points that I take into consideration non-priority would be things like cleaning up the shower and cleaning my very own space. I know I could most likely save time cleansing the shower and clean it when you are in fact taking a shower. I may additionally wait on cleansing my own area seeing how it will not be seen by visitors and should not trouble anybody else in the house. The major cleans like vacuuming, sweeping, wiping in the main spaces of the residence I think about top priority and needs to be done all the time. Cleansing and dusting furnishings and also making sure the refrigerator is clean should likewise be taken into consideration concern.
Certainly categorizing your tasks could be thought about an excellent home cleaning option yet below are 3 more home cleaning remedies to provide you some real help with problematic areas in your house. Do away with terrible smells and fowl smells by using white distilled vinegar in the struggling areas. For truly poor locations, pour the vinegar in a dish in leave it rest over night. This actually functions and also it's additionally proficient at removing soap and natural resource. Another home cleaning solution is making use of cooking soda as a cleaner. Utilize it to clean sinks, bath tubs, kitchen counters, and to get rid of odors. The last почистване на апартаменти София цени solution key I intend to show to you is to use lemon juice to eliminate mineral deposits, taint and hard grease in the cooking area or garage. Lemon juice is an effective acidic cleaner and will certainly cost much less than any of the other unsafe cleansers you would certainly purchase a store.


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If you are interested in perfecting your makeup style or are thinking of taking your creative skills to the next level, a makeup artist school in Florida will give you the skills and training you will need to work in any type of related career.
With a degree or a certificate from one of these schools, you will be qualified to freelance your services or to work at a local spa or salon. You may even be able to get into the film or theater industry if that is your dream.
Studying in Florida is a great choice. Not only can you enjoy the warm, sunny weather during your time off, but also you are in one of the top states for finding makeup artist jobs.
Makeup Artist Licensing Requirements in Florida
Florida requires most makeup artists to hold a cosmetology license in order to perform this service legally. Two exceptions exist, however. The first is if you work for a makeup counter, such as MAC cosmetics or Clinique. The second is if you provide your services at no charge.
However, for any other application, including freelance work, you must hold a license through the Florida Board of Cosmetology, which is a part of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
To receive a license in Florida, you must attend a nationally accredited beauty school, such as one listed below. Following successful completion of your program, you will receive a license through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
This license is different from a school-issued certificate of completion. The application for licensing costs $78.
If you try to apply makeup for compensation in the state without holding a license, you could be charged with a misdemeanor, fined up to $500 and be limited in applying for a license in the future.
Typical Training
Training can be performed in a classroom setting or online. The online choice will allow you to work at your own pace and on your own time but may not give you as much hands-on experience as an in-person classroom setting would. To apply for a Florida license, you must have at least 1200 school hours along with a high school diploma or GED.
You will begin your education by studying with expert makeup artists. You will learn about colors, blending, skin, tones and more. After some classroom experience, you will begin learning hands-on techniques on yourself and on other students.
You may be able to begin building your portfolio, and, depending on the school, may also learn about business, drama or some other study that applies to your chosen career trajectory.
Some of the Best Makeup Artist Schools in Florida
Aveda Institute
This brand is well-known because of its premiere products found in salons and spas across the country. Aveda offers classes in five locations across Florida with a wide array of specializations in cosmetology. You will also learn business management here, including retail knowledge and client service.
Beauty Schools of America
With five locations across Florida, Beauty Schools of America offers a facial and makeup course, a makeup artist and skincare course and a makeup artist specialist course, depending on your desired area of specialization.
Florida College of Natural Health
Florida College offers convenient locations in Miami, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. It is a subsidiary of the Steiner Education Group and offers a variety of cosmetology, massage therapy and skin care classes and certifications.
Joe Blasco Cosmetics
Joe Blasco focuses mainly on special effects and film makeup artistry with other emphases on high fashion and fantasy makeup application. Most teachers are masters of the field with a minimum of 15 years of experience.
Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry
Located in Fort Lauderdale, Cosmix is a great choice for those interested in the film industry and special effects. It is specifically for makeup artistry rather than an all-inclusive cosmetology school. Students will have opportunities to work with celebrity and award-winning makeup artists.
Job and Salary Outlook for Makeup Artists in Florida
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual wage is over $70,000 for theatrical and performance makeup artists.
Those who work at makeup counters, salons or spas rather than in the film or performance industries can expect to earn less than this. The field is expected to grow by 12% between 2014 and 2024.
Other Makeup Artist Schools in Florida
Some other makeup artist schools to check into include the following:
- Boca Beauty Academy
- Cozmo Beauty School
- American Institute of Beauty
- Empire Beauty School
- Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers
- American Academy of Cosmetology
Use these tips to help you get the knowledge and skills that you need for this field and to get certified as quickly as possible.
Be sure to check with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation for the most up-to-date information about licensing or to look into transferring your license from a different state.
By starting your journey toward this exciting career option today, you can be one step closer to making your goals a reality.


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There are many circumstances that require negotiation within business, whether discussing a higher salary, lowering material costs, bidding on new contracts or even devising the company's strategy moving forward.
You might not want to do it, but with a few techniques up your sleeve, it can be a painless experience. Joe Buglass and Liz Pickstock can help you become a confident negotiator and bring in those sales with our help.
- Win/win approaches
- Selling techniques
- The 5 points of selling
At the end of this briefing you will understand when and how to negotiate a deal that works for all parties. You will understand the 5 points of selling and be able to apply them to your own products or services.
※ This briefing is 1.5 hours long. Tea and coffee will be provided.
This workshop is partially funded by the U Start project to support students, graduates and university staff to unlock their entrepreneurial potential and become enterprise ready.
Book below to reserve your place on this free workshop.


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Campus recruiting team
SLPC 28672 9/17 (exp. 9/19)
Meet our North American campus recruiting team
Our North American campus recruiting team is focused on attracting top talent into our student and new graduate programs while providing a challenging and rewarding experience while they are here.
Get to know the team. Join our Sun Life Student Connect Group on LinkedIn.
Andre Gonthier
In my role, I lead the North American Campus team that supports the strategy and implementation for all of Sun Life's campus hiring – my dream job! Where else could I lead an amazing team that has the mandate to attract, interact with and retain top student talent for Sun Life? The ambitious and talented student pool coming in the door not only has an impact on Sun Life today but they are instrumental in shaping what Sun Life will look like in the next 5, 10 and 25 years.
Outside of work, I like to spend my down time with family (both furry and human) and coaxing vegetables to grow in the backyard garden.
Kristine Ebert
My role as a Senior Campus Recruiter is to attract top talent to our Sun Life Financial campus programs in the US. I am passionate about building relationships with young talent and providing them with opportunities to join Sun Life Financial through an internship, co-op or full-time entry-level placement.
Outside of recruiting, I enjoy spending time with my family and being active outdoors!
Andrea Franky
Shortly after graduating from The University of Montreal in 2015, I was fortunate enough to join Sun Life's Campus Recruitment Team. In my role, I support student and graduate recruiting efforts for Canada and the U.S. I love connecting with eager and talented students to help them explore the various career opportunities that Sun Life has to offer. Working within an encouraging, collaborative and ambitious team inspires me daily.
On a personal note, as a strong advocate for animal rights, I spend my free time coordinating fundraising events for Montreal's SPCA. I also enjoy discovering vegetarian gastronomy and organizing my next trip in hopes of achieving my goal of visiting 30 countries before my 30th birthday.


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When Dev Anand lent his voice to a Rafi song
The evergreen actor, who died on Sunday, had revealed this while he was in a reminiscent mode on Rafi`s 31st death anniversary on July 31 this year. Anand had said he admired the celebrated singer`s voice and range.
"Rafi is indeed immortal and always feel he is around and in our hearts and soul. I admire his voice and range," Anand had tweeted.
"Rafi a quiet and fine person (sic)," wrote Anand on Twitter, as he recalled the songs from films like Jewel Thief (1967), Man Pasand (1980) and Guide (1965). "`Dil pukare aa re…` from Jewel Thief and I think `Logo ka dil…` in Man Pasand was his last song for me."
"All the songs he sang for me like this faster one `Jiya o jiya kuch bol do` and many more were the best and I can`t write them all. Rafi was a great soul very quiet and fine person," he had said in a series of posts on the micro-blogging site.
Anand went on to reveal that he lent his voice to one song, from the film `Pyar Mohabbat` (1966), sung by Rafi.
"I never attempted to sing but Rafi sang `Pyar mohabbat ke siwa ye zindagi kya zindagi`, in this song `Hurray Hurray` is recorded in my voice," he said.
According to some reports, Anand had also lent his voice to another Rafi song from Kala Bazar (1960)–Sooraj ki jaise golayi-by adding `Om dhan hai namah` and `Hari dhan hari dhan`.
Anand in his tweets also went on to recollect a song that not many are aware of. "Very few people know that Rafi recorded a song `Hum hi mein thi na koi baat…`. Then this song was replaced by `Din dhal jaye…` in Guide because we felt that the composition of that song was not good," he says.


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Since 1953, AIG appears to have been operating in Malaysia by giving a premier insurance & risk management solutions to corporations and individuals. After exceeding 60 years operating with 15 offices nationwide, AIG Malaysia has long been consistently delivering quality products and solutions to clients. It is all made possible all on account of the contribution of their sizeable network of agents, brokers, and schemes.
AIG Malaysia a 360° Coverage Plan For Personal & Business Purposes
AIG holds onto the belief that insurance and financial protection against is needed in dealing with an uncertain future. Hence, they've already launched a broad range of risk management plan to fit both private individuals' and businesses needs.
Personal Insurance
When acquiring assets
Nevertheless, their remains the primary aspect everybody should prioritize upon. As AIG Malaysia proactively educates the citizen on the significance about a medical insurance cover, it is pleasing in order to witness a constant improvement in amount of health related insurance purchase yearly because of their tireless effort.
Caused by a powerful economic growth and cheaper travelling costs across nations, individuals travel more for business and leisure. Making "let us "jaga" you on your trip" their tagline, all AIG wanted to do is to always offer a complete insurance coverage making sure that individuals can travel which includes a mental comfort, acknowledging that they have personally the whole thing covered.
Business Insurance
For companies, a high-level risk management solutions are available. From property insurance to liability insurance, marine insurance, aerospace insurance, or perhaps engineering related insurance; companies are free to
No doubt how the great number of a plan may serve clients from a number of sectors, like manufacturing, education, financial, transportation, aviation, plus much more. In expressing their receptiveness on the change in market trend including
Hence, individuals and corporations who're keen to sign up to AIG Malaysia's protection plan can visit their site and ask for a quotation. Especially if they want a more personal assistance, customers can possibly get information about agents situated in nearby locale and then have a scheduled appointment set.
To Sum Up
AIG Malaysia's latest online marketing strategy is very thrilling, as it began to partner with one of the several top-rated e-commerce players in the region, Lazada Malaysia, that allows online insurance purchases on their partner's platform. This could ultimately give maximum convenience to subscribers as they possibly just buy insurance, make a quick registration, and also have the plan activated within 72 hours. Considering buying a car? Time to acquire


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901 Cadilac Court
Milpitas, CA 94035
(408) 457-8916
(888) 203-4147
Intimate dinner parties, breathtaking weddings, memorable golf tours & the most anticipated festivals. Standard Party Rentals is proud to service the Silicon Valley, Monterey Peninsula and the Big Sur region. With seasoned event professionals and product ranging from tabletop to tenting we are excited to help you enhance, transform or create any space.


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Enlisting Jails in the Fight against Opioid Addiction
The National Sheriffs' Association estimates between one-half to two-thirds of inmates in county jails nationwide have a problem with drug dependence or abuse. In some areas, local law enforcement says, the rates are higher. As a result, many county jails have found themselves transformed into some of the biggest drug treatment centers in their areas.
To address this large and growing problem, local jails are increasingly considering moving towards medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in some form, with the goals of helping addicted prisoners detoxify safely both while they are incarcerated and after their release. Growing in number are jail MAT programs which provide methadone or buprenorphine (also known by the trade name Suboxone) to substitute for the opioids to which they are addicted.
But the most common jail-based MAT programs inject inmates about to be released with naltrexone, which goes under the brand names Vivitrol, Narcan and others, It can bring about withdrawal symptoms in persons physically dependent on opioids, but also blocks brain receptors for those substances and alcohol for about a month.
These efforts aren't yet widespread (only a little over 10% of jails are thought to have already begun MAT programs), nor have they been free from controversy, both for the potential risk that MAT drugs may be abused within the jails, and for concerns over how effective and expensive such programs can be.
Why don't more jails offer MAT treatment programs? One major deterrent is a shortage of personnel with the needed credentials. For instance, a jail-based program providing methadone would need to have certification as a methadone clinic or else be partnered with a community clinic. That's especially problematic in the rural or suburban settings in which many jails and prisons are located, where there is often little access to medications, physicians holding the licenses required to administer them, or post-release follow-up programs ex-inmates.
Another obstacle to jails providing MAT treatment programs lies in potential liability for inmates who relapse into drug abuse after their release. Treatments for opioid addiction can put inmates at greater risk of overdosing if, after they are released, they resume taking drugs to which their treatment has rendered them more vulnerable. One consultant on prison and jail substance abuse treatment programs estimates that states and counties have paid out more than $70 million nationwide over the past decade to compensate families of former inmates who died due to post-release addiction withdrawal.
But a very recent decision from the Boston-based federal appellate court may provide the legal foundation for more localities and states having to provide MAT programs. In the first-ever such from a federal circuit court, the 1st Circuit ruled an inmate in rural Maine has a legal right under the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Eighth Amendment to continue receiving Suboxone, which the inmate had been taking for five years before getting a short-term sentence to the Aroostook County jail.
The jail had resisted, pointing to the risk the drug might be diverted, but the inmate, with the help of the state branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, prevailed. While the decision is now precedent only in New England, it could help persuade more jails and courts to follow suit.


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- Price
- £1,199.00
Offer - Spend £1499 save 25% off
Offer - Spend £599 save 20% off
Offer - Spend £299 save 15% off
By adding this item to my bag, I agree that I have read the furniture terms and conditions.
Customise your sofa
Offer - Spend £1499 save 25% off
Offer - Spend £599 save 20% off
Offer - Spend £299 save 15% off
By adding this item to my bag, I agree that I have read the furniture terms and conditions.
Our Copenhagen large sofa is a fabulous way to cosy up with the family for the evening, all while adding some sleek style to your living room. This family sofa is full of Scandi chic and comes in a range of shades and patterns to match you and your home perfectly whether you want to create a colour blocking statement, patterned piece or sleek leather look, this sofa delivers. Some of our upholstery fabrics are treated with Aquaclean technology, so stains can be removed using only water. Available on Kodi, Nola and Bellevue fabrics.
Images displayed here act as a guide and may not be representative of the finished item. Fabrics are overlaid onto model images, so actual seams and pattern match may differ from what is shown.
You've picked your favourite sofa, now get the measure of it. Here's how to make sure we'll be able to get your hot seat into its new home
Tape measures at the ready – here's our guide to making sure your home and your sofa are a match made in heavenDownload the guide
Good news! We do FREE UK home delivery on most furniture orders
But unfortunately we can't deliver furniture to the Orkney Islands, internationally or to our stores for collection.
Once you place an order, we'll be in touch to arrange a delivery dateRead the full delivery info
Something not quite right? Just give us a call0333 014 8111
(Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturday, 8:30am to 5:30pm)
Please note, there is a £50 collection fee.Read the full returns and refunds info
Say goodbye to your old sofa or armchair, and let us take them away when we deliver the new one. Terms and Conditions


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Cannabis-Infused Beer Is Real (and May Be Coming Soon to Stores Near You)
Dads and Dudes Breweria in Aurora, Colo. has been selling "cannabeer" for about a year
It's been nearly three years since Colorado legalized marijuana, so it shouldn't be too surprising locals are figuring out more uses for the drug than simply smoking it.
Dads and Dudes Breweria in Aurora, Colo., for example, has infused cannabis into one of its IPAs. The "cannabeer" is called General Washington's Secret Stash and they've been selling it for about a year.
"They're coming from around the world wanting to try cannabis-infused beer," Mason Hembree, the "dude" from the brewery, told USA Today. Hembree also said they're currently getting federal approval in order to start selling their product in all 50 states.
The cannabeer will get you drunk but not necessarily high, one customer told the paper. That might be because it contains 6.5 percent alcohol but no THC, according to the brewery's Kickstarter page.


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The Long Island Food Conference (formerly known as the LI Food Summit) is an on-going effort to cultivate active community support of sustainable local agriculture.
About the Small Farm Summit:
The first Small Farm Summit was held at SUNY Old Westbury College on April 14, 2011. It featured a full day of educational discussions and networking opportunities aimed at building community awareness and facilitating positive environmental action. We partnered with residents, businesses, municipalities, schools, religious entities, and civic associations to support sustainable efforts in local food productions, farmland preservation, food waste reduction and recycling, water conservation, and agricultural education.
Our two-year objectives are as follows:
- Increase awareness of both organic and conventional agricultural efforts in our community and encourage interest in local food sources including CSA, retail markets, farm stands, and restaurants.
- Educate the community on the skills and resources needed to grow healthy fruits and vegetables on small farms as well as in the home, school, and community gardens.
- Advocate for legislative initiatives that protect agricultural land and promote sustainable farming.
- Support efforts to make local food affordable and available to hunger action organizations, schools, and hospitals.
Educators, Farmers, Parents, Municipalities, Restaurant owners, Chefs, Land Trusts, Not-for-Profits, Community Leaders, and Concerned Citizens.
Why You Should Attend the Summit
Nutritious food from local, fertile farms is important to the vitality of our community. By choosing to eat locally, individuals can bolster the local economy and can help preserve agricultural land in the Long Island/NYC foodshed. This conference is an opportunity to share your knowledge and to network with others.


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2019 CANNABIS IPO's to offer investors biggest opportunity in our lifetime.
Mike Ward of the National Institute of Cannabis Investors is offering a new service ( $1950 annual fee ) featuring the new Cannabis IPO's that will launch in 2019. Starting with four in January that should generate 1000 to 10,000 % returns. Would love to see Travis look into these offerings.