Dependence on antipsycotic drugs like aripriprazole (ARI) is increasing at alarming rate, hence, this study was undertaken to support the hypothesis that supplementation of Citrus paradisi (Grapefruit) juice having high concentration of polyphenols might potentiate and synergize the therapeutic effect of ARI, by increasing its bioavailability and inherent antioxidant potential. These benefits together might decrease the daily dosage of the ARI and thus alleviate the possible side effects of drug.
In this study the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of ARI alone and in combination with GFJ was evaluated for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induced oxidative stress in mice. Seventy mice (4 weeks old), were randomly divided into seven groups. Group I: Control; Group II: H2O2 treated; Group III; ARI treated; Group IV GFJ treated; Group V: GFJ and H2O2 treated; Group VI; ARI and H2O2 treated; Group VII; ARI, GFJ and H2O2 treated. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine kinase (CK), creatinine and total protein were measured. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-2, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations were also measured.
The mice group that was treated with ARI, GFJ or combination of the two showed significant improvement in the H2O2 altered parameters with the combination group showing more significant improvement than the ARI and GFJ alone groups indicating a synergistic and potentiating effect of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of GFJ on ARI.
Supplementing GFJ to ARI might increase an anti-oxidative potential of ARI due to inherent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of GFJ and thus could alleviate the possible dosage dependent side effects of ARI.
Aripiprazole's (ARI) antipsychotic activity is unique as it has an agonistic activity on presynaptic dopamine auto-receptor and an antagonistic effect on the postsynaptic dopamine D2 receptor . This partial agonism and antagonism is due to the high affinity of ARI towards the 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors present on serotonin neurons. ARI has been recommended for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorders.  Also, ARI is used for neuropsychiatric symptoms, commonly seen in Alzheimer disease, but results from randomized controlled trials on the safety and efficacy of these drugs are conflicting. In spite of that, the use of ARI is rapidly increasing throughout the world because it shows modest efficacy in the treatment of Alzheimer disease related psychosis . Furthermore, ARI is more effective for particular symptoms, such as anger and aggression .
Phospholipids are present in very high amounts in the central nervous tissue. The phospholipids present include docosahexaenoic acid, arachidonic acid, inositol phosphate and diacylglycerol, and these can be peroxidated on exposure to reactive oxygen molecules, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, glutamate and acetyl choline generate these phospholipids as secondary messengers that are pathological reasons for the disease of central nervous system .
ROS may cause damage to nucleic acids, denature proteins, and saturating the fatty acids in lipid bilayer, resulting in altered membrane structure and function . Since the demand for ATP is high, the brain consumes oxygen (O2) rapidly, and is thus susceptible to interference with mitochondrial function, which can in turn lead to increased O2− formation. The brain contains multiple antioxidant defenses to restrict the harmful effects of ROS, of which the mitochondrial manganese-containing superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione seem especially important [6–9]. In depression there is loss of innate antioxidant activity mechanisms and pro-inflammatory cytokines that in turn result in the increased free radical formation because of phagocytic cell activation . Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been used to produce the mice models to mimic oxidative stress .
Many studies have reported the association between the depression and activation of anti-inflammatory responses. The inflammatory response is demonstrated by the increased production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukins and tumor necrosis factor-α. It has been proved in animal and human models that changes in these pro-inflammatory cytokines produces behavioral changes leading to depression. These behavioral changes include lack of good feeling, weight loss, insomnia, social withdrawal, anorexia, psychomotor retardation, fatigue and irritability. Anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects with antidepressant treatments by unknown mechanism is well documented [5, 12].
The role of ROS has been established in various neurological and psychiatric diseases as central nervous system is highly vulnerable to oxidative stress. Treatment with antidepressants may suppress immune cells which in turn could result in reduction of ROS production. ARI has been reported to have antioxidant potential . Flavonoid compounds are widely distributed in plant kingdom and citrus fruits contain high content of flavonoids . Flavonoids in citrus fruits and their metabolites possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, thus, reducing the risk for various chronic diseases mediated through ROS [13–15]. Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi; family: Rutaceae) is rich in citrus flavonoids and has beneficial anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [16–21]. Grapefruit juice (GFJ) has been shown to have antioxidant potential in mice [16, 17]. The protective effect of GFJ against genotoxicity has also been proved in various other studies [16, 18, 19]. Several studies have shown the protective effect of GFJ against hydrogen peroxide induced toxicity because of its antioxidant potential [20, 21]. High amounts of naringin flavonoid (1 mmol l− 1) has been found and is unique to GFJ . GFJ is also known for its pharmacokinetic drug interactions as it increases the plasma concentration of several drugs by inhibiting the metabolism through inhibition of the cytochrome P450 isoforms [23, 24]. The orange juice lacks naringin and also does not interact with the pharmacokinetics of other drugs attributing most of its interaction properties to naringin [25, 26]. Naringin in GFJ has also been shown to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition to naringin a number of other flavonoids have been reported in the grapefruit juices Table 1 . GFJ due to its intrinsic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities can potentiate and/or synergize the activity of ARI, hence the synergistic and potentiating effect of GFJ on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of ARI was studied in different H2O2 groups of mice by evaluating the biochemical and inflammatory oxidative stress parameters.
All the chemicals used including ARI and naringin, were purchased from Sigma Chemical C., St Louis, MO, USA. ELISA kits were purchased from R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Kits for biochemical estimations were procured from Human Diagnostic Worldwide; Wiesbaden, Germany.
The grapefruit used in the study was of imported to Saudi Arabia from United States origin and purchased from Tamimi Markets, Arqah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. GFJ was extracted by a domestic squeezer (Braun Citromatic Pulp Control MPZ6) and was filtered using a sieve of mesh diameter 1 mm.
Healthy 4 to 5 week old mice (male) were obtained from the Animal Breeding Facility of King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and kept in the Central Animal House Facility of the institute. Mice were kept in polypropylene cages at room temperature with relative humidity of 60 ± 15%, and 12 h light-dark cycle. The study was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee of King Saud University.
Seventy healthy male mice weighing between 25 and 30 g were randomly divided into seven groups (n = 10 each) and treated daily for 4 weeks as follows: Group I (G-I) control group (normal saline); Group II (G-II) H2O2 treated; Group III (G-III) 2 mg ARI along with normal drinking water; Group IV (G-IV) 0.5 ml of GFJ with normal drinking water; Group V (G-V) 2 mg/kg ARI with H2O2 in drinking water, Group VI (G-VI) 0.5 ml GFJ with H2O2 in drinking water, Group VII (G-VII) 2 mg/kg ARI and 0.5 ml GFJ juice along with H2O2 in drinking water. ARI was dissolved in 2 ml physiologic saline (0.9% w/v) and administered orally (gastric gavage). In all H2O2 treated groups normal drinking water was replaced with 0.4% H2O2. Samples of fresh juice were pasteurized by method of Tatum and Berry  and was given by oral gavage. All the groups were sacrificed after 24 h by asphyxiation with carbon dioxide.
Reverse phase liquid chromatographic technique (RP-HPLC)  with some minor modifications was used to determine the content of naringin in the grapefruit juice. Briefly the chromatographic procedure included homogenization of GFJ and dimethylformamide in the ratio of 1:1 and centrifugation of the resulting solution at 4000 g for 20 min. The supernatant was filtered using as 0.2 μm filter and a sample of 20 μL was injected in the HPLC system (Waters, USA). The separation was carried out using as stainless steel 5 μm (Altima C18) column with dimensions of (250 × 4.6 mm I.D.). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 4% acetic acid in the ration of 65:35 v/v. the analysis was carried out at 280 nm and naringin was identified by comparison with the standard sample. The naringin was quantified using the known concentration of external standard. The standard calibration curve was plotted between different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0 and 1.6 mg mL− 1) of standard naringin against peak area. The concentration of the sample was determined from the calibration curve.
Biochemical parameters including ALT, BUN, serum creatinine, and CK were estimated using various kits based on colorimetric methods (Human Diagnostic Worldwide; Wiesbaden, Germany) according to the manufacture instructions. The serum samples prepared from each mice group were stored at − 80 °C for biochemical and cytokine analyses.
Briefly, for ALT estimation 200 μl of serum was added to 1 ml of working reagent and incubated at 37 °C for 1 min. The absorbance of solution was measured at 340 nm every 1 min for 3 min.
For serum creatinine estimation, 10 μl serum was added to 1 ml of working reagent and the samples incubated at 37 °C for 30 s. The absorbance of the creatinine sample was read at 492 nm immediately and after 2 min.
For BUN estimation 10 μl serum was added to 1 ml of working reagent and the samples incubated at 37 °C for 30 s. Absorbance was read immediately and 1 min later at 340 nm for estimation of serum urea level The serum BUN level was then calculated by dividing the serum urea level by 2.14, the conversion factor derived on the molecular weights of both BUN and urea.
Protein levels in serum were measured by using bovine serum albumin as standard . The amount of protein was calculated from a standard curve. Protein values were expressed as g/dL. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-2 and IL-10 were determined using an ELISA technique according to manufacturer's instructions (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA). Plasma samples were pretreated with specific reagents for indicated period and were measured for cytokines concentration in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions with the detection limits of 3 pg/ml for TNF-α, 7 pg/ml for IL-1, 3 pg/ml for IL-2 and 3 pg/ml for IL9–10. The optical density of the samples was determined using a microplate reader set at 450 nm.
The results were expressed as mean ± SE. The data was analyzed using ANOVA – Tukey post Hoc multiple comparison test. All statistical analysis was performed using Graph-Pad prism 6.0 software. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant difference.
The content of naringin, the principal flavonoid present in GFJ, responsible for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and drug interaction properties was estimated using RP-HPLC technique. The concentration was found to be 0.39 mg mL− 1 (Fig. 1).
To evaluate the protection against oxidative stress and inflammation by ARI and GFJ alone and in combination in H2O2 treated mice serum levels of certain biochemical markers (ALT, BUN, CK, creatinine and total protein) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-2, IL- 10 and TNF-α) were measured. The levels of the obtained results for the biomarkers are presented in Table 2.
A significant increase was observed in the ALT, BUN and creatinine levels whereas a decrease in CK and total protein was observed in the H2O2 treated group. There was no significant change in the ALT, BUN, CK, creatinine and total protein levels of the ARI and GFJ treated groups compared to the control group. In ARI+ H2O2, GFJ+ H2O2 and GFJ + ARI + H2O2 treated groups there was a significant reversal in the ALT, BUN, CK, creatinine and total protein levels compared to H2O2 treated group. Amongst the three the GFJ + ARI + H2O2 group could significantly reverse the changes caused by H2O2 in ALT, BUN, creatinine and total protein levels and the changes obtained were insignificant compared to control group.
The pro-inflammatory factors like IL-1α, IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-α elevated due H2O2 induced oxidative stress. The elevated levels of IL-1α decreased significantly in (ARI) and (ARI + GFJ) treated groups however GFJ alone could not decrease the elevated levels of IL-1α significantly when compared to control group (Fig. 2). Similarly, the combination of ARI + GFJ decreased IL-2 significantly when compared to H2O2 group but there was insignificant difference with the control group (Fig. 3). In case of IL-10, GFJ and combination of ARI and GFJ reduced elevated levels IL-10 significantly compared to H2O2 treated group like those in control group (Fig. 4). The TNF-α levels were reversed significantly in GFJ treated group but the ARI treated group showed incomplete protection when compared to control. While as the combination of GFJ and ARI showed significant protection when compared to the control group (Fig. 5).
ARI, GFJ and combination of the two protects the mice from oxidative stress and inflammatory injury induced by H2O2 with reversal of altered enzyme/cytokine levels. ALT estimation is important for determination of hepatic injury and its levels were reduced significantly in mice treated with ARI and GFJ alone as well as in combination in the H2O2 treated group. The ALT levels could not reach the normal values when GFJ and ARI were used alone, however in the treatment group where the combination of GFJ and ARI was used the ALT levels decreased significantly and were insignificantly different from the control values. The possible explanation for these results could be the synergistic antioxidant property of GFJ on ARI. Since, GFJ contains citrus flavonoids and these have been known to possess diverse biologic activities. Concomitant to our study, previous studies demonstrated that elevated ALT levels decreased post antioxidant treatment . Naringin and naringenin are amongst the most important citrus flavonoids and are present in abundance in GFJ and thus attribute anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to GFJ. [16–21, 31]. It has been hypothesized that since orange juice lacks the naringin, hence does not interact with various drugs. Therefore, the interaction with ARI with GFJ could be because of presence in high amounts of naringin in GFJ. Also, naringin has been shown to have interaction with several other drugs [32, 33].
Similarly, the total protein levels returned to normal in all the three treatment groups i.e., ARI, and ARI + GFJ group. However, GFJ alone could not increase back the total protein levels significantly compared to control group. Oxidative stress impacts translation and protein degradation, affecting protein expression levels in addition to changes at the mRNA level. The data of this study is concomitant with the previous literature which reports that translation and protein synthesis are generally down-regulated during oxidative stress depending on the type of stress . Furthermore, increase or decrease in protein levels may mean that liver damage has occurred or disease is present. The BUN levels were elevated due to oxidative stress. These results are in agreement with elevated BUN levels in oxidative stress by Kojima et al... 2007 , who correlated the higher levels with the impairment of kidney function. ARI, GFJ and their combination significantly reduced the BUN levels. The combination of the two was more potent in bringing the BUN to normal levels compared to either of them alone. In case of CK all the treatment groups decreased the CK levels back to normal thus showing the efficacy of the three against high CK levels. Increase in CK levels in oxidative stress was also reported by Ohta et al .
Insult with H2O2 activates NF-kB and JNK pathways through stimulating ROS generation [37–39]. The activation of these signal pathways enhanced downstream inflammatory and oxidative reactions in liver and facilitated the production of cytokines and chemotactic factors like IL-1α, IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-α [40, 41]. IL-1 plays a crucial role in sustaining oxidative stress. The constitutive expression of IL-1 has been already shown to stimulate angiogenesis and promote tumor growth and metastasis in some mouse melanoma models [42, 43]. The elevated levels of all inflammatory cytokines reversed back significantly in the mice groups treated with ARI and GFJ.
In this study, GFJ potentiates the effect of ARI, since ARI is more potent antioxidant than GFJ as is seen in the results section. The potentiating effect of GFJ on ARI can be attributed to the fact that that GFJ increases the oral bioavailability of various drugs by inhibition of CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 iso-enzymes, thus reducing the first pass elimination of these drugs [44–46]. As ARI is metabolized by the cytochrome P450 isoforms CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 and also it's main pharmacologically active metabolite OPC-14857 is dependent on CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 for its production and elimination . Therefore, GFJ can influence the plasma concentration of ARI. Thus the GFJ could have both the synergistic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action as well as it can also potentiate the action of ARI by increasing the plasma concentration of the ARI. The combination of GFJ and ARI was seen to be more potent effect and showed higher level of protection in all our parameters. The possible reason for greater protection from the combination could be the synergistic effect of GFJ. GFJ contains polyphenols and previous studies have reported that polyphenol compounds exert an anti-inflammatory effect on oxidative stress particularly by reducing inflammatory cytokines [47, 48]. There is very high variation in the flavonoid content of GFJ and naringin is the most abundant and unique flavonoid present in the GFJ (Table 1). Naringin has several health benefits and is bioavailable as naringin aglycone (naringenin). Naringin or naringenin acts as an antioxidant, hypolipidemic, increases alcohol metabolism, anti-apoptotic, decreases risk of atherosclerosis etc . It has also been reported that pro-inflammatory cytokine production decreased post antipsychotic treatments . Hence, the use of ARI along with GFJ juice might increase to the anti-oxidative potential of ARI due to inherent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. GFJ could also increase the bioavailability of ARI, reducing possible side effects of ARI due to its lesser dosage.
GFJ and ARI both reversed the altered biochemical and pro-inflammatory parameters in mice treated with hydrogen peroxide but none of them individually could reach to the insignificant difference with levels of control group. However, the combination of GFJ and ARI reduced all the altered parameters to insignificant differences with control group. We conclude a synergistic and potentiating effect of GFJ and ARI. Further, on the basis of results obtained, we demonstrate that the dose of ARI could potentially be reduced in combination therapy with GFJ, though further studies are needed, including trials involving humans.
The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, for funding the research group No. RG-1435-073.
The authors declare that the project was funded by Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University. Research Group No RG-1435-073.
The datasets analyzed during the study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
SZ and ARA designed the study. SZ, TAW and ARA conducted the experiments. SZ and TAW interpreted the data and wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Animals were maintained in accordance with the recommendations of the 'Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals' approved by institutional animal ethics committee of College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study protocol was approved (KSU-SE-13-16) by the animal ethics committee, prior to the study.
Not applicable in this section.


text:
Scandal, Outrage, Censorship
Controversy in Modern Art
January 21, 1992 to March 07, 1992
Scandal has dogged the steps of modern art from its inception. The outcry that greeted the first exhibition of work by the Impressionists has assumed near legendary status, and for many years thereafter every new movement or wave in the surging tide of modernism evoked similar displeasure. This reaction was common to all countries in which modernism flourished, but it assumed particularly insidious form in Germany, for only here, alone among Western European nations, was opposition to modernism sanctioned, codified and eventually dictated by the state.
Over the course of the twentieth century, the would-be censor's proclivities have proven remarkably consistent. Special attention is paid to art that seemingly violates moral (usually sexual or religious) taboos or that critiques the prevailing social, economic or political order. Stylistically, the censor adheres to a fairly orthodox concept of realistic verisimilitude, and lunges at art that fails to reflect generally accepted standards of beauty or that treats conventional subjects in an unconventional way. Often considerations of content and style work hand in hand, so that, for example, many perfectly sincere Expressionistic renderings of religious subject matter were, due to their unaccustomed distortions, judged blasphemous by the Nazis.
Modern art--particularly the Expressionist variants pursued in Austria and Germany--proved quintessentially vulnerable to assaults from conservative forces because of the ways in which radical style and content were intertwined. In 1900, Gustav Klimt's painting Medicine, the first of a series of three works commissioned by the University of Vienna, provoked a torrent of abuse, including angry petitioning and a protracted critical debate in the press, because it combined blatant nudity with an unprecedented, ahistorical presentation of a traditional academic subject. Klimt's protegé Egon Schiele took the exploration of human sexuality one step farther and was prosecuted for his involvement with under-age models. The tacit assumption that children--even when they have given their consent and are clearly not physically molested--are somehow tainted by the simple act of posing in the nude has resurfaced periodically during repressive moments throughout this century.
Klimt and Schiele came to loggerheads with a society that, though seemingly entrenched and stable, was in fact on its last legs, and it may be argued that their work was controversial precisely because it foreshadowed a doom not yet acknowledged by the general public. By the 1920s both Austria and Germany had endured revolutions as well as resounding military defeat, and the demise of the old regime was an inescapable fact. Hyperinflation in the early years of the decade decimated the middle class, creating unprecedented extremes of wealth and poverty. The plight of crippled veterans, destitute widows and the unemployed contrasted harshly with the greed of war profiteers and speculators. Käthe Kollwitz, who had for decades sympathetically documented the victimization of the working poor, now turned her attention to the new underclass, while younger artists such as George Grosz and Otto Dix caricatured the overclass. These biting critiques for the most part found a sympathetic reception in Weimar Republic Germany, where the avant-garde was gradually being absorbed into the mainstream and museums nationwide led the field in acquisitions and exhibitions of modern art.
It was the relatively permissive values of the Weimar era--epitomized by the government-regulated bordellos and celebrated cabaret life of Berlin--that, coupled with dire economic circumstances, made some people fear that the very fiber of society was breaking down. The Nazi regime rose to power by playing on these fears and giving them a focus in a host of activities and ideas labeled un-German. Foreign influences were identified with an international Jewish-Bolshevist conspiracy, and any sort of "deviant" moral, intellectual or personal behavior was branded as degenerate. A self-righteous and unswerving morality, imposed from on high, was promulgated as the cure necessary to save society from a contagion of degeneracy.
This philosophy ultimately found expression in the Nazis' extermination of homosexuals, invalids, cripples, mental patients and of course Jews and other non-Aryans, but particularly in the regime's early years, the elimination of "degenerate" art had compelling propaganda value. The fact that modernism was international in orientation and often incomprehensible to the common folk played right into Nazi hands, as did the modernists' avowed interest in the art of the insane and of non-Western cultures. The Nazis delighted in pointing out examples of "inferior" racial types in the art of Expressionists such as Emil Nolde, and stressed that many of Lovis Corinth's most prized works were done after the artist had suffered a debilitating stroke. Needless to say, artists who, like John Heartfield, criticized the existing social order were also prime targets.
Within one year of assuming power, Hitler had removed many leading artists (including Dix, Kollwitz, Max Beckmann and Karl Hofer) from their teaching posts, and by placing the administration of even private galleries under the control of an official Kulturkammer (Chamber of Culture), severely curtailed exhibitions of avant-garde art. Museum directors sympathetic to modernism also lost their jobs, and prior museum acquisitions were publicly ridiculed as a waste of taxpayers' money, simultaneously discrediting the art and the Weimar-era policies that had supported it. Exhibitions highlighting and mocking selected modern works from museum collections were common from 1933 on, but in 1937 a wholesale purge of museums was begun, with the most salient pickings exhibited in the famous "Degenerate Art" exhibition. By this time, the voices of modernism had effectively been squelched in Germany, and most of the major artists had sought refuge in either actual or "inner" exile.
The Nazis' systematic campaign against modernism compares in intensity only to that waged in Stalinist Russia, but kindred impulses exist even in the supposedly free United States. In the last several years, the National Endowment for the Arts, which through its grants to individuals and institutions has a significant impact on the nation's artistic climate, has become increasingly politicized. Right-wing attacks on avant-garde art, spearheaded by Reverend David Wildmon's American Family Association and Congressmen Alfonse D'Amato and Jessie Helms, have forced the NEA to become a diligent self-censor, cautiously vetting grant nominations, pre-screening peer review panels and, most notoriously, insisting that grant recipients sign a controversial "anti-obscenity pledge"(now partially rescinded). Among numerous NEA-funded exhibitions that recently drew well-publicized fire from the right were a group show at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art featuring Andres Serrano's surprisingly lyrical photograph of a crucifix submerged in urine (shocking only by virtue of its title, Piss Christ), the Robert Mapplethorpe retrospective "The Perfect Moment" (cancelled by the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington and subsequently the cause of an unsuccessful obscenity suit against the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center), and the AIDS exhibition "Witnesses: Against Our Vanishing," which was accompanied by an inflammatory catalogue essay by artist David Wojnarowicz.
The latest attempts by the United States government to censor creative expression have much in common with prior crackdowns on the avant-garde, both in terms of the charges (which revolve principally around accusations of blasphemy, obscenity and offenses against patriotism) and in the underlying causes (which derive from a pervasive sense of social and economic decay). Here, as in pre-war Germany, much of the arts community remains remote from the general public, and the artists' primary sins lie primarily in the exploration of aspects of contemporary existence that the ruling forces do not want to see exposed. Politicians such as Helms seek to deflect attention from America's genuine problems by directing discontent toward an alien "other," whose decadence allegedly saps the public coffers and threatens to undermine and destroy mainstream moral values.
Those who contend that artists denied NEA grants can always find support in the private sector conveniently ignore the fact that most commercial galleries will exhibit only marketable art and, as the artist Hans Haacke has taken great pains to document, that corporate sponsorship invariably serves a conservative business agenda. The larger implications of the government's attempt to dictate policy at the NEA are chillingly reflected in the recent Supreme Court ruling upholding laws that prohibit publically supported clinics from even mentioning abortion. Those in the university community fear, with good reason, that academic funding may be the next target. Although America cannot be equated with Nazi Germany, one would do well to recall that even Hitler's campaign of cultural dictatorship began slowly and with seemingly innocuous measures, and that the right to freedom of speech, though written into our Constitution, is worthless if the institutions of our government fail to enforce it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Education Week's blogs > Peter DeWitt's Finding Common Ground See more Opinion
Peter DeWitt
Peter DeWitt is back. A former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and independent consultant, DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. He can be found at www.petermdewitt.com. He is on Twitter @PeterMDeWitt.
« 10 Seconds: The Time It Takes a Student to Size You Up | Main | Our Nation May STILL Be 'At Risk' »
18 Women All K-12 Educators Should Know
By Peter DeWitt on January 4, 2015 9:00 AM
There are many inspiring women in education. Unfortunately, we do not hear about them nearly as often as we should, because the pulpit seems to be dominated by men. It's not that we should take away from the work that the guys have done, because we shouldn't, but there are many strong female thought leaders whose voices should be equal to the men that surround them. They influence everyone in the field through their research, opinions and experiences, and have helped fight bad reform, create more innovative practices in the classroom, and unify voices around the country if not the world.
I have compiled a list of 18 female practioners and thought leaders. Some of them are well-known, while others may have names you are hearing for the first time. I do not expect you to agree with all of them, but I do hope that if you have not heard of some of them you will give them a deeper look.
Diane Ravitch - If you do not know who Diane is then you must be living under a rock. Diane has had great influence over millions and her last two books, the Death and Life of the Great American School System as well as Reign of Error have been two of the most important reads of the past few years. You don't have to agree with everything Diane writes and speaks about, but you should listen to what she says because it has implications for us all.
Viviane Robinson - Viviane is a Professor at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and has written many great books on education, teaching and leadership. One of the best is Student-Centered Leadership where she was one of the first to write about "Lead Learners." Michael Fullan, Andy Hargreaves and John Hattie all reference her work, and although she says she is not well-known in America, she should be because her works is practical and powerful.
Deb Masters - If you have heard of John Hattie and Visible Learning, then you have been impacted by Deb's work. Deb has a great understanding of what needs to be done to improve learning and is working with multiple Ministries of Education around the world using the Visible Learning Collaborative Impact Program. For full disclosure I work with Deb on Visible Learning, but this work is being implemented internationally and Deb is a large part of the reason why it is happening.
Carol Burris - Carol is more than a thought leader. As the Principal of Southside High School in the Rockville Centre School District (Rockville Centre, NY) she has been an outstanding practioner, NY State Principal of the Year, as well as an outspoken opponent of harmful standardized testing in New York State and all over the nation. Carol is a frequent guest blogger for Washington Post writer Valerie Strauss, and has written a great deal about the harmful nature of tracking in schools. She is a mentor of mine and someone I have learned a great deal from over the years. Carol has many strong opinions and she knows how to back them up with data. She provides a cautionary tale that we all can learn from.
Nancy Flanagan - Nancy writes the Teacher In A Strange Land Blog for Education Week Teacher. She is a long time arts educator and has many strong opinions and great insight into education and the way it works. She is on this list for many reasons, and one happens to be the fact that she is a strong proponent of women in leadership. We can learn a lot from reading her blog.
Patricia Ciccone - As the Superintendent of Westbrook Public Schools in Connecticut, Pat has long been a leader in the area of school climate and anti-bullying. Pat has not only created school board policy on safeguarding all marginalized populations, she has also made sure that there is curriculum that is used to educate all students about those populations. She serves on the National School Climate Council and was a 2013 Leaders to Learn From for Education Week.
Avis Glaze - Avis Glaze has had an outstanding career in education but her bio speaks for itself. "Dr. Avis Glaze is an international leader in the field of education. As one of Canada's outstanding educators, she has been recognized for her work in leadership development, student achievement, school and system improvement, character development and equity of outcomes for all students. As Ontario's first Chief Student Achievement Officer and founding CEO of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, she played a pivotal role in improving student achievement in Ontario schools. Her primary focus in education is on building capacity to ensure that all students achieve, regardless of background factors or personal circumstances. It is her core belief that educators play a fundamental role in sustaining democracy."
Jenni Donohoo - Jenni is soft spoken, passionate and very modest when it comes to her place in education, but she has a bright career ahead of her. As the author of the best-selling Collaborative Inquiry for Educators, Jenni has spent lots of time working with teachers across Canada. We need to see her in America much more. She is also the Director At Large for Learning Forward Ontario, where she has worked with teachers and leaders to provide insight into how they can work collaboratively. She is destined to do more great things. Read Jenni's guest blog here.
Judy Seltz - As the Executive Director of ASCD, Judy Seltz has a real opportunity to influence educational conversations. Through their Educational Leadership publication, the Whole Child Initiative and all of the other ways ASCD reaches 125,000 members in over 138 countries, Judy has a far reach and I look forward to seeing how ASCD moves ahead.
Peggy Robertson - Peggy is an elementary level instructional coach but she is best known for her work in the United Opt Out Movement. Peggy has been outspoken in her state of Colorado as well as the rest of the country about the harmful effects of our present system of high stakes testing.
Karen Lewis - As the President of the Chicago Teacher's Union, Lewis has led over 29,000 teachers in the 3rd largest district in the US. In 2012 she led the very controversial teacher's strike and was considering a run for Mayor of Chicago until she was sidelined due to a serious health issue.
Lyn Sharratt - At a time when I thought "Data" was a word that was being overused I read Lyn's book Putting Faces on Data (co-authored with Michael Fullan) and it changed the way I felt about the 4 letter word. As noteworthy as the book is, Lyn's experience is profound and includes being a "teacher, curriculum consultant, teacher-trainer, public education policy analyst, superintendent of schools, and superintendent of curriculum and instruction. Currently, Lyn is an Associate at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at University of Toronto (OISE/UT), where she coordinates the Ed.D. cohort in Theory and Policy Studies."
Linda Darling-Hammond - She is the "Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at Stanford University where she has launched the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education and the School Redesign Network and served as faculty sponsor for the Stanford Teacher Education Program. She is a former president of the American Educational Research Association and member of the National Academy of Education. Her research, teaching, and policy work focus on issues of school restructuring, teacher quality and educational equity. From 1994-2001, she served as executive director of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, a blue-ribbon panel whose 1996 report, What Matters Most: Teaching for America's Future, led to sweeping policy changes affecting teaching and teacher education. In 2006, this report was named one of the most influential affecting U.S. education and Darling-Hammond was named one of the nation's ten most influential people affecting educational policy over the last decade. She recently served as the leader of President Barack Obama's education policy transition team."
Carol Dweck - Dweck's work around "Growth Mindset" is both inspiring and important to the profession of education. For too many years there was a mindset that believed that student capabilities were fixed. She is "one of the world's leading researchers in the field of motivation and is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. Her research has focused on why people succeed and how to foster success. She has held professorships at Columbia and Harvard Universities, has lectured all over the world, and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences."
Kristen Swanson - If you've heard of Edcamps, then you have been touched by Kristen Swanson's work. Swanson is one of the Founders of the Edcamp Foundation. Edcamps are considered an unconference because they do not have keynote speakers, are free to attendees and focus on the fact that the power is in the room. Teachers, leaders, students and parents can show up on the day of the edcamp and present on something they believe is important. Edcamps are now found all over the world and are a viable way for educators to learn from colleagues near and far. In these days of mandates, accountability and boring professional development "Sit and get" sessions, Edcamps will only get more popular as people look for something more meaningful.
Jennifer Abrams - Many people take the path of least resistance when it comes to having open and honest dialogue with colleagues, which can build animosity in the work place. Jennifer Abrams would like to help stop that. She has presented internationally around the topic of helping people find their voice and having tough conversations, as well as helping people bridge the gap in a generational workplace. Jennifer believes that if we can all break through the tough conversations we will work more collaboratively and have more success in our workplace.
Helen Timperley - Helen Timperley is a Professor at the University of Auckland and is best known for "teaching in early childhood, primary and secondary education sectors which formed the basis of her research program focused on making a difference to those student outcomes valued by the communities in which they live. A particular research emphasis has been on promoting leadership, organizational and professional learning in ways that improve the educational experience of students currently under‐achieving in our education systems."
Shirley Clarke - Clarke has written extensively about formative assessment and providing effective feedback. According to this website, "she began her career as a primary teacher, working for 10 years in the Inner London Education Authority. She became a primary mathematics consultant and was then seconded for two years to one of the first development agencies for KS1 test writing (CATS). This was followed by 10 years as a lecturer and researcher at the Institute of Education, University of London. During this time Shirley directed a number of national research projects focusing on curriculum and assessment issues."
We don't talk about women in education nearly enough, and I know you have your own major influences, so please feel free to add them in the comment section below because there are many, many more out there.
Connect with Peter on Twitter
Avis Glaze
Carol Burris
Carol Dweck
Diane Ravitch
Jenni Donohoo
Judy Seltz
Kristen Swanson
Linda Darling-Hammond
Lyn Sharratt
Patricia Ciccone
Peggy Robertson
Viviane Robinson
The opinions expressed in Peter DeWitt's Finding Common Ground are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.
Addressing Criticisms of Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom
Do Leaders Really Need to Be Content Experts?
When Schools Say 'All Means All,' What Do They Really Mean?
4 Reasons Educators Use Research and 4 Reasons They Don't
School Safety Means More Than Active-Shooter Drills
--- Select a Category --- 21st Century Skills (39) Andy Hargreaves (6) APPR (41) At-Risk Students (239) Brian Rhode (1) Bullying (21) Carol Ann Tomlinson (9) Charlotte Danielson (2) Childhood Obesity (6) Classroom Environment (339) Collaborative Leadership (115) Common Core State Standards (66) Communication (147) Conflict Resolution (66) Connected Learning (108) Data Driven Decision Making (40) Debbie Silver (1) Dick Allington (3) Digital Leadership (78) Early Literacy (24) Educational Leadership (330) Educational Reform (189) Eric Glover (1) Formative Assessment (45) Gregory MaGuire (2) High Stakes Testing (81) Homework (4) Howard Gardner (3) Instructional Coaching (70) John Bennett (1) Jonathan Cohen (4) Laurie Halse-Anderson (1) LGBT (37) Lisa Westman (7) Liz Wiseman (4) Madlon Laster (2) Math (1) Michael Albertson (2) Michael Fullan (9) Nancy Carlsson-Paige (3) No Testing Week (5) Parental Involvement (101) Phil Bildner (2) Professional Development (109) Robert Garmston (1) School Climate (225) School Community (270) School Discipline (17) Social and Emotional Learning (184) Social Justice (59) Social Networking (79) Steve Constantino (3) Student Engagement (153) Student Inquiry (18) Student Voice (146) Teacher Voice (115) Technology (68) Todd Whitaker (7) Trauma (11) Twitter (58) Visible Learning (62) Writing (2)
Select a Month... February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011


Grasp barbell from rack or deadlift from floor with shoulder width or slightly wider overhand or mixed grip. Stand with shoulder width or narrower stance.
With back straight, lower bar to top of feet by bending hips. Bend knees slightly during descent and keep waist straight. Place weight onto floor. With knees still bent, lift bar by straightening hips until standing upright. Pull shoulders back if rounded. Extend knees at top if desired. Repeat.
Throughout lift, keep arms and back straight. Do not lower weight beyond mild stretch throughout hamstrings. Full range of motion will vary from person to person. Stand on shallow platform if weight reaches floor before stretch. Those with less flexibility may have to bend knees more. Knees can be kept bent throughout movement. Also see Stiff Leg Deadlift and Romanian Deadlift.


text:
Q: Guice injector inside a thread I have a doubt using Guice. I have a class that I call Main that is constructor injected using  Guice and a method that every time that is called creates an o thread object of class AppThread. AppThread is a private class inside Main. The problem is that inside the execution of the thread I want to create an object of class ClassX. This object is constructor injected using Guice. I don't know what's the best form to inject the objects of ClassX. My first solution is inject the Injector inside Main and inside the thread use the injector to inject the objects of class ClassX.
Does exists a cleaner approach to inject the dependences inside the thread?
Thanks

A: Instead of having your own subclass of Thread (which is discouraged anyway) you should write your "thread code" as a regular object that implements Runnable.  Your Main class should inject this class (or you can actually inject a Provider<MyRunnable> if you need to instantiate an unknown number of them).  Then your Main class can create a new Thread(myRunnable) and it should all fit together nicely.
public class MyMainClass {
    @Inject
    MyMainClass(Provider<MyRunnable> runnableProvider) { ... }

    public void spawnThread() {
        new Thread(runnableProvider.get()).start();
    }
}

public class MyRunnable implements Runnable {
    @Inject
    MyRunnable(ClassX myX) { ... }
    public void run() {
        ... do work ...
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Connecting table with multiple foreign keys in mysql I have a database table with the following information :
owner.primaryitowner,
owner.secondaryitowner,
owner.primarybusinessowner,
owner.secondarybusinessowner

The issue, is the owners are only stored as emails. There is another table I normally inner join users on users.username = owner.primaryitowner to get users.displayname so the data reads correctly. The issue is I need to do this for all 4 columns, and when I can only figure out how to connect 1 column in a query. Thanks for the help
P.S. I cannot change the database I am only a report writer.

A: Assuming you want all the display name for all owners, try something like this:
select u.displayname
from users u
inner join owners o on
    o.primaryitowner = u.username
    or o.secondaryitowner = u.username
    or o.primarybusinessowner = u.username
    or o.secondarybusinessowner = u.username


Resume Layout Pin By Dalia G On Templates Pinterest Resume Layout Layouts And Sample Resume Resume Layout Design Examples Uploaded by on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 in category international business resume objective.
See also Resume Layout Economic Resume Template Resume Layout Word 2007 from international business resume objective Topic.
Here we have another image Resume Layout Resume Layout Download Template Free Word Simple Curriculum Vitae Templates For Flyers And Brochures Primer Res Resume Layout Ideas featured under Resume Layout Pin By Dalia G On Templates Pinterest Resume Layout Layouts And Sample Resume Resume Layout Design Examples. We hope you enjoyed it and if you want to download the pictures in high quality, simply right click the image and choose "Save As". Thanks for reading Resume Layout Pin By Dalia G On Templates Pinterest Resume Layout Layouts And Sample Resume Resume Layout Design Examples.


Reports are that Arsenal hierarchy have come round to the conclusion or realisation that Alexis Sanchez's mind is made up.
There Is now no chance of convincing him to extend his contract, as such his stay in the club will continue to cause a dress room rift.
Wenger this week continue to insist the player is only focused on playing and no movement is imminent and neither has Arsenal received any request nor offers for the want away striker.
Manchester City has always been the favourite to sign him as he looks very keen to join Pep Guardiola who he worked with at Barcelona, Man City though are not willing to meet Arsenal's £30m demand, however Manchester United is looking to Usurp City by offering £5m more.
Alexis Sanchez will walkaway for free at the end of the season.
Bordeaux striker, the highly rated Malcolm has been touted as a possible replacement for Sanchez, so is Monaco's Thomas Lemar and Boca Junior's Christian Pavon, Arsenal will be looking to get one of them in before sanctioning Sanchez Sale.


text:
Daily Variety;7/17/2006, Vol. 292 Issue 9, p17
The article presents obituaries for several notable people in the entertainment industry, including actress Kasey Rogers, television director and producer Jack Sameth, and singer and recording artist Jack Ward Smith.
Where Are They Now? Martindale, David // Biography;Mar1999, Vol. 3 Issue 3, p30
Presents information on the whereabouts of some television and movie personalities in the United States. Includes Don Herbert; Jill Wheelan; Kasey Rogers.
Obituaries. Gallo, Phil; Cox, Gordon; Koehl, Christian // Variety;7/17/2006, Vol. 403 Issue 8, p48
The article presents obituaries for music, television and film personalities including Syd Barrett, Barnard Hughes, Rudi Carrell and Jack Sameth.
The fact is... Cary, Alice // Biography;Mar1998, Vol. 2 Issue 3, p22
Responds to inquiries concerning celebrities. Cause of Cass Elliott's death; Chastity of Queen Elizabeth; Accomplishments of John Wilkes Booth as an actor.
Presents updates concerning several retired celebrities in the United States. Actress Catharine Bach as a plain housewife in Los Angeles; Publication of hockey player Gordie Howe's biography; Singer Gloria Gaynor as a plain housewife in New Jersey; Actor Bob Denver as a radio host in Denver.
Off the beaten track. Cawley, Janet // Biography;Mar1998, Vol. 2 Issue 3, p32
Features several celebrities in the United States. Success of Tom Azzari as the production designer of the television program `Seinfeld'; Dean Schoenewald as a mascot trainer.
Sound Off! // Know Your World Extra;4/2/2004, Vol. 37 Issue 11, p5
Presents a quiz on the funniest celebrities in the U.S.
Stars of today. // World Almanac for Kids;1996, p14
Updates the careers of several celebrities of the 1990s. Hootie and the Blowfish; Brandy Norwood; Jonathan Taylor Thomas; The talking pig in the hit motion picture `Babe.'
Profiles several stars of the late 1990s. Melissa Joan Hart, formerly of the television show `Clarissa Explains All,' who plays Sabrina the Teenage Witch on television; Country singer LeAnn Rimes; Singer Celine Dion; Actor/rap-artist Will Smith, who starred in the motion picture `Independence Day.'
Stewart, Cosby top Q ratings; where's Mike? Mandese, Joe // Advertising Age;8/31/92, Vol. 63 Issue 35, p3
Offers a look at the top entertainment personalities for Marketing Evaluations/TVQ's 1992 Performer Q survey. Michael Jordan fell from 4th to 31st; Survey is conducted every May and June; Widely used by Marketers and agencies to select celebrity endorsers; Bill Cosby and Jimmy Stewart placed...


text:
Agriculture, Community, Environment, Island Youth
Thursday, June 5th, 2014 By Bianca Moragne
From Garden to Pizza
At Sust`ainable Molokai's permaculture farm in Ho`olehua, there's a time to sow and there's a time to reap the harvest.
There's also a time to craft and eat homemade, baked and garden-fresh pizza fresh out of a traditional pizza oven.
"This is really how to get kids and others to enjoy eating what they grow," said Emillia Noordhoek, executive director of Sust`ainable Molokai, a local nonprofit that works with the community to find modern strategies for sustainability while respecting cultural traditions.
Last Saturday morning, smoke billowed from the Forno Bravo pizza oven's opening for the first time ever. The oven was stuffed with delicious handmade pizzas with ingredients straight from the farm. Made of clay, the mobile, domed-shaped, wood-fired pizza oven was introduced to the Molokai High School farm, thanks to a grant written by Noordhoek from Friends of Hawaii Charities. The charity organization generates funding for Hawaii nonprofits that benefit women, children, youth and needy programs.
Once a month during the school year, Sust`ainable Molokai hosts a community workday for community members to come out to the farm, put in garden work and learn the rewards of eating and growing local. This time around, volunteers joined in on a make-your-own pizza potluck lunch for the last community workday of the year. Volunteers brought an array of ingredients — many picked fresh from the garden site — to put upon their pizzas, and Sust`ainable Molokai supplied the dough.
"People can come on the workday and every once in a while the [pizza oven] will be out there for everyone to enjoy," Noordhoek said. "Especially with the kids so that they can figure out how fun it is to eat kale, asparagus and eat healthy."
With gardening gloves on hand, volunteers helped tend the land and planted a breadfruit tree, while others went on a tour of the gardens and learned about harvesting through the seasons.
"The experience is wonderful. The tour, getting to know the science of the land and to be able to see the fruits of the land," said Pualani Akaka, a fourth grade teacher at Kualapu`u School. "It was a terrific project and a picture-perfect garden and delicious pizza."
Akaka said she plans to bring her students to the garden for a field trip next year.
Noordhoek said she wants more schools to be able to come to the garden. She said that is why a trailer was purchased to transport the pizza oven, making it fully portable. At the start of next school year, she said she plans to bring the oven out for the first community workday and will also use it to fundraise. On July 5, Sust`ainable Molokai will attended the MOM Hui's second annual Grassroots Benefit Concert to sell pizzas made to order.
The workday gathering included community members, their ohana and FoodCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA service members, both national programs working locally under Sust`ainable Molokai. The objective is to teach others how to cook what is grown locally in a garden and ultimately move towards becoming a more sustainable community, said Fred Richardson, Sust`ainable Molokai's school garden coordinator.
"Basically the concept is that you have a community garden where people get together and see how they can start one of their own," Richardson said. "This [garden] is a working model. You collaborate; everybody works first on site and then harvest."
Richardson said community gardens have been fundamentally designed in this way to get the community more involved with gardening. He said the goal is to help educate and encourage healthy eating habits throughout the community. A way to achieve this is by allowing volunteers to take young seedlings, sprouts or leaves from the garden home to plant.
Posted in Agriculture, Community, Environment, Island Youth Add your comment
« Reaching for Excellence
Baseball Clinches Fifth at States »


Twin Cities high school students learn about local immigrant cultures through weeklong home stays.
Daniel Rose trimmed long, wet rice noodles into slurpable bits, while his classmate Peter Shaffer browned some ground chicken in a pot. The boys dumped both ingredients into a large bowl, and then Shaffer dug his fingers into the pile of food and began to toss.
The two high school freshmen were getting a hands-on education about a Hmong family's dinner prep. It was just one activity during a weeklong homestay with the Vues, a multigenerational family in St. Paul.
Rose and Shaffer came to the Vues through City Stay, a program that places students in the homes of families with different backgrounds from their own. The teens didn't have to travel far for this cultural exchange. They both live in Minneapolis.
City Stay takes the principles of study abroad — immersion, cultural exchange — and gives students a chance to experience them without ever leaving the country. Instead, it treats the Twin Cities' diverse immigrant communities as real-world classrooms, acquainting folks with neighbors they might never meet otherwise.
Minnehaha Academy students Daniel Rose and Peter Shaffer, both 14, hung out with Ken Vue and his daughter Diav, 7, while staying at the family's home in St. Paul.
They also attended a Hmong funeral, watched Hmong bullfighting movies and rap videos, and helped their host family's young daughter with her math homework.
"I never had any interaction with the Hmong community before," Shaffer said. Now, he and Rose plan to go back to the St. Paul markets they explored with their host family to bring these new flavors home.
People who've been involved in the program say hosts and guests benefit.
St. Paul native Julie Knopp hatched the idea for the program after she returned from studying abroad in Thailand.
Living with a family there enriched the experience for her, and she wondered why she never had a similar exchange with people closer to home.
She expected that a cultural exchange program existed in the Twin Cities, but couldn't find one. So she started one herself. Now, running City Stay is just one of her jobs; she also teaches Spanish immersion kindergarten at a dual-language school in Richfield.
About 70 students have gone through the program, with more added each year as high schools sign on. Although shorter term stays are possible, a typical City Stay experience lasts a week.
During the day, students volunteer with an English as a second language program or attend lectures from community members. At night, they immerse themselves in the home life of their hosts, who are mainly Hmong, Somali and Latin American.
While feedback from participants — students and hosts — has been overwhelmingly positive, Knopp says not everyone is convinced the program is a good idea. She had one student request not to be placed with a Muslim family, for example. But the main source of resistance, she suspects, comes from parents.
But once participants go through the program, Knopp has seen them and their families transformed by it.
Back at the Vue household, See's cousin Bryan Lee instructed the boys on how to toss the noodles properly.
"What we're trying to achieve is an even coating of color," he said, as he squirted oyster and fish sauces into the bowl.
Meanwhile, four blocks away at the home of Vue's sister, Jewelly Lee, student Abbi Slininger of Inver Grove Heights also helped prep dinner — noodles with bamboo, corn, onions and carrots, and cold cucumber soup.
Slininger is the third student that Lee, 28, has hosted. Lee, too, had been changed by a foreign exchange experience when she traveled in Japan.
During meal prep, Slininger had long talks with the matriarch of the family, Xai Lee, who shared pictures and told stories about Laos, and what it was like to come to the United States in 1980 as a refugee.


Hanoi's old-world sophistication and charm is quickly gaining popularity in the art world.
This ASIA DMC's tour will give you an introduction to the development of fine arts in Vietnam before going more in depth into a very special traditional painting form in Vietnam.
The National Museum of Vietnam Fine Arts is Vietnam's primary art museum that occupies the most important position in maintaining and promoting the treasures of Vietnamese cultural and artistic heritage. Visitors can appreciate and understand the entire history of Vietnamese fine arts through the collections and exhibitions on display. Lacquer painting, a specific type of traditional art in Vietnam, was revived and developed as a distinct genre of fine art painting by Vietnamese artists in the 1930s.
Depending on the technique used and the number of layers of lacquer, it can sometimes take up to several months to complete a single painting. Under guidance of an artist, you'll learn the 3 steps process of creating a lacquer painting and try your hand at some of the techniques, such as adding materials like seashell, mother of pearl, eggshell, gold leaf or silver dust to your artwork.
Let ASIA DMC take you into the fabulous world of Vietnamese fine arts.


text:
HOME » Breaking Island News » Pacific Ocean: A New Island is Born after Spectacular Volcanic Eruption in Tonga
Pacific Ocean: A New Island is Born after Spectacular Volcanic Eruption in Tonga
A large volcanic eruption in the Pacific region has produced a brand new island, located approximately 70 kilometers to the north-west of Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa.
Volcanic Eruption in Tonga – Photo Courtesy of AP Photo / Military of Foreign Affairs Tonga
A volatile volcano has presented the Pacific island Kingdom of Tonga with an unusual gift, spouting so much smoke and ash from its two volcanic vents that it seems to have produced a brand new island. If confirmed, this latest addition would bring the number of islands in the picturesque Polynesian sovereign state to an impressive total of 173.
Local media reports suggest that the eruption originated at Tonga's Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano, a particularly unstable member of the highly active Tonga-Kermadec Islands volcanic arc, located just 70 km to the north-west of the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa. Huge plumes of smoke were said to have reached heights of 4,500 meters, disrupting air travel to the region.
Despite coming more than 5 years after Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai last exploded, the warning signs were on display for all to see, according to Brad Scott, volcanologist at New Zealand's GNS Science agency. He explained that volcanic activity had been recorded for several weeks prior to the explosion before going on to describe described a steady rumbling sound which culminated in a violent explosion on December 19th 2014.
And whilst the authorities had more than enough time to prepare themselves for the eruption, experts continued to be surprised by the sheer force of this new Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai explosion. Indeed, whilst the eruption was first reported to the Department of Lands and Resources on December 19th 2014, scientists had to wait until January 15th 2015 to receive clearance to investigate the site and safely measure the scale of its impact.
It was, by all accounts, well worth the wait. As well as being able to monitor the incredible effects to nearby flora and flora, the team of scientists was also able to confirm that a new island had been born. "A new island has been built by the eruption between the existing islands of Hunga Tonga and Hunga Ha'apai," explained a spokesperson from the Tongan government.
Taaniela Kula, of Tonga's Ministry for Land, summarized the incredible geological process behind the birth of Tonga's newest island: "Dense ash was being erupted to a height of about 400 meters and was accompanied by some large rock," he explained. "Above about 1000 meters, the eruption plume was almost exclusively steam. As the ash is very wet, most is being deposited close to the vent, building up the new island."
Official measurements taken earlier this week revealed the island to be approximately 1 km in length, 2 km in breadth and with an impressive elevation of roughly 100 meters. This could all be set to change however, as the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano is continuing to expel huge masses of ash and lava, with an eruption said to be occurring as often as every five minutes!
Despite its impressive size, however, there are no guarantees that the island is here to stay. As Stuff.co.nz reports, "new islands are relatively common, but seldom last before being washed away by the Pacific." Nesomaniacs might recall the case of "Jonah Lomu Island," an island formed in 1995 as a result of eruptive activities in Tonga's Metis Shoal Region. Born of similar circumstances to the new Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai Island, within just three weeks' time, the island reportedly already covered an area of 280 by 240 meters and boasted an elevation of 54 meters above sea level.
Vast swathes of the sports-mad island nation called for the volcanic outcrop to be named after the country's most famous descendent, rugby star Jonah Lomu, but before a final decision could be made, the island had already been washed away by the tides. Perhaps things will be different this time around – after all, 2014 was a good year for freshly formed islands, with the likes of "Snoopy" island in Japan and "Yaya" island in Russia all living to fight another day.
Russian Military Helicopters Discover New Island in Arctic Waters (December 2014)
http://www.privateislandnews.com/arctic-russian-military-helicopters-discover-new-island-in-arctic-waters/
An Island is Born – New Volcanic Island Continues to Grow and Grow (April 2014)
http://www.privateislandnews.com/japan-an-island-is-born-new-volcanic-island-continues-to-grow-and-grow/
This Brand New Island Has a Very Famous Face (January 2014)
http://www.privateislandnews.com/japan-this-brand-new-island-has-a-very-famous-face/
Breaking Island News, Environment New Island, Pacific Ocean, Tonga, Volcanic Activity, Volcano Print this Page


text:
by Richard Brautigan
A single-volume reissue of the contemporary American classic.
Richard Brautigan was a literary idol of the 1960s and 1970s whose comic genius and iconoclastic vision of American life caught the imagination of young people everywhere. He came of age during the Haight-Ashbury period and has been called "the last of the Beats." His early books became required reading for the hip generation, and on its publication Trout Fishing in America became an international bestseller. An indescribable romp, the novel is best summed up in one word: mayonnaise.
This new edition includes an introduction by the poet Billy Collins, who first encountered Brautigan's work as a student in California.
Richard Brautigan (1935–1984) was a god of the counterculture and the author of ten novels, nine volumes of poetry, and a collection of short stories.


text:
Odd Yet Effective Green Inventions
Here are nine strange yet useful inventions that are geared towards energy generation, efficiency or diminishing environmental impacts.
An energy generating soccer ball: Known as the sOccket, this invention is a fully functional soccer ball that uses the kinetic energy generated during a soccer game to build up a charge in its built-in battery. This battery can then by used to power small devices like cell phones.
A bio robot fridge: This new Electrolux concept makes use of "bio robots" suspended in gel to cool food and drink in a unique, door-less fridge system. Four times smaller than a conventional refrigerator, the Bio Robot cools biopolymer gel through luminescence. The non sticky, odourless gel morphs around products to create a separate pod that suspends items. The fridge operates without a motor and comes in different sizes that can be hung vertically, horizontally, and even on the ceiling.
A method of harnessing wind vibration: This small scale wind energy charger harvests the vibration of the wind to power smart building sensors. A company called Humdinger Wind Energy LLC, has invented a device called the microBelt. It is a piezoelectric turbine-based system that is 10 times more effective at gathering energy than other systems of the same size. The system uses aeroelastic flutter and vibration of a membrane rather than a spinning turbine. It is intended to replace the batteries used in wireless sensor networks (WSN). It has a long life span of 20 years and is ideal for HVAC units.
A solar powered DIY washing machine: This project was developed by students at the École Supérieure d'Art d'Aix-en-Provence in France. They built a solar-powered washing machine using only materials available in the Saharan desert. What makes this project so interesting is the fact that it has been developed from readily available materials for the 2 billion people in the world who do not have access to some of the basic amenities including clean water and electricity.
Using human remains as fertilizer: This technique transforms human corpes into 200 gallons of liquid that can be used as fertilizer. With approximately 150000 people dying each day (62 million people dying each year), human remains are a significant source of toxic chemicals. A company called Resomation Ltd., has developed a process of disposing of human corpses that uses alkaline hydrolysis, however, unlike cremation and traditional burial, alkaline hydrolysis doesn't lead to toxic chemicals like dioxin and formaldehyde being released into the atmosphere or water supply. It also uses 80 percent less energy than standard cremation.
An Eco-friendly coffin: This coffin lowers the environmental impact of your burial. Created by Ecoffins, these coffins use natural products like bamboo, willow branches, banana leaves and pine planks. They are designed to decompose fairly quickly and are not made with any products that could damage the surrounding soil.
An electric YikeBike 'mini-farthing,': This electric vehicle is a cross between an e-bike and a Segway. The YikeBike mini-farthing is the smallest, and at 10kg, the lightest electric folding bike in the world, enabling people to take it on buses, trains, and cars and store it easily under a desk or in a cupboard.
The ONDA Urinal Hand Washing Station: This invention uses uses only half the water needed for conventional urinals. With the growing scarcity of water and millions of urinals in the world, this system could make big difference. When the urinal is flushed, water first passes through a space for hand washing, then the same water is flushed to the urinal portion of the system and is disposed of as waste water.
The waterless urinal: This novel system uses gravity to deliver urine into the waste water system. With water shortages on the increase these urinals are an important way of conserving potable water. Distributors say the break-even point for most facilities who install waterless urinals is achieved within the first 12 to 24 months.
10 Best Eco-Inventions of 2010
Time's Top 5 Green Energy Inventions of 2010
THE GREEN MARKET's Top 25 Environmental Stories of 2010
The Most Important Green Business Stories of 2010
Newsweek's 10 Greenest Companies in 2010
Environmental Leader's Most Read Stories of 2010
Sierra's Top 5 Insider Reader Stories from 2010
Best Green and Sustainable Business Twitter Feeds
Top 20 Green and Sustainable Business Facebook Groups
Top 10 Predictions for Sustainable Business and the Green Economy in 2011
Best Green Tech Innovations of 2010
Best Green Automotive Innovations of 2010
Portfolio 21's Top 10 Green Investments for 2011
Video of the Top 10 Green Reads of the Decade
Video: Planet 100's Top 5 Green Inventions
The State of the Sustainable Furniture Industry


Construction of a 3 storey extension to the Canberra Hospital Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit. This extension increased the capacity of much needed available bed spaces in both departments. Constructed were 5 additional bed spaces to the Intensive Care Unit extension, 2 new beds within the existing ICU and alternations to the balcony on level 3 and 8 additional bed spaces to the Emergency Department while also providing extra floor space for emergency treatment on level 2. Additional storage and plant facilities where provided on level 1.
Infection Control was paramount when constructing the new 2 beds in ICU North and also the break through into the existing Emergency Department and Intensive Care Units, the loss of any bed spaces in the ED would have a direct impact on their operations.
The ED and ICU Departments weren't the only departments that we were required to work alongside. Within the ED is the Mental Assessment unit operating as a secure facility, with the new extension constructed partly within this facility, security was also paramount and required to be maintained to ensure the safety and security of patients.


Clearly structured tools, tailored to the trial protocol, lay the important base for a qualified fast-paced trial. This will increase satisfaction of your sponsors and CROs, facilitating subsequent orders. Also, your team may benefit from regular trainings that we are ready to provide.
Thanks to our more than 20 years of experience, we are well prepared to provide you with this base for a further advancement of your data quality.
Minimize time and labor with subject identification and pre screening activities. Make use of our services to pre-select your patients according to the study protocol. Gain time for your relevant activities.


We spoke to the foster parents of 55 children, the adoptive parents of 51 children, and the birth parents of nine children who had returned home.
Involvement in care planning: What helped?
While children are in care, their care plan arrangements become crucial issues for both foster and birth parents, as well as an important part of their relationship with Social Services.
Most foster parents felt involved in the decisions taken around the care plan. Some of them were still awaiting final decisions, and were hoping that the child's placement would eventually be formalised as permanent. However, a few said that they did not feel sufficiently involved, or had little knowledge about how decisions on the care plans were made, and felt like they were 'at the bottom end of the brush' in this process.
Some birth parents did not feel involved in the decisions taken around the care plan, felt unwelcome, powerless and threatened at Looked After Children (LAC) meetings, and found court processes stressful and lengthy. On the other hand, a few birth parents felt confident in expressing their views, believed that they were listened to, and even felt that Social Services had been 'very supportive' and 'very accommodating'. That was the case of one mother who had LAC review meetings held in her own home.
For adoptive parents, birth parents, and foster parents, experiences of the care system often appeared to depend on the relationship they had with social workers. While there were positive examples of good working relationships, there were also references to more negative experiences.
"The social worker always wanted the Court Order and she always got it … It was her actually got the police and it was actually her that came out to the door with the police and took the kids out of the house" (Birth parent).
Foster parents' descriptions of social workers went from 'a disaster' and 'too nosey', to 'brilliant and great', 'helpful', 'fantastic', 'second to none' and 'very supportive'. Similarly, while some birth parents had very bad relationships with some social workers, some also had extremely positive relationships, above all when they felt the social worker did not 'judge them' and treated them 'with respect'.
Foster and birth parents reported constant changes of social workers.
Birth parents said that frequent changes of social workers caused them considerable disruption and stress. This is concerning given that most of these parents were already living in already volatile circumstances. Foster parents felt that a change in social worker could unduly complicate arrangements that were already in place, and could negatively impact upon the general outcomes of the foster placement.
The interruption of a relationship with a primary attachment figure can be a difficult experience for a child. Children in care are often faced with abrupt changes: new routines, having to learn to trust a new family, and to adapt to a new way of living. It was not surprising, therefore, that settling in was rarely described as an easy process.
Most adoptive parents and foster parents believed that their children had eventually settled in well in their placements. Similarly, birth parents said that it took time for the family to settle down when a child returned home from a period in care. However, most report difficulties that both they and the children had experienced, particularly early on.
Interviews also suggested that a successful settling in was very much helped by the children's ability to say where they belonged, and where their home was.
Despite some difficulties, most of the foster parents had successfully worked through this initial period. 'Making a new life', 'coming on nicely', 'making progress', 'starting to smile', and 'responds to kindness' are examples of expressions that foster parents used in the interviews to express how the children had settled in.
Although most birth parents interviewed also claimed that their children had settled back home very well, some difficulties were described. For instance, a mother explained how her child was fostered by his grandmother, though the two women did not have a good relationship at the time. According to the birth mother, when her son returned home, it took him 'a long time to accept that I was the boss', and she felt that it took her mother some time to 'back off'.
Adoptive parents described the challenges that they faced at the start of the placement, such as adapting to the demands of parenthood; and learning to understand and manage their child's particular characteristics, issues and needs, including a range of often serious conditions (e.g. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, ADHD, Chronic Asthma, Failure to Thrive, Anxiety).


We exist in this world to glorify God and serve others. As a church body, we seek to serve others all throughout the week. Here you will find links to how we can serve you and others in their spiritual journey.


text:
Thailand News | Wanted Phuket drug kingpin busted with meth, pistol, M16 and ammunition
Wanted Phuket drug kingpin busted with meth, pistol, M16 and ammunition
A wanted Phuket drug dealer is in custody after police raided his Rassada home yesterday, seizing an M16 rifle, a pistol, ammunition and a substantial amount of Crystal Meth (Ya Ice) and Meth pills (Ya Ba).
The suspect, Surasak "Boo" Rabiapdee, 32 was presented to the press this morning (February 20), following his arrest last night.
Known commonly by the alias Boo Manik (Manik is a locale in Thalang), the suspect has been wanted since June, 2013, when he was involved in a car accident with a Phuket town official, before fleeing the scene, but leaving a lot of booty behind.
In that incident, which occurred at 6am on June 21, 2013, Boo Manik was said to have left behind 4,580 Ya Ba pills and 50 grams of Ya Ice, along with a gun and 22 bullets in car.
Police said that he had a long criminal record involving drug dealings in Phuket, and has long been suspected and wanted for supplying other dealers in Phuket city and other areas nearby.
His arrest followed one of his underlings, Sorasak "Jo" Sukjai, being nabbed by Phuket police with two Ya ba pills on February 18.
Following interrogations, Jo supplied police with details about Boo, and his wherabouts.
Boo was at home with a spouse at the time of the ensuing raid, in which officers found and seized another 1,135 pills of Ya Ba, just under 8 grammes of Ya Ice, an M16 rifle with 155 bullets, and a .32 caliber pistol with 55 bullets, among other items.
Boo has been charged for possession of Schedule 1 drugs with intent to sell, as well as possession of guns without permits.
On top of this, he was also charged for violations in the hit-and-run case of 2013.
At the conference, Boo, whose eyes showed no remorse, told reporters loudly: "I decided to be in the drug business because I don't want to work for B200 per day. And, I have been in the business for a long time … I have guns for hurting bad people."
Pol Col Peerayut Karajedi, Deputy Commander of Phuket Police concluded, "He will be investigated for other drug connections."
Related Topics:crimeDrugsgangsPhuketyaba
Dutch wanted by Interpol nabbed in Pattaya
Cigarettes out but snacks allowed on Phuket beaches if waste-free
Bangkok Prison Inmate Caught Running Drug Network
Parliament Member Pushing For Prostitution And Sex Toys To Be Legalized
Monk Stabs Pregnant Ex-Girlfriend To Death


I'm an artist living in Rochester New York, where the skies are constantly changing, reflecting protean light on land and water and inspiring the flow of creativity in those of us who open our arms and souls to transition and growth.
My photographs are often seen on the Panoramic page of the local Democrat and Chronicle and in various shows at Image City Gallery and Rochester Contemporary in Rochester. I am currently Vice President of Camera Rochester, a local camera club.


text:
Shelby Shopper
Shelby Shopper Shelby NC
704-484-1047 www.shelbyinfo.com Our 38th Year • Issue No. 46 • November 18, 2021 "GOD BLESS AMERICA" ALLIED FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC 1241 E. Dixon Blvd. #3 Shelby, NC (Next to Hendrick's Appliance) 704-484-3404 $500 to $5,000 $500 to $5,000 APPLY NOW! N.C. TRACTOR & FARM SUPPLY 299 Railroad Ave., Rutherfordton • 828-288-0395 Mobile: 828-429-5008 • mf1dpshehan@gmail.com SALES • SERVICE • PARTS IF YOU BUY ANYWHERE ELSE YOU WILL PAY TOO MUCH! IF YOU BUY ANYWHERE ELSE YOU WILL PAY TOO MUCH! PROUDLY SERVING RUTHERFORD, CLEVELAND, GASTON, LINCOLN, POLK COUNTIES AS THE AREAS HOMETOWN MASSEY FERGUSON DEALER. ASK ABOUT ASK ABOUT 0% INTEREST 0% INTEREST Shelby Mission Camp to provide Thanksgiving meals Thanksgiving is coming very soon, and many in our community will be in need of a warm meal on this day of celebration. Shelby Mission Camp (SMC) will be there to help these valued citizens. "We will be providing meals to the handicapped, senior adults, as well as on-duty Shelby police and Cleveland County law enforcement personnel, Shelby fire personnel and Cleveland County EMS workers," says David Brown, SMC director. "And since this is a large undertaking, we need quite a few volunteers to pull this off." Individuals, churches or organiza- tions are encouraged to volunteer to help for this event, which will take place on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021. "We need people to help in numerous ways," says Brown. "Community members can be involved by delivering meals, cook- ing, cleaning up, working on the serving line, counseling folks in the drive-through line and baking desserts." Brown says the organization will be taking special safety measures due to Covid-19. "All delivery teams will sign in upon arriv- ing and line up out- side," he says. "Orders will be brought out and loaded for the delivery teams." Delivery orders will be loaded between 10:40 a.m. – 12 noon, according to Brown. Drive-through pickup will begin at noon and continue until the food runs out or at 1:30 p.m. "Once again this year, we will not be hosting inside dining – just the delivery and the pickup will be available," says Brown. In addition to volunteers, SMC is also seeking financial support to cover the costs of the meals. "Last year we served 1,100 meals at approximately $3.75 per meal," says Brown. "We hope that churches, organiza- tions and individuals will find a way to contribute to this very worthwhile work." Brown says that through the years, many volunteers and donors have shared with him how blessed they and their family were through participat- ing in the Thanksgiving meal. "We hope that folks will pray about being a part of this important community outreach to seniors, handicapped, the needy and first responders." To volunteer or make a donation, contact Brown by emailing dbrown@ncbaptist.org or by calling 919-422-9990. Christmas Christmas Gift Guide Gift Guide See Pages 12 & 13
5SS0138A1118
http://www.shelbyinfo.com
mailto:mf1dpshehan@gmail.com
mailto:dbrown@ncbaptist.org
view archives of Shelby Shopper - November 18, 2021


Dr.Krishna Ranpura is a well Renowned and Leading Dentist in Ahmedabad. He holds a Masters Degree in Orthodontics.
Currently He practices in Stavya Dental Hospital in Ahmedabad. He is an active member of Indian Dental Association.
Currently She practices in Stavya Dental Hospital in Ahmedabad.


This was my first experience with an insurance company on making a claim from hail damage after that beating of a storm in Rockwall/Sachse/Wylie area (April 2016). I was impressed by Brendan's professionalism and attention to detail from the start. He not only walked me through the process and explained everything, but caught some other issues that were needing emergent attention. Brendan was obviously experienced in dealing with my insurance company, (which isn't the easiest to deal with) which resulted in a new roof after a few ``missed`` areas of concern were overlooked by the adjuster.
For a first time claim-er and a single mom trying to make sure I didn't get a raw deal....I was absolutely pleased with the education and advocacy from this company on my behalf. I always hear horror stories about people's experience after a ``disaster`` but this experience so far has been way less stressful than expected.
Thank you again Brinker and specifically Brendan, I look forward to working with you over the next few months.
Love this company. Had a bad experience with a roofer who was trying to rip me off called Brinker they were over in 10 min and they took great care of me. Bill pointed out areas the adjuster and previous roofer missed and said he would work to get the extra coverage. I feel completely relax and in great hands with Brinker.
This is a awesome company. We live in Wylie TX and are the Williams Family and have owned our home for over 9 years and hired Brinker Construction to handle our roof damage on our home from Hail Damage from March 23rd. They had Brendan that works for them that is very professional and was out here with the adjuster from our insurance company to make sure everything was pointed out that was damaged from the hail storm to make sure nothing was missed from the damage.What a blessing. Brendan was very knowledgeable making sure all damage was not missed from the adjuster. Then we met with Brinker's Team and for our new roof to be completed and other damage and upgraded to a architectural shingle . Then right before our date to have our roof done we had a Catastrophe On Monday April 1 at 615 pm with one of the largest Hail storms to hit Wylie TX. We had grapefruit size hail !!! We were so scared we thought our roof was caving in and our windows were busting out glass and rain and hail were blowing in our house and water was leaking and pouring everywhere. We called Brendan after everything was calmed down and he came over and told us not to worry they would come over sometime in the middle of the night to cover all the holes in the roof. He said he never seen hail that big and we had huge holes all in our roof that had to be covered and they had to take care of all their customers in Wylie so they were going to work all night and he would be back sometime in the middle of the night to cover all the holes in the roof with their teams.
Sure enough at around midnight there was a crew up on the roof hammering away covering the holes. When I went out there the crew included the owner Paul. He is a awesome guy he stated he lived in Wylie and had damage at his house but he was out and working helping all his customers in Wylie at this time of need in the community.The very next day we were still nervous trying to get ourselves together from going through a hail storm that was something I hope nobody has to ever experience and everyone was out trying excess the damage and putting tarps on their roofs and Brendan calls and said they were putting our roof on today. We were shocked . We had talked to a adjuster from another state and she said they could not start because of all the other damage but Paul the owner of Brinker called our Insurance and she called back and said yes they were given the okay to put the Roof on . Paul knows how to deal with your insurance company wow. We were the only one putting a roof on while every else were putting tarps up. Brinker Construction did a awesome job on our roof and the architectural shinge looks great .Brinker will take care of you as a customer and I would highly recommend them.Thank you Brinker Construction You treated us like your family. Thomas and Barbara Williams.
Working with Paul Moore at Brinker Construction was a pleasure. He helped get my parents ' roof replaced. He was prompt, professional, and I felt like I was a top priority. We are satisfied clients and would highly recommend Brinker Construction for any roofing need.
The guys at Brinker Construction worked fast and handled literally everything for us, getting us money back for what we thought would cost a fortune and explained everything to us along the way (we don't know much about this at all lol). Was extremely pleased and no hiccups, glad to have such good service after the damage we had and quick turnaround! Will definitely be using again!
Brinker construction has been a great company to work with in this recent hail storm in Plano. They are a local company and the quality of work performed exceeded my expectation. They were very profession and thoroughly explained the whole process. I recommend them to anyone who needs a new roof, paint, and gutters!
Work with Russ & Brinker Construction to get my roof replaced by insurance after hail damage. Very professional, friendly and fast. I left at 7:00 am and came home at 4:00pm to a new roof. Looked like they were never there except it has a new roof!! They made me feel very comfortable with the whole process.
Amazing service during the bad weather we had last hail season. Quick to respond to any questions and/or concerns! Worked well with my insurance and did an amazing job keeping me up to date on the whole process! Highly Recommend!!!!!
Nice job. Workers did a great job today on the roof. They were polite,arrivied when they said they would and cleaned up after they were done. The crew took us around serveral times during the day to show us the progress. When they finished we were please with the results. Can't wait to see when everything is finished.
Brinker Construction handled our insurance claim for our roof and fencing after the last big hail storm. I must say without Paul's guidance and persistence with our very uncooperative insurance company we got everything taken care. The level of workmanship and customer service was truly refreshing and so highly recommended!
Brinker Construction exceeded my expectations during the replacement of my roof after the most recent hail storm, and additional fascia repair work I desired prior to the new roof installation. Dylan and Paul went above and beyond what I would have thought necessary to detail the accumulated storm damage present on the roof and leak potential to my inept insurance company's initial adjuster, and eventual supervisor called back out to honor my coverage. As I grew irate with my insurance company, Dylan and Paul remained calm through the entire process assuring me that they would get my roof replaced and they were familiar with the reluctance some insurers present to honoring claims. Dylan took ownership of my contract and did everything I desired to be completely satisfied with each phase of the job, as I painted the fascia prior to the roof replacement. During the gutter replacement minor damage occurred to a small portion of unrelated fascia, and Dylan himself replaced the effected wood and repainted the fascia and reinstalled the gutter. Imagine my surprise coming home from work expecting to have to paint the portion of fascia, and my wife explained Dylan even brought his own paint brush and asked her if we had some paint left over or if he needed to get any matching paint. This is the third different replacement roof I have encountered switching roofing companies each time. Brinker Construction will be replacing any future roofs for me and anyone who asks Brinker Construction will be my only recommendation. All that and the high quality shingles used has me 100% satisfied.
We were very pleased with the work Brinker did on our roof! The guys were helpful, professional, and knowledgeable. They replaced our roof quickly with a top quality job!! I would recommend Brinker to anyone and you will be very pleased with the results! Thank you Brinker for a job well done!
They explained the process clearly and was very courteous. They crew did a good job and cleaned it up thoroughly after completing the work. All in all, I'm happy for the job well done.
Paul and Brinker went above and beyond to help fix my mothers leaking roof. He made it a priority when time was critical. He helped us navigate the difficult decision to either do a repair or replace the roof completely. Paul had an enormous amount of honesty and integrity; and with his years of experience, helped us figure out the best plan of action for the roof and for my mom. It was obvious to me Paul has mastered his understanding of his business and his ability to communicate it to someone like myself who has zero experience in roofing or construction. Would HIGHLY recommend Paul and Brinker Construction!
Brinker construction is an amazing local company! They are dedicated to do great quality work and make the whole process as easy as possible! My family is extremely thankful we found such a great company we could trust fixing our home during this stressful time after the storm. I HIGHLY recommend them, you won't be disappointed!


Dark Bordeaux Red, Tan leather interior, 4-speed column change auto, power steering, servo brakes, front discs, walnut fascia, rear armrest, manual windows, original 14 inch steel wheels with trim rings and hubcaps, original radio, inertia reel seatbelts, only two owners from new.
This example was ordered new by a gentleman in Kent, who kept it until his death in 2009. Little is known about its time with him. A classic car dealer purchased it from the deceased estate, along with a number of other cars, including a Mercedes Pagoda SL and several Rolls Royces. Whilst it was in his possession the dealer had the car repainted in its original colour, and informed the second owner at the time of purchase that there had been no significant rust on the body panels prior to the repaint. Eight years on it remains in excellent condition with only minor patination, which bears this out. Interior trim, woodwork and brightwork is similarly in excellent condition.
The second and latest owner, a gentleman from Derby, acquired the car in December 2009, and fairly soon realised that the engine, though in good working order, was quite worn. Knowing that the short-lived M129 2496cc engine in this model had a reputation for not being one of Mercedes best designs, rather than having it rebuilt he commissioned a well known classic Mercedes engine specialist to supply and fit a reconditioned M130 2778cc unit, as fitted to the subsequent 280SE model. This was a straight swap, giving an extra 30bhp, but more importantly the replacement is probably Mercedes best engine design of its era, benefitting from the lessons learnt with the shortcomings of the M129 design. The change has been notified to DVLA and the V5 amended so the documentation is correct and up to date.
Between 2012 and 2016 he carried out a programme of repairs and reconditioning with the same specialist. This included reconditioning the power steering pump, full overhaul of the front disc and rear drum brakes, new fuel injection pump, new offside kingpin, new alternator, new indicator stalk, reconditioning of the brake servo and a major refurbishment of steering and suspension. He also had electronic ignition fitted. The result is a car that starts reliably, runs extremely well, and is a delight to drive; not something that can by any means be taken as read with many cars of this age, even Mercedes.
It has also been undersealed and Waxoyl injected to all the sills and box sections using a high pressure compressor and suitable injection probe. The massive chrome bumpers have been replaced with top quality stainless steel items.
As a model of its period the W111 drives and handles superbly, with very few concessions being necessary due to its age. The gorgeous straight-six engine provides smooth reliable performance via the four speed auto gearbox, and has absolutely no trouble keeping pace with modern traffic, and the steering, brakes and suspension are well up to anything demanded of them. It makes a perfect entrant to classic car tours and shows, or even a daily driver for those who like to make a statement with their mode of transport. It does of course qualify for free historic road tax, and is old enough to get into the paddock car park at the Goodwood Revival.
We have carried out a comprehensive mechanical check in our own workshop. Any significant faults found have been remedied, and any required maintenance has been carried out. A schedule of this work will be supplied with the car, along with our own warranty, details of which can be supplied on request.