text:
Divorce Lawyers Talk About The Worst Way A Client Has Screwed Over Their Spouse
By Rhea Braganza
Shutterstock / Dean Drobot
These divorced couples take being PETTY to a whole new level- just ask the following divorce lawyers who share some of their most memorable cases and clients.
Source list available at the end.
I had a client whose soon-to-be ex-husband used her email address and phone number to sign her up for every bank loan, religious, mental illness, and pornographic site he could think of. She was bombarded with people contacting her about her interest in their product/services.
He even put out ads for sex partners on Craigslist with her information. The kicker is, she actually went out with a guy who contacted her!
If I learned anything from being a divorce attorney (I no longer practice), it's that if the opposing party sounded unstable, I would soon see the nutcase come out of my own client. Stable people don't just accidentally marry unstable individuals.
dirtydlf
I had a husband and wife go toe-to-toe over an ashtray they got in Vegas at some point (Neither of them smoked strangely enough). They spent nearly $5,000 for me and another attorney to duke it out in court over the silly thing. Prior to the proceeding, I explained what the cost would be like to argue over something so silly. I even said that he could give me $2500, and I would fly to Vegas for the weekend and get him an identical one instead. He said he didn't care about the costs because he intended to smash it on the courthouse steps in front of her if we won. We won and he followed through with the smashing. He laughed and said the look on her face was worth so much more than $2500.
F-BOMB
I once represented a client from a divorcing couple who still lived together pending the sale of the family home, but they would not speak to one another for any reason whatsoever. I had to negotiate terms with the opposing counsel all the way down to the sharing of the refrigerator space.
I worked at a law firm while in college. We had a client who had just come home from a 2-week vacation with his wife only to be served with divorce papers and a temporary restraining order as soon as they pulled into the driveway. The wife didn't say a word and just went into the house. Poor guy came straight to our office and was massively confused (to say the least).
MissSara13
My brother is a divorce attorney. His most memorable case was representing a guy in a divorce custody battle who was accused of horrific child abuse. The whole thing was very graphic with very detailed depositions from the young kids against their dad. Things looked grim.
Then my brother, who was also a failed actor, noticed the deposition transcript (done by social workers under oath) contained a question at the end from one of the kids, "Did I hit my marks?" He wondered how these little kids would have known about acting jargon. Subpoenas wife's personal checking account during discovery, sure enough, was acting lessons.
I deposed an extremely sketchy "acting coach," and the panicked coach produced DVDs of "practice interrogations" with the kids. This was hours of coaching the kids on exactly what imaginary things to say about their dad.
He said it was his one and only "Perry Mason moment" in 20+ years of practice. The dad did get sole custody of the kids.
MastadonBob
The husband's statement of property listed all of the food in the kitchen as of the date of their separation, complete with estimated values for each item (Campbell's vegetable soup – $0.79).
JournalofFailure
Twenty plus years as a divorce lawyer, and I've seen it all.
I once represented a husband divorcing his wife of thirty-five plus years. They were in their late 60s. At mediation, they divided up about a half million in assets within 30 minutes. Then they spent 2.5 hours fighting over two hurricane glasses from Pat O'Brien's and a pitchfork.
Mediator: "She really wants that pitchfork. It was a gift from her dad."
Husband: "We bought it at Home Depot two years ago!"
They settled at mediation, after spending over $1,000 in attorney fees combined, for the glasses and pitchfork.
They remarried three months later.
LazyMFTX
My aunt has been divorced for quite sometime. She drove her attorney mad with her requests/demands. Most recently, she took her husband to court over:
1) He switched the beneficiary of his life insurance policy from her (the ex-wife) to their children.
2) She wanted him to take court-ordered drug tests weekly. She found out from her friend, who worked at the pharmacy, that he had quite a few narcotic prescriptions, but that obviously couldn't be entered as evidence or the friend would have been fired.
3) She wanted to know the days he was working and locations, so she could have her private investigator keep an eye out and make sure that the new girlfriend wasn't joining him at hotels that he was charging on his work card.
At some point, she just needed to let it go and move on. She got the house (and the house payments), the kids, the boat, and the Marriott points. He doesn't have to pay alimony or child support, so it seems like everything did work out well.
ProfessorMMcGonagall
My mom worked in divorce court. She came home with stories that were interesting, sad, funny, and sometimes just plain weird. My favorite one was about a voicemail that was played in court as evidence. The wife was cheating on the guy. The voicemail was from the husband to the wife: "Hey, I know you're there. The only reason you can't answer is because I know you can't speak with that guy's penis in your mouth!"
JtkBasketball
I worked on a child welfare case where one of the parent's shaved his entire body after the court-ordered hair follicle test. He insisted (with a straight face) that it was just something he had planned on doing for a long time now and that it had nothing to do with the drug testing.
My client's husband cheated on her with another woman, and he took some photographs of the, ahem, penetration. She found the pictures on the husband's computer, but his face was not in any of them. So during a deposition, I had to ask him if the penis in the photographs belonged to him, and he said he wasn't sure. When I pressed him on why he couldn't identify his own penis, he claimed that exposure to agent orange in Vietnam caused him to have memory problems.
Its_Moops
I'm a real estate lawyer, but a friend of a friend of mine is a divorce lawyer. I was once told a story where said lawyer was brutally attacked by a client's former spouse. Apparently, the former spouse blamed the divorce attorney for "taking him to the cleaners" in the divorce. The worst part is, the lawyer was at the grocery store doing his weekly food shopping with his wife and kids when he was savagely beaten. Criminal lawyers work with the worst people on their best behavior, and family lawyers work with the best people on their worst behavior.
AJAMG
I'm not a divorce lawyer, but when I was at a mediation a few months ago, the mediator was telling me about a divorce he mediated a few years back. It was your classic "Rich guy sick of his wife and kids and wanted a divorce to run off with a younger and more attractive woman."
His wife wanted blood. She came to the mediation with some pretty outrageous demands about the money and property that she would receive. The mediator pushed hard throughout a long day of mediation, but she hadn't budged an inch. Finally, very late in the day, the husband threw up his hands and said, "Give her everything she's asking for and let us be done with this."
The mediator went back to the wife's conference room to share the good news that the husband had caved, and she FLIPPED OUT- glowing incandescent with rage at the idea that her husband was willing to pay a truly insane compensation to be done with her and ride off with his little girlfriend.
Vincent_Blackshadow
I was sitting in the lobby of the courthouse while my parents were in the courtroom getting divorced. The couple before my parents came out of the courtroom and were consulting with their lawyers on opposite sides of the (very large) lobby. The woman and her lawyer decided, for some reason, to stop and talk directly in front of me. She was completely wild with rage. Her lawyer finally got her to be quiet for a minute and explained to her that her husband was offering her a settlement in which she would get the house, the car, all of the money, all of the retirement savings, full custody of their kids, the child support she was asking for, the alimony she had asked for, all of the possessions, ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, and all he wanted was his clothes, a few dishes, and the microwave. The lawyer told her that she'd better take this offer because she certainly wasn't going to get anything better. The husband made it clear that if there were any arguments about this, he was going to fight tooth and nail for everything because he was already offering her this so that he could walk away, and if she made him go through a court battle over these few meager things, then he was going to make her pay.
She started screaming in rage,"THAT'S MY MICROWAVE! HE CAN'T HAVE MY MICROWAVE!" The lawyer told her to be quiet and take the offer because she could go and buy another microwave for less than the cost of the time that he would bill her for even having this discussion. But no, she returned to screaming, "MY MICROWAVE! HE CAN'T HAVE MY MICROWAVE!" and demanded that they go back into court and battle it out for the damn microwave, no matter the cost.
themcp
Divorce lawyer here. The worst incident I can think of was when I had to represent my client who had to be transported from the jail for (allegedly) violating the restraining order between the two of them.
There was another one that was technically a dissolution of domestic partnership (Not a divorce, but essentially the same thing for never married parties) that was fairly intense. The client alleged her ex had killed a man and reported it to the police, but I guess they never found the body. She also alleged that his attorney was sleeping with him.
One of my co-workers had a case where the ex was awarded the couples' dog, only to have it euthanized, all so the other person would suffer more.
VegaDark541
A friend of mine, who is a lawyer, told me a pretty ridiculous story about a wealthy couple splitting up. The woman hid millions of dollars overseas and cut up all of her husband's clothing with a pair of scissors. These shenanigans caused her to almost get nothing.
diffyqgirl
Family law paralegal here. One time, we worked really hard on a woman's case because her husband had gotten on a bus to Mexico with her kids. We expedited everything. I went above and beyond for this woman by contacting attorneys in the Deep South of Mexico and writing out very clear instructions to get back her kids. It turns out, our client had stabbed her husband because he confronted her about sleeping with his brother. The husband packed up and took the kids.
bey5ever
My father did divorce law for many years.
We were in Virginia Beach for a tournament, and I was with a friend of mine and his father. This was back around '07.
My dad got a call from a forensic accountant that he had hired to track down some accounts his client knew her husband stashed money in. He was asked to pull over and put him on speaker because he wouldn't believe what he was about to tell him. The accountant traced all of his money to three bank accounts totalling over $300 million in another country.
My friend's father screamed. My father dropped his phone, and there were numerous "WTFs!" from the back seat.
My father's client made out with two of the three accounts, and they walked away silently. He was paid in full, given a small bonus, and has never heard from her again.
extremenapping
I had a client who was being sued by her child's father for custody and child support. He had a weapons charge and drug charge on his recent record. My client, the mother, was clean. During cross examine, I asked him about those charges, and if he was subjected to a test- would he pass? He answered in the affirmative. The judge, upon request from the counsel (me) had the sheriff's office administer a test for both. The father failed and my client passed. The judge awarded my client, who was the mother, custody and child support.
gr33nm4n
My client, who was the husband, was living in the same house as his wife throughout proceedings. He'd call me and complain about things like: how his wife ate a bag of chips and didn't go to the store to replace it, his wife invited one of her friends over who he HATED, his wife binge-watched T.V. shows on Netflix instead of fixing dinner, and numerous other complaints about her "lack of a moral compass." He also paid me $250 per hour to do this.
Cheezmergency
I saw a mother and father live together and fight over the location of the Xbox and Wii. The games were in the family living room. The father took the games from the living room and put them in his bedroom. The children then spent all of the time in the father's bedroom. The mother literally went to court to obtain an order that the Xbox and Wii be returned to the living room. They spent thousands on this.
odgunz
I'm not a lawyer. But there was a case where a man found out that his wife was having an affair. Heartbroken, he found a lawyer for his divorce, told him the whole story, and let his emotions slip on him. In court, it was found out that his lawyer was the man his wife was having the affair with. The lawyer got his license taken away for a while, and the lawyer defended himself in court on a misconduct case where you could read about him questioning the client.
cgKush
One of my professors went through the most amicable divorce ever. His soon-to-be-ex wife was a lawyer, and they agreed that the easiest thing would be for her to represent both sides.
jeffbell
My father-in-law was an attorney. He represented a husband in a divorce, and the discussion about division of assets was so petty it included fighting over partially used boxes of grocery items. When the couple refused to compromise over a half eaten box of cereal the judge lost it and said he was going to make a summary judgement and exclude the couple because they were wasting the court's time.
The husband inherited about 2-years salary from a relative and put the money in an investment account. The husband and wife lived off of their incomes for the next decade, but any major purchase was bought with a check drawn off of the inheritance account (nice furniture, a car, electronics, etc.). When they divorced, he got EVERYTHING because his inheritance had never commingled with the marital assets. So all the major purchases were his (free and clear), and they divided the "junk." Pure diabolical.
curiouspursuit
My mom is a divorce lawyer. This was one of the worst cases that she told me about that was totally unforgettable.
An infant was diagnosed with a brain tumor and given x amount of months to live. The father heard about this news and essentially ditched the mother and the child. Long story short, the kid died and the parents got divorced due to the stress put on the family after the diagnosis.
What shocks me the most was that in a time of total need, the dad just upped and left due to not being able to handle the situation.
Obsessive_Tendencies
This guy was cheating on his wife. He gave his mistress a significant amount of money, then he filed for bankruptcy so that he wouldn't have to give his ex anything. He was obviously caught for fraud, which he is currently fighting.
ohlalameow
Posts are edited for clarity.


