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Book Review and Author Interview: Bloodrush by Ben Galley
Book Review and Author Interview: Bloodrush (The Scarlett Star Trilogy #1) by Ben Galley
The author Ben Galley kindly agreed to answer some of my questions! So, below is my review and following is the interview.
Bloodrush is a weird west fantasy is set in the frontier town of Fell Falls, America. It's on the edges of a dusty, desolate desert. There are guns, wild locals, and monsters called railwraiths that eat up the railway workers attempting to lay tracks to expand the empire. There's also blood magic and faeries. Yep, faeries!
The tale centres on Tonmerion Hark, a young teenager who is sent to live with his aunt when his VIP father, Lord Hark, also known as the Bulldog of London and the Prime Lord of the Empire of Britannia, is found murdered. Much to Merion's annoyance, his aunt, Lilain, lives in the New Kingdom.
Off Merion trundles from his father's ample estate on a boat across the sea and then by train to Fell Falls. Accompanied by his faerie best friend, Rhin, Merion is naturally very put out to find his aunt lives in a bit of a shack on the wrong side of town, and has a rather distasteful job as the town's undertaker.
Determined to get back to London to find out who murdered his father and reclaim his substantial inheritance, Merion decides to work for his aunt to earn some cash for the train / boat fare. He also heads off on an enlightening (and hot) journey into the desert with his aunt's friend, the strange prospector Lurker, and his magpie. When the wealthy Serped family, owners of the railroad company, come to town Merion spots his chance to gain support for his get-back-to-London cause. He also gets a tad distracted by Lord Serped's daughter.
However, his aunt isn't just an undertaker, the Serpeds aren't what they seem, and Rhin has some dark secrets and vengeful enemies hot on his tail. Merion must also deal with the wild locals, the Shohari, raiding the town and a rather unpleasant post office master. He's also coping with the revelation that there's such a thing as blood magick. "Roots be damned!"
This was a really enjoyable read. I enjoyed the mash up of western and fantasy, the whole other world of the faeries as well as the stiff upper lip Merion who must grow up and decide who's worth fighting for and who isn't. It is a coming-of-age tale that is packed with laugh-out-loud humour, some grand battles, and a cool magic system.
The 'magick' was entertaining to read about – the blood of different animals and creatures did different things when ingested and in combination those things could be epic, or cause terrible nosebleeds or similar ailments. I like that there's a detailed section at the end of the book all about bloodrushing and the different 'shades' with the positive and negative effects of each.
I recommend this book for those who like reading unusual fantasy that breaks the mould. It's a refreshing concept with quite different elements that come together and work well.
My rating: 4.5/5
Q. Please tell us a little about yourself?
Hello! Thanks for having me. My name is Ben Galley, and I'm a dark and epic fantasy author from the UK who currently hails from Canada.
I'm the author behind the bestselling Emaneska Series, the Scarlet Star Trilogy, The Heart of Stone and the new Chasing Graves Trilogy.
When I'm not scribbling tall tales about magic and dragons, I'm usually exploring the wilds, gaming, or chasing things with drones.
Q. What is your favourite book and why?
That would have to be American Gods by Neil Gaiman. In my humble opinion, it's one of the greatest works of modern fantasy.
The concept of old gods fighting against new gods of the modern world is not only original but executed with beauty, detail and literary skill that makes the jaw hang loose.
It was the book that inspired me to get back into writing in my early twenties and started me on the path of becoming an author.
Q. What got you into writing?
Originally, it started as a passion for reading. My parents were responsible for providing me with all manner of amazing books when I was a kid, from Lord Of The Rings and the books of Narnia to Grimm's Fairy Tales and The Iliad.
It wasn't long before I decided to try my hand at creating my own worlds, and churned out several novels by early teens. Education and growing up distracted me for a while, but after dabbling in music for a time, I rediscovered my passion and launched myself wholeheartedly into writing.
Q. Bloodrush is the first book in the Scarlet Star Trilogy, described as 'weird west alternate history'. Where did the idea for the trilogy come from?
I've always seen connections between the medieval worlds many fantasy books draw from and the wild west, so I wanted to try my hand at a western for several years. In addition to that, alternate history has always fascinated me, purely for the attraction of being able to shake up history and see what the world would have turned out like.
Before I started the Scarlet Star Trilogy, the two ideas had seemed unconnected – possibly two different book projects for the future. It all came together when I was inspired by history to create a magic system that revolves around drinking blood to evoke magical powers. In a flash, I realised I could combine all three ideas into one, and lo, the concept for Bloodrush was born!
Q. What did you most enjoy about writing Bloodrush?
Bloodrush gave me an opportunity to explore two new areas: a brand new and complex magic system, and faerie mythology. Both feature heavily in the Scarlet Star Trilogy and were great fun to mess around with.
The magic system, without trying to spoil the story, works on ingesting different types of blood to give a person a variety of magical abilities. It was a fun excuse to create a wide range of rules, magic types, and of course, have magic users clash with one another.
The infusion of Fae into Bloodrush also gave me an excuse to add a new dimension to the human world I created, to explore a whole new mythos, and, not to mention, twist that mythos into something new.
Q. Who is your favourite character in Bloodrush and why?
That's got to be the sullen yet faithful Lurker, AKA John Hobble. He's a veteran of the civil war that ripped through the Endless Lands, a gold-sniffing prospector, and knows no fear. He was the Rooster Cogburn to Bloodrush, the stoic gunslinger that is wilder than the Wild West around him.
Q. Can you tell us more about the second book, Bloodmoon, in the Scarlet Star Trilogy?
Bloodmoon continues the story of Merion Hark, the main character of the Scarlet Star Trilogy, as he continues his quest to avenge his father's murder, and make his way home to the Empire and London.
It introduces more of the magic system, as well as one of my favourite groups of characters I've ever created – the performers of the notorious Cirque Kadabra.
Q. Your most recent series is called The Chasing Graves Trilogy, with book one titled Chasing Graves. It's set in a world where ghosts are bound as slaves for the rich (which sounds amazing!). Can you tell us a bit more about this trilogy?
Of course! Chasing Graves is inspired heavily by Egyptian mythology, not only set in a North African world but set in a society that revolves around death.
In the colossal city of Araxes, ghosts can be bound after death as slaves for the rich and powerful. Seeking work and redemption, main character Caltro arrives in Araxes only to find himself swiftly murdered by soulstealers in an alleyway. What unfolds is a battle against the brutal society of the Arctian Empire, one that he will either claim justice from or serve for eternity.
Overall, Chasing Graves is a mix of epic fantasy and grimdark elements with multiple interconnected story arcs, and a balance of darkness and sharp wit.
Q. What writing projects are you currently working on / excited about?
I'm excited to be currently working back in my original fantasy world, the world of the Emaneska Series. I'm writing a sequel series called the Scalussen Chronicles, which is set decades after the finale of Emaneska. It feels really good to be back in this world, as it feels like I'm greeting old friends and treading old paths. I've got three books planned and I'm currently surging forward with book one, The Forever King.
Q. Where can readers find out more about you?
I can be found at my site www.bengalley.com, where you can get a free copy of The Written, or I'm usually hanging around on Twitter and Facebook at www.twitter.com/bengalley or www.facebook.com/bengalleyauthor.
Thank you, Ben! I definitely need to bump American Gods up my TBR list.
>>My debut novel, a grimdark epic fantasy called MELOKAI, is out now! Available from Amazon, Kobo, iBooks, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords. Read more about my books here.<<


