Plantain, known as Musa Paradisiacal in the field of natural medicine has been used throughout the world as food and medicine.
The fruit can be roasted or fried as food. It is referred to as Bole when roasted and as Dodo when fried. The ripe fruit can also be eaten raw as fast food. Plantain is rich in vitamins and minerals.
The plant is evergreen and the fruits are also rich in NORADRENALINE, ALKALOIDS and INSULIN.
Plantain has been scientifically tested and indicated for the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, diabetes, veneral diseases, goiter, wounds, malaria, ulcer, nervousness, skin infection, prostritis, kidney problems. etc.
The following methods should be used in treating ailments with Plantain.
1) Nervousness: Plantain root juice is indicated for the treatment of nervousness, depression and hysteria problems. It relaxes the body and promotes sleep. It is also a good remedy for Insomnia. Take two tablespoonful two times daily..
2) Heart problems: Get some quantities of dried plantain leaves in a medium sized pot. Add water and boil for an hour. Take one glass two times daily.
3) Ulcer; Dry the peel of plantain and grind into powder. Mix the powder with little natural honey and take one teaspoonful four times daily.
4) Dysentery: Extract juice from the roots of plantain and take two to three tablespoonful, morning and evening.
5) Skin infections: The leaves cleanses and heals the skin. Make paultice from the plantain leaves by grinding it into powder and mix with little palm kernel or olive oil, mix the powder with little water and apply to the skin as cosmetics.
6) Epilepsy: Get the juice from the roots and take two tablespoonful two times daily. The root should be washed to avoid infection before extracting the juice. The juice makes the electric discharge from the brain impossible.
Warning: Seek the assistance of a natural healer when using Plantain root juice for treatments..
Children and pregnant women should not use plantain root juice or the methods stated above any kind of treatment..
For more information and enquiries call Dr Austin Omokhua on 08022127914, 08093240812..
Courtesy of Healthy life style magazine.
If you found the article interesting.. Do share with someone.


From graffiti tags to fashion, Morrison's story, our story, has been threatened and co-opted by gentrification, economic inequality and institutional racism. In a series of portraits, Morrison masterfully advances this narrative through displaying individual characters cast against the gritty yet, vibrant typography of urban environments he grew up in. Morrison employs this embossed-contrast as a visual metaphor for each personality to stand beyond the conditions of their environment and circumstance. This classical form of portraiture, brings to the foreground not just a person, but a story, to engage and confront the audience with authentic discourse.
"Money, Power and Respect" captures the spirit of youthful innocence with this carefree portrait laced with playful color tones and the nostalgic iconography of "Koolaid" in the background. Morrison's ability to illicit movement and uniquely soulful disposition to each of his subjects, stimulate a visual rhythm that choreographs everyday urban life. This rhythmic nature stems from his early beginnings as a Graffiti artist and breakdancer. Morrison preserves enduring truths by telling stories both with a nostalgic and radically authentic quality. Morrison cites, "The story is about us and proudly telling it ourselves... we are preserving our legacies and returning to truth. This is our urban restoration!"
My work dignifies the evolution of everyday, underrepresented people and places within the urban landscape. I seek to both highlight and preserve the soul of the city through the lens of hip-hop culture and urban iconography. The rhythmic gesture and movement within my work balances the often gritty and decayed surfaces with vibrancy and authenticity.
Frank Morrison (b. 1971) started his journey as a graffiti artist in New Jersey, tagging walls with spray paint. However, it was the opportunity to tour with music artist Sybil as a breakdancer, an influential high school art teacher, and a visit to the Louvre Museum in Paris that opened him up to new artistic and creative avenues.
An early indoctrine into hip-hop culture can be seen through Morrison's work, which has been dubbed a mash-up of urban mannerism, graffiti and abstract contemporary, and reflects deeply on the lost of human stories from past eras.
Citing both Ernie Barnes and Annie Lee as fore-bearers of this tradition, Morrison remarks on his practice, "My work dignifies the evolution of everyday, underrepresented people and places within the urban landscape. I seek to both highlight and preserve the soul of the city through the lens of hip-hop culture and urban iconography. I want people to experience the visual rhythms that choreograph life for the average, everyday person."
Morrison's work has been featured at Art Basel, Scope Miami and Red Dot art fairs, and shown at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. His recent solo exhibitions include "Graffiti" (2014), and "Coney Island" (2015) both at Richard Beavers Gallery (Brooklyn, New York).
The William H. and Camille O. Cosby Collection, and the private collections of art patron Peggy Cooper-Cafritz and athlete Derek Jeter include work by Morrison. He has also been commissioned to create works for recording artist, producer and art curator Swizz Beats, and Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Jordan Peele's film "Get Out".
An acclaimed illustrator Morrison's work can be found in numerous award-winning children's books including Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe Award winner Jazzy Miz Mozetta, NAACP Image Award winner Our Children Can Soar and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, Little Melba and her Big Trombone. His literary client list includes international book publishers Penguin Books, HarperCollins, Hyperion, Random House and National Geographic Kids.
Continuing to celebrate the teacher that changed his life by insisting he visit his first art museum, Morrison signs each of his works "TTD" ("Thanks to God") to also show his gratitude for God's plan in positioning him where he is today. "I know where I am is not by accident. I want to just be able to continue doing what I do."
Frank Morrison lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and four children.
The People Could Fly "Royalty Without the Riches"
They say the people could fly. Say that long ago in Africa, some of the people knew magic. And they could walk up on the air like climbin' on a gate. And they fly like blackbirds over the fields. Black, shiny wings flappin' against the blue up there.
returns to Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn for his upcoming exhbition featuring all new original artwork from his popular GRAFFITI series. Don't miss the rare opportunity to meet and see work from one of today's most iconic Urban artists.
"My Art Looks Back, Less I Forget"
Books, limited editions and Original artwork from Frank and Bryan's various titles will be available for purchase.
BRYAN COLLIER (born 1967) is an American writer and illustrator known best for illustrating children's books. He won both the Coretta Scott King Award, as illustrator, and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award for Uptown (Holt, 2000), the first book he both wrote and illustrated. He has won six King Awards as illustrator and he is a three-time Caldecott honor recipient.
FRANK MORRISON is the award-winning illustrator of many books for children. His initiatives include publication of over 20 illustrated children's books "Star in the Shadows" by Charles R Smith, "The Hat that Wore Clara B" , "Shoe Box Sam" , "Queen of the Scene" by Queen Latifah, NYT Best selling "Out of the Ballpark" by NY Yankees Alex Rodriguez, NAACP Image Award winning "Our Children can Soar" ,"Long Shot" by NBA all-star point guard Chris Paul, "Keena Ford" series, "For the Love of Soccer" by Pele, "Children of God" by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, "Quacky Baseball" by Peter Abrahams, Texas Bluebonnet Award 2012-2013 Master list winning "Play Louis Play" "Coretta Scott award winning "Jazzy Miz Mozetta" and "Sweet Music in Harlem". To name a few.
March 9, 2014 marks the 17yr anniversary of the passing of Christopher "Notrious B.I.G." Wallace.
This exhibit shines a light on his legacy with some of the hottest, most buzz worthy and leading visual artists.
Their artwork will be showcased alongside the lyrics of Biggie Smalls to also highlight the relationship between Hip-Hop and Contemporary Fine Art with the unique themes present in these selected works.
Book Signing: "The Art Album"
Willard Hill is a rapper, singer, and musician known to blend Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk, Latin, Soul, and whatever moves his spirit, into his own unique sound. Growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana provided him with an opportunity to sample the musical gumbo that the city has always been known to serve. Being no stranger to the eclectic, his travels and love of cultural immersion would help him to add to that flavor and develop his style— New Orleans Hip Hop/Soul. He is able to paint cinematic landscapes with his lyricism, storytelling, and production. With a laid back approach he draws you into vivid scenes that are meant to inspire, insight, and immerse the listener in his world—a world that, right or wrong, offers a deeper understanding of humanity, urban life, and everyday people.
*space is limited first 40 people guaranteed entry.
Marcus A Jansen Exhibition "Future Ground"
Modern Urban Expressionism artist Marcus Jansen returns home for his first NY solo exhibition "Future Ground" in the Lower East Side at Castle Fitzjohns Gallery.
A nostalgic revisiting through art the games that were played by kids and families in the inner city.
Artists: Guy Stanley Philoche, Jamel Shabazz, Frank Morrison, Leroy Campbell Fine Art, Charlotta Janssen, Anton and Dan Ericson.
Meet Jamel and hear the inspiration behind his recently released self-published book REPRESENT.
Jamel's additional books will be available to buy: Back in the Days, A Time Before Crack, Seconds of My Life and Back in the Days Remix.
JAMEL SHABAZZ has gained international recognition through his various books, Exhibitions, and editorial magazine works.
At the age of fifteen, Jamel picked up his first camera, a 110 Kodak instamatic and started to document his friends and family. Inspired by photographers Leonard Freed, James Van Der Zee, and Gordon Parks, Jamel was marveled with their documentation of the African American community. A few years later, Jamel purchased a Canon AE 1 camera and embarked on a 35 year journey documenting various cultures and people, both here and abroad building a massive body of work, from fashion, documentary and fine art photography.
This experience has created a platform that allowed him to produce five monographs based on his experience. They are " Back in the Days", " The Last Sunday In June", " A Time Before Crack", " Seconds of my life" and " The Remix." He has also contributed to a number of other publications as well.
The concept of the BoomBox Exhibition; presented by House of Art Gallery, is to demonstrate the influence of the boombox through various facets from the 70's-mid 80's; such as fashion, music and politics. The Boombox was an intrinsic part of incubating so much sonic New York history, in pulling together this study we'll see, live and embrace a device that was part of the fabric of the city.
Stoops - Step up. Step Out.
STooPS is a community-building event held on Sunday June 23, 2013 where homeowners, artists, and businesses collaborate to bring people of Bed-Stuy outside. Approximately 15 homeowners will allow local artists to share work on their stoops. Participants will start the day at the Freebrook mansion then Step Outside to engage with the amazing stoops artists and each other. We'll Return to Freebrook for a culminating performance by Brooklyn based artists then head to the official afterparty at Simplicity Wine Bar & Cafe to continue to engage and support local business.
Traditionally, stoops were the heart of communities. They provided neighbors, new and old, with an opportunity to meet and mingle -- sharing stories, playing games and looking out for each other. Stoops and good ol' chillin' outside used to play a major role in establishing community and making that community more cohesive and safe. Today, due to the fast paced NYC society and constantly changing neighborhoods, this tradition has virtually been extinguished. Brownstones are being partitioned and Bed-Stuy residents and businesses are so transient that we have nearly lost this stoops culture. STooPS is using the arts to bring it back.
KEEPING IT LOCAL . . .
The Bed-Stuy Community is ever changing, so it takes more of an effort for this community to stay cohesive. Knowing your neighbors allows you to realize the resources that already exist within the community so we can build partnerships and support each other. This helps the community to grow and sustain from within rather than relying on outside resources. Building a strong community will also continuously make the neighborhood safer, more attractive, and brings more outside attention and investment in the community. Additionally, if Bed-Stuy is united, we will have more agency in how those outside investments are able to change and benefit OUR community.
STooPS is just one way to engage and support the Bed-Stuy community, and as SToopS expands, the entire, Brooklyn community, grows stronger.
"Always do right--this will gratify some and astonish the rest." This quote by Mark Twain inspired Jean Alerte to utilize his tools in order to empower the youth. In the spirit of doing right, Jean created The Do Right, Do Good Scholarship Award in 2013 to help deserving students attend college. Jean hopes to use his book, Do Right, Do Good in order to motivate students to attend college and follow their dreams.
In order to qualify for the award students must have a GPA of 2.5 or better, a college acceptance letter and unmet financial needs. High school seniors and current college students are eligible to apply.
One may be asking, why a GPA as low as 2.5? Our goal is to make this scholarship about an individual's character and not their academic history. We believe that one's number or letter grade cannot solely judge one's intelligence.
Jean partnered with the Beyond the Boroughs National Scholarship Fund to administer the scholarship awards of up to $2,000 per year, renewable over four years. Beyond the Boroughs is a 501c3 public charity that awards "last dollars in" scholarships to students across the country.
Jamel Shabazz Art Auction for "For Colored Boys, web series"
Screening, meet the cast and famed photographer Jamel Shabazz.
Artists: Jamel Shabazz, various artists and other auction items.
For Colored Boys is a dramatic web series written and directed by award winning filmmaker Stacey Muhammad of Wildseed Films. Inspired by the highly acclaimed 1975 choreopoem "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf" by Ntozake Shange, For Colored Boys is a series of short stories that follow the lives of seven African American men from various walks of life as they navigate and overcome challenges, face their fears, find their truth, mend broken relationships, find love, build families and inspire the lives of many.
The concept of the BoomBox Exhibition; presented by House of Art Gallery, is to demonstrate the influence of the boombox through various facets from the 70's-mid 80's; such as fashion, music and politics. The Boombox was an intrinsic part of incubating so much sonic New York history, in pulling together this study we'll see, live and embrace a device that was part of the fabric of the city.
The House of Art Gallery endeavors to exhibit Lyle's work from his love of the "boombox" as well as other influential, established artists who felt inspired from the era. The group exhibition will feature seminal Boombox celebrated works from; Jamel Shabazz, Justin Bua, Frank Morrison, Dan Ericson, Najee Dorsey, Charlotta Janssen, Nina Boesch and Phyllis Stephens. The opening reception will be a special night to meet the artists, discuss their passions, and reminisce about memories held when the boombox became a staple through a persuasive era.
Invites you to Women Power Rocks!
"PROTEST" before "Roots, Rhythm and Revolution" by Wema Harris makes it's international debut in South Africa, you are invited to a special excerpt of this captivating, theatrical work.
Witness a brave woman on a journey of self-discovery and collective legacy.
to creatively awaken your inner voice & thoughts around freedom.
Donald and Tulivu will present a Pre-Valentine's Day night of sheer magic. They will explore the many facets of love, righteousness, forgiveness, patience, compassion and sensuality thru song. Be transformed and transfixed by the healing lush sounds of the music of John Coltrane, Ellington, Monk, Ivan Lins and more. Come and experience an enchanting evening of jazz.
Charenee is currently a professor at the Aaron Copeland School of Music, City College, and with the Jazzmobile Workshop program. She teaches various workshops and clinics and was an esteemed judge for the 2010 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition, alongside Dr. Billy Taylor and Grady Tate. Charenee performs internationally and graces the stages of the Jazz Gallery, Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy Coca Cola's, the legendary Smalls and the Zinc Bar in NYC.
Donald Smith and Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch have had long standing performing, touring and recording careers that span over sixty years combined. They have worked together for twenty years. Musically, they breathe together.
His virtuosity on piano is unparralelled and her voice is exhilarating yet sublime.
Not since Wynton Kelly and Dinah Washington has there been such a profound musical love affair between these two instruments - piano and voice.
With the addition of Donald Smith's vocal stylings, (he is one of the most prolific singers to ever grace a stage), the ensuing duets are simply divine. The combination of these two artists in performance is truly an unforgettable experience.
House of Art Gallery and Bed-Vyne Wine will collaborate each month to bring Bed-Stuy a unique cultural experience.
Wine, Food, Music and Art will be curated together to provide an experience that your senses won't soon forget.
Group exhibtion featuring HOA Gallery represented artists. Exhibit includes a multitude of genres from Modern Urban-Expressionism, Urban Realism and Mannerism also mixed media using recycled materials.
House of Art Gallery and Nu Hotel Celebrate New Partnership with Workshop and Reception on June, 9th featuring acclaimed artist Justin Bua and additional artists (Jamel Shabazz, Danny Simmons, Frank Morrison, D. Lammie-Hanson, Dan Ericson and Anton).