text:
Q: db2_connect() returns resource ID despite failing I'm running on an AS/400 V7R2 using the ibm_db2 driver from a PHP script.
I noticed if I pass an invalid library list to db2_connect() with the i5_libl option with the rest of the connection string being valid, it will still return a resource ID despite an error being reported by ini_set("display_errors", 1);.  In addition, db2_conn_error() and db2_conn_errormsg() do not contain anything.  On the flip side, when I do provide a valid library list, my IF statements evaluate the same exact way, the only difference is an error isn't output to the screen by ini_set("display_errors", 1);
I realized that instead of failing due to the invalid library list it instead is making a connection using the default library list for the DB username provided.  This can be scary for me because if for some reason my library list is invalid it will default to the wrong list (main concern being a mixture of development and production environments).
Can anyone else reproduce this behavior?  I don't know if this is just my system and I need a PTF, or if this is typical.  How do you verify a DB2 connection was established with the intended options?
Code to reproduce (replace system name, username and password accordingly):
<?php
ini_set("display_errors", 1);
$systemName = 'yourSystemName';
$userID = 'yourUserID';
$password = 'yourPassword';
$options['i5_libl'] = implode('Z', array(
    'INVALID',
    'LIB',
    'LIST',
    'IMPLODED',
    'WITH',
    'THE',
    'LETTER',
    'Z'
));
$options['i5_naming'] = DB2_I5_NAMING_ON;

$conn = db2_connect($systemName,$userID,$password,$options);
//The error output to the screen at this point from `ini_set("display_errors", 1);` is:
//Warning: db2_connect(): Statement Execute Failed in /PATH/TO/FILE/test.php on line 58

echo "
|".db2_conn_error()." ||| ".db2_conn_errormsg()."|
"; //This displays as "| ||| |"
print_r($conn); //This prints out a resource ID
echo "
";

if(isset($conn) && $conn === true){
    //Expected to not pass since either false or a resource ID is supposed to be returned.
    //Evaluated to false.
    echo "Boolean true
";
}
if(isset($conn) && $conn == true){
    //Despite the connection failing according to `ini_set("display_errors", 1)` and a resource ID being reportedly returned
    //this evaluates to true and "Non-Boolean true 2" echos out to the screen.
    echo "Non-Boolean true 2
";
}
if(isset($conn) && $conn == "true"){
    //Evaluates to false. db2_connect() returns a resource ID on success, so I did not expect this to evaluate to true.
    echo "String true";
}
if(isset($conn) && $conn === false){
    //Expected for this to evaluate to true since an error was logged by ini_set("display_errors", 1)
    //This did not evaluate to true.
    echo "Boolean false
";
}
if(isset($conn) && $conn == false){
    //Just checking to see if a non-Boolean false was returned.  Evaluates to false.
    echo "Non-Boolean false 2
";
}
if(isset($conn) && $conn == "false"){
    //Just checking to see if the string "false" was returned.  Evaluates to false.
    echo "String false";
}
?>

A: I ended up opening a ticket with Zend and it turns out this is intended behavior.
As we know the i5_libl options calls qsys2/qcmdexc('cmd',cmdlen) according to http://php.net/manual/en/function.db2-connect.php.  But logically the connection has to be established in order for it to know which QSQSRVR job to change the library list for.  Instead of closing the connection upon a failure it just issues a warning and db_conn_error() and db2_connerrormsg() report everything as normal.
Fortunately this registers as a statement error and this can be detected with the following:
if (db2_stmt_error()) {
    echo "error ID: " . (db2_stmt_error());
    echo "
error message: " . (db2_stmt_errormsg());
}

I suggested to Zend to close the connection or force a connection error or something. I can not think of any instance in which I would want to connect to the DB with a library list other than what I specified without any warning or blatant notification.  This could lead to a disaster if development and production data get intertwined with each other.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Keep Karakorum Clean
Rescue Team & 1122
Management and Park Regulations
Law & Policies
Management Plan Book
Park Statistics
Nature & Research
Park Environment
Ecological Zones
Visitor Safety
Fees & Registration
Treks & Valleys
Areas & Valleys
Gilgit Area
Skardu and Shigar Area
Khalpu and Hushey Area
Karimabad and Nagar Hunza
Trekking Routes
Adventure Treks
Classic Treks
Cultural Treks
Discovery Treks
K2 Trek
K2 View Points
Culture & Play
Askoli Museum
Italian K2 Museum
Between The Earth & Sky
Multimedia Presentation
Pakistan 40 ℉
About CKNP
The Central Karakoram in the Gilgit-Balitstan of Pakistan is a mountain area endowed with rich biodiversity, natural beauty and important resources. The Park compasses the world's largest glaciers, outside the Polar Regions. It was declared as the Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) in 1993: today it is the largest protected area of Pakistan, covering over 10,557.73 km2 in the Central Karakorum mountain range and the highest park all over the world, it is characterized by extremes of altitudes that range from 2,000 m a.s.l. to over 8,000 m a.s.l., including K2, the second highest peak in the world. It falls into four administrative districts of Gilgit-Baltistan Region.
In order to facilitate the maintenance of Central Karakoram National Park ecological integrity while, at the same time, providing sustainable management opportunities for local communities and visitors, a zoning system has been implemented.
This consists of two main zones, the Buffer Zone and the Core Zone, for a total of 10,557.73 Km2. The Buffer Zone, which is part of the Park and the Core Zone, which includes areas with an higher degree of protection and corridors for tourists with basic facilities.
Follow our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Central-Karakuram-National-Park-CKNP-466104410142540/
K2 TREK ITINERARY STAGES
THE CKNP HIGHEST PEAKS
Persuasion is often more effectual than force
Ashlee Merritt
The Central Karakoram in the Northern Area of Pakistan is a mountain area endowed with rich biodiversity, natural beauty and important resources
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Central Karakoram National Park Highest peaks
The ultimate guide to herbal teas

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When the Episcopal Bishop of Washington participates in a conference on religion and politics, it's not necessarily newsworthy. When that conference takes place in Tehran, Iran, and the same bishop has a private meeting with the theocratic nation's top spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Hoseini Khamenei, it deserves more attention. Interfaith Voices, an independently produced public-radio show, featured a fine interview with Bishop John Chane. At one moment Chane describes his work, which will lead to another conference in the United States later this year, as public diplomacy.
There's a separate interview (at 22:30) with Evan Anderson, executive director of the U.S.-Iran Cultural Alliance, who presented a paper that compares the end-times scenarios of Shia Muslims and Western Christians.
The stories here are not headline news, but they should not be limited to the niche programming -- informative as it is -- of Interfaith Voices.
Photo of Bishop Chane published with the permission of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.


When you turn to us for pre-cast products, we can create completely customized pieces that are unique to your building in Toronto.
Imagine the beauty and versatility of pre-cast products enhancing the exterior of your home or building. At Maxwell Stone, we offer pre-cast products in Toronto, Ontario made out of quality materials in a number of design and size options. When you turn to us, we will turn your vision into a reality, thanks to our expertise, experience with stone products, and eye for design.
Pre-cast products are available in nearly any colour. Instead of only white, gray, or buff, you have access to a number of shades that can truly make the final outcome stand out. We would be more than happy to consult with you regarding the overall design, size, and colour of your pre-cast stone product, so you end up completely satisfied with our workmanship and the final outcome.
At Maxwell Stone, we can't wait to introduce you to how pre-cast products can transform your building for the better. If you are ready to find out more, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to hearing from you!
At Maxwell Stone, we offer pre-cast products to residents of Toronto, Newmarket, Aurora, Vaughn, Innisfil, Barrie, Collingwood, The Blue Mountains, Thornbury, Muskoka, Orillia, Southern Georgian Bay, Grey County, Meaford, Owen Sound, Orangeville, Thornhill, Scarborough, Woodbridge, Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Mono, and Bramalea, Ontario.


