text:
Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis
Howard F. Tiano, Charles D. Loftin, Jackie Akunda, Christopher A. Lee, Judson Spalding, Alisha Sessoms, David B. Dunson, Eleanor G Rogan, Scott G. Morham, Robert C. Smart, Robert Langenbach
Environmental, Agricultural & Occupational Health Sciences
Central States Center for Agricultural Safety & Health
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely reported to inhibit carcinogenesis in humans and in rodents. These drugs are believed to act by inhibiting one or both of the known isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX). However, COX-2, and not COX-1, is the isoform most frequently reported to have a key role in tumor development. Here we report that homozygous deficiency of either COX-1 or COX-2 reduces skin tumorigenesis by 75% in a multistage mouse skin model. Reduced tumorigenesis was observed even though the levels of stable 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-DNA adducts were increased about 2-fold in the COX-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. The premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation appeared to be the cellular event leading to the reduced tumorigenesis because keratin 1 and keratin 10, two keratins that indicate the commitment of keratinocytes to differentiate, were expressed 8-13-fold and 10-20-fold more frequently in epidermal basal cells of the COX-1-deficient and COX-2-deficient mice, respectively, than in wild-type mice. Papillomas on the COX-deficient mice also displayed the premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation. However, loricrin, a late marker of epidermal differentiation, was not significantly altered, suggesting that it was the early stages of keratinocyte differentiation that were primarily affected by COX deficiency. Because keratin 5, a keratin associated with basal cells, was detected differently in papillomas of COX-1-deficient as compared with COX-2-deficient mice, it appears that the isoforms do not have identical roles in papilloma development. Interestingly, apoptosis, a cellular process associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced inhibition of tumorigenesis, was not significantly altered in the epidermis or in papillomas of the COX-deficient mice. Thus, both COX-1 and COX-2 have roles in keratinocyte differentiation, and we propose that the absence of either isoform causes premature terminal differentiation of initiated keratinocytes and reduced tumor formation.
Cyclooxygenase 1
Keratinocytes
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
Papilloma
Keratins
Keratin-1
Keratin-10
Differentiation Antigens
Tiano, H. F., Loftin, C. D., Akunda, J., Lee, C. A., Spalding, J., Sessoms, A., ... Langenbach, R. (2002). Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis. Cancer Research, 62(12), 3395-3401.
Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis. / Tiano, Howard F.; Loftin, Charles D.; Akunda, Jackie; Lee, Christopher A.; Spalding, Judson; Sessoms, Alisha; Dunson, David B.; Rogan, Eleanor G; Morham, Scott G.; Smart, Robert C.; Langenbach, Robert.
In: Cancer Research, Vol. 62, No. 12, 15.06.2002, p. 3395-3401.
Tiano, HF, Loftin, CD, Akunda, J, Lee, CA, Spalding, J, Sessoms, A, Dunson, DB, Rogan, EG, Morham, SG, Smart, RC & Langenbach, R 2002, 'Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis', Cancer Research, vol. 62, no. 12, pp. 3395-3401.
Tiano HF, Loftin CD, Akunda J, Lee CA, Spalding J, Sessoms A et al. Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis. Cancer Research. 2002 Jun 15;62(12):3395-3401.
Tiano, Howard F. ; Loftin, Charles D. ; Akunda, Jackie ; Lee, Christopher A. ; Spalding, Judson ; Sessoms, Alisha ; Dunson, David B. ; Rogan, Eleanor G ; Morham, Scott G. ; Smart, Robert C. ; Langenbach, Robert. / Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis. In: Cancer Research. 2002 ; Vol. 62, No. 12. pp. 3395-3401.
@article{65f86b3ed10a4df39f03fedae006f5a0,
title = "Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis",
abstract = "Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely reported to inhibit carcinogenesis in humans and in rodents. These drugs are believed to act by inhibiting one or both of the known isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX). However, COX-2, and not COX-1, is the isoform most frequently reported to have a key role in tumor development. Here we report that homozygous deficiency of either COX-1 or COX-2 reduces skin tumorigenesis by 75{\%} in a multistage mouse skin model. Reduced tumorigenesis was observed even though the levels of stable 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-DNA adducts were increased about 2-fold in the COX-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. The premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation appeared to be the cellular event leading to the reduced tumorigenesis because keratin 1 and keratin 10, two keratins that indicate the commitment of keratinocytes to differentiate, were expressed 8-13-fold and 10-20-fold more frequently in epidermal basal cells of the COX-1-deficient and COX-2-deficient mice, respectively, than in wild-type mice. Papillomas on the COX-deficient mice also displayed the premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation. However, loricrin, a late marker of epidermal differentiation, was not significantly altered, suggesting that it was the early stages of keratinocyte differentiation that were primarily affected by COX deficiency. Because keratin 5, a keratin associated with basal cells, was detected differently in papillomas of COX-1-deficient as compared with COX-2-deficient mice, it appears that the isoforms do not have identical roles in papilloma development. Interestingly, apoptosis, a cellular process associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced inhibition of tumorigenesis, was not significantly altered in the epidermis or in papillomas of the COX-deficient mice. Thus, both COX-1 and COX-2 have roles in keratinocyte differentiation, and we propose that the absence of either isoform causes premature terminal differentiation of initiated keratinocytes and reduced tumor formation.",
author = "Tiano, {Howard F.} and Loftin, {Charles D.} and Jackie Akunda and Lee, {Christopher A.} and Judson Spalding and Alisha Sessoms and Dunson, {David B.} and Rogan, {Eleanor G} and Morham, {Scott G.} and Smart, {Robert C.} and Robert Langenbach",
journal = "Cancer Research",
publisher = "American Association for Cancer Research Inc.",
T1 - Deficiency of either cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 or COX-2 alters epidermal differentiation and reduces mouse skin tumorigenesis
AU - Tiano, Howard F.
AU - Loftin, Charles D.
AU - Akunda, Jackie
AU - Lee, Christopher A.
AU - Spalding, Judson
AU - Sessoms, Alisha
AU - Dunson, David B.
AU - Rogan, Eleanor G
AU - Morham, Scott G.
AU - Smart, Robert C.
AU - Langenbach, Robert
N2 - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely reported to inhibit carcinogenesis in humans and in rodents. These drugs are believed to act by inhibiting one or both of the known isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX). However, COX-2, and not COX-1, is the isoform most frequently reported to have a key role in tumor development. Here we report that homozygous deficiency of either COX-1 or COX-2 reduces skin tumorigenesis by 75% in a multistage mouse skin model. Reduced tumorigenesis was observed even though the levels of stable 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-DNA adducts were increased about 2-fold in the COX-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. The premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation appeared to be the cellular event leading to the reduced tumorigenesis because keratin 1 and keratin 10, two keratins that indicate the commitment of keratinocytes to differentiate, were expressed 8-13-fold and 10-20-fold more frequently in epidermal basal cells of the COX-1-deficient and COX-2-deficient mice, respectively, than in wild-type mice. Papillomas on the COX-deficient mice also displayed the premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation. However, loricrin, a late marker of epidermal differentiation, was not significantly altered, suggesting that it was the early stages of keratinocyte differentiation that were primarily affected by COX deficiency. Because keratin 5, a keratin associated with basal cells, was detected differently in papillomas of COX-1-deficient as compared with COX-2-deficient mice, it appears that the isoforms do not have identical roles in papilloma development. Interestingly, apoptosis, a cellular process associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced inhibition of tumorigenesis, was not significantly altered in the epidermis or in papillomas of the COX-deficient mice. Thus, both COX-1 and COX-2 have roles in keratinocyte differentiation, and we propose that the absence of either isoform causes premature terminal differentiation of initiated keratinocytes and reduced tumor formation.
AB - Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely reported to inhibit carcinogenesis in humans and in rodents. These drugs are believed to act by inhibiting one or both of the known isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX). However, COX-2, and not COX-1, is the isoform most frequently reported to have a key role in tumor development. Here we report that homozygous deficiency of either COX-1 or COX-2 reduces skin tumorigenesis by 75% in a multistage mouse skin model. Reduced tumorigenesis was observed even though the levels of stable 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-DNA adducts were increased about 2-fold in the COX-deficient mice compared with wild-type mice. The premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation appeared to be the cellular event leading to the reduced tumorigenesis because keratin 1 and keratin 10, two keratins that indicate the commitment of keratinocytes to differentiate, were expressed 8-13-fold and 10-20-fold more frequently in epidermal basal cells of the COX-1-deficient and COX-2-deficient mice, respectively, than in wild-type mice. Papillomas on the COX-deficient mice also displayed the premature onset of keratinocyte terminal differentiation. However, loricrin, a late marker of epidermal differentiation, was not significantly altered, suggesting that it was the early stages of keratinocyte differentiation that were primarily affected by COX deficiency. Because keratin 5, a keratin associated with basal cells, was detected differently in papillomas of COX-1-deficient as compared with COX-2-deficient mice, it appears that the isoforms do not have identical roles in papilloma development. Interestingly, apoptosis, a cellular process associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced inhibition of tumorigenesis, was not significantly altered in the epidermis or in papillomas of the COX-deficient mice. Thus, both COX-1 and COX-2 have roles in keratinocyte differentiation, and we propose that the absence of either isoform causes premature terminal differentiation of initiated keratinocytes and reduced tumor formation.
JO - Cancer Research
JF - Cancer Research


The proposed co-operation between the Desert Knowledge movement and Charles Darwin University (CDU) is off to a rocky start with the apparent boycott of Professor Rolf Gerritsen (pictured at left).
He is the university's senior and most prominent member in Alice Springs, a frequent public commentator on a range of issues, as the Professorial Research Fellow in the region for the The Northern Institute.
A CDU student, Coll Marshall, who applied to do a Master's Degree, had requested Prof Gerritsen to be his supervisor.
Mr Marshall also applied for a grant from Desert Knowledge CRC (not Desert Knowledge Australia), now operating as Ninti One Limited, which has a multi million dollar contract from the Federal Government for slaughtering feral camels by shooting them from helicopters.
According to correspondence seen by the Alice Springs News Online, Mr Marshall was told he would not get the grant if Prof Gerritsen were the supervisor.
We put this allegation by email to Professor Murray McGregor (pictured at right) of Curtin University in Perth at noon yesterday (10:30am Perth time).
He is the General Manager Research, Innovation and Quality of Ninti One, managing the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP) and the Australian Feral Camel Management Project.
Prof McGregor did not confirm nor deny the allegation but said, in a email at 1:15pm we would need to direct our enquiry to "our communications manager Linda Cooper".
As he did not provide Ms Cooper's email address we sent him a request at 2:17pm to forward our email to Ms Cooper.
At 4:12pm, having had no contact from Ms Cooper, we emailed a request for comment to Michael Dockery, Associate Professor at Curtin, who is mentioned in the correspondence of Mr Marshall.
Assoc Prof Dockery (pictured at left) rang soon after, saying that we would need to deal with Ms Cooper. We asked him to forward our emails to her and he said he would do that. We have not heard from Ms Cooper nor from Jan Ferguson, Managing Director of Ninti One, for whom we left a message this morning.
Meanwhile Mr Marshall has decided to stick with Prof Gerritsen as his supervisor and do without the grant from Ninti One.
I have read your article concerning me being "blackballed" by the CRC REP. The article is not about the real issue in this matter. My exclusion from the CRC is something with which I am entirely happy. Indeed I regard it as a badge of honour.
Firstly, in pursuit of their animus against me the management of the CRC denied a student a scholarship unless he agreed not to be supervised by me. So the management of the CRC acted to blackmail a student with the withdrawal of his livelihood. Currently I am supervising two Masters (other than the student in question) and am Principal or Associate Supervisor of eight doctoral students. So the CRC did not act in the way it did because I am an incompetent supervisor.
Secondly, the issue arises: does the Board of the CRC endorse this management approach? The CRC is funded by the taxpayers and its Board is accountable to the taxpayers, not to the management of the CRC. Does the Board endorse this action by its management to threaten the livelihood of a CDU student?
These are legitimate questions for the taxpayers and their elected representatives.


The infrastructure is simply unmatched. Both teachers and students are provided with best-in-class facilities to achieve the common objective of excellence in education. The focus is on the students' all round development, moulding them into responsible citizens and exposing them to a wide-range of curricular and co-curricular activities. This is in line with the school's belief that every child should be given an opportunity to discover their true potential and pursue activities which they are interested in.


I won't be able to do anything till next year but I want to go ahead and plan for future investments.I am not sure if I should buy just the controller itself or the complete package? Which one would I need to future myself for years to come?I am also not sure when is the right time to start buying things as new technology is always being invented if anyone has any idea if there will be any new boards coming out next year that would be awesome advice.I also want to find a more in the states place to buy pixels but after watching quite a few youtube learning channels I see that Amazon pixels that are 2inch separated might not be a good idea. I am learning all I can till I get my show up and running about xlights and Vixen3 both of those are amazing learning programs. I am just so lost on what to actually buy and what should I aim budget wise for the first year. If it helps any I can put upwards of 200 a month up for this hobby... so in due time i believe I could have an awesome show but I want to get my first taste of the experience next year.
I have been doing animated Christmas lights for 12 years. At this stage you should not be worrying about future proofing. I have controllers and lights that are many years old and still work fine. At one point I had fourteen 16 channel AC controllers. As I got interested in moving to pixels I started selling a few AC controllers off and buying pixel controllers. I also sold off a bunch of AC lights and bought pixel strings. I've never felt that I wasted time or money on that technology. You do not get 100% back, but I used those things for several years and I learned a lot doing it. In fact I still have two AC controllers in my storage shed that have not been used in a couple of years. and I still have some AC lights and inflatables and some other stuff that I could put out if I want to. Sometimes I put the old stuff out in my back yard just to light up for my neighbors back that way.
You need to jump in and get your feet wet with some small stuff just to help your learning curve. That way you will be more educated when you get ready to buy big. Get your self a Pi, a Falcon PiCap, a 12v power supply, and two 100 node strings of 12 lights. Build something, a mini tree, a window frame or just lay the lights on the floor and make them blink. You will have fun. Get started. As they say waiting and reading and watching videos is good, but nothing beats hands on. You can't wait to drive to work until all the lights are green or you will never get there. Or watch for someone selling off their display and buy some used stuff just to get your hands "dirty". You will not regret it. I just bought a used falcon F16v2 to have for backup and to keep on my workbench to test things when all my newer stuff is out in the yard running a show. You will get frustrated but have fun.
Couldn't agree more! I've been watching online for years and I've finally got a setup this year. Learnt so much and am happy that I remembered little bits of information from years ago that have helped!
Good luck and I look forward to seeing what you create!
The way to learn how to do it is to jump in, start sequencing, using pi's and fppd, mess it up and figure out how to make it right again. I learned more by trying to make it work and then making things not work, by accident, or nor work correctly and solving the issues.
Ugh now I am even more confused sorry guys I know you are all trying to help me but I am really trying to figure out if the complete ready to run with 1 power supply f16v3 is a better deal that piecing together the f16v3 board with the power and pigtails and cat5 cable from other retail stores. One is 380 comes with everything and only 1 power supply the other is 200 and from what I can gather online the stuff that comes with it will run me about 120 with 2 power supplies. Is it worth doing option A - 380 or option B - 200. I am wanting one of these two options due to the amount of pixels they can hold even though to get up to 16k pixels I will probably spend all of next year saving money for them..Just currently I have enough for one of these two options and am very confused on which to get.
Without a plan of what you're doing (I.e., your layout), it's hard to recommend exactly what to get.
Well we have a very small front yard about a quarter of an acre. I will be putting back most likely enough to buy 500 pixels a month which is roughly 200 dollars. I want to build 1 12 foot mega tree with a 270 circle of about 10 mini trees around it.
You still have a lot of work to do. You are in the dream phase. You need to get into the design phase. You still don't have the details worked out to start planning what to buy. How many strands per tree? How many pixels per strand? How far apart at the trees? Where will your controller be? Still far too many variables to know what controller to buy.
As others mention, buy a single LED strand, a simple controller and a small power-supply to start playing and getting a feel of the whole process (that will also help you start planning the entire process).
Once you get a feel for the basics (software included), you'll be in a more informed position to plan.


Beloved foodie favorite, Dat Dog, is looking to expand its sausage and hot dog empire outside of New Orleans through franchising and additional corporate-owned restaurants this year. Beginning in January, Dat Dog launched its franchising program, seeking experienced restaurant operators who are looking for a customized, creative eatery that gives back to the community.
Dat Dog will also be opening additional corporate-owned restaurants in Lafayette, Louisiana, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The locally owned and operated restaurant first opened in 2011 on New Orleans' Freret Street, offering upscale sausages, hot dogs, chicken and hamburgers, along with local beer, hand-crafted cocktails, milkshakes, fries and more. Dat Dog has since expanded to four New Orleans locations on Magazine Street, Frenchmen Street, and at Lakeside Mall.
Dat Dog uses recipes developed by its Executive Chef, Alex Ventura, as well as craft cocktails developed by its Beverage Director, Alexa Ballard. The restaurant is known for its unique, quirky combinations, with sausages made from crawfish, alligator, duck, in additional to the traditional beef wiener. Dat Dog features more than 30 toppings, including unconventional options like blackberry sauce, guacamole, and crawfish etouffee.
The restaurant also offers vegetarian and vegan sausage options, in addition to the "Greenie Weenie"—a dog wrapped in lettuce instead of a toasted sourdough bun. To keep putting a smile on the faces of its guests, Dat Dog regularly features art markets, trivia nights, fundraisers, Mardi Gras krewe parties, special events and more.
According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Americans eat 20 billion hot dogs per year—21 percent of which are eaten at restaurants. Currently, only a handful of hot dog franchises operate in the U.S.
Opening this spring, Dat Dog Lafayette will feature indoor and outdoor seating and a two-story, live music venue. The restaurant will be located in Lafayette's historic downtown at 201 Jefferson Street, to be followed by Dat Dog's Hattiesburg location near the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi.
For franchisees, Dat Dog will offer flexible concepts for restaurants, including indoor/outdoor dining, areas for live music, biergartens or art markets, endcaps, free-standing buildings, universities, or other retail environments. Dat Dog offers private party space and catering, in addition to The Datmobile—a roving food truck. Fans can find The Datmobile at festivals and events around the Greater New Orleans area. Dat Dog is looking to further expand in the Gulf South region, focusing on Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle.


text:
High-CBD marijuana products are increasingly popular among non-traditional cannabis customers, according to a report from Headset. Pictured: A high-CBD hemp strain growing at Ambary Gardens in Kittredge, Colo., on March 9, 2016. (Seth McConnell, Denver Post file)
High-CBD products are gaining traction in pot shops and reaching beyond typical consumers, new report shows
Published: Nov 15, 2016, 6:11 pm • Updated: Jan 30, 2018, 1:16 pm
By Alicia Wallace, The Cannabist Staff
High-CBD products are a small segment of Washington's marijuana market, but sales of the typically medicinal-focused products are growing — especially among non-traditional customers, according to new data from cannabis intelligence firm Headset provided exclusively to The Cannabist.
Seattle-based Headset delved into point-of-sale data at Washington marijuana retailers to get a sense of sales trends for products high in cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound of the marijuana plant.
While sales of high-CBD products make up a small portion of Washington state's retail cannabis market, that sector has seen significant growth in the past year. The high-CBD products — which are primarily used for certain medical applications, but have gained prominence among the general retail marijuana population for uses such as pain relief and anxiety reduction — accounted for 3 percent of the total product sales as of October 2016, a 1 percentage point increase from a year before, according to Headset data.
CBD sales in October were $1.8 million of the $60 million Washington retail marijuana market, the Headset analysis showed.
"We think Washington is a good indicator of what to expect everywhere," said Cy Scott, chief executive officer and co-founder of Headset.
Marijuana in Washington state
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Headset wanted to explore the market dynamics of its home state following the integration of the medical and recreational markets in July 2016, he said.
While the growth is partly attributable to the consolidation of Washington's recreational and medical marijuana markets, sales of high-CBD products had steadily increased prior to the July 2016 marijuana system integration, Scott said.
Examining data from point-of-sale systems and loyalty programs, Headset found that women account for 32 percent of cannabis sales in Washington, but an even greater portion of high-CBD sales at 38 percent. The age demographic data was limited, but particularly telling: The percentage of high-CBD products of overall sales is just above 2 percent for customers between the ages of 21 and 25 years old and north of 5 percent for customers older than 51.
"The numbers point to women as more willing to utilize cannabis for medicinal or wellness purposes," Scott said. "(Older consumers) are looking for pain relief, the body effects without the traditional high."
Additionally, nearly 60 percent of CBD-seeking customers buy in bulk, purchasing high-CBD flower strains in increments of greater than 5 grams, which could indicate an intent for use daily for therapeutic purposes, according to Headset's report. Only 13 percent of sales of typical THC-heavy flower are greater than 5 grams.
Manufacturers of cannabis-infused products are expanding high-CBD offerings into other categories such as beverages, vapor pens and concentrates; however, capsules, tinctures, topicals and edibles remain the fastest-growing segments for high-CBD items. For example, high-CBD mints were first introduced in Washington during the past year and quickly rose to become the eighth-most popular segment in total sales and 5 percent of the total CBD market, according to Headset.
CBD info and other resources
SPECIAL REPORT: CBD in Colorado. Learn about the cannabis plant compound cannabidiol, which has drawn hundreds of desperate families to Colorado, in this Denver Post series that was a 2015 Pulitzer finalist
The definitive Cannabis Lexicon: Dabs, fatties, trichomes and beyond — we've got all the lingo, from alcohol extraction to zips
Strain reviews: Check out our marijuana reviews organized by type — sativas and sativa-dominant hybrids, ditto with indicas.
Follow The Cannabist on Twitter and Facebook
BotanicaSeattle has seen the growth firsthand.
The edibles and topicals company watched its Mr. Moxey's Mints rocket to top-seller status in retail stores and expanded the product line to include a variety of CBD-THC ratios to suit the needs of different types of customers, said Lena Davidson, a BotanicaSeattle spokeswoman.
"(The popularity at the registers) feels like a clear indicator that the demand for this molecule is going to grow," she said, "as products that are brought to the market that offer it in a unique form that allows consumers to use cannabis that would not have used another cannabis product."
The growth in demand, however, hasn't come unfettered.
BotanicaSeattle relies solely on local farmers, and that supply chain is strapped, Davidson said.
"There isn't an incentive to grow a low-THC-yielding plant at volume," she said. "There's a bang for your buck mentality."
Her company has made inroads with some farmers, but BotanicaSeattle also is at risk from outside pressures, notably the companies that order CBD oil derived from Chinese industrial hemp and cut that into their products.
Producers and processors are allowed to import CBD oil from outside of Washington, but the use of less-expensive oil derived from hemp has created pricing pressures for companies that incorporate CBD oil from whole plants, Headset officials noted in their market report.
"This makes it difficult for those who grow and extract CBD locally to compete, and consumers aren't currently educated enough to have a preference for 'homegrown' CBD products," Headset officials wrote in the report. "Many processors also argue that industrial hemp lacks the cannabinoid profile needed to yield the full benefits of CBD."
Topics: cannabidiol, cbd, cbd extracts, cbd in edibles, cbd oil, Cy Scott, data, edibles, Headset, topicals, Washington, Washington state, women, women in weed

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002) Full Movie Free Download in 720p HD. Exploring the further adventures of Carmen and Juni Cortez, who have now joined the family spy business as Level 2 OSS agents. Their new mission is to save the world from a mad scientist living on a volcanic island populated by an imaginative menagerie of creatures. On this bizarre island, none of the Cortez's gadgets work and they must rely on their wits–and each other–to survive and save the day..


Hiking in the national park.
I was staying with local travel expert and author John Dupuis, who owns a truly incredible lodge in Rio Cangrejal. If you ever want to head to Honduras, make sure you stay here – you will love the views, the relaxation and the tranquility of it. John's place is called La Villa de Soledad and we stayed for two nights here. After a great breakfast and well needed Honduran coffee, we headed down the main road that runs alongside the Rio Cangrejal.
Jungle River Lodge – home of Jungle River Tours.
To organise the zip lining you just turn up on the day to a place called Jungle River Lodge. They run a company there called Jungle River Tours and they can do all sorts of fun things, the main ones being the zip lining and the white water rafting. The ziplining costs $40 US Dollars per person (plus tax) so it's not cheap, but it's a great activity!
With Juan Carlos and Santos my guides for the day.
I meet Oscar the owner and my two zipline guides for the day – Juan Carlos and Santos. We get our gear on immediately and are ready to go! It's about 11am.
First up we are given a demonstration and a practice bit of ziplining. We get our helmet on and our harnesses and gloves. All set.
Panny and I ready for ziplining.
Then the first big zipline is epic – we cross the Rio Cangrejal and the views and thrill is immense. Basically left hand on the links and right hand on the zipline – push right to turn back right, push left to turn back left. Squeeze your right hand to brake – you really only need to brake at the end.
The first zipline is the longest!
Panny ziplining in Rio Cangrejal, Honduras.
One of the snakes we see!
– We see a rubber tree. Hit it with a stone and this white substance comes out, once that dries, we have rubber!
– We see a waterfall. There is also a 2 – 3 hour hike to another waterfall (we didn't do that one).
Loving the ziplining in Rio Cangrejal.
Another major reason I'm writing about this, is because Honduras gets some bad publicity for the wrong reasons and doesn't deserve it. At it's heart Honduras is a country of gorgeous national parks, uncovered gems and intellectual people. It's also nice to note that Panny and I toured the country and stayed in places like San Pedro Sula, Rio Cangrejal and Tegucigalpa. Those places are the ones most travellers avoid in favour of the over hyped touristy Copan and Utila (yes I went to both as well). But seriously, break out of that vibe and head to La Ceiba and Rio Cangrejal. You'll love it.
This entry was posted in Honduras, La Ceiba, North America, Rio Cangrejal, Ziplining. Bookmark the permalink.


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Just when you thought we were finally past the time where Chef John Tesar and Dallas Morning News food critic Leslie Brenner were at each other's throats in the media, the story picks up steam from one of the country's most respected journalistic institutions.
Yesterday, the Washington Post's Tim Carman profiled the controversy surrounding Leslie Brenner, and her most vocal critics. John Tesar, Shannon Wynn, and the brains behind Misery Loves Company, Michael Martensen and Sal Jafar II, all offered their input on Brenner, which is really nothing new for those of us who have been following the saga since that infamous first dinner at Proof + Pantry. All parties insist that their criticism is not of Brenner, but of her star rating system that is confusing to diners and provides no real insight into the quality of a restaurant and its service. Except for John Tesar, maybe.
The Post also reported that these chefs and restaurateurs would be publicly organizing against being reviewed by any critic from the Dallas Morning News. Wynn, Martensen, Jafar, and Tesar plan to make a public statement against the paper in a more in-your-face way than ever, by adding "DMN Doesn't Pay Here" stickers to their windows and menus. More than that, they've also each been tasked with recruiting other restaurants to join their cause.
This key component, though, could very well be the the sticking point of this crusade, if only because most chefs and restaurateurs in Dallas have demonstrated that they just aren't interested in fighting with the city's most influential critic. As Carman notes, the Stephan Pyles and Kent Rathbuns of Dallas are keeping mum on the situation altogether. Whatever your feelings about Leslie Brenner, even the chefs who despise her have to acknowledge that she holds serious sway, both with the diners who read her reviews in the Morning News, and with national publications when they turn their eyes toward Dallas.
Carman also notes that attempts to oust critics in other cities quickly lost steam, a fact that Wynne and his comrades should closely consider. "In 2010, the owner of Red Medicine booted Los Angeles Times critic S. Irene Virbila from his modern Vietnamese restaurant, hoping others would follow the lead," writes Carman. "They didn't. About 15 years ago, a Bay Area chef tried to round up some peers to get San Francisco Chronicle critic Michael Bauer fired. It went nowhere."
Martensen, Tesar, and Wynn certainly have some big names behind their "movement," but whether or not even several of the city's biggest chefs and restaurateurs will be willing to publicly denounce the critic and ban her from their restaurants remains to be seen. In the meantime, though, there's no doubt that each of these restaurateurs is surely appreciating the boost in business that's come from near constant coverage of a feud that may well end up being all for naught if the Dallas Morning News keeps its star rating system intact.


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Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
906 W. Sinclair Road
Calipatria, CA 92233
The refuge was established in 1930 by President Herbert Hoovers's Presidential Proclamation. It is located along the course of the Pacific Flyway in the Imperial Valley California. Originally the refuge consisted of 37,600 acres. Now, because of flooding by the Salton Sea, only about 2,200 manageable acres remain. Dikes are expected to keep the Sea from further encroachment on the refuge.
From gulf to ancient sea to desert
At one time the Gulf of California extended into what is now known as the Imperial and Coachella valleys. A natural dam was then formed through silt deposits off the Gulf and resulted in the formation of an ancient sea. Through time, the Sea evaporated and formed a dry alkaline basin. In the early 1900s only dry desert shrubs were present where the refuge and lakeshore is today.
Sea recreated in 1905 from break in irrigation canal
In 1901, Colorado River waters were diverted from Yuma, Arizona, into Mexico and back into the Salton Sea basin for agricultural development. in 1905, failure of a diversion structure caused the Colorado to flow unchecked into the Imperial Valley between 1905 and 1907, thus creating the present Salton Sea. Agricultural drainage and runoff from the surrounding mountains now supply the Salton Sea. There is no outlet from the Sea, and water is removed only by evaporation.
Over 200 feet below sea level
The Salton Sea covers 380 square miles. Its width varies from 9 to 15 miles, it is 35 miles long with about 115 miles of shoreline. The depth of the Salton Sea varies with the gentle valley slope to a maximum of about 51 feet. The surface elevation is currently about 227 feet below sea level.
Waterfowl have adapted to changing habits and foods in Imperial and Mexicali Valleys
Before the Salton Sea was formed waterfowl were only found along the marshes and delta of the Colorado River (primarily in Mexico). During the 1920s, as more water was diverted from the Colorado River for agriculture, marshes were inadvertently created. These marshes, at the edges of the then smaller Salton Sea, resulted from agricultural water runoff. Waterfowl were attracted to the marshes from their former winter home in the drying Colorado River delta. As farming intensified in the 1940s and the Salton Sea expanded, marshland once again shrunk and waterfowl turned to the farmers's crops for food. Today, crops are grown on the refuge to feed wintering waterfowl and to keep the birds from eating other crops in the area.
Numerous wildlife now conserved on the refuge
Thousands of waterfowl and other birds spend the winter on the refuge. Canada geese, snow geese, American avocets, black-necked stilts, pintails, green-winged teal, eared gebes, and a wide variety of other species are commonly seen during the winter.
The primary purpose of the refuge is to provide habitat for migrating and wintering waterfowl and endangered species. The refuge is also important in providing feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for a large number of shorebirds and in supporting a diversity of wildlife throughout the year.
Endangered Species at the refuge
The Yuma clapper rail breeds in the marshes along the Colorado River from the Nevada/California border south to the Colorado Delta region of Mexico. It is also found in marsh habitat around the south-eastern portion of the Salton Sea. The preferred habitat is mature cattail-bulrush stands in shallow fresh water. Yuma clapper rails occur in suitable habitat throughout the year and breed successfully on the refuge.
Other threatened or endangered species occasionally observed on the refuge include the bald eagle, California brown pelican, and desert pupfish.
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twice as smart as me.
"You should've stayed with him back at mike's place."
"Yeah, but tomorrow we gonna go our seperate ways."
"Well there's still time. You don't need no preacher to make it legal.
You can find him now and it will count just the same."
"No, I ain't no hypocrite. I'm gonna' go out just like I lived."
"Well old man, much as I love you, I ain't going to hell with you."
"Don't 'spect you to. Didn't even 'spect you to be here."
"Well, wouldn't be much of a life without you would it?"
"They sure got some purty suits don't they old woman?"
"Yes they do. Gonna be a damn shame to stain them with blood."
"Well, come mornin' we sure as hell gonna try."
try to fill up that train."
"The one to heaven or hell."
even remember this little burp in the war."
"Well we didn't come here for glory."
"No old lady, we came to make one last gesture."
"Yes, that one last throw of them dice you always talking 'bout."
"I guess after all these years you are entitled to one mistake."
put a flower here for you."
again. I can't speak no Mex."
"Somebody said the locals call it Alamo or some such nonsense."


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Persuasion Versus Force
by Chris SpangleOctober 23, 201319 min read
(By Mark and Jo Ann Skousen)
Sometimes a single book or even a short cogent essay can change an individual's entire outlook on life. For Christians, it is the New Testament. For radical socialists, Karl Marx' and Friedrich Engels' The Communist Manifesto is revolutionary. For libertarians, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is pivotal. For economists, Ludwig von Mises' Human Action can be mind-changing.
Recently I came across a little essay in a book called Adventures of Ideas, by Alfred North Whitehead, the British philosopher and Harvard professor. The essay, "From Force to Persuasion," had a profound effect upon me. Actually what caught my attention was a single passage on page 83. This one small excerpt in a 300-page book changed my entire political philosophy.
Here's what it says:
"The creation of the world — said Plato — is the victory of persuasion over force… Civilization is the maintenance of social order, by its own inherent persuasiveness as embodying the nobler alternative. The recourse to force, however unavoidable, is a disclosure of the failure of civilization, either in the general society or in a remnant of individuals…
"Now the intercourse between individuals and between social groups takes one of these two forms: force or persuasion. Commerce is the great example of intercourse by way of persuasion. War, slavery, and governmental compulsion exemplify the reign of force."
Professor Whitehead's vision of civilized society as the triumph of persuasion over force should become paramount in the mind of all civic-minded individuals and government leaders. It should serve as the guideline for the political ideal.
Let me suggest, therefore, a new political creed: The triumph of persuasion over force is the sign of a civilized society.
Surely this is a fundamental principle to which most citizens, no matter where they fit on the political spectrum, can agree.
Too Many Laws
Too often lawmakers resort to the force of law rather than the power of persuasion to solve a problem in society. They are too quick to pass another statute or regulation in an effort to suppress the effects of a deeprooted problem in society rather than seeking to recognize and deal with the real cause of the problem, which may require parents, teachers, pastors, and community leaders to convince people to change their ways.
Too often politicians think that new programs requiring new taxes are the only way to pay for citizens' retirement, health care, education or other social needs. "People just aren't willing to pay for these services themselves," they say, so they force others to pay for them instead.
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "Taxation is the price we pay for civilization." But isn't the opposite really the case? Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success.
Thus, legislators, ostensibly concerned about poverty and low wages, pass a minimum wage law and establish a welfare state as their way to abolish poverty. Yet poverty persists, not for want of money, but for want of skills, capital, education, and the desire to succeed.
The community demands a complete education for all children, so the state mandates that all children attend school for at least ten years. Winter Park High School, which two of our children attend, is completely fenced in. Students need a written excuse to leave school grounds and an official explanation for absences. All the gates except one are closed during school hours, and there is a permanent guard placed at the only open gate to monitor students coming and going. Florida recently passed a law that takes away the driver's license of any student who drops out of high school. Surely, they say, that will eliminate the high dropout rate for students.
But suppressing one problem only creates another. Now students who don't want to be in school are disrupting the students who want to learn. The lawmakers forget one thing. Schooling is not the same as education.
Many high-minded citizens don't like to see racial, religious or sexual discrimination in employment, housing, department stores, restaurants, and clubs. Yet instead of persuading people in the schools, the churches and the media that discrimination is inappropriate behavior and morally repugnant, law-makers simply pass civil rights legislation outlawing discrimination, as though making hatred illegal can instantly make it go away. Instead, forced integration often intensifies the already-existing hostilities. Does anyone wonder why discrimination is still a serious problem in our society?
Is competition from the Japanese, the Germans and the Brazilians too stiff for American industry? We can solve that right away, says Congress. No use trying to convince industry to invest in more productive labor and capital, or voting to reduce the tax burden on business. No, they'll just impose import quotas or heavy duties on foreign products and force them to "play fair." Surely that will make us more competitive, and keep American companies in business.
Drugs, Guns, and Abortion
Is the use of mind-altering drugs a problem in America? Then let's pass legislation prohibiting the use of certain high-powered drugs. People still want to use them? Then let's hire more police to crack down on the drug users and drug dealers. Surely that will solve the problem. Yet such laws never address the fundamental issue, which would require analyzing why people misuse drugs and discovering ways they can satisfy their needs in a nondestructive manner. By out-lawing illicit drugs, we fail to consider the underlying cause of increased drug or alcohol misuse among teenagers and adults, and we fail to accept the beneficial uses of such drugs in medicine and healthcare. I salute voluntary efforts in communities to deal with these serious problems, such as "no alcohol" high school graduation parties and drug-awareness classes. Tobacco is on the decline as a result of education, and drug use could abate as well if it were treated as a medical problem rather than a criminal one.
Abortion is a troublesome issue, we all agree on that. Whose rights take precedence, the baby's or the mother's? When does life begin, at conception or at birth?
Political conservatives are shocked by the millions of legal killings that take place every year in America and around the world. How can we sing "God Bless America" with this epidemic plaguing our nation? So, for many conservatives the answer is simple: Ban abortions! Force women to give birth to their unexpected and unwanted babies. That will solve the problem. This quick fix will undoubtedly give the appearance that we have instantly solved our national penchant for genocide.
Wouldn't it be better if we first tried to answer the all important questions, "Why is abortion so prevalent today, and how can we prevent unwanted pregnancies?" Or, once an unwanted pregnancy occurs, how can we persuade people to examine alternatives, including adoption?
Crime is another issue plaguing this country. There are those in society who want to ban handguns, rifles and other firearms, or at least have them tightly controlled and registered, in an attempt to reduce crime. We can solve the murder and crime problem in this country, they reason, simply by passing a law taking away the weapons of murder. No guns, no killings. Simple, right? Yet they only change the outward symptoms, while showing little interest in finding ways to discourage a person from becoming criminal or violent in the first place.
Legislators should be slow to pass laws to protect people against themselves. While insisting on a woman's "right to choose" in one area, they deny men and women the right to choose in every other area. Unfortunately, they are all too quick to act. Drivers aren't wearing their seatbelts? Let's pass a mandatory seatbelt law. Motorcyclists aren't wearing helmets? Let's mandate helmets. We'll force people to be responsible!
More Than Just Freedom
How did we get into this situation, where lawmakers feel compelled to legislate personal behavior "for our own good"? Often we only have ourselves to blame.
The lesson is clear: If we are going to preserve what personal and economic freedom we have left in this country, we had better act responsibly, or our freedom is going to be taken away. Too many detractors think that freedom is nothing more than the right to act irresponsibly. They equate liberty with libertine behavior: that the freedom to choose whether to have an abortion means that they should have an abortion, that the freedom to take drugs means that they should take drugs, that the legalization of gambling means that they should play the roulette wheel.
It is significant that Professor Whitehead chose the word "persuasion," not simply "freedom," as the ideal characteristic of the civilized world. The word "persuasion" embodies both freedom of choice and responsibility for choice. In order to persuade, you must have a moral philosophy, a system of right and wrong, which you govern yourself. You want to persuade people to do the right thing not because they have to, but because they want to.
There is little satisfaction from doing good if individuals are mandated to do the right thing. Character and responsibility are built when people voluntarily choose right over wrong, not when they are forced to do so. A soldier will feel a greater sense of victory if he enlists in the armed forces instead of being drafted. And high school students will not comprehend the joy of service if it is mandated by a community-service requirement for graduation.
Admittedly, there will be individuals in a free society who will make the wrong choices, who will become drug addicts and alcoholics, who will refuse to wear a safety helmet, who will hurt themselves playing with firecrackers, and who will drop out of high school. But that is the price we must pay for having a free society, where individuals learn from their mistakes and try to build a better world.
In this context, let us answer the all- important question, "Liberty and morality: can we have both?" The answer is, absolutely yes! Not only can we have both, but we must have both, or eventually we will have neither. As Sir James Russell Lowell said, "The ultimate result of protecting fools from their folly is to fill the planet full of fools."
Our motto should be, "We teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves."
Freedom without responsibility only leads to the destruction of civilization, as evidenced by Rome and other great civilizations of the past. As Alexis de Tocqueville said, "Despotism may govern without faith, but liberty cannot." In a similar vein, Henry Ward Beecher added, "There is no liberty to men who know not how to govern themselves." And Edmund Burke wrote, "What is liberty without wisdom and without virtue?"
Today's political leaders demonstrate their low opinion of the public with every social law they pass. They believe that, if given the right to choose, the citizenry will probably make the wrong choice. Legislators do not think any more in terms of persuading people; they feel the need to force their agenda on the public at the point of a bayonet and the barrel of a gun, in the name of the IRS, the SEC, the FDA, the DEA, the EPA, or a multitude of other ABCs of government authority.
A Challenge to All Lovers of Liberty
My challenge to all lovers of liberty today is to take the moral high ground. Our cause is much more compelling when we can say that we support drug legalization, but do not use mind altering drugs. That we tolerate legal abortion, but choose not to abort our own future generations. That we support the right to bear arms, but do not misuse handguns. That we favor the right of individuals to meet privately as they please, but do not ourselves discriminate.
In the true spirit of liberty, Voltaire once said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." If we are to be effective in convincing others of the benefits of a tolerant world, we must take the moral high ground by saying, "We may disapprove of what you do, but we will defend to the death your right to do it."
In short, my vision of a responsible free society is one in which we discourage evil, but do not prohibit it. We make our children and students aware of the consequences of drug abuse and other forms of irresponsible behavior. But after all our persuading, if they still want to use harmful drugs, that is their privilege. In a free society, individuals must have the right to do right or wrong, as long as they don't threaten or infringe upon the rights or property of others. They must also suffer the consequences of their actions, as it is from consequences that they learn to choose properly.
We may discourage prostitution or pornography by restricting it to certain areas and to certain ages, but we will not jail or fine those who choose to participate in it privately. If an adult bookstore opens in our neighborhood, we don't run to the law and pass an ordinance, we picket the store and discourage customers. If our religion asks us not to shop on Sunday, we don't pass Sunday "blue" laws forcing stores to close, we simply don't patronize them on Sunday. If we don't like excessive violence and gratuitous sex on TV, we don't write the Federal Communications Commission, we join boycotts of the advertiser's products. Several years ago the owners of Seven Eleven stores removed pornographic magazines from their stores, not because the law required it, but because a group of concerned citizens persuaded them. These actions reflect the true spirit of liberty.
Lovers of liberty should also be strong supporters of the institutions of persuasion, such as churches, charities, foundations, private schools and colleges, and private enterprise. They should engage in many causes of their own free will and choice. They should not rely on the institutions of force, such as government agencies, to carry out the cause of education and the works of charity and welfare. It is not enough simply to pay your taxes and cast your vote and think you've done your part.
It is the duty of every advocate of human liberty to convince the world that we must solve our problems through persuasion and not coercion. Whether the issue is domestic policy or foreign policy, we must recognize that passing another regulation or going to war is not necessarily the only solution to our problems. Simply to pass laws prohibiting the outward symptoms of problems is to sweep the real problems under the rug. It may hide the dirt for a while, but it doesn't dispose of the dirt properly or permanently.
Liberty Under Law
This approach does not mean that laws would not exist. People should have the freedom to act according to their desires, but only to the extent that they do not trample on the rights of others. Rules and regulations, such as traffic laws, need to be established and enforced by private and public institutions in order for a free society to exist. There should be stringent laws against fraud, theft, murder, pollution, and the breaking of contracts, and those laws should be effectively enforced according to the classic principle that the punishment should fit the crime. The full weight of the law should be used to fine and imprison the perpetrators, to compensate the victims, and to safe-guard the rights of the innocent. Yet within this legal framework, we should permit the maximum degree of freedom in allowing people to choose what they think, act and do to themselves without harming others.
Convincing the public of our message, that "persuasion instead of force is the sign of a civilized society," will require a lot of hard work, but it can be rewarding. The key is to make a convincing case for freedom, to present the facts to the public so that they can see the logic of our arguments, and to develop a dialogue with those who may be opposed to our position. Our emphasis must be on educating and persuading, not on arguing and name-calling. For we shall never change our political leaders until we change the people who elect them.
A Vision of an Ideal Society
Martin Luther King, Jr., gave a famous sermon at the Lincoln Memorial in the mid-1960s. In it, King said that he had a dream about the promised land. Well, I too have a vision of an ideal society.
I have a vision of world peace, not because the military have been called in to maintain order, but because we have peace from within and friendship with every nation.
I have a vision of universal prosperity and an end to poverty, not because of foreign aid or government-subsidized welfare, but because each of us has productive, useful employment where every trade is honest and beneficial to both buyer and seller, and where we eagerly help the less fortunate of our own free will.
I have a vision of an inflation-free nation, not because of wage and price controls, but because our nation has an honest money system.
I have a vision of a crime-free society, not because there's a policeman on every corner, but because we respect the rights and property of others.
I have a vision of a drug-free America, not because harmful drugs are illegal, but because we desire to live long, healthy, self-sustaining lives.
I have a vision of an abortion-free society, not because abortion is illegal, but because we firmly believe in the sanctity of life, sexual responsibility, and family values.
I have a vision of a pollution-free and environmentally sound world, not because of costly controls and arbitrary regulations, but because private enterprise honors its stewardship and commitment to developing rather than exploiting the earth's resources.
I have a vision of a free society, not because of a benevolent dictator commands it, but because we love freedom and the responsibility that goes with it.
The following words, taken from an old Protestant hymn whose author is fittingly anonymous, express the aspiration of every man and every woman in a free society.
Know this, that every soul is free
To choose his life and what he'll be;
For this eternal truth is given
That God will force no man to heaven.
He'll call, persuade, direct aright,
And bless with wisdom, love, and light,
In nameless ways be good and kind,
But never force the human mind.
About the Author: Mark Skousen is Adjunct Professor of Economics and Finance at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and editor of Forecasts & Strategies, one of the largest financial newsletters in the United States. He is the author of over a dozen books, including High Finance on a Low Budget (co-authored with his wife, Jo Ann), The Complete Guide to Financial Privacy, Scrooge Investing, The Structure of Production, Economics on Trial, The Investor's Bible: Mark Skousen's Principles of Investment, and The Making of Modern Economics: The Lives and Ideas of the Great Thinkers. He has a Ph.D. in economics from George Washington University, is a former economist with the Central Intelligence Agency, and is a former President of the Foundation for Economic Education.
Chris Spangle
Chris Spangle is the publisher and editor of We Are Libertarians, a news site and podcast that covers national and Indiana politics from the libertarian perspective. Spangle previously worked in marketing for the Englehart Group on behalf of the Advocates for Self-Government. He also served as the Executive Director of the Libertarian Party of Indiana and producer of the Abdul in the Morning Show. He now works as the web director of a nationally syndicated morning show.
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The entire Marvel movie universe unites, once and for all. Assemble your team in the race for the Infinity Stones! This Avengers: Infinity War Thanos bobblehead figure measures approximately 13 cms tall and comes packaged in a window display box.
Thanos, the mad titan caused major damage to the universe, as he collected and used the Infinity Stones to balance the universe in his own way. With his super titan strength, the infinity gauntlet and immortality, Thanos is perhaps the most fearsome supervillain the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy have ever encountered. But you don't have to worry about that – you can make Thanos bobble to your tunes with the Infinity War Thanos Bobblehead Figure. The Avengers and Guardians might be having their share of trouble with him, but at 5 inches tall, you can carry Thanos in your pocket. A fantastic gift for any Avengers or Thanos fan, it's a must-have to complete your MCU collection.


Free Wifi available throughout the majority of the club.
In addition to our wide selection of fitness classes and equipment, Franciscan Health Fitness Centers Schererville offers additional spaces that can be used by both members and their guests. These spaces, such as our Basketball Courts and Field House, offer the perfect location to participate in sporting events and an ongoing healthy lifestyle activities.
Basketball courts can be divided into multiple courts and also used for volleyball and pickleball.


About once a month, I look at some ridiculous extraneous piece of nonsense that has taken up residence in my life or in the culture around me and say (sometimes to myself and sometimes tho whoever happens to be in my airspace), "This is why the terrorists hate us." Please understand that when I say that, I mean it. And I don't. Who knows? It's usually just stuff I don't like about myself or the world around me that somehow demonstrates how we've learned to mock and shame ourselves. Whatever. I thought it today when I was flipping through the BBC's Day in Pictures and saw this photo from Baghdad.
this is nearly as funny as the Who is your Baghdaddy? shirts I saw when I was there.
I don't know if you'll remember me or not….but I was Jennifer Stribble's next door neighbor for many years in Atlanta, TX.
I think we also met a few times at A&M (class of '97).
I've enjoyed reading your site and seeing how God has worked so abundantly in your life! Wow! Three kids….me, too! Such a blessing…but also so stressful.


text:
Ахвар () – город в Йемене, расположенный у центральной части Аденского залива. Вади Ахвар впадает в Аденский залив неподалёку от города. Город находится в мухафазе Абьян и является главным городом мудирии (района) Ахвар в этой мухафазе.

История города
Ахвар был главным городом (столицей) султаната Нижний Аулаки с 1888 по 1967 года. В 1888 году султанат и Великобритания подписали неофициальное соглашение о защите. Монархия была упразднена в 1967 году, а территория султаната вошла в состав Народной Республики Южного Йемена.

В 2008 году в Ахваре открыли Центр приема сомалийских беженцев.

Ближайшие объекты :

 Племена Эль-Ауалик Ас-Суфли  39 км
 Мыс Морейс  101 км
 Мыс Бильхаф  109 км

Примечания

Города Йемена
Мухафаза Абьян

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Research row over Norfolk boarding school scheme for kids in care
Claims that boarding schools can "transform" the prospects of vulnerable young people have been called into question after the academies minister threw his support behind the government's new boarding ventures. Last year, the Department for Education pledged to promote boarding schools as an alternative to costly residential care, and launched boarding school partnerships, a joint…
5.00 May. 12th, 2018 | News
Academy trusts with multiple staff on £100k+ told to justify pay
The government has written to all multi-academy trusts that are paying a salary of £100,000 to £150,000 to multiple employees, to ask them to justify why they are setting wages at these levels. Letters from Eileen Milner, the chief executive of the Education and Skills Funding Agency, will go out to the chairs of trustees at…
16.26 Apr. 10th, 2018 | News


text:
News / More
African migrant workers' rights figure low on agenda for arrogant Saudis: Analyst
Monday, 28 November 2022 11:29 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 28 November 2022 11:29 AM ]
Saudi Arabia has a horrible human rights record, accused of treating migrant workers in extremely inhumane and dreadful manner. (File Photo)
African migrant workers's rights figure very low on agenda for arrogant Saudis, says a political analyst, referring to the genocide of African workers in the Arab kingdom.
Zaakir Ahmed Mayet made the remarks in an interview with Press TV on Sunday after footage revealing the massacre of African migrants from Ethiopia by Saudi regime troops was released earlier this month.
The footage showed a mass grave containing dozens of African workers killed by Saudi border guards. Ethiopian migrants confirmed to the al-Masirah Yemeni news channel that the Saudi border guards kill about five migrants at the border every day and injure many more.
"About 80 percent of the workers (working) in the private sector in Saudi Arabia are foreign nationals and foreign immigrants," Ahmed said.
"These individuals work longer than 12 hours a day, they have unpaid salaries and they continue to be subjects of sexual violence as well as rape by individuals [who] call themselves responsible bosses and employers within Saudi Arabia."
The Saudi regime is turning to a "Satanic state", therefore workers' rights figure very low on the agenda of anything in terms of justice, he added.
Despite being among the most wealthiest of countries, Saudi Arabia has a horrible human rights record, accused of detaining thousands of African migrants and treating them in extremely inhumane and dreadful manner.
Ahmed said the "arrogant Saudi regime" believes that the wealth gives it the right to do as it pleases, when it pleases and to whom it pleases.
He added that since African migrant workers are completely reliant on the work that is being provided by Saudi Arabia, they are viewed as sub-humans and treated with a degree of racism and contempt.
Saudis believe "just because [migrants] have darker skin and are from different regions they are of a lesser nature than a normal human being and they do not have the right to dignity and respect," he said.
'African migrants treated like slaves'
During the era of slavery in the America, some enslaved people were set free after paying the masters who had bought them the shipping and purchase fee.
Today, migrant domestic workers in Saudi Arabia are employed on similar terms and they can earn freedom only if they pay their employers hefty amount calculated as the agency recruitment fee, visa fee, and air ticket.
The Saudi Kafala sponsor system, that defines the relationship between foreign workers and their local sponsors, has been described as modern slavery.This points to the fact that the abuse of migrant workers from Africa amounts to official policy.
Ahmed likened the Kafala system and the "extreme right abuse" to Israeli conduct in the besieged Gaza Strip where the Zionist regime has prohibited certain number of people from leaving their localities because of the regime's arbitrary policy.
Champions of human rights ignore Saudis atrocities
Western powers have a long history of ignoring heinous crimes and human rights violations in Saudi Arabia due to high dependence on oil and billions of dollars' worth of arm sales to the kingdom.
Joe Biden administration recently granted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin-Salman legal immunity in Jamal Khashoggi murder case, which angered many even within the ruling establishment in Washington.
Since 1945, Ahmed stated, it is the United States that has been keeping this atrocious regime in power.
The deal was security for oil. The United States would provide armaments, troops and support within the region and the Saudi regime would provide oil, therefore the United States became subservient to the Saudi regime and turned a blind eye to its atrocities.
US complicit in slavery in Persian Gulf
According to an investigation by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), at least four US military bases in the Persian Gulf are trapped in their jobs by abusive employment practices that they say prevent them from returning home or even looking for better work in the region.
Current and former workers interviewed by ICIJ are among the armies of men and women from Asia and Africa who do the manual and semi-skilled labor that keeps US military bases abroad running day after day.
Migrant workers complaining about mistreatment are taken to detention centers where some eventually die.
The US military operates from more than a dozen bases and other installations in the Persian Gulf and neighboring Iraq and has used these locations to wage wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
International call to end racism
"There has to be an international call and an international effort to end this kind of exploitation so that people who cannot make a living in their own countries are not treated so badly when they travel abroad," Margaret Kimberly, the co-founder of the Black Agenda Report, told Press TV.
'You're talking about a country [Saudi Arabia] that is not a democracy that deprives its own citizens of rights, that executes people for very minor offenses, a country that does not have a true Justice system so the end result of all of that would be anti-black racism.
"There has to be a concerted effort to fight against the racism which created these conditions," she added.
Saudi Arabia Africa Persian Gulf racism mohammad bin salman Human Rights Migrant Workers
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you're the best creative crafter! I like your ideas!
Nice and cute! You used the normal water colour?
Nice…I like it. Will try to do this with Sarah.
This must be fun for kids, you know, printing their finger prints here and there and create something nice out of it!


text:
Bolts take series with 8-4 win
AVON, OH – The ThunderBolts scored five runs in the first three innings on their way to an 8-4 victory over the Lake Erie Crushers at All Pro Freight Stadium Sunday night. The win moves the Bolts 1.5 games behind Lake Erie for the final playoff spot in the East.
Windy City loaded the bases in the first inning with no outs, but could only get one run, that on a Devin Shepherd sacrifice fly.
In the second, Chad Cregar led off with a double, but stood at third base with two outs before Brandon Anderson walked and Mike Torres singled home Cregar. Jason James' single scored Torres, making it 3-0.
The Crushers tallied their first run in the second when Evan Sharpley walked and reached third on two Dustin Williams throwing errors. Sharpley scored on Kyle Shaffer's infield single.
The Bolts jumped right back on Lake Erie starter Josh Roberts in the third, scoring two more times. Nick Kuroczko singled and Cregar reached on an error before Lee Rubin's single brought home the former and Anderson's two-out base hit scored the latter.
The score remained 5-1 against the Crushers bullpen until the sixth when Torres was walked and James was hit by a pitch. They both scored on a Shepherd single and accompanying Chris Luick error, giving Windy City their biggest advantage of the game at 7-1.
Things got hairy in the seventh when Williams walked the first two batters and was relieved by Matt Costello, who walked the next two batters. Jason Taylor's single brought home two more runs, but Costello got the three outs he needed without allowing another score and the Bolts bullpen was not seriously threatened the rest of the game.
Zach Aakhus' eighth inning home run put the game away and finalized the score at 8-4.
Williams allowed two earned runs over six innings and struck out five, giving him 138 for the season, tying Ross Stout's 2009 team record. He improved to 11-5 with the win. Roberts fell to 8-6 and Durand picked up his first Windy City save, 17th overall.
After an off-day on Monday, the Bolts return home for a three game series against the Washington Wild Things. Tuesday, they will send Bryant Cotton (6-8) to the mound for the 7:05 start time against Justin Hall (8-6). It is 2-for-1 Ticket Tuesday at Standard Bank Stadium and anyone who cannot make it to the park can hear the audio broadcast on Sportsjuice.com.


G B Kent & Sons Ltd, manufacturers of brushes since the eighteenth century is one of the oldest established companies in Great Britain. Kent Brushes (as they are now more commonly known) was founded in 1777.
Handmade Toothbrush made with boar hair is hard bristle which make it ideal for smokers.
Presented in a sealed clear case with printed information card.


Thank you for your letter of October 25 and your proposal to contribute to the planned series "Worlds and Ages" . Indeed, stimulated by the conclusions of your works, I feel myself attracted to an ever increasing state of studying and thinking. New ideas are arising in a pace which makes it difficult to put them to paper as quick as I should like it to do. In my opinion not only history will have to be rewritten, but also philosophy, part of medicine, and also a science which I should like to call Human Relations, and which so far has made itself felt only by its negative aspects. I am very glad to gather from your letter that reviewers are taking a new interest in your work. Harper's and the American Behavioral Scientist of September have yet to arrive here and I shall be very grateful if you would let me know the other publications concerned, which you mention. I am enclosing today another manuscript on which I have been working some time ago, and which shows some new implications which are likely to encounter renewed resistance.
At present I am considering a theory which would explain anti-Semitism as the now unconscious accusation of the Jews as the potential robbers of the sun. This is in conformity to your fundamental disclosure that the Jews were remembered in later days as the Hyksos, a confusion which is due in my opinion to the defense mechanism of projection.
May I draw your attention to the following: "Mnevis was the biggest of the bulls; he was jet-black, for exposure to the sun blackens the body, the hairs of his tail and of his whole body stood erect, unlike those of other bulls, just as the sun runs counter to the sky" (A. B. Cook, I, Zeus. A Study of Ancient Religion, Chapt. "The Bull and the Sun in Egypt" , p. 431).
One wonders if Mr. Poul Neumann knew about these tales when he described that the hairs of the Israelites stood erect during the crossing of the Red Sea (re 2 Mos 14, 19). All 3 books of P. Neumann were available at the library here last year, but this year, when I wanted to check up about the above I could not trace them any more!? May be you are in possession of the references, and if so, would you kindly let me know the exact wording of the passage concerned. Is the name of the author of the trilogy (Flamberg Verlag, Zürich-Stuttgart 1959), Poul Neumann correct? His titles were: Die Eherne Schlange, Das Ewige Feuer, and a third part?
On the other hand I was able to find M. Boulanger's L'Antiquité dévoilée par ses Usages, chez Marc Michel Rey, Amsterdam 1766. So far I have detected the following remarkable spots: "Ne vouloit (voulait)-on pas lui dire que ses Dieux n' toient (n'étaient) que de faux Dieux, où` n' toient que des allégories des anciennes révolutions de terre? Vouloit-on lui cacher la funeste catastrophe du déluge?" (Tome II, Liv. III, Ch. I, p. 12). The lack of our capacity to fix time appears here: "Pour quitter le style allégorique, tout cela signifie que les mystères avoient non-seulment rapport aux anciens malheurs de l'univers dont le peuple sçavoit (savait) au moins une partie mais encore qu'on y annonçait ses malheurs a venir;" (ibid. Ch. II, p. 44). In "Offenbarung im Licht und Schatten" I have indicated some examples where comets and their destructions are not described in the past, but are announced for the future.
Very important is the fear, reported to appear amongst the Mexicans and other peoples in periods of 52 (!) years (T. III, Ch. IV, p. 12), and may be the tale that the sun covered her light because of Eve's sin (ibid. p. 15).
Enclosed you will find a few pages containing some thoughts which I retained after reading the sources concerned. May be I could have your comment. The manuscript mentioned above, "Bemerkungen zu Dürer's Melencolia I" will go by ordinary mail. I shall immediately start to compile the material collected so far. Would there be a possibility for translation of German parts? At the present instant I am unable to foresee the exact subject, form and extent of my future scripts. Would you, please, be ready to see them or parts of them and advise me regarding their suitability.


text:
using System;
using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;

namespace Rk.Net.Utility.Tests
{
    /// <summary>
    /// This class contains unit tests.
    /// </summary>
    [TestClass()]
    public class DateTimeHelperTests
    {
        #region Initialization
        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the test context which provides information about and functionality for the current test run.
        /// </summary>
        public TestContext TestContext { get; set; }

        // Use ClassInitialize to run code before running the first test in the class
        [ClassInitialize()]
        public static void DateTimeHelperTestsInitialize(TestContext testContext)
        {
        }

        // Use ClassCleanup to run code after all tests in a class have run
        [ClassCleanup()]
        public static void DateTimeHelperTestsCleanup()
        {
        }

        // Use TestInitialize to run code before running each test
        [TestInitialize()]
        public void MyTestInitialize()
        {
        }

        // Use TestCleanup to run code after each test has run
        [TestCleanup()]
        public void MyTestCleanup()
        {
        }
        #endregion Initialization

        #region Unit Tests
        #region Test(s) for: TryParse(String, DateTime&)
        [TestMethod]
        public void DateHelper_TryParse_Parses_Date_In_Valid_Formats()
        {
            DateTime dt;

            Assert.AreEqual(true, DateTimeHelper.TryParse("20120101", out dt));

            Assert.AreEqual(2012, dt.Year);

            Assert.AreEqual(1, dt.Month);

            Assert.AreEqual(1, dt.Day);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Hour);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Minute);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Second);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Millisecond);

            Assert.AreEqual(true, DateTimeHelper.TryParse("20101112", "1234", out dt));

            Assert.AreEqual(2010, dt.Year);

            Assert.AreEqual(11, dt.Month);

            Assert.AreEqual(12, dt.Day);

            Assert.AreEqual(12, dt.Hour);

            Assert.AreEqual(34, dt.Minute);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Second);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Millisecond);

            Assert.AreEqual(true, DateTimeHelper.TryParse("20000103", null, out dt));

            Assert.AreEqual(2000, dt.Year);

            Assert.AreEqual(1, dt.Month);

            Assert.AreEqual(3, dt.Day);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Hour);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Minute);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Second);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Millisecond);

            Assert.AreEqual(true, DateTimeHelper.TryParse("20010302", " ", out dt));

            Assert.AreEqual(2001, dt.Year);

            Assert.AreEqual(3, dt.Month);

            Assert.AreEqual(2, dt.Day);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Hour);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Minute);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Second);

            Assert.AreEqual(0, dt.Millisecond);
        }

        #endregion Test(s) for: TryParse(String, DateTime&)

        #region Test(s) for: TryParse(String, String, DateTime&)
        #endregion Test(s) for: TryParse(String, String, DateTime&)

        #region Test(s) for: TryParseUtc(String, DateTime&)
        [TestMethod]
        public void TryParseUtc_Invalid_Value_Results_False()
        {
            DateTime date;

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc(null, out date), false);

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc(string.Empty, out date), false);

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc("  ", out date), false);

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc(" 123abc ", out date), false);
        }

        [TestMethod]
        public void TryParseUtc_Valid_Date_Results_True()
        {
            DateTime date;

            DateTime now = DateTime.Now;

            string nowUniversal = now.ToUniversalTime().ToString();

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc("20-May-2011 15:20:00", out date), true);

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc("2013-01-22 22:31:28.103", out date), true);

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc("2013-01-22 22:31:28.103Z", out date), true);

            Assert.AreEqual(DateTimeHelper.TryParseUtc(nowUniversal, out date), true);

            Assert.AreEqual(date.Year, now.Year);

            Assert.AreEqual(date.Month, now.Month);

            Assert.AreEqual(date.Day, now.Day);

            Assert.AreEqual(date.Hour, now.Hour);

            Assert.AreEqual(date.Minute, now.Minute);

            Assert.AreEqual(date.Second, now.Second);
        }
        #endregion Test(s) for: TryParseUtc(String, String, DateTime&)

        #region Test(s) for: GetFormattedTime(String, Boolean)
        #endregion Test(s) for: GetFormattedTime(String, Boolean)
        #endregion Unit Tests
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This is an excerpt from my book The Image of a Father. You may read Part One here.
An arrow that is straight and well aimed will strike its target, but what effect will it have? If it fails to pierce the surface and bounces off without even making a mark, the arrow has failed. It has flown with precision, but without the speed necessary to make an impact.
An arrow that strikes hard, that has an effect on the world, is sleek and sharp. Its shaft is lightweight, and its point is honed to a fine razor's edge. It strikes deep, and it carries out its mission.
This arrow is a child who is energetic and enthusiastic, not indulged or lazy. He is disciplined and self-motivated, carrying within his heart a burning desire to fulfill his vision. He does not carry the burdens of the world, because he is lifted up by faith, trusting in God to meet all of his needs. He flies to his target with full confidence that God will prepare it beforehand, so that when he strikes, hearts will be ready to be transformed by the presence of one who carries the light of God's saving grace.
You can make these arrows by teaching your children discipline, by training them to love the benefits of exercise, both physical and spiritual. Do they love the word of God, or is it a burden? Do they arise on their own in the morning, or do you have to roll them out of bed? Can they schedule and complete their assignments, or do you have to shadow them to make sure they do all their chores and homework?
Some children have a very hard time with being self-motivated. With Mommy and Daddy in the house to cart them around, clean up after them, and monitor their "to do" checklists, they can turn into slugs who just slither from place to place, doing what they have to do simply to keep from being stepped on.
You don't want slugs in your house. Yes, help them set goals and priorities, but also teach inner reliance, allowing your children to fail and suffer the consequences of failure if necessary. If you prop them up and force success, success will not be their own; it will be surrogate, a poor substitute that will bring lazy hearts to any future effort.
Healthy children need no crutches; they need impetus, fire burning within. Light that fire through inspiration, not indulgence. Set an example and exhort them to follow your lead, to be imitators of you as you are of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). That's how you make fast, hard-striking arrows. With hearts, minds, and bodies honed to sharp edges, they will be ready to make a great impact on the world for Christ.
In order to strike a target that is far away, an arrow has to be able to maintain its flight, cutting through wind and other elements without losing direction. A long flight requires that the warrior aim high, giving the arrow a trajectory that will follow a well-planned arc. Such an arrow is sculpted from hard wood, tacked with stiff feathering, and constructed with a well-balanced plan.
Sometimes life is difficult, and serving God requires weathering storms that buffet even straight, accurate arrows. In many pursuits, our children will learn to temper speed with patience, to pace themselves when their goals lie far in the future.
As counselors for our growing children, we know the value of endurance, the courage to go on even if trials arise. Having lived a few more years than they, we have come through long nights and we have seen the light of morning. We have viewed dark difficulties in hindsight, helping our patience and endurance to mature. Sitting in the well-lit perspective of the present time and pondering a trial from the safe platform of memory, we are able to take a deep breath and marvel at how God has guided us through shadowy days.
The shorter our years on earth, the longer a season of pain feels, making youthful suffering difficult to endure. Our children may not have witnessed God's provision. They may not have been empowered to defeat a tenacious enemy or comforted after losing a battle in a long war. That's why it is up to us to help our children learn how to endure in their youthful struggles.
Although we should rescue them from immediate danger, allowing them to struggle at times may bring lasting benefit, especially as we bring encouragement and reminders of how God has helped us in the past. A child who is pulled out of every potential snare will be weak, both in mind and body, unfit for the turmoil he will surely face in the outside world.
Just as the chick must fight his way out of the egg to gain strength for life, and just as a soldier must train his body in a controlled environment in order to face an unpredictable battle, so should our children be trained in the safety of home, preparing them for the shifting winds of the world.
There is an old adage that has helped me through many seasons of storms. "What I have learned in the light, I will not doubt in the dark." Through a number of difficult tests, I have learned that God really does care about me, and like a branding iron, I emblazon my mind with deep impressions of God's wonderful provisions. Then, when the next test comes and pain sets in, I arouse those carefully stored memories and meditate on them, bringing soothing relief and strength to go on. I have learned of God's love in the light of day, and those memories will illumine even the darkest of nights.
Sharing memories like these will help your children endure. They may not have a legacy of their own, a storehouse of past rescues from harm or comfort in times of trouble. Yet, they have a resource, a library of sorts, your recollections of God's grace. Spread them freely. Even if the stories seem to get old, they will not be forgotten, and they will seem like a fresh breeze when they come to mind during a season of distress.
Pressure hardens. Cold tightens. Dryness makes tough. Bitterness makes even coarse bread taste sweet. As the writer of Hebrews said, "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Unless our children are made into hardened arrows, they will not be ready to face the world.
Still, we want to maintain balance. Home is a place of comfort and joy as well as a training field. We don't want to unnaturally force difficult times on our children, but we do want them to endure through the everyday trials of life. And we should also require discipline in body and mind, plotting a course that seems natural, a way of life.
I require that my older children set their alarms and wake up on their own. They know when they are supposed to make their beds, exercise, come to morning devotions, and begin their schoolwork. They follow a reasonable schedule, not a boot camp regimen. Though we don't march them out to the scream of a drill sergeant, we do see to their compliance by doling out consequences for missing the mark. As the schedule becomes routine, it trains them to know no other way of life.
We hope that our arrows carry that discipline to their own homes someday. We are aiming high, knowing that most goals worth gaining lie at the end of arduous journeys. May God help them see the light and remember its promises even during the lonely nights.
More to come next Sunday.
This is a bit off topic; I am not a parent, nor am I married (17).
Would you have any ideas on people like the character Marcelle?
I know someone who is like her and sometimes find myself like that in that I block people out; how should I talk to my close friend to encourage and help her? At times I have no idea what to do.
Help her to overcome her hopelessness (I suppose Marcelle wasn't really hopeless; the two just have similar traits). She doesn't like most people anymore and wants to go Home as soon as possible.
How can I encourage her to pull ahead? She said her energy reserves are dry; not much seems to help.
These are hard questions, I realize; any ideas would be helpful, but if none come, no worries.
The Oracles of Fire series might help. Sapphira and Acacia both faced hopelessness, then learned that suffering service was better than inward focus and despair.
I just want to encourage you to keep writing on this topic, because it has been explaining a lot.


Scientists at the Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory atop Kilauea Volcano are again warning people about the danger associated with newly created land masses at the base of the volcano.
Just last week a large lava shelf, or delta, collapsed into the ocean where lava from Kilauea meets the sea. No one was killed or injured, but people have been caught by surprise before and paid the ultimate price.
"If you are standing there and it breaks off, you are going rafting in, I don't know, probably 800 degree water," Big Island resident David Jordan told Hawaii News Now.
Jordan makes a living photographing the volcano. He has witnessed lava shelves collapsing. He said sometimes it takes several minutes, but sometimes it big chunk of lava can tumble into the ocean in just seconds.
Jordan remembers 1993 when a Kona man was killed by a collapsing delta in an off-limits portion of Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park.
Scientists with the US Geological Survey take aerial pictures of the coast just about every week. In October they issued a warning. They were worried a growing shelf may collapse ... and they were right.
"We saw seismic signals early on the morning of November 2 about 5:30 in the morning. And by comparing photos from last week and this week we are able to see that a sliver of the West side of the delta fell in at that time," said scientist in charge Jim Kauahikaua.
Kauahikaua estimates the mass that fell into the ocean was almost four football fields long and about 40 yards wide.
"When we do see illegal trespassers out there … lava is going into the ocean right at the edge and that's where they want to be. And if they had been there at 5:30 on November 2, they wouldn't be coming back probably," Kauahikaua said.
Steam generated by lava hitting the ocean can also be fatal. In November, 2000 two people were killed by breathing the super heated vapor.
The danger is easy to avoid. Heed warning signs and do not get too close to the point where lave enters the sea. And by all means do not go onto anything that may be a lava shelf.