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Toronto Falcons Soccer Club () was a Canadian soccer club founded in 1975 that operated in the National Soccer League (NSL). The team initially operated in Oakville, Ontario under the name Oakville United, then moved to Toronto as the Toronto Falcons. The club's fledgling years were spent in the Second Division of the NSL, and ultimately secured promotion in 1977. Toronto achieved success in the First Division by winning the NSL Cup in 1978, and the regular-season championship in 1980. The Falcons competed in the NSL for eight seasons from 1975 till 1982.

The club originally played their home matches at Blakelock High School in Oakville, and following their relocation to Toronto played in Lamport Stadium.

History
The club was created in 1975 under the name Oakville United and relocated to Toronto in 1976 under the name Falcons (Sokoły for the Polish diaspora). The team operated as a professional club in the National Soccer League and was formed by brothers Jan and Zdzisław Rygiel. Jan Rygiel previously served as the manager for league rivals Toronto Polonia in the 1974 season. In their debut season, the Falcons began to play in the second division in 1976 finishing second last in the standings.

In 1977, the club recruited several imports from Poland which enabled the team to compete for the title. The acquisitions proved successful as Toronto clinched the divisional title and the second division championship. The Falcons also reached the finals of the NSL Cup but were defeated by Toronto Panhellenic.

In the 1978 season, the Falcons were promoted to the First Division where they finished third in the standings. The Toronto side would defeat the Hamilton Italo-Canadians for the NSL Cup. Their next piece of silverware was in the 1980 season where they clinched the regular-season title. They also featured in the NSL Cup final but were defeated by Toronto Italia. The club faced financial difficulties which forced the club to withdraw from the league after the 1982 season.

In 1983, the Falcons played at the amateur level at the Liga Hispanoamerica de Football Amateur (LHFA). Notable players which featured with the club were Janusz Zmijewski, Zygfryd Szołtysik, Janusz Wójcik, Tadeusz Polak, and Jerzy Patoła.

Seasons

Honours
National Soccer League First Division:  1978
National Soccer League Regular Season:  1980
National Soccer League Second Division: 1977
National Soccer League League Cup: 1978

References

Canadian National Soccer League teams
Soccer clubs in Toronto
Association football clubs established in 1975
Defunct soccer clubs in Canada
Polish association football clubs outside Poland

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


the padded and upholstered hall.
pep rally for God and the chosen.
This does a good job of confirming me in the view that ATMs and cash stations now have the character of votive booths and shrines.
Cometh The Rapture...and who will get all those fancy clothes left behind?
Very nice bite to this, Gary.


text:
Q: Why is the composition of smooth multivariable functions smooth? Is an an easy way to see that if $f: U  \subset  \mathbb R^n \rightarrow V  \subset \mathbb R^m$ and $g: V  \subset \mathbb R^m \rightarrow \mathbb R^p$ are smooth functions then their composite $g \circ f: U \rightarrow \mathbb R^p$ is smooth ?
I've been looking at the definiton of the derivative (multivariable) and the chain rule. However, help is needed in order to fully see that $g \circ f$ is smooth.
Looking at the one-dimensional case, I see easily that $g \circ f$ is smooth by elementary rules for differentiation.