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Worms, soil toxins, and the Navy: Grace '22 and Caroline '22 on their environmental racism research
Poster in Gumption hallway on Wednesday, October 27th. Photo credit: Zadie Winthrop.
Zadie Winthrop, Editor in Chief, Print
Two Urban seniors, Grace Nesmith '22 and Caroline Wu '22, are wrapping up a research project where they looked at differences in the prevalence of toxins in the soil of the Bayview Naval Shipyard and Crissy Field. Both environments were historically used by the U.S. Navy. Crissy Field has been remediated — a process which removes contaminants in soil– but the shipyard has not. They found the shipyard's soil contained significantly higher levels of lead, chromium, and mercury, all of which have negative health implications, than Crissy field. Given the regional differences in socio-economic status and racial demographics, Wu and Nesmith were particularly interested in identifying a correlation between environmental issues and racial and socio-economic factors. I spoke to both of them about the goals of their research, what they hope to achieve with their results, and how they would like to see Urban students engage with this issue. The following interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. All facts mentioned have been corroborated by The Urban Legend.
What is the goal of your research?
Caroline: The goal of our research was to underline systemic inequities focusing on socioeconomic and racial differences in San Francisco. We specifically looked at Crissy Field and the Bayview, the Bayview being a drastically different racial and socioeconomic demographic than the Crissy Field area. We were hoping to highlight systemic inequities by using those two environments. We were able to connect local history and present day disparities to a scientific research project, and our goal and end result was to have data that can represent these disparities to hopefully lead to change.
You mentioned that you were able to connect these two areas' histories to current disparities. Can you share the relevant histories?
Caroline: Crissy Field was a naval air base. It was remediated. A lot of toxic chemicals used to be there, but the soil was refreshed and today it's a natural public green that many people enjoy. The demographics of the Crissy Field area are predominantly higher socioeconomic status and predominantly white, which is not to say that those are always correlated, but that is the particular demographic of that area.
Grace: During World War Two the U.S sent out 49 ships into the middle of the ocean to conduct nuclear bomb testing. In setting off these nuclear bombs, the radioactive material contaminated the ship's surface. If you see photos, you can actually see the radioactive smoke touching the boats. And then, these boats were sent back to the Bayview-Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. Bayview-Hunters Point is one of the last San Francisco areas with a large Black population. It is geographically enclosed by highways, so decontaminating the radioactive boats created a lot of local job opportunities. It was reported that you could hold your hand five feet away from the boats and still feel the warmth of the radioactive material. So, people who were cleaning the boats were contaminated with radioactive materials, as was their community and families when they brought it home on their clothes. Animal testing was also conducted and carcasses were thrown into the soil and water after being given lethal doses of radioactive substances. This contaminated the people, the soil, the land, the water, everything around it, and it is yet to be successfully remediated. As our data shows, there are still high levels of arsenic, lead, chromium and mercury, which are the four radionuclides we tested through soil samples and goes to show this dark history of mistreatment.
How did you determine which toxins to look for?
Caroline: These four [arsenic, lead, chromium, and mercury] are typically found in toxic soil. All of which have negative side effects.
Grace: Bayview-Hunters Point has high rates of cancer, specifically lung cancer, and lower birth rates. These four pollutants can be linked to those health issues.
How do you get your data to people with institutional power? Do you believe legislators are aware of this data?
Caroline: Greg Monfils was here when Sophie Maxwell, the former supervisor of the Bayview's kids, were here. Through him, I had the opportunity to talk to her. She emphasized the importance of educating both communities: our Urban community, the Crissy Field community, and the Bayview community. She emphasized the importance of educating Urban students because they are social justice minded and have the power to take action. We are trying to do that, whether it's presenting our findings to the school or reaching out to the Bayview library to present our findings. After publishing, Grace and I are also hoping to share our published manuscript with legislators.
What are some of the options for improving the solid quality in Bayview-Hunters point? What options do you guys believe in?
Grace: I think the first thing would be acknowledgement. There has been a huge cover up of the actual toxicity of the soil. At one point, the government hired a third party group to come in to do soil sample testing and it was reported that 97.8% of the data was falsified. That allowed a huge company, Lennar Corporation, to build this whole new living area with fancy glass buildings. There's about one foot of healthy soil under the building that they added with a tarp in between which is semi-permeable and not going to last forever. I think just acknowledgement of and maybe retesting with an organization like Green Action, who does a lot of work in the Bayview, will bring the truth beyond just what we have found and will provide the community with honesty.
How would you like Urban students to interact with this issue?
Caroline: I do think that at the end of the day, it's hard to understand your role as a stakeholder in our larger community if you don't see it. So I think bringing awareness through education, but then also asking people to take a little bit of action. At the end of our physical resources class field trip down to the Bayview, our entire class came up with a brainstorm list of how Urban could support this issue. Some people suggested an interdisciplinary class of environmental justice, doing policy writing letters as a U2, or even just having Green Action more involved with Urban students, because they are always looking for long term volunteers.
Grace: I think education is first. I did not know about the Bayview before conducting this project and the people I've shared it with didn't either. The Bayview is in close proximity to Urban. I think getting a little closer through education and building that empathy, I think that drives a lot of change.
What have been your biggest personal takeaways from this experience?
Caroline: I think the biggest takeaway is that you can sit inside a classroom and learn that your actions have consequences. But really being in a physical environment and seeing the repercussions of individual choices and seeing the neglect, abuse and hurt caused has made me think about where I fit into all that. And where I can work to bring other people out of that hurt.
Grace: I think it's informed a lot of individual choices I make now, as Caroline alluded to, because it demonstrated the inextricable connection between humans and the environment. And how you can't really separate the health of the land and the people because, here, the misuse was directly correlated to the maltreatment of both.
Bayview-Hunters Point
Caroline Wu
Crissy Field
Grace Nesmith
Hunters Point
Nesmith

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The older I get the better I become at knowing my strengths and outsourcing the rest! I so admire mamas who make handmade gifts for their children, but I simply don't have the time or talent to make many of the things I'd like to gift for my kids this year. Etsy to the rescue! There are SO MANY talented makers out there and I am so very happy to support them.
I thought it would be fun to make a compilation of some Etsy shops I will be supporting this year, along with those we have shopped from in the past.
One of my very favorites! We have had the bow & arrow set for almost two years and it is still going strong. The quality is fabulous and it is still as good as new. The sling shot is also great fun. And we love using the crayon holder, alphabet tracing board and reversible number board in our homeschool.
I just discovered this shop at my local Waldorf School's Winter Fair! My two big kids will be getting pencil pouches (called a cutlery case on her Etsy site, but perfect for pencils) and I also got the cutest standing snack bag.
Technically, I do know how to make Waldorf dolls. I even took private lessons to learn how to make them! But in my current season of life I just can't figure out how to swing secret doll making sessions in my nonexistent spare time. So I ordered a custom doll from Mimi Hirsch and I just couldn't be happier with the experience. The doll she made for my toddler is just beyond precious.
I've never ordered from this shop, but since we're talking about Waldorf dolls … hers are just stunning.
I am ordering my toddler a rainbow stacker from this shop. It is so sweet, and more reasonable than the Grimm's version.
This is another shop that's here in Portland! I just love her peg dolls. They are definitely several steps above what we can create at home! My five-year-old is getting a knight, dragon and wizard.
I just love the rainbow bucket bowls from this shop – they are perfect for collecting the flotsam and jetsam that always seem to be covering our floors. We also have the pretty Sun + Rainbow Bowl hanging in our kids' bedroom.
I have had my eye on her apothecary sets for a while now and have also seen some lovely trees for play and our nature table in her shop!
Oh I love these baby bonnets! The linen sun hat was well used when our littlest was a baby. If I had a baby on my list this year, I would totally order another one.
Yay for another Oregon shop! We love the Rainbow Hand Kites – those would make really sweet stocking stuffers. I gave them out as birthday party favors one year! My toddler is getting a butterfly lacing toy in her stocking this year.
I love the wooden ponies from this shop! One of my kiddos will have one under the tree. Another kiddo is getting this sweet collection of trees for all kinds of open-ended play.
Another discovery at my local Winter Fair! This dressmaker lives super close to me. Her dresses were so, so pretty and well-made. Both my girls are getting one and I loved that she had some options that weren't super girly. My nine-year-old is getting this space dress!
I hope this inspires you to support small businesses. Many if not all of these shops are mama-owned, which is even more lovely. Happy shopping!


