Anxiety is a unique condition—generally it's formed through years of experiences and genetics, and while there can occasionally be some external or physical health factors, anxiety is most often caused by faulty thought processes.
But what makes anxiety interesting is that it can also be caused by changes to the body's stasis, or equilibrium. Even though people think of anxiety in terms of anxious thoughts, these anxious thoughts can be affected by the health of your body. That's why anxiety - including worries and fears - can be caused or elevated by premenstrual syndrome, or PMS.
PMS is often blamed for emotional changes, sometimes unfairly. But there is no denying that fluctuating hormones affect anxiety. It's a well-known, established medical fact.
Both premenstrual syndrome and anxiety are incredibly complex. That's why while many of the causes of anxiety from PMS are known, there are issues at play that may not be accounted for or completely understood. What may cause anxiety in one woman may not cause anxiety in another, or may cause anxiety in a completely different way.
Cortisol Increase Studies have shown that before a woman's period cortisol, the stress hormone, tends to increase. Stress is known to make anxiety symptoms worse. So before a period, when cortisol levels shoot up, anxiety symptoms would be expected to shoot up with them. It's possible that women suffering from this type of PMS anxiety have lower levels of anxiety throughout the month that are simply exacerbated by cortisol, rather than PMS causing anxiety itself.
Cyclical Emotional Reactions Similarly, any chronic stress and anxiety is believed to make PMS symptoms worse. If you're experiencing a period of stress and anxiety before your PMS symptoms occur, this may increase your PMS symptoms, which in turn will increase your stress and anxiety symptoms and so on.
Fear of or Response to PMS Symptoms Not all anxiety is caused by the hormones or PMS directly. Many women that suffer from intense PMS start to fear those symptoms. Combined with cramping pain and other uncomfortable physical sensations, these issues can actually create their own separate form of anxiety. In these cases, PMS isn't technically causing anxiety, but the PMS experience is leading to the development of anxiety in women that suffer from premenstrual syndrome.
In addition, simple hormone imbalance is known to lead to anxiety for reasons that are not always clear. Hormones play a direct role in the way your body produces and responds to the neurotransmitters that control stress and anxiety, so it's likely that when these hormones have lost their balance, anxiety and stress are the result.
Combined with the sheer fear of emotional dysregulation, the over-sensitivity that some women experience towards their body, and the feeling of being overwhelmed that often accompanies PMS episodes, it's no wonder that anxiety is a common experience for women who are menstruating.
Overcoming PMS anxiety is both simple and challenging. It's simple, because there are several techniques that should at least reduce your anxiety overall. But it's challenging, because your menstrual cycle is something you cannot control and varies in intensity from month to month.
Dietary changes, including adding Calcium, Vitamin E, Magnesium and Tryptophan into your diet, and possibly abstaining from caffeine.
Hormonal interventions, including contraceptives in various forms (pill, implant, etc).
NSAID pain relievers and any medications that reduce some of the physical pains of PMS (since physical pains increase stress, which increases PMS symptoms).
Still, it's important to remember that most theorize that PMS doesn't "cause" anxiety in a clear-cut cause/effect sense. Rather, it makes the anxiety you already experience worse. In addition, even though anxiety caused by PMS is the result of physical changes, you can often treat premenstrual anxiety through the same behavioral principles that people use to treat anxiety not caused by premenstrual symptoms. The coping mechanisms are the same, and often overlap.
Mindfulness Because PMS anxiety often feels natural, many of those living with anxiety are unaware when they're affected by it until after they've already suffered through the anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness is the practice of stopping and noticing each anxiety symptom before it consumes you, and then doing your best to calm yourself down from them. For example, if you find yourself frightened or irritable, you stop, question the feeling, and try to relax your body. Additionally remaining mindful in each thing you are doing can prevent your mind from wandering to anxiety-producing thoughts.
Journal Coping There are several coping strategies that involve journaling (like writing in a diary). One involves simply letting out all of your emotions on paper, since bottling them up reduce your ability to combat anxiety. Another involves writing out positive things throughout the month, and then when you start to feel anxious or negative, looking back on all of those positives to remind yourself that your emotions are not based on your recent past.
Therapies Several therapies have been created to improve coping in women with anxiety. General counseling can be very helpful and supportive, because it gives you an opportunity to share your thoughts all month while scheduling an appointment that should give you a chance to get help for your anxiety. In particular cognitive behavioral therapy, commonly known as CBT, can help teach you to change unhelpful thinking patterns and dialectical behavior therapy, commonly known as DBT, can help teach distress tolerance.
Exercise Exercise is a crucial part of healthy living, and an important part of dealing with anxiety caused by PMS. Several studies have linked aerobic workouts with controlling anxiety symptoms. Exercise is also a general anxiety cure as well, so it should be especially effective for those that struggle with daily anxiety.
Any and all anxiety treatments may also reduce your stress and improve overall wellness. If you control the way anxiety and stress affect you when you don't have PMS symptoms, then you should experience fewer anxiety symptoms during before your period.
Can Anxiety Cause Seizures and Do Seizures Cause Anxiety?


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El Museo de Menorca es una institución pública situada en la ciudad de Mahón, en las Islas Baleares, (España), que está dedicada a la investigación y la difusión dentro del ámbito de la Prehistoria y la historia de Menorca.

Ubicación y contenido
El Museo está ubicado en la avenida del Doctor Guàrdia, s/n, en Mahón.

El fondo del Museo está formado por piezas provenientes de las colecciones del anterior museo y de excavaciones arqueológicas realizadas durante los últimos años, así como de depósitos y donaciones de particulares y de varias entidades.

La exposición permanente del museo fue totalmente reformada durante los años 2017-2018, reabriéndose al público el mes de julio de 2018. Actualmente el museo ofrece también exposiciones temporales en su planta baja.

El Museo de Menorca es el centro de referencia en la difusión del patrimonio y del paisaje cultural de Menorca y ha impulsado una importante tarea de investigación, centrada sobre todo en la prehistoria de la isla. Los resultados de estas investigaciones, centradas en la cultura talayótica han sido publicados en revistas científicas de ámbito internacional.

Historia
El primer precedente del actual Museo de Menorca es el Museo Municipal de Mahón que fue inaugurado el 4 de noviembre de 1889, al antiguo edificio del Principal de Guardia, enfrente del Ayuntamiento mismo. Su promotor fue Joan Seguí Rodríguez y sus fondos iniciales se formaron con donaciones de particulares. Las primeras piezas, fragmentos de sepulturas romanas encontradas en Mahón, las donó Pere Monjo Monjo, el conservador del centro.

Después de la muerte del fundador del Museo en 1890, el Ayuntamiento ofreció la conservación de la colección al claustro de profesores del Instituto. Y Francesc Hernández Sanz, profesor del Instituto y conservador del Museo desde 1898, se encargó de consolidar la colección.

En 1906 sus fondos pasaron al Museo del Ateneo de Mahón, hasta 1944, en que se integraron al recientemente fundado Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes, organizado por Félix Merino y María Luisa Serra Belabre. El Ayuntamiento de Mahón cedió el palacio de Can Mercadal, sede de la Casa de Cultura y hoy biblioteca pública, donde se ubicó el nuevo Museo en noviembre de 1948. Además de los bienes que aportó el Ateneo de Mahón, también se sumaron los de la Comisaría de Excavaciones, la Subcomisión de Monumentos y otros procedentes de colecciones privadas, de forma que la colección se incrementó considerablemente.

Desde 1953 hasta 1967, bajo la dirección de María Luisa Serra, se aumentó el fondo del Museo con la adquisición de obras de arte y donaciones de pintores menorquines y se efectuó un destacado trabajo de documentación y difusión. Durando este periodo el Museo también acogió el material arqueológico de las excavaciones importantes que se realizaban en la isla como la Naveta des Tudons, la Naveta de Rafal Rubí, el poblado de Talatí de Dalt, la Basílica des Fornàs de Torelló y la Basílica de la Isla del Rey, entre otras.

En el año 1975, con el nombre de Museo de Menorca, se integra en la red del Patronato Nacional de Museos. Pero el edificio amenazaba ruina, de forma que se cierra al público. Cinco años después, en 1980, se acepta la donación al Estado de un inmueble del Ayuntamiento de Mahón, el antiguo convento de los franciscanos, como sede definitiva del Museo y se empiezan las obras de rehabilitación del edificio.

En 1984 se traspasó la gestión en el Gobierno Balear. Y en 1986 una parte del edificio rehabilitado empieza a funcionar. La restauración del claustro de San Francisco dotó de nuevos bienes que ingresaron al Museo: cerámica de los siglos VXII y XVIII y baldosas policromadas de los siglos XVIII y XIX.

Las salas temporales se abrieron al público en 1995 y tres años después, las salas permanentes, quedando inaugurada la nueva sede del Museo de Menorca.

El fondo del Museo ha ido creciendo a través de los numerosos proyectos de excavación arqueológica desarrollados por arqueólogos menorquines y por otros vinculados a la Universidad de las Islas Baleares, la Universidad de Boston y la Universidad de Sassari. También se recuperaron las piezas que la arqueóloga británica Margaret Murray había hallado en los años treinta del siglo XX en sus excavaciones en Trepucó y en el poblado talayótico de Sa Torreta y que se encontraban en Cambridge.

Las donaciones y depósitos de material etnológico, artístico e industrial iniciadas a partir de los años noventa y durante la primera década del siglo XXI, tanto de particulares como de varias entidades, también han sido imprescindibles para completar la colección.

Desde el año 2007 hasta la actualidad un equipo de arqueólogos del Museo, realiza trabajos de excavación y restauración en Cornia Nou, un poblado talayótico situado cerca de Mahón.

El Consejo Insular de Menorca gestiona el Museo desde septiembre de 2011. La institución ofrece un fondo digitalizado donde se puede consultar una parte de la colección.

El edificio

La actual sede del Museo de Menorca es el antiguo convento franciscano de Jesús, que formaba parte de la Iglesia de San Francisco, situada al lado. Sus orígenes datan del siglo XV; pero de esta época no quedan vestigios arquitectónicos, puesto que a consecuencia de un ataque turco a la ciudad, el edificio fue destrozado en 1535.

El edificio que nos ha llegado fue construido entre los siglos XVII y XVIII, con reformas a comienzo del XIX.

En la planta baja del convento se encontraban la portería, la sala capitular, la cocina, la despensa, la bodega y el refectorio y las escuelas de gramática y filosofía. Las celdas de los frailes y otras dependencias se situaban en las plantas superiores.

Los franciscanos tuvieron que dejar el convento el 1835, con la desamortización eclesiástica de Juan Álvarez Mendizábal. El inmueble pasó a disposición municipal y, antes de convertirse en la sede del Museo, fue ocupado por varias entidades que le dieron diferentes usos educativos y culturales: fue Casa de la Misericordia, Escuela Náutica, Biblioteca Pública e Instituto de Bachillerato.

El edificio del Museo se organiza en tres pisos que rodean el claustro barroco de planta cuadrada, con arcos de cuerpo bajo, y una ala que sobresale en el área meridional. Combina la superposición de órdenes clásicos con elementos del barroco. Las salas de exposiciones temporales y el salón de actos ocupan la planta baja, alrededor del claustro, y en el primero y segundo piso se encuentran las exposiciones permanentes.

Investigación

El Museo de Menorca proporciona un marco de referencia para el estudio de la prehistoria, la historia y la cultura de Menorca con un fondo formado por unos 200.000 objetos. El Museo ofrece un espacio destinado a los investigadores que deseen consultar este fondo.

También dispone de una biblioteca abierta al público que tiene un importante fondo de libros y documentos especializados en arte y arqueología, así como una amplia colección de libros, revistas, catálogos y manuales especializados dedicados a diferentes aspectos de la historia, etnología, geografía y cultura de Menorca. La mayor parte de los libros arqueológicos tienen un grado tan alto de especialización y especificación que no se pueden consultar en otras bibliotecas de la isla.

Periódicamente el Museo edita publicaciones científicas principalmente de carácter arqueológico, guías de las colecciones del fondo del Museo, catálogos de las exposiciones temporales y publicaciones del servicio educativo que ofrecen la oportunidad de conocer la historia de Menorca y sus elementos más característicos.

Visitas y actividades

El Museo ofrece cuatro tipos de visitas: guiadas, familiares, para grupos y escolares.
 Guiadas: están abiertas a todos los públicos y se preparan en función de los intereses del solicitante. Incluyen las salas de exposiciones temporales y el yacimiento prehistórico de Cornia Nou.
 Familiares: las familias pueden visitar el Museo de forma libre, siguiendo las sugerencias que propone el personal o solicitando un recorrido guiado.
 Grupos: el Museo diseña una visita a medida para cada grupo, ya sea por libre o guiada, en función de los intereses y del tiempo de los visitantes.
 Escolares : el Museo prepara itinerarios especiales por una o más etapas de la historia de Menorca, adecuados a las peticiones de cada docente.

En el Museo de Menorca se organizan varias actividades dirigidas a diferentes tipos de público: talleres infantiles, gincanas familiares, una noche al museo para los jóvenes, visitas guiadas especializadas en un tema, charlas y presentaciones de piezas.

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Museo de Menorca
 Amigos del Museo de Menorca

Véase también

Museos de historia de España
Museos de Baleares
Museos de España inaugurados en 1986
Arquitectura de España de 1792
Arquitectura en Islas Baleares en el siglo XVIII
Arquitectura barroca en España
Conventos franciscanos de España
Conventos de las Islas Baleares

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The Intelligencer is proud to offer We Remember memorial pages. It's the best way to honor and preserve the memories of loved ones who have passed.
All Memorials and Obituaries (8)
Carol Ann Spanninger
Carol Ann Spanninger, 82, wife of Robert "Bob" Louis Spanninger, passed away on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at Summerville Medical Center. Carol was born on August 8, 1939 in Sellersville, PA, daughter of the late Elwood and Evelyn Stull Detwiler. She was an avid reader and member of several book clubs. She was the love of Mr. Bob's life. Survivors in addition to her husband, Bob, are: a daughter, Kelly Spanninger, and partner, Joyce, of Pittsburg, PA, grandson, Nathan, and granddaughter, Jocelyn, and son, Robert Sean Spanninger of St. Augustine, FL; Dennis Detweiler and wife, Wanda, of Perkasie, PA. In addition to her late parents, she was predeceased by, two brothers: Guy Detweiler and...
The Reverend Dr. David Anthony Williams
The Reverend Dr. David Anthony Williams died at home in Mt. Pleasant, SC on September 14, 2021. Diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (a brain tumor) this past March, he was cared for by Lutheran Hospice in his final weeks. David was born in Pennsylvania in 1945, son of Percy and Clementine Salese Williams and grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He began playing the piano early in life and became an accomplished jazz pianist and musician. He charmed Linda Bready of Chalfont with his music. Years before they were engaged, she asked him to play piano at her wedding, and he did when they married in October 1970. After graduating from DeSales University in 1969 he went on to earn advanced...
June C. Bishop
June C. Fell Bishop, a former life-long resident of Doylestown, died Monday, March 15, 2021 at Paramount Senior Living in Fayetteville, PA. She was 92. Her husband, George D. Bishop preceded her in death. Services and interment in care of Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, Chambersburg, PA will be private. www.geiselfuneralhome.com.
Melody "Mel" Ann Buckman
Melody "Mel" Ann Buckman, 63, of Myrtle Beach, SC formerly of Warminster, PA passed away at home on January 24, 2021. She was married to Bucky Buckman, in which they had just celebrated their twenty-seventh wedding anniversary on the 19th. She will be deeply missed by her two children, Christopher Gries and Matthew Gries; four grandchildren; and her three dogs, Gracie, Rose and the Peach. Mel loved her friends at Petsense where she worked and her EAGLES. She was preceded in death by her loving daughter, Joey Ann Mitchell. Services will be held at a later date in Pennsylvania. Condolences may be made at www.burroughsfh.com Burroughs Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Murrells...
Ernest Acosta, Jr.
Ernest Acosta Jr, 88, of Mount Pleasant SC, widower of Dorothy Spangler Acosta entered into eternal rest on September 11 from complications of a stroke suffered in May. In consideration of the health of all, the family plans to have a memorial service at a later date. Arrangements by McAlister-Smith. Inurnment will be at Mountain View Cemetery in Sharpsburg, Md. Ernie was born November 19th, 1931 in New York City to the late Maria Isabel Ortiz and Ernesto Acosta Sr. Following graduation from Benjamin Franklin High in 1950 he married and began a family with Martha Negron. Eventually he went into the Army to fight in the Korean War however he never saw combat and was stationed in Luquillo...
Doris Marilyn McPhillips
On Saturday August 15th, 2020, Doris Marilyn (Palmer) McPhillips, loving mother of two and Grandmother, (Ga-Ga), of three children passed away at the age of 90 years old. Doris was born December 30th, 1929 in Philadelphia, PA., the only child of Robert and Carrie (Bradley) Palmer. She was "Daddy's Little Princess" and loved telling everyone she met! Doris attended Steele school, Gillespie Jr. High and Simon Gratz High School, all located in Philadelphia, PA. Doris graduated in 1947 and later married Richard A. McPhillips, July 3rd, 1954. They later divorced in 1985. They raised two children David and Dianne and spent most of their time together in Quakertown, PA. Doris stayed home with...
Emma Mae Schweiker
Emma Mae (Dann) Schweiker, 84, born March 28, 1935, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2020 after a long battle with Alzheimer's/Dementia. Emma was born in Bellefonte, PA, daughter to the late Calvin A. Dann and Helen M. (Sweitzer) Dann. After marrying she moved to Montgomery County, PA and spent much of her adult life in Horsham, PA as a wife, mother to Frederick (Rick) W. Schweiker IV (wife Wendy Atler Schweiker) of Elkton, MD and Jennifer L. Schweiker of Philadelphia, PA. Emma was a loving grandmother to Lindsey A. Schweiker (partner Frankie Sabatino), Nicholas W. Schweiker (fiance Sarah Buckley) and most recently great-grandmother to beautiful Luca F. (Schweiker) Sabatino. Emma is...
Dorothy Jane McPhillips
Dot McPhillips of Germantown, TN died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on January 19, 2020. Dot was born in Philadelphia, PA on July 15, 1933 to the late Edward and Stella Shechter. She grew up in the West Oak Lane neighborhood and graduated as a top student from Germantown High School in Philadelphia in December 1951. In 1952 Dot married James J. (Bud) McPhillips Jr., the boy who lived down the back drive. They later moved to Warminster, PA where they raised their family. Dot and Bud were married 48 years before Bud passed in 2000. Dot moved from Warminster, PA to Germantown, TN in 2014. Dot embraced her new life as a resident of The Village at Germantown where she made deep and...

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What are the Benefits of Control Center?
Learn the benefit of control center.
Control center gives you instant access to the frequently used feature and allow you to view recent and earlier notifications with just a swipe. You can open control center from anywhere on your phone - from any app or screen, even from the lock screen.
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The Waste and Recycling section provides a high quality service to residents throughout the Borough, working towards achieving a cleaner, greener and safer environment.
You can report a missed bin online (Opens in a New Window), by emailing recycling@broxtowe.gov.uk or refuse@broxtowe.gov.uk, or calling 0115 917 7777.
You can now text 60075 to check which collection is due that week. Start the message with 'BROX NEXT' including your postcode and house number - i.e. 'BROX NEXT NG9 1AB 32', you will be sent a message back with details of your next scheduled collection.


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CBI gets custody of P Chidambaram for 5 days in INX Media case
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram was arrested on Wednesday night by the CBI for his alleged role in the INX Media case.
File image/PTI
news Arrest Thursday, August 22, 2019 - 18:45
The CBI was granted custody of P Chidambaram till August 26 by a special court, which heard the agency's petition requesting five-day custodial remand of the former Union Minister in the INX Media case. The order was pronounced after the court heard both the parties on Thursday.
Appearing for the CBI, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought custody of the senior Congress leader as he was brought to the Rouse Avenue court under heavy security from the CBI headquarters.
During the court hearing, the prosecution said the investigation has revealed that a payment of $5 million US was made by INX Media case co-accused Indrani Mukherjea. But interestingly, Chidambaram denied being asked this question by CBI. The prosecution argued that when he was shown the said document, Chidambaram remained silent and evasive, and stressed on the need to confront him further with more documents. Citing the Delhi High Court order that denied Chidambaram anticipatory bail and called him "kingpin", Mehta also gave the case diary to the court for perusal to make a strong case for getting Chidambaram's custody. He even cited several Supreme Court judgments during the course of his argument.
Senior Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, said that the accused in the current case is Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram who has been granted regular bail by the Delhi High Court. He insisted that the investigation is complete as a draft charge sheet has been framed. Sibal, on question of Chidambaram's "evasiveness", told the court that the former Finance Minister insisted on sleeping last night rather than being interrogated and was open to it since 8 a.m. on Thursday. He also complained to the court that it was the CBI which started the questioning at 11 a.m. and asked only Chidambaram 12 questions. He also argued that the Foreign Investment Promotion Board consists of six Central goverment Secretaries, who recommended the file to then Finance Minister. he also raised a question mark on the credibility of the documents produced by CBI.
Opposing CBI's custody demand, Sibal, citing the Santosh judgment, argues that bail is the norm, not an exception. Senior Congress leader and counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued Chidambaram was just an "approver" while the decision was taken by the six members of the FIPB. He also raised questions on the delay over summoning Chidambaram after Indrani Mukherjea's statement.
The court then reserved its order after listening to both sides and pronounced the order after a 45-minute break.
The former Finance Minister is accused of granting a FIPB clearance for foreign direct investment (FDI) to INX Media when he was the Finance Minister during UPA, in exchange of alleged bribes paid to his son Karti Chidambaram.
(With inputs from IANS)


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Switzer Learning Center
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Star Students
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Enrichment Classes & Extracurricular Activities
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2020 Women of the Year Virtual Celebration
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Honoring Mr. Len Hernandez
Boots, Brews & BBQs 2017
Casino Masquerade
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We are very proud of our students and wants to share their stories, activities, projects, and successes with you.
The 12 Labors of Heracles is one of my favorite Greek mythological stories. It's about a demigod who went on a long journey to redeem himself from the errors he had made after he recovered from madness. His journey ended with him a hero who had helped others throughout his long path full of arduous challenges. I hope I have positively impacted lives along the way – during my challenges. My parents divorced when I was 9 years old. My older siblings cared for me while my mom worked long days to pay the bills. The divorce caused us to quarrel and we had a hard time getting along—but care and we are a family. My depression after the divorce caused problems along with my anger and aggression due to heavy bullying at school. ADHD made it hard to learn and I often made poor choices. Switzer staff treated me like I mattered, they gave us an opportunity to redeem ourselves and to clean off the slate for a new start. They taught us to not give up until we overcame our challenges. We are heroes too! I cherish Switzer memories filled with wonderful fun and laughter. I will use my scholarship to go to El Camino College to get an Associate's Degree in Music and Theatre. My main goal is to entertain people and give them good memories to have for the rest of their lives. Whether using the melodies of my guitar strumming or imitating peoples.
In September 2006, I was constantly in the office for not going to class at Switzer. At my prior school I had a big problem with authority — I still do today, but I'm not as bad. I just don't like people telling me what to do unless it is obviously in my best interest. When no school wanted me, Switzer accepted me. It was very different, mellow, and not as crowded as normal public schools. Being in a small class with a teacher I actually liked was a bit odd. I was picked on a lot at my old school, but at Switzer that stopped. I got comfortable with different kinds of people and became more active in socializing with peers. Thank you staff for sticking with me over the years – even though I treated you bad. I should have gotten me kicked out many times, but it didn't. Dr. Foo calls me the "Artful Dodger" because of my sneaky antics, like going missing during a fieldtrip to the pier to get some lunch, and not realizing the time to go back. Dr. Foo and Mr. Hernandez were so worried something bad happened to me. Today I am personally proud of my record for the most perfect attendance. I plan to use my scholarship to go to El Camino College to get an Associate's Degree, and then transfer to Arizona State University to get a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. My dream is becoming an entrepreneur and open my own restaurant business.
Sandy was from the only white family in her Carson neighborhood. So she was the victim of gang violence and bullying. She lived with her single mom and she had a lot of fear issues. She really did not feel like she belonged anywhere. Once the staff and her mom realized she loved creative writing, it helped her channel her fear through her writing. She began to feel she was worth something. She wrote that when she first came to Switzer she felt she was a lone wolf —without a pack. But when she left she realized that Switzer was her wolf pack and she had found a group where she belonged. Sandy volunteered at the Long Beach Aquarium, and her mom got her in a bowling league that helped her socialize outside of school peers. She was dual enrolled at Carson high school and walked their graduation before coming back to walk with Switzer peers at our high school graduation. Sandy escaped through her love of books and writing. She now works at Barnes & Noble and lives and nannies her sister's kids.
Came to us in 4th grade from a foster home that rejected her. She was troubled and a run away. Her parents were out of the picture. She had behavior problems and she was not focused. She was angry and defiant. She would curse you out looking for a fight with anyone (even the boys). She was really angry. Her foster mom was fed up and she was moved to another foster home, but they allowed her to stay at Switzer and her new foster mother was invested in her. Camilla was turning around; she became more cooperative. She loved basketball and although she was the only girl on their intermural basketball team, she became a valuable player and the only girl in the whole league. She was an Alpha female, strong woman who found the strength to believe in herself. She had to learn about her learning disability (ADHD) and how to handle her fight or flight instincts. She became our student body president and a positive role model to encourage other students to listen better and work to solve their problems over complaining. Camilla attends our annual Alumni reunion on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. So many of our kids do not have a family, so they rely on us for holidays. She comes in a little black dress and ends up playing basketball with the kids. Camilla went on to UCLA Extension.
Scott is non-verbal which means that he communicates his needs with gestures and actions. He is a good walker but his difficulties communicating landed him in a group home in Hawthorne. At 19 years old when Scott got to Switzer Learning Center, he refused to stay on the campus. His bus would show up on campus and he would leave campus and go to a liquor store where he got snacks and the store charged his mom for the bill. To stop the behavior, Switzer got an aid for Scott and explained that he would have to take the aid with him whenever he did not want to be in class. The aid would keep him company and keep him on campus. After that he stayed on campus and went on field trips and eventually joined an off campus work program. He learned to prepare restaurants for openings and how to clear, clean, and set tables properly. Through Switzer Center, El Pollo Inka offered to help place the students to teach them skills to use at Restaurants. Today, although Scott lives at a group home, he is 23 and still works at El Pollo Inka and greets Switzer students, thanks to the support and generosity of El Pollo Inka's owner, Antionio Antoch. Antionio and all the companies that support our student placement give our students a way to earn money and contribute to our community, while building their self-worth.
After 20 foster homes and 19 years, Donny came to Switzer Learning Center with some conclusions he had made based on his own experience, "All mammals mothers leave them". His mother dropped him off after having 10 kids when he was only 2 years old. All she cared about was getting drugs. He was very Argumentative and did not follow rules. He fought a lot which caused most of his movement from one location to another. But someone at Switzer told him "There is no use in looking backwards, keep knocking on the doors and someone will one day let you in". In his graduation speech he said, "2 years ago, I knocked on Switzer's door and they let me in. Their staff got me ready for the world, educationally and emotionally." Sometimes Foster kids can get an allowance based on their history to not have to earn as many credits as the general public to graduate. But Donny refused any allowance and took the more challenging course load, including School on Saturdays and a course at El Camino College in order to graduation on time. He had to work independently and sometimes required one-on-one classes. Donny set goals to become a mechanical technician and work his way through combustion engines, which he liked to fix. He was the first to graduate among his family and many of his peers.
In 9th grade Jane came to Switzer Learning Center after her parents separated and she lived with mom and Grandma. She became very depressed with low self-esteem, a weight problem and she felt worthless (emotionally wrecked). She took time to trust the staff at Switzer who worked to help her change her opinion of herself from not academic to think of herself as successful. By improving her self-esteem, her academia thrived. However she did not think she was worth being someone's friend and her role model (Grandma) did not have any friends. She finally opened up and even had a boyfriend. She also became an amazing student role model who helped other kids succeed and became very self-confident. She also became fit by starting with aerobics, dance and yoga in PE and then developed her sports skills in basketball and volleyball. She liked the social and competitive aspect of playing sports with others. She also started walking a lot and took pride in her body changes, including her strong arms that she defined with hand weights at home. Switzer helped her get a job a Ralphs, enabling her to learn to drive and buy a car. Her confidence also enabled her to reconnect with her father. She went on to Massage therapist school and made her own business card to attract clients. Eventually, she was hired at a formal spa. She has become an Ebullient, positive person who does what she sets out to do. In fact, she spoke at the Women of the Year awards in 2016 at Switzer Center thanking the staff for helping her discover her true and successful self.
Torrance adult program inherited John, after he turned 18, however they lacked the support to help him. He was limited to watching videos, lying on the ground and playing with flappers (paper noise tools) to get attention. These were the only activities he participated in each day until he came to Switzer Learning Center. He was physically too big to force to participate in outings or classes for learning, so Switzer staff began his education by taking him out on walks around their campus and in the neighborhood. They found he was afraid of going somewhere unknown, so the progress was slow and frustrating for James and his caretakers. To help James enhance his quality of life, Switzer worked hard to enable James to overcome his fears and to go on Field trips. -However, whenever they tried to take him off campus, he would flop on the ground and refuse to go. Going on a trip in their special van would take a whole day and he would self-injure whenever doing new things. Today he spends 3 days a week going on field trips and going to work at Happy Hats. There he assembles packages for kids with cancer. He also goes to the Botanic Garden to water plants, clean up weeds and help with nature hike trail management. To help his employers, Switzer provided James with an iPad communication tool. This has empowered James to expand his requests and connect his needs with words. Today he is no longer isolated and alone.
Coming from a special day classroom on a public school campus, Leonard was uncomfortable with the demands of his teachers. So he learned to act badly (excrement flinging). He saw that this caused others to leave him alone permanently, including being kicked out of school—which was fine with him. The staff at Switzer worked on how to eliminate this negative behavior. They tried wet clay (Play-doh) and other substitutes so he could act out, but keep the school safe. Then they learned that Leonard did not like to be dirty. They also learned that Leonard was actually terrified of going to school. So they moved him to a quiet room without demands, except to tolerate the teacher's presence. By padding the room with roofing paper to protect the floor, they found he would not take his shoes off on the rough paper. He could not remove his pants with his shoes on, so he stopped the behavior. Staff then focused on doing connecting with Leonard, like listening to music (he liked the Beatles) looking at fashion pictures (he liked dreadlocks) and discussing interesting art & photos. He became very social, without behavior issues and developed a good sense of humor. Because he was actually very smart he transition to another school with a less restrictive classroom and higher functioning, more capable students—like him (Asperger's). Leonard is thriving today. In addition to wearing noise-canceling headphones, Leonard has learned strategies to self-manage his anxieties— like entering crowded events by standing near a door to feel safe first, before moving forward to a seat.
Because withdrawal (instead of acting out) is easily overlooked as a symptom when a student needs help, students that withdraw (often girls) are not as quickly given accommodations to help them learn. Penny came to Switzer Learning Center at 13. Similar to the character that Ally Sheedy played in Breakfast Club, she hid behind her hair and was very quiet (observing the world instead of participating in it). She was withdrawn and would not let others approach her and if they did, she would hiss like a cat to scare them off. Switzer staff observed Penny and learned that she liked teen magazines. They sat with her in a quiet room slowly inviting her to talk with them about the images in the magazines. Her curiosity led to female bonding with the teachers who eventually were able to brush and tie her hair so others could connect with her (engaging eye contact). Penny started to ask for a purse, compact and even asking about specific boys. She then joined groups and started to play with the group when she felt safe. If she did not feel safe (too loud) she would peek in and decided not to engage (appropriate rejection, instead of hissing). By respecting Penny's boundaries, Switzer enabled Penny to learn to advocate for herself. Eventually, she was able to move out of her parent's home and into an adult setting transitioning her into a participatory life with a sense of self and self-advocacy.
Juanito has sensory issues. When he feels uncomfortable he bites himself and hits his head on a nearby wall. This is because his brain does not bring in enough stimuli when he is stressed, so his senses are processed in a disorganized order and therefore very heightened. In his world, sounds are too loud, touch hurts and even digestion can be stressful. He overreacts to senses and requires a lot of negative sensory input to calm himself down. Obviously that caused problems at his traditional school. At Switzer Learning Center the staff charted his self-harming behavior because he was non-verbal. They found a pattern to the location that seemed to cause self-harm. By redirecting him though a different path (avoiding a noisy water cooler) to classes and recess, the self-harm stopped. Staff also added a helmet (to avoid head banging damage) with ear mufflers (reduce noise) to protect him from himself should he overreact to unanticipated noise in the future. A traditional school would never have had the resources to patiently identify the problem. Switzer also provided Juanito with an iPad (Augmentative Alternative Communication – $800) which enables non-verbal students to communicate instead of acting out— saving teachers and loved ones much frustration and time. If you would like to sponsor an Autistic Child with this wonderful communication aid, click donate above and the amount $800 and we will help another student connect with the world.
Recently a new student with a bad mouth told me to shut the *** up. I noticed that I didn't mind. I thought to myself, this kid is acting like a spoiled brat because he is misunderstood. Before, I would have gotten so mad I would have flipped out. I was always smart enough to go to public school. But with my very bad temper, I used to just get kicked out of one school after another. I've had to go through lot of significant life changes to keep a positive attitude learn to calm myself by listening to rock music. If I hear a song that is a good, I focus on the song until it drowns out everybody else so I can be in my own little world. Switzer has been an active, place with fun events like the Switzer's Olympics at the park. It has also been educational. Next I will attend El Camino College, where I want to study astronomy because Mr. Ortiz got me interested in how small earth really is and how fascinating I find the universe. I would love to find a planet of my own, and maybe someday go live on a faraway planet.
When I was in 9th grade at a public school, I made a big mistake. During 2nd semester I was accused of taking something from another student and was threatened by his friends. So I brought a box cutter to school to defend myself. Knowing it was not the right thing to do, I told a teacher about it. However, I was arrested and sent to a mental hospital as a "danger to others." But something great came out of those poor choices! My mom looked and found a safe choice at Switzer Learning Center. The environment was more comfortable for me to be my own funny self. I was accepted by my peers —who liked my individuality. The smaller classes & teachers at Switzer made sure I learned. So I stopped failing classes and received A's and B's. Switzer school has honestly changed me. Whenever I get mad, I talk to staff and they help me calm down. I don't threaten anybody anymore. Plus Mr. Youman, taught me to play the piano, and music is now my passion. After graduation I'm going to Los Angeles Southwest College to study music and I hope to be a music producer one day.
"Today I graduate high school and I am scared of what lies ahead. I still can't understand who I am or what I want out of life. I'm just not sure I will be a good adult, and I'm scared of letting everyone down. I fear a self-fulfilling prophesy of "I think I will fail and so I will". . but I'm not going to listen to that little devil on my shoulder. People think that courage is about the absence of fear – but it is not! Courage is about being scared to death and still doing what needs to be done. We are all afraid, but that doesn't stop me and the Class of 2016 – from graduating. We all have the responsibility to be the best we can be. Thank you Mr. Coffey for letting me argue with you all the time. Thank you Julian for being a stand-up guy and sitting with me through my problems. You listened to me whine about a lot of things and reminded me – "to keep cool,"& "take it easy". Whenever I'm really uptight, mad, or too emotional; your voice of reason has a calming sensation. And here's to Mr. G, who not only tries to be a teacher, but also tries to be a friend to all of the students. One of my favorite quotes is "the only constant is change." School wasn't always fun, but this diploma proves I've passed that trial. I'm scared facing the challenge and changes in my life. I'm not certain what lays ahead, but one thing I seriously hope for is that my future be so bright that I need sunglasses all the time!"
"Thank you Dr. Foo and Dr. Wendy for being patient with me through the years. Dr. Foo is my favorite staff because she uses all positive views and teaches me to focus on the future. She helped me earn a Star Student award in 2013. Dr. Wendy White taught me how to use photo editing. I will miss having my own desk outside of her office. I have been changing every year I'm here. This school helped me become a good person. Today, I'm respectful, gentle, and helpful, and I get along better with others. I also learned to focus on my school work . I hope that if I work hard, Dr. Foo will hire me to work next year, because I do not want to leave my Switzer home. I hope all the counselors and staff have a wonderful time on summer break."
"Before high school, I had not been in school since I was 12 and I was told that I would never be able to walk. I was in hospitals for 4 years and I was sent to a residential school in 5th grade due to cutting myself, because the emotional pain I had was so bad, I preferred physical pain to it. But Switzer encouraged me to come back and I found that the students and staff believed in me— even when I did not. I am 20 now and I am happy. I am so grateful for the chance that Switzer gave me and the trust Mr. Hernandez showed when he gave me my first job at the student store. I have completed my training to become a security guard and I am a security guard today. I am also working on becoming a trauma nurse. Dr. Foo says that "Can't" is one of the worst 4 letter words because it robs you of your ambition. I became determined to be a survivor and prove to myself those people who said I can't —were wrong."
"Before coming to Switzer I went to another High School that was stressful because of my peers and constant security checks put me in detention and buried me in school work. I became frustrated and angry towards my peers and teachers. At Switzer things were simpler and I learned a lot more than I did before. The staff were a lot more lenient and a better fit for me to learn many things. They helped me discover more of my strengths and Mr. Blue believed in me and was always there for me. He knew I was honest and trusted me when others didn't. I have a new more positive look on life & transitioning into adulthood. Soon, I start my job at a landscaping company. After I get settled in, I will also go to technical school to get certified in diesel mechanics. I plan to work as a diesel mechanic for a mainstream company until I have the means to start my own restoration shop for classic and rare cars."
"There were many problems that held me back as a child. My parents divorced and my mom had to work really hard and leave us alone a lot. My depression was brought on from the divorce. I was angry and aggressive due to heavy bullying at school. My peers put me down a lot, lowering my self-esteem. Plus my ADHD affected my learning, causing me to screw up a lot and make poor choices. The first time, I had to leave Switzer due to my behavior choices. I will always be grateful that Mr. Hernandez gave me a second chance and thanks to the staff members and students here, I was able to feel like I mattered and belonged somewhere. This school gives us all another opportunity to redeem ourselves and to clean off the slate for a new start. The staff members get on our case every day because they know that each of us has the potential to succeed in life. They taught me to give it my best, no matter what—even though we know it will not be perfect."
"I used to get in a lot of fights because I couldn't control my anger. I let every little thing bother me. I used to hold everything in until I would explode in anger. This caused me to be expelled from preschool and elementary school for fighting. Then, I was accused of doing something bad in middle school by a student whose mother worked there. They pressured me so much that I said I did it —even though I didn't. I met my best friend on the bus coming to Switzer 3 years later. We are always there for each other and to help deal with life problems together. Without my friends, I probably would have dropped out of school a while back. Mr. J. was the staff member that I could talk with about everything. He is going through a lot of similar things that I and other students are struggling through. So he relates to us and what we have going on. Plus he always knew how to make me laugh. After Switzer, I am going to work at a sulphur refinery and take online college courses to get an Associate degree. My goal is to have a career in photography, capturing the best moments that occur to share with the world."
At Torrance High School, Eaton would do silly stuff to get attention and distract other students in the process. He was not motivated to do well in school or even to just pass his classes. He engaged in all sorts of practical jokes and inappropriate behaviors — which frustrated his school and teachers and led him to Switzer Learning Center. Eaton found that the smaller school and classes, gave him more support. Also the environment made it difficult to get away with disruptive behaviors. "The support and positive attention from staff helped me straighten up and become a little more motivated to do better in school. Granted, my only goal was to get out of high school. But I know my parents are very relieved — that at least this time — I am leaving — with a high school diploma! To Switzer Staff in general, you guys are saints for dealing with the nonsense I used to do, and the behavior of some of my peers. After this, I'm going to the military. I'm still considering my choices of which branch. Thank you Switzer for helping me mature enough that my behavior will now be acceptable in the military and every day life."
After his hospitalization for a suicide attempt, Tom's old school did not know how to handle Tom. They did know that the cost of failure was too high, so they suggested he get a new start elsewhere. When he first came to Switzer Learning Center, Tom missed his old friends and his school. He really did not want to be there, but over time he realized that he could stop worrying about a lot of external social distractions and develop new connections. It allowed him to focus his time on doing what he had to do to graduate. Today, Tom's feelings about Switzer are positive. "It helped me get done with high school and I love their great brownies on the coffee cart." Tom also connected with his Counselor who Tom felt really listened and helped him see beyond high school to what he might be able to accomplish. He graduated and used his Switzer scholarship to attend El Camino to major in criminal justice. "I know there is a lot of crime going on and I would hate to see any of the people I care about being hurt. So I'm thinking I'd like to be a police investigator to decrease the chances of people dying by a criminal."
"I was bullied at Banning High School so I stopped going and put down for being fatherless and ugly, for not having enough money, not wearing pretty clothes. I got trapped in a very dark place and became suicidal. I had thoughts of killing myself and I knew I would never graduate. At Switzer, I learned I wasn't the only one who felt they didn't belong. My classmates were dealing with similar issues. Ms. Smith has this peaceful vibe that helped me feel comfortable telling her my personal problems. My Counselor, Dr. Landsman helped me become the person I am today by helping me realize that I am valuable and I am not horrible or ugly. I am not the same depressed and suicidal girl I was 3 years ago. The staff at Switzer has helped me with their patience & understanding. I've matured and I like myself. I was motivated to come to school and I even graduated at Phineas Banning High School. I plan to use my Switzer scholarship to go to community college and then transfer to Cal State Dominguez to study nursing. I am currently working at Kaiser part time, and as a caregiver for a disabled adult. If not for the help I received at Switzer, I would not have had the motivation to change and become the person I am now."
Larry, a young man on the Autism Spectrum, had been in three different placements prior to coming to Switzer. When Switzer's Director went to his school to observe Larry as a part of the intake process, she observed Larry get into three physical fights in one day. He had no friends, was bossy, aggressive and physically assaultive. When he got too overwhelmed, he would walk off campus, leading to even more trouble. Then Larry came to Switzer. Today he is 15 and with Switzer's guidance, Larry is learning to communicate his feelings without being bossy or physical. He works in the job program on campus and earns weekly "Switzer dollars" with which he can buy items at the "Spectorium store". One of his favorite items is Yugioh cards. In fact, he has recently begun organizing Yugioh tournaments for staff and students to compete. He creates the flyers and tournament sign up sheets, and serves as the facilitator, teaching other students how to compete. He has learned patience and social skills and feels confident and proud. Larry has learned to channel his aggressions into a fun and fulfilling activity
Philip is a student who suffers from OCD and an overwhelming aversion to germs, which leads to a fear of being touched. In his previous school placement, these concerns weren't addressed which led to an increasing level of frustration. The more frustrated he got, the more he would act out physically, and the more he acted out, the more his teachers tried to hold him down to avoid injury. This vicious cycle continued for years until finally, at age 18, he lashed out at one of his teachers which constituted an assault. When Phillip came to Switzer he was afraid, and had a very hard time trusting people. But Switzer's support team respected his OCD and germ concerns and little by little, he has come out of his shell and has learned to trust again. He has had no incidences of violence and now he uses his words to convey his needs and concerns. In just under a year at Switzer, Philip is now thriving and he looks forward to coming to school, learning and being around others.
As Sara felt herself falling weightless through the air, her mind ran through all of the confusing details of her past. The fall from the top of the building was a defining moment in her life (all 15 years of it). Fortunately she was saved by a response team and a medical facility, but that was the easy part. Sara needed to understand her past and how to function in spite of it. Her learning disabilities and her social anxiety were keeping her from the joy life can deliver and she could not find hope to get her to her future. From the doctors that cared for her and a family who needed to learn her challenges, to the school she found that had an environment where she could achieve in spite of what she had grown to believe, Sara fought her way out. Her disability was diagnosed and treatment was defined and she was in a school that accommodated her challenges and understood that not all that harms us is something you can see. She is no longer lost, in fact she has graduated from High School and moved on to have a job in a community that has helped her heal. By learning about herself and how to deal with her feelings while still moving forward with her education and her life, Sara is no longer defined by her disability but by her dreams. She is moving forward with strategies she has learned to combat her past and she is happy in the knowledge that she can define herself.
Sandra was bullied and assaulted in public school. She became so frightened and depressed that she stopped going to school. Her multiple learning disabilities made learning such a challenge for Sandra that she was just barely passing and could not afford to miss the school days she was absent. Her mom worried that Sandra was falling so far behind that she would never catch up. After Sandra transferred to Switzer Learning Center, slowly but surely her depression and fears lifted and she began to make friends. She developed new ways of learning and began to succeed at school. Now Sandra is a popular student, a member of the Switzer Student Council, a published poet, and was named one of the first Switzer Star's who was named at the 2008 Women of the Year luncheon. Sandra credits Switzer Learning Center for giving her hope and opportunities for a future that is bright and filled with possibilities.
Chris came to Switzer Learning Center when he was only 12 years old after both his parents died. His grandparents did not know how to handle Chris' unruly behavior caused by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), compounded by grief. After developing a relationship with staff members at Switzer Learning Center, Chris became interested in computers and liked school for the very first time. Chris graduated just as his last grandparent died, and military service seemed a logical choice for this lonely young man. One of the things Chris learned at Switzer Learning Center is that persistence pays off, and after multiple attempts, he passed the military entrance exam. When the Marine Corps released him from boot camp because he took medication for ADHD, he returned to Switzer Learning Center for help. With assistance from a congressional representative, Chris successfully enlisted in the U.S. Army and found his place in life for success. As a sergeant, he saved his men from an ambush in Iraq and was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal for bravery in combat. Recently he became a member of the elite U.S. Army Special Forces Green Berets. Switzer Learning Center became — and still is Chris's family and taught him the skills he would need to become a heroic member of the military.
Raul was a lonely kid in junior high school. He had no friends and was so isolated and withdrawn it adversely affected his schoolwork. He was failing in public school and was referred to Switzer Learning Center. Raul discovered that he was like many of the students at Switzer Learning Center and he began to reach out to others. He discovered what it was to succeed for the first time in his life. By graduation, Raul was the most popular kid in school and the class valedictorian. Success didn't stop there. Raul used the $1000 scholarship awarded to each Switzer graduate to go to college or vocational school to become a massage therapist. Last year, Raul came back to Switzer Learning Center with a new career and gave a free massage to each of the staff. "This was my way of saying thank you to the staff for changing my life and giving me a future."
Patty was one of the first students in Switzer Learning Center's R.E.A.L. Autism Program. At 13, Patty was terrified of the world around her; and after she was unsuccessful at each program she had enrolled in previously, her parents were terrified that she had no future. The first few days in the R.E.A.L. Program were difficult for Patty, who was too overwhelmed in a new environment to enter the classroom and screamed for hours in the hallway. Patty's transitions were slow, but still amazing. After completing her first year in the R.E.A.L. Program, Patty and her parents returned from their first successful family vacation with presents for each classmate and staff in the R.E.A.L. Program. Patty helped choose a unique gift for each person – –quite a significant accomplishment for some one who used to be a terrified little autistic girl not able to relate to anyone. The R.E.A.L. Program completely changed the lives of Patty and her parents.
Lenny was being home- schooled because he could not be managed in public school. His parents took the course of least resistance and often gave in to his demands to keep peace at home; but they knew this wasn't the answer. His beginning months in the Switzer Learning Center's R.E.A.L. Autism Program were challenging for Lenny and the staff. At first he regressed and ran through the halls screaming to retreat to the restroom when he could not tolerate being in the classroom. A staff member had to be with him at all times to prevent him from running away, disrobing, or engaging in other inappropriate behavior. The sensory integration / occupational therapy room was enormously helpful for Lenny to learn to soothe and regulate his emotions. A year later, you would not recognize Lenny. He is now the self-proclaimed "mayor" of the R.E.A.L. classroom, who greets visitors by asking their name and politely introducing himself. Lenny has made friends and participates in many community outings with other R.E.A.L. students. Lenny exemplifies the R.E.A.L. program by relating to others, controlling his emotions, appropriately expressing his affect, and learning continually. Lenny's parents are very grateful to Switzer's R.E.A.L. Autism Program for "giving their son back" and improving the quality of all their lives.
Bobby told his public school teachers how stressful it was at home with his mother using drugs and her anger running out of control. His teachers were obligated to report Bobby's home situation, and the court removed Bobby from his mom's home. He felt overwhelmingly guilty and depressed, and after threatening suicide, ended up in the hospital. After discharge, Bobby went to live with his dad – whom Bobby thought didn't care about him, and was sent to Switzer Learning Center. He did not trust anyone, especially teachers. In his view teachers were the ones who got him into this trouble. He could not read and believed that learning was almost impossible. Bobby's homeroom teacher took an interest in him and helped him get the special attention he needed. Bobby has learned to express his feelings through counseling, writing, and sharing with friends and even teachers. He won a writing contest, is a published poet, and has risen to join the highest reading group in his grade. Bobby has returned to his mom's home and has learned to turn to others when he needs help. Switzer Learning Center helped Bobby grow academically, learn to trust others, and find new ways of coping with overwhelming feelings. Switzer Learning Center made an enormous academic, social, and emotional difference for Bobby.
Jerry was a shy and socially awkward teenager with Asperger's Syndrome. At Switzer Learning Center, he seemed to fade into the woodwork, never making trouble or standing out in any way. On a class trip to the old Marineland in Palos Verdes, Jerry saw a dolphin show and his life changed. With the support of the Switzer staff, Jerry began volunteering at Marineland and eventually became a dolphin trainer after graduation. In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast, Jerry was part of the team that went in search of eight dolphins who were swept into the Gulf of Mexico from the Marine Life Oceanarium of Gulfport, MS. The dolphins were found and rescued just before the next Gulf hurricane hit. Jerry made a difference for eight dolphins in Mississippi and the community in which they lived, and Switzer Learning Center made a difference in the life of a young man with Asperger's Syndrome.
Geraldo hardly ever spoke in class. Although he could complete his class work without too much difficulty, speaking in class was just too much for him. Even though he usually knew the answer, he never volunteered to answer questions and frequently only spoke one or two words at a time. Geraldo had so much social anxiety that he frequently hid during lunch. When it came time to graduate, Geraldo wrote his graduation speech, but everyone thought his teacher would read it for him since he would not be able to give his speech in front of 200 students and guests. The morning of graduation, Geraldo was found hiding in the bathroom, too terrified to come out. After a fellow graduate coaxed him out of the bathroom, Geraldo took the stage with his classmates. When it became Geraldo's turn, many in the audience held their breathe wondering whether Geraldo would be able to give his speech. Geraldo went to the podium and quietly read his whole graduation speech. Switzer students and staff cheered him on when he hesitated, and they gave him a raucous standing ovation with cheers, whistles, and more than a few tears. Geraldo had done what seemed impossible, and Switzer Learning Center supported him all along the way.
Geraldo
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For one to truly grasp what a democracy is, it is essential for that person to have been raised in a liberal, democratic country.
Israel is such a liberal democracy, despite the fact that she is often called many other names having nothing to do with democracy!
Not only is Israel a democracy for her Jewish citizens, but for all those lucky enough to be born Israeli. In fact Israel's democratic values at times do damage to her security.
Very simply, if Israel were not the liberal, democratic nation she is, there would not be an Israeli Arab in the country. Or at least Israeli Arabs would suffer the same consequences other minority groups like the Chechens and Kurds have been dealt when behaving in a treacherous manner.
Israel's Arab population is afforded political freedom, religious freedom and equal justice under Israeli law. Like all minorities, Israeli Arabs do suffer disadvantages. These disadvantages have been greatly reduced and today Israel's Arab population is without a doubt the freest of any significant Arab population in any nation.
One just needs to look at the "great" liberal democracy called the French Republic, where wearing a head scarf has been banned in public. Something like this would never fly in Israel.
However, a segment of Israel's Arab sector is behaving in treacherous fashion. Sheikh Raed Salah is the main orchestrator, attempting to push Israeli Arabs against their state. To put it starkly, Salah is a racist and an anti-Semite, who probably could, and should, be locked up for treason. Israel -- as she did to the Kach movement lead by Meir Kahane -- should ban the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement, which is behind Sheikh Reed Salah.
Israel must guarantee her Arab citizens their freedoms and rights. But, just as Israel must fulfill her end of the bargain, so must Israel's Arab citizens. As of now that just is not happening.
Nor does this Israeli Arab dissent in any way resemble the Civil Rights movement of African Americans starting in the mid-twentieth century. Blacks, in the South mostly, were literally segregated from the white population, unable to sit among whites on a bus or at a lunch counter; forced to use separate water fountains, bathrooms, hotels, motels, restaurants.
I must make several visits a year to Belinson Hospital and every time I have been there in the cardiac section, there have been Arab nurses and physicians, and virtually half of the patients are Arab. Last week I had dinner at a very chic, popular Arab-owned and operated restaurant down on the Tel Aviv waterfront. Perhaps the greatest indignity an Arab has had to suffer in Israel in the last decade was when Hezbollah bombed Haifa and destroyed an Arab woman's apartment during the last Israeli-Lebanese conflict in July, 2006.
So let's get real for a moment: Israel's Arab citizens who are fighting are NOT fighting for equality. Many are actively fighting for the destruction of the country that has afforded them more rights than their brethren in other countries could ever hope to have.
On one hand they still make claims for greater freedom and equality in what they themselves call Israeli democracy. On the other hand they continuously and actively call for Israel's destruction.
The second someone like Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman talks about a population exchange, Israeli Arabs SHRIEK foul play.
Not because they will lose their houses. When Lieberman talks of an exchange, he means giving the Palestinians Israeli Arab towns in exchange for Israeli settlements over the Green Line. They cry foul play because Israeli Arabs know more than anyone else Israel grants them the freedoms of the most open and liberal democracy. They also know living under Palestinian rule would be disastrous for them.
There is much talk about the growing hostility from Israel's Jewish citizens towards her Arab citizens. That saddens me, yet can one truly fault them? How many times can you hear your fellow citizen call for the destruction of your country and remain passive about it? Can we be blamed for losing our patience with our Arab co-patriots? Israeli Arabs do not serve in the IDF, WE the Jews fight for their safety. It is their supposed brethren that lob rockets at their towns intentionally during Israel's conflicts. For them to side with their countries enemies in light of all that their nation does for them; something is very wrong with that.
In reality it should be the Israeli Arabs who are on the front line of defense for Israel in this nauseating anti-Israel campaign.
Instead of fighting for the country that has granted them so much freedom -- a hell of a lot more freedom than any other Arab state grants their citizens -- Israel's Arab citizens spit on the country whenever they can.
Until Israel's Arabs learn to live by this creed and demand that their leaders recognize it there will be problems between the two peoples, and it's all completely unnecessary.
several very good points. however, there certainly are israeli arabs who serve in the IDF. many of tzahal's best soldiers are druze, and bedouin. although its true that there's a growing anti-israel sentiment among israeli arabs, there are still many who are as loyal to israel as any jew - they dearly love their nation and are proud to call themselves israeli. one must not ignore them when mentioning the different attitudes of israeli arabs - there are several contrasting attitudes towards israel that should be taken into account.
Thank you so much for commenting. Just to add. I do agree with you, but the Druze are not Arabs and although the Bedouins are Arabs they have an extremely different culture than Israeli's city Arabs.
Please explain the difference between Druze, Bedouins and City Arabs. Also - what was the name of the restaurant you mention, what did you eat, and was it good?


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#define IA32_SETTINGS_H

#include "libdis.h"

typedef struct {
	/* options */
	unsigned char endian,		/* 0 = big, 1 = little */
		      wc_byte,		/* wildcard byte */
		      max_insn,		/* max insn size */
		      sz_addr,		/* default address size */
		      sz_oper,		/* default operand size */
		      sz_byte,		/* # bits in byte */
		      sz_word,		/* # bytes in machine word */
		      sz_dword;		/* # bytes in machine dword */
	unsigned int id_sp_reg,		/* id of stack pointer */
		     id_fp_reg,		/* id of frame pointer */
		     id_ip_reg,		/* id of instruction pointer */
		     id_flag_reg,	/* id of flags register */
		     offset_gen_regs,	/* start of general regs */
		     offset_seg_regs,	/* start of segment regs */
		     offset_fpu_regs;	/* start of floating point regs */
	/* user-controlled settings */
	enum x86_options options;
} ia32_settings_t;

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Unable call external http URL using google cloud function I am trying to call external http URL using google cloud function. I have created topic in google pub/sub model and whenever there is new message received in topic, this function gets triggered. So this function should call that external http URL and request should be received at other side on http server. But request is not received on http server and in google cloud function logs i see only message as "Function execution took 60003 ms, finished with status: 'timeout'". I have increased timeout to 300 seconds then also same error. When i run same code in eclipse it works fine and request received on http server but it doesn't execute via google cloud function. Not sure what went wrong? Can someone please help here to solve/debug?
My java code and pom.xml file as below:
public class Example implements BackgroundFunction<PubSubMessage> {
  private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(Example.class.getName());

  @Override
  public void accept(PubSubMessage message, Context context) throws URISyntaxException, IOException, InterruptedException {
    String data = message.data != null
      ? new String(Base64.getDecoder().decode(message.data))
      : "Hello, World";
    logger.info(data);
    HttpClient client = HttpClient.newHttpClient();
    HttpRequest request = HttpRequest.newBuilder(new URI("http://<<host>>:<<port>>")).build();
    HttpResponse<String> response = client.send(request, BodyHandlers.ofString());
    System.out.println(response.statusCode());
    System.out.println(response.body());

  }

  public static class PubSubMessage {
    String data;
    Map<String, String> attributes;
    String messageId;
    String publishTime;
  }
}

pom.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<project xmlns="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0"
         xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
         xsi:schemaLocation="http://maven.apache.org/POM/4.0.0 http://maven.apache.org/xsd/maven-4.0.0.xsd">
  <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
  <groupId>cloudfunctions</groupId>
  <artifactId>pubsub-function</artifactId>
  <version>1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>

  <properties>
    <maven.compiler.target>11</maven.compiler.target>
    <maven.compiler.source>11</maven.compiler.source>
  </properties>

  <dependencies>
    <dependency>
      <groupId>com.google.cloud.functions</groupId>
      <artifactId>functions-framework-api</artifactId>
      <version>1.0.1</version>
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  </dependencies>

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  <build>
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        <artifactId>maven-compiler-plugin</artifactId>
        <version>3.8.1</version>
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          <excludes>
            <exclude>.google/</exclude>
          </excludes>
        </configuration>
      </plugin>
    </plugins>
  </build>
</project>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
7 Undervalued Stocks That Could Soar in 2021
In the past year, analysts and investors have been talking a lot about valuation. However, as the stock market flirts with record highs, most of the questions have centered around overvalued stocks. Which begs the question of whether there are any undervalued stocks?
The history books will forever link 2020 with the novel coronavirus pandemic. However investors may well remember 2020 as the year when Robinhood investors told the broader market to "hold my beer" while bidding up stocks regardless of fundamentals.
I hope you'll give me the benefit of some mirth this holiday season. But stocks continue to look a bit frothy. And in a market like this, it can be difficult to believe that there are any undervalued stocks.
But according to one Morningstar analyst, about a third of the stocks that firm follows are considered to be undervalued. That makes sense when you consider that we are rapidly having a "K-shaped" bubble. That is there are some mega-cap stocks that remain significantly overvalued.
So if you're an investor that's willing to zig while others are sagging, now might be a time to look at adding some undervalued stocks that could be ready for whatever new normal the New Year brings. Because every investor is different, I've chosen one undervalued stock from seven different sectors.
Molson Coors (NYSE:TAP)
Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD)
American International Group (NYSE:AIG)
Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK)
VMware (NYSE:VMW)
Simon Property Group (NYSE:SPG)
BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:BMRN)
Undervalued Stocks: Molson Coors (TAP)
Source: OleksandrShnuryk / Shutterstock.com
Defensive stocks in general may be fairly value, but the alcoholic beverage industry looks to be a bit undervalued. And that's good news if your holiday plans include a cup or two of cheer. But all kidding aside, there are many analysts that seem to be underestimating the demand that will exist for individuals to get out of the house when the pandemic quiets down, which won't be good for Molson Coors.
One measure of valuation is to look at a stock's price-to-earnings ratio compared to its sector's average. In the case of TAP stock, its P/E multiple is just over 17x (17.09x) which is significantly below its peers which average 27.94x. And after a dismal 2020, the company expects to see profits grow up to 58% in the next two years. Stronger revenue and better cash flow should also contribute to the growth story.
TAP stock is currently trading at about a 30% discount to its 52-week high. That gives investors a nice runway for growth when travel and dining markets re-open in earnest.
Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)
Source: Kodda / Shutterstock.com
The good news and the bad news of Enterprise Product Partners is the same news. It's a master limited partnership (MLP). By itself there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it's the reason the company offers shareholders an eye-popping dividend that currently has a yield of over 8%. And as Bob Ciura wrote for Sure Dividend:
EPD has increased its distribution for 21 years in a row, an impressive track record given that so many MLPs have had to cut distributions.
One reason they can offer such a generous dividend is because an MLP does not pay federal taxes at the entity level. Those are passed through to the individual shareholders (partners). No double taxation is a nice feature.
But an MLP is also prone to outsize losses. And with Enterprise being part of the oil and gas sector, that could be a concern. But fossil fuels aren't going away overnight. And while the economy may not be firing on all cylinders until later into 2021, the sector and EPD stock should benefit from a return to normal.
American International Group (AIG)
Source: Jer123 / Shutterstock.com
Sadly, 2020 has put many Americans in touch with their mortality. But that's good news for insurance stocks like American International Group. Despite a recent surge, AIG stock is still down 25% for the year and faces cost pressures due to low interest rates.
In the best of times, the annuities market is challenging, but it's been particularly brutal in 2020. But that could be changing. This, in turn, is putting pressure on the company's revenue and ultimately its earnings. But analysts are becoming more bullish on the prospects for AIG stock. And the biggest reason for the optimism is the fact that the economy is getting better. Rising jobs numbers are an indication that policyholders who may have been foregoing premium payments to make ends meet will be able to get back on track.
And the recent upturn in the market is helping the company generate more income from its investment of insurance premiums.
Duke Energy (DUK)
Source: jadimages / Shutterstock.com
Duke Energy may be one of the least undervalued stocks on this list. However, while DUK stock is positive for the year, it's still below its pre-pandemic highs, which means the stock looks like it has room to recover.
Utility stocks were considered overvalued over the last 10 years. But it seems that the novel coronavirus took care of any disparity that existed. And with the sector being slower to rebound than other sectors, there is value to be had. Some investors may find other stocks they like better, but I'll give the nod to Duke Energy.
DUK stock has climbed over 5% in the last two months, which is nearly twice the sector average. The company boasts a trailing 12-month return on equity (ROE) of 8.28% which is slightly lower than the industry's ROE of 8.97% for the same period.
If investors are looking for a negative, they can point to Duke's 54.24% debt-to-capital ratio which is higher than the utility power sector average of 49.53%.
However, Duke pays a solid, safe dividend that will reward value investors.
VMware (VMW)
Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com
Shares of VMware have been trending in a range since early summer. VMW stock often gets compared to Salesforce.com (NYSE:CRM). Salesforce helps businesses connect with their customers and clients through the cloud. But VMware is fundamental to the entire cloud environment, helping businesses make the best use of the cloud on any device.
For investors who are looking for multiple catalysts, VMware also has some exposure to the 5G revolution. But the problem for VMware is that despite the fact that the digital and cloud computing sectors are accelerating, investors seem to only have eyes for CRM stock.
However this means that VMW stock remains undervalued. CRM stock trades for 57x earnings, whereas VMware trades at around 38x. The company recently reported growth in its software-as-a-service (SaaS) business. Investors love SaaS because it means recurring revenue.
The company has made some strategic acquisitions in the past year. And with about $14 per share in cash, VMware should have the cash to continue to do so.
Simon Property Group (SPG)
Source: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com
My InvestorPlace colleague Dana Blankenhorn made the comment that Simon Property Group's strategy to buy bankrupt retailers will either be seen as genius or idiotic; there's usually a thin line.
It's too early to tell. But one thing seems clear. The real estate sector and particularly real estate investment trusts (REITs) like SPG stock are significantly undervalued.
And as long as Simon continues to pay its dividend, it should continue to be undervalued. Blankenhorn remarked that it remains to be seen if SPG stock will be able to maintain its dividend when it has to buy and turn over inventory for its acquisitions.
Simon has above-average risk. But it has some solid financials for investors willing to give the stock a shot. For example it has generated positive free cash flow (FCF) in eight of the past 10 years. And prior to the pandemic, the company's profitability was trending higher.
To be fair, Simon Property needs to see the economy return to some form of normal sooner rather than later. Then we'll see if the company's solid financials will be enough to reward its shareholders.
BioMarin Pharmaceutical (BMRN)
Source: Shutterstock
BioMarin Pharmaceutical is a leader in rare disease therapy. Like many biotechs, BMRN stock is not without risks. However, the company has many competitive advantages, including scale, expertise, patents and relationships.
BioMarin recently received some bad news when its lead gene therapy candidate for treatment of hemophilia A was delayed. Frequently biotech stocks sell on the news, but in this case it looks like the sell-off may be overdone. Yes, the launch of the drug may be delayed a year later than planned (2022 rather than 2021), the most important thing is that it should get launched.
In addition, BioMarin has a strong pipeline which is another key factor to consider when choosing biotech stocks. And among those candidates is a drug for achondroplasia. This is significant because the condition currently has no approved treatments. However, the FDA has an August 2021 deadline for approving the company's New Drug Application (NDA).
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text:
'It is the hardest day'
Two boys, both born early, fill the Neubert family with joy.
By: John Norton More articles by John Norton
The Neubert family strikes a pose. Both boys arrived premature and spent time at the NICU in the Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. (John Norton | Spectrum Health Beat)
Blake Neubert arrived first—born premature at 35 weeks, weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces. He arrived with a big winter storm in 2014. (For Spectrum Health Beat)
Here we go again. Brother Easton Neubert, shown here blowing bubbles, also arrived early, weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces, in June 2016. (For Spectrum Health Beat)
Displayed are some of the special touches parents receive when their child spends time at the NICU, including a special Happy Father's Day baseball from Easton to dad, Mike. (For Spectrum Health)
New baby Blake Neubert shows his father Mike's true colors, the maize and blue of Michigan. Mike missed a big basketball game when Blake arrived early. (For Spectrum Health Beat)
Both Blake and Easton earned mementos that formed bead necklaces during their stay in the NICU. For each procedure or milestone, they received a bead. (For Spectrum Health Beat)
Blake, left, and Easton Neubert today are completely healthy and enjoy playing together. (John Norton | Spectrum Health Beat)
Five and a half years later, Rachel Neubert still gets emotional when talking about leaving her son Blake in the neonatal intensive care unit after his premature birth.
"It was the hardest part of the whole process," Neubert said. "When you prepare to have a baby, you get their room ready, clothes all picked out, and imagine the day of walking through the door with your baby after the hospital. Nothing prepares you to get discharged and then have to leave your baby at the hospital."
"It is the hardest day," she said, still choked with emotion. "You go home to an empty house. You're not supposed to do it that way."
An unexpected arrival
Born at 35 weeks, Blake entered the world Jan. 26, 2014, weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces, after a wild 24 hours for his parents Rachel and Mike Neubert.
The day prior, Mike and a friend had just arrived in East Lansing to watch his beloved Michigan Wolverines take on rival Michigan State in a basketball game. That changed when Rachel's mother called and said Rachel's water broke and they needed to return to Grand Rapids. The baby was coming.
And it was snowing. Hard.
A giant winter storm dumped so much snow in Grand Rapids that the day would be considered the third biggest snowfall of the season in the city. It would be a slow trip back for Mike.
Meanwhile, at the couple's home near Rockford, paramedics had to shovel out the driveway to get to Rachel.
Rachel's mother joined her for the ambulance ride to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, and felt frantic with worry for her daughter.
"I was trying to keep calm," Rachel said. "She's a nurse, but when you're a grandma, the nursing goes to the wayside. She was super concerned. I was trying to keep her calm, which was a nice distraction for me."
Rachel labored for 24 hours, including three hours of pushing before opting for a C-section.
After his birth, Blake struggled to breathe as his lungs hadn't fully developed. He soon transferred to the NICU in the Gerber Foundation Neonatal Center at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, where he would spend the next six days.
Seeing his baby with wires and tubes and in a heating bed stunned Mike.
"Nothing really prepares you for when you walk in the room for the first time and see your kid in a plastic box," Mike said flatly. "We really didn't get a chance to hold the kiddo that long in the beginning. That's the worst."
The winter storm added to the drama, as a voice over the hospital intercom informed nurses they couldn't leave until their replacements arrived, as some couldn't make it to work because of the snow.
The NICU nursing staff, characterized as "amazing" by the couple, helped temper their parental concern about Blake.
"They explain things, teach you how to do things," Rachel said. "They are the ones that make the NICU experience."
When the Neuberts returned home, the NICU nurses provided around-the-clock updates and support.
Knowing Mike missed the big Michigan versus Michigan State basketball game, the nurses made a cute Michigan outfit and sign for a special photo shoot for Blake that proclaimed, "Born a Victor, Go Blake."
Blake progressed nicely—he kept food down, maintained a normal temperature and could breathe better.
Relieved, Rachel and Mike took their baby home.
Blake is now a healthy and precocious 5-year-old.
Coincidently, his younger brother started his young life in a similar fashion.
Easton also arrived premature at 35 weeks.
Without the drama of a snowstorm or ambulance ride, Easton was delivered via C-section June 11, 2016, weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces—slightly bigger than Blake, but still too small and weak to safely go home.
Back to the NICU
Like Blake, Easton couldn't breathe well on his own and needed Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and extra care before developing the strength to go home and join his family.
Easton spent 10 days in the NICU, with daily visits from mom, dad and brother Blake.
Again, the Neuberts felt impressed with the compassionate care their family received.
They also participated in the hospital's bead program, where a necklace is made using beads and special mementos each time the boys completed a procedure. Each boy also received a quilt and personalized booklet.
Those special touches made a big difference, they said.
On Father's Day, nurses wrote Happy Father's Day on a baseball for Mike with a footprint of baby Easton on the ball.
"That meant so much to me," Mike said.
"Just everything they have available at Helen DeVos (Children's Hospital) and in the NICU is really cool," Rachel said.
Jane Fannon, RN, a 23-year veteran of the NICU and a parent-to-parent coordinator at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, sees firsthand the challenges families face.
She said leaving the baby the first night is the hardest, but she encourages parents to call as much as necessary. "We don't ever feel like it's a burden to call us," she said.
"Developmentally, babies can't tell time, so they never know how long mom and dad are gone, they just know when mom and dad are there," Fannon said.
Fannon encourages skin-to-skin time during parent visits along with normal care so parents get to feel like parents while they're in the hospital.
"The amount of care they gave us as emotional parents was fantastic," Mike said. "We are very, very thankful."
The NICU Family Support program thrives with the help of your generous donations. If you are interested in learning about the ways you can make a difference, contact Tamara VanderArk-Potter at 616.391.2642 or tamara.potter@spectrumhealth.org.
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