A: If you want hard proof, you're basically ask for a proof of the chain rule. There are many proofs of this and it's not necessary to post one on MSE. Though, if you want help with a particular step in a proof you have you could post that as your question. If intuition is what you ask for, then think of smooth functions as just that, a transformation that neither tears nor creases. If you do one of these, and then another, you still won't be tearing or creasing.
Edit: (In light of the comment)
You need to specify more than "smooth", if you really are asking about higher order derivatives, as it has more than one usage. I'll describe and prove a statement similar to what I think you want, in the case that $f,g$ are both $\mathcal C^{\infty}$. You are right in that the bare chain rule does not state this.
Proposition: If $f, g$ (as you described) are $\mathcal C^{\infty}$ functions, then so is $g\circ f$.
Proof: We need to prove that each partial derivative of $h =g\circ f$ is $\mathcal C^{\infty }$. With respect to standard cartesian coordinates, the chain rule says that $\frac{\partial h_i}{\partial x_j}$ exists for each $1\leq i \leq p$, $1\leq j \leq n$, and is equal to $$\frac{\partial h_i}{\partial x_j} = \sum_{k=1}^m\left(\frac{\partial g_i}{\partial x_k}\circ f\right)\cdot\frac{\partial f_k}{\partial x_j}$$
But all of the partial derivatives of $f$ and of $g$ are $\mathcal C^{\infty}$ by assumption, and we have $\frac{\partial h_i}{\partial x_j}$ expressed as products, sums, and composition with $f$ of these, which we know maintain differentiability. Therefore $h$ is $\mathcal C^{\infty}$.
In the case you only assume $f$ or $g$ are only $\mathcal C^r$, $\mathcal C^s$, respectively, then $h$ will have the least amount of differentiability of the two. For example, suppose $1\leq r\leq s$. Then $h$ will be $\mathcal C^r$, and you can come up with an example where an $(r+1)^{\text{}th}$ partial derivative of $h$ is not continuous (in one dimension this is easy).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
CalicoPenn
Everything posted by CalicoPenn
Flag Burning and other disturbing behaviors
CalicoPenn replied to Trevorum's topic in Issues & Politics
Brent, Yes, I suppose you're correct - my argument could very well be interpreted as meaning that any speech used by a scout would be acceptable. As someone who earns at least a little money as an artist, I tend to view the First Amendment as being rather sacred, and well worth defending, even if I find the speech of others to be repugnant (I'm thinking in particularly here of one "Reverend" Fred Phelps). For the scenario you've laid out, foul language or t-shirts with repulsive messages, I believe I would do my best to make sure I addressed it as inappropriate behavior for a Scout while on Scout Time - outside of Scouts, these issues are really a parents baliwick, and its up to the parents to police their children - I couldn't very well penalize a scout for wearing an "unscoutlike" t-shirt in the non-scout world if the parents had no objection to it. But at a scouting event? Completely different story. CalicoPenn
CalicoPenn replied to Eamonn's topic in Working with Kids
Eamonn, I know you'll do the right thing for this boy. Yes, at 16, he could very well know what his sexual orientation is (not sexual preference, orientation - it's a completely different thing and not something we need to go into in this thread). But that's really not important. The current policy is very much like the Militaries "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue". You shouldn't ask, he hasn't told - there should be no problem with letting him into the unit. The "evidence" against him is he is very well spoken, very polite, MAYBE a little effeminate, a cheerleader, and an excellent dancer? How about the evidence for him - he attended a dance with a girl - in any other context wouldn't that be considered a date? My concern is actually your other members - the one's who said he can't join because "he's gay" - how do they know that? Did he tell them that or is that just their preception? I see any risk of credibility issues with the other boys as being not sitting down with them and suggesting that they consider how their perceptions of other people leads to prejudice and bigotry - this is one of those very rare teachable moments (that still is a part of the Wood Badge curriculum, is it not?) that can make a difference in the real world - we are talking older scouts who are likely going to be leaders of people as adults. You say when she asked about him joining, her fellow shipmates laughed yet you also say they don't really seem to care if he is gay or not and seem to like him. If there is no objection, then let him join. If there are objections, find out what they are - is it based on the same impressions/perceptions you have? If it's based on perceptions, now's the time to correct them. I'd start with the fact that the current President of the United States was a cheerleader in college, then maybe finish with the fact that he was on a date with a good looking girl from the ship. And isn't being well spoken and polite something the other lads should be striving for? CalicoPenn
Dan, You're post about the dichotomy between potential responses to a flag burning scout versus a gun pointing scout got me to think of the issue in another way (excellent point, BTW, Dan). The Scout Oath says a scout will do his duty to his country (which, of course, is the USA). As most have probably figured out from my earlier post, my opinion is that the higherst duty to country is the defense of the Constitution of the United States, which is the underpinning of our whole nation. Flag burning is, like it or not, a constitutionally protected act of free speech and free expression. If a scout were to burn the flag in protest (and has been mentioned in the thread, it's a) rather doubtful that it would happen and b) burning the flag on US soil is a very rare occurrence) on what grounds would the scout merit expulsion? Duty to country would suggest that exercising a free speech right, no matter how extreme and distasteful we might find the speech to be, is an act that is permissible through the Scout Oath. Some might argue it goes against Scout Spirit but the underpinnings of Scout Spitit is the Scout Oath and the Scout Law - and those are not violated by such an act. CalicoPenn
off on another tangent
CalicoPenn replied to gwd-scouter's topic in Issues & Politics
It will be a purple patch with black trim and a picture of The Count from Sesame Street. CalicoPenn
As the wise old Tootsie Pop Owl said: "3". I'm going to see Michael Bourne's Swan Lake on Thursday night. I'm told the Butler did it. (For those into movie trivia, this was the ballet being performed at the end of Billy Elliot) I'm waiting for someone to come out with an all-female version of Glengarry Glen Ross or an all-male version of the Vagina Monologues (now THAT would be a kick). And I think that brings the other "G" into the discussion. CalicoPenn
My prefered pledge: I Pledge Allegiance To the Earth And to the Life that She Provides One Planet, Interconnected With Beauty and Peace for All I rarely pledge allegiance to the flag - my religion is a goddess tradition, not a god tradition. I no longer consider the pledge, as rewritten by, in my opinion, a cynically motivated Congress in the 1950's to delineate the US from the "godless commies" of the Soviet Union, to be a common statement for ALL Americans. Perhaps I would feel differently if the "God" referenced in the Pledge was neutral but too many people in this country insist that the "God" in the Pledge is THEIR God and no one elses. When the spirit moves me to say the pledge, I never say "Under God" (and I might just say, loudly enough for people to hear me "Under Goddess") Back in my Paramedic days, I took an oath when sworn in to defend and uphold the Constitution of the United States. I consider that oath to be far more meaningful than the Pledge of Allegiance. After all, the Flag is a symbol of the Constitution and the Pledge indirectly affirms allegiance to the Constitution. My oath to defend the Constitution speaks directly to the importance of the document. As for the vulgarity of God, I consider the word vulgar when it precedes the word Hate, which in this day and age is too common an occurence. Instead of railing against people who spell it G-D out of the sense of respect their religious, or otherwise, traditions call for (protected by the Constitution, by the way), rail against the people who are vulgarizing the word by spouting that God Hates (insert favorite target here). Just my (Constitutionally Protected) 2 cents. CalicoPenn
Snakebite - what's the best method?
CalicoPenn replied to Kaji's topic in Camping & High Adventure
Packsaddle - you know someone is bound to ask so just out of curiosity, why did you take the snake along with you anyway? Why not just release it at the side of the road near it's home? Can't wait to hear the rest of the story! Back when I worked our Council's day camp (we ran a 6 week program with paid staff, just like summer camp) we had a rule about snakes - don't pick them up - all the boys were told they weren't to pick up any snakes. The site of our camp was along the Des Plaines river, in an area known historically as habitat for the Eastern Massasuaga rattlesnake. A local tavern used to hold rattlesnake roundups through the 1970's (think the Simpson's snake bashing episode and you got the idea). To the untrained eye, a young Eastern Massasuaga looks rather similar to the Chicago Garter Snake (bet most of you didn't know Chicago has it's own garter snake - this species lives in a small area centered mostly around the city) so we felt the precaution was a wise one (though no one had run across a rattlesnake in this location for a while). For better or worse, we didn't tell the Cub's why the restrictions on picking up snakes - we felt that would just encourage them to go into the woods looking for a rattlesnake. Instead we presented it as just being a rather rude thing to do to another creature - after all, we'd be pretty upset if some giant came by and snatched us up off the ground to poke and prod at us. To reinforce this, we also requested that the Cubs not pick up frogs, toads, salamanders, or any other creature in the woods. Of course, as we all know, boys will push the rules to see what they can get away with, and we usually had a snake, toad, frog, etc. picked up at least once per week. One day, a boy came from behind a cabin (conveniently placed at the edge of the woods) carrying a snake and showing it off to all the assembled people. You get one guess as to what it was. I politely took the snake from the boy then gathered the boys around and explained to them just what kind of snake it was - showing the small rattle - then went off to release the snake into to woods - luckily neither I nor the lad was bitten. Then there was the time some boys found a live bat on the ground - but that's another story. CalicoPenn
Behavior That Warrents Expulsion from Troop?
CalicoPenn replied to hereajo's topic in Open Discussion - Program
Which kid do you want to lose? The kid who pointed the gun or the kid who was bullied and had a gun pointed at him. If I were the kid who had the gun pointed at him and you told me that you were going to give Billy a second chance because it was only an air-soft gun, I would leave your troop, likely leave scouting, and never allow my children to even consider joining scouting in the future. It's not often I consider zero-tolerance to be a guiding principle - this is one of those rare instances. The boy that pointed the gun should be gone, period, no discussion. He shouldn't have had a "gun" at a scouting event in the first place (that, to me, is a 30 day suspension) - pointing the gun after an altercation brings it to a whole new level. Not only would that boy be gone, he would have been escorted home in a police car - zero tolerance. OGE makes a great point - had it been a police officer or ranger that boy pointed a gun at, he could easily be dead now - they have no tolerance for guns of any kind pointed at them and are trained to shoot at the body mass. CalicoPenn
scouting for food - PICK UP THE BAGS
CalicoPenn replied to Newbie Den Leader's topic in Open Discussion - Program
By all means, contact your councils Scouting for Food coordinator. I know of some units in small town rural areas that drop the bags off at folks homes with publicity in the local newspaper about the program and signs up in business windows where the intention is for the bag with food to be left at various business drop points during the week (like the local grocery store, fire station, library, restaurant) so that people can fill the bag, if they wish, at their leisure and not have to worry about whether they will be home the next Saturday to deliver the bag. I'm not saying this is what is happening in your area but I would suggest the possibility isn't that remote. CalicoPenn
death to the uniform police
CalicoPenn replied to purcelce's topic in Uniforms
vmpost - Thanks! I was very fortunate to have mostly positive adult role models that I dealt with directly as a youth, from this Cubmaster (who was also my Cubmaster as a Cub Scout and encouraged me to become a Den Chief) to a Scoutmaster that recognized that I was not as enthused at age 15 about the Boy Scout program after summer camp (and working as a CIT) and the start of my junior year (I was getting bored with it - my folks were that breed of adult leader known as "super scouters" - both became District level leaders - not that I'm complaining about it) and steered me to the Troop's sister Explorer Post (where I got enthused about Scouting again and earned my Eagle) to my Chapter and Lodge Advisor's who supported me as I stood my ground against "Uniform Cop". Because of my parent's heavy involvement with Scouting (interestingly, they were heavily involved with my Cub Scout Pack through 3 kids but not as heavily involved with the Boy Scout Troop - just regular parents in the Troop that volunteered for the occasional camping trip or fund raising booth manning (Pumpkin Sales) and I actually preferred that) I was exposed to some negative role modeling of leaders in other units. I just hope all young men in Scouting get the same kind of benefit I got from the village that raised me (yes, it does take a village) and Uniform Cops just aren't a constructive part of that village. Purce - loved the story - and I can actually picture the guy. CalicoPenn
Having been at the receiving end of a "uniform cop's" scorn, I always side on the "put and end to the uniform police" argument. The year before I became Vice Chief of my OA Lodge, I served as Chapter Chief, and the Lodge Chief always liked to make comments about how I was never in uniform and this was a poor example to the younger scouts. No matter how many times I tried to explain to him that the blue denim jeans I wore with my blue Dickies brand style workshirt was the chosen uniform of my Explorer Post, he always insisted that as Chapter Chief, I should set an example by wearing the full Boy Scout Uniform. It irked him to no end that I would never comply with his "reasonable" request. Some background is in order for those unfamiliar with the old Explorer Post rules. Back when I was an Explorer, there was no set uniform for Explorers. It was highly recommended that Explorer Posts have a uniform but each Post was allowed to choose their own uniform. There were very minimal restrictions on what constituted a uniform (basically, as long as it wasn't risque or insulting, it was ok). The old Exploring program was similar to both the Venture Program and the Learning for Life Program - the post might be high adventure oriented, avocationally oriented (for instance Native American Dance) or might be vocationally oriented (Police, Fire, Medical Careers) etc. Sea Scouts were considered part of the Exploring Program. The uniforming rules specifically allowed denim blue jeans provided it was elected by the Post (so if the Post voted on some kind of work pants, an Explorer wearing jeans in that unit would be out of uniform). At the time I was Chapter Chief (and later Lodge Vice Chief)I was registered as a youth in two Explorer Posts. One was an Native American Dance post that had no official uniform - when we met, we practiced dancing, and when we were performing publically, we wore our costumes. The other was a Wilderness Emergency Services Post. This post had a uniform that we elected to wear which consisted of a Dark Blue Dickie's brand work shirt with proper insignia (flag, council strip, unit number, the orange E insignia, lodge flaps for OA members), black belt, denim blue jeans, hiking boots. I was not registered as a youth in a Boy Scout Troop. This Lodge Chief could never understand that since I was not registered in a Boy Scout Troop (either as a youth or as an adult) that it would not be appropriate for me to wear the official Boy Scout Uniform. At the Spring Ordeal, our Lodge had a tradition of having the outgoing Lodge Chief give a talk at dinner on some aspect of scouting as it related to leadership. Surprise, Surprise, outgoing Chief decided to make his topic the importance of wearing the full uniform correctly to set an example for younger scouts. He gave a talk about what the uniform consisted of, what didn't belong (mentioning blue jeans as a no-no a few times) and then invited a District Commissioner with some experience to perform a uniform inspection of the Chapter and Lodge Leadership (much to our surprise). As we lined up, Chief made comments on how three of the members were wearing blue jeans and this is one of the things he was talking about. Other than myself, the Lodge Secretary and one of the Chapter Chiefs were wearing blue jeans (both had come right from setting up ceremony sites for that night's events). The Commissioner quietly inspected the "troops". When he got to me he asked if I was an Explorer, to which I replied yes, and if jeans and hiking boots were the elected uniform parts for my post, to which I replied yes. After his inspection, he pulled the 5 members of the group that were in full uniform forward. Much to the outgoing Chief's embarrassment, I was part of that group, and he was not. He proceeded to praise the 5 of us, and explained to the assembled mass how my uniform met the full uniform requirement despite my wearing jeans. Then he let the audience know what was wrong with the rest of the group's uniforms - the outgoing Chief was wearing both his Eagle award patch and his Eagle award ribbon (you can only wear one or the other) - oops. The best uniform inspections I ever saw were back in my Den Chief days - the Cubmaster, an ex-Marine Drill Sargeant, performed uniform inspection 3 times per year at pack meetings. Not once did he ever tell a boy what was wrong with his uniform (he marked that on the sheet and gave it to the Den Leader (almost said Den Mother - you can tell how long ago I was a Den Chief). But he made sure to compliment each and every boy on some aspect of his uniform - a boy could be wearing jeans and he might say something about his shirt. I vividly remember one inspection with a boy in my den wearing no other uniform part other than the neckerchief (he had come to the meeting right from a doctor's appointment and didn't have time to change). This Cubmaster praised this boy on how well his neckerchief was rolled - I could see the expression on this boys face change from the fear he was about to get into trouble to happiness. This is the model of uniform inspections I always tried to emulate once I became an adult leader. So as for the Uniform Police, I concur with Ask Andy - just Knock It Off. There are far more important things to worry about than patch placement and sometimes, the Uniform Police are just dead wrong. CalicoPenn
what does "6 months active in Troop" mean?
CalicoPenn replied to hellomom's topic in Open Discussion - Program
The requirement states: "Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 6 months as a Life Scout." It does not mention a specific activity level. The requirement isn't about level of activity at all, its about timing and progression. It prevents any scout other than a Life Scout from earning the Eagle, and it requires the person to be a registered Life Scout for at least 6 months, so that someone could not get his Life Scout rank and Eagle rank in the same month. It prevents too rapid advancement while prodding those who are interested in advancing to Eagle to make steady progression and not spend 4 years as a First Class Scout before deciding to try to earn the Eagle. It also prevents a person who quits at 14 after being a Life Scout for 1 month from joining back up 2 months before their 18th birthday to earn the Eagle. Based on your son's activity record with the Scouts, I'd say he has met the requirements. Don't be afraid to talk to your District's Advancement Chairman, they are there to provide guidance on these issues and to try to ensure that rank requirements are being consistently applied throughout the district (and council). Sort of like a regional manager for a McDonalds, part of their job is to ensure consistency throughout the franchises. CalicoPenn
Denial at the Eagle BOR... How do you handle
CalicoPenn replied to ScoutingEMT's topic in Advancement Resources
I'd be interested to see if any council keeps any data on how many denials/deferrals were upheld on appeal and how many Eagles were awarded on appeal. I've seen an Eagle denied because the BOR decided they didn't like the project (appealed and won on appeal). I've seen an Eagle denied because the BOR thought the Scout was too young(appealed and won on appeal). My best friend in high school was denied because a couple of members of his BOR didn't think he was reverent enough because he didn't attend church regularly (appealed and won on appeal - his home church is Church of England - how many Church of England branches are there in the US - and no, the Episcopalians don't count). My Eagle was denied because my BOR didn't like my religion at all (Wiccan(freely chosen at 15)appealed and won on appeal). In most of the above instances, the opposing members of those BOR's were not asked to serve again. I suspect it's the norm rather than the exception that denied Eagle's are awarded on appeal. When I was a Scoutmaster, I always liked to remind my unit's BOR members that it is a Board of REVIEW - not a Board of Inquisition. It seems that some adults in scouting don't understand the difference. CalicoPenn
San Francisco Rejects Battleship
CalicoPenn replied to Kahuna's topic in Issues & Politics
I did a web search for this story and most of it is from the summer of 2005. There appears to be another push to bring the issue up before the Supervisors, with some changes to the museum with additional exhibits planned (such as an exhibit on the history of gays and lesbians in the military which would be appropriate in San Francisco, though I'm sure there are those who would say it isn't appropriate at all - I'm not going to debate that issue (Part of the history would likely include General (later President) Eisenhower's refusal to authorize an active hunt for gays and lesbians to discharge from the military during WW2 - his wartime secretary was an out lesbian - enough said)). However, it is still likely to fail (unless that vote was taken recently but I can't find any thing that mentions a second vote being taken - which leads me to wonder how this became a story here now). Further, it would only take the votes of six supervisors to authorize this. This is an important point - of the 8 supervisors who voted this proposal down, 3 of them voted it down not because of anti-war sentiments but because of serious financial concerns - the battleship is not tourist ready and will, according to the reports I've read, require a substantial amount of money to get it ready - at the first vote, the group trying to bring the Iowa in weren't prepared to make any financial guarantees though they appear to be willing to do so now - but there is still some question that it is enough and those opposed financially the acceptance of the Iowa apparently still aren't convinced. Now for the kicker - there is a proposal out there to transfer the USS Hornet, an aircraft carrier, to San Francisco from Alameda instead of the Iowa. The Hornet is in much better shape and is already tourist friendly (it's an attraction at Alameda but its much more difficult to get to see it in this post-911 world). The proposal already has the support of 4 of the supervisors, including one that voted the Iowa down because of financial concerns. The supporters of the Hornet are fairly confident they can get the support of the other 2 supervisors who voted down the Iowa because of financial concerns. That would be the 6 votes they would need. As I understand it, there is also a possibility that one of the other supervisors may be willing to vote for the Hornet if it also includes a gay and lesbian in the military exhibit - his opposition to the Iowa appears to be less about opposition to the war (though he is opposed to the war) than to displeasure with "don't ask, don't tell). One more point, San Francisco is home to the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, a unit of the National Park Service. The USS Iowa could conceivably be housed there (if they still have room) without needing any backing from the City but it doesn't look like the NPS wants it either - could it be because it would just cost too much to restore? CalicoPenn
Boy Scouts' values never go out of style
CalicoPenn replied to fgoodwin's topic in Issues & Politics
I've read, and re-read, and read again my post and I can't find anywhere where I said I was a liberal, though I can certainly understand how someone might get that impression from my post. Like OldGreyEagle, I'm one of those pesky independents that has no loyalty to one party or another, nor do all of my viewpoints fit only into a liberal or a conservative mold. Heck, most of my friends consider me a firebrand libertarian conservative liberal moderate socialist communist. I like to think that I take the best ideas from all to infuse my sense of political self. And like someone in another thread said (and I think it was OldGreyEagle again), I'm happy with my contradictions. I'm offended by any politician or religious leader, of any political stripe, that hauls out the old "family values" and "traditional values" tripe - it's simplistic jingoism that adds no value to any discussion, in my opinion. If you want to defend family values and traditional values, then do so - but define what you mean by it in your defense, and what you don't mean by it - don't try to define family values by using the term family values as the definition - some of us can see right through that claptrap. FunScout - I have no problem with you staying home as a stay at home mother - in fact, I salute you for it. Understand though that the example I chose is because that is often a picture painted of traditional values - and in this century, that picture is really no longer the norm. As I alluded to in my post, if a politician forced to define what s/he means when s/he uses the term traditional values includes going back to the era when the stay-at-home mom was the norm (and it no longer is) it would likely be the end of that politicians career. As for Abe Lincoln, his brand of conservatism is a far cry from what passes for conservatism today. Calico
Water Mocassins (aka Cottonmouths) are pit vipers, as are rattlesnakes and copperheads. Coral snakes are in a different family - related to cobras. The treatments for both are essentially the same, though pressure immobilization in a coral snake bite if help is hours away, should be considered. This is done by wrapping an elastic (Ace) bandage starting a couple inches above the bite and wrapping towards the heart for a few inches, then continuing the wrap by wrapping down over and beyond the bite for a few inches. It should be wrapped about as tight as wrapping a sprained ankle. The idea behind this is to slow the spread of the venom through the lymphatic system (that's how venom travels through the body). The same principle works with compression bands - Beavah mentioned that constriction bands are out, but while thats correct in most instances, especially when help is near at hand, if you're deep in the wilderness, constriction bands are still considered a viable option to slow the spread of venom. The main concern with constriction bands is that they may promote increased tissue necrosis (deterioration of tissue) at the bite site as snake venom, particularly in pit vipers, helps with digestion by breaking down tissue. The "but" here is that if you're deep in the wilderness, tissue necrosis is likely the least of your worries - keeping the venom from vital organs for as long as possible is the goal. Tissue necrosis can be treated. CalicoPenn
I've been teaching this method for years, ever since I became an EMT (with A (Ambulance - now generally called Basic (B), I (Intermediate), P (Paramedic) and W (Wilderness) designations)and saw a rather nasty training film on the results of some field snakebite treatments. 1) Wash the bite area with soap and water 2) Keep the site of the bite below the heart as much as possible. 3) Get to professional help as soon as possible. 4) If help is more than 30 minutes away, tie a 2" bandage above the wound to help slow the spread of the venom - not tight like a tourniquet, it should be loose enough to force a finger underneath the bandage. 5) If you feel you must use a snakebite kit suction cup, use it directly over the wound rather than making any incisions. You may be able to remove some of the venom, but then again, you may not. Things not to do: 1) Do NOT make any incisions - it doesn't help and makes things worse. This harkens back to the old days when doctors would "bleed" wounds to remove the sickness from their patients. All you accomplish when making the incisions is to hide the actual wound from the doctor when he does see the patient, and giving the patient even more wounds to worry about. 2) Do NOT use an ice pack on the wounds - snakebite venom freezes much faster than blood will and its crstalline structure can do great damage once frozen, especially if the victim has quite a bit of venom in him. This relates to the film I alluded to earlier - one of the segments was on a snakebite patient whose leg was iced down at the wound site - within 30 minutes, the leg began splitting - leaving a rather gaping wound. 3) Do not use your mouth to try to suck out venom for two reasons: a) you're introducing more germs into the victims leg, and 2) you could swallow some of the victims blood and/or some of the venom and become a victim yourself. Snakebites in the US are rarely fatal, even if they haven't been treated for a few hours - best to make the patient comfortable and get him/her to a hospital. CalicoPenn (This message has been edited by CalicoPenn)
Reason for Denying Eagle
CalicoPenn replied to wes89c's topic in Advancement Resources
Beavah, I generally agree with your sentiments but in this case, it is too late - this is already in the legal system. It's no longer a matter about trust between scouter and scout - now that it's in the legal system, anything this lad says to an adult leader about this is subject to examination in the court of adjudication. You can be compelled to appear in deposition or in court to determine what was discussed, and what the boy said. Part of building character is helping the lads determine when its time to back away and not get involved (and I think we all generally agree that this covers getting involved in harmful or illegal activities) - this is one of those times. It shows your character to all of the boys when you tell them you aren't going to put up with rumors, you are not going to talk about this, and you are not going to discuss this with anyone because it is not appropriate to do so. If the boy approaches you, the correct response to him should be "If you want to talk about this after everything has been settled, I will be here to listen, and I will listen to you now on any subject you want to talk about - but on THIS subject, you need to speak with your parents and attorney. As much as I would like to, I can not talk to you about this now because it is possible that I could be called to testify on what you say" Now that it is in the legal system, it is not appropriate to discuss, no matter what you personally would like to do. I'm not suggesting that should the lad ask you to appear as a character witness you back away and not get involved, but this is definitely a time not to try to do you own investigation. Consider this possible scenario - you are on the stand, things are going well for the lad, then opposing counsel asks if you've discussed this case with the boy. You say yes and he asks you to tell the court what he said - and what you tell the court is a virtual confession of the boy that he has not made elsewhere. Think religious confession, without the legal protection. That's something to think about. As for Eagle - nope - most measurements are objective, including all those in merit badges. If you are asked to swim 25 yards, and you swim 25 yards, you have objectively met the requirement - you either did it or you didn't - there is no opinion involved. You can't say he swam the 25 yards then decide not to pass him on it. You can either tie a square knot or you can't. You can't say he tied the square knot then decide not to pass him on it. You have either done the Eagle Service Project or you have not. You can't say he met all of the requirements of the Eagle Service Project then decide he didn't do it. Subjective matters are such items as Scout Spirit, following the Scout Law and Oath. There can be a variety of opinions on whether these were met - and that's why they should be given lesser weight than the objective requirements. If you ask a boy if he has lived up to being reverent and he says yes, you may disagree (perhaps he doesn't go to church every week and you see that as a failure to be reverent). Though you may disagree, he has still met the requirement in his subjective opinion. If he's rejected on this basis, you can be assured he will win in appeal. CalicoPenn
music copyrights - burning CDs
CalicoPenn replied to johndaigler's topic in Open Discussion - Program
Sounds like a great idea - but implementing the idea is another story. Copyrights give the writer (or publisher) rights to control the work and to protect it from any harm to it's commercial value. At the same time, the doctrine of fair use allows snippets of the work to be used without violating copyright for the purpose of criticism, scholarly applications, reviews, parody (Weird Al Yankovic songs don't violate copyright because they are considered parody)and other such things. It's generally accepted that one of the fair uses is that the end user of a CD, DVD, etc. (that's you) is allowed to make a copy as back up and for one's personal enjoyment. It is NOT considered fair use to make a copy then disseminate that copy to others - whether for pay OR NOT (you might recall the Napster case - the courts decided that even though they personally did not post copyrighted songs on the internet for people to download, they were still responsible for enabling others to violate copyright laws - people uploading songs to Napster and other file sharing sites were in violation of copyright laws). Technically, playing a recorded song or movie at camp or a meeting is a violation of copyright laws (no public performances of copyrighted material is allowed). That being said, most copyright violations are a civil matter settled by lawsuit and it would be pretty hard to assess damages for such small violations. However, there is a criminal copyright violation on the books that could come into play in your case, IF the copyright holder(s) found out about it and made an issue of it - it is a felony if a copyright violation involves more than 10 copies and has a value over $2,500. You'll already hit the more than 10 copy mark - what's tricky is value over $2,500. Based on typical retail CD pricing, the value may only be around $1,300 (assuming $13.00 per CD times 100) BUT the law may include more than retail pricing to calculate value. Something to consider. I do think it's a good idea, but I'd think hard about whether its worth the risk. Is it likely one of the copyright holders will find out? Maybe not - but who foresaw 13 year olds getting sued by the recording industry for uploading songs into the internet? If you're still interested in doing this, it won't hurt to try to figure out who owns the copyrights to the songs you would like to use (its generally the publishers but the listing is usually with every CD) and write them a letter asking for permission to include their song on this limited edition CD - I'm willing to bet that you'll get mostly "okie-dokies" from the copyright holders (and get it in writing). CalicoPenn ps - Technically, everything I just wrote above is now copyrighted. It used to be that the author had to write a sentence claiming copyright (and had to use either the word copyright or the c in a circle) but now the US follows the Bern Convention and copyright is automatically bestowed on all writings, songs, etc. I'm familiar with this as an artist (not full time but I do sell works from time to time) - mostly abstract painting, photography, conceptual pieces and some installations - and all of my work is copyrighted.
Boy Scouts at the 2000 Democratic Convention
It's about Politics, Partisanship and Perception. And in the age of instant media and short attention spans stories like this get an instant boost, people make up their minds right away, then never let further reporting get in the way of their already determined opinions. Were a group of Boy Scouts booed at the DNC National Convention in 2000? Yeah, they were. Did all of the delgates to the convention boo the Boy Scouts? No - clearly not. Was it planned? Maybe - but with such a small group of people who did so (and most reports done later, after the initial hullabaloo, indicate that it was only a part of the California contingent - speculation that folks from other delegations also booed isn't borne out by the reporting) is just as likely that it was a spontaneous protest. Did the Boy Scouts hear the booing? Reports at the time done after speaking with the Scouts indicate that they didn't know about this whole booing thing until after the ceremony. Did the DNC use the Boy Scouts? If by use you mean to have them do a flag ceremony at their convention for political gain, then you have to spread that accusation out against both major political parties - Boy Scouts are often approached to perform flag ceremonies for a variety of events, and both the Democrats and the Republicans have used them for this function. Were the Scouts abused? That's an opinion and in my opinion, way overstated. Should the DNC have apologized? My opinion is a firm no. In fact, I applaud the DNC for not apologizing in this instance. What would they apologize for? An apology here would be apologizing for people using their 1st Amendment rights to free speech - "Gee, I'm sorry some people felt that they should be able to actually use the rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution". Sure, that stance has offended some people but frankly I'd rather people be offended than to weaken our 1st Amendment rights by making sure we never offend. If you're apologizing for free speech freely expressed, then you either don't really believe in what you expressed, political expediency and garnering votes is more important to you than free speech, or you just don't like that pesky first amendment. I don't support the BSA's stance on gays in Scouting but I give them a lot of credit for not apologizing for that stance. The same situation is evident with the purple heart protest. This protest was clearly orchestrated by some delegates (no one spontaneously drew a purple heart on an elastic bandage and put it on their arm). It was clearly meant as a jab at one person and no thought was given that it could possibly offend other purple heart veterans (many of whom earned the award with the same kinds of wounds as Kerry - the military admits that during the Vietnam War, these awards were given out by the bucketload). The press never did a very good job of explaining the criteria used to bestow the award so many people didn't (and still don't) have a clue as to what it really means. I've yet to see any recipient of the Purple Heart whose wounds were similar to Kerry's give back the award. The RNC apologized for offending veterans. My take is that it was either a move on their part to prevent the loss of votes to their party or they didn't really believe in the protest in the first place (the cynical part of me believes it was the second reason but the logical part of me thinks its the first). Should the RNC have apologized? My opinion is a firm no. Part of the right to free speech is the responsibility to stand up and accept the consequences of unpopular free expression. I would have a lot more respect for the RNC had they stood up and said they supported the protestors right to make their statement even though some people might be offended. Veterans would have understood that position - most veterans I've met who fought in wars state that they fought to preserve our freedoms, including our freedoms to dissent and to disrespect the flag - they may not like it personally, but they still support the right of others to do so - they know what the stakes truly are. In my opinion, taking the position that you can't disrespect the flag disrespects both the flag (as the symbol of our freedoms) and the veterans that fought to preserve that freedom. CalicoPenn
Just a few thoughts, though no one gave me a penny: * What Boy Scout value would liberal's not like? The values are simple and stated quite clearly: A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obediant, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. Reading the explanations beyond the words shows further that these aren't some set-in-stone mandates but that there is room for some interpretation. For instance, not obeying an order from a military superior officer to do a clearly illegal act would still be acceptable under the Boy Scout value of Obediant. Another example, buying a set of kitchen knives that cost $250 or more might on the surface not seem very Thrifty to many people but could be a much more thrifty option than buying a set of $25 knives because the more expensive, well-made set will last a lot longer (maybe a couple of generation's lifetimes) than a cheaper (in price and quality) set. Beyond these values are the policies, and in my opinion, opposing policies is not the same as opposing values. Policies are not the values themselves, policies are peoples manifestations of the values, and those policies could change at some point without changing the values. There are policies against gays, girls and athiests in the BSA - these are the presumed majority's take on how to best ensure the values of the organization. At some time in the future, a different presumed majority may change one or more of those policies and this will be their take on how to best ensure the values of the organization. For me, a prime example of this is the defense of the BSA in the Supreme Court as a "religious organization" - it appears to be the policy of the BSA that it be considered a religious organization. When I was a Scout, the BSA was considered and promoted as a community organization. It is this change in policy (or at the very least, in mindset at the national level) that has resulted in the loss of charters to public schools and governmental organizations - they can clearly support a community organization, it is also clear they cannot support a religious organization. * Just a bit more information on the Pledge of Allegiance - it should be noted that the author of the Pledge, Frances Bellamy, was a Christian Socialist, and a Baptist minister. In many conservative circles, socialists are considered uber-liberals. Bellamy, a Christian minister, never put the words "Under God" in his pledge. It was placed in the Pledge by Congress during the height of the cold war in the 1950's as another way to indicate that "we" (Americans) were different from "them" (Soviets). I suggest that is was a cynical move on Congress' part (if I'm not mistaken, Eisenhower opposed the move) and had nothing to do with God in the first place. * Finally, I find it unconstructive and offensive to pull out the old canards about "family values" and "traditional values" without defining what those terms mean. They are just 2 second sound bites with no real meaning - they just sound good, and what worries me even more is that we have many people in this country, and a so-called free press, who are willing to accept these words from their political and religious leaders without question, without critical thought. I don't take anyone seriously who uses these phrases without telling us just what they mean by them. At one time in this country, it was a "traditional value" that women remain in the home and didn't have their own careers - is this one of those "traditional values" some politicians want to go back to? Could it be those that use the term "traditional values" don't want to define it because they know that if they did, they would never hold office again? How about the old "traditional value" of slavery, of treating African-American's as second class citizens? Do we truly want to go back to those days? Same for "family values". Just what do you mean by this? 2-parent households no matter what? Is it truly a better family value for a women to stay home with a physically abusive spouse, potentially putting her children in harms way, than to get a divorce? Is it a family value to throw a 16-year old child out on the street because he is found to be gay? CalicoPenn
Producing a nation of illiterates
CalicoPenn replied to scoutldr's topic in Issues & Politics
I noted this which I think is a key part of the article: "The survey showed a strong relationship between analytic coursework and literacy. Students in two-year and four-year schools scored higher when they took classes that challenged them to apply theories to practical problems or weigh competing arguments." I fear that the continuing emphasis on using testing to determine success rates of schools will just make matters worse - more and more colleges are complaining that students aren't arriving with basic analytical knowledge or with basic skills. Our society became so obsessed with matching and then surpassing testing levels of other countries that we lost sight of where our true strengths lied. At one time, our greatest strengths were critical thinking, analysis, creativity and problem solving. All of these skills used to play a major role in the education of our young people. Yes, there were countries that scored higher on standardized tests, but they also spent more time on rote learning and less time on the more abstract skills. Those countries weren't as innovative as ours. Foreign soldiers were always amazed at American's ability to jury-rig some device to fix a motor vehicle or gun when no spare parts were around. They could tell you the scientific principles behind a compression engine, we could figure out a way to fix it when it looked beyond repair. Now, we spend more time on rote learning and teaching to the tests that must be passed and less time on the abstract skills. Because of this we are losing our edge, and our students no longer have the same skills of just a generation ago. I've always believed its far less important to memorize the multiplication table than it is to understand how one gets to the figure in the first place. Its more important to learn where to find information than to memorize it in the first place. Calico
Mile Swim and Firemans Chit
CalicoPenn replied to billpelger's topic in Open Discussion - Program
The following are the requirements to earn the Mile Swim award, which can only be worn on one's swim trunks, not on one's uniform. Near as I can tell, this award is not approved for Cub Scouts. 1) Explain how regular exercise contributes to good health and why swimming is one of the best forms of exercise. 2) Tell what precautions and procedures a swimmer and escort must follow for distance swimming over open water. 3) Under the supervision of a currently qualified certified aquatics instructor, BSA or equivalent, participate in 4 hours of training and preparation for distance swimming (1 hour a day maximum). 4) Swim 1 mile (1,600 meters) over an approved, measured course. Depending on the award counselor (this award is most often awarded at Summer Camp), an active member of a competitive swim team will likely meet requirement #3 before he even gets to camp - most competitive teams practice at least 1 hour per day, 5-days per week during the season - and high school boys active on swim teams probably swim a minimum of 2,500 meters per practice. Warm up alone would usually be 500 meters. I swam 14 one-mile swims in one two-week session of camp back when I was 14 including 2 1-milers back to back (literally, I got to the end and paused long enough to ask (while still in the water) if I could go again - fortunately my Scoutmaster, who was rowing the escort boat, was willing to go another round.) I completed the second lap in under 17 minutes (a camp record - got into the famous "zone" and no one else swam with me the second time - my 12-year old brother swam with me the first time) and he couldn't keep up with me - at one point, he just started cutting across the lake in hopes of catching up to me. CalicoPenn
Scouts' debt to cost their members
Maybe its just coincidence (and I'm doubtful about that) but James Dale was from the Monmouth Council. James Dale, as many will recall, was the plaintiff in the Dale vs. Boy Scouts America that resulted in the Supreme Court ruling that allows the BSA to keep gays out of scouting. Coincidentally (or not), Monmouth had a balanced budget until the year 2000, the year of the Supreme Court ruling. National paid for the court costs for all of the appeals, not Monmouth Council, so the cost for the case can't be blamed for this. Could it be that the Monmouth Council community is expressing their opinion of the results with their dollars (or withholding of dollars)? Hmmm. CalicoPenn

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The clocks have changed and the dark nights are here so what better excuse to forget about eating a delicate summer salad and plump for a hearty pub meal instead.
Set in an idyllic village on the edge of the North York Moors, the Blacksmiths Arms prides itself on 'quality, home-made food using the finest ingredients' - sounds good to me. On our arrival we made our way through to the cosy bar which offered an instant welcome, and I would have been more than happy to have sat here for the rest of the evening just dozing by the fire. A pleasant member of staff showed us to our table in the restaurant area, took our drinks order, and handed us a couple of menus. We were also given a miniature specials board.
The menus were extensive, catering for everyone from vegans to the gluten-intolerant, while stating that they can adapt dishes for those with special preferences.
We started with a tapas platter for one to share, which came with slices of chorizo, mixed olives, chunks of fresh bread to dip into the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, accompanied by a mini stuffed pepper and pieces of brie. A good choice as the platter was just enough to whet our appetites for the main course.
Although the pan-fried mallard breasts sounded tempting, in the end I opted for simple Whitby scampi and chips, while my partner chose the home-made steak and ale pie - a Blacksmiths Arms speciality.
I love scampi and I wasn't disappointed. This scampi was succulent and cooked to perfection and the golden breadcrumbs were light and crisp. The home-cut chips were top notch and the portion was ample. The dish came with a side of fresh garden peas and a pot of home-made tartare sauce, which was rich, thick and creamy with just a hint of chopped gherkin. The presentation was lovely too. It arrived on newsprint-style paper which was a nice touch.
My partner's hearty 'Desperate Dan' slice of steak and ale pie contained chunks of locally-sourced tender beef in a rich gravy encased in home-made bronzed shortcrust pastry. He also had the chips, and opted for seasonal vegetables. He asked for extra gravy which was swiftly brought out. It looked amazing and was a true 'Yorkshire portion'.
We decided to share a dessert, this time it was my choice. I asked for the peppermint cheesecake. It was impressive to look at - a deep wedge of mint green cream cheese with a dark chocolate chevron pattern on the top and dusted with icing sugar. The cheesecake had a surprisingly subtle mint flavour and was very light. It was delicious. It arrived with a strawberry garnish and a mini cream jug. The dessert rounded off a lovely dining experience - proof that the Blacksmith Arms does quality, traditional pub food well.


Charles LeDray: Freedom Train, 39 3/4 x 18 x 6 1/2 inches, 2013–2015. The jacket is about twenty inches high.
For some twenty-five years, Charles LeDray has been surprising and delighting, and sometimes mystifying, the audience for contemporary art. Now fifty-six, LeDray is a kind of realist sculptor whose pieces—in part because his subjects are familiar but not what we would expect in a gallery setting, and in equal measure because he works with such small, essentially miniaturist sizes—have the power of making almost every object he handles seem new to our eyes.
When his art was getting underway, in the late 1980s, he altered the idea we generally have of stuffed animals. Using bears mostly, and sometimes designing them with their limbs askew or separated from their trunks, he gave them the distilled presence of purist, abstract sculpture, and this somehow made their plight seem as much inward and psychological as it was physical. Going on to work as a potter, he has exhibited large vertical glass display cases where on every glass shelf we see scores of neatly placed bowls, pots, jugs, and so on, each about an inch high and each, unbelievably, freshly designed. And as a carver, LeDray has, strangely, used human bone to create phenomenally delicate pieces of household furniture, or buttons of every possible description, or a sheath of wheat.
All these types of works are on view in a well-chosen small show of LeDray's art at the Craig Starr Gallery in New York. It is the most wide-ranging exhibition the artist has had since his traveling retrospective, which was organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston and came to the Whitney in 2010. The current show also includes first-rate examples of what is most engaging about LeDray's art: his sculptures of clothes. He has designed and sewn diminutive blazers, ties, pants, bathrobes, lumber jackets, suits, hats, overcoats, and other items. They can be presented hanging before us on a gallery wall, where they might be called relief sculpture. But they can be shown naturalistically, too, held by the hooks of a little wood clothing pole, or fixed in place by a similarly small mannequin prop. However they face us they often suggest, in pleasingly ambiguous ways, a story, a person, or a larger atmosphere.


Enjoy farm-crafted cider tastings, flights, draft pours and apple brandy cocktails at the tasting room and cider garden from 12-9 pm. Tastings end at 5:30 pm.
Closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving.
Happiest of holidays from our family to yours!
Open daily 12-9PM from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend.
Check online calendar to confirm date & times!
Live Music every Saturday and Sunday afternoons. To support our live music program, we raise our draft pours by $1 during music events. All funds used to pay musicians!
Throughout the week we offer a variety of locally sourced or regional snack foods for you to build your own picnic: cheeses, cured meats, treats and more.
Our events are family-friendly. No smoking, no outside food or alcohol, and no dogs please.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Bringing women to the forefront of global health
Harvard to launch center for autism research
Panelists Stela Bivol, (from left) Maureen Luba, Sai Subhasree Raghavan, and Shabnum Sarfraz, discuss four ways to make a difference in global health.
Photos by Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer
Worldwide Week panel examines how to keep pushing for gender equity
By Juan Siliezar Harvard Staff Writer
They want to be in the room where things happen, and they want other women there with them.
That was the overarching message from a four-person panel of female health professionals at Harvard. "Women in the Global Health Workforce" focused on the need to keep pushing for gender equity and empowering female leaders —and data from bodies like the World Health Organization and Women in Global Health show there is a ways to go on that road. Women currently account for around 70 percent of the global health workforce but hold only about 25 percent of its leadership positions, they found.
"The bottom line is that women play an incredibly important role in the health care workforce and in the health system, but very often their contributions represent an invisible subsidy to the health system because they are not fully recognized, they are underpaid, they are not paid at all, and they are not represented in decision-making bodies," said Ana Langer, professor of the practice of public health and coordinator of the Dean's Special Initiative on Women and Health, during her opening remarks.
Langer said that in response, the Global Health Institute and the Women and Health Initiative this year created the Jane Jie Sun Women in Global Health LEAD Fellowship —named after its leading supporter, the CEO of international travel agency Ctrip.com —for rising female leaders from low- and middle-income countries. Four fellows were chosen for the two-year leadership program from among more than 300 applicants from 29 nations.
Panelist Shabnum Sarfraz, a former chief executive for a public health agency from Pakistan, told how in her 15-year-career male bosses would often took credit for her work. "It happened once, it happened twice, it happened until I decided, 'No more,' " she said. "That was a defining moment for me because it pushed me to take up leadership roles, roles that I had been actively supporting or doing behind closed doors."
Professor of the Practice of Public Health and Coordinator of the Dean's Special Initiative on Women and Health Ana Langer speaks to audience members before the panel discussion.
Stela Bivol, the director of the Center for Health Policy and Studies, a nonprofit focused on disease response and health systems strengthening in Eastern Europe, said that even in countries that have made serious gains in gender equity, it's important to keep pushing for continued progress and combat the negative responses women often face as they get ahead.
"In terms of social representations, we are better off than many other places, but there are many other challenges," Bivol said of Moldova, where the last five health ministers were women and more than half of hospital management professionals are female. "One thing that I wanted to say about the story of women like me in the country, in my social network, is [that] a lot of women who have good education and have achieved certain positions have an issue: getting married or staying married."
Another common thread among the panelists was the role mentors played in setting them up for success, especially when it came to navigating the workforce and asking for what they needed in largely patriarchal countries.
"You have to negotiate your role with your father to give you an equal opportunity for education as your brother," Sarfraz said. "Then you have to negotiate with your husband as you want to work and raise your children —so you have to negotiate your time. You have to negotiate with your boss. That negotiation always is there.
"It happened once, it happened twice, it happened until I decided, 'No more.' That was a defining moment for me because it pushed me to take up leadership roles, roles that I had been actively supporting or doing behind closed doors."
— Shabnum Sarfraz
"It's not about just opening the job to people," she said. "You have to provide them with a conducive environment, and women have very different requirements."
On the other side of mentorship, Sai Subhasree Raghavan, the founding president of Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India (SAATHII), said women who are used to having men being put before them need help to overcome imposter syndrome. "Many women do not think they deserve to be in leadership and they don't believe they can be good leaders and they don't believe they can overcome it," she said. To counter this, she said, they must be taught to be secure and confident in themselves and their own abilities.
That may include having the confidence to walk away, said Maureen Luba, an award-winning youth and reproductive health advocate from Malawi and one of the inaugural cohort of Women in Global Health LEAD fellows. After her boss told her she was coming off as too aggressive in meetings with prominent men from other organizations, she read between the lines and knew it was because she was a woman. "I knew I couldn't just continue. I had to do something," Luba said. "So, I had to make a tough decision. I had to leave."
Looking back, she knows it was the right choice. "I don't think I would be where I am right now," she said.
The discussion was hosted by the Harvard Global Health Institute and the Women and Health Initiative at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health as part of Worldwide Week at Harvard.
How workplace harassment programs fail
A new study questions the effectiveness of many efforts and finds possibilities for a better way forward
Transforming transgender care
$1.5M gift kick-starts Sexual, Gender Minority Health Equity Initiative at Medical School
Jess Weiner on upcoming gender equity summit, body diversity, Laverne Cox, and Barbie
Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard file photo


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Chain of Custody Form
Published: July 17th, 2009
Revised: February 13th, 2014
The Chain of Custody form ensures that every step with regards to our analysis process is reliable, confidential and secure.
Click here to download the form >
Swab/ wipe, semiquantitative fungal culture [FC-S]
Published: July 8th, 2009
[details to follow…]
Fungal DNA barcode sequence identification [FDNA]
Revised: September 17th, 2019
This test provides a low-level identification of a single fungal isolate by sequencing of portions of the nuclear ribosomal gene, specifically the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. DNA-based sequence identification is the gold-standard for microbial identification, since it is capable of identifying rare or atypical fungal isolates irrespective of their responses to diagnostic culture media or biochemical tests.
DNA is isolated from cells using standard procedures. The nuclear ribosomal ITS is amplified by PCR and sequenced in both directions. A consensus sequence of both forward and reverse strands is constructed, and this sequence is used to query one or more fungal DNA sequence database tools. This approach to fungal identification is unmatched in its ability to accurately identify troublesome isolates, or to ascertain the taxonomic position of novel strains.
Avian fungal pathogen screen in air | bulk (Histoplasma, Cryptococcus & Chlamydophila by PCR) [AFPS]
Revised: January 23rd, 2019
The fungi Histoplasma capsulatum and Cryptococcus neoformans are two agents of serious disease in otherwise healthy, immunologically normal humans and animals. Both agents are endemic in Canada, and both occur in the droppings of certain bird species in addition to other materials. Additionally, the bacterium Chlamydophila psittaci is the causative agent of psittacosis and is associated with bird feces (although in Canada this agent is predominantly restricted to captive parrots).
Histoplasma capsulatum is the causative agent of histoplasmosis, a non-communicable infectious disease that is mostly acquired by inhalation of environmental particulates. Greater than 95% of infections are clinically silent. These cases are detected sporadically by later serological tests or by the observation of small lung calcifications by x-ray. Clinically significant pulmonary histoplasmosis, in general, is often related to inhalation of a large inoculum load, or to the presence of an underlying immunodeficiency in the patient. Secondary blood-borne spread occurs in a small subset of cases, typically in people with serious pre-existing immune dysfunction. When treated, histoplasmosis generally responds well to systemic antifungal drugs. Histoplasma capsulatum occurs in accumulations of bat, pigeon or starling guano, particularly where those materials have come in contact with moist soil, where it grows as a cottony white mould until changing to a budding yeast-like phase in human or animal tissue. Only a few parts of Canada lie within the endemic distribution of H. capsulatum. Scattered cases and moderate to low levels of subclinical exposure are only found in southern areas of Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, as well as a few parts of Alberta, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Members of the C. neoformans species complex are widely distributed basidiomycetous yeasts (more closely related to mushrooms than moulds) that occur in bat guano and bird droppings, particularly those of pigeons and chickens. Cryptococcus neoformans is an occasional cause of pneumonia and meningitis in people who inhale typically large quantities of infectious material. Immunocompromised people are more susceptible to cryptococcal disease, developing it occasionally following contact with birds and bird nesting materials.
The recognition and elimination of infective reservoirs is central to the prevention of both histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis. This test uses an extremely sensitive and specific PCR-based method to detect both agents in bulk material samples or air samples collected on polycarbonate membrane filters. Bulk samples should be collected dry in a clean, new, food-grade, zippered freezer bag. Damp or moist samples should be refrigerated after collection prior to delivery to the laboratory. Air samples should be collected on a 25 or 37 mm 0.4 um membrane filter. A minimum of 1 cubic metre of air should be collected. Samples should be placed individually in a clean, new, food-grade, zippered freezer bag, and delivered to the laboratory within 24 hr of collection.
The detection of H. capsulatum is accomplished using primer sets that target portions of a catalase gene known as the "M-antigen". Cryptococcus neoformans group is detected by primer sets that target a gene involved in capsular synthesis, CAP59. This method cannot distinguish between living and dead cellular material. A negative result does not necessarily refute the presence of potentially infectious material in the area tested, since only a small amount of material is subjected to the test. The testing of multiple replicate samples is helpful to establish confidence on the generalizability of results. A positive result, however, may provide information that is useful in public health interventions.
More about histoplasmosis & crytococcosis >
Opportunistic fungal pathogen screen (semiquantitative) [OFPS]
Revised: January 29th, 2019
Serious infections caused by filamentous or dimorphic fungi are rare in immunologically normal people and normally only caused by one of several pathogenic species. In people with varying degrees of immune dysfunction, however, serious fungal infections are common, and may be caused by a much larger set of fungi many of which are not pathogenic under normal circumstances. These fungi are sometimes called "opportunistic pathogens", in reference to their proclivity to invade tissues given the opportunity presented by immune compromise. While not typically a problem in the broad community, opportunistic fungal pathogens can be important agents of serious and even fatal disease in health care institutions.
Culture-based methods are the current gold-standard for the detection of opportunistic fungal pathogens (Mayhall 2003). This test is read rapidly (at 48 hr) by culture-dependent evaluation of the presence of the most commonly occurring agents of opportunistic fungal disease on bulk, swab or wipe samples. Results are reported on the same day that the samples are read.
Field sampling method
Bulk samples should be collected individually and sealed in an envelope of plastic pouch. Damp samples should not be placed in plastic in order to prevent microbial growth post sampling. Swab and wipe samples can be collected using typical protocols (e.g., Bulk/ swab/ wipe, semiquantitative fungal culture [C111]).
Results reporting
Results of this test are reported semiquantiatively as 1+, 2+, 3+, etc., where the numeral preceding the plus sign indicates the order of magnitude of colones observed, broken down according to taxon identified. The following taxa are specifically assayed by this test:
Absidia (sensu Lichthemia) species (including A. corymbifera)
Acremonium species
Aspergillus species complexes (including A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. lentulus, Neosartorya species, Emericella/ Aspergillus nidulans, A. niger, A. terreus, and A. ustus)
Cunninghamella species (including C. bertholletiae)
Dematiaceous fungi with opportunistic potential (including Curvularia species and relatives, Cladophialophora species and others)
Exophiala species
Fusarium species complexes (including F. solani, F. dimerum, F verticillioides, and F. oxysporum)
Mucor species (including M. circinelloides and M. indicus)
Paecilomyces species (including P. lilacinus and P. variotii species complexes)
Phaeoacremonium species
Phialemonium species
Rhizomucor species
Rhizopus species (excluding R. stolonifer)
Scedosporium species (including S. apiospermum and S. prolificans species complexes)
Trichoderma species (including T. citrinoviride/ longibrachiatum complex)
Trichosporon species
Web-Log Article


No one gets into a relationship with the intention of it failing, but sometimes you've got to accept the situation. Every relationship is different, but many ten to fail for similar reasons.
Whether it's been a few years or a few weeks, there are ways of figuring out whether your relationship is salvageable or destined for disaster.
To be in a successful relationship, you must make each other a priority. Yeah, you both have lives that include school, work, family, friends, internships and more. But if you really love someone, you'll make time for them no matter how hectic your schedule may be. If he's more anxious to hang with his boys or she would rather be having a girls' night with her friends and you're constantly put on the backburner, it may be time for you to cut ties.
2) Your needs are not being met.
First of all, if you want a relationship to work, you have to make sure you've got your stuff together so that you can make a good partner to someone. A huge part of this is knowing what you want. If you know what you want, you'll never settle for less than that. If being with your partner isn't fun, fulfilling or comfortable, they may not be the right person for you. You should be able to laugh, have fun and feel emotionally supported with that person. The people in your life should lift you up when you're down, not the other way around.
3) There's little to no communication.
It shouldn't be new information to you that the key to a healthy relationship is communication. Cliché, maybe, but true. If you can't open up to this person and tell them how you feel, that's a problem. You should be comfortable enough around this person that you can tell them anything, whether it's opening up to them about personal issues or being honest with them about what they're doing wrong. In turn, they should be just as open with you. If you can't communicate, you'll never know what's wrong and the problems in your relationship will fester and eventually get the best of you.
4) You compare him or her to others.
Thinking about how much funnier that gorgeous bartender is than your girlfriend or how much more stimulating the conversation would be with that cutie from the gym? That means something is unfulfilled in your relationship. If you have a voice inside you that doubts your relationship, you should probably listen to it. Sure, even people who are happy may have fantasies about others, but when those thoughts become consuming, it's a problem. This can be fixed by communicating with them what it is you want more (or less) of. If they heed your suggestions, you may just find that all you needed to do was talk to them. However, if you've tried this and it isn't working, move on.
5) The cons outweigh the pros.
This may be cheesy, but it works. If you can't make a decision on the fate of your relationship, make a list of your partner's pros and another list of their cons. Compare these side by side and determine which list is more overwhelming. Even if one side has more points, the other side's points may hold more weight. If the cons outweigh the pros and you've exhausted all your options in trying to make it work, your relationship has most likely reached the end of the road.
Break-ups are no fun, but they happen. It may hurt for a bit, but it's not the end of the world. It doesn't mean anything is wrong with you or the other person, it's simply a matter of finding your match. The important thing is to try to make it work and not to give up at the first sign of a problem. If you don't learn how to resolve issues in your relationships now, they'll only continue to suffer as time goes on.


Who can buy a real estate in Turkey?
Where and what type of property can foreigners buy?
What is the legal framework for property ownership?
What is a TAPU? What does it look like?
How to check the details?
How to contact relevant professionals?
Are you advised to hire a solicitor?
How to contact Turkish solicitors who speak Russian?
Are there any (universal) mortgage companies in Turkey?
How to find financial resources to buy property in Turkey?
How are FDI and foreign companies treated by TAPU Offices?
What gains can be attained through property? Are those gains taxed?
Why to avoid tax evasion?
Can the financial penalties charged on a tax evader be amnestied? How?
What are the liabilities of an (foreign) owner?
Can you transfer the money you make through your property abroad?
Can you bring your household or office items to Turkey?
Can you bring your pets to Turkey?
Can you bring your car to Turkey?
Can you bring and use your mobile in Turkey?
How much money can you bring into Turkey?
How much money can you take out of Turkey?
How much jewellery can you bring to Turkey or abroad?
Does your social insurance scheme cover your health expenditures in Turkey?
Moscow telephone: +7 (495) 545 4703; Turkey telephone: +90 533 478292.