text:
Here is Letter #322. It and the other letter are below the jump because it's fucking creepy in there.
Edited to Add: It's frankly depressing that this post has struck a chord with so many people, but I'm grateful and honored to be able to help the letter writers and to have given voice to what so many people were feeling. Unfortunately the demands of moderating this discussion have become overwhelming this week, so as of Monday, August 13th comments are locked. We'll pick up this discussion some other time. Thank you for all of your insightful contributions and for making this one of the best commentspaces on the Web.</EDIT>
Dear Captain Awkward,
We have a creeper in our social group. He's about 10 years older than the rest of us on average, divorced with two kids. And I know this is going to sound like every in-denial LW who ever wrote in to an advice columnist ever, but he's not a bad guy. He's fun to hang out with, he's a devoted dad, he's a loyal friend … and he's driving away all of his female friends with his behavior.
He's mostly been concentrating on the other women: telling them to expose themselves, telling them their skirts weren't flying high enough while they were dancing, hitting on them when he knows they have boyfriends. (My husband tells me Creeper has also hit on me a couple times, but I haven't noticed it.) Most of this happens when he is drunk, but even sober he has a tendency to make sexist jokes or joke about sex and then tell us we have no sense of humor when we don't find them funny. A couple months ago he started complaining, loudly and repeatedly, that he really wanted to get laid because he hasn't had sex since his divorce (about 2-3 years ago). Whenever there are parties, it seems like he goes with the mindset that he will meet someone there that he might be able to have sex with, rather than to have fun with his friends. A couple months ago at one of these parties, some of us went to the park after dark to hang out; Creeper approached one of my friends, asked where her boyfriend was, and when he was told that the BF was out of town he put his hands on her shoulders and told her that BF had "forfeited" her for the evening.
I've talked to Creeper about this last incident and tried to explain that his behavior is making every woman in our social group very uncomfortable; that approaching a woman in the dark, putting his hands on her without permission, and implying that because her boyfriend wasn't there that she was up for grabs was Not Fucking Cool; that when two of our friends got married, and he spent the entire reception hitting on the bride's family members (including her 16-year-old cousin) he appeared to be more focused on getting laid than celebrating the marriage of two of his friends; that when he is sober, he is not so bad, but when he gets drunk he gets really creepy and maybe he should not be going to parties and getting drunk anymore. He seemed to listen to me at the time, but now, a month later, he is whining on Facebook that people aren't finding his sex jokes funny and calling him a creeper. "I know I'm not a creeper, and everyone else knows, but I guess I've made a few faux pas with friends-of-friends" pretty much sums it up. So clearly, nothing I said sank in.
I want to punch him. I'd dearly love to tell him that just because someone calls you a creeper, or creepy, doesn't make you a bad person, but if every female friend you have is telling you that you make them uncomfortable then you are the fucking problem. Unfortunately, he clearly isn't listening to what I've been telling him (and I'm the one who hasn't been driven off – the rest of our female friends are flat-out avoiding him for their own safety and I can't blame them one bit for it), and I can't tell if it's because I'm female or if it's because I'm 10 years younger than he is. He also has a tendency to get defensive, and he's starting to retreat into Nice Guy territory. I've considered asking one of the other men to talk to him, but again, I'm worried he'll dismiss whoever goes to talk to him because he's older than the rest of us.
Something needs to happen here, obviously, but I have no idea what. He invites people over for games a lot (being one of the few people who has a table big enough for gaming), and comes over a lot as well, and the guys in the group are mostly fine hanging out with him. (They all agree that something needs to be done about his behavior, but for them it's not as urgent, I guess.) He also lives a block away from me, so I see him quite a bit. I know there's no way out of this without drama and hurt feelings and awkwardness. I just don't know what to do. Do I try to get the others to confront him? Arrange some sort of intervention? Tell my husband that Creeper's not invited to our place anymore and avoid events where Creeper will be? I'd call him out myself, but (1) I can't speak for my friends, especially when they've been affected more than I have, (2) he clearly won't listen to me, and (3) I'm shit at confrontation and tend to get flustered and start crying. Any advice you have would be really helpful.
Creeper, No Creeping!
And here is Letter #323. You will notice certain similarities.
Dear Captain Awkward,
My boyfriend and I have been together for over two years, and it's been a generally great relationship. However, my boyfriend's friend (I'll call him Ben) has become a major sore point for us. In fact, Ben has become a major sore point for our whole group of friends. Boyfriend has been friends with Ben since middle school, and I understand that there is a lot of history there, and he feels he needs to be loyal to him. However, Ben is a gigantic creep who has preyed upon every single girl in our group.