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Tag Archives: GoldLink
Moxie Raia Works With Some Big Names on Her Latest Mixtape '931'
March 24, 2016 Smooth Waves Music	Leave a comment
New Jersey singer, Moxie Raia, showcases her smooth voice on her latest mixtape 931. With some pretty big features from Pusha T, Post Malone, and Goldlink, Moxie Raia makes a statement with her debut mixtape. Her career with Capitol Records looks promising. See for yourself, check out 931 below.
Written by Asa Hatten
Asa HattenGoldLinkMoxie RaiaPost MalonePusha TSmooth Waves
Goldlink remixes Kelela's "Rewind" and it's perfect
January 25, 2016 Smooth Waves Music	Leave a comment
GoldLink's been killing everything he touches lately. His album And After That We Didn't Talk was one of the best of this past year, and it had the dopest title of any mixtape or album. His most recent piece of work comes in the form of a remix of Kelela's song "Rewind." He provides a boost of energy and his signature bounce while retaining the original aspects that made this song beautiful. The track was premiered on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show the other day and found it's way into my ears earlier this evening. Give it a listen below and check out what Kelela had to say about the remix by Goldlink:
"It's everything that I wanted," she said. "He's so smart. The remix is so smart. It's one of the smartest ones that I've heard in a long time. And it's such a beautiful nod to the old school remix, which was a true rework, where you know all the parts but feel like they're being placed in a different context… Also, his nod back to garage. It's almost like he was speaking directly to me."
BBC 1 "REWIND"
And After That We Didn't Talkannie macBBCBBC Radio 1GoldLinkJesse Wileskelelarewindrewind remixSmooth Waves
Featured, Spotlight
Urban Astray's Top 10 Albums of 2015
January 1, 2016 Smooth Waves Music	Leave a comment
2015 was about rulebreakers and genre benders. Independent artists shined, not as notable underdogs, but as chart toppers. Established artists had a lot to prove: Bieber did it through deliberate hard work and Drizzy did it effortlessly. Vulnerability paid off and beautiful projects were born from reflections on insecurity and isolation. The best music was often hard hitting and unapologetic on addressing social issues, yet there was still a lot of room for feeling hopeful. A fresh new year is upon us, but these projects don't need to be forgotten (unlike the time you got too drunk and threw up out the window of a cab). Cheers to 2016 while still enjoying the best of 2015.
Surf / Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment
The best way to describe Surf is as a true gem: freshly cut, timeless and not to mention, literally priceless. The highly anticipated and independently produced album spearheaded by Donnie Trumpet with Chance the Rapper's band The Social Experiment was released as a free download on iTunes at the end of May. There are many uncredited features throughout the album including Big Sean, Jeremih, B.o.B., Busta Rhymes, Janelle Monae, BJ the Chicago Kid, Raury, King Louie and many others, making it a truly collaborative effort. It's jazzy; it's clever; it's positive. Chance's unmistakable voice is essential to the record, but you can feel he doesn't want to be the focus. It's about what all of them love to do: make great music with their closest friends. The happiness and excitement the group has to be working together really molds the vibe of the record.
Top tracks: "Wanna Be Cool," "Familiar," "Sunday Candy"
Listen to Surf on Sunday nights when you start feeling sad about the weekend coming to an end.
Wave[s] / Mick Jenkins
Mick Jenkins followed his breakout and critically acclaimed project of The Water[s] with Wave[s] this year. Wave[s] continues where The Water[s] left off, with themes of truth seeking and critical consciousness, references to his home base of Chicago and ginger ale. "They say I be talking about water too much," Jenkins says in the intro track, "Alchemy." Jenkins is unaffected by public response to his work, whether praise or hate. He maintains the same confidence he had in The Water[s] as he delivers intricately crafted bars and essentially waits patiently to be understood by the majority of his audience. Jenkins is unapologetic, even when it comes to his followers like in "Get up Get Down": "Came in this bitch with intentions to black out / The audience all white I thought we been blacks out." One of the strongest tracks though, "Your Love" is a brief reprieve from hard hitting bars. Instead, sensual verses go straight into the catchiest hook of the album. Wave[s] isn't just an album that should be heard; it's an album that should be paid attention.
Top tracks: "Alchemy," "Your Love," "P's & Q's"
Listen to Wave[s] when you're getting faded.
And After That, We Didn't Talk / GoldLink
GoldLink has been making some seriously vibey music. Not even including several singles released as of late, And After That, We Didn't Talk is stacked with quality tracks. He's provocative and smooth at the same time. The beats on this album are major and GoldLink's vocals are killer. Seriously, do not sleep on GoldLink.
Top tracks: "Spectrum," "Dance on Me," "Late Night"
Listen to And After That, We Didn't Talk late night, drinking cheap white wine and contemplating texting an old flame.
Purpose / Justin Bieber
As soon as I heard Justin Bieber's feature on "Where Are ü Now" for Jack ü's (Diplo and Skrillex) album I knew they all had hit gold as far as serendipitous, symbiotic music relationships go. And Bieber remains tapped into that successful pulse for Purpose as he combines his vocal skills with sounds crafted by some of the most talented producers in the business (Skrillex, Big Sean, Travi$ Scott, Ed Sheeran, Nas) to create a vibe that even the most critical of music connoisseurs are able to appreciate and enjoy. There is a sense of earnestness and sincerity from Bieber that hasn't been present since the "Baby" and "One Time" stage of his career. The album is filled with hits; besides the super popular singles some of the best and less overplayed tracks are "I'll Show You", "No Sense" featuring Travi$ Scott and "Love Yourself" featuring Halsey. Whether you publicly root for him or not, it's hard to deny the quality of Purpose and to deny having ever gotten even a little turnt to "Sorry" at a pregame.
Top tracks: "Sorry," "What Do You Mean?," "I'll Show You"
Listen to Purpose while pregaming for a night out and obviously when it comes on at the club and you have no other choice.
If You're Reading This It's Too Late / Drake
"Please do not speak to me like I'm that Drake from four years ago / I'm at a higher place," Drizzy raps on the track "No Tellin'". But his assertion is in fact "telling" of the tone of If You're Reading This It's Too Late: a confidence and calculated chill from an artist that feels completely secure about his role in the rap game. Very early on in 2015, IYRTITL set the tone for the rest of Drake's super hot year of hotline blinging and Grammy nominated diss tracks. IYRTITL is as much about our culture at this present moment as it is about Drake becoming a fully established, well, legend to use his own term. Despite the incessant rat race of social media, Drizzy cheekily reminds us with the album title that we're not "on it" unless we we're actually on it; the moment the tape dropped the events of the future (probably even collabs with Future, get it?) had already been set in motion. The idea that it was supposed to be a mixtape adds to its rawness and currency. Drizzy is serious.
Top tracks: "10 Bandz," "Energy," "Know Yourself"
Listen to If You're Reading This It's Too Late when you're feeling yourself or need an attitude along those lines.
M3LL155X / FKA twigs
M3LL155X is only five tracks long, but it's not too little of anything, in any way. FKA twigs continues to produce majorly intense, sexy vibes. Her unusually sensual vocals and heavy synthetic beats are really a treat to the ears. Like velvet for the ears. Honestly, twigs is probably one of the only people that can ask "Do you have a lighter?" and make you seriously feel some type of way.
Top tracks: "In Time," "Glass and Patron," "Mothercreep"
Listen to M3LL155X when you're spending some quality time with yourself or a significant other, if you know what I mean.
I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside / Earl Sweatshirt
Earl Sweatshirt's I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside is a project that is really strong in it's 30 minute entirety. Each track seamlessly flows into the other, creating a full dark and brooding narrative. It's depressing and yet easy to listen to. Although the material is heavy, the delivery is casual, making it digestible. The beats are unique and interesting yet familiar; you can imagine them being made in some dingy basement on some dusty keyboard surrounded by furniture that had been there since the seventies with ancient looking half curtains only letting small amounts of light into the space. It's an album that can't just be listened to once. It takes time to take it all in.
Top tracks: "Wool," "Huey," "Grief"
Listen to I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside in your headphones while commuting and avoiding eye contact with fellow travelers.
GO:OD AM / Mac Miller
Mac Miller spent close two years away from the public, mostly just making music in his home studio. GO:OD AM is one product of the nine full length albums worth of material he said he made during his hiatus. It's a happier, hopeful Mac to add to the maturity and growth we saw from him in Faces. The final product wasn't completely introverted; included are a variety of features from Ab-Soul to Chief Keef. GO:OD AM has Miller's familiar lazy flows and seriously clever lines ("But what's God without a little OD? Just a G"), but fresher. Very dope, Mac, very dope.
Top tracks: "100 Grandkids," "Weekend (feat. Miguel)," "In the Bag"
Listen to GO:OD AM while surfing the net or hanging out on your porch or getting ready in the morning. That seems appropriate.
Blurryface / Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots hit the complete mainstream in 2015 with the release of Blurryface and their subsequent touring throughout the year. It was wild to see the Columbus, Ohio natives performing with A$AP Rocky at the MTV Video Music Awards in September, but also encouraging that their super unique style is one that appeals to many. In Tyler Joseph's own words in the track "Heavydirtysoul": "This is not rap, this is not hip-hop." Twenty One Pilots is hard to categorize, but then again why does it even matter? Whatever type of music it is, it's good. Blurryface is brilliantly meta; many lyrics speak about insecurities Joseph has as an artist and where he feels the duo fits in the music industry and his predictions on how they will be received in general. "Tear In My Heart" is the one "love song" on the album, but it's anything from conventional with the lyric: "The songs on the radio are okay, but my taste in music is your face." Like, if someone legitimately said that to you, you'd have to consider marriage. I'd like to think he's pleasantly surprised by their success, or maybe he knew all along the work he produces is music people want to hear when they had no idea they were even searching for it.
Top tracks: "Stressed Out," "Ride," "Tear In My Heart"
Listen to Blurryface on road trips with your best friends.
Dark Night, Sweet Light / Hermitude
The duo of Luke Dubs and El Gusto are extremely talented and innovative when it comes to electronic music and Dark Night, Sweet Light is a testament to that. The track "Ukiyo" has a super amazing sound that evokes almost euphoric feelings. Overall the album has a unique energy, while simultaneously being very laid back and calm. If Dark Night, Sweet Light was a state of mind, it would be how you feel in the first moments of being tipsy. Do you feel the buzz?
Top tracks: "Ukiyo," "The Buzz (Mataya & Young Tapz)," "Midnight Terrain"
Listen to Dark Night, Sweet Light while working out or dancing at a house party (bonus points if some sort of light show is involved).
Written by Claire Miller
21 pilotsAnd After That We Didn't TalkBieberBlurry FACEChicagodark night sweet lightdeatureDonnie TrumpetDonnie Trumpet & The Social ExperimentDrakeEarlFKA twigsGO:OD AMGoldLinkhermitudeI Don't Like Shit I Don't Go OutsideIf You're Reading This It's Too LateifyrtitlJustin BieberLouie LasticM3LL155XMac MillerMick JenkinsOFpurposeSmooth WavesSoundcloudSurfThe Social Experimenttop 10top 10 2015top albumsTop ten albums of the yeartwenty one pilotsurban astraywave[s]
[Listen] GoldLink Drops Debut Album Early
November 6, 2015 Smooth Waves Music	Leave a comment
The long wait for GoldLink's debut album was just cut a week short. And After That, We Didn't Talk is finally available on iTunes and streaming on Spotify. I have to say, after his release of "Dance on Me", "Unique", "Dark Skin Women", and "Spectrum", my expectations for this album were fairly high. Props to GoldLink on this project, he did not disappoint. This jazzy, bouncy, upbeat album is worth a listen. Check it out below.
Written by: Asa Hatten
And After That We Didn't TalkAsa HattenGoldLinkNew Album
Goldlink- "Movin On" featuring Louie Lastic
August 28, 2015 Smooth Waves Music	Leave a comment
Your favorite EDM rapper Goldlink is back with new music featuring Louie Lastic this week titled "Movin On." We know Goldlink has been working with the legendary Rick Rubin on his debut album and we cannot to hear what they have been cooking up. In the meantime, steam his latest single "Movin On" below and let us know what you think.
EDMGoldLinkHip HopLouie LasticMovin OnNew MusicRick Rubin


Marines will tell you that once they are a Marine, they are always a Marine. That is why, whether they're active duty, discharged or retired, Marines love to wear Marine Corps t-shirts. Marine t-shirts let them remember where they served, with whom they served and the achievements they worked for in the Corps. The shirts let them express their pride for the Corps, their units and the battles they fought. Just because you're not on duty, you don't have to dress like a civilian–not completely, anyway. Medals of America carries a wide selection of Marine T-shirts printed on high-quality fabrics right here in South Carolina. Our designs include general Marine Corps t-shirts, logos, veteran designs, and more. They make fantastic gifts for the Marine in your life, whether it's Christmas, a birthday or just a gift to say thank you. Wives and girlfriends even have an option with our "I love my vet" logo T-shirt designed specifically for women. You'll love the vibrant colors, detailed graphics and soft feel of all of Medals of America's Marine T-shirts. Medals of America came into being more than 40 years ago. It was veteran-owned then, and it still is today. When the business got big enough, it was important to hire the right people, which is why veterans operate Medals of America. You can be sure that your T-shirts come from a place of respect and understanding for your service in the USMC. Our veterans inspect all of our products for quality of construction and design. Once you've chosen the T-shirts you want for your collection, we send part of the profit from your sale to Army Life and Marine Corps Life to go toward enhancing Morale Welfare Recreation.


Mrs. Goldstein ties her tichel on Shabbos the way her mother always did. Her son Yankie explains that she should not tie or untie her tichel this way since it is a double knot. Must Mrs. Goldstein tie her tichel differently? And may she untie the knot that is holding the tichel on her head?
Yankie's older brother, Reuven, returns from yeshivah and tells his mom that it is okay to tie the baby's shoes with a double knot. Mom has never done this, always assuming that one cannot tie a double knot on Shabbos, even though baby Rivka's shoes almost never stay tied on Shabbos as a result. Of course, Yankie does not miss the opportunity to disagree with Reuven and emphasize that one may not tie the shoes on Shabbos just as one may not tie the tichel.
She calls the Rav, who begins to explain….
As we see, these and many other shailos in regards to knots affect our weekly observance of Shabbos. We must learn these halachos thoroughly to be certain that we are keeping Shabbos correctly.
Tying and untying knots are two of the 39 melachos prohibited on Shabbos. Several types of knots were tied in the course of constructing the mishkan, which is our source for what is forbidden on Shabbos. For example, it was necessary to tie and untie the nets used to catch the chilazon that provided the techeiles dye. Also, the weavers of the mishkan curtains had to tie knots whenever a thread tore (Gemara Shabbos 74b).
The Mishnah and Gemara teach that some knots are prohibited min haTorah, others are prohibited midirabbanan, while others are completely permitted. They also state that any knot that may not be tied may not be untied either. If tying it involves a Torah prohibition, then untying it is forbidden min haTorah (Mishnah Shabbos 111b). If tying the knot is only midirabbanan, then untying it is midirabbanan. If one is allowed to tie a particular knot, one may also untie it (Rambam Hilchos Shabbos 10:7).
Although several examples of prohibited and permitted knots are mentioned in the Mishnah and Gemara, exactly what defines a "prohibited knot" is never discussed. This issue is left for the Rishonim to discuss, who have two approaches to define the issue, that of Rashi and that of the Rif.
Rashi and most Rishonim contend that it is prohibited min haTorah to tie a permanent knot, it is prohibited midirabbanan to tie a semi-permanent knot, and that it is permitted to tie a temporary knot.
But where does one splice between a prohibited semi-permanent knot and a temporary knot that is permitted? Although there are different opinions concerning this, everyone agrees that Rashi permits tying any knot that will be untied within 24 hours from when it is tied (Beis Yosef 317). A knot of such short duration is considered temporary and is permitted (Mishnah Berurah 317:6, quoting Pri Megadim).
On the other hand, everyone agrees that Rashi forbids tying a knot that remains for a week or more. This is long enough to be considered semi-permanent and tying it on Shabbos was prohibited by Chazal.
What Poskim dispute is whether Rashi permits tying a knot meant to last more than 24 hours but less than a week, some viewing this knot as semi-permanent and others viewing it as temporary (Rama 317:1). One may follow the lenient opinion under extenuating circumstances (Biyur Halacha 317:4 s.v. she'einam kevuim).
Thus, according to Rashi, tying two lengths of jump rope together to make a longer jump rope may be prohibited min haTorah since one might leave the knot permanently. Tying a knot attaching a boat to a pier is prohibited midirabbanan since it may be left for a long period of time. It is not prohibited min haTorah since it will definitely be untied eventually (Gemara Shabbos 111b with Rashi). One may tie shoes since they will be untied later the same day. (It should be noted that one may not put a new shoelace into a shoe on Shabbos because it is considered completing a vessel, see Magen Avraham 317:7).
The Rif and Rambam present a different approach why one may tie some knots on Shabbos but not others. In their opinion, a knot that is permanent is prohibited min haTorah only when it is a type of knot that a craftsman would tie, called a "kesher uman." A permanent knot that would not be used by a craftsman is only midirabbanan. In addition, a knot that a craftsman would tie but is not permanent is also only midirabbanan, whereas a knot that is neither permanent nor used by a craftsman is totally permitted.
In the Rif's opinion, there is no intermediate category for semi-permanent knots. According to most interpretations, he considers any non-permanent knot as temporary even if it remains tied for a long time. Thus, tying a knot and leaving it for several months will be permitted so long as it is not a craftsman's knot according to these interpretations of the Rif's opinion (Pri Megadim; Aruch HaShulchan 317:3; Avnei Nezer #178; Mishnah Berurah 317:5; However, compare Taz 317:1 and Graz 317:2).
Furthermore, according to this approach, tying a craftsman's knot with intent to untie it after several months will only be midirabbanan according to the Rif because it isn't permanent.
Here are some examples of knots that are prohibited min haTorah. In the time of the Mishnah, boatmen would tie a knot at the prow of a boat or ship that was never removed. Such a knot is prohibited min haTorah on Shabbos. According to Rashi, this is because the knot is permanent while according to the Rif it is only forbidden min HaTorah because of the additional factor that it is tied by trained boatmen.
Similarly, knots tied by shoemakers or sandal makers of Talmudic times were prohibited min haTorah (Gemara Shabbos 112a), since they were tied permanently (and according to the Rif because they were also craftsmans' knots).
Tying knots of tefillin and tzitzis is a Torah violation since these are craftsman's knots and permanent (Gemara Eruvin 96b; Shabbos 131a). Tightening the knots of one's tzitzis may also violate a Torah prohibition.
Suturing stitches is prohibited min HaTorah because the knot tied after each stitch is a permanent skilled knot (Nimla Tal Kosheir #16). Therefore, whenever possible, a non-Jew should perform this suturing on Shabbos (see Rama 328:12).
According to both Rashi and the Rif, one may tie a knot that will be untied within 24 hours. Thus according to all opinions, one may tie a gartel on Shabbos or the belt on a bathrobe or any other garment that is usually untied when the garment is removed. Similarly, a woman may tie her tichel in place because a woman always unties this knot when she removes it so that she does not dishevel her hair.
MAY I KNOT THIS KNOT?
In conclusion, there are three disputes between Rashi and the Rif.
1. According to Rashi, a permanent knot is prohibited min HaTorah even if it isn't a craftman's knot, since permanence is the only criterion for the Torah's prohibition. However, the Rif will consider such a knot to be prohibited only midirabbanan if it is not a craftsman's knot.
We should note that a knot that will never be untied is considered permanent even if one does not need the knot anymore. Rashi explains that the knot used to bind the aravos and hadasim to the lulav is considered permanent since one never bothers to untie it. This is true even though this knot will not be needed for more than a few days and then the lulav will be discarded.
Thus, knotting a bag of garbage on Shabbos violates a Torah prohibition according to Rashi since the knot will never be untied (see Rashi Sukkah 33b), whereas according to the Rif it is only midirabbanan unless one used a craftsman's knot.
2. We mentioned that tying a semi-permanent non-craftsman's knot is prohibited according to Rashi, but permitted according to the Rif. Therefore, Rashi would prohibit tying a plastic bag with a simple single knot that is meant to last for more than a week (and possibly even for more than a day) since this knot is semi-permanent although it is certainly not a craftsman's knot. The Rif would permit this since it is neither a craftsman's knot nor a permanent knot.
However, we should note that the exact definition of a "craftsman's knot" is uncertain. Because of this question, some poskim rule that one should not tie any knot very tightly even though one intends to untie it shortly (Shiltei HaGibborim).
3. A temporary craftsman's knot is prohibited according to the Rif, albeit only midirabbanan, but is permitted according to Rashi (who considers a craftsman's knot no different from any other knot). Thus, securing a rope in order to rappel down a hill is prohibited midirabbanan according to the Rif since one would certainly use a craftsman's knot for this purpose. Rashi permits tying this knot if one intends to untie it after a few hours.
Most poskim rule that we should be stringent like both opinions (Rama 317:1). Therefore, one may not tie a craftsman's knot even if it is temporary (even though Rashi permits this), and it is also prohibited to tie a semi-permanent knot even if it is not a craftsman's knot (and would be permitted according to the Rif). Therefore, one may not knot a bag closed with a semi-permanent knot, nor may one tie a craftsman's knot even for a few hours' use.
Under extenuating circumstances, one may tie or untie a temporary knot even though it qualifies as a craftsman's knot and rely on Rashi, or tie a non-permanent knot that is not a craftsman's knot and rely on the Rif (Maamar Mordechai; see Avnei Nezer #178:6). In both of these situations the dispute is only whether tying the knot involves an issur dirabbanan. Although we usually rule stringently, as explained above, in an extenuating situation one may rely on the lenient opinion.
We have learned that one may not tie a permanent or semi-permanent knot or a craftsman's knot, and also that one may not tie one tight knot on top of another.
For the remainder of this discussion, see Knotty Situations II.
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Home » Our People » Mark Maggiora
Mark Maggiora
Mark Maggiora serves as a founding Board Member and Source Leader with The Performance Center since 1999—and regularly partners with TSI in supporting transformation of the public service branch of the government of Botswana.
In 1995, following 21 years experience in the USDA-Forest Service, Mark founded and serves as President of the NW Networking Group—a consulting coalition focused on mobilizing diverse resources to address community-wide issues. Mark formulated a Community By Design model based on applying the transformational leadership framework at a community scale. He specializes in bringing diverse sectors together across institutional boundaries—facilitates building lasting relationships of individuals and organizations—all with the purpose of leveraging traditional resource investments and mobilizing nontraditional resources for achieving system sustainability.
Mark has worked in multiple community settings across the Pacific NW applying the model—first in the Federal sector assisting small rural communities to define and achieve their purpose and vision in partnership with multi-sector/agency interests—then in the broader public sector at the metropolitan scale assisting with economic development and community service delivery improvements. His work has had impacts in serving community needs in the health care, transportation, education and human services arenas.
Internationally Mark has facilitated joint venture business partnerships in the People's Republic of China—application of progressive forest management practices in the country of Taiwan; and introducing French banking interests to progressive approaches in US Banking institutions. A primary recent focus is facilitating the mobilization of Faith Based Organizations to address growing community service needs in the face of declining public sector resources.
Mark has served as a leader on a multiplicity of community service Boards and Commissions—bringing his vocational expertise to bear in advocating and supporting community transformation. It is a passion that provides satisfaction by making community service a forum for his personal growth and development. He extends that philosophy of combining service and pleasure as a 25+ year member of the National Ski Patrol. His wife Patti and 4 grown children regularly partner in world travel ventures, enjoy backpacking with their dogs and road biking, investing in home improvement, and are voracious readers.
Mark's academic background includes undergraduate work in Ecological Sciences at the University of Oregon and graduate work at the University of Washington in Forest Management. A career shift from technical to administrative realms led to an undergraduate degree in Organization Management at Concordia University and MPA at Lewis and Clark College. Mark is working with Oxford College in the design of a doctoral program around community development which he would both facilitate and achieve academic standing.


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More info about our service could be found at this and other our sites
Nuclear Guinea Pigs
Posted November 14, 2011 by kyle
Mahalo to Beverly Keever for her intrepid reporting on the secret history of nuclear colonialism in the Pacific and the plight of nuclear survivors and refugees from the Marshall Islands. Here article "Nuclear Guinea Pigs" was the cover story of the Honolulu Weekly. Here are excerpts:
In the old-timey section of Kalihi, tucked between auto repair shops and boarded-up storefronts, Maza Attari, a Marshall Islander, lived with four family members in a one-bedroom apartment barely bigger than a ping-pong table. When visited by this reporter last summer, Attari had been unable to find steady work since being flown to Honolulu 12 years ago for back surgery that had left him with a severe limp and weakened muscles.
Attari's circumstances exemplify the far-reaching impacts of nuclear testing upon irradiated, exiled or dislocated Marshall Islanders. From 1946 to 1962, their home atolls served as experimental grounds where the US detonated nuclear weapons and tested delivery systems in the transition from conventional to intercontinental bombers. In all, the US exploded 86 nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands, which are situated 3,000 miles west of Honolulu. Those 86 bombs equated to 8,580 Hiroshima-size bombs–or 1.4 weapons per day for 16 years.
A one-time magistrate and mayor on Utrik, Attari said last summer that he doubted he would be able to return there, prophesying instead, "I'm going to stay here until I die." He died in September of this year, without ever receiving the reparations that he and other nuclear victims have claimed.
The debt
It is a debt that is not only owed them, but that has compounded over time. Because these nuclear weapons experiments were too dangerous and unpredictable to be conducted on the US mainland, Attari and other Marshallese are part of the reason for America's superpower status today. A half-century later, the Marshall Islands continue to serve as a crucial part of an outer defense periphery for the US heartland–6,000 miles away. That periphery includes the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, where for more than three decades missiles fired from 4,000 miles away (at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California) have crashed near Kwajalein Atoll, horribly frightening the indigenous inhabitants and leaving them unsure of where the debris will fall.
The British government, between 1957 and 1958 conducted nine atmospheric tests, yielding the equivalent of about 12,000,000 tons of TNT, and the French carried out 193 Pacific nuclear tests yielding the equivalent of about 13,500,000 tons beginning in 1962 and ending on Jan. 27, 1996. The British and French data were recently gleaned from hard-to-find sources and compiled by University of Hawaii botany professor Mark Merlin and graduate student Ricardo Gonzalez, enabling them to reveal for the first time a pathbreaking, half-century panorama of the environmental consequences of Pacific nuclear testing conducted by all three nations.
Not until 1994, 40 years after Bravo's fallout, did Attari and other exposed islanders learn they were used as human subjects to research the effects of radioactive fallout and of livin. Within days after Bravo, while still at the naval base to which they had been evacuated, Rongelap and Utrik Islanders were incorporated into Project 4.1. They were neither asked for nor gave their informed consent, nor were told the risks of the studies for which they gained no benefit.
Titled the "Study of Response of Human Beings Exposed to Significant Beta and Gamma Radiation Due to Fallout from High Yield Weapons, the document was classified "Secret Restricted Data."
I am reminded of Henry Kissinger's infamous statement about the Marshall Islands that revealed his genocidal indifference to the nuclear crimes of the U.S.: "There are only 90,000 people out there. Who gives a damn?" We give a damn.
Filed under: Pacific
Tags: Movements and Resistance, Nuclear


Determining which currency can hold the title of "Bitcoin" is a lot more challenging than anticipated. While the choice should be obvious to experts, newcomers may have a harder time separating truth from fiction. For all intents and purposes, the currency with the highest market cap and most support is the only Bitcoin. Bitcoin Cash is, until proven otherwise, an altcoin.
No one denies the success of Bitcoin Cash to date. Although it is not Bitcoin, this altcoin made a surprising impact. At the of writing, it is the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. That is quite a feat of strength, although one with caveats as well. This success does not entitle Bitcoin Cash supporters to refer to this altcoin as "Bitcoin". Even so, there are still some efforts underway to make people believe otherwise.
Earlier this week, a tweet by Roger Ver put a lot of people on edge. He tweeted an Image of Erik Voorhees, the CEO of ShapeShift. In this image, Voorhees is quoted as saying how he supports a hard fork away from Bitcoin Core. It is evident such a statement can be taken out of context with relative ease. This is why Voorhees ended up supporting SegWit2x, even though it ultimately fell apart.
The big question is how Roger's Tweet should be interpreted. Ver uses Voorhees' quote to express support for Bitcoin Cash. However, Erik has no plan of supporting Bitcoin Cash by wrongfully calling it Bitcoin. Instead, he explains how he supported a hard fork which had nothing to do with BCH. When the quote was taken from Voorhees, Bitcoin Cash wasn't even a topic of conversation as it did not exist. Taking that quote out of context to "glorify" Bitcoin Cash is a rather odd and misleading move.
Roger – please stop referencing me to back up your opinion that Bitcoin Cash is Bitcoin. It isn't. Bitcoin is the chain originating from the genesis block with the highest accumulated proof of work. The Bitcoin Cash fork failed to gain majority, thus it is not Bitcoin.
Bitcoin has a lot of things the altcoin does not. It has clout, the most hashrate, and the highest market cap. It also has the higher fees and slower transactions of the two, unfortunately. Those issues will be addressed in the future, as some technical developments are on the horizon. Combined with the institutional investors' interest in Bitcoin, it will only continue to grow and further solidify its position in the market.


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Q: Select multiple TCL/TK text widgets at once I am trying to create a table using TCL/TK and am building it without using the Tktable widget.
I am using a canvas to build the table from ground up using the approach provided in:
simple Tktable
I have a whole bunch of customizations which (so far) I feel is easier if I build the table in a canvas and am hence using this approach instead of Tktable.
My table will be filled with read only text widgets, editable text widgets and some drop down menus.
Here is my question:
1) How can I allow a user to select multiple text widgets at the same time and retrieve the selection? Such as say, the user selects an entire row/col etc.
Please see the simplified code below:
package require Tk

proc makeWindow {} {
    set toplevelWindow .gui
    destroy $toplevelWindow

    ## Make the toplevel window
    toplevel $toplevelWindow
    wm title $toplevelWindow "Test case 1"
    wm minsize $toplevelWindow 200 200
    set pathName $toplevelWindow.testMultiSelection

    ## Create the canvas where I build the table
    destroy $pathName
    frame $pathName

    set col 0
    for {set i 0} {$i < 4} {incr i} {
        set w "$pathName\_$i"
        destroy $w
        text $w -width 9 -height 1 -state normal
        $w insert end $i
        $w configure -state disabled
        grid $w -row $i -column $col -sticky ew
    }
    grid config $toplevelWindow.testMultiSelection -column 0 -row 0 -sticky w
}

makeWindow

In the above example, I expect to select a few numbers (basically something like the ctrl+select) and somehow store the selection somewhere and retrieve them for later use.
Please let me know if the condensed test-case above is not clear.
EDIT 1
Forgot to add that I know how to retrieve single text widget selections using the selection get command.

A: Selections are restricted to a single widget at a time by default. If you turn off exporting of the selection at the widget level for each widget (configure -exportselection 0) then you can take over the management of that. However, some platforms also don't display the selection unless the widget has focus (due to platform GUI rules) so you might well also need to manage a text tag to apply the look of the selection. (The sel tag is the selection; it's managed specially, but you can copy its look fairly easily.)
Remember that you can embed widgets inside both canvases and text widgets (if the sub-widgets have names that make them child of the container). The window subcommand and/or item type is what you're looking for there if you're going that route.
The other big thing is managing the clipboard. You'll want to take that over explicitly. The usual command for that is clipboard, though the selection command can also be used (it gives access to the lower-level parts of the clipboard/selection mechanism; the clipboard is the CLIPBOARD selection).
Understand this, what you're doing is complicated and likely to take quite a bit of time and effort. Ask yourself whether your project is really justified in this level of complexity.

A: Gist of this idea is to use text tags to mark the selected text so you not only get the appearance of selected text you also mark that text as "selected". Then your copy operation merely iterates over all text widgets and gets the contents if it possesses the tag "selected". You can unselect selected text as you get the contents by removing the tag or as I have done below where the button command replaces itself with its own  undo command.
So the flow is click on the column button, all text widgets in that column have their contents tagged as selected (selected text is white background & black foreground and so looks selected )  click on a popup menu or a menu button that accesses all selected items and performs operation on the contents then click on column button to unselect the column. all selected text widgets have the selected tag removed with restores the default look of the text.
Assuming you click the top of the column ( I assume its a button )  and you know the text widgets in that column you can tag the text in each text widget with a tag to indicate it is selected. Then to copy you can iterate over all text widgets and pull the content in each text widget that is tagged. To unselect iterate over all text widgets and untag the content. In the code below Im assuming that I have the following functions : getAllTextWindowPaths - gives me list of all textwidgets in the canvas, getAllTextPathsInColumn colnumber  - gives me list of all textwidgets in canvas in column $colnumber.
# configure tags for all your text windows

foreach t [ getAllTextWindowPaths ] {
  $t tag configure selected -background white -foreground black
}
# configure the column select button
button .canvas.button.column1 -text {1} -command [ list clickColumn                        .canvas.button.column1 1 ]

proc selectText { textpath { select 1 }  } {
  if { $select == 1 } {
     $textpath tag add 1.0 end selected
  } else {
     $textpath tag remove 1.0 end selected
  }
}

proc clickColumn { colpath colnum } {
  # now call this click handler for for your column of textwidgets
  # you can make same for a row

  foreach t [getTextPathsInColumn $colnum ] {
     selectText $t 1
  }
  $colpath configure -command [list unclickColumn $colpath $colnum ]
}
proc unclickColumn { colpath colnum } {
  # now call this click handler for for your column of textwidgets
  # you can make same for a row

  foreach t [getTextPathsInColumn $colnum ] {
     selectText $t 1
  }
  $colpath configure -command [list clickColumn $colpath $colnum ]
}

proc getSelectedContents { } {
     # im adding to a list all the seleted contents but you can arrange
     # it anyway you want
     set retval {}
     foreach t [getAllTextWindowPaths ] {
         if { "selected" in [$t tag names 1.0 ] } {
            lappend retval [ $t get 1.0 end ]
         }
     }
    # optional call selectText $t 0  here foreach selected widget
    # to clear selection or handle the column click handler again
    return $retval
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


VIENNA — Austrian police have detained a Chechen refugee wanted in Belgium on suspicion of planning an Islamist militant attack on NATO targets, Austrian authorities said Saturday.
The suspect, who lives with his family in Austria, slipped through the dragnet when police in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands swooped in on suspected plotters last month, Interior Ministry spokesman Rudolf Gollia said.
The man, whom Gollia declined to identify, was taken into custody Dec. 1 when he arrived at Vienna airport from abroad. He remained under arrest pending an expected request from Belgium for his extradition.
"Belgian authorities suspect a group of Chechen extremists, who were seeking to set up a religious state in northern Chechnya, planned to attack NATO facilities in Belgium," Gollia said.
Police in the three other countries arrested about 10 people in the case on Nov. 23. Belgian prosecutors said at the time that the Belgian, Dutch, Moroccan and Russian nationals held were suspected of links to a group which had been active on an Islamist web site called Ansar al Mujahideen.
They said investigators were also seeking evidence of recruitment and financing of the Chechen militant organization Caucasus Emirate.


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Audio-Visual Services in Russia Become Regulated
Ekaterina Ovechkina
On July 1, 2017, the law on the regulation of audio-visual services (also known as the law on online cinemas) enters into force.
The full name of the law: Federal Law No. 87-FZ "On amendments to the Federal law 'On Information, Information Technologies and the Protection of Information' and to individual legislative acts of the Russian Federation" dated May 1, 2017 (hereinafter the "Law").
Essence of the Law
The "audio-visual service" concept is introduced.
Several new obligations are imposed for audio-visual services.
Certain restrictions are set on foreign ownership of such services.
Roskomnadzor shall have the power to check compliance with the provisions of the Law, including maintenance of the register of audio-visual services.
New liabilities are imposed.
What is an audio-visual service?
A site, a site page on the Internet, an information system and (or) a computer program meeting the following set of criteria:
used for formation and (or) organization of distribution through the Internet of audio-visual works,
accessed for a fee and (or) in return for watching advertisements,
aimed at attracting the attention of users located in the Russian Federation, and
available within 24 hours to more than 100,000 Internet users located in the Russian Federation.
A site that does not match at least one of the above criteria is not an audio-visual service, and is not subject to new liabilities and restrictions. The Law also provides for certain exceptions. For example, the following services are not audio-visual services:
Online media that are registered as such in accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation No. 2124-1 "On the mass media" dated December 27, 1991 (the "Mass Media Law");
Information resources where audio-visual works are placed mainly by the Internet users; the procedures and the criteria defining such information resources are to be developed by Roskomnadzor.
What obligations are imposed?
Several obligations are imposed on the owners of audio-visual services. In particular, the owners of audio-visual services will be required to (1) keep a record of users, (2) monitor the content and (3) provide their contact information.
(1) Keeping a record of users
The owners are obliged to install software programs to track the number of users of their resources. The list of such "counters" will be provided by Roskomnadzor.
(2) Monitoring the content
The owners are obliged to:
Prevent the use of the service for committing criminal acts, for disclosure of information that constitutes a state secret or other secret specially protected by the law, for distribution of materials containing public calls for terrorist activities or publicly justifying terrorism and other extremist materials as well as materials promoting pornography, the cult of violence and cruelty, and materials containing foul language;
Prevent the distribution of TV channels or TV programs that are not registered in accordance with the Mass Media Law;
Comply with the prohibitions and restrictions imposed by the law on referendums and elections, as well as with the requirements of the law on the distribution of mass information;
Classify audio-visual works in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Law No. 436-FZ "On the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to their Health and Development" dated December 29, 2010, i.e. categorize the works depending on their subject matter, genre, content and presentation according to age of children.
(3) Contact information
The owners are required to post on the page of the service the e-mail address as well as surnames and initials (for individuals) or names (for legal entities). This address will be deemed a valid address for legal communication.
Restrictions on foreign participation
The Law imposes restrictions on foreign ownership of Russian audiovisual services. Such services may be owned only by Russian legal entities or citizens of the Russian Federation not having the nationality of another state. However, there are various rules depending on the share of Russian users in the total audience of the respective service.
< 50% – subject to approval of the government commission
Foreign owners of the information resource that is used for distribution through the Internet of audio-visual works, if the number of its users located in Russia is less than 50% of the total number of the users of this resource, can own, manage, or control more than 20% of the shares in the share capital (including indirectly) of the owner of the audiovisual service subject to approval of the government commission.
> 50% – without restrictions
No restrictions are imposed on the audiovisual services with a share of Russian users exceeding 50%.
Powers of Roskomnadzor
The Law provides for the establishment of the register of audio-visual services that will be maintained by Roskomnadzor. This public authority will carry out independent monitoring and will enter in the register the information resources that meet the criteria of audio-visual services.
Roskomnadzor is also empowered to send inquiries to identify the owners of audio-visual services and to file a petition in court to restrict access to the audio-visual service.
The Law provides for administrative liability:
for transmission of unregistered media (the fine for legal entities amounts to 700,000 Roubles);
for violation of the established procedure for distribution among children of information harmful to their health (the fine for legal entities amounts to 500,000 Roubles);
for dissemination of information containing public calls for extremist activities (the fine for legal entities amounts to 1 million Roubles);
for failure to comply with the requirements of Roskomnadzor on elimination of revealed violations of the legislation (the fine for legal entities amounts to 1 million Roubles, in case of repeated violation – to 3 million Roubles).
The Law also provides for liability for the owners of audio-visual services for violation of the restrictions on foreign participation. Access to such audiovisual services through Internet access operators can be restricted.
Contact Lawyers
Personal Data and Cybersecurity in Russia – Legal Guide
This guide will help you determine whether various provisions of Russian personal data protection law apply to your information security practices, but even if they don't, given the often cross-border nature of information security laws, it is worth reading if only to make sure that these regulations are not applicable in your jurisdiction.
Regulation of Space Activities in Russia
Russia is one of the nations, most active in space exploration. Through the Russian space infrastructure, dozens of satellites are launched into orbit every year, astronauts from different countries undergo training in Russia, and scientists conduct numerous studies. All this activity is based on the international and national regulation, which is the subject of this guide.
Law on Support for the Arctic Zone
On August 28, 2020, the Russian Federal Law "On State Support for Entrepreneurial Activity in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation" entered into force. This alert provides an overview of the law's main provisions.
Egor Larichkin


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text:
Q: Use overridePendingTransition in conjuction with recreate(). Can it be done? I've been using Android's overridePendingTransition method to animate my activity page transitions with great success.  Example shown
startActivity(new Intent(GetTagActivity.this, MainActivity.class));
overridePendingTransition(R.anim.fade_in, R.anim.fade_out);

I have a situation that I need to "refresh" a page and desire a fade transition.  Without going into the details, I can't use the StartActivity(...)method to call the refresh (which would allow for the animation call).
Using recreate()works perfect to "refresh" the page, however I haven't been able to add the transition animation.  This hasn't worked.
recreate();
overridePendingTransition(R.anim.fade_in, R.anim.fade_out);

nor this
recreate().overridePendingTransition(R.anim.fade_in, R.anim.fade_out);

Can fade animation (or any activity transition) be used with recreate()?

A: you can user this (Kotlin code)
  override fun recreate() {
    finish()
    startActivity(Intent(this,this.javaClass))
    overridePendingTransition(R.anim.fade_in, R.anim.fade_out);

}


FINISH HIM… with this lovely trailer.
Mortal Kombat is coming back, and it looks BRUTAL!
Sony debut some gameplay footage of Mortal Kombat X at their E3 press conference, and thought it was too good to bury in the post. So it gets its own. WEEE!
Series favourites and immortal enemies Sub-Zero and Scorpion are going at it, and then there's… characters I've never seen before. A bee/bug lady, and a midget riding a big dude? Who are they, and how do they fit into the MK lore?
Enjoy below, but be warned: not for the faint of heart. If you stomach through it, let me know what you thought in the Comments Section.


Dear 2016, I'm breaking up with you and I'm happy to do so… Dear 2016, you've been a very strange, exhausting year, you've hurt me and so many of those whom I love… You took away too many precious lives, smiles, happiness, things and brought way too much darkness and struggles.
I didn't give you a permission to down spiral on me like that and seeing that others around me have suffered equally makes me upset! 2016, you're lame… You have promised to be the best year so far, but all I can recall is that you've stormed through like a hurricane, took everything you could grab and are leaving now so much up to 2017 to repair and pick up the "building blocks". May you rest in peace for forever, I and people around me are in a need of a good year ad you weren't one.
If I'm going to be 100% honest and still try to find that silver lining in every dark tunnel… I have to say that you did dare to be merciful here and there by brining some of the most amazing people into my life and sending some jerks away for good. I'm also thankful to you for all of the work and inspiration ( I guess that suffering is still my favourite motivation? :O ) because you made me work so hard for my dreams and goals.
Wishing you all a great last couple of days of this weird year… Let me know what are your thoughts on 2016?? Was this year kind or hard on you?
*Thank you Kämp hotel, Destiny store and Pandora jewellery for the location, clothes and jewellery!
Great post! 2016 was unfortunately kind of hard but I also had wonderful time! Hope you're having great holidays!
Thank you Violette and sorry to read that you had a hard year too.
Best of wishes to you in 2017!
Its always hard, but life moves on..Lovely post! Kisses..Merry Christmas.
Ni sama ne bih mogla ovo bolje sročiti. Sretna sam što ova godina napokon ide svome kraju.
Hvala ti Tatjana i nadam se da ce nam iduca godilla biti puno bolja i laksa nego ova.
2016 definitely had some rough patches for me and my family! I'm hopeful that 2017 will be much better for both me and you!!
Sorry about that Lauren but yes, I do believe that 2017 will be a much better one!
Here's to 2017! You look gorgeous my friend.
Cheers to a better year ahead! You look gorgeous as always!
Thank you so much my dear! All the best of wishes to you in 2017 too!
Aw so sorry 2016 was so hard on you, but I know 2017 will be amazing blank slate for you! Cheers to an awesome new year! Also these pictures are gorgeous!
Thank you sweetheart! I'm wishing you the best of start in 2017 too! Much love!
Thank you Vale, your words always make me happy and look at the "brighter side" of everything.
I'm happy to start 2017, 2016 won't be missed!
A beautiful sad post, Natali. Too many of us suffered this year. Even now, every time I switch on the radio, another celebrity has died. Let's hope 2017 will be more kind to us. Hope you had a lovely Christmas.
Cheers to 2017 being a great year for you!
Thank you Katie! Wishing you a great start of 2017!
2017 has to be better, cheers to that and it can only go up from here!
Thank you Amanda on these encouraging words! Wishing you all the best in 2017!
Thank you for the kind words and yes, here's to an amazing 2017!
There might be big changes in 2017 for me so I'm not really sure if I'm ready to leave this year behind me.
But I wish you a much better 2017, full of success and happiness!
Wishing you all of the best and a smooth transition with all of the changes that await for you!
Thank you Francesca! Wishing you all the best in 2017 too!
I hope 2017 will be the best year of your life lovely!
Great post and wonderful pictures. Cheers to 2017!
Aamen! Sinä puit sanoiksi sen, mitä minä ajattelin myöskin vuodesta 2016. Viimeinkin koittaa se päivä, kun saamme heittää hyvästit tälle vuodelle ja toivottaa tervetulleeksi paremman vuoden 2017! Toivon, että tuleva vuosi tuo sinullekin paljon riemun hetkiä, onnistumisia ja rakkautta Natali 🙂 sinulla on ihanan voimaannuttava syvällinen blogi.
Love the quality and style of your photos! And love how you started the post in your writing.
I love the way you have composed this text its so clever! 2016 was the year I seemed to live in extremes, of good and bad! Hopefully 2017 will be more balanced. I have a good feeling about this year.


We know where our diamonds come from.
a rough diamond supplied under the Kimberley Process.
control of the diamond up to its delivery to you.
the market today are of African, mostly Southern African origin.
We have visited the mines and cutting facilities in South Africa.
how our diamonds are cut and mined.
This is a record that is unmatched in our industry.
Our guarantee is written in stone.


text:
require 'fileutils'

RSpec.shared_examples('it requires running from inside a module', module_command: true) do
  context 'when run outside of a module' do
    before(:all) do
      Dir.mkdir('empty_test_dir')
      Dir.chdir('empty_test_dir')
    end

    after(:all) do
      Dir.chdir('..')
      FileUtils.rm_rf('empty_test_dir')
    end

    describe command(top_level_description) do
      its(:exit_status) { is_expected.not_to eq(0) }
      its(:stderr) { is_expected.to match(%r{a valid module}i) }
      its(:stdout) { is_expected.to have_no_output }
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Elder Moon
My Personal Story Part Four
Post author By Renee
No Comments on My Personal Story Part Four
Pt. 4 Grateful for Medicaid
In October of 2016, my dad was hospitalized for about a week – he'd developed a clot in his leg. Shifting from assisted living to the hospital was hard for him. He was disoriented and agitated. It wasn't long after his return to assisted living that the director told me that Dad's needs were exceeding the facility's ability to care for him and we needed to start looking for a skilled care facility.
For the past several years, my sister was in a position to supplement our dad's income, beginning before my mom passed away. Her circumstances were changing – it was increasingly difficult to afford to keep our dad in assisted living, and now he was needing even more expensive care! We were getting ready to put his house on the market, but who knew if that would be enough to sustain him? I made an appointment with a social worker at the local Medicaid office.
I began the Medicaid application process, bringing all of Dad's documents to the appointment. It takes about 45 days to get approved, and we were working on getting all the ducks in a row. Again, I lucked out! The staff at the assisted living facility began the search for skilled care, looking for one that would take Medicaid and had room for him – and one that had a good reputation. And they found one! Dad moved in the week following Thanksgiving.
We didn't tell Dad that he was moving until the morning of the move. One of the effects of dementia is agitation, and we wanted to minimize that. Plus, my dad dropped his portable oxygen tank on his foot the day after Thanksgiving, and he was in some pain, and had to use a wheelchair. The skilled care facility soon had my dad walking again, though he did use the wheelchair more than he had previously. Then two days after Christmas he was back in the hospital.
It was another clot in his leg. After talking to the hospital doctors, we decided on palliative care. The medical staff said that if antibiotics didn't work, they'd have to amputate the leg, and that was a distance I was not willing to go. They said that if he did recover, this would happen over and over again, and he was in so much pain that he was screaming when given an injection. So he was transported back to skilled care and he passed away three days later.
In many ways we were so lucky. My brother and niece were visiting, so we were all able to spend time with our dad over those three days. I don't know if he had any awareness of our presence (I like to think that he did), but it was certainly a comfort to us. And when his doctor came to check on him, he sang hymns to our dad. I found that incredibly moving and heart-filled.
We didn't hold a memorial service until May. We felt that the service needed to be held where his friends could attend, and it gave us all some space to grieve and come to terms with his absence. It was wonderful to see those friends of his we'd met before, and to meet those friends of Dad whom we did not know. And to hear how his life and love impacted so many others.
My dad passed away before Medicaid was in place, but I was able to sleep at night, knowing that this was an option. This is an option we need to keep in place as about 10,000 baby boomers reach the age of 65 every single day. We will soon have the largest old population our country has ever seen, and long term skilled care is not covered by Medicare. There's already people banging the drum to cut Medicaid (and Medicare) benefits, so my question is, "What will our nation do when such a large body of citizens has nowhere to go?"
Tags medicaid, skilled nursing
My Personal Story Part Three
No Comments on My Personal Story Part Three
Pt. 3 Grateful for the Court System
My dad and M. were happily unmarried, or so I thought.
I visited them about a week after their ceremony, and I picked up my dad one day for a doctor visit, and he seemed very happy. So I was surprised when I received a voice message from M.'s son 16 days after their ceremony of commitment which said that M. and my dad were going to go down to the courthouse to get married.
I went to see them that evening. M. tried grilling me to find out who told that they wanted to go to the courthouse. (This was when I knew that she was actively trying to keep this from me.) M. said she became upset when she called the courthouse and was told that a marriage of commitment was not a legal marriage. (It was here that I began to wonder if my dad was the only one in this partnership who had dementia, since we had been very specific that a ceremony of commitment had no legal binding and that was why we agreed to this option. During out meeting with the director where this was discussed, her daughter told M. that she could legally change her name so she and my dad would have the same name, so I don't know where this disconnect occurred.) I tried to tell M. that even though it wasn't legal, it was a ceremony before God, but this didn't seem to matter to her – she wanted to be legally married. I again said that my dad didn't have the capacity to make this kind of decision due to his dementia. At this point my dad said very loudly, "I DO, TOO!" (It's hard to be diplomatic and honest in this type of situation. I did the best I could.) I told my dad that he could still do many things, but I did not believe he could make this type of legal decision. And then M. got up in my face and asked, "Has he been declared incompetent?" to which I responded, "Not yet." M. then told me to leave, and I did.
Just a side note here: When I was both a child and as an adult, my dad frequently misplaced items – this was not a new behavior of his dementia. When we went to clear out his house in Georgia I found three or four different driver licenses for generally the same time-period. When my brother moved our dad to North Carolina, I took all of Dad's cards and identification into my possession so they would not get lost or stolen. I didn't know then how this would play out to our advantage in the future.
As I'm sure you know, there is a requirement when applying for a marriage license that the applicants must show identification. While my dad and M. were at the Registrar of Deeds trying to get a license without Dad's identification, I was at the courthouse filing a petition for guardianship. The guardianship hearing would take place about three weeks later, so I also filed a petition for interim guardianship which took place about three business days later, and I was granted interim guardianship.
Part of the process of attaining guardianship involves the court appointing a guardian ad litem who advocates for the rights and needs of the ward. An attorney was appointed to interview my dad, my sister, and myself, and I believe he also spoke with the director of Dad's facility.
I thought it would be best if I did not exacerbate the situation by visiting my dad very often during this period. At the end of the month, though, I went to move his belongings still in his old room to the room he was sharing with M. to avoid having to pay for a room he was no longer using. The plan was that he and M. would split the rent on her room.
When I arrived, both he and M. were laying on the bed, and M. was on the phone. After telling her caller, "Oh, she's here," she got up and left the room. I went to my dad and asked how he was doing. He said, "Not well." I asked what was going on, and he said, "Apparently we're splitting up." When asked why, he said he didn't know and he didn't know what he would do, now. I told him we would pack up what he'd already moved to M.'s room, and he'd go back to his old room. I then went to talk to the director, who knew nothing about what was going on, but Chris was a go-getter, and after talking to M., he arranged for help to move everything back to Dad's old room during the lunch period. Dad went to eat lunch and we moved it all back. No sooner had this been done than M. was at the door, asking my dad to move back. What a roller-coaster!
Six days later I went to the guardianship hearing. Luckily, my dad did not have to appear – and I was glad he was spared this. No one should have to listen to why they are no longer considered competent. Part of my dad's dementia included verbal aphasia. When beginning a conversation, Dad could usually get out a short sentence on a good day, but anything further was difficult. There were long pauses as he searched for the word he was looking for, and sometimes the word he chose was not the one he meant. Often, he just gave up and was silent.
Being able to communicate is a big part of being legally competent. The guardian ad litem recommended that I be Dad's guardian of person, and so the petition was granted. I knew this was ultimately a victory for my dad, but it was sad that this was necessary.
I never directly told my dad that I now was his guardian. I did give letters of administration to the assisted living facility, the Registrar of Deeds, and all the doctor offices, and I occasionally would verify this with him being present, but he never asked me about it, or seemed concerned about it.
My dad and M. got back together, split up, and got back together again. After a couple of incidents, one where M. followed my dad down the hallway during an argument, grabbing his belt, and once when staff saw her yelling at my dad and he was crying, the director and I got together and decided that this just wasn't healthy for my dad. Even though my dad told me that he didn't want to live with M. anymore, she changed his mind, and he wanted to stay with her. (I think this was dementia related – he was very biddable.) Chris, the director, again arranged for my dad's belongings to be moved during lunch, and when Dad and M. returned, most everything had been moved. M. tried to talk to me, but I just moved away with my dad, saying that we would go look at his new room. We sat down, and I reminded him that he wanted to move just a day earlier, and that this relationship was causing a lot of unhappiness, and just wasn't healthy for either of them. My dad took this in, and after a while said, "I think I understand why you did what you did," and that seemed to be the end of it. (I really don't know if perhaps this was again just another example of being easily persuaded with his dementia or if he really understood.) Eventually M. moved away from the facility and though she occasionally contacted me, she did not see or talk to my dad again.
This time I did not sigh in relief – I just waited to see what new adventure was to unfold. I felt like I'd been through the wringer, and I was hoping for a quiet period of easy decisions. And for a few months, that was the case.
Tags adult guardianship, court system, guardian ad litem
My Personal Story Part Two
No Comments on My Personal Story Part Two
Pt. 2 Grateful for Assisted Living Administration
When my dad moved to assisted living, he was pleasantly surprised at how much he liked it. I'm not saying he loved it, or that he enjoyed the food (I've yet to meet someone who does), but my dad was a people person and he enjoyed being with pleasant people. Over and again I was told by his neighbors and staff how my dad was such a kind man, and how they enjoyed his presence there. When his divorce was final, I breathed a sigh of relief and felt I was through the worst of his situation. Well, that was premature!
About two weeks later, my dad tells me he's met someone at the facility. He had a twinkle in his eye and that shy grin on his face. I was surprised, and a bit concerned. A short time later he said they wanted to get married.
At this point, I'd yet to meet the woman he wanted to marry, but I took my concerns to Chris, the director of the facility. And let me be clear – I had no objections to my dad having a relationship – I wanted him to be happy and content. I had great objections with my dad making a legal arrangement when he had a diagnosis of dementia. The director understood, and set up a meeting between him, my dad, his new love (I'll call her M.) her two children, and myself.
Chris arranged the meeting to take place during lunch, and provided lunch for us. My first impression of M. was that she was ebullient being with my dad. And it turned out that I was acquainted with M.'s son from years back. Her daughter lived in Marietta, GA and came up specifically for this meeting. After M. told us all how they were in love and wanted to marry (with my dad nodding and grinning), I told the group how dad had just gone through a difficult divorce and that I didn't think it was wise to get back into a marriage. M. said that she didn't want any financial support from my dad, she just wanted to be married to him. I brought up the elephant in the room, stating that since Dad had dementia, he had no business making a legal decision. M.'s children agreed with that.
At this point, Chris talked about the relationships he had seen during his time working at assisted living facilities. He said that some couples got married, some had ceremonies of commitment, and others simply lived together. We discussed ceremonies of commitment, and we all agreed that this would satisfy what each of us needed – a commitment of love between Dad and M., being joined before God, and having no legal entanglements. Crisis averted!
M. was quite excited about planning the ceremony. I even volunteered to officiate (I had two previous ceremonies under my belt) knowing that I could be sure that there were no legalities involved. A date was set for about three weeks later and I got to work writing the ceremony.
And it all went off without a hitch. Family members from both sides attended the church ceremony, and there was a reception at a local motel afterwards. (One of M.'s family member asked if I'd do her ceremony of she ever decided to marry again!) M.'s daughter sprang for a couple of nights for the newlyweds at the motel, and I again sighed in relief.
I was so grateful for the assisted living director coming to the rescue with both his suggestion and how he was able to get us all on board, and I was glad for the structure that allowed for this to unfold. If my dad had been at a different facility, who knows how this would have developed? Each has their own policies and rules, and I was so grateful that a legal entanglement was averted.
Then sixteen days later, another shoe dropped. But that's my next post.
Tags ceremony of commitment, elder issues
My Personal Story Part One
No Comments on My Personal Story Part One
Pt. 1 Grateful for Adult Protective Services
My dad remarried in 2009, just ten months after my mother passed away. I take that action as a testament to the success of Mom and Dad's marriage – it was so good he wanted to have another experience like that. The problem was – none of us kids liked her. (I'll call her J.) J. had none of the characteristics we associated with our Mom, and she was argumentative the few times we met her. Plus, none of us thought that Dad had grieved enough to be able to make a serious decision like this. I suspect that a lot of the decision was made in a "knight to the rescue" kind of attempt, as J. was living on public assistance after recovering from a serious car accident, and this assistance was running out. My sister was the only one who attended the wedding (kudos to her!) and on the first occasion I saw my dad afterwards he admitted that marrying J. was a mistake.
I believe that even knowing they were not well suited, my dad still wanted to make it work, and when J. was diagnosed with breast cancer, my dad was there for her.
A few years passed. Although my dad said he wanted to spend the year-end holiday with us, he cancelled a couple of weeks earlier in 2014. The following January he was admitted into the hospital, and at this point we learned of his dementia diagnosis. 2015 was the year that his verbal aphasia grew worse, so it was difficult to communicate in any detail with him. J. was frequently unable to cope. We started hearing from Dad's neighbors about how they were concerned for him, and how erratically J. was acting. Adult Protective Services were called in for neglect. My Dad was in and out of the hospital frequently for falls, and one stay required a rehab facility since they did not want him to go home. During this period J. was involuntarily committed a number of times.
My siblings and I were tearing our hair out. We were hearing that one time J. was running up and down their street, yelling at people. I have no idea what kind of hell my dad endured, but the look of his gaunt face when he was in rehab spoke volumes. Of the three of us siblings, I was geographically closest here in Asheville, and still that was four hours away. My brother was in South Carolina at about five hours away, and my sister had moved to Idaho. We did all we could, legally, but since J. was his wife, we could not swoop in to rescue him.
The breaking point came in July of 2015 when my dad finally announced that he wanted a divorce and we all breathed a sigh of relief. My brother stayed with him in Georgia for a month while we made arrangements for him to move to an assisted living facility here in Asheville. During the fall of that year, we made several trips back to Georgia for his divorce proceedings, which was granted in December. It was during the trial (yes, J. wanted an actual trial) that J.'s schizophrenia was revealed. And now this roller coaster ride seemed to be over.
I truly don't know what would have happened if someone had not noticed how my dad was being neglected and reported it. Before my dad decided on getting a divorce, his case with Adult Protective Services was closed out – since J. was (temporarily) out of the picture – but once she was released, she was back in my dad's life. (I discovered that one of the characteristics of my dad's dementia was how easily he was led – a characteristic that would show up again in 2016.) When I called Adult Protective Services, I was instructed to file another report to get him back in the system.
After he was divorced, one of his neighbors told us that she believed that J. had been doping him to keep him sedate while she went out. The neighbor based this on her observation of how alert my dad was when he'd returned from the hospital, and then a few weeks later he was just droopy and staring when she visited. I don't know if doping was the reason for this or not, but I can say that he was not like that at all when he was in the assisted living facility.
Adult Protective Services provide an essential service. Each state, of course, has their own version, but there is a national website called NAPSA that will direct you to the Service in your state. http://www.napsa-now.org/
Tags adult protective services, elder issues
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