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Fact 1: Glyphosate is the active ingredient in the world's most common agricultural herbicides.
Fact 2: The mechanism that glyphosate uses to kill plants is the same mechanism by which it kills the beneficial bacteria and yeasts found in the human microbiome that are necessary for good health.
Fact 3: Glyphosate consumption has been shown to cause disruptions to the microbiomes of farm animals, which subsequently lead to disease in the animals.
Fact 4: Glyphosate cannot be washed off or peeled away, and it is found in food containing non-organic produce and grains.
Open Question: Has glyphosate entered our food supply in quantities significant enough to be causing increased rates of those diseases that are linked to disturbances to the human microbiome?
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Previous articles published here on healthygutbugs.com have emphasized how unhealthy microbiomes are correlated with and are contributing to a variety of health problems such as obesity, anxiety, allergies, picky eating, irritable bowel syndrome and even autistic behaviors. We've discussed how antibiotics can have a devastating effect on our guts by indiscriminately killing beneficial bacteria that live inside of us (known as probiotics or commensal bacteria) in addition to killing disease-causing bacteria.
The vacant real estate left in the gut after the antibiotics have done their job in carpet-bombing bacteria of all kinds, allows resilient microbes, which were unaffected by the antibiotics (such as certain yeasts or antibiotic-resistance bacteria), to increase their numbers and outcompete the previous residents. The subsequent stronghold of these reinforced microbial colonies makes it then more difficult for the probiotic (good) bacteria to recover and recolonize the gut following a round of antibiotics. This altered resulting composition of microbes in the digestive tract can cause long-term adverse health effects.
This unintended side effect of antibiotics is now well-known and is being increasingly understood as an emerging area of study for public health.
But, what's less well-known and understood is the comparable potential health risk that chemical herbicide residues in our food supply may pose. Could first-world modern agricultural processes that produce majority of the world's food supply be posing a similar, or even greater threat to the health of our microbiomes?
An alarmist blog post written on the Healthy Home Economist blog, which made the rounds on social media, has claimed that an insidious hazard to our microbiome exists in 80% of the American food supply. The article asserts that glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup – the most popular herbicide on Earth), widely used by the vast majority of commercial agricultural in the United States and beyond, is absorbed by plants such as the wheat grain, and can never be washed off. There, it enters the food chain, which the author believes has triggered a dramatic increase in the number of people who have difficulty digesting wheat or who have become allergic to it. There are further suggestions that the prolific growth of gluten intolerance is related to the assertion that glyphosate has entered the food supply. The article further states that glyphosate can kill beneficial microbes in the digestive tract, thereby creating an environment that permits more harmful ones to survive and thrive.
Although there is a legitimate question about the validity of many of the claims made by the author with respect to the extent of Roundup's use in farming and its prevalence in our food supply, there is some peer-reviewed, scientific evidence supporting that at least one of its statements is likely true. Glyphosate itself has been scientifically shown to have properties that are capable of harming helpful commensal microbes in the human digestive tract.
The implication is that that this ubiquitous pesticide could pose a potential threat to our microbiome if it is in fact getting into our food supply (a topic itself which is still under debate). When commensal bacteria are killed, they are no longer able to perform their health promoting functions, such as preventing allergies and auto-immune reactions, thus harming human health in ways that we are only now just starting to understand.
What is Glyphosate and how does it Work?
Glyphosate is a weed-killer capable of killing most plants. Roundup, which has glyphosate as its primary active ingredient, is designed to kill plants, other than those that have been specifically genetically modified by Monsanto, Bayer and other companies be resistant to the herbicide. Glyphosate prevents the plant from being able to make proteins required for it to grow. Glyphosate works by disrupting an enzyme pathway (the shikimic acid pathway) that synthesizes the essential amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, which plants and some microbes then use to manufacture particular proteins that are necessary for the plant (or gut microbe) to grow. After the herbicide is applied, the plants yellow up and die over the course of several hours up to several weeks.
Roundup is applied to food crops that have been genetically modified not to be harmed by it. Common "Roundup Ready®" genetically modified crops include corn, soy, canola, cotton, sugar beets and alfalfa, which are found in a significant portion of the American food supply. Farmers buy special seeds to plant crops resistant to glyphosate, so that when they spray for weeds, their genetically modified crops will thrive while the undesired weeds will wither away.
Additionally, glyphosate is used by many home gardeners to fight weeds. The herbicide is frequently sprayed in public places such are parks and sports fields to keep them looking groomed and tidy, as well as on backyard vegetable gardens to help with weed control.
Glyphosate is also applied on non-genetically modified food crops prior to harvesting, in a process called desiccation, to make the harvesting process easier for the farmer. In the desiccation process, farmers spray their crops with glyphosate. This has three benefits. First, it brings the crops to maturity when they are unable to on their own because of rain or other poor growing conditions. Second, it facilitates crop drying, which makes harvesting more productive as it's easier to harvest wheat from a dry dead stalk than a wet live one. Finally, it removes all weeds for sowing the next crop. Because glyphosate is thought by farmers to be safe to consume, this practice is common.
Once sprayed, glyphosate is absorbed by the plant and taken up into its leaves, seeds and fruits. It cannot be washed off or broken down by cooking. Processing certain grains treated with glyphosate can actually concentrate the pesticide residues found in the flour.
Glyphosate use is increasing because Monsanto's patent on glyphosate in Roundup expired in 2000, which has enabled other manufacturers to also produce herbicides containing it, thus reducing its cost and increasing its prevalence. Additionally, some weeds are starting to become resistant to its effects, requiring larger and larger applications of it during the farming process.
Is Glyphosate Safe?
When glyphosate was first introduced in farming, there was a lot of excitement about it because it was toxic to plants, but was believed to be harmless to animals. There have been many years of study on the safety of glyphosate. Summaries of results of the majority of the research (much of it funded by the industry) seem to show that it is safe for human tissue. There have been some other conflicting studies, however, showing it may cause DNA damage and cell cycle dysregulation that can lead to genomic instability and subsequent development cancer. A vocal minority of scientists and activists remain concerned about it use, despite published reports that it is safe for human consumption.
Monsanto has claimed in the past that it is safer than table salt. It is rumored that some indomitable Monsanto salespeople have even been reputed to theatrically drink their product to demonstrate how benign it is. But could these safety claims be misleading due to longer-term health implications?
One concern with the safety research and data is that none of the safety studies have been designed to specifically examine glyphosate's effect on our gut microbiome.
Our gut microbiome is made up of commensal or probiotic microbes, which are bacteria and yeasts that live in and on the human body and provide us with critically important health benefits. If glyphosate has the capability of harming the probiotic microbes residing in our digestive tract, the resulting harm to our microbiome may hurt our long-term well-being by triggering later disease or indirectly contributing to other health conditions. However, the effects from a disrupted microbiome can take a long time to reveal themselves. The scope of the concern starts to become clear when you consider the fact that the majority of cells found within the human body are not human but are microorganism – microbes outnumber human cells by 10 to 1.
Although it is pretty clear that the acute toxicity of glyphosate to humans is low (i.e. you can drink it with no immediate ill effect), the chronic toxicity, which only reveals itself over many years and after multiple exposures, may be much higher because of the herbicide's actual impact on the human microbiome. (Then again, maybe not. This article is merely suggesting that further study is merited.) From a scientific perspective, it can be extremely challenging to confirm whether a chemical, ingested with food, is the cause of chronic diseases that present themselves many years later. Conducting a long-term, controlled study with humans as the "lab rats" would be neither practical nor ethical.
Why does it Matter if My Gut Microbiome is Disrupted?
Medical science is starting to learn how important our commensal microbes are. They play a critical role our immune system, neurological system and our digestive system. These commensal bacteria aid in digestion, support and train the train the immune system and impact human behavior. They also help to directly disarm some of the toxins in food as well as making it more difficult for other harmful substances to enter the body by strengthening the lining of the digestive tract. Without commensal microbes to assist the body in clearing them, toxins that are ingested can cause greater harm. Research into this area of medicine has exploded.
Additionally, our gut microbiome helps to reduce inflammation. When an unhealthy mix of microbes develops in the gut, inflammation can be the result. Chronic inflammation leads to other illnesses. Disruptions to the microbiome have been linked to many disorders that are often associated with the developed world such as gastrointestinal disorders, allergies and asthma, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, anxiety, autism, obesity and perhaps even Alzheimer's disease. "Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body," says a researcher who has looked at the effect of glyphosate on the microbiome.
What Effects does Glyphosate Have on our Microbiome?
Preliminary research has shown that glyphosate can directly kill commensal microbes. A peer-reviewed study in the journal, Entropy, examined the effect of glyphosate on microbes in the human gut. It found that the microbiome is affected by the herbicide and goes on to argue that it may be one of the primary causes for many of the chronic diseases seen in the Western world.
The shikimic acid pathway, mentioned above as being the chemical pathway that glyphosate attacks when it kills plants, is also present in algae, bacteria, fungi and yeasts. When glyphosate disrupts this pathway, it prevents the organism from producing essential amino acids that it needs to live and grow. Our microbiome is made up of primarily bacteria and yeasts. Hence the shikimic acid pathway is also present in the microbes that make up our microbiome. So if these beneficial microbes come in contact with the glyphosate, they too can be killed by it in the same manner that weeds are.
Disruptions to the gut microbiome caused by glyphosate and resulting ill health have been observed in both the cattle and poultry industries for many years. A Germany study outlined the toxic effects that glyphosate exposure had on beneficial microbes in cattle digestive tracts. The study's authors concluded that the resulting disruption to the normal, healthy microbiome was the explanation for the increased cases of botulism that arose in exposed cows. A different study on poultry showed that glyphosate, even at low levels, had an extremely disruptive effect on the microbiomes of the chickens by reducing the beneficial bacteria and permitting harmful, disease-causing bacteria (Salmonella and Clostridium) to increase their numbers. Enterococcus, Bifidobacterium, Bacillus and Lactobacillus, each of which has multiple beneficial health effects for humans, were shown to be very vulnerable to glyphosate exposure.
Is Glyphosate found in our Food Supply in Significant Amounts?
Even if glyphosate has the potential to harm our microbiome in significant ways, it would not likely pose a material threat to human health if it did not get into our food in significant amounts.
Unfortunately, and quite surprisingly considering the fact that it is sprayed on food crops in ever-increasing volumes, there are very few statistics on how much glyphosate actually remains in our food supply after harvest and processing. We simply do not in fact know how much is being ingested.
Because glyphosate has been considered safe, neither the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor the Unite States Department of Agriculture (USDA) monitor levels of it found in food!
An independently funded study looked at soybeans to see if there was glyphosate in the edible part of the plant. Three types of soybean crops were examined: 1.) Roundup Ready® (genetically modified to be resistant to glyphosate); 2.) non-Roundup Ready® seeds with conventional farming techniques (that included glyphosate); and 3.) certified organic soybeans. Glyphosate was not found in the organic soybeans. It was found in significant levels in both of the other crops. Surprisingly, it was found in the highest levels in the 2nd group. This is perhaps because Roundup was used as a desiccant in farming, meaning it was sprayed on the crops just prior to harvesting to remove weeds and to dry up the crop to make the soybeans easier to harvest.
Industry-funded studies have shown low levels of glyphosate in in the eggs, milk and the liver and kidneys of farm animals that had been feed with grains treated with the herbicide.
Roundup is the most commonly used herbicide in Europe. A study funded by Friends of the Earth Europe looked at the levels of glyphosate in subjects' urine, to look for evidence of whether it was getting into the human body. The study examined the urine of people from 18 European countries and found glyphosate in 44% of the samples. Another study on city-dwellers in Germany (i.e. people with no direct contact with glyphosate as part of the farming process) found glyphosate in all of their urine at levels higher than permitted by the E.U. to be in drinking water.
Notwithstanding the fact that glyphosate has been proven to enter the food chain when it is applied on crops, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quietly increased the levels of glyphosate that were permitted by the governing agency to be in the food, effective May 1, 2013. The acceptable levels for oil seed crops (sesame, flax, and soybean) was doubled from 20 parts per million (ppm), to 40 ppm. The permissible levels for vegetables were increased up to 25 times! For example, for carrots the permissible levels of glyphosate were raised from 0.2 ppm to 5 ppm. These increases were petitioned for by Monsanto because increasing amounts of the herbicide are required to kill weeds because they are becoming resistant to it.
Glyphosate can kill health-promoting microbes in our microbiome by attacking a chemical pathway they share with plants. Glyphosate is in our food chain and enters the digestive tract, thus coming into direct contact with our beneficial microbes that live there. Therefore, it is entirely possible that Roundup and its active ingredient glyphosate are impacting the mix of microbes in our bodies. A healthy microbiome is imperative for optimal health, so alterations to it are cause for concern.
While this article could easily be viewed as an accusation of actual health issues caused by widespread use of glyphosate in mainstream agriculture, it is important to be clear that in fact we simply do not know. As more is being learned about the importance of microbial health for human health and well-being, it seems reasonable to expect that previous assumptions and studies about chemical safety should be revisited to include an evaluation of their effects on the human microbiome. This is what we believe and the purpose for writing this article. The dots have not been connected, but the pattern is indeed concerning.
We feel that it is vitally important that food safety studies are performed to understand how much of this chemical (and probably many others) we are consuming in a typical Western diet. Given the extent of its use on core staples of the American and western diets, it seems clear that a lot of our food is contaminated by glyphosate.
Although privately funded studies are attempting to address this question, large-scale, government-funded research is necessary to get at the truth. Given the FDA and the USDA's current stance, that glyphosate is entirely safe, this research is not coming anytime soon. And, as someone who is cynical about the political powers that corporations have been given with recent Supreme Court rulings, I personally fear that incentives in Washington D.C. are not totally aligned with interests in public health. Let's hope that activists can bring this topic the attention it deserves, and move this public healthy issue to mainstream consciousness.


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David Ferriero is the 10th Archivist of the United States and Head of the National Archives and Record Administration, including the Presidential Libraries. The collection includes some 12 billion pages and 40 million photos and now holds all Federal Government tweets. We explore the linkages between open government and record-keeping public data as well as how social media is challenging the notions of what defines a 'record'.
Our mantra has been from the very beginning that you can't have open government without good records management.
This interview comes a day after the opening of the National Archive's first Office of Innovation. The Archivist – or "Collector-in-Chief" – discusses large-scale public record-keeping in the digital era and offers advice for smaller libraries and public collections. Mr Ferriero also declares his well-known enthusiasm for using social online channels to push archived content and digital assets to 'where the people are', including his Wikipedian-in-residence initiative.
About David Ferriero
David S Ferriero is a librarian, library administrator, and the 10th Archivist of the United States. He was Director of the New York Public Library; and before that, he was the University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs at Duke University. Prior to his Duke position, he worked for 31 years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology library. Ferriero is the first librarian to serve as Archivist of the United States.
National Archives and Records Administration
On July 28, 2009, President Obama nominated David Ferreiro to be 10th Archivist of the United States. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 6, 2009; and he was sworn in to his new office on November 13, 2009.
Ferriero used the public occasion to express his view that the National Archives is at a "defining moment with regard to our existing electronic records, social media communications, and emerging technologies being used throughout government offices." He also noted "issues of collection security, the future of the Presidential Library system, backlogs in processing, staff job satisfaction, stakeholder relationships, preservation and storage needs."
President Obama appointed Ferriero to simultaneously head the new National Declassification Center, which "has been given four years to go through 400 million pages of federal documents that remain top secret. They date to World War I."
Other career highlights:
- MIT Libraries: Ferriero was Associate Director of Public Services at MIT Libraries. His MIT library career spanned 31 years.
- Duke University Library: Ferriero was the Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs at Duke University from 1996 through 2004. Ferriero was the first Duke university librarian to address the members of the university's Board of Trustees in person. He was actively involved in the evolution of North Carolina's Triangle Research Libraries Network (TRLN).
- New York Public Library: Ferriero was the Andrew W. Mellon Director and Chief Executive of the Research Libraries at the New York Public Library (NYPL) from 2004. In 2007 his role expanded with additional responsibilities as director of New York Public Library's (NYPL) Branch Libraries. He was responsible for the management and operations of NYPL's Research Libraries since 2005 and the Branch Libraries since 2007. He presided over a major restructuring, which was accompanied by elimination of some positions and the creation of new ones.
- Cataloging: Ferriero was the NYPL's Partner Representative in OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), which with its member libraries co-operatively produces and maintains WorldCat—the OCLC Online Union Catalog. During Ferriero's tenure, the library stopped using the unique "Billings classification system" for its reference books in the Rose Reading Room (main reading room).
- Google digitization partnership: The NYPL joined the Google Books Library Project during Ferriero's tenure. Google and major international libraries have agreed to making collections of public domain books available for scanning to be offered to the public online, without charge.
- Relationship with Wikipedia: As part of his tenure at the National Archives, Ferriero has taken an active interest in working with Wikipedia, of which he has called himself "a huge fan". When questioned about the National Archives's engagement with Wikipedia, his response was "The Archives is involved with Wikipedia because that's where the people are." Under Ferriero's aegis, the National Archives has worked with the Wikimedia Foundation since 2009, having had a Wikipedian in Residence as well as uploaded thousands of images to Wikimedia Commons. He has quoted a blogger in saying: "If Wikipedia is good enough for the Archivist of the United States, maybe it should be good enough for you."
Mr Ferriero is a Co-Chair and speaker at the ICEGOV 2012 conference – hear his sneak preview (5 mins) of the conference here.
Biography source: Wikipedia
Feature images courtesy David Ferriero
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- David S Ferriero: Speeches and Writings
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Diurnal Cosplay Prints
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In Of Mice and Men, why does Carlton get the last word?
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Carlton's comment "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?" is not typical of any gender. Rather, it exemplifies the desensitizing that living by oneself effects in the "bindle stiffs." In Chapter 2 when Slim and George first meet, Slim comments,
"Ain't many guys travel around together....I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other."
Further, in Chapter 3, as Slim and George play cards, George remarks,
"I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain't no good. They don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin' to fight all the time."
"Yeah, they get mean," Slim agreed. "They get so they don't want to talk to nobody."
The predatory human tendencies emerge in men who do not socialize. And, ironically, the strength to oppress others is itself born of weakness. The characters such as Carlton are rendered helpless by their isolation; however, even at their weakest the men seek to destroy one another or speak callously. For, their powerlessness makes them cruel, as is Carlton.
Throughout the novel Of Mice and Men, Carlton proves to be a very arrogant, insensitive, and destructive. Carlton proves his insensitivity and destructiveness through the demand of the killing of Candy's dog. The fact that the dog meant everything to Candy means nothing to Carlton. The only thing which matters to him is his own superiority and callousness.
Therefore, the end of the novel makes sense because it shows the brutal nature of the farm hand and transient. While he has been at the farm for a while, some things never seem to die in a person. He cares nothing for the men who move in and out of his life based upon his own arrogance.
His line at the end of the novel, "Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?," shows his attitude about mankind, his typical lack of emotion and understanding, and the inability to see past the surface of anything.


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According to the avatar?
Most Helpful Guy
I don't believe in concept of different leagues - If a couple are happt together that is all that matters21|10|0
Most Helpful Girl
I think you should stop being the fuck who uses the picture of some people who you don't know, and haven't done anything to you just to ask a dick ass question like this to call them out as ugly. ಠ_ಠ20|20|0


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Quantum Theory and New Age Mysticism
So I was talking with my friend Leif the other day, on a break during our regular session of Dungeons & Dragons, when we hit upon an idea, a hypothesis really, not yet a theory as it hasn't undergone any form of rigorous testing.
The whole thing revolves around the issue of new age mysticism using words and phrases from quantum theory to validate the religious beliefs (and often claiming to invalidate rational thought, scientific method, etc) of said new age mysticism. I can't tell you how often I cringed when taking Tai Chi and the instructor would say, "now push against your quantum energy field." More specifically, it's the idea that the observer will, at some level, affect the outcome of an experiment and how 'popular' culture has run with it. This idea is taken up as an example of how existence is a subjective experience and that consciousness affects reality. In general this is only present in certain aspects of the new age movement. It does not include standard Wicca or Gia/Goddess religions, though often astrology and other forms of divinations can implement the use of quantum talk into their methods. Specifically, new age movements such as The Secret and its "law of attraction", various UFO conspiracy theories (often to explain the propulsion systems of ships and other advanced technology), also forms of Tai Chi, Yoga, and other Eastern and "alternative" medicine movements.
This idea led us to the Hippy Uncertainty Principle, which is much like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. But before I go into the HiUP, I should gloss over the HUP and the nutshell basics of Quantum Theory.
Quantum Theory, essentially says that electromagnetic energy is absorbed and emitted in discrete "quanta," or bits that can't be divided into smaller pieces. A particle that re-emits energy can only do so at specific, quantized, values. As a loose analogy, let's say that you, the particle, are playing dodge ball and you've managed to collect four balls (the electromagnetic energy). So there you are, holding four balls and another player throws a ball at you. Now, you're holding a lot of balls and when that ball hits you, you're going to probably end up dropping some of the balls you're holding. But you can only drop a whole number of balls. You can't drop half a ball, or two and a quarter balls. You can only drop 0 through 4 whole balls. And if you are able to catch the ball thrown at you, you must catch all of it (for a total of 5 balls) or none of it.
The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (HUP) basically says that for a given particle the more closely you measure where it is, the less you know about the particle's momentum, its mass times its velocity (or speed in a given direction). So here's the core of the "observer affecting the outcome of an experiment." The better you measure where the particle is, the less you know about it's momentum, so much so, that if you were able to measure exactly where that particle is (and you can't), then it's momentum could be anything, you would have no way of knowing. The reverse is true, the more you know about a particle's speed and direction then less you know about where it is.
But the HUP only really applies at the subatomic level. Sure, you and I are more massive than a proton, but look at our velocity. I'm just sitting here after all. Even if you were to take into account the fact that I'm spinning around on the surface of the Earth as the Earth hurtles itself around the Sun, that means I'm only moving at 465 m/s + 29,800 m/s = 30,265 m/s. That may sound fast, but in Quantum Theory, we're dealing with particles moving at nearly 300,000,000 m/s, roughly ten thousand times as fast. And look at our positions, in one direction I take up nearly two meters (6 feet). The diameter of a proton is roughly 10^-15 meters, which means that I'm 2,000,000,000,000,000 (or 2 quadrillion times) taller than a proton. That's about how much more difficult it is to pin-point a proton than it is to pin-point me (and by pin-point, we mean "know the probability of the object being at a given location"). Even still, the scale at which the HUP takes effect is around 5 x 10^-34 meters-squared * kilograms divided by seconds. That's a five with thirty-three zeros in front of it before the one's place, or 0.0000000000000000000000000000000005!
So that's the basics to Quantum Theory and the HUP. Now what about HiUP? The Hippy Uncertainty Principle states that the more a new ager defines his or her religious position the less clear the arguments that they use to support that position become and the more clear they make their arguments the harder it becomes to determine their religious position. In layman's terms, it's the "what the fuck are you talking about" hypothesis.
Take for example The Secret and its "law of attraction." The basic premise is that you and your thoughts bring either good or bad things, specifically material things, to you. Okay great, we know the spiritual position they take. But then they try to explain it by stating that there is a law of attraction. Take, for example, this quote from http://law-of-attraction-info.com/: "Universal Laws govern the Universe. They are basic principles of life and have been around since Creation. They are laws of the Divine Universe. Universal Laws apply to everyone, everywhere. They cannot be changed. They cannot be broken." Okay, so what's a "Universal Law"? The site explains, "1. What are universal laws? (Hint: They are like glue.)" it then goes on after a while; "Once you have the answer, you will begin to see how dramatically your life can be empowered by your new insight. To begin to understand it all, one must consider, briefly, why the universe exists in the first place." So now, to understand a Universal Law, we have to "consider" an age old question that humanity has argued over and discussed since the recording of our thoughts. The site goes on to state, "The reason behind the creation of creation can be summarized as follows: In the absence of that which is not, That Which Is is not. In other words, the Original Source that some people refer to as God was all that there was; there was nothing else. Now that presented a problem." So to clarify, in the absence of nothing (that which is not), something (that which is) is nothing. So, if there is something, then that something is nothing. Okay. Then it goes on (of course), "This Infinite Being knew itself to be all powerful and infinite, but without something to compare itself against, so to speak, there was no way of experiencing that infinity and power." So something is all powerful but it doesn't have the power to comprehend that it is powerful, let alone all powerful. Right. Wait…so what is a universal law, let alone the Law of Attraction?
Okay, about half way down the page, we get the following, "a universal law is a bond that connects all experience so as to achieve total knowing." Well, to quote a bit of the definition of experience from wordnet.princeton.edu, experience is "the accumulation of knowledge that results from direct participation in events or activities." So a universal law is a bond that connects all the accumulated knowledge so as to achieve total knowing. But what do they mean by "bond"? Or "total knowing." And really, who believes that "total knowing" is possible? Well, maybe for an all powerful creator…but their all powerful creator could not, on its own without performing some other action, achieve the total knowledge that included knowing it was all powerful.
It goes on (of course), to give an example of a "law" other than the law of attraction, the "law of gratitude", which states, "You have heard it many times that an attitude of gratitude has the power to get you realizing your dreams at record speed. Why? Because gratitude completes the cycle of knowing." Well there is always the possibility that I have lived in a bubble, but I've never heard that. In addition…there's cycles of knowing? WTF's a cycle of knowing? Yesterday I didn't know anything about it, today I've achieved total knowing of it, and tomorrow I won't know it? But when not knowing something is absent from me then knowing anything is absent from me as well?
Well, at least after that law we get to the law of attraction, but by this point we've had to go over so much inane double-speak that I don't really care to hear about it. But we got here so, "[The law of attraction] states that you attract whatever you put your attention to." And of course, since we are living in this world where an "Original Source" is to powerful to realize on its own that it's all powerful, that if I'm not thinking about things that I'm not aware of then what I've put my attention to is also not.
Yeah, HiUP at its finest.
I've always heard, maybe you have too, that if you work hard towards your goals, keep them "in sight," then you will achieve them. That's what it appears "The Secret" and its "Law of Attraction" is trying to say, but they've dressed it up in a Tolkien-esq pseudo-world of hyperbole and nonsense that name drops historical figures that have nothing to do with it, other than being smart and well known humans, in order to try and gain an authoritative voice.
Once again, this is only a hypothesis and not a hard tested theory (and if you don't know the definition for a scientific theory then by all the gods, go here: http://www.ncsu.edu/labwrite/res/res-glossary.html and scroll to "scientific theory"). It's based on my experiments in talking with new agers and online research.
The HiUP does not apply to fundamentalist religious thinking as they have the intelligence to remove themselves from the scientific sphere of knowledge and present the world with their definitive source(s) such as the Torah, Bible, or Koran. They, at least, use their source as their basis and do not attempt to interpret scientific discoveries as new foundations for their belief system (of course some try to reinterpret scientific discoveries to fit their belief system, which is a wholly unintelligent way to design a system of belief, but it doesn't apply to the HiUP as it currently stands). They are Newtonian in their approach, position and momentum placed squarely within the pages of their sacred texts, and as with Newton, belonging firmly in the 1600's (or earlier).
I find it interesting that the old religions (in the fundamentalist manifestations) tend to reject scientific findings in order to continue to support their belief systems (creationism and intelligent design) while the new religions tend to warp and twist scientific findings to their own ends.
In the end, the best new age is one of the oldest, good old Crowley and his Thelema. "0 = 2", "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will" Magick is the expression and implementation of the will. I will these words here, now, therefore I perform magick in its purest form. I will my hand to pick my nose, therefore I have invoked comedic-magick. But that's just my mundane but magickal interpretive dance with the subject of new age thinking.
Blessed be, but don't be an idiot.
(thanks to the Bad Astronomer, http://www.badastronomy.com/, for some science fact checking).


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Hey guys sorry it's been so long since my last update - but here's the next chapter. Please review.
As Hermione ran back towards Gryffindor tower, she didn't know what to think. Either Rachel had been joking when she'd said "James and Lily", and Hermione would look incredibly foolish for over-reacting; or she had been telling the truth, which meant –
"Port Luck!" she shouted at the portrait of the Fat Lady as she grew closer.
"My, aren't we in a hurry?" commented the Fat Lady as she swung forwards. Hermione didn't answer.
"Harry!" she called out, panting heavily from her run.
"Hello Hermione," said Ron, turning around to face her. "What took you so lo-…?" The words died in his throat when he saw her face. Harry began to ask a question, but was cut off by Hermione.
"Harry, you have to go to see Dumbledore, now," she said.
"Why?" he asked.
"I'll explain on the way," replied Hermione. "Come on!"
"But what about breakfast?" complained Ron.
"Oh!" Hermione stamped her foot in annoyance.
"Alright, Hermione, we're coming," said Harry, standing up. "Come on, Ron." The reason for Hermione's impatience was still a mystery to him, but he reasoned that it must be important for her to get so worked up about it.
The three pf them clambered out of the portrait hole, Hermione leading the way. Harry and Ron ran to keep up with her.
"Wait," said Ron, remembering. "Did you go and talk to Rachel?"
"That's why we're going to see Dumbledore. Harry," she continued, turning to him. "Brace yourself, ok?"
Harry's mind raced through all the possibilities of what Rachel could have said, but none of them made any sense.
"James and Lily," concluded Hermione.
"Sorry, say that again?" asked Harry. He hadn't heard Hermione talking as he worked through his thoughts.
"She said her parents were James and Lily," she repeated.
"She must have been joking, Hermione. My parents died when I was a baby, remember?" said Harry.
"You didn't see her when she said it, Harry," replied Hermione. "Pumpkin Pasties," she said to the stone gargoyle. It sprang to life and leaped aside. "And when I asked her if she meant Lily Evans," she continued, "she said 'Yes, why, do you know her?'. Do, Harry, not 'Did you know her'."
Harry felt very confused as Ron leaned forwards to knock on the door of Professor Dumbledore's office.
"Enter," called a voice from inside. Hermione looked meaningfully at Harry before pushing open the door and leading them into the office.
"Ah, Mr Potter. I was wondering when I might see you," Dumbledore said, looking up over his half-moon glasses. "Miss Granger, Mr Weasley," he said, acknowledging each of them with a nod. "Please, have a seat, all of you." Dumbledore waved his wand and three squashy armchairs materialised in front of his desk. Harry took the middle chair as Ron and Hermione sat on either side of him.
"Sir," he began slowly, unsure of where to start. "Last night, at the Sorting, there was a girl named Rachel. Rachel Potter."
"A very fine name, in my humble opinion," interrupted Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling. "Please continue."
"Well, Ron asked me if she and I are related. Because I don't know anything about my family, we decided to get Hermione to ask Rachel about it this morning."
"And why did you get Miss Granger to do that?" asked Dumbledore in a voice that suggested he already knew the answer. "Why not ask Rachel yourself?"
"Because, Professor, we thought that I might scare her," replied Harry.
"Very thoughtful of you, Harry. So what happened after that?"
"Well, Hermione agreed to, and then, er…" Harry broke off, looking uncertainly at her. She obligingly continued.
"I met Rachel in the Great Hall. We were talking and she told me that her parents were James and Lily," said Hermione.
"And then we came to see you, sir," broke in Ron, eager not to be left out.
"I see…" said Dumbledore. He sat silently in thought for a moment or two, fingers pressed together. Then he looked up and said, "Mr Weasley, would you so kindly go down to Greenhouse one and send Rachel up to my office. Then I suggest that both you and Miss Granger have something to eat before you go to your Transfiguration lesson. I shall send a note to Professor McGonagall explaining why you are late."
"But…" said Ron, half-heartedly rising from his chair. "Don't we get to find out what's going on?"
"I'm sure Harry will fill you both in on what I say when he finds it appropriate," replied Dumbledore.
"Yes, sir," said Hermione, tugging a disappointed-looking Ron out by his elbow. "See you later Harry."
"Bye," said Harry as the door of Professor Dumbledore's office clicked shut behind them. "Professor-," he began, but was cut short.
"One moment, please, Harry. I just have to send this to Minerva. He tapped the piece of parchment he had been writing on with his wand, and it folded itself into a paper aeroplane and zoomed out of the window. Harry smiled, remembering having seen the same thing at the Ministry of Magic, where Ron's dad worked.
"Harry," began Dumbledore carefully. "Firstly, please forgive me. Another old man's mistake, I assure you."
Harry stiffened. The last time he heard those words, Dumbledore had told him that he, Harry, would have to be the one to kill Lord Voldemort. He sensed that what Dumbledore was about to tell him would reveal some other dark aspect of his life that no one had told him about before.
"What you are about to find out," continued Dumbledore, "will be hard for both you and Rachel to accept. All I ask of you is patience, for with that comes understanding."
"I… yes, sir, but-" Harry was prevented from asking any of the thousands of questions in his mind by a knock at the door.
"And Harry, I suggest that you cover your scar for the time being," said Dumbledore pointedly, before calling out "Enter!" and vanishing the armchair to Harry's left. Harry hastily flattened his fringe as best he could as the door opened and Rachel stepped inside.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir? You asked to see me…?"
"Ah yes, Miss Potter. Please come in," said Dumbledore.
Harry stood up to introduce himself. Rachel, who had not noticed nim earlier, froze. For a second she thought she was imagining seeing her dad again, but then she noticed his eyes. They were bright green eyes. "Oh good, I'm not hallucinating," she thought. But a second later she wondered who this boy was.
"I don't believe you two have ever met," said Dumbledore, breaking the silence.
"Hi, I'm Rachel Potter," said Rachel, extending her hand. Harry shook it.
"Hi," he said.
"Now if you two would care to take a seat…" said Dumbledore, gesturing to the two armchairs in front of them. Harry and Rachel sat down, both of them staring at the Headmaster in silence what was going on. "I will explain everything."


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Christian Marriage: How to Build Trust (Part 2 of 4).
Greetings and thanks for reading. Let me ask you a question: How would you rate the level of trust in your marriage? Would you give it a low number or a high number? If the number is low, what makes up this low number and if it is high, what makes up this number?
As you know, reliable trust is a big deal. Trust gets tested when you notice and observe how well each spouse does in building a reputation of being reliable. Reliability has to do with repeated experiences of demonstrating to one another that you can be trusted and prove to be reliable and dependable. There is evidence to prove this reliable trust.
So reliable and dependable are two great traits to have in a marriage. When you date and then you get married, you are putting your trust in the other person that they will continue to be reliable and dependable in the marriage.
For example, when you spouse picks up the kids from the baseball field on time, just as he or she said they would, you don't have to worry due to the fact that you can trust your spouse to follow through on this task demonstrating being dependable and reliable. So if your spouse calls and says they are late because they are stuck in traffic, you will not read into this as you know he is on the freeway and accidents or traffic happen. home.
Thus fear and doubt will go away when you really do feel and trust that your spouse will be dependable and reliable to do what they say they are going to do. Your mind does not have to wander or your heart does not have to be afraid as you do trust their word or their actions that they will be promise keepers.
But the reality of life is each person is going to fail you and make a mistake in demonstrating reliability or dependability. When one spouse fails to follow through on a promise, the challenge is to figure out how to heal this failure. So trust can erode when we sugarcoat the truth, or we habitually exaggerate the truth as a cover-up for those little white lies.
So when reliability distrust starts to happen, whether warranted or unwarranted, this may cause husbands and wives to pull away and go into protection mode and not be there emotionally for one another. When mistrust creeps in, this is when two people can began having those conversations about the mistrust so each spouse can began to prove to the other person that you can be trusted again.
The best way to heal a hurt is to promise in the future that you will be reliable and communicate to your spouse that you do want to heal this brokenness. These are the moments in life in which you can be given another chance to show your spouse that you can prove to be a trusted person. The challenge is for each spouse to give the other person that chance. Far too often, it is one strike and you're out, and you already are judging your spouse falsely concluding he or she cannot be trusted. Each marriage quickly needs to have conversations and bring healing to those broken areas of reliability in order to bring healing to the marriage. If you are having trouble doing this, feel free to give us a call and we are here to help you with this hurt. Don't give up, hope is available.


text: At the All Things D Asia conference, Microsoft Windows Phone President Andy Lees announced a new line of Windows Phone powered devices coming to AT&T. These devices includes the HTC Titan, Samsung Focus S, and Samsung Focus Flash. The Focus S and Focus Flash have 1.4GHz Sandragon S2 SoC processors. The Focus S has a 4.3″ Super AMOLED Plus Display and the Flash has a 3.7″ Super AMOLED screen. The Focus S has an 8MP rear facing camera and the Flash has a 5MP rear facing camera. Not much has been revealed about the Titan as of yet. These three devices are expected to arrive this fall. [Windows Team Blog]


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Last week, March 30–31, Maggie W. Stern attended the League of California Cities' second policy committee meetings of 2017. Stern serves as a member on the Public Safety, which is integral to the League's policy-making process.
"My city clients benefit from my participation in the League's policy committees because it enables me to track and weight in on issues that will affect my public safety clients' budgets and shape their future policies." said Stern.
"These meetings are a great way for city officials to learn about legislative proposals affecting cities and offers an opportunity for individual cities to have their voices heard by the League and translated into direct advocacy efforts." said League Executive Director Carolyn Coleman.
There are seven standing League policy committees including: Community Services; Governance, Transparency and Labor Relations; Environmental Quality; Housing, Community and Economic Development; Public Safety; Revenue and Taxation; and Transportation, Communications, and Public Works. These committees evaluate proposed legislation as it relates to existing policy and make recommendations for legislation where the League currently does not have policy.
The League's policy-making process allows city officials to debate the issues facing California and the organization's policy directions to be established. Close to 400 city officials serve on the League's policy committees and add their collective expertise, wisdom and opinions to the policy debate that is the foundation of League policy-making process. The recommendations from the policy committee are forwarded to the League board of directors.
The League's policy committees will meet June 8-9 in Sacramento and in September during the League's annual conference in Sacramento as needed.
For more information on the League's policy development process please visit its website at www.cacities.org/polcomm.
About Kronick
Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard is a full-service law firm with offices in both Northern and Southern California. One of the firm's many unique qualities is our representation of both public and private clients which provides our attorneys with valuable perspective and enables us to foresee potential issues before they arise, to be proactive and outsmart opposing counsel. Having both practices under one roof allows us to collaborate and to improve our clients' best chance of success.
Media Contact: Heather Ward
(916-321-4577, firstname.lastname@example.com)


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It is safe to say that this year has been a year full of hard lessons. This story that I am about to share is just one of many hard lessons I have learned within the last few months.
A few months ago, I noticed a friend request from a woman I had never met. Normally, I am extra cautious about these sorts of things. After all, a lot of spammers create profiles using female profile pics in an effort to fool thirsty men into friending them only to end up being tagged in a bunch of nonsensical advertisements. However, this one seemed harmless enough so I responded to her friend request. Within days we were messaging back and forth about graduate school, politics, and ministry. Facebook messages became texts, which later became phone calls. Soon we were planning to meet.
I will admit that this chain of events was completely out of the ordinary for me. I am typically the guy who observes a woman up close for a long period of time before making the decision to pursue. Still, I prayed about it and there was something different about her. I felt that God was directing me to learn more. After talking to a few friends about it, I decided that it was time for me to push myself further out of my comfort zone and allow myself to be open to getting to know her. Besides, meeting her in person was the only way that I would really know for sure if there was any sort of future there. Unfortunately, things did not go according to my plan.
The first meeting between us was alright, but I felt like something was missing. I had actually enjoyed hearing her pastor at Bible Study. It was dense and quick, but I appreciated the challenge. The restaurant she had chosen was nice too. I didn't mind the company of her younger sisters. We had just met. In all honesty, I was sort of wishing I had brought a friend along too. The main problem was that I didn't feel a connection to her that could go anywhere beyond a friendship.
Needless to say, I was confused. This had never happened to me before. It normally did not take much for me to begin daydreaming about the possibility that I was sitting across the table from my future wife. Although I do not act like it, I am a bit of a hopeless romantic. Therefore, I was surprised that I was unable to see her as anything other than a little sister. I began to wonder if I was feeling sick. Maybe I was overworked and too tired to feel anything serious. Whatever the cause, I was concerned.
A few weeks later, I found the courage to let her know that I felt that she should be with someone more "traditional" and that we would be better suited for a brother-sister relationship. She tried to make me feel better by explaining that she liked the fact that I wasn't all that traditional and that the fact that I followed God was most important. I left the conversation feeling even worse because she completely missed what I was trying to tell her. Thankfully, God always manages to send one of my friends to town when I am in need.
After a long day full of barbecue hopping, my best friend and I ended up getting into one of those extra deep conversations that tend to occur when you are extremely tired, but you have too much on your mind to fall asleep. At some point, the topic drifted to her.
"I guess that's my problem," I confessed, "It's like she's a sure thing." What I didn't want to say was that my insecurities were making me wonder if I would ever find an interested woman who was better suited for me.
"She is a sure thing, but is that what you want?" my friend agreed. After so many years of friendship, he was good at reading between the lines.
"A part of me isn't sure if I should keep trying to push her away," I continued, "But I'm not sure if she actually knows me. I know she likes my appearance and who I am on paper, but I'm not sure if she knows me as a person. It's like I'm a pretty shell." That wasn't the first time I had said that. In recent years, I have begun to wonder if my appearance and my accomplishments make it difficult for people to get to know me as a person.
"To some extent, everyone is a pretty shell," he added. It was true. Relationships generally start because people are interested in the exterior first. The challenge is finding someone who is willing to look past that. I wasn't sure if she could. In her defense, I probably didn't open up enough to give her the chance. And with that, the conversation drifted away from her and I fully understand what I had to do.
A week later, she and I went out again. It was after my mom's 70th birthday party. I decided to try one last time to see if anything was there. She enjoyed herself and for a moment, I wondered if I had been wrong all along. Within a few days, I remembered my conversation with my friend and started preparing myself for the process of telling her once and for all how I felt about our growing relationship. I had hoped things would go well since we were still getting to know each other and had never had the awkward "defining the relationship" conversation. Besides, we had only known each other for about two months.
When I finally told her, it didn't go well. She informed me that she didn't need any other "big brothers" in her life and chastised me for wasting her time. It escalated from there to the point where we are no longer on speaking terms. Still, I think it is for the best. As bad as it has been, it would have been much worse if we had progressed to a committed relationship or gotten married before I acknowledged what was in my heart. In the aftermath, I saw a completely different side of her that confirmed our incompatibility.
In the end, the lesson was clear. I had to learn to trust in God enough to give up a "sure thing" even though it wasn't clear if or when I would meet another woman who would be interested in me in that way. It wasn't easy, but someday I will be able to look back on this and know that I did the right thing.
About Spencer
Spencer T. Clayton is a typical millennial who believed his mother when she told him that he was capable of accomplishing great things (and as a result has amassed a large amount of student loan debt). When he isn't blogging, he is either out with friends, writing and performing music, or busy working as an Executive Pastor and Consultant while simultaneously pursuing a PhD in Public Affairs.


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I realize how far behind I am on things. This has been a tough year, and blogging took a bit of a back burner. Thanks for bearing with me on this. I want to talk about my experience in the hospital back in June. It was different from the usual hospital stay. I often leave a hospital feeling the same or worse than when I went in, and regret it. Surprisingly, I left feeling so much better than when I went in this time, in spite of several medication errors. The reason for that boils down to compassion and understanding. Here's the rundown:
I went to the emergency room in meltdown mode. I was in tears from the pain in my head and lack of sleep. I've had a headache, sometimes to the point of migraine, for over a year and I couldn't take it anymore. I was also afraid, very stressed out, and upset, as I felt my independence was being threatened. I told them if things were going to stay this way, I wanted off this planet. The nurse knew I didn't really mean it, and said they would try to figure out how to get my pain under control. I asked for a medical doctor, but also asked to speak to a psychiatrist and a social worker. I wanted a medical doctor, social worker, and a psychiatrist to collaborate and come up with a plan to deal with my pain, stress, and help me to achieve as much independence as possible. I told them I didn't care how this had to happen - I was willing to be admitted to any floor to be taken seriously. They were reluctant, but ultimately did exactly what I asked. I was admitted to the geriatric wing of the psychiatric floor, as that is where the three doctors I requested reside. I was more than fine with that.
I went through the usual motions that every patient on the floor goes through: they checked my body for injuries to ensure that I wasn't abusing myself or being abused. They asked me a lot of questions. I gave them my medical history and told them everything I could possibly think of concerning my emotional state. I brought up how differently I am acting since my condition declined and my medications were heavily increased. I ranted about acetazolamide, mostly, but we all agreed that I can't stop taking it because of how well it's working to prevent paralytic attacks (which I still have, certainly, but I'm not staying in a near-constant state of paralysis like I once was). I even mentioned my long marathons of lamenting on Twitter when I'm upset or stressed. I told every doctor who entered the room how unhappy I was with the fact that I've started cursing. I didn't curse growing up, even as a teen, or even when I was married to a sociopath. But now, the words come out of my mouth before I can even think about it, and it disturbs me. The head psychiatrist actually chuckled a bit, and then he said "You are acting completely normal. You're living with a no-win situation, and any normal person would be reacting like this." In total, I met with a medical doctor, three psychiatrists, one group therapist, and one social worker. The diagnosis was the same across the board: Muscular Dystrophy, and anxiety and depression that is based on my current circumstances. My problem is, I quote, "medical, not mental". I'm being too hard on myself, and perhaps others have been too hard on me as well, my social worker suggested. I'm paraphrasing, because she was surprisingly blunt about it, if not harsh. I was told that I was "very intelligent with no psychosis", and that my story is somehow "intriguing and inspiring". Okay, if you say so. Thank you very much.
Because I showed up on a Friday, I spent a lot longer in there than I would have. The weekend is kind of a dead zone, so I chilled with three doctor consults and nothing else. Monday was the busy day...group therapy and the official consult by the head psychiatrists. The docs wanted me out of there asap, because there was "no reason to be inpatient" and they decided all the medication errors made me "safer at home". I couldn't have agreed more. I was set up with an outpatient follow-up, recommended grief counseling, and assigned an outpatient social worker to address basic personal needs at home and a transition to more independent living. That's it. They had no solution to my pain or my ailments, and I didn't expect them to. But I was relieved that they cared.
For the most part, I was bored out of my mind. No phone, no TV, no music, just the sounds of nurses and geriatric patients shuffling down the hallway, sometimes yelling at each other, sometimes knock-down-drag-out fighting. It was an eye-opening experience. I looked at those patients, down and out and at the mercy of others, wondering what their lives used to be like verses where they are now, and my heart went out to them. Being surrounded by the 50+ crowd, I stuck out like a sore thumb and was often asked what in the world I was doing there. The staff said repeatedly that I belonged on a medical floor, but they said they were happy I chose to come there if I needed a place to feel safe and get some rest. I really appreciated hearing that, especially from a psychiatrist. My room door remained open the entire time. I was allowed to come and go as I wanted (as long as I didn't leave the floor), and I was allowed to use the phone (which I only did once). I eventually asked for a pencil and paper, and it was given to me. I worked on my novel in between meals and naps. I attended one group therapy session, which I quite enjoyed and everybody knew it. At one point, I found myself advocating for a young lady who was nearly catatonic and was trying to ask for a blanket because she was shivering, but the staff yelled at her to stay in the room. I put on my former hospital administration hat and flat out told them as nicely and professionally as I could to get up and go get her a blanket. They said they would. Apparently, I was considered lively and animated during group therapy (who, little 'ol me? No way! Just kidding. I'm practically a cartoon character, folks). The therapist said she loved talking to me, and she tried to get me transferred to her wing (she was in charge of the addicted, suicidal, anxious, violent patients of various ages...they were all lovely, by the way). However, I was discharged before that happened.
The medication errors...good Lord. I have no doubt my case took up an entire MERT meeting that month (that's Medication Error Report Team, for you non-hospital-admin folks). I used to do those meetings. I was a medical administrator at one time, so I am all too familiar. The staff would not get their crap together and continue my home medications. When they finally did, they got them wrong. It was a constant source of debate, and one nurse finally came to my defense. I am so grateful to her...she was wonderful and I wish she had been my nurse every day. She couldn't have done a better job. Her off day was Tuesday, the day I was discharged, and my nurse that day (who was new) got my meds wrong again. I ended up paralyzed as a result. They took it seriously, handled it with as much grace as they could, and I was able to leave about 8 hours later the same day.
I was a happy camper when I left (as you may have already read if you've been following my blog). I was exhausted, but feeling so much better emotionally. It did me a world of good to be told that I was "completely normal" and that it was okay to be acting and reacting the way I was in regard to what was happening to me. I am thankful that I found the courage to "call for backup", so to speak, and I definitely don't regret it. A social worker checks on me 2 to 3 times a month, and I am eventually going to start grief counseling if the counseling center that was recommended to me will ever add me to their schedule. I'll keep you posted, I guess.
I'm glad I finally shared this. I hope it helps someone to not be afraid of asking for help when you feel overwhelmed, whether medically or otherwise. Those of us who have been through the nightmare of medical abuse have valid concerns about seeking care, especially emergency care, but remember that not every experience will be the same. My best advice is to keep your cool, but stand your ground. Arrived prepared with solid information about your medical condition, medical history, and home medications. If someone mistreats you, speak out. If you are treated well, don't take it for granted. You and I have a right to live the best, most independent life possible for as long as possible. Be kind to others and give them the benefit of the doubt, but don't forget to do the same for yourself.


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The Fountain (2006) / Fantasy-Romance
MPAA Rated: PG-13 for violence, some sensuality, and language
Running Time: 96 min.
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn, Mark Margolis, Cliff Curtis, Sean Patrick Thomas, Ethan Suplee
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Screenplay: Darren Aronofsky
Review published November 27, 2006
Destined to become a sort of cult masterpiece to some viewers in the future, Darren Aronofsky's (Requiem for a Dream, Pi) metaphoric exploration into the fact, fiction, and myth of mortality delves headfirst into themes of life, death, the afterlife, and the rebirth. It also takes place in three separate storylines, from the Conquistador era of the 16th Century, to today's scientific era, to several centuries in the future, with each era containing characters portrayed by Jackman (Scoop, X-Men: The Last Stand) and Weisz (The Constant Gardener, Constantine), all featuring a desperate search to continue life. It's a tall enough order for any movie, particularly one with a lean 96 minute running time, and while it doesn't quite succeed in delivering the necessary emotional ingredient to be a true masterwork, credit Aronofsky for (once again) crafting a film completely different that anything you've seen before.
Although marketed as a love story that takes place over a millennium, the actual story never really takes place in the past except through a fictional book written by one of the present-day characters, Izzi, who is fading from a soon-to-be-fatal brain tumor that her suffering oncologist husband, Tom, is desperately trying to find a cure for. The other prong of the film, the future of the 26th Century, is a bit murky, as one can see it mostly as a metaphor for the present-day events, although some might take both side stories as literal (Aronofsky himself seems to allude to it as a real future) if they so choose.
The backbone of the film is the present, where Tom is busy testing on monkeys in order to see if he can find a way to reverse the brain tumor that is slowly killing his beloved wife. In the course of his experimentation, he injects an untested dosage taken from a tree in Central America, and soon discovers that there is something to the compound that has regenerative powers to reverse aging. However, Tom is too heavily invested in saving Izzi, so he has little time to continue his research into the properties of the substance, while his wife continues to write a story about the search for the mythological Tree of Life, entitled "The Fountain", that she may not be able to finish by the time she expires. Meanwhile, we flash forward to the future, where a man, potentially Tommy himself (assuming he might have kept himself alive with the regenerative powers of the legendary tree), travels full speed to a distant nebula in a large space-traveling biosphere, trying to find a way that he can be with his beloved wife for all of eternity.
Over five years in the making, undergoing a variety of script and casting changes, Aronofsky's final work is the sort that challenges in its ultimate meaning, utilizing a variety of narrative devices, with heavy symbolism, allusion history and legend, to tell a complete story about one man's refusal to accept the mortality of his wife to live alone without her. At its core, it is a love story, but really, it's about the search for meaning, existence, and the interconnectedness of past and present events, mythical and scientific, and how it all forms who we are and what we will be as human beings.
Certainly, this is an ambitious work, similar to the way that 2001: A Space Odyssey had been upon its initial release, and while Kubrick's visionary work has become a masterpiece over time, it's highly uncertain how Aronofsky's will fare for future generations. For now, it remains a befuddling work, visionary to be sure, but one that feels curiously like a short story that has been somehow beefed up to feature-film length, with a romance based in tragedy yearning to compel us, but missing that vital emotional core that allows us to truly connect with it.
Nevertheless, The Fountain ultimately proves to be a worthwhile film for those who enjoy being challenged by ambitious films that seek to enrich us with a deeper thematic exploration without providing any concrete answers, save that there is so much we don't know about ourselves and the universe around us. In many ways, it hearkens to the original Solaris in its perplexing artistic exploration of the human condition. Alas, it's merely "interesting", when all the while, Aronofsky was shooting for "mind-blowing", and the result is that his masterwork is left cold, aloof and, at times, too pretentious to embrace outright. Perhaps a more fleshed out version of Aronofsky's original vision may emerge one day to finally do justice to his story, and it might actually transcend cult classic status. As released today, it remains an ambitious, muddled experiment that fails to compel just as much as it succeeds to inspire.
-- Aronofsky's original vision was previously made into a graphic novel published by DC/Vertigo in 2005 as a means to tell his story after a previous theatrical project fell through.
Qwipster's rating:
©2006 Vince Leo


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Innovation in real-world research
As we start a new year, we are pleased to share our perspectives on what the next five years will hold for the industry…
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You've made it through regulatory approvals. But is your pharmaceutical product actually positioned for market success? Even with regulatory approval, new drugs are still failing to secure reimbursement from payers and health technology assessment bodies at an alarmingly high rate. That means you need to further prove the value of your product.
This 2-minute video shows how PAREXEL's Real-World Evidence ecosystem delivers the capability to use site-based research combined with healthcare databases, including linked EHR and claims data to help you:
1. Create average cost savings of 20%
2. Leverage real-world data assets on a global scale by augmenting existing data assets with site-based research activities
3. More effectively generate evidence to satisfy payers' and providers' requirement for real-world data
As we start a new year, we are pleased to share our perspectives on what the next five years will hold for the industry…
A phase-dependent approach has potential to cut costs by avoiding investing in riskier assets, utilizing secondary…
Global Challenges
Observational Research
Real-World Evidence
Regulatory & Payer Submissions


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Having missed lava sightings on our last visit to the Big Island, I could not let the opportunity elude me again. After hearing that the lava flows had resumed at Kalapana, I had to go back to Hawaii to witness this breathtaking phenomenon. Continue reading
Mauna Kea (at night), Big Island, Hawaii
I had long been inspired by the starry sky prints of photographers like Lars Leber and David Slater and had been keen on capturing my own. While on a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, I could not turn down the opportunity of driving to the summit of the world's tallest volcano. The summit of Mauna Kea is one of the world's best sites for astronomical photography and observation. The sky at the summit is super clear for a number of factors including: dry air, low to no cloud cover (because it's above the inversion layer), no light or atmospheric pollution. Continue reading


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By Dwight Silverman
State Sen. Wendy Davis' support of allowing the open carrying of pistols means that both top gubernatorial candidates approve of such a measure. We sampled our Facebook story comments for opinions on whether open-carry is a good idea. Some comments have been edited for grammar, spelling and length.
Robert Brophy:
As if the rest of the country doesn't think we are nutty enough?
Barbara Stephenson:
Could someone please explain why this would be a bad idea? I, personally, could care less what the rest of the country thinks of Texas. I think Texas is awesome. Is there something in the wording of this law that prohibits concealed-carry? That would still be an option, wouldn't it? I think it's a good idea.
J. Patrick Miculka:
It was a bad idea from (Texas Attorney General Greg) Abbott. It is an even worse idea coming from Wendy Davis. The only reason for open carry is open intimidation.
Michael T. Delgado:
Sounds like a nice deterrent. Who's going to rob a place like a diner, etc., when there are visibly more legal guns on patrons than those who are planning to rob the place. We'd love for cops to be able to solve crimes, but usually, and quite naturally, they arrive after the fact, which means people need to be able to protect themselves and each other.
Frances Robeson:
I have no outfits a loaded gun would look well with.
Alice Allison Wildermuth:
I'm torn. I'm against concealed carry and believe we need some strong gun control, etc., but I think I'd almost rather know when someone is carrying. I'm nervous wondering if the woman at the next table in a restaurant may have a gun in her purse, especially when I watch her casually throwing the purse around. I think I'd rather know she has one strapped to her hip.
Eddie Klenk:
I'm a proud Texan who does not own a gun! For God's sake, this state needs to get over its obsession with guns!
Gabriel Corral:
I wouldn't trust most of you with a car on the freeway, let alone a damn gun. But who says I can't have one too in case someone crazy manages to get a CHL?
To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below.
Technology editor
© 2017 Hearst Newspapers, LLC.


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Lorvent Solutions Off Campus For Freshers As Web Designers On Oct 2016 @ Hyderabad
Deal Score0
|Company Name
|Lorvent Solutions
|Company Website
|0 – 1 years
|INR 8000/-Month
|Any Graduate/Post Graduate
|Job Role
|Web Designer
|Communication Skill
|JOB Location
|Job Type
|Last Date To Apply
About Company:
- IBM has been present in India since 1992. IBM India's solutions and services span all major industries including financial services, healthcare, government, automotive, telecommunications and education, among others. As a trusted partner with wide-ranging service capabilities, IBM helps clients transform and succeed in challenging circumstances.
- IBM has been expanding its footprint in India – and has a presence in over 200 cities and towns across the country – either directly or through its strong business partner network. IBM India has clearly established itself as one of the leaders in the Indian Information Technology (IT) Industry – and continues to transform itself to align with global markets and geographies to grow this leadership position. Widely recognised as an employer of choice, IBM holds numerous awards for its industry-leading employment practices and policies.
- The diversity and breadth of the entire IBM portfolio of research, consulting, solutions, services, systems and software, uniquely distinguishes IBM India from other companies in the industry.
- IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
Description :
Eligibility :
- Profile: Web Designer
- Job Location: Hyderabad
- Desired experience: Fresher
- Course Specialization: Any Graduate/Post Graduate
- Batch: 2014/2015/2016
- Salary: INR 8000/- Month (Hike after every 6 Months)
- Bond: 1 Year
- Date of Joining: Immediate
- Tentative Interview Date: Will be communicated once the Registration Window is closed.
Interview Process :
- System Task
- HR Round
**The shortlisted candidates will be sent Admit Cards/Call Letters on their registered mail Id, which they will need to carry on the date of Interview. No candidate will be entertained by the company without the formal intimation from Aspiring Minds.
Eligibility :
- Candidate will be responsible for Photoshop and Designing
- Candidate should be experienced in Photoshop and adobe illustrator
- Candidate should be able to create web layout and design attractive icons and other graphics in Photoshop for mobile app
- Candidate should have good knowledge of modern graphics
How to Apply for this JobRegister Online
Already Registered AMCAT Click Below LinkApply Now [divider style="solid" top="20″ bottom="20″] To know job updates in FaceBook FaceBook Group Facebook Page Apply Now [divider style="solid" top="20″ bottom="20″] To know job updates in FaceBook FaceBook Group Facebook Page


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After finishing the kayak courses at Grevena area it's time for 2 days rest. In these 2 days we drove a little for water levels report cause the following days i will run a trip into the kayak Mecca of Greece. The flow was high everywhere so extra preparation and rest needed cause the runs will be super sporty!!!
The first day we paddled Voidomatis source. It's the first time that I see Vikos with water that a descent could be done. Of course that means our descent will have high flow and the rapids will need extra care. The run was excellent, super fast water, boils and waves, pressure areas and as usual crystal clear water. This is a must run cause it's one of the most beautiful runs of Greece.
The second day we change direction for the beautiful area of Gormos. The river was low but we decided to run it for first time. The waterfall section is amazing and is the California in Greece. We didn't run the waterfalls and we succeed to run only the first gorge cause the flow conditions didn't help us.
The third day after serious thoughts we took the big decision. The gauge at Vovousa 75cm, at Konitsa more then 1.71cm with no guarantee that this gauge works well, and the locals talking about super high water and no paddle able conditions. But the decision was to paddle the middle section of Aoos from his small torrent Distratiotis. From the beginning the water seems high. This small torrent wasn't a small torrent, it was a fast and technical river. No rocks, no pools, difficult eddies and turbulent water!!! The sun was shining and the guys were working hard so the descent of Distratiotis was excellent. But when Aoos appears at the left eye we were sure about super high flow. This descent was a very good experience for the river guys and gave them a lot energy to continue with a bike ride from Palioseli to Konitsa while I was drinking coffee with the ladies at Konitsa.
On Monday we paddled Kerasovitikos the traditional run when all others rivers are high. Kerasovitikos is a super fast river, with eddies counted on one hand.
Konitsa area is the kayak Mecca of Greece, with several runs for all levels. Enjoy it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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DIY Stamped Concrete Patio
Building a stamped concrete patio increases the value of your home and provides a stylish outdoor living space. Stamped concrete is a low-maintenance material that takes on the look of a brick surface. Creating a stamped concrete patio is a do-it-yourself project that homeowners with little to no experience can successfully complete over a few short days.
Step 1
Prepare the base for pouring a concrete patio by excavating by at least 8 inches. Pour 4 inches of crushed rock over the excavated site and compact it with a plate compactor machine. Add another 4 inches of gravel and compact the site again until it is completely hard and doesn't shift. Set wire mesh over the base for the patio.
Step 2
Mix concrete in a wheelbarrow with 1 part cement mix, 1 part sand and enough water to make a brownie-like texture. Use a trowel to spread the concrete over the wire mesh and smooth it with the trowel or a floater. Wait 15 minutes to an hour for the surface moisture to dry.
Step 3
Set the concrete stamp over the concrete and press it into the wet concrete 3/4-inch to 1 inch deep.
Step 4
Lift the stamp by the handles and press it into a new section of concrete, aligning the stamp to continue the stamped line patterns.
Step 5
Place sheets of plastic over the stamped concrete to protect it from debris as it dries.
How to Change the Color of Stamped Concrete
Deep clean the concrete surface with a degreaser, and allow it to dry for approximately 24 hours. Touch the stamped concrete surface to ensure that it's completely dry, and begin working when the temperature is between 50 F and 90 F.
Tape off any areas that you do not want to color, such as the perimeter of the house.
Sweep the concrete surface with a broom immediately before applying the sealant to ensure that no particles have fallen on it.
Mix the sealer completely. Paint an inconspicuous sample area of the concrete first to ensure that you like the new color. Allow the color to dry.
Use a paintbrush to work the sealer into corners and edges. Spray the sealer in an even coat onto the concrete using the garden sprayer. If the sealer color bleeds, use xylene or paint thinner to correct the problem.
Allow the sealer to dry for 12 hours. In driveways or heavy traffic areas, allow the sealer to dry for 72 to 96 hours.
How to Make a Stamped Concrete Driveway Shine Again
Step 1
Blow dust and debris from the driveway with a leaf blower.
Step 2
Wash the surface with a soap and water solution and a push broom. Rinse the surface with the garden hose. A pressure washer can be used to clean heavily soiled surfaces.
Step 3
Allow the driveway to dry for 24 hours, as the sealer will not adhere to a damp surface.
Step 4
Pour sealer into a paint tray. Dip the roller into the sealer, coating all sides of the roller pad. Roll the pad across the top edge of the paint tray to remove excess sealer.
Step 5
Roll the sealer onto the driveway surface, working in 2-by-4-foot sections at a time. Overlap sections to get complete coverage.
Step 6
Apply a second coat when the first coat is no longer tacky to the touch.
Step 7
Wait a minimum of 24 hours before walking on the surface. Wait an additional day or two before driving a vehicle on it.
How to Maintain Stamped Concrete
Apply sealer to the concrete annually after it has been pressure-washed and dried completely. For best results, do not apply sealer in cold weather (less than 50 degrees F) or hot weather (more than 90 degrees F).
Sweep the concrete periodically to avoid any buildup of dirt and debris.
Pressure-wash outdoor concrete as needed to remove any dirt and debris that may get stuck in cracks and crevices. For indoor stamped concrete, mopping with a wet mop and the occasional dust mop to remove loose dust and dirt is all that is needed.
Use a mild detergent in water with a medium-bristle brush to scrub away any stains instead of pressure washing.
Apply a coat of floor wax or polish to provide extra protection in areas that are heavily trafficked.
Stamped Concrete vs. Paver Driveways
Stamped Concrete
Stamped concrete is a way to dress up plain concrete slabs with patterns that resemble stone and brick. The design is stamped into the concrete after it has been poured but before it has begun to harden. Many times the concrete will also be tinted to mimic the color of brick or stone.
Pavers are small, individual, brick-like pieces that are made into geometric shapes or designed to look like stones.
Concrete is not as durable as pavers. Because the concrete pieces are larger, it is easier for them to crack. Pavers have many joints (because the pieces are smaller), so they give more when heavy weights move over them, which you want in a driveway material. Pavers have a more-limited selection of designs and colors than stamped concrete.
At first glance, stamped concrete and paver stones can look the same. It is only on closer examination that you might notice that all of the joints don't go completely through the stamped concrete or perhaps the stamped concrete might have more cracks in it.
Concrete usually has a lower cost per square foot. If you are on a budget, that makes this the affordable material to use in paving a driveway.
Concrete is harder to repair. If you simply patch a crack, it will probably be a different shade; if you replace the cracked section, you will be replacing a large piece. Pavers won't crack as often, but if they do, you only have to replace the unit that is broken. The high number of joints with pavers allow for good drainage of water and snow off the driveway.


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Often thought to be better suited for outdoor spaces in Houston, concrete can actually be a great choice for interior flooring. One of the reasons why AAA Affordable Concrete continues to see more and more concrete flooring customers has to do with the variety of styles that can be achieved with this seemingly simple material.
Contrary to popular belief, a standard concrete floor is not your only option. Decorative stamped concrete is a common choice, as well as acid staining – a process that can simulate the elegant look of marble without any of the high expenses. At AAA Affordable Concrete, we're capable of delivering a wide range of concrete floors, all of which can be a tasteful solution for your Houston property.
In addition to residential situations, concrete flooring is also a great choice for industrial settings like a warehouse or factory where strength and longevity are important concerns. Our concrete floors can be found in many Houston industrial locations and our flawless installation means that your location will have the best protection possible against cracks and other problems.
Speak to a AAA Affordable Concrete associate about your concrete flooring needs by calling 281-723-3038.


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Welcome to The VegasNET Online Community!
By connecting with our online community, you'll have the ability to network with your peers and promote your business to the thousands of local Las Vegas area entrepreneurs and small business owners including authors, speakers, business coaches and consultants, marketers, entertainers, professional service providers, and other industry experts.
Take the first step now by connecting with our community below!
Connect With Us Online
VegasNET offers many ways to stay informed and engaged with us. Join our community to receive relevant up-to-date information as soon as it is available.
While we welcome your comments through our social media channels, for your safety and security please do not post confidential or sensitive information.


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Welcome to the Delta Omega chapter of Phi Mu at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. On this website, you can find more information about our chapter and learn about the lovely ladies of Phi Mu! Phi Mu was founded in 1852 in Georgia and is the second oldest sorority in the nation. Locally founded on January 26, 1985, we have had over 30 wonderful years of sisterhood on campus here at Case Western!
The philanthropy Phi Mu supports nationally is Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, and we happen to have a local hospital in this system right on campus! Many of our sisters volunteer at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital on their own time in addition to all of the work we do as a chapter for the hospital. Our sisters are so committed to our cause, and service is important to our organization.
In addition to all of the service we do, we are so proud of the other ways our Phi Mus get involved on campus! You can spot our sisters around campus in a number of different organizations and activities, from executive positions in clubs to varsity sports. You are sure to find a Phi Mu in just about anything you do, and our sisters show great commitment in juggling their high GPAs with all of these extracurricular activities!
Phi Mu is a more than just a group of women: it is a sisterhood that is bound together with the ideals and values set in our history and the love and support of women who care about you.
Take a look around our website to learn a little more about us!


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CMS will host a Special Open Door Forum on August 2, 2016. The forum will be a conference call that will take place between 1 and 3:30pm EST. The purpose of the Forum is to solicit comments from stakeholders on issues that relate to future rulemaking by CMS. CMS has identified several areas of concern that include, amongst others, the following:
- Are the nature of payment categories specific enough?
- How many years of data should CMS continue to publish and annually update on its website?
- Are there any specific hurdles presented by the current Sunshine Act/Open Payments definition of a teaching hospital?
- How can CMS define physician-owned distributors for reporting purposes?
These are just a few of the issues on which CMS is seeking comments. You can access a complete set of slides with all topics of interest to CMS here: https://www.cms.gov/OpenPayments/Downloads/2017-physicianfeeschedule.pdf
The call-in number for the Open Door Forum is 1-800-837-1935.
Conference ID # is 44678813.
Here is a link to the Open Payments Events Page with additional information: https://www.cms.gov/OpenPayments/Program-Participants/Events.html
CMS will accept comments related to the Special Open Door Forum through September 6, 2016.
This is an opportunity to shape the future of the Sunshine Act/Open Payments program. I urge all interested stakeholders to review the CMS slides and participate in the Open Door Forum.


text: I'm in it, so rad. "Check it out! 19 former CCS illustration students share the unique ways they've utilized their illustration degrees and pass their wisdom to current students in "CCSillustrationWORKS." designed by Bryan Durren. Thank you for putting me in this book Bryan. folks go pick one up. CCS kids, get it!!! Oder it Here


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Onondaga County leaders sign off on shared services plan
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Onondaga County leaders have signed off on a new shared services plan. The agreement involves the county, city of Syracuse, 15 villages and 19 towns.
Many of those areas were represented at the table Wednesday morning for one final vote. The agreement was passed, and includes dozens of cost-cutting measures; however, it will be up to each individual municipality to follow through.
"The reason it's not binding is because it doesn't usurp the power of the county legislature, the town and village boards or the city council," Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney said. "So the things we've agreed on as the leaders of those municipalities we now take to our legislative boards to create inter-municipal agreements and contracts and make it all legal. But I think we will have almost 100 percent of what we agreed to today."
Some of the changes that were agreed upon include:
The county, city and Syracuse School District want to combine their Medicare coverage plans to move under one provider. Towns and villages will also be able to join on. The estimated savings of that move alone is between $2 and $4 million.
Onondaga County and Salina have proposed the construction of a single highway facility that they would share, rather than each building their own. The estimated savings there is $2.4 million over the next 20 years.
OCM BOCES and its member districts have proposed building a transportation hub to bus students -- who are not in public schools.
The plan also calls for the creation of the Greater Syracuse Shared Services Council, a nine person board that would seek out money saving opportunities.
One idea that did not make the final cut was the town of Manlius' proposal of consolidating all local courts. That was removed following the first public meeting.
So what's in it for for taxpayers?
"What is significant is the potential that it holds for the community," Mahoney said. "And separate from that, there's $5 million in savings and then a $5 million match from the state."
The county would receive that match only if everything in the plan is implemented. That grant money could come as soon as the beginning of 2019. A formal presentation will be held on the shared services agreement in the coming month.
For more information, visit www.ongov.net/sharedservicesplan
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text: I created a new Twitter campaign today, then created a new Tumblr blog for it as well. The blog was created to put a face to mental illness. It's time that mental illness stops being stigmatized. It's time we stop hindering, and start helping. Shared there are photos of people who are standing up to de-stigmatize mental illness. The subjects pictured deal with mental illness either directly, or indirectly.


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I don't even get what "type of guy" that is.
Sorry, type of *girl
One tgat loves unconditionally. One that see your weakness and dont care
Yea, a lot of women are like that.
Have an opinion?
All you gotta do is tell her you want shoes on special occasions. :(
:) ****
No this one you don't have to tell her but sees what you lack
What, a cartoon?
Sure they do. You just won't find them trying to "hook up" with you.
A girl that buys a guy shoes when he clearly needed a new shirt?
Lol, I didn't notice that before. :D
LOL... well the picture never showed his shirt. If it did perhaps you'd see.
I don't get it?
I hope they still exist
tbh bro yes but kinda rare
They're extinct. Don't worry yourself over finding one.
You cannot undo this action. The opinion owner is going to be notified and earn 7 XPER points.