Not long after I first met Ben, we were at a party, and I got drunk/stoned and passed out. Later that night, my friend walked into the living room to find Ben cuddled up against me and stroking my leg. She freaked out at him, removed me from the living room and put me to bed, then told me what happened the next morning. She had no idea how long he'd been there, and didn't know exactly what he did, and I was unconscious and have no memory of what happened. Needless to say, I have been very uncomfortable around him ever since. He's also sent me weird, sexually explicit messages over facebook, and told me not to tell Boyfriend because he "wouldn't believe [me] anyway" (Obviously, I immediately told my boyfriend, and blocked Ben not long after). Ben has also creeped on tons of other girls, including every friend I've brought around. Other instances of Ben's behaviour have included:
- Offering to drive my stranded friend home from a party, then informing her that he expected sex as "payment" when he dropped her off; following her to the house after she said no
- Sending gross, inappropriate or just plain crass messages over Facebook
- Texting my friend about how he's "jerking off" while thinking about her
- Straight-up fondling (fully awake and conscious) girls that he's just met, or at the very least getting uncomfortably touchy-feely with them
- Attempting to have sex with his friend's girlfriend, on more than one occasion
For what should be obvious reasons, every single girl in our group of friends completely hates Ben, and none of us want him around. However, when I tried to bring up the subject with Boyfriend and our guy friends, none of them seemed willing to admit that his behaviour was predatory or threatening, and they seemed reluctant to take a strong stance against him. They never spoke to Ben about his behaviour; in fact, they treated him as if he was a fragile child who was unable to deal with the consequences of his own actions. They also continued to include him in our activities. I was angered and baffled, and tried talking to my boyfriend about it. Boyfriend got weirdly defensive when I brought up the subject, saying that Ben is a "great guy to hang out with", and sarcastically asking me if I wanted him to "go to Ben's house and beat him up over something that happened a year and a half ago." So yeah, it wasn't a very productive conversation.
I later found out from another friend (she is the same age as Boyfriend and Ben, and went to high school with both of them) that Ben was exactly the same way back then, and there was an instance where Boyfriend had attempted to call Ben out on his behaviour. Apparently, Ben had some sort of frightening breakdown where he went on about how he's such a horrible person, and threatened to hurt himself, or commit suicide, or something along those lines. After being told this, I started to understand why Boyfriend and everyone else had been treating Ben as if he were so "fragile", but hearing that story made me even more angry. It became clear to me that Ben has been emotionally manipulating my boyfriend, and probably others, so he can continue his horrible behaviour without being called out.
I've stopped inviting friends to parties because I don't want to subject them to Ben's creepiness, and I spend most of my time trying to avoid him when he's around. I don't want to be one of those girls who tries to tell their boyfriend who he can and can't hang out with, but I feel unsafe and afraid around Ben. I also feel completely betrayed that my boyfriend isn't taking a strong stance against a guy who, let's face it, tried to sexually assault me. I don't want him to go "beat him up", obviously, but it would be great if my boyfriend didn't, y'know, constantly excuse and defend this jerk. So I guess my question is, how can I approach this subject with my boyfriend, and make him understand a) how serious this is, and b) that he is not responsible for Ben's reactions, without making him feel defensive?
Creeped out and Fed Up
Dear Creeper, No Creeping! and Creeped Out:
I'm not slithering around on the floor and hissing with my forked tongue when I say that the situations described in these two letters are pretty good examples of what Rape Culture is and why it is so insidious.
Step 1: A creepy dude does creepy, entitled shit and makes women feel unsafe.
Step 2: The women speak up about it to their partners.
Step 3: It gets written off as "not a big deal" or "he probably didn't mean it" or "he's not a bad guy, really." Any discussion of the bad behavior must immediately be followed by a complete audit of his better qualities or the sad things he's suffered in the name of "fairness." Once the camera has moved in and seen him in closeup as a real, human, suffering person, how can you (the object, always an object, as in "objectified," as in a disembodied set of tits or orifices, or a Trapper Keeper, or a favorite coffee mug or a pet cat) be so cruel as to want to hold him accountable for his actions? Bitches, man.