The author and a science lab facilitator have a more-interesting-than-ever-expected conversation with a waitress at a Mexican restaurant in Charlotte (NC, USA). Topics include football/soccer, Catalonia, and well, you'll just have to read it. Includes bonus graphics only available in this Free-Ebooks.net edition.


text:
Q: pointwise limit of sequence of Lipschitz continuous functions is Lipschitz continuous $\Rightarrow$ Lipschitz constants bounded? A sequence $\{ f_n\}$ of Lipschitz continuous functions (with corresponding Lipschitz constants $M_n$) has pointwise limit $f$ which is also Lipschitz continuous (with Lipschitz constant $M$). Is it true that the sequence $\{ M_n\}$ is bounded? And if not, under what extra assumptions is it true?

A: No. Let $f_n(t)=\sin(n^2t)/n$.


"...More elegant than Las Vegas' finest gold leaf dinner, some luxury cars are, to be frank, futile. The Bentley Bentayga is different..."
Without doubt, Bentley's omnipresent perception of luxury is ubiquitous. Within such a bracket of luxury cars, you might be forgiven for saying that most are built and designed with all intentions of being luxury for luxury sake. With sensuous lines, geometries that look better found on a mountain ridge and materials more elegant than Las Vegas' finest gold leaf dinner, some luxury cars are, to be frank, futile. The Bentley Bentayga is different.
The company's first advance into the Diesel market, the SUV 4×4 comes at a questionable time with such 'Dieselgate' scandals about the industry at the present time, and all notions of better low emission, better power-fuelling being somewhat dismissed in recent times. Despite such issues and concerns of the industry of the car-fuel type, once sitting inside the car, all negative thoughts are left outside. With a powerful V8 engine, the noise and harshness of such is dampened by the car's beautiful engineering, and typically British and stylish, there is little else not to love about the car. Despite arguing that many of luxury cars are perhaps more of a yacht than an automobile, the Bentley's interior is no different with it's teak, chrome, leather and artisan details, but converse to other designs, isn't luxury just for luxury sake.
To put into context the diesel's issues, they have many pros: Fuel economy and the ability to generate power at lower speeds (suiting bigger vehicles), and one large con: emissions. That said, the emissions' issues remain at large in the soot-produced particles of the burning process and Bentley's filter system attempts to curb this issue. With an equal amount of power as it W12 engined sibling car, the car's design is as much a thing of beauty as it is a realisation of Diesel's issues and wanting to be an eco-friendly diesel SUV, if that were to be a thing. Reminiscent of a power station beneath the hood of the car, Bentley's efforts have far from gone unnoticed.
Complete with an oversized leather interior, comfort suspension that would make driving over the Alps feel like a smooth babies' bottom, fine teak wood to surround yourself with and immerse in it's fine lacquered detail, and colourways so cool that you might be forgiven to be driving in 2017's coolest looking car, The Bentley Bentayga is a hit. With 5,500 cars delivered to date, whilst that might not seem so many, for such a car company and it's prestige is quite a commendable feat given it's recent launch.
With an unparalleled 95-year heritage, Bentley Motors creates powerful, handcrafted luxury cars at its factory in Crewe, England. Soon coming to their 100th anniversary, we sit in eager anticipation of a Limited Edition release.


text:
Matthew Wolfenden (footballer)
For the actor, see Matthew Wolfenden.
Matthew Wolfenden
(1987-07-23) 23 July 1987 (age 32)
Oldham, England
Attacking midfielder / Striker
Oldham Athletic 48 (5)
Wrexham 17 (1)
FC United of Manchester[1] 305 (94)
Stalybridge Celtic 73 (21)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:50, 22 January 2017 (UTC)
Matthew Wolfenden (born 23 July 1987) is an English footballer. Wolfenden started out at Oldham Athletic, his hometown club, before moving to Wales to play for Wrexham in the summer of 2009. He spent 7 years playing for FC United of Manchester before leaving the club in July 2017.
2.1 Oldham Athletic
2.2 Wrexham
2.3 FC United of Manchester
2.4 Stalybridge Celtic
As a child, Wolfenden attended his hometown school and one of the best schools in the area, the Blue Coat School in Oldham.
Career[edit]
Oldham Athletic[edit]
Born in Oldham, Greater Manchester, Wolfenden was a product of the Oldham Athletic youth system, having been with the club since the age of 9,[2] Wolfenden made his first team appearance as a late substitute during a 1–0 defeat to Swindon Town in the then Second Division on 15 November 2003,[3] making him the second youngest player to ever play for the Latics at the age of 16 years and 115 days.[citation needed] His first senior goal for the club came nearly four years later when he scored in the second leg of a play-off semi-final defeat to Blackpool on 19 May 2007.[4] He was released from Boundary Park on 20 July 2009.
Wrexham[edit]
Following his release, Wolfenden signed for Football Conference side Wrexham,[5] after impressing in pre-season friendlies against Preston North End and Carlton Town.[6] He made his debut for the club on 8 August 2009 in a 3–0 win over Eastbourne Borough on the opening day of the 2009–10 season.[7] He went on to make 15 league appearances before being released at the end of the season.
FC United of Manchester[edit]
On 31 October 2010 Wolfenden signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division outfit F.C. United of Manchester after being released from Wrexham earlier that year.[8] He made his debut for FC United in a 2–1 FA Trophy win over Colwyn Bay at Gigg Lane.[9]
Wolfenden was FCUM's top scorer in the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons.
After seven years with the club, he left in July 2017.[10]
Stalybridge Celtic[edit]
He joined Stalybridge Celtic in July 2017.[11]
^ "1st Team Statistics". FCUM in Russia. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
^ "Matty Wolfenden happy to be at Wrexham FC". Liverpool Daily Post. 25 July 2006. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
^ "Oldham 0–1 Swindon". BBC Sport. 15 October 2003. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
^ "Blackpool 3–1 Oldham (agg 5–2)". BBC Sport. 19 April 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
^ Norris, Tom (24 July 2009). "Sakho and Wolfenden check in at Wrexham FC". Evening Leader. Archived from the original on 26 July 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
^ "Wrexham set to boost strike force". BBC Sport. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
^ "Wrexham 3–0 Eastbourne". BBC Sport. 8 August 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
^ "FC United sign former Oldham Athletic forward". FC United of Manchester. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
^ "FC United 2–1 Colwyn Bay". FC United of Manchester. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
^ "PLAYER UPDATE as of 21st July 2017". FC United of Manchester. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
^ http://www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk/play.php?code=WOLFM
Matthew Wolfenden at Soccerbase
Matthew Wolfenden bio at Oldham Athletic
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Matthew_Wolfenden_(footballer)&oldid=934075217"
Footballers from Oldham
English footballers
Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players
Wrexham A.F.C. players
English Football League players
National League (English football) players
F.C. United of Manchester players
Northern Premier League players
Stalybridge Celtic F.C. players
EngvarB from July 2013
Articles with unsourced statements from April 2008


text:
Sheriff: Armed man killed by deputies with protective order
WGNO
LACOMBE, La. (AP) — Authorities say Louisiana deputies have shot and killed an armed man who pointed a gun at them while they were serving a protective custody order.
St. Tammany Parish sheriff's Capt. Scott Lee tells WWL-TV that a Lacombe family on Wednesday requested the custody order for their son, who was in "mental crisis." The order allows deputies to take the subject to an emergency room for evaluation. Lee says authorities were told the man had made threats and expressed suicidal tendencies.
He says three responding deputies entered the home and were confronted by the armed man. He says the deputies used a stun gun to no effect and the man raised his weapon, leading deputies to fire.
Authorities didn't immediately release the identities of those involved. An investigating is ongoing.
Information from: WWL-TV, http://wwltv.com
More Louisiana Stories
Coroner identifies Caddo Heights gunshot victim
by Nancy Cook / Jan 17, 2021
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) - A man shot and mortally wounded in Shreveport's Caddo Heights neighborhood late Thursday has been identified by the Caddo Parish Coroner's office.
Tony A. English Jr., 38, was shot multiple times just before 9 p.m. in the 5200 block of Fairfax Avenue, which runs north off Morningside Drive east of Kent Avenue.
Vivian man, his cousin in federal custody facing felony charges in Capitol riot
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTSL/KMSS) – A Caddo Parish man and his cousin who lives in east Texas are facing federal charges after being arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.
Cody Connell, 27, of Vivian, and his cousin, Daniel Page Adams, were taken into federal custody on Saturday.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A woman is fighting for her life and the man accused of shooting her is in police custody.
Shreveport Police responded to reports of a shooting in the 2800 block of Alabama at 2:14 p.m. Sunday.
State senator accuses Oschner LSU Health Shreveport CEO of "preferential treatment" in distributing COVID-19 vaccine
SPD: One man dead in shooting on Fairfax Avenue
White House COVID-19 Task Force issues 'alarming' report for Louisiana, Bossier and Caddo Parishes in 'red zone'


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Beans: The New Cow?
Beans are a great source for protein.
Their DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. This amounts to: 56 grams per day for the average sedentary man and 46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman.
How does this translate to real life?
One cup of cooked beans (227 calories provides 15 grams of protein)
Thus four cups of beans provides most men with their minimum daily requirement for protein and three cups of beans provides most women with their daily requirements for protein.
Yes, meat is a more efficient source of protein if you consider that only one cup of beef yields 62 grams of protein. However, that one cup of beef does not provide all the health benefits yielded from one cup of beans and even more importantly, that one cup of beef takes a toll on the environment.
The world's cattle consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population on Earth. Cows must consume 16 pounds of vegetation in order to convert them into 1 pound of flesh. Raising animals for food consumes more than half of all water used in the U.S. It doesn't make a lot of moral sense for cattle to be fed while people go hungry and our natural resources are depleted at an alarming rate. (Worldwatch Institute)
And according to a report published by the Worldwatch Institute, a staggering 51 percent or more of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture. http://www.worldwatch.org
Wait a minute! How can a person eat beans the livelong day? I learned with a little creativity from the cook that beans offer a great variety for the palate. I came across a cookbook that mysteriously appeared in my living room. Truly, I have no idea where this book came from but so many people come and go in my home, the possibilities for its source are almost endless—that and in addition to the fact that I lead a magical life with countless unexplained mysteries and gifts—there is just no telling where that cookbook came from.
It is titled "From the Queen's Kitchen—a Collection of Pinto Bean Recipes and more from Cortez, Colorado. It has 145 pages of recipes featuring pinto beans. For example to name a few: Coconut Bean Pie; Ice Cream Sauce (made from pinto beans); Vegetarian Bean Squares; Bean Cheese Swirl; Southwestern Cheese Cake; and about 400 more bean recipes. Perhaps beans have more possibilities that I thought.
It's a scientific fact: Nutritionally, Beans are a better choice than meat.
In addition to being a good source for protein, beans are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates. They have a low glycemic index which makes them an ideal food for managing insulin resistance, diabetes and hyperlipidemia.
Most types of beans are good sources of potassium, a mineral that promotes healthy blood pressure levels. Beans are excellent sources of minerals that we don't get enough of: copper, iron, phosphorus, manganese and magnesium. Dry beans also contain the water-soluble vitamins thiamin and folic acid as well as riboflavin and Vitamin B6.
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as pinto beans, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less coronary heart disease (CHD) and 11% less cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.
When there is enough magnesium in the body, veins and arteries relax, which lessens resistance and improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is associated with heart attack. The effectiveness of potassium-rich foods such as beans in lowering blood pressure has been demonstrated by a number of studies.
Beans Quadruple Weight Loss
Yes, pulses (dried beans) can greatly enhance weight loss. Scientists at Purdue University and Bastyr University asked volunteers to consume 30 percent fewer calories than usual, randomly assigning dieters to one of three eating plans.
The first plan included 3 cups of beans and lentils, or pulses, per week, the second included nearly 2 cups of pulses a day for women and 3 for men, and the third included minimal amounts of pulses. After six weeks, all three groups lost weight, but the dieters who consumed the most pulses shed the most pounds. The thrice-weekly bean/lentil eaters lost 7.5 pounds, those on the pulse-loaded diet lost 8.5 pounds, and those with the minimal pulse intake lost just 2 pounds.
Pulses Attack Belly Fat
British Journal of Nutrition, tracked overweight women with high cholesterol who, twice a day for 28 days, received muffins containing either whole pea flour (equivalent to ½ cup of pulses), fractionated pea flour (hulls only), or white wheat flour. At the end of the study, the women who ate the muffins with the whole pea protein powder had the lowest waist-to-hip ratios, indicating that fat was directed away from the waistline. Previous animal research compared rats fed and unhealthy diet with or without added chickpeas to rodents that ate healthy fare. The chickpea-eating rats had significantly reduced belly fat and had blood sugar and insulin levels similar to the animals fed healthy food.
Green beans in Garland Community Garden – May 27, 2016—In honor of the International Year of Pulses
BACK TO LOCAL WHERE ALL THINGS LARGE AND SMALL MATTER.
So how does this all bean talk relate to Local Garland and my Local Yokel Life as a Loving Garland Green member and one of the stewards of the Garland Community Garden?
I can trace the winding roots of my seemingly serendipitous bean path back to late April of 2016 when I read somewhere that the United Nations had declared 2016 as the "International Year of Pulses". The objectives of that declaration included raising awareness about the important role of pulses in sustainable food production and healthy diets. Also included in the UN objectives was the desire to encourage connections throughout the food chain to further global production of pulses and address challenges in the trade of pulses.
To support these efforts I made three tripods of cane poles and planted pole beans in the Garland Community Garden. (They grew very well and produced beans from June to November.)
In August of 2016 I was thinking about and planning what we would present at our annual Garland Health Expo that was being held at the Curtis Culwell Center. I decided that beans would be a good topic. I made a pot with a cane tripod trellis and planted green pole beans in it. We used it along with "magic" green bean packets of seed that we gave away to the public. These seeds were from beans that we had grown at the garden.
After the Health Expo we donated the bean pot and trellis to Watson, one of our magnet schools here in Garland, Texas.
BEAN MANIA HAS CONTINUED OVER INTO 2017
I am fairly certain that beans will take a place on my edibles shelf of honor with blackberries and kale—three other fabulous sources of nutrition that meet my basic requirements when it comes to choosing plants for my garden: 1) Must be able to fend for themselves with little care and 2) must provide great nutrition. Blackberries, kale, sweet potatoes and beans all grow well in our DFW area and once established, except for harvesting involve minimal care and attention.
Bean Mania, especially pole bean mania is spreading in Garland. In the first part of April we installed eight 27-gallon pots of beans with trellises at the Garland Good Samaritans headquarters. Then on April 13, we installed four cane poles in one of their existing flowerbeds and planted pole beans there too. We wanted to demonstrate that you don't have to dig up half your yard (although you can) to have some homegrown vegetables. They don't mind sharing the bed with a few petunias.
Urban farming can be undertaken at all levels in Garland, Texas—from taking over a vacant lot (with City permission on City land) to planting Kale and a few beans in your flower bed.
Down at the garden I've created a bean patch with about 8 different varieties of pole beans already growing. In addition the North Garland High School Environmental club have a 27-gallon trellised pot that is growing beans. We also installed two bean tripod trellises in our Children's Garden.
THE LATEST—A GIANT TRIBUTE TO BEANS AT THE GARLAND COMMUNITY GARDEN
It's nearing time to empty out the compost from the large teepee in front of the garden. I'll be undertaking that next week. The compost will be used to expand our pollinator garden. It will be interesting to see its state of decomposition as I layered a lot of manure into the leaves and watered it regularly from November until April.
Even if it is not sufficiently decomposed to be called "soil", it will still be the base for the extension of "Pollinator Heaven". We will put mature compost on top of that and then a little garden soil to top it off.
The cloth will be removed from the teepee and the frame will become a giant bean trellis. By July it should look like a giant evergreen. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Native Milkweed Is Finally Getting Attention It Deserves
Signs like these will soon be springing up all over the City of Garland, Texas.
Native Milkweed is named "Perennial Plant of the Year"
Every year since 1990 the Perennial Plant Association has designated a "Perennial Plant of the Year." Selection often launches the chosen plant to the mainstream and makes it more widely available. Usually this organization favors non-native ornamentals. However, this year they broke with their tradition and selected a native milkweed—Asclepias tuberosa.
Along with many other cities in the DFW area, Garland, Texas is also getting on the Milkweed Bandwagon. The entire city–all 57 square miles of Garland--is on a transformational path to becoming one giant Monarch habitat. At the heart of this transformation are those in our community leadership such as Mayor Athas, a strong supporter of urban agriculture, who care and are taking steps to educate our residents regarding our important relationship to pollinators.
The Monarch butterfly, because of its majesty and beauty, is the flagship species for all pollinators. However, all pollinators, especially our native bees, are important to our survival, as pollinators are responsible for one of every three bites of food that we put into our mouths.
Thanks to funding recently awarded to the City of Garland, milkweed seeds will be purchased and given to Garland residents to establish pollinator habitats in their yards. Those who establish habitats will be given signs to place in their yard to advertise and advocate for the Monarch and all pollinators who are critical to maintaining the security of our food supply.
Close-up of Monarch caterpillar in Milkweed patch at the Garland Community Garden – April 26, 2017
Growing milkweed requires patience, but has its rewards.
Perhaps once it gets established, common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) takes off like the weed it is. I don't know. But I do know that it seems to take two years for native milkweed to establish in our area after the seed has been planted. Perhaps our winters are too mild to effectively cold-stratify the seeds.
This year, especially in one bed, we have lots of milkweed plants sprung up from seed planted in 2015. This week I am carefully thinning and transplanting them. According to most experts these plants should be planted about 3 feet apart. Smaller plants are more likely to survive as transplants due to the long taproot that is typical of the milkweed.
Yesterday when Jane and I were down at the garden, I inspected our small immature stand of milkweed and to my surprise discovered a Monarch Caterpillar as shown in the previous photo. After the children left we discovered a female Monarch depositing her eggs on a milkweed growing in our Medicine Wheel. This Monarch was definitely one from Mexico as she was faded and somewhat worn looking.
Female Monarch depositing eggs on milkweed – Garland Community – April 27, 2017
Monarchs and Students Galore in the Garland Community Garden Today
This afternoon (April 27, 2017) we had 69 first grade students from Beaver MST, a Garland magnet school visit the garden from noon to 1:45. It was a busy fun time for all of us—students, teachers, parents and Loving Garland Green members. The event began with Jane Stroud, President Loving Garland Green, telling the students about our Monarch Citizen Science projects and teaching them how to distinguish a Monarch from its other two lookalikes: the Queen butterfly and the Viceroy butterfly.
Activities in the Garden Today
Parents and Teachers held project posters the students while the students explained their projects to a panel of parents and members of Loving Garland Green – Garland Community Garden April 27, 2017
The students had recently conducted experiments with food and they presented reports of the results to members of Loving Garland Green and to the parents. The kids were great. They had made posters illustrating the results of their experiments. I was able to see three of the presentations. One was re-growing celery, another was re-growing lettuce, and the third one involved rooting a potato. Altogether there were six different presentations going on simultaneously in different places in the garden.
Planting Sweet Potato Slips
Jane Stroud taught the children all about growing sweet potatoes in a container. The children planted about 30 potato slips in four containers.
Decorating One Large Recycled Pot
Each one of the students signed a large recycled pot that that been retrieved from a local nursery's throwaway pile by a Loving Garland Green member. They used chalk markers. After the children left, we sprayed the pot with a clear acrylic sealer. The pot will be given to the North Garland High School Environmental Club for planting their sweet potatoes in.
Loofah Tunnel Madness and Seed Sharing
Charlie led the Loofah activities for the day. All the children we able to walk through his new addition to the tunnel (a smaller version just for kids). Since it is too early for loofahs we had loofah sponges tied to the tunnel trellis along with photographs of loofahs when they are in their gourd form. Charlie took some loofah sponges and shook them to show the children the seeds inside. And what do you think? They each wanted a seed to take home and plant and so it happened. There were enough seeds to go around. In addition to those seeds, Ms. Jane had brought a seed packet of Kentucky Wonder Beans for each of the students as well.
Monarch Release Finale
Jane brought five Monarch butterflies that she had rescued as caterpillars a few weeks ago in her yard. The towel on top of the condos was loose and two of the Monarchs escaped during the activities. However as we were getting the condo (mesh laundry basket) to bring up for the presentation, we spied two monarchs mating on the grass in between our garden hose. The male was definitely a faded tattered specimen who had overwintered in Mexico but the female looked fresh and we suspect was one that had escaped from the condo. Charlie, our resident Monarch Whisperer got both butterflies and put them in the condo.
The students learned how to sign the word butterfly. We took a few photos of them and then released the Monarch butterflies in the garden. I can only hope that someone got a great shot of their spellbound faces. Most of them had their mouths open as the Monarchs winged their way skyward.
Students from Beaver MST Watch as Monarchs are released in the Garland Community Garden—April 27, 2017
The rewards for the day were many, but Jane summed it all up with her lovely smile of appreciation as she told me that one of the students came up to her and hugged her and thanked her. The children were wonderful and like all Garland ISD students, polite and attentive. It is such a pleasure to share our Garland Community Garden with them.
Some of the Monarchs in the Garland Community Garden today were really huge! This particular subspecies is called Robertus.
Garland Wins First Place at Earth Day Texas!
Mayor Doug Athas is second from the right.
I'm proud to report that my City won first prize for the Earth X Pitch Grant for $5,500. Mayor Athas made the pitch for our city, telling an impressive panel of judges why he thought Garland should be awarded the first prize.
It was no easy win because our "little" town of Garland was competing against Dallas, home to the Discovery Gardens, and a mayor who like our Mayor Athas is extremely supportive of our statewide campaign to bring back the Monarch Butterfly, the flagship species for all pollinators.
Congratulations, Mayor Athas! One more time you have helped to put Garland on the map as a lovable and caring community by telling our story in a way that all can understand. Thank you for representing us so well.
Your support of the Garland Community Garden has helped to grow it from a 28 square foot plot on April 24, 2014 to approximately 3,000 square feed of planted space today—exactly three years later. Members of Loving Garland Green hope that, through the plants we grow in the garden and the various public events we participate in, that we will be able to accomplish our mission—to increase the number of Garland residents who grow some of the food they eat.
Lots of Monarch and Pollinator Support at the Garland Community Garden
Today [April 24] is the third year anniversary of the installation of the first garden plot at the Garland Community Garden. I was so busy today getting ready for a tour of seventy First graders from Beaver MST scheduled for Thursday that this significant marker almost passed me by. It just occurred to me as I was writing this article.
Happy Birthday Garland Community Garden!
On Saturday I saw my first Monarch down at the garden. I was about to give up on them as I'm down there almost every day and until yesterday I had not seen a single one. Jane Stroud, President of Loving Garland Green, has 7 Monarch pupas in her care that she rescued from her garden. One of them eclosed on Sunday morning and Jane set her free in the afternoon. Another eclosed yesterday on Monday and three more of the pupas have turned dark indicating their eclosure time is near.
At Jane's home: In the first two frames we see a caterpillar to a beautiful green jewel-like pupa. About a week later, the pupa appears black but it is actually translucent as we are seeing the scrunched butterfly in the pupa. In the last stage of its lifecycle the Monarch butterfly emerges (ecloses). The one in the photograph is a female as she does not have a large black dot on each of her hind wings.
Monarch Citizen Science Projects at the Garland Community Garden
With all this recent activity of Monarchs in the garden and nearby area, I decided that even if we only have a few days left in our first phase of our first Monarch Citizen Science Project that I would still go ahead and post a sign down in our Pollinator Plot at the Garden.
Our sign features three butterfly look-alikes: The Monarch (which is the largest); the Queen Butterfly who has white dots outside the black wing border; and the Viceroy whose shape and color are similar to the Monarch but the Viceroy's silhouette is droopy.
In this first phase we are asking residents who see a Monarch between now and April 30 to call 972-571-4497 and report where and when they saw the Monarch. The Monarchs seen in North Texas between March and April 30th will be the ones headed north from their overwintering spot in the Mexican highlands. We will report these sightings to Monarch.org, a nonprofit organization devoted to studying the migration patterns of the Monarch.
In the second phase of this Citizen Science project down at the Garland Community Garden we will purchase butterfly nets, condos and tags (stickers). The first week in August (when Monarchs begin to drift back into Texas on their winter migration) we will hold a class on netting and tagging Monarchs. Then, from August 1 until September 25, we will tag and release Monarchs and report this information to Monarch Watch Org.
We also have a second Citizen Science Project to support the Monarchs. For the entire months of September and October we will rescue and release Monarch caterpillars found in the Garland Community Garden. This information will be reported to the public.
Monarch-related scientific research is also being undertaken in Garland Texas—at one of our local magnet schools, Watson MST
The short version of this research being undertaken by scientific professionals from Midwestern is that they are growing multiple species of milkweed in the gardens at Watson MST and measuring differences in monarch butterfly caterpillar growth rate, digestive efficiency, and metabolism associated with differences in the host plant.
Students and teachers will be involved in data collection and developing some curriculum to support and reinforce these lessons. Based upon our research carried at Midwestern State University, the researchers already know of differences among species of milkweed in respect to energy and moisture content. Therefore, they expect differences in growth and performance of monarch butterflies. They are hoping to pinpoint which species of milkweed are the best for the monarch caterpillars so that we may perform more targeted conservation efforts.
The Garland Community Garden may be able to assist in these efforts as we have a second year stand of common milkweed. In Garland, our focus on the Monarch is community-wide and involves our students, our residents, our Parks and Recreation Department, our Garland ISD and all its wonderful educators, and many of our nonprofit organizations such as Loving Garland Green, Keep Garland Beautiful, and the Bud and Blossom Club.
The Monarch and all pollinators as well as urban agriculture are admirably supported in our community by its leaders and residents.
Corn Is the Most Produced Food Crop in the World
Artwork created under supervision of Bernardino de Sahagún between 1540 and 1585.
Corn has been an important food source, critical to human survival for thousands of years.
Corn rules when it comes to a crop that produces calories. Each person on this planet needs about one million calories a year in order to survive. Of course we need vitamins, minerals, protein and fats. However, without the necessary minimum caloric intake we are toast—regardless how nutritious the food we eat might be.
I'm fairly well convinced that without corn, and without indigenous people's efforts in the Americas to improve it, the human race might have starved to death long before the 21st century. Scientists have traced the origin of corn back to a Mexican grass, teosinte. Historical evidence shows that people saved seeds from more desirable plants over the years to make corn more edible and help it to evolve into what looks like corn today.
Down at the garden I've planted three different types of corn in tribute to this important crop—all non-GMO of course: Golden Bantam Improved—introduced by W. Atlee Burpee in 1902; Oaxacan Green Dent—grown for centuries by the Zapotec Indians southern Mexico where it is used to make green flour tamales; and Black Aztec corn—a delicious heirloom corn said to have been grown by the Aztecs 2,000 years ago. James Gregory introduced Black Aztec corn to the seed trade in the 1860's. This corn makes excellent blue cornmeal.
If you visit the garden daily over the next two weeks, you can see the corn growing. Yesterday I was down there and it was only about 3 inches tall. Today a friend called and told me it was six inches high.
Today's Unethical Uses of Corn Crops
The primary goal of any agricultural system should be to feed people. American corn is not used primarily to feed people. Instead it is used primarily for ethanol, animal feed and high fructose corn syrup. It consumes natural resources and receives preferential treatment from the politicians in Washington because its primary purpose is not to feed people but to make money for a few.
As Jonathan Foley points out in a Scientific American Article titled "It's time to Rethink America's Corn System: ". . .The USA corn system uses a large amount of natural resources. Even though it does not deliver as much food as comparable systems around the globe, the American corn system continues to use a large proportion of our country's natural resources.
In the USA corn uses more land than any other crop, spanning an area roughly the size of California.
U.S. corn also uses a large amount of our freshwater resources, including an estimated 5.6 cubic miles per year of irrigation water withdrawn from America's rivers and aquifers. Fertilizer use for corn includes over 5.6 million tons of nitrogen each year through chemical fertilizers and nearly a million tons of nitrogen from manure. Much of this fertilizer, along with large amounts of soil, washes into the nation's lakes, rivers and coastal oceans, polluting waters and damaging ecosystems along the way. The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is the largest, and most iconic, example of this. . ."
We can do better—much better.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development estimates CO2 and climate benefits from replacing petroleum fuels with biofuels like ethanol are zero (IISD). They claim it would be almost 100 times more effective, and much less costly, to significantly reduce vehicle emissions through more stringent standards, and to increase CAFE standards on all cars and light trucks to over 40 miles per gallon as was done in Japan just a few years ago.
Once upon a time not so long ago in 2000, 90% of the U.S. corn crop went to feed people and livestock. Less than 5% was used to produce ethanol. By 2013, however, priorities had shifted: 40% went to produce ethanol, 45% was used to feed livestock, and only 15% was used for food and beverage (AgMRC).
The USA uses over 130 billions of gasoline a year. One bushel of corn can produce slightly less than three gallons of ethanol. If all present production of corn in the U.S. were converted into ethanol, it would only displace 25% of the 130 billion gallons of gas we use annually. Corn is not the answer to replacing fossil fuels.
Mandatory vehicle requirements for fuel efficiencies of 40 mpg would eliminate the need to starve people to death in order to produce fuel for our vehicles.
The U.S. used almost 5 billion bushels of corn in 2014 to produce over 13 billion gallons of ethanol fuel. The grain required to fill a 25-gallon gas tank with ethanol can feed one person for a year. Thus, the corn used to make 13 billion gallons of ethanol was not used to feed the almost 500 million people it was feeding in 2000. This is the entire population of the Western Hemisphere outside of the United States. We can do better.
Corn is big business in the USA.
It receives more subsidies from the US government than any other crop—about $90 billion between 1995 and 2010—not including ethanol subsidies which helped drive up the cost of corn. Our government subsidizes large agricultural corporations to the tune of billions of dollars every years—and not for producing food.
Of course, with all this attention to corn we have much scientific activity directed to how we can make more, bigger, better plants—not necessarily for the benefit of feeding people but so that wealthy investors can make even more money. Also a great deal of attention is paid to ensure that fewer people can have control over the genetics of corn seed through genetic manipulation and experimentation.
And that's why it's important for folks like you and I who live in urban areas to make sure that we plant heirloom seeds and save them and pass them on to our friends to plant the next year. Once the genetic code for a seed is lost—that code is gone forever.
With Earth Day just around the corner, it's interesting to consider that Thomas Jefferson had a better understanding of the importance of maintaining biodiversity than many of our leaders today:
"For if one link in nature's chain might be lost, another might be lost, until the whole of things will vanish by piecemeal."
Heirloom seeds from organically grown plants are always the best choice.
There is always a tradeoff in the creation of a hybrid or genetically modified seed. In order to "improve" a plant in one way, the subtraction or minimization of an original characteristic must be undertaken. For example, to create hybrid flowers, the fragrance is often sacrificed; for herbs, their potency; for vegetables, their flavor.
One in five of the world's plant species is threatened with extinction, according to the first global assessment of flora, putting supplies of food and medicines at risk. But this same report also found that 2,000 new species of plants are discovered every year, raising hopes of new sources of food that are resilient to disease and climate change. [Source: The State of the World's Plants report, by experts at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew,]
We can only hope that nature can stay ahead of human greed.
Monarchs Made in Garland, Texas
Male Monarch Butterfly in Hand - Garland, Texas - October 2015
Loving Garland Green, Keep Garland Beautiful, the Bud and Blossom Garden Club, and many of our Garland ISD schools have been busy the past two years ensuring that Monarchs are included in our City's moniker: "Texas Made Here". Yes, Garland is one of the largest manufacturing cities in the state of Texas with more than 300 manufacturers within our city limits. Also it should be noted that many Monarch butterflies are also made here with a little assistance from our residents.
Happy 2016 – The Last Monarch, a female, Born in Garland Texas in the year 2016—December 31, 2016—Happy was rescued as a caterpillar by members of Loving Garland Green on December 5, 2016. Read her story here.
December 5, 2015 was a memorable month for Loving Garland Green. We were busy with a monthly garden clean up when one of our members, Cheryl Andres, spotted a large Monarch caterpillar chewing on a dried milkweed leaf. I took it home and put it in a condo (mesh laundry basket from Wal-Mart) and stuck a milkweed plant in with it. The Caterpillar ate and ate, made a chrysalis and then eclosed into a butterfly on December 31, 2015. Charlie and I drove the female to Raymondville, Texas to release her. On our way we stopped in Austin to show her off to Grace Barnett and the folks at the Texas Wildlife Department. We nicknamed that Monarch, Happy 2016.
Monarchs are extremely fond of Charlie, one of the founding members of Loving Garland Green. He is the best person for releasing them—even though they are often reluctant to leave his hands. They always want to stay on Charlie longer than on any of our other members—so much so that I've nicknamed him as "The Monarch Whisperer."
Garland Texas Monarch Whisperer - Charles Bevilacqua– Garland Community Garden October 2016
We tag Monarchs in Garland!
In the fall of 2016 we added another activity to our list of looking out for Monarchs in Garland, Texas—tagging them. To assist a group from the University of Kansas (Monarch Watch.org) in tracking the migration patterns of Monarchs, we started tagging Monarchs on their way back to their Mexican winter home in the fall of 2016. We tagged and released 30 Monarchs that we had rescued as caterpillars and assisted in their transition to butterflies.
Loving Garland Green is increasing our Monarch Making Activities in 2017 with the addition of Citizen Science Monarch Projects.
We now have two Citizen Science Projects underway for promoting Monarch butterflies: The first is ongoing now during the time when Monarchs are on their way north through Texas from their Mexican wintering grounds. Loving Garland Green members and Garland residents are reporting any sightings of Monarchs from March 1 to April 30 to Loving Garland Green President, Jane Stroud. Jane is keeping reports of these sightings on a spreadsheet that she will send to Monarch Watch.org at the end of April. The second citizen science Monarch project will begin in August and will continue until the end of September. During this time we will hold classes in the garden on butterfly netting, tagging and releasing. The tagged butterflies will be recorded on a spreadsheet that is then sent to Monarch Watch.org.
Jane Stroud, President Loving Garland Green
Garland Texas Monarch Momma
Garland not only has a Monarch Whisperer, we also have a Monarch Momma, Jane Stroud, President of Loving Garland Green. Until 2017 we have only had interactions with Monarchs in the fall as they return to their wintering grounds.
All that changed a few days ago in early April when Jane went out into her garden and discovered 12 Monarch caterpillars. Some of them were so large they were only about 24 hours from moving on to the chrysalis stage.
Jane noted that she was impressed that the mother Monarch(s) who planted the eggs were careful to deposit only a few on the 2-3 inch tall milkweed in her garden. Still that was not enough to feed 12 hungry caterpillars so Jane rushed off to a local nursery where she purchased three tropical milkweed plants for the caterpillars to munch on.
Jane's rescue is indeed timely if her garden has as many lizards as I have seen in my garden and down at the Garland Community Garden lately.
Here are two photographs Jane sent me yesterday from the 12 Hungry Caterpillars. As you can see, one of them has already advanced to become a lovely green pupa—the last stage in its lifecycle before spreading its wings as a Monarch butterfly.
The Future Looks Bright for More Monarchs Made in Garland Texas.
What new urban developments for the Monarch will transpire to make our community even more ecologically friendly—not only to the Monarch butterflies, but to all pollinators—such as our native bees? I'm pushing for a unique downtown urban container pollinator garden that includes edibles such as pole beans along with the traditional native plants such as Turk's Cap, Salvia and native milkweed that are often featured in butterfly gardens. Pole beans bloom from early June until the first frost and all pollinators love their pole bean blossoms.
Making the Most of Urban Garden Space
Pole Bean Planting—the ultimate urban space saver for pole beans and other vines such as squash and cucumber.
April 13 was one of those kinds of days when I feel like I lived a lifetime in one day. Yesterday, like any lifetime, can be divided into segments: Pole Bean Planting at the Garland Good Samaritans; gardening at the Garland Community Garden; and writing the story: Monarchs Made in Garland. I'll tell the Monarch story in another article.
Pole Bean Planting Part Two at the Garland Good Samaritans
On April 13 at Garland Good Samaritans center we put in 8 cane poles and about 40 Kentucky Wonder Green Pole beans to grow around the poles. We also had the opportunity to inspect the eight 27-gallon pots that we planted with beans and calendula (an edible flower). I'm happy to report that in the six days since we planted the beans and transplanted Calendulas that all the beans have germinated and all the Calendulas are surviving.
Two Calendulas are near the center of the pot. Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean plants appear close to the poles – Garland Good Samaritans – April 13, 2017
The eight pots are part of a Citizen Science project that we are undertaking with the staff and clients of the Garland Good Samaritans. When the beans begin producing we will track the poundage and weekly market value of the beans harvested from mid June until the first week in November. In December we will publish a report for the community regarding the results of this Citizen Science project designed with the goal to inspire more people in our community to grow some of the food they eat.
The canes that we inserted into the ground and the beans we planted around them represent an even simpler approach to the urban garden than the container garden. You don't have to invest in a pot and 27 gallons of garden soil. All you need to do is cut down eight river canes (plentiful in our North Texas area). The canes should be about 8 feet tall. Next, find a sunny spot in your yard and dig four to eight 18 inches deep holes. Put the canes in the holes and pack the soil back in. Pour a little garden soil around the poles (.75 cu. foot sack should be sufficient for all 8 poles). Ideally bean seed should be soaked overnight. Plant about four beans around each pole. In 65 days you can begin eating green beans. As long as you water them now and then and harvest them on a regular basis, you will have beans from about the second week in June until our first frost. Pole beans are among the most drought tolerant vegetables. Like okra in our area, they thrive on neglect and poor soil. After all our hard work we were rewarded with a lunch prepared under the shade trees by Mike, one of the great volunteers at Garland Good Samaritans.
LIVING OUTSIDE THE BOX: Three Garland Good Samaritan Volunteers – April 13, 2017
Gardening at the Garland Community Garden Yesterday and Sharing Space with the Rolly Pollies and other undesirables
Our garden is growing more beautiful and interesting by the day and more and more residents are discovering it and stopping by to tell us how much they enjoy driving by and seeing it there. Yesterday I installed another trellis and bean pot in the Bean Patch down at the garden along with a couple of tripod trellises and beans in the Children's Garden.
The Golden Bantam, Black Aztec and Oaxacan Green Dent corn that I planted a few days ago in nearby beds isn't up yet, but it takes about 14 days for that seed to germinate. I am a little concerned about the seed as the area I planted them in had so many pill bugs. I did scrape up most of them, however and carried them off to the riparian area that is in between the garden and the creek.
Rolly Pollies, correctly referred to as Pill bugs (Armadillidium vulgare) and sow bugs (Porcellio scabar), feed mostly on decaying matter. They are important to the decomposition process of organic matter. However when they are in great number they can feed on the tender roots and lower leaves of newly transplanted vegetables. I do not recommend dry leaves as mulch in the vegetable garden because leaves are a great habitat for these pests. If you must use leaves then don't pile them up against the stems of your young vegetables. Keep the mulch four or five inches away.
I wondered why there were so many so I "googled" the topic of Rolly Pollies and learned that while they mate all year long, March and April are the peak months for their mating. If you really can't stand them and don't have a good area like we do to carry them off to, Diatomaceous Earth is an efficient solution. It is also the best organic solution for fire ants.
Speaking of fire ants: No I don't like them and if you could see my ankles right now you would understand why. However, begrudging as I may be on this topic, I do recognize the positive reasons for their existence: Their nest-building activities reduce soil compaction of our heavy clay soil (so I guess we can expect the presence of fire ants forEVEer. Also, a major source of their diet consists of other arthropods (insects, ticks and mites).
Little Free Library Coming to Garland Community Garden
Community health and strength through residents and leaders who care: Ana Maria DeYoung, leader of Flamingo Neighbors, and Jane Stroud, president of Loving Garland Green, met in the Garland Community Garden to plan the placement of a "Little Free Library."
Yesterday it was worth it to drag myself out of bed and down to the Garland Community Garden to meet with Jane and Ana Maria because a three-year dream of mine was coming one step closer to fruition: the installation of a Little Free Library down at the garden. There are a couple of these libraries in Garland, one of them has been in existence for at least four years. That Little Free Library is located at 1720 Hilltop Dr Garland, Texas 75042. Ever since I came upon it by accident one day I have been wanting one for my front yard and for the garden.
Ana Maria, through her contact with our Garland Neighborhood Vitality group, was able to secure an old Dallas Morning News metal newsstand. It is being repurposed into a Little Free Library that will feature logos of both the Flamingo Neighbors and Loving Garland Green--two groups very active in improving the health and security of our community.
If you haven't heard of Little Free Libraries before, they are a great thing for increasing neighborliness and sharing. Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization that inspires a love of reading, builds community, and sparks creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world. Through Little Free Libraries, millions of books are exchanged each year, profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds.
The libraries work like this: If you have a book that you've read and enjoyed, put it inside a Little Free Library and share with others. You can come and take a book--don't worry that you don't have a book to leave because after you read the one you've checked out, you'll have one to leave when taking another one the next time.
We will be applying for a license to register our Little Free Library. Visit their website to learn more about their organization. https://littlefreelibrary.org
Upcoming Pole Bean Planting Class Garland Texas
Margie Rodgers LGG board officer, Jane Stroud LGG President and Liz Berry LGG President Emeritus pose in front of a Garland Good Samaritan Bean pot.
Another Citizen Scientist Project in Garland is launched
Today Loving Garland Green launched its third Citizen Scientist project within a month. This project, however, will not be carried out at the Garland Community Garden. It will take place at the Garland Good Samaritans.
Working with another local nonprofit, the Garland Good Samaritans, we installed eight twenty-seven- gallon pots with trellises designed for growing green beans in the front yard of the Garland Good Samaritans' house here in Garland, Texas. Loving Garland Green members fashioned the pots by cutting 55-gallon drums in half and designed the trellis using 7 foot tall cane and wire fencing.
As these beans mature and are harvested, each picking will be weighed and recorded. Additionally, a weekly dollar value will be assigned to the total poundage harvested for that week. This dollar value will be based on the average per pound price for green beans for that week in our community. Pole beans are an excellent choice for a nutritious vegetable to grow in our area as they start producing in early June and continue to produce until our first frost. That's five full months of green beans. The USDA reports the US yearly average per pound cost for green beans is $2.14 a pound. We anticipate that just one of our pots will produce about 75 pounds over the course of 5 months.
Four different types of pole bean seeds were planted in the pots today: Italian Flat Beans from the organic heirloom seed company, Seeds of Change; Kentucky Wonder Beans from the Seed Savers Exchange; Haricot Tarbais Beans and Petite Carre De Caen Beans—both of these French bean types were purchased from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed company.
POLE BEAN PLANTING CLASS TO BE HELD AT THE GARLAND GOOD SAMARITANS
EXPECT TO BE INSPIRED TO URBAN GARDEN AND BECOME PART OF OUR GRAND GARLAND BEAN GROWING EXPERIMENT!
Also you'll be meeting some of the Good Samaritan volunteers and staff and finding out straight from them about some of the values inherent in volunteerism.
Thursday Morning April 13
10 to Noon
at the Good Samaritans of Garland
214 N 12th St, Garland, TX 75040
RSVP Now as space will be limited:
BEAN PLANTING CLASS
Pole beans are the easiest vegetable in the world to grow. All you need is a 7-foot pole and a few pole bean seeds. We cut river cane for free for our poles.
Also as part of the class we will be installing four poles in the ground and planting beans. Some folks may balk and say: "I don't have a shovel. I can't plant a bean pole." That's OK. While there's no argument that shovels are better, you can still make do by using the resources available to you. To prove my point, on Thursday I will be using a spoon from my kitchen to dig one of the holes for the cane pole. It's true that it will likely take me as long to dig my one hole as it takes the others to dig three holes using Margie and Gene's great hole digger. However, I will nonetheless prove my point regarding resources by digging a great and sufficient hole with my spoon.
Those who attend will be given a FREE 7-foot cane pole along with some pole beans. We will also hold a drawing for one of the 27-gallon pots with a trellis.
Pots waiting for the beans to grow at the Garland Good Samaritans
We will explain, show you the steps, and leave you with written details of how you can build a bean pot and trellis like the ones at the Good Samaritans of Garland.
Note: You can help Loving Garland Green continue to promote urban gardening in our community by selecting the link below and voting once a day from now until April 19. Please vote for us today and every day until April 19.
Please Vote for our garden to help us receive a Seeds of Change® grant!
New Respect for my Mother's Over-Cooked Green Beans
1891 Vilmorin Andrieux et Cie - Old French Seed Catalogue
After leaving the cradle of my nativity in west Texas at the ripe old age of 17, and with the added veneer of education and world travel, I acquired a certain amount of sophistication that led me to not only shun, but also to mock overcooked green beans. Like me, most of you trueborn Texans grew up with elders who cooked green beans to a gray-green softness that hardly needed a chew before it passed down your gullet.
This morning momma, I have come the full circle and wherever you are I apologize for all the times as an adult that I chided you for your overcooked beans. As it turns out, you saved me from many a tummy ache when I was growing up under your roof.
This morning I was preparing for a class on growing pole beans that Loving Garland Green members will be presenting to the public at the Garland Good Samaritans on Thursday April 13 at 10AM. In my research on the scientific name Phaseolus vulgaris, which is the scientific name for the common bean, I learned that one scientific name covers all common beans—from navy beans to pinto beans and bush and pole beans alike. That was somewhat of a shock to me as I thought we could rely on the scientific name to always identify the specific plant or animal being referenced. I guess it's not so specific after all. If you've ever taken half a second to observe food as you eat it, you know that a navy bean and a pinto bean are not even the same color much less taste.
Most bean varieties have a toxic compound that is rendered harmless by cooking.
However, most earth-shattering news in my world this morning about beans came from Wiki: "The toxic compound phytohaemagglutinin, a lectin is present in many common bean varieties. "
To safely cook the beans, the U.S Food and Drug recommends boiling for 30 minutes to ensure they reach a sufficient temperature for long enough to completely destroy the toxin.For dry beans, the FDA also recommends an initial soak of at least 5 hours in water, which should then be discarded. However, it is important to note that canned beans (even kidney beans which have the highest content of phytohaemagglutinin are safe to eat from the can. [Thus my mother is not entirely off the hook as she boiled even the canned varieties for half an hour to an hour.]
The primary symptoms of phytohaemagglutinin poisoning are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Onset is from one to three hours after consumption of improperly prepared beans, and symptoms typically resolve within a few hours.
Beans may not be associated with increased risk of gout.
Beans are high in purines, which are metabolized to uric acid. Uric acid is not a toxin as such, but may promote the development or exacerbation of gout. So people with gout have been advised in the past to limit their consumption of beans. However, more recent research has questioned this association, finding that moderate intake of purine-rich foods is not associated with increased risk of gout.
Beans are Critical to Human Survival
One thing is certain, beans are critical to human survival. Without them even more people on our planet would starve to death. The United Nations declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses.
Pulses are beans and peas that are harvested dry. Examples are lentils, chickpeas, pinto beans, kidney beans, and more.
Pulses provide a vital source of plant-based proteins and amino acids for people around the globe, ensuring food security.
As part of a healthy diet high in fiber, pulses fight obesity.
Pulses also prevent and help manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, coronary conditions, and cancer.
Pulses are an important source of plant-based protein for livestock.
Pulses pull nitrogen from the air into the soil, increasing soil fertility.
Pulses use less water than most other protein crops, making them a sustainable agricultural choice.
To help raise awareness of the importance of pulses, Loving Garland Green gave away free bean seeds at our Garland Go Green Health Expo booth last September. We also had a pot with green beans growing in it for demonstration. After the event we donated the bean pot to the students at Watson, a local magnet school.
Three Monarch Citizen Scientist Projects in Garland, Texas
Members of Loving Garland Green will be supporting three different Monarch Citizen Scientist projects at the Garland Community Garden and throughout Garland, Texas during our peak Monarch observation periods. This information will be compiled and sent to Monarch Watch—a nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Kansas.
1. March 10 to April 30, 2017 (52 days)
This is the time in our North Texas area when we are most likely to see Monarchs returning from their winter grounds in Mexico.
During this time we ask people in Garland, Texas who observe a Monarch butterfly to please report it to eebemma@yahoo.com.
Report the location address/zip code
Report the time and date
Report number of Monarchs seen
We are also asking members and citizens to please be on alert when down at the Garland Community Garden to note whether they sight a Monarch Butterfly on that date and during that time period. These also should be reported to the above email address.
Note: On April 27 we have planned a tour of the Garland Community Garden with 70 students from Beaver, a local magnet school here in Garland, Texas. As part of our planned activities we will conduct a Monarch Watch Search with the students.
The National Wildlife Federation offers the illustration above to assist in identifying a Monarch butterfly as there are two other look-a-likes. We recommend that citizen scientists study these three butterflies closely prior to going out into the field. We want to do all we can to ensure that we are identifying Monarch butterflies. For more on being a Butterfly Hero http://www.nwf.org/Butterfly-Heroes.aspx
2. From August 1 to September 25, 2017 (56 days)
This is the time period when the Monarch butterflies are coming through our area on their way back to Mexico for the winter. We will be doing the same things we did at step 1.
3. From August 25 to October 31, 2017 (67 days)
Tagging and Releasing Monarchs and Rescuing Monarch Caterpillars
We will hold classes in the Garland Community Garden during the first two weeks of August to train citizens to capture and tag butterflies with nets. Information on these tagged butterflies will be recorded and sent to Monarch Watch. We will also hold classes teaching citizens how to care for rescued caterpillars and then tag and release them. Information on these insects will also be shared with Monarch Watch.
If you would like more information on how your organization can support Monarch Watch in these areas involving Citizen Scientists, we recommend that you go to the Butterfly Hero site sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org/Butterfly-Heroes.aspx
and also the Monarch Watch site at http://www.monarchwatch.org/tagmig


text:
YouTuber And VH1 Star Stevie Ryan Has Died By Suicide
4 July 2017, 11:22 | Updated: 6 November 2017, 09:41
By Josh Lee
Stevie was 33 years old.
Stevie Ryan has died aged 33.
The actress was found at home on Saturday, where she was pronounced dead. Today, it has emerged that the YouTube and VH1 star died by suicide.
Stevie was one of the original YouTube stars.
She rose to prominence on YouTube with her character "Little Loca", who starred in a number of video sketches from 2006-2012.
Stevie Ryan as Little Loca
Her popularity on YouTube led to her own sketch show, 'Stevie TV', on VH1. The comedy show lasted for two seasons; and launched her into a TV career, with 'Stevie TV' debuting in 2012. Then after the show came to an end, Stevie became the co-host of "Sex with Brody," a sex and relationship talkshow hosted by Brody Jenner, Caitlyn Jenner's son.
As well as an actress, Stevie was also a mental health advocate.
More recently, Stevie co-hosted "Mentally Ch(ill)"; a podcast about mental health and depression, which Stevie herself lived with. Over the course of the podcast's run, Stevie became more open about her own struggles with depression; often speaking honestly about treatments and symptoms and helping to normalise mental illness. In the most recent episode, which aired last week, Stevie opened up about losing her grandfather; and continued to express her grief publicly through social media.
My dream man who I will only see in my dreams. I'll meet you in Percebo, soon. I love you my Papa.
A post shared by Stevie Ryan (@stevieryan) on Jun 25, 2017 at 7:43am PDT
Fans came together to mourn Stevie's passing on social media.
One fan shared an important reminder that depression can happen to anyone: "Stevie Ryan's suicide is a reminder that depression is insidious and doesn't care about your social status. If you're depressed, seek help."
Stevie Ryan's suicide is a reminder that depression is insidious and doesn't care about your social status. If you're depressed, seek help
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) July 3, 2017
A number of celebrities including Stevie's former boyfriend, Drake Bell, also took to Twitter to share their love for Stevie.
No no no!!!! I can NOT BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING!!!! Please wake me from this nightmare @StevieRyan I loved you and will forever miss you! pic.twitter.com/hNFvM6tDpW
— Drake Bell (@DrakeBell) July 3, 2017
Words cannot describe how heartbroken I am.... @StevieRyan you will always be in my heart.
— Chris (@ChrisCrocker) July 3, 2017
My heart is in my stomach, hearing the devastating news about @StevieRyan. I just mentioned her the other day! https://t.co/Jk8GFVODAA
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) July 3, 2017
For confidential support, call the Samaritans in the UK on 116 123, visit a local Samaritans branch or visit their website.


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OHMC 2021 Day 23 – Anything For Jackson
By Scott Dorward
Anything For Jackson (Canada, 2020)
Anything For Jackson is a last-minute addition to my list. I had originally planned to review Strip Nude For Your Killer today, but decided I was in the mood for something a bit more contemporary. Anything For Jackson had garnered some good reviews. And given the podcast, how could I pass up on a name like that?
Audrey and Henry are a perfectly pleasant couple of senior citizens living in suburban Canada. Henry is a GP, working at a small surgery, and Audrey is an old-fashioned homemaker. They are also devout Satanists, performing regular black masses with their coven at the local community centre. Satanism isn't just a religion for them, however — it is a means to an end. And that end is bringing their beloved grandson Jackson back from the dead.
After procuring an ancient grimoire, Audrey and Henry have learned the basics of necromancy and demonology. They decide to put this knowledge to work, kidnapping one of Henry's patients, Becker, a pregnant woman with no family ties. Using their limited understanding of black magic, the couple attempt to bind the spirit of their dead grandson into Becker's unborn child.
Of course, this goes horribly wrong and their home becomes infested with spirits of the unquiet dead. Can Audrey and Henry turn things around? Will Becker manage to escape? And is it really a good idea to call upon that one creepy coven member for help? Things are going to get nasty.
I am a sucker for villains with sympathetic motivations. While grieving relatives trying to raise loved ones from the dead is a horror staple, Anything For Jackson portrays it well enough to feel fresh. The simple matter of Audrey and Henry being grandparents changes the dynamic, their age making them seem harmless and trustworthy. Even when they do the most horrible things, we can't help but root for them on some level. They're just so damn nice.
Their situation is made all the more compelling by just how out of their depth they are. These are two grieving people, driven to extreme action, using tools they only think they understand. While we may sympathise with their desperation, it only leads to greater and greater suffering.
One of the ghosts haunting Audrey and Henry's home is played by Troy James, a contortionist who has made a career playing movie monsters. While his weird, disjointed way of scuttling across the ground is unnerving, it's become overused. My reaction when he appeared here was less revulsion and more just, "Oh, it's him again."
On the other hand, that old woman who keeps flossing her teeth out? She's creepy!
While Anything For Jackson isn't in the running for my pick of the month, it is a solid, entertaining horror film. More importantly, it is a fine example of how weird, nasty, supernatural horror has made a comeback. The premise feels like it might have come from a lurid '80s paperback with a leering demon on the cover. How Anything For Jackson differs from the horrors of the '80s, however, is that it takes its subject matter more seriously. That is not to say that Anything For Jackson is devoid of humour, just that it is surprisingly straight-faced. Its characters are eccentric, but they're not jokes. The ghosts and demons are genuinely scary and not even slightly campy. This is a dark story told in a spirit of fun.
The October Horror Movie Challenge
Please do join in and share your own thoughts with us about this or any other films as the month goes on. You can usually find us on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Discord, or lurking in the dark corners of your home.
If you would like to play along at home, my provisional selections are:
Possessor (2020)
The Boogey Man (1980)
Jakob's Wife (2021)
The Queen of Black Magic (2019)
Cold Hell (2017)
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
Dachra (2018)
Isle of the Dead (1945)
The Baby (1973)
Hagazussa (2017)
Frightmare (1974)
The Eyes of My Mother (2016)
Dave Made a Maze (2017)
Raw (2016)
Terror Train (1980)
mon mon mon MONSTERS (2017)
Sator (2019)
Don't Torture a Duckling (1972)
The Lighthouse (2019)
Anything For Jackson (2020)
Warning: Do Not Play (Amjeon) (2019)
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
The Field Guide to Evil (2019)
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
The Wizard of Gore (1970)
Fingers (2019)
Lake Bodom (2016)
Island of Lost Souls (1932)
If you have been enticed here by these posts, please do look around at some of our other film reviews. We also have a podcast, called The Good Friends of Jackson Elias, which occasionally covers horror films. If this appeals, you might want to check out some of the following episodes.
Our favourite Cthulhu Mythos media
A Dark Song
The Stone Tape
Nightbreed and Lord of Illusions
Maléfique and The Ninth Gate
Re-Animator and From Beyond
Repulsion and The Babdook
Man Bites Dog, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and S&man
A selection of weird films
The films that scared us most
If you dig through the archives, you will also find episodes about a wide variety of horror stories and games. Happy nightmares!
Categories: Film Reviews,
Horror Films,
October Horror Movie Challenge,
OHMC 2021 Day 22 – The Lighthouse →
← OHMC 2021 Day 24 – Warning: Do Not Play
Scott Dorward
Welcome to Blasphemous Tomes. Within these pages you'll find a selection of film, book and gaming related reviews and articles.
This site is also home to The Good Friends of Jackson Elias, a podcast about Call of Cthulhu, horror films, weird fiction and roleplaying games in general.
The hosts are all regular writers for Call of Cthulhu, offering personal insights into the game.
We have over 100 episodes available now and new episodes every two weeks.
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Scott Dorward is a writer and editor, working in tabletop roleplaying games. He is the former line developer for Cubicle 7's World War Cthulhu.
Paul Fricker is co-author of the latest edition of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. @paulfricker
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text:
Караса́йський сільський округ (, ) — адміністративна одиниця у складі Аккольського району Акмолинської області Казахстану. Адміністративний центр — село Кина.

Населення — 1852 особи (2009; 3210 в 1999, 4416 у 1989).

Станом на 1989 рік існували Іскрівська сільська рада (село Іскри) та Одеська сільська рада (село Степок), а також Мінська сільська рада (села Ажибай, Комей, Мінське, селище Мінське ХПП, станційне селище Селети) та Степногорська сільська рада (село Степногорське) Селетінського району. Станом на 1999 рік існували Іскрівський сільський округ (села Іскра, Степок) та Мінський сільський округ (села Мінське, Степногорське, Хлібоприйомне). 2009 року частина Мінського сільського округу (села Мінське, Хлібоприйомне) була приєднана до Іскрівського, а частина (село Степногорське) — до Богембайського сільського округу. Тоді ж були ліквідовані села Селета та Хлібоприйомне.

Склад
До складу округу входять такі населені пункти:

Примітки

Сільські округи Аккольського району

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia