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What Is Alpha Ketoglutarate? Benefits, Dosage, and Risks
September 9, 2022 Vitality Pro
What Is Alpha Ketoglutarate?
Kellen Dorsch, Medical Researcher
Robert Underwood, Bio-Chemist
Written by Kellen Dorsch, Medical Researcher
Fact Checked by Robert Underwood, Bio-Chemist
Introduction | What is alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG)? | Overview of Potential Health Benefits and Risks | How Does it Work? | Potential Health Benefits of AKG | Potential Risks and Side Effects of AKG | Can You Get AKG From Food? | Caloric Restriction | Supplementation and Dosage | Calcium Alpha-ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG) | Conclusion: AKG Supplements Are Promising, But More Clinical Trials Are Needed
Full List of Contents
What is alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG)?
Overview of Potential Health Benefits and Risks
Potential Health Benefits of AKG
Potential Risks and Side Effects of AKG
Can You Get AKG From Food?
Caloric Restriction
Supplementation and Dosage
Calcium Alpha-ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG)
Conclusion: AKG Supplements Are Promising, But More Clinical Trials Are Needed
Alpha-ketoglutarate is an essential compound that regulates energy metabolism, DNA expression, amino acid formation, and inflammation response. This multifaceted keto acid decreases about 10-fold between ages 40-80, making it a prime target for longevity supplements. Animal studies are promising and demonstrate shocking results from AKG supplementation, including life extension and a significant delay in the onset of age-related conditions and diseases.
Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is a powerful compound that plays a significant role in many biological processes. As a Kreb's Cycle metabolite, alpha-ketoglutarate is produced when cells break down food molecules for energy. It then flows in and between cells, enabling many life sustaining processes and signaling systems. It even plays a role in gene expression, acting as a regulatory mechanism that appears to prevent DNA transcription errors that often cause disease and illness, like cancer.
Alarmingly, natural levels of alpha-ketoglutarate decline about 10-fold between ages 40-80. Modern longevity researchers now correlate this decline with the aging process, age related disease, and morbidity.
Alpha-ketoglutarate is an endogenous chemical, meaning it is produced by the body. It cannot be obtained through food, but some studies indicate it can be preserved through fasting and following a ketogenic diet. Supplements are available over the counter, and they are likely the best option for individuals who want to maintain healthy levels as they age.
Here, we explore the impact of alpha-ketoglutarate on the aging process, the impact its decline has on health, and the science behind supplementing with this exciting new longevity tool.
Disclaimer: Always consult your health care professional prior to making changes in your diet or exercise regimen, including whether to use supplements like alpha-ketoglutarate. Pregnant women, women who are nursing, and children especially must always consult a physician prior to taking supplements or medications.
Potential AKG health benefits:
Longevity/Extended Lifespan
Compressed Morbidity (Greater Health Span)
Regulates Energy and Metabolism
Promotes Healthy Glutamine Levels
Detoxifies Body
Promotes Gut Health
Healthy Weight Loss and Management
Promotes Collagen Synthesis
Promotes the Proliferation of Stem Cells
May Prevent Osteoporosis
Potential risks and side effects of AKG:
Alpha-ketoglutarate is generally considered safe for oral consumption. However, more research is needed. Children and women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or nursing should avoid this compound. See Potential Risks and Side Effects of AKG below.
Alpha-ketoglutarate is an alpha-keto acid that plays a significant role in several foundational biological processes. Longevity research on alpha-ketoglutarate is still in its early stages, but it appears to have at least four key mechanisms of action. These include maintaining healthy metabolism, facilitating the transamination of vital amino acids, protecting DNA, and suppressing chronic inflammation.
Maintains healthy metabolism
Alpha-ketoglutarate plays a key role in healthy metabolism. It is produced in response to the ingestion of macronutrients, namely fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Following digestion, food molecules are broken down and eventually reach every cell in the body. This is where the story of AKG begins.
Inside the cell, food metabolism occurs inside tiny organelles called mitochondria. These structures are often referred to as the "power houses" of cells. Inside mitochondria, a process called the Kreb's Cycle (also known as the Citric Acid Cycle) converts food molecules to energy that can be used by the cell, and by extension, the organism.
The Kreb's Cycle also produces byproducts, however. This includes potentially harmful things, like reactive oxygen species, as well as beneficial metabolites, like alpha-ketoglutarate.
Modern longevity research indicates that alpha-ketoglutarate is among the most important byproducts of the Kreb's Cycle. As authors Timothy Rhoads and Rozalyn Anderson note in a 2020 article published in Cell Metabolism, "Given its breadth of influence, AKG might be viewed as a fundamental metabolic intermediate" that ultimately affects many vital cellular processes beyond the walls of the mitochondria. According to the authors, these include things like amino transamination, DNA methylation, and reducing inflammation.
Transamination of amino acids
One of the most important jobs alpha-ketoglutarate performs is acting as a catalyst for amino acid transformation. Called transamination, this process is perhaps best understood by imagining a child playing with a set of Lego building blocks.
In this analogy, alpha-ketoglutarate is like the foundational Lego blocks. These pieces form the base of whatever is being built, like the first floor of a house or the chassis of a car. When dietary protein is digested, it is broken down into its own fundamental compounds called amino acids. These are comparable to the rest of the Lego blocks in the set.
With alpha-ketoglutarate as the foundation and amino acids as additional building blocks, transamination can now occur. The process of transamination begins with a keto acid, like alpha-ketoglutarate, and blends it with additional amino acids to create a unique set of end products. Typically, these end products are things like enzymes or new amino acids—effectively "helper molecules" that trigger important biological activities.
Perhaps the most important example of this process in action is the transamination of alpha-ketoglutarate and aspartate, which results in two new compounds: Glutamate, and oxaloacetate. This reaction is vital because glutamate is needed to form various members of the "glutamine family" of amino acids. Together, this family of chemicals accounts for about 25% of total amino acids used by the human body, and they are necessary building blocks for things like cell growth, detoxification, nervous system function, movement, and learning.
In this way, alpha-ketoglutarate acts as a foundational molecule that sets the stage for amino acid metabolism and optimal cellular function. Without it, cells would not be able to metabolize food molecules for energy, build vital amino acids, conduct protein synthesis, or even create the neurotransmitters needed for everything from brain function to digestion and motor movement.
Protects DNA via methylation
DNA is like a set of blueprints that contains specific information on how an organism develops, functions, grows, and reproduces throughout its life cycle. These instructions set the foundation for genetic expression—that is, the ways in which DNA is converted into the proteins and other chemicals that ultimately build the organism. Everything from height to eye color and cancer are thought to be end products of genetic expression, as encoded by an organism's DNA.
Over the past decade, however, scientists have discovered another piece to this complex and fascinating equation: The epigenome. Though originally discovered in the early 1900s, the profound effect of the epigenome on DNA and longevity has only recently been understood. According to the National Genome Research Institute, the epigenome is a set of chemicals that can modify DNA and therefore change the way it is expressed. Environmental stress and disease are two common examples of external factors that can influence the epigenome, thereby affecting DNA expression.
This creates a dangerous and potentially fatal risk for aging organisms. Over time, environmental stressors may cause epigenetic changes to DNA. Such changes may result in physiological dysfunction and a significant increase in the risk of age-related diseases like cancer.
Fortunately, there is a built-in process that protects DNA from such damage called DNA methylation. And this is where alpha-ketoglutarate comes in.
DNA methylation is a process in which chemicals are attached to specific genes to ensure they remain "on" or "off". This process is effective in young and healthy organisms, but it loses function over time. As DNA methylation loses control of the epigenome, studies indicate the risk of cancer significantly increases.
However, alpha-ketoglutarate appears to promote DNA methylation and maintain healthy DNA expression. As a result, longevity scientists now believe many age-related diseases can be prevented simply by maintaining adequate levels of alpha-ketoglutarate throughout the latter half of life.
Promotes anti-inflammatory cytokines
In addition to promoting healthy metabolism and protecting DNA, alpha-ketoglutarate also appears to confer substantial anti-inflammatory benefits. This is a hallmark sign of a legitimate longevity compound, as chronic inflammation is strongly correlated with aging and the development of age-related disease. Inflammation can also worsen certain illnesses and disease. For example, inflammation is often cited as a "critical driver" of cancer progression.
Fortunately, the human immune system has a built-in mechanism for mediating inflammation. Using special anti-inflammatory proteins called cytokines, the immune system can calm irritation and attenuate the symptoms of inflammation. Alpha-ketoglutarate has been shown to promote these cytokines and reduce inflammation in mice, which will be explored in more detail in the Potential Health Benefits of AKG – Compressed Morbidity section below.
Mammals have another critical defense system that can be leveraged to prevent chronic inflammation and age-related disease: A powerful protein called nuclear-factor-kappa-B, or NF-KB. This protein acts as a transcription factor, meaning it is involved in the process of transcribing DNA into RNA. Specifically, NF-KB activation triggers the creation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. NF-KB inhibition, on the other hand, reduces systemic inflammation and is associated with disease prevention.
In addition to promoting anti-inflammatory cytokines, alpha-ketoglutarate also appears to prevent chronic and systemic inflammation by acting as an NF-KB pathway inhibitor.
There are at least 3 things to consider when researching the potential health benefits of alpha-ketoglutarate. First, research is still in its early stages. Although the compound is generally considered safe for human consumption, more studies are needed to better understand the role it plays in promoting health and longevity.
Second, alpha-ketoglutarate supplements often contain a proprietary blend of AKG with other compounds. Calcium (Ca) and Arginine are among the most popular. As such, specific health benefits may differ depending on the formulation used. These are explored in more detail in the AKG Salts (Formulations), Supplements, and Dosages section below.
Natural alpha-ketoglutarate levels may also differ based on individual genetics, diet, and even fasting. As a result, potential health benefits may vary based on individual differences in diet and lifestyle.
As cited above, it is well documented that AKG levels decrease significantly after age 40. It is therefore unsurprising that preventing AKG decline may provide a wide range of health benefits, given the central role the compound plays in metabolism, cell signaling, and DNA maintenance.
The most well-documented health benefits of AKG are listed below. Potential health benefits of additional formulations—like Ca AKG, Arginine AKG, and others—are listed in the AKG Salts (Formulations), Supplements, and Dosages section that follows.
In some studies, alpha-ketoglutarate has been shown to extend lifespan. That's not surprising, given the central role the compound plays in things like metabolism and amino acid formation.
In a 2019 paper published by the peer reviewed journal Aging, alpha-ketoglutarate was shown to extend the lifespan of nematodes, also known as roundworms. Authors speculate the extended lifespan is a result of the compound's ability to reduce activity along the mTOR pathway.
Modern research indicates that mTOR inhibition is associated with several beneficial effects on health. Specifically, mTOR inhibition seems to promote cellular longevity and reduce the risk of age-related disease by increasing cellular autophagy.
However, these results are limited to nematodes and fruit flies—two relatively simple organisms with which human beings share little genetic common ground. Mice are a much closer proxy to human beings, and in such studies, alpha-ketoglutarate appears to compress morbidity without significantly extending lifespan (see below).
By far, the most promising study on alpha-ketoglutarate was conducted in 2020 and published in the journal Cell Metabolism. Researchers studied the effects of calcium alpha-ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG) on aging mice. The results were shocking. According to the study, calcium alpha-ketoglutarate:
Extended lifespan
Compressed morbidity (significantly delayed the onset of age-related conditions and diseases)
Reduced frailty
Reduced chronic inflammation
Interestingly, researchers observed a difference in outcome based on sex. Observing females, the authors saw a significant decrease in the expression of age-dependent phenotypes like fur color, piloerection (involuntary bristling of hair), poor coat, dermatitis, gait disorder, and kyphosis (excessive curvature of the spine).
Researchers observed slightly different outcomes among males, including decreased expression of "severity of body condition, dermatitis, gait disorder, eye discharge, kyphosis, and tumors".
A few other highlights of this study include:
Results were achieved by giving mice calcium alpha-ketoglutarate at middle age, suggesting that even middle aged or elderly individuals may benefit of supplementing with AKG to combat the diseases and dysfunction associated with its natural decline.
Researchers mapped the levels of 24 known inflammatory cytokines. Ca-AKG treated mice exhibited low levels of these cytokines, while the control group did not. This indicates Ca-AKG may prevent chronic inflammation by down-regulating the cytokines that cause it.
In female mice, researchers also noticed an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. This was not observed in males and may explain the aforementioned discrepancy in age-dependent phenotype expression.
The importance of this study, and the excitement it evoked among longevity scientists, cannot be understated. However, clinical trials are needed to better understand how similar results may or may not be achieved in human subjects.
It is well known that alpha-ketoglutarate plays a key role in regulating and maintaining healthy metabolism. Specifically, the rate at which cells can extract energy from food molecules is determined by the level of alpha-ketoglutarate that is present. As levels of AKG decrease, so too does the cell's ability to produce energy via the Kreb's Cycle. By the same token, healthy levels of AKG may promote normal metabolism and energy levels as humans age.
AKG's role in metabolism and energy production makes it a natural target for sports supplementation. To date, there are dozens of AKG supplements that claim to improve energy, vascularity, and strength. These claims are largely supported by anecdotal evidence only. In laboratory settings, many studies have failed to provide evidence to support this claim.
For example, a landmark study published by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate failed to demonstrate any significant differences in muscular strength or endurance compared to a placebo.
Nevertheless, it is well established that alpha-ketoglutarate helps to regulate one of the human body's most important amino acids: Glutamine.
As described above, adequate levels of alpha-ketoglutarate are needed to form glutamate, which then can be used to form glutamine. Healthy glutamine levels are critical for normal biological function. Things like cellular homeostasis, protein synthesis, fat metabolism, and insulin secretion are all made possible by this all-important amino acid.
There is a lot of talk about "detox" in modern culture. Yoga poses, herbal teas, and infrared light therapy are just a few common examples of practices and products that claim to help the body detoxify itself. Some are backed by more scientific evidence than others. But one thing is certain: Without the alpha-ketoglutarate to glutamine transamination process described above, humans would likely die from the toxic side effects of metabolism.
Take the transamination process as an example. This special kind of amino acid metabolism happens continuously as cells try to keep up with the almost ceaseless demand for new proteins. The process also produces ammonia, however, which is a toxic and potentially fatal byproduct. If left unchecked, the accumulation of excess ammonia may cause irritability, headaches, vomiting, seizures, encephalopathy, and death.
However, the process of converting alpha-ketoglutarate to glutamine actually requires the use of free-floating ammonia. In this way, alpha-ketoglutarate plays a vital role in the detoxification of one of the human body's most prevalent and potentially harmful toxins.
Alpha-ketoglutarate's ability to produce glutamine has far reaching health benefits. In addition to its essential role in cellular homeostasis, protein synthesis, and fat metabolism, glutamine is also required to create and maintain a healthy gut.
Specifically, glutamine helps to balance the microbiome, strengthen the lining of the intestinal wall, and protect against inflammation. Together, these effects ensure the gastrointestinal tract (GI) functions optimally. This sets the stage for healthy aging by improving the absorption and availability of macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and even longevity supplements.
In 2020, an animal study published in the journal Aging Cell showed alpha-ketoglutarate to decrease body weight and improve certain obesity and morbidity factors. Key takeaways include:
Lower fat mass
Improved glucose tolerance
Increased brown adipose tissue (fat)
Interestingly, an increase in brown adipose tissue helps to maintain a low body fat percentage. That's because brown adipose tissue actually burns stored fat from white adipose tissues. In doing so, brown fat creates a net loss in total body fat.
Collagen is sometimes considered a "beauty supplement", but it is actually a critical component of a long and healthy life. In addition to being the most abundant protein in the human body, collagen is also responsible for creating and fortifying essential connective tissues like tendons, ligaments, muscles, and skin. The latter is particularly important, as skin is the first line of defense against radiation, germs, bacteria, viruses, and communicable diseases.
Alpha-ketoglutarate appears to increase collagen production, perhaps in part because of its central role as a metabolic mediator in the Kreb's Cycle. To date, more research is needed to better understand this relationship.
Alpha-ketoglutarate may also promote stem cell proliferation. In a 2014 article published in the journal Nature, authors explain "AKG [alpha-ketoglutarate] levels can contribute to the maintenance of cellular identity and have a mechanistic role in the transcriptional and epigenetic state of stem cells". Authors emphasized, however, the exact processes governing such cell proliferation was "poorly understood".
Two years later, a 2016 article published by Cell Metabolism identified alpha-ketoglutarate's role in early stem cell differentiation as the key mechanism by which it promotes cell proliferation.
Osteoporosis is disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle over time. As the disease progresses, bones may become so compromised that they break easily. According to a meta-analysis published by Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, osteoporosis is a "major public health problem" that, in the case of slips and falls, often leads to increased rates of hospitalization, subsequent fractures, and death in elderly populations.
However, alpha-ketoglutarate may help. As described above, alpha-ketoglutarate is a powerful precursor to the amino acid glutamine. As such, it has been shown to increase protein synthesis and enhance bone tissue formation Although it plays a causal role in bone tissue formation, more research is needed to understand if alpha-ketoglutarate can help to treat or reverse osteoporosis specifically.
Important: Due to limited research, children and women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding should avoid alpha-ketoglutarate and associated supplements.
At the time of this writing, there are no known side effects of alpha-ketoglutarate. It is an endogenous compound, meaning it is naturally produced by the body. Therefore, supplementing with alpha-ketoglutarate should not cause any unwanted side effects.
However, care must be taken if supplementing with a formulation that contains more than just alpha-ketoglutarate. Additional compounds may cause unique side effects and/or interactions. For more information, see AKG Salts (Formulations), Supplements, and Dosage section below.
As an endogenous chemical, alpha-ketoglutarate is not available from food sources. However, studies indicate that diet and lifestyle may influence its production.
A ketogenic diet consists primarily of fats and proteins. Carbohydrates are extremely limited and mostly consumed as fiber. This forces the body to burn fat as its primary fuel source, which creates an abundance of alpha-ketoglutarate in the Kreb's Cycle.
More research is needed to determine the long-term effects of ketogenic diet on alpha-ketoglutarate levels.
Caloric restriction is an eating strategy that significantly limits daily caloric intake without compromising essential vitamin and mineral needs. It is estimated that adults may require anywhere from 1,600 to 3,800 calories every day depending on age, activity level, and body composition goals. According to the National Institute on Aging, caloric restriction in animal studies typically involves reducing daily calories by 10-40%.
In one animal study, caloric restriction appeared to preserve alpha-ketoglutarate levels in aging mice. However, more studies are needed to determine if similar results can be achieved in humans.
AKG Salts (Formulations), Supplements, and Dosage
Disclaimer: Always consult your health care professional prior to making changes in your diet or exercise regimen, including whether to use supplements containing alpha-ketoglutarate.
Calcium Alpha-ketoglutarate (Ca-AKG) is a calcium salt. Most notably, this is the form of alpha-ketoglutarate used in the landmark mouse study detailed in the Potential Health Benefits – Compressed Morbidity section above. It is reported to have a wide range of health benefits, including:
Delayed onset of age-related disease
Compressed morbidity
Potential side effects may include:
Ca-AKG is potentially safe when taken orally for up to 3 years. More research is needed.
Arginine Alpha-ketoglutarate (A-AKG)
Arginine Alpha-ketoglutarate (A-AKG) is a sports performance supplement designed to promote strength and cardiovascular endurance. Reported benefits include:
Limited research shows improvements in strength and power
Arginine-AKG is potentially safe when taken orally. More research is needed.
Important note: Claims that A-AKG boosts nitric oxide levels and oxygen delivery to muscle tissue are largely unproven in clinical trials.
Magnesium Alpha-ketoglutarate
Magnesium Alpha-ketoglutarate is a wellness and longevity supplement that aims to promote metabolism by combining these two compounds, both of which are essential in the Kreb's Cycle. Although magnesium and alpha-ketoglutarate are generally regarded as safe, more research is needed to determine potential health benefits.
Magnesium alpha-ketoglutarate is potentially safe when taken orally. More research is needed.
Glutamine Alpha-ketoglutarate
Glutamine Alpha-ketoglutarate is a sports supplement designed to improve strength, cardiovascular endurance, and muscle recovery. Although glutamine and alpha-ketoglutarate are both generally regarded as safe, more research is needed to determine potential health benefits.
Glutamine alpha-ketoglutarate is potentially safe when taken orally. More research is needed.
Ornithine Alpha-ketoglutarate
Ornithine Alpha-ketoglutarate is an amino acid salt. Most commonly, this supplement is used as a medical intervention for healing wounds, ulcers, burns, and treating individuals with HIV/AIDS. Potential health benefits include:
Improved cardiovascular performance
Improved muscle recovery
Reduced cortisol levels and improved sleep
Accelerated wound healing
Reduced feelings of body ache and fatigue following alcohol consumption
For patients with liver disease, ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate may worse mental function
It is easy to see why longevity experts and consumers are so excited about alpha-ketoglutarate research and supplements. The compound is vital for so many fundamental biological processes, yet it decreases at an astonishing rate beginning at age 40. Moreover, a clear correlation exists between alpha-ketoglutarate decline and the onset of various age-related conditions and diseases.
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The discovery of DNA as the blueprint of life in the 1950s was the starting block of a race to understand the molecular basis of life. One of the more intriguing findings to follow was that specific pieces of DNA can be used to study human history. Genetic anthropologists are now busy decoding that history, written in the molecules of life since the beginning of time. It is a record being deciphered only in our generation, and one which confirms the history of man recorded in Scripture in amazing detail.
Genetic anthropology is conducted using the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA, two segments that have unique properties that facilitate studies of multigenerational inheritance. Y-chromosome DNA is passed only from father to son; similarly, mitochondrial DNA is passed only from the mother to her offspring. In addition, both accumulate changes at a predictable rate, producing genetic "bread crumbs" that make it possible to follow these bread crumbs (markers) as a population moved around the globe.
Intriguingly, in light of current scientific knowledge, the Bible seems to mention DNA itself: "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them" (Psalm 139:16), as well as its recent potential to record both the time and the places where people lived: God "has made of one blood every nation of men to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, having determined ordained times and the boundaries of their dwelling" (Acts 17:26).
Current understanding of genetic processes confirm Biblical accounts throughout Genesis 6:3. Post-flood reduction in life spans match those predicted by a mathematic model, bringing current human life spans (under ideal conditions) to precisely the limit predicted by God in Genesis, as well as the exact average specified in Psalm 90:9-10. In addition, Job's assertion that "man's days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed" (Job 14:5 ) has also been recently confirmed. Human life spans have been demonstrated to be both pre-determined and programmed into the DNA itself, through a mechanism involving a repetitive DNA sequence at the end of each chromosome called a telomere. Part of the telomere is shaved off with every cell division; its complete removal initiates cell suicide.
The scientists may need to review their Sunday School lessons. What "mitochondrial Eve" and "Y-chromosome Adam" really represent are really statistical entities called the Most Recent Common Ancestor, or MRCA, meaning the last shared relative. As such, they exquisitely confirm the Biblical account. Since the males on the ark were Noah and his sons, all should have had identical Y-chromosomes. The four women, however (Mrs. Noah, Ham, Shem, and Japheth), ostensibly not related, would therefore trace their maternal lineages back to the Biblical Eve. The MRCA of the men, then, was Noah, but the MRCA of the maternal lineage was NOT Mrs. Noah, but Eve—who did (according to both science and the Bible) live considerably before her statistical counterpart, Noah.
Genetics has confirmed the Bible's (long discredited) claim that Noah's family populated the entire world, putting to rest the widespread theory that humans evolved simultaneously in several places. Analysis of Y- and mitochondrial chromosomes also confirm after Noah, the population grew, dispersed into northeast Africa and the Levant, and gathered in the Middle East shortly before dispersing into the rest of the world, also matching the Biblical account of events between the times when eight people exited an ark and when the entire human population, 70 families strong, gathered at a plain in Shinar to build a tower.
We all know what happened next. God destroyed the tower and scattered the peoples. Numerous global cultures remember this event in legend, and, again, DNA analysis confirms it. Genetic and archaeological evidence demonstrate that, shortly after Noah, humans—in a sudden and rapid exodus—filled the globe. Scientists speculate endlessly as to what led these ancient humans to migrate en masse in this "Great Leap Forward"; the Bible provides the answer. DNA evidence can now detail the movements of these early fathers with some precision.
Interestingly, both genetic and linguistic data reflect a trifold division of humanity about the time that Ham, Shem, and Japheth would have existed, with one group (Ham and his descendants) going west into Africa and east along the coasts into the south Pacific, one group (Japheth) colonizing Europe as well as central and northeast Asia, North America and South America, and the last (Shem) remaining largely in the Middle East.
Archaeological, genetic, and linguistic evidence puts small, ancient original settlements in the Basque area of France, the Australian archipelago, and the Kalahari Desert area of Africa, almost assuredly comprised of the families of the sons and grandsons of Noah. This fact, and evidence of small bands of cousins left along the way, both confirms and provides a mechanism for another Biblical assertion: "These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the earth" (Genesis 9:19). Reproductive isolation of a small population is the defined method, in genetics, of producing a diversity of physical traits leading to the development of defined races (seen clearly in dog breeding and in the prevalence of rare diseases in inbreeding populations like the Amish.) Noah's descendants, as 70 families spread out across the whole world, would have (influenced by environmental conditions as well as random genetic factors), over time, exhibited a wide spectrum of distinguishing physical traits.
Y-chromosome analysis has also demonstrated a particular set of markers, called the Cohen Modal Haplotype (CHM), which is distinctly associated with Jewish men who claim genetic descent from Aaron and therefore believed to be that possessed by Aaron himself. Analysis of the genetic data estimates that the original possessor of the CHM lived about 3300 years ago, placing him squarely in the appropriate time period.
Further Y-chromosome studies show that the Jewish peoples were, in fact, globally dispersed, yet retained genetic and national identity to a remarkable degree. Jews from Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa shared almost identical genetic profiles, with only slight differences which nonetheless allow the Diaspora to be traced, showing clear westward movement in both Europe and Northern Africa after 70 A.D. One of the more intriguing applications of Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA testing is its ongoing revelation of the depths of the dispersal, confirming long-held traditions of Jewish origin among certain isolated tribes. The South African Lemba's claims to Judaic heritage, for example, were largely ignored until genetic profiling finally demonstrated a high prevalence of the CHM among their male members. Numerous similar populations, spread across the globe, have been genetically identified as descendants of Israel as well.
God's promise to keep His people throughout their exile (and to gather them to Himself before the end times) is also being documented. Genetic analysis has shown that hidden Jews fled the Spanish Edict of Expulsion in 1492 in the crews of Spanish ships bound for the New World and spread their descendants therein, confirmed genetically most recently in long-term Hispanic residents of New Mexico and in the Melungeons, a mystery population in Tennessee who appear to be descendants of the earliest Spanish landings along the east coast, including the vanished colony at Roanoke in the early 1500s. As Jews around the world reclaim their history, genetic confirmation of their heritage is being employed to both confirm their heritage and support their repatriation, creating the ingathering of Jewish exiles predicted by the Bible. We are seeing prophecy fulfilled before our eyes!
As fascinating as the detailed parallel of DNA analysis with the history of the world written in Scripture is, the most significant application of the technology may be yet to come, fulfilling prophetic aspects of the future. Scheduled for June 2007 is what is being billed as "the biggest family reunion of all time, 3000 years in the making!" Organizers aim to gather every male descendant of the Davidic line in Jerusalem for a celebration of all things Mashiach—including mass genetic testing, with the objective of identifying genetic markers specific to the Messianic line. As exciting as providing a genetic way to verify the credentials of the Messiah may be, the possibility looms that the technology could be misapplied. Will a world leader emerge whose (only recently possible) genetic profile can confirm a valid claim to the Davidic throne? Only time will tell. But DNA, the molecule of life, will continue to write the story.
Wendy Wippel is a former molecular biologist at the CDC, now a medical and science writer and founder (in her dreams) of the new scientific discipline, molecular theology. She resides in Hernando, Mississippi with her husband and two daughters.
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Bluecoat, Liverpool's centre for the contemporary arts, is to make two new appointments after being awarded £47,346 by the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop a project charting its 300-year history.
The posts – a full-time project manager and a part-time engagement co-ordinator – have been created to aid My Bluecoat, an initiative documenting the fascinating background of Liverpool city centre's oldest building as it prepares to celebrate its tercentenary in 2017.
My Bluecoat will bring together the official history of the Bluecoat for the first time, digitising archive material held by the Blue Coat School, which was previously housed there, and Liverpool Record Office, as well as that of the current arts centre.
It will also capture and bring to life stories from the many people who have been affected by their engagement with the building.
The project manager will oversee the development and delivery of this ambitious programme, while the engagement co-ordinator will work with local schools and communities to make sure people of all ages and walks of life are involved in Bluecoat's celebrations.
Artistic Director Bryan Biggs said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this funding for what will be an interesting, engaging and important project.
Bluecoat is Liverpool city centre's oldest building, Grade One Listed and located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Built in the Queen Anne-style, Bluecoat has been in almost continuous use since 1717. As a charity school for nearly 200 years, then a centre for the arts for over 100 years, the building has a long, symbiotic relationship to Liverpool and its people. It is an active symbol of the city's cultural heritage, its presence a reminder of the port's origins and mercantile, maritime growth.
Bryan said: "Themes that span the centuries will undoubtedly emerge during the development phase as material comes together. One that has already emerged is how the building has helped develop young talent, almost continuously from 1717 to 2017, through the commitment of its different occupiers to provide aspirational opportunities for young people.
Since it was founded in 1994, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded £6.8billion to over 39,000 projects. HLF was set up to distribute money raised by the National Lottery to projects that make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities. A further £182,600 has been earmarked by HLF for the My Bluecoat project, to be awarded at a later date and subject to a second round application.


text:
Merremia macrocalyx, conhecido popularmente como jitirana, é uma trepadeira da família das convolvuláceas. Possui flores brancas ou vermelhas, afuniladas. O fruto é capsular.

Etimologia
"Jitirana" procede do tupi yetirana, "falsa batata".

Convolvulaceae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Is Smoking Cigarettes Illegal, Even if It's Allowed? What About E-Cigs?
My ex is behind on child support – can I withhold visitation?
How is Alimony Determined in Utah?
What are Utah's Texting and Driving Laws?


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North East landmarks to be illuminated with the French tricolour in solidarity of the Nice Attacks
Written by Alisha Jackson on 15th July 2016
SUNDERLAND'S Penshaw Monument and Gateshead's Millenium Bridge will once again be lit tonight (Friday 15 July) in red, white and blue as a mark of solidarity following last night's attack in Nice.
Eighty-four people were killed in Nice, France last night (July 14) when an act of terrorism was carried out. A truck ploughed into crowds of people who celebrated France's national Bastille Day. Two hundred and two people were injured with 52 remaining in a critical condition and 25 on life support machines.
The iconic monuments will be lit in the colours of the French flag from dusk this evening and for the next week.
At Sunderland Civic Centre, the flag is flying at half-mast.
Councillor Paul Watson, the Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "This was a sickening attack on innocent people enjoying a family day out on their country's national day.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this tragedy and with the people who worked so tirelessly to rescue them.
"As part of the International community it is important that Sunderland shows its sympathy and support to all those who have been affected.
"We hope that lighting up one of Sunderland's most famous landmarks – Penshaw Monument – helps symbolise support and is a focal point for tributes to those in Nice."
Since the council updated the lights at Penshaw last year, it has also been lit to show solidarity with the people of France and Belgium and Florida following terror attacks.
Alisha Jackson

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Civic Ventures
If Overtime Isn't Good for Your Corporate Culture, Maybe You Should Change the Culture
June 1, 2016 10:56 am Paul ConstantPaul Constant
New York Times journalist Noam Scheiber wrote a piece over the weekend about the increasing overtime threshold. Did he profile one of the many fast food managers who will make more money when the new overtime threshold takes hold? Did he chat with a low-wage worker from New Hampshire who suddenly won't have to work 13 additional hours a week for absolutely no extra money?
Well, no. Instead, he talked with "bosses at publishing houses, glossy magazines, consulting firms, advocacy groups, movie production companies and talent agencies." For example:
"You want to bump into the boss at 8 o'clock at night," said Dan Reynolds, chief executive of Workman Publishing, the publisher of "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and many of Sandra Boynton's children's books.
"I'm interested in how this will affect that," Mr. Reynolds said. "It's more of a cultural thing than anything else."
Uh huh. Okay. And what does this "cultural thing" entail, exactly?
Workman's general manager, Jill Salayi, suggested that because the company could not afford to pay overtime to all newly eligible staff members or raise their salaries over the new threshold, it would have to cut back their hours in many cases.
"Less will be asked of them," she argued, "which means they will not receive sufficient career development or see timely advancement and/or promotions."
I don't know about you, but I've heard these same kind of arguments from terrible bosses at terrible jobs when they explained why they couldn't pay any more even though they were asking me to do more work. They told me that without hard work—by which they meant unpaid work, above and beyond the 40-hours-per-week in the job description—I would never get ahead. This is a classic example of the kind of intimidation tactic that people in power use to keep the masses in line.
By calling it a "cultural thing," they're trying to render these long hours without compensation as something outside a transactional basis. Long hours are a value, a moral right that the truly worthy workers have supposedly exerted for years in order to get ahead. Which, you know, might be true to some extent—it's possible that Salayi and Reynolds worked long hours to get where they are. But if that's true, it's also likely true that dozens—maybe hundreds—of other employees have worked long hours without the compensation they were due or the "career development" that Salayi suggests they'll receive. "We've always done it this way" is one of the worst arguments a person can make; that argument has been used, traditionally, by opponents of women's suffrage, child labor laws, and many more of America's greatest shames.
And further, the overtime threshold doesn't come with any restrictions on "career development"—it's still perfectly legal to offer promotions to employees who prove themselves to be capable. It just won't be legal to ask those employees to work long hours without compensation anymore; employers will have to find a newer, less terrible way to test employee loyalty.
And let's take a look at the people who Scheiber chose to interview for this piece: one of the largest publishers in the United States; "executive director of the Writers Guild of America, East;" high-profile literary agents; "the team that produced ads for both of Barack Obama's presidential campaigns;" and a television producer. These employers all argue that working their employees to the bone is part of the culture, yet every one of these organizations operates in fields that can afford to pay entry-level employees enough to pass the overtime threshold. Worse, they're arguing for paying their employees below the overtime threshold in New York City, one of the most expensive cities in the world, where the Economic Policy Institute's budget calculator determined that in order to live comfortably the annual income of a household of four would have to fall just shy of $170,000.
Look: I'm not saying that these organizations will not have to make some changes. They almost certainly will. They might have to consolidate two low-paying assistant jobs into one well-compensated assistant title that pays higher than the current threshold. Or if they're not willing to change their culture, management might not be able to rely on staff working with them until 8 pm every night, which means they might have to get their own coffee or print their own documents when they're working late. The culture, I guess, will have to change.
One of the more surprising aspects of the article is how flagrantly the employers talk about ignoring the new law.
Andrew Wylie, who runs the [Wylie literary] agency, said he would consider paying time and a half if he asked junior staff members to work overtime, but not if they worked long hours of their own volition. "What am I supposed to do, sit at the door with a stopwatch?" he said. "I'm not going to do that."
Well, uh, it's your responsibility as an employer to keep track of how many hours your employees work for you. If you don't do that, you could be setting yourself up for a nasty lawsuit later on, which would almost certainly be more expensive than just doing the right thing and paying your employees what they're worth.
The weirdest thing about all this is that many of these employees likely should have been receiving overtime compensation already. The current threshold—$23,660—is just one of the rules by which it's decided whether employees earn overtime or not. If employees are not managerial—if their jobs don't fall along the lines of "executive," "professional," or "administrative"—they're likely eligible for overtime already. (Call your lawyers, administrative assistants of the world!) If anything, the new threshold makes classifying which employees are eligible for overtime even easier and more streamlined, so confusion like this won't happen in the future.
Motivations are important. Of course these employers are arguing against paying their staff less; people in power always want to pay less. But if any Americans can afford to pay their employees what they're deserved, it's the employers profiled in Schieber's piece. That they're using the "culture" defense to justify paying their employees less than what they're owed is one of the clearest signs that America's overtime rules are in serious need of an overhaul. Good thing a change to this culture is finally on the way.
If You Think the New Overtime Rule Is "Entirely Trivial," You Really Should Get Out More
Americans Overwhelmingly Favor Increasing the Overtime Threshold
Paul Constant
Paul Constant has written about politics, books, and film for Newsweek, The Progressive, the Utne Reader, and alternative weeklies around the country.
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When It Comes to Economics, Incoming Labor Secretary Andrew Puzder Is a Raging Elitist
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contact: engage@civic-ventures.com


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FREE Breakfast for All Students!
School resumes at regular time.
Varsity Girls and Boys basketball game in Baraga. Girls-4:30/Boys-6:00pm. Bus leaves at 2:45pm.
Tutoring in the library from 3:15-5:00pm.
Varsity Boys and Girls basketball game here with L'Anse. Boys-4:30/Girls-6:00pm.
Progress report grades due in computer by 3:00pm.
Robotics Kick-Off in Houghton
Varsity Girls and Boys basketball game in Dollar Bay will be rescheduled.
Distance Learning, 1/11 through 1/17
Distance Learning, 1/12
Varsity Girls and Boys basketball game here with Baraga will be rescheduled.
School Board Meeting in the library at 5:00pm.
Udpated COVID Policy
Staff curriculum meeting from 3:00-4:00pm.
Varsity Boys basketball game in Three Lakes at 7:15pm. Bus leaves at 4:45pm.
End of the 1st Semester
Varsity Girls basketball game in Chassell at 6:00pm. Bus leaves at 3:00pm.
Varsity Boys and Girls basketball games at home vs. Lake Linden. Boys-4:30pm / Girls 6:00pm
Due to COVID concerns in staff and students, we will be distance learning, Tue. Jan 11 through Mon. Jan 17. Return in-person on Tue. Jan 18. There will be no practices or games during this time.
Calzone Salad Fruit
Varsity Girls basketball game in Chassell at 6:00pm. Bus leaves at 3:00pm. >>more


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Antique revolver, sawn-off shotguns and £25k in cash seized as police raid Cov home
Three people have been arrested
Rachel Stretton
Updated 16:03, 24 APR 2020
An antique revolver, sawn-off shotguns and cash were seized by police when they raided a Coventry property
Subscribe today to get the latest crime headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates
Three people have been arrested after a morning raid at a Coventry property.
Two sawn-off shotguns, a viable antique revolver, around £25,000 in cash and what police described as a "significant quantity of what's believed to be Class A drugs" were seized in the raid in Swan Lane.
The weapons have been sent for ballistics analysis.
An antique revolver found when West Midlands Police raided a property in Swan Lane, Coventry
Three men were arrested on Wednesday (April 22). One, aged 40, has been charged with possessing banned firearms. And two men aged 20 and 31 were bailed pending further enquiries.
The raid came as West Midlands Police launch a new offensive on drugs gangs across the region.
Man charged with weapons offences in Coventry appears in court
Crackdown on drugs gangs
Officers from a number of departments are joining forces to support a campaign targeting drug supply chains, including roads policing, operations, CID and neighbourhood police task forces.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said the offensive came in response to a drop in the number of non-coronavirus related calls coming in due to the lockdown, and a significant reduction in crimes such as robbery, burglary and violence.
The raid in Coventry followed another raid in the early hours of Saturday morning at a builder's merchants in Birmingham.
A 50-year-old man was arrested from an adjacent flat and a search of the premises uncovered several kilos of cannabis.
A simultaneous warrant was executed at a residential address in Dudley where a 44-year-old man was detained and more cannabis seized.
Both were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply and have been released under investigation to allow detectives more time to gather evidence.
Detectives plea for help after 'nasty' Nuneaton stabbing
Arrest after reports of man wearing clown mask while brandishing knife
"These raids are just the start"
Chief Superintendent Mark Payne promised his officers would keep up the pressure on any ringleaders of crime in the region.
He added: "The restrictions imposed on the public to control Covid-19 has made it more difficult for people running networks to move drugs or to recruit street-level dealers to do the dirty work on their behalf.
"Criminals who might ordinarily rely on others to commit crime on their behalf are now having to do it themselves…and this presents us with opportunities.
A sawn off shotgun found when police raided a property in Swan Lane, Coventry
"We're bringing in resources from a variety of teams across West Midlands Police to support our efforts to target people who are causing real harm in our communities.
"Saturday's raids were just the start…I expect us to make significant progress over the next few weeks."
West Midlands Police says that information from the public is crucial in their fight against drug dealing and associated crime.
Anyone who has suspicions about drug dealing is urged to contact them via the Live Chat function on their website or anonymously by calling independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


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Category Archives: Fun stuff
Swimming for Sport Relief
March 22, 2016 Fun stuff, Life stuffCharity, Sport Relief, swim, swimathon, swimmingCharlotte Reid
A couple of days after the event I'm still aching yet I'm incredibly proud of swimming 5k for Sport Relief. It was a challenge but it all took place in a friendly atmosphere and was actually a fun swim. All 200 lengths!
I wasn't sure what to expect on Sunday. I'd panicked myself that on the day everyone else would be a professional swimmer and I'd be the equivalent of a man in a rhino costume at a marathon. But it was all so relaxed and casual. All of us that were swimming would chat to one another and the staff had plenty of encouraging words. My family also sat and watched me for well over two hours which was the best bit of support.
In my session most people did shorter distances so at points I had the pool to myself, which was so much fun. I went at my own pace and got to enjoy being the only one in a massive pool.
When I first came up with the idea I thought I'd swim most weeks in preparation and have a strict regime, gradually improving until the big day. In reality I commute most days and work shift patterns which gym opening hours don't tend to take into account. Also sometimes I wanted to sit on the sofa and watch TV rather than head to the pool.
So to be honest I didn't do a full 5k in the month up to my swim. Thankfully after doing the first 40 out of 200 lengths I knew I was going to do it. It's strange to explain but it felt quite calming rather than daunting.
There's a few standout moments (apart from finishing – of course) which include getting to 100 lengths I went back to counting from one to try and pretend I'd just started swimming. Also there was music playing at the pool and I very noticeably sped up when David Bowie's Heroes came on.
I'm very pleased that my friends and family supported me in all sorts of ways. Between us we've raised around £300 for charity. I mean I'm no Eddie Izzard with his 27 marathons in 27 days but I'm quite proud of myself.
My charity swimathon
November 25, 2015 Fun stuffCharity, Ponds Forge, swimathon, swimmingCharlotte Reid
Well… I've decided to try doing something a bit different. One Sunday in March next year I'm going to swim 5k (in one go) for charity.
Ponds Forge Photo: Jason Parrish
I've never been that sporty but since living near Ponds Forge in Sheffield I've had less excuses. So about two years ago I started lane swimming, something I hadn't done for about ten years. After a few sessions and realising that I was actually doing doggy paddle rather than a stroke I started to get better.
I'm still nowhere near professional, but now when we go on holiday we tend to go somewhere with a pool. On this year's break I started doing about 3k every day and getting into a nice rhythm. So I looked up swimming challenges and signed myself up for one, knowing that I wouldn't have to make the final decision until the end of the year.
Earlier this week I finally got the email about registering. After being enticed by half price entry for early sign up and a few encouraging words from friends I decided to go for it.
It's a long distance, I'll be doing 200 lengths in the pool on the day. I guess the next step is figuring out some sort of training regime, I might even come up with a target time.
As I've mentioned it's for charity – this particular event is a Swimathon event held at Ponds Forge all in aid of Sport Relief. If you're interested here's a link to my sponsorship page.
Currently I'm a bit shocked, and distractedly thinking it's still about four months away. I'm also aware that it'll no doubt come up really quickly.
Photos: Poznan
June 2, 2015 Fun stuff, PhotographyPhotos, Poland, PoznanCharlotte Reid
In May I went to Poland for the first time ever. We travelled to a place called Poznan for a friend's wedding.
I wasn't sure what to expect from Poland at all but it was very pretty and also thankfully pretty much everyone spoke English. I also haven't been abroad that much before so was surprised to discover KFC, Pizza Hut and H&M as just some of the new and different shops we could visit.
Here's a few snaps of Poznan city centre where I was very excited to discover an elaborate water feature, a cafe in a tram and the square.
Photos: Sheffield skyline
April 6, 2015 Fun stuff, PhotographyAmphitheatre, Cholera monument, Photography, Photos, Sheffield, Skyline, WalkCharlotte Reid
An afternoon walk is not a usual Easter tradition for me, but this year in between chocolate and a roast we wandered to a new bit of Sheffield for us.
I knew the story behind the city's amphitheatre and the Park Hill flats but I'd never walked up there before. I see them on an almost daily basis with my walk to the station so we finally went to go and find out more.
I learnt that it's very quiet up there and is also a good example of Sheffield's green credentials. You also get some fantastic views of the city. It was the wrong time of day to take good photos, the sun was right in my eyes, so these photos are actually heavily processed. Again it's just photos on my phone and the tweaking was all done by Google's automatic features.
Mini creme egg mini cupcakes
April 3, 2015 Fun stuffCake recipes, Cream, Creme egg, Creme egg cupcakes, Custard, Easter, Easter eggs, Easter recipesCharlotte Reid
It's that time of year when I start to bake with creme eggs. Over the last couple of years I've made cupcakes, brownies and shortbread so I wasn't too sure what to do this time.
I experimented making creme egg doughnuts, using custard and cream to make the white and the yellow of the egg. Not having the right equipment to make fried doughnuts meant I couldn't make it work well enough — I'll get a recipe sorted next time though.
I did like the idea of using custard and cream though, it has the right egg colours but it's a slightly different take on egg whites and yolk. I then used them in the safe territory of a cupcake and made mini creme egg cupcakes.
You will need a mini muffin tray, but if not then you can just double the mixture and make normal sized cupcakes.
For the cake
110g of butter
150g of sugar
250g of self raising flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
30g of cocoa powder
For the custard
Half a pint of milk
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
And 250ml of whipping cream and a packet of mini creme eggs.
Begin by making the custard as this will then have time to cool and set while the cakes are baking. Start by pouring the milk into a saucepan and put on a gentle heat. In a bowl beat together the egg yolks (keep the separated egg white for something else such as meringues) with the sugar, vanilla extract and cornstarch.
When the milk is warm pour it slowly into the egg yolk and sugar mix, stirring gently. Then when they are mixed together pour it all back into the saucepan and put back on the heat. Then stir the custard until it thickens. It should take about 10 to 15 minutes. The test is to see if the custard sticks on the back of a wooden spoon. If it runs straight off it needs a bit more time.
Then pour into a clean bowl and cover with cling film. Actually push the cling film onto the top of the custard, this prevents a film from developing on the custard as it cools. Pop it in the fridge to cool and set.
Next, make the cake. Beat the sugar and butter together. When it's creamy add the egg to the mix. Then the flour, baking powder and milk. Finish with the flavourings, the vanilla extract and the cocoa powder. They are only little cakes but I think it works to have them very chocolatey tasting in the spirit of Easter.
Spoon the mix into mini cupcake cases, you don't need much before it spills over the tiny cases when cooking. Then put in the oven at 180 degrees celsius for about fifteen minutes. Keep an eye on them because they're small. When they've finished baking take them out the oven and allow them to cool.
Now whip the cream, it needs to be stiff enough to hold it's shape when piped on the top of the cakes.
Make a hole in the middle of your cool cupcakes and fill it with your cold custard. A couple of teaspoons should be enough and noticeable. Then put the whipped cream in a piping bag and squidge it on top of your cake, covering the hole and custard. Do this on all of your cakes.
To finish unwrap your mini creme eggs and put on top of your miniature cakes.
The cakes are just an assembly job really, the custard is a bit complicated but actually quite fun to make once you're used to it.
If you fancy trying out one of my other creme egg recipes you can find them here. Here's brownies, millionaire's shortbread and whole creme egg cupcakes.
July Book Club
August 3, 2014 Fun stuffBook club, Books, Caitlin Moran, Confronting the Classics, Great Britain's Great War, How to be a Woman, How to Build a Girl, Jeremy Paxman, July, Mary Beard, Michael Palin, Monty Python, ReadingCharlotte Reid
At the beginning of the month Caitlin Moran released her first novel called How to Build a Girl. I felt a bit strange reading it because even if I wanted to change who I was as a teenager it's a bit too late now, but there was enough to enjoy regardless. I will also admit that I can't write a better review of the book than John Crace's digested read in the Guardian which gets to the crux of the problems with the book.
The main character Johanna Morrigan lives with her large family in Wolverhampton doing the usual teenage things, but after winning a poetry competition and embarrassing herself on local TV with an impression of Scooby Doo she decides to reinvent herself. She gets interested in music, goth culture and changes her name. She's also really interested in boys but there's no boys willing to help her find out more about sex so Johanna spends a lot of romantic time with herself. A lot of time.
Photo: Published by Ebury Press
She moves on from writing poems to writing music reviews for a national magazine. This career feat gives her the opportunity to become a lady sex adventurer. This is Moran's rebuttal to the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomena, but I think it works best as a chance to explain to young people what sex is actually about, the precautions needed to make it fun (there's a chapter about coping with cystitis where every word made me wince) and how it isn't always romantic.
Eventually Johanna realises she needs to allow herself to actually be a teenager, but by this point I think the rest of her family are more interesting. They all seem to struggle so that Johanna can have what she wants, this includes having their benefits reduced as she's earning now but continue to lovingly support her.
The strangest thing is Caitlin Moran says the book is not autobiographical, there's even an opening page to explain that, but there's a lot of similarities to her career and moments in her life that she's spoken about in How to be a Woman. All of her stories tend to involve a huge family in Wolverhampton with the main female character doing something different, if that was the case then Caitlin Moran wouldn't be so different to everyone else. I really enjoyed reading it but it didn't have the impact I was expecting. This could be that I'm too old for the book, or I grew up agreeing with a lot of these values. Mostly I think it didn't hit the same stride as How to be a Woman, whether that was because it was fiction or something else, but I would recommend How to be a Woman over this book.
Last month Monty Python performed on stage for the last time at the O2, so as well as watching old shows, documentaries about the group I decided to read Michael Palin's diaries of The Python Years. This first volume covers 1969 to 1979 which goes from Python getting established to the controversy surrounding the release of the Life of Brian.
It was interesting to see how the team worked together, and there would usually be squabbles and at several points it seems Monty Python was on the verge of splitting up. Then they get together to write something, have a pleasant chat and everything seems happy again. He also writes very honestly about his family, and makes no apologies that his diary entries sometimes miss a momentous piece of Python news for sharing a day out with his family instead.
Personally the best bit in the diaries was when Palin met Brian Winston, who is an instantly recognisable name for anyone who's been to the Lincoln School of Journalism.
Jeremy Paxman's Great Britain's Great War was a fascinating read, after studying history I knew a lot of the main events of the first World War but Paxman has lots of anecdotes from the time. He wanted to challenge the perception that the generals just sat back and got a lot of things wrong which meant a lot of young men died, and show that the approach to war and fighting was changing. However, I think the best parts of the book was dealing with the emotional side effects of war. The chapter detailing how families dealt with missing men after the war was particularly touching, especially how the public reacted to the tomb for the unknown soldier.
While Paxman's book is a good for those wanting to start finding out more about the war, Mary Beard's Confronting the Classics is a little bit more advanced than I was anticipating. It deals with the way Ancient Greek and Roman history has been collected, from the sounds of it mostly by people with little understanding of the Greek language or a bit too keen to make places into tourist destinations. For my A levels I studied Classical Civilisation and thought that would help with the book, but I largely studied Ancient Greece, buildings and the prose whereas Mary Beard's book is mostly about the Romans. This just means it's more of a challenging read and I hope it gets me reading more about the subject.
August's reads
After reading about the war, feminism and classical civilisations I fancy some easier reads this month. I'm tempted to read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy because it's fantastic and I haven't read any of the books since I was a teenager. My brother is also very good at finding cheap yet good books for the Kindle and found me Where do comedians go when they die? A journey of stand up by Milton Jones for 99p. Maybe a light-hearted classic as well, we'll see what I fancy on some of the long train journeys I have this month.
Book club: June
July 1, 2014 Fun stuffAnthony Burgess, Book reviews, Books, Dexter's Final Cut, Jeff Lindsay, John Wyndham, July, June, One Hand Clapping, Reviews, The Midwich CuckoosCharlotte Reid
June has been an odd month, I've started stockpiling books again and I'm not actually reading them. This is not what my year-long book club is about. I realised in January that I was collecting books and not reading them, the downside of owning a Kindle. I just need to remember that as tempting as new books are, reading them is even better.
One of my favourite books is A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, so I thought I'd try another one of his novels. I wasn't sure what to expect as A Clockwork Orange is a very violent read filled with a made up language. One Hand Clapping is very gentle in comparison. It follows Janet and Howard who are just a normal working class couple, who enjoy watching television in the evening. They watch a boy win £1000 on a quiz show and Howard decides he will use his photographic memory to win big on the quiz show. Once he has the £1000 it's not enough and he uses it to win roughly £80,000 by betting on horses. Now with more money than they can imagine Howard and Janet set about having an expensive lifestyle.
Burgess wrote this novel to vent about the slide in Western culture and education, and despite the book being over 50 years old it did feel current. The best bit is the twist ending though when you realise that Janet isn't as meek as she's made herself sound.
Dexter's Final Cut published by Orion Books Limited.
If you thought the Dexter TV series, about a police forensic specialist whose hobby is killing people, could be a bit grim at points, then try the books by Jeff Lindsay. The storylines are different but most of the 'baddies' are similar, and it's much worse reading the chopping and slicing yourself. Having said this I've always enjoyed the Dexter books in some way. Dexter's Final Cut is different, not just because the title isn't alliterative, as the killer is caught half way through the book by Dexter and not in his police capacity. But the murders continue happening.
I thought the end was a bit predictable and perhaps went a bit too far, not particularly gruesome just a bit too personal. However, it was a really enjoyable read and the ending makes me want to read the next book.
The Midwich Cuckoos is a fantastic read, I read the whole book during one long train journey. Wyndham sci-fi novels are stereotypically British. The village of Midwich experiences a strange 'Dayout' event, there's no consequences until all the women of childbearing age realise they're pregnant. Nine months later 61 children are born and the village has to deal with raising these extraordinary children and keeping it a secret. Then the villagers realise that the Children are pitting the villagers against one another and something needs to be done.
It was fascinating to follow the children and the impact that it had on the village and the women. The book was written mostly as a factual report with not many mentions of the emotional impact. There were hints to one woman who had moved to Midwich just for work and ended up pregnant as a result of being there on the Dayout and abandoned her baby because she just saw it the same as if she had contracted an illness. That story was just a sentence but I would be interested in finding out more of what the women thought about the invasion. It's also a very sweet idea from the 1950s that a whole village of women giving birth wouldn't get in the papers. Nowadays someone would be live tweeting something like that.
July's reads
When it comes to the summer months people often look for beach reads, romantic novels which can be devoured in a week and left behind in a hotel room for the next person. Instead I've picked a few non-fiction books to read. I was enticed by Mary Beard's Confronting the Classics because I studied Classical Civilisation at A Level so I like to revisit the subject now and again.
Continuing the non-fiction theme I've missed Jeremy Paxman since he left Newsnight so this month I'll be reading his book about the first world war. And for something completely different… I'm hoping to get a copy of Michael Palin's Monty Python diaries from the library. Monty Python do their final stage show this month and I'm quite interested to see what Python was like at the beginning.


Changi Recommends is giving away 2 pairs of Leofoo Village tickets and 1 Leofoo Village + Taipei 101 ticket set!
* Contest ends 28th May 2017, 2359 hours.
It may not have a big brand name like Disney or Universal Studios, but that doesn't mean Leofoo is not worth visiting! In fact, Leofoo Village is one of Taiwan's top family attractions, with a hotel and theme park built around a safari.
The adorable meerkats are one of the most popular animals at the park.
The zoo looks like something off DreamWorks' Madagascar: There are free-roaming rhinos, meerkats, giraffes, and more. But what makes this safari resort truly unique is that the hotel is built around it, meaning that you can peek at these animals in the comfort of your own room. How cool is that? We can already imagine what an experience it must be to wake up to such a view! The safari-view rooms are very popular though, so if you're hoping to book one, we suggest you do so early.
If your window is one glass panel too far away from the wildlife, you may also hire a 4WD to explore the safari. The herbivores are mostly free roam, and the more "dangerous" animals are kept in separate enclosures.
RELATED: Get your Leofoo Village Theme Park tickets at over 30% OFF from Changi Recommends here!
Great For Roller Coaster Junkies Too!
While you're at the resort, spend some time at the Leofoo Village Theme Park. Take some time off Taiwan's popular night markets and hiking trails and have some fun with the many roller coasters and live shows they have to offer. Leofoo is perhaps most famous for housing the thrilling twist-and-turn Screaming Condor ride (featured in Korean variety show Running Man), as well as the Proud Eagle (the first U-shaped spiral roller coaster in Asia). The theme park is split into four unique zones: Arabian Kingdom, African Safari, South Pacific, and Wild West.
Pictured: The Running Man crew as they go off on the Screaming Condor.
As with most amusement parks, Leofoo Village Theme Park is usually very crowded, and queuing for rides can take quite a while. However, since October 2016, the Leofoo group has launched a first-in-Taiwan mobile queuing app called Lineup. The concept is similar to Disneyland's FASTPASS. With the app, visitors can simply switch on their Bluetooth, select the preferred ride, party size, and timing, and reserve a slot.
Currently, there are nine rides you can book through Lineup: Screaming Condor, Ring of Fire, Big Canyon Rapids Ride, Nairobi Express, Mighty Mountain Flume Adventure, 5D Dynamic Motion Theater Happy and Honey's Adventure, Captain Cook's Swinging Ship, Pancho Villa's Crazy Barrels, Deep Sea Adventure, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
Getting there: The nearest train station is Chongli Station. There are also buses from Taipei, Hsinchu, and Chongli. Travelling time is approximately 1.5 hours from downtown Taipei.
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