Step 4: Everyone is worried about hurting creepy dude's feelings or making it weird for creepy dude. Better yet, everyone is worried about how the other dudes in the friend group will feel if they are called out for enabling creepy dude. Women are worried that if they push the issue, that the entire friend group will side with creepy dude or that they'll be blamed for causing "drama." Look at how LW #323 put it: "how can I approach this subject with my boyfriend, and make him understand a) how serious this is, and b) that he is not responsible for Ben's reactions, without making him feel defensive?"
Wouldn't want someone who covers up for and defends a proto-rapist to have to have SADFEELS, right? (LW, it's not your fault you're asking the question this way, it's just that our culture sucks about this and your boyfriend and his friends have been giving you constant messages that Ben is to be coddled while you are to be shushed in the hopes that it will all blow over).
Step 5: Creepy dude creeps on with his creepy self. He's learned that there are no real (i.e. "disapproval & pushback from dudes and dude society") consequences to his actions. Women feel creeped out and unsafe.Some of them decide to take a firm stand against creeping and not come to parties anymore. They slowly slide out of the friend group. Some of the woman decide to just quietly put up with it, because they've learned that no one will really side with them and it's easier to go along than to lose one's entire community. The whole group works around this missing stair.
Possible Step 6: Creepy dude rapes someone. If he does, there's a less than 50% chance that the woman will report it. Why?
Could it be that all the people who surround her have taught her that if she speaks up nothing will really come of it anyway? Could it be that she doesn't trust her friends and the people who love her to have her back on this? I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY. They couldn't even kick this dude off their weekly trivia team.
Could it be that the authorities, the police, and the court system will treat her like this is something she caused to happen? Worse, will the dude's history of being creepy come up and, instead of being used as evidence of a pattern of behavior, be used as evidence that the victim tolerated his advances in the past?
So, yeah, I wanted to be very clear that these letters are part of a larger cultural paradigm that is a direct outgrowth of male privilege. Can women be creepy? Yes, for sure. They are human and capable of anything that humans are capable of. But when they are creepy, they don't have an entire culture backing them up and explaining why their creepiness isn't that bad.
Onto the specific letters.
LW #322, I'll start with your Creeper, The Creepicus Complainicus, of the genus "Saddest Panda." His cry is "Why won't someone just touch my wiener?" People write him off as harmless because he's just so sad. They figure that this post-divorce pity party will eventually pass, and that he'll stop looking at every social gathering as a place where he can bitterly fail to get laid and bitterly whine about it.
When I moved to Chicago, there were a few of these in my fledgling social group. One in particular was touchy-feely and huggy and came across as a big harmless teddy bear. He would develop a crush on every new girl in the group and constantly compliment her with weird, cutesy babytalk. Worse was the touching – hugs that last a little too long, uninvited backrubs, petting your hair, sitting down next to you and wanting to snuggle. It was all portrayed as innocent and sweet, but you could feel the boner behind it.
I was new in town and not close to people yet, so I didn't have anyone to really talk to about this and I didn't know how to formulate a group solution. Other women seemed to tolerate the behavior and even enjoy it, so I decided that it was probably just me. I handled it by saying some variant of "Hey, you're making me wicked uncomfortable. I don't like to be touched, so don't touch me unless I touch you first. Also, I don't want to flirt with you, so please no compliments or cutesy stuff around me, ok? I'm not into it." It was awkward as hell, and his feelings were super-hurt, and I felt guilty and second-guessed myself a lot, and at least one person tried to explain to me that he wasn't that bad and I didn't need to be such a bitch about it. "Bitch Who Doesn't Like To Be Touched" became my persona and my armor in dealing with him and with some of the other handsy fellas (like the one who "complimented" me by telling me he masturbated about me sometimes) in the friend group. They knew that any attempt to flirt would probably end with me saying "Gross," in the rudest possible tone and walking away.
Which is not a magic solution by any means. The difference between that guy and your Creeper is that when he was called out and told directly to stop the behavior, he did. He apologized and kept his hands to himself. And over time he got more confidence and pulled himself out of his Sad Panda period, got a better job, found a specific #1 awesome lady (rather than spreading his love among All Geeky Ladies, Everywhere) and chilled the hell out. His many, many fine qualities like loyalty and smarts and a wicked sense of humor were much easier to appreciate then. If he hadn't backed off me? And if my decision to be "Hi, I'm Jennifer-Please-Don't-Touch-Me" had backfired? Saying goodbye to that social group would have been really, really hard and really, really sad and my life would be much poorer for it. None of this is easy.
As far as concrete steps go, I think you've done all the right things all the best reviews to you, congratulations. You've tried talking directly to the Creeper. Instead of listening to you and backing off, he's decided to whine about it and treat it as something that the world has done to him instead of something brought on by his own behavior. That was his choice and not something you can control with being awesome and using your words. (Note: The other Saddest Pandas were eventually phased out of the social group not for treating every event like a chance to get laid, but for the endless whining. Whining about their singleness. Whining about how no one appreciates their favor-sharking behavior. Whining about how they weren't invited to certain events. People will tolerate a fair amount of unwanted come-ons and sexual comments, but they will eventually cut you out if you won't stop whining).
So. I think it's time to have nothing to do with this dude. You can't control what everyone will do – obviously he has been much-discussed if other ladies are avoiding him and you are pretty much the last one. De-friend him/hide his feed on Facebook. Do not go to any events at his house. Do not invite him to anything at yours. Make this very, very clear to your partner.
Script for Your Partner:
"Listen. I need to be done with Creeper for a good while. I'm not going to things at his house, and he is definitely not invited to our place.
I know you like him and are hopeful that he'll change. I hope he does, too, but being around him makes me feel so angry and unsafe that I can't really hang around and hope it gets better.
I don't want to tell you how to handle your relationship with him, but there are two things I need from you.
1) Back me up on not inviting him anywhere I will be and definitely not inviting him here.
2) When it comes up in the friend group with other guys, have my back. Don't make me the bitch, make me someone who brought up legitimate concerns with a friend and then who got blown off. I didn't do this to him – he CHOSE to act like a dick and then whine about it.
If a year from now he's drinking less and has chilled out and apologized for past behavior, I would *consider* hanging out again. But right now this decision feels pretty final."
And don't worry so much about smoothing everything over and making everyone feel okay. Deliver that script and let your partner feel how he feels about it. Probably he'll feel bad and weird. The Creeper will feel bad and weird. They SHOULD feel bad and weird, because shit is bad and weird. Women are so socialized and trained to absorb other people's badness and weirdness for them, that it's going to be actively hard for you to NOT smooth things over. But don't smooth things over. Let them be weird. Let them be AWFUL.
Script for Creeper (should you run into him):
"Yeah, this is really awkward. I would love to feel safe and comfortable hanging out with you again, but I told you what you needed to do to make it right and you ignored me and then whined about it. So until there is a real apology and some big, observable changes in your behavior, we are on a break."
This isn't something you did to the Creeper, it's something that he did to himself by acting badly and then not accepting the sweet gift of possible self-awareness that you tried to deliver. It's not innocent, it's not harmless, it's not "shy dude nerdy cluelessness." That's especially hard to claim after you tell someone directly what they're doing wrong and ask them to knock off specific behaviors, right? And yet…every goddamn time it comes up that maybe it's not his fault because he just didn't know better. NO. GET THE CLUE, ALREADY.
Now, let's move onto #323, Ben the Proto-Rapist.
Your boyfriend's friend Ben is pretty much going to rape someone if he hasn't already.
I would put the chances that he has already raped someone as high. Very high. Someone, somewhere back in college was a little too drunk to wake up in time or to fully enforce a "I appreciate the ride home, but please don't come into my house because I don't want to have sex with you and I told you no already."
Everything you describe about his behavior is how serial sexual predators work. I cannot say this any better than how Thomas said it at that link:
I'm directing this to men who inhabit het-identified social spaces, and I'm not really limiting it more than that. Women are already doing what they can to prevent rape; brokering a peace with the fear is part of their lives that we can never fully understand. We're the ones who are not doing our jobs.
Here's what we need to do. We need to spot the rapists, and we need to shut down the social structures that give them a license to operate. They are in the population, among us. They have an average of six victims, women that they know, and therefore likely some women you know. They use force sometimes, but mostly they use intoxicants. They don't accidentally end up in a room with a woman too drunk or high to consent or resist; they plan on getting there and that's where they end up.
Listen. The women you know will tell you when the men they thought they could trust assaulted them; if and only if they know you won't stonewall, deny, blame or judge. Let them tell you that they got drunk, and woke up with your buddy on top of them. Listen. Don't defend that guy. That guy is more likely than not a recidivist. He has probably done it before. He will probably do it again.
Change the culture. To rape again and again, these men need silence. They need to know that the right combination of factors — alcohol and sex shame, mostly — will keep their victims quiet. Otherwise, they would be identified earlier and have a harder time finding victims. The women in your life need to be able to talk frankly about sexual assault. They need to be able to tell you, and they need to know that they can tell you, and not be stonewalled, denied, blamed or judged.
Listen. The men in your lives will tell you what they do. As long as the R word doesn't get attached, rapists do self-report. The guy who says he sees a woman too drunk to know where she is as an opportunity is not joking. He's telling you how he sees it. The guy who says, "bros before hos", is asking you to make a pact.
The Pact. The social structure that allows the predators to hide in plain sight, to sit at the bar at the same table with everyone, take a target home, rape her, and stay in the same social circle because she can't or won't tell anyone, or because nobody does anything if she does. The pact to make excuses, to look for mitigation, to patch things over — to believe that what happens to our friends — what our friends do to our friends — is not (using Whoopi Goldberg's pathetic apologetics) "rape-rape".
Change the culture. We are not going to pull six or ten or twelve million men out of the U.S. population over any short period, so if we are going to put a dent in the prevalence of rape, we need to change the environment that the rapist operates in. Choose not to be part of a rape-supportive environment. Rape jokes are not jokes. Woman-hating jokes are not jokes. These guys are telling you what they think. When you laugh along to get their approval, you give them yours. You tell them that the social license to operate is in force; that you'll go along with the pact to turn your eyes away from the evidence; to make excuses for them; to assume it's a mistake, of the first time, or a confusing situation. You're telling them that they're at low risk."
I'm sorry, LW #323, you don't have a "Ben" problem, you have a boyfriend problem. And a living-in-a-society-that-supports-guys-like-Ben-over-women-like-you problem.
I can't tell you how to bring this up without making your boyfriend defensive. He SHOULD feel bad. He SHOULD feel upset and defensive. Because his friend is a budding sexual predator who sexually assaulted his own girlfriend in her sleep, and he doesn't want to do anything about it because the guy is "fun to hang out with." Thinking about that and realizing how very, very out of line he is must feel pretty bad! HE should be the one writing to me, or at least, he should be the one worrying about your feelings and the potential social fallout of tolerating this guy. Not you. It shouldn't be your job to have to come up with solutions for this.
Because you know what else feels bad? Being sexually assaulted in your sleep! Feeling sick and afraid and wondering what would have happened if your friend hadn't interrupted things! Wondering how many other women Ben has sexually assaulted in a similar way! And then having your boyfriend tell you you're overreacting and inviting the guy to parties at your place. That feels kind of fucking awful, right?
And while I don't want anyone to kill themselves, getting told by a close friend that you are a sexual predator SHOULD feel bad. Really, really bad. It would certainly depress me to find that out about myself. No wonder Ben was very upset about that conversation! But being depressed or having suicidal thoughts doesn't mean you get to molest people unimpeded for the rest of time. It means you should seek some professional help both so that you can feel better and so that you can stop touching people who don't want your bad touches!
You can't control what your boyfriend will do, and you certainly can't control whether Ben gets therapy. The only thing you can try to control is how much Ben is allowed to affect you.
So here's the script I have for you:
"Boyfriend, I want to talk to you about Ben.
I know you feel like this is old news, but it's not. I do not feel safe around Ben. From now on, I will not be anywhere that he is. I will tell my friends not to be anywhere he is and that they should scream and call the police if he touches them. I will tell my friends what he is like and what he did to me and other women. I will not smooth things over and I will not play nice. If he asks why, I will say "Because you assaulted me in my sleep and I don't trust you." If I could go back in time to that night, I would call the police and let them deal with it.
I know that you two have a long history and that you care about him. I know that you are not his keeper. I don't want to tell you how to run your relationships – you can feel however you want or do whatever you want. But I need you to do three things:
1) Back me up on my right not to be around someone who sexually assaulted me. Do not invite him here, do not bring me to a place where he will also be. This is not negotiable.
2) Do not minimize what he did to me. Do not ask me to forgive and forget or play nice.
3) If you see him or hear about him acting that way with other women, for the love of God, STEP IN AND STOP IT.
Can you agree to that?"
LW, I know you love him, and I know you don't want to hear this, but if he can't agree to that, he can't be your boyfriend anymore. Someone who would put the feelings of a serial sexual predator ahead of the safety of the person they claim to love is not a good partner.
It's really fucking sad and unfair. Welcome to our culture, where it's always this sad and unfair whenever women's safety is on the line.
This is how far Rape Culture skews our vision . Being sexually harassed and assaulted is seen as something that you should be cool (i.e. quiet) about. But GOD FORBID you break up the weekly games night with the temerity to be a victim of such a crime! Don't you know that your harasser has the best table for playing Settlers of Cataan?
I don't know how we fix it, but one step has to be to stop tolerating it when it happens to us and when it happens to people we love. Making our social circles and spaces safe means making them AWKWARD AS HELL and UNSAFE for creeps and predators. It means constantly reframing the conversation away from the dominant narrative, so when stuff like the situations in these letters comes up we can say "That's called sexual assault and it's a crime. So I need you to stop talking to me about his feelings and pressuring me to invite him to parties."


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Protect Your Device From Internet Viruses
What Are Internet Viruses?
In simple terms, an internet virus is a program containing malicious code that seeks to infect various devices. Once inside the device, the virus may look to corrupt, get control of, or steal personal information from it. Hackers often create viruses to invade devices and get someone's personal and financial information.
How Can Viruses Infect A Device?
Email Attachment or Link
It's common for online criminals to send viruses in the form of an email attachment or link. They usually use phishing or other email scamming techniques to entice a person to download a file or click on a link. For example, they could say they have a great deal, pretending to be a legitimate company.
Fake Website
Hackers will often duplicate real company websites to try and impersonate them. Usually, these criminals are looking to get people's personal information through a site form or to infect their device with a virus. These fake websites are often hard to recognize, as hackers will make them look as close to the legitimate site as possible. You'll have to look extremely close at the site's details and do some research of your own to ensure the site you're visiting is the real one.
Third-Party App
Sometimes third-party web apps are used by online criminals to deliver viruses on to computers and other devices. Whether they created the app themselves or infected an already existing app, the virus can be delivered with a simple click of the download button. The only precaution a person can take when downloading apps is to make sure they are from a legitimate company.
Wi-Fi Network
Public Wi-Fi is everywhere. At the airport, in your local coffee shop, and on the road. It's a wonderful luxury, but it can also allow hackers to access and infect your device(s). Once hackers gain access to a Wi-Fi network, they can use a virus to invade devices that are connected to the same network. Also, these criminals can create fake public Wi-Fi networks to lure victims in, so be careful when using any public Wi-Fi signals.
Different Types Of Viruses Online
Malware, aka malicious software, is a program designed to invade a computer or other device. It seeks to access data, damage, corrupt, or do other unwanted actions to the device. There are different types of malware including spyware, adware, worms, rootkit, and keyloggers.
Spyware allows a person to obtain information from a device without their knowledge. The phone activities and information like text messages and login information are logged and backed up. This is not to be mistaken for legitimate companies who sell parental monitoring software.
Trojan Horse
A Trojan Horse is a virus you should definitely be scared of. Once it infects a device, it creates what's known as a "back door", giving someone access to all the device's systems. With this access, someone could view and obtain data stored anywhere on the device.
Worms are just how you would imagine. They can replicate and grow to infect multiple devices, using the system's security flaws to spread. This virus has the ability to alter and remove files, and put malicious code onto any device.
Adware isn't always a threat, but it's certainly a virus you should be aware of. It's most commonly recognized by unsolicited pop-up and other image advertisements on your screen. The parties behind the adware are looking to get revenue for their business or clients through any purchases made through the adware.
Antivirus Software Options:
One of the surefire ways to protect your devices from internet viruses is using an antivirus software program or app. This software will instantly detect any anomalies on your device, and quarantine them so they can't do any damage. Below is a list of antivirus software options we recommend.
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus (PCs only)
- Avast Antivirus (PCs, Mac, Android Devices, iPhone, iPad)
- AVG Antivirus (PCs, Mac, Android Mobile Phones, iPhone, iPad)
- Norton Antivirus (Windows, Mac, Android Devices, iPhone, iPad)
- Bitdefender Antivirus (Mac OS, Android Devices)
How To Protect Your Devices From Viruses
Computers today come with built-in security measures like firewalls. Firewalls prevent unauthorized parties from accessing your computer. The most commonly used computer systems today are Mac (OS) and Windows 10.
Pop-Up Blocker
To prevent adware viruses, you'll want to enable your web browser's pop-up blocker. The most popular browsers used today are Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Microsoft Edge. Get rid of those pesky pop-up ads once and for all.
Don't Download Any Unknown Apps or Files
To avoid viruses from invading your computer, avoid downloading any unknown files or apps you're unsure about. This includes any third-party or online apps, or files sent to you via social media, email, or text messages.
Website Blockers
Website blockers can not only prevent you and others from accessing inappropriate content, but it can block access to any site you wish. This includes access to sites you know are a scam or a threat. Often, this tool can be installed as a browser extension. Check out this list of the best website blocker apps.
Update Your Devices
As stated before, one of the ways viruses can access your device is through security and software vulnerabilities. To patch up these flaws, device companies initiate software updates regularly to help users keep their devices secure. Below are links on how to update the software on the most popular devices used today.
Utilize Your Device's Security Settings
To protect your device from viruses, hackers, and other threats, devices come included with security settings. This could be password protections, two-factor authentication, answering security questions, and so on.
Avoid Using Public Wi-Fi
As previously said, hackers can gain access to your device via real or fake public Wi-Fi networks. To protect your devices, only use private Wi-Fi networks. Along with this, you could utilize a VPN to encrypt your device web activity.
Visit Only Secure Websites
The easiest way for someone to get a virus on their device is by visiting non-secure sites that have been compromised. When browsing online, you can tell if a site is secure if the URL begins with "https://". This means that the site has an SSL certificate, which encrypts data sent between the site and its server. You can also check to see if the URL has a closed lock next to it, which is common to see on Google Chrome.
Other Useful Links:
- How To Find Hidden Spyware On Android Smartphones
- What Is A Computer Virus?
- Malware vs. Spyware: What's The Difference?
- 9 Types of Malware and How To Recognize Them
- How To Know If Your Phone Has A Virus
- The 8 Most Famous Computer Viruses Of All Time
- How Computer Viruses Spread (Infographic)
- The Most Dangerous Computer Viruses In The World (Video)
Check out our other resource on bestcellphonespyapps.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Coptic fragments
While we are on the subject of ancient civilisations, (see previous entry about Akhnaten) a Very Special present has arrived...
Two pieces of textile dating between the 4th and 6th centuries are now to be displayed at the studio in Yell. These two pieces came from an English private collection and were sold at Christies in 2000.
Coptic textiles can be found online and some are very colourful. Our two pieces have faded beautifully and the colours are now browns, tans, greys and black but the detail is so fine and the motifs so clear that the colour does not matter to us. An exciting addition to the collection indeed!


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Return Policy
If you don't vibe with your product, no worries. Our return policy is simple—just send us the item you're not completely satisfied with, and we'll credit you back. No questions asked. Please include a copy of your packing slip.
No refunds will be issued for orders returned past the 90-day point of purchase.
Return Address:
Ganiyan Returns
100 Crest Dr. #1096
Pismo Beach, CA 93448


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Mother's Day is quickly approaching! Don't worry – you didn't miss it! This year, Mother's Day falls on Sunday, May 14, so you've got plenty of time to pick out a fantastic gift for mom, and thank her for everything she's done in your life.
Mother's Day is truly a special time. It's very important to take a day out of the year and really think about all of the sacrifices our mothers have made for us, and what they've done for us to ensure that we can have a good life.
That's why it's so important to give mom a gift on Mother's Day. Make no mistake – she doesn't expect you to lavish her with a ton of fancy luxuries. As with every other gift, it's truly the thought that counts.
Giving a great gift to your mom on Mother's Days is just a simple way of acknowledging everything that she's done for you. Whether you spend $50 or $5,000, your mom will appreciate the gesture.
So what should you give your mom? Well, gift cards are a fantastic choice! Giving your mother a gift card is a great way to show your appreciation for everything that she's done for you over the years, and allow her to choose a gift that she'll love. You don't have to worry about buying her something she already has, or picking the wrong gift.
But you can't just buy any gift card for Mother's Day, and you should do more than just hand her a gift card. In this guide, we'll talk about ways that you can make your gift truly special to your mother, and then discuss some of the best gift card options for Mother's day.
Mother's Day Gifting 101 – It's Not Really About The Gift Card!
Here's the biggest thing you have to realize about giving your mom a gift card – or any gift – on Mother's Day. The gift card is not that important. Confused? You shouldn't be.
Of course, it's a great idea to give your mom a gift card that she'll love, and that she can use on a great gift for herself. But to moms, Mother's Day isn't really about gifts at all. It's all about feeling appreciated by those around them – about being recognized by their families for all the hard work they do.
Because of this, just handing your mom a gift card isn't really enough to make her feel appreciated. Here are a few ways you can make your gift feel much more special, and give your mom, the Mother's Day that she deserves.
Write A Letter To Mom With Your Card
If you really want to make your mom feel special this Mother's Day, a Hallmark card isn't going to cut it. If you write a heartfelt letter to your mother and include it with your gift card, you're sure to make her feel appreciated, and bring tears of joy to her eyes.
This is an especially great idea if you can't make it home for Mother's Day. Maybe you live far away, or your schedule just won't let you see your mom in person. Sending a great gift card with an honest letter that expresses your appreciation for your mom is a great way to show her that you care – even if you can't be with her for Mother's Day.
This is also a fantastic way to make your wife feel special, especially if she's a new mom. Tell her how much you love her, and how much you admire her dedication to her children. She'll love the letter, and appreciate for years to come.
You don't have to be a fantastic writer, or use poetic language to write a great letter to your mom, or to the mother of your children.
Be honest in the letter. Tell her that you love her, that you appreciate her, and that she's special to you. That's all you need to do to give her the best Mother's Day she's ever had.
Do Something As A Family
Mother's Day is a time for togetherness. If you live near your family, it's a great idea to get everyone together and have some fun on Mother's Day. That's what moms really want – they want to spend time with their children and their loved ones, and enjoy their company.
You could have a picnic at the local park, grill out in your backyard, or go to a fancy restaurant for Sunday brunch. It doesn't really matter what you do – just that you're doing it together, and making your mom feel special.
And when you and your family are all spending time together, take a moment before you start giving gifts to talk about mom. Talk about what she means to you, how much you love her, and how special she is. Family is everything to a mom. So focus on family, and she's sure to have a great Mother's Day – no matter what gifts she receives.
Give Mom A Day Off
It's very rare for moms to truly get a day off – especially new moms. Even on weekends, most moms are still dealing with cooking, cleaning, spills, taking kids to sporting events, and dozens of other tasks. So, this Mother's Day, give mom a day off. This is an especially great way to show appreciation for new moms.
Take care of everything for her. Do the laundry. Wash the dishes. Cart kids around to soccer games. Get takeout for dinner. Serve her breakfast in bed. Make sure that mom can enjoy Mother's Day stress-free, and responsibility-free.
This is an especially great idea if you're a married couple with kids. You can take care of your wife's normal responsibilities while she has the opportunity to truly relax. You'll gain a deeper appreciation for everything that moms do every day, and she'll love that you're taking care of everything for her.
It's The Thought That Counts – But Choosing A Great Gift Card Helps!
The above three ideas for Mother's Day activities are sure to be successful. Whether you're looking to pamper your own mother, or want to show appreciation for the mother of your children, the above ideas are sure to help you make this Mother's Day an unforgettable event.
But tradition is tradition – and most moms expect some kind of gift on Mother's Day. So, to help you pick the right gift card, we've put together a list of some of the best gift cards you can buy for Mother's Day.
- Spas – A gift card or a gift certificate to a local spa is a fantastic gift for Mom. You can give her a chance to relax, de-stress, and feel beautiful and appreciated – without feeling guilty about spending money on a luxury.
Many moms feel an obligation to take care of their kids and their families above everything else – including themselves. If you give the gift of a full spa day to your mom or your wife, you can give her the joy of a totally pampered day – with no guilt!
- Luxury Restaurants – Gift cards to luxury restaurants are also a great idea on Mother's Day, because they give moms an excuse to get dressed up, and have a night out on the town. These gift cards offer more than just monetary value. They offer an experience. Whether you're treating your own mother to a night out on the town, or you want to make your wife feel special (and get away from the kids), a gift card to her favorite restaurant is a fantastic choice.
- Shoe Stores – What mom doesn't love shoes? Giving a gift card to a shoe store like Payless is a great way to let moms splurge on themselves, and pick up that pair of pumps or heels that they've had their eyes on for the last couple months.
Remember, moms always put their families first – so giving them a chance to spend on things that they want – guilt-free – is always a sure-fire recipe for success when choosing a gift card for Mother's Day!
- Department Stores – On Mother's Day, it's the thought that counts – so choosing a gift card to mom's favorite department store is a fantastic idea. If your mother or your wife has a preferred department store where she loves to shop, get her a gift card, take the kids for the day, and let her shop until she drops!
She'll love the opportunity to browse through all the products at her favorite store at her leisure, and she'll be able to buy some great new stuff that will make her feel special.
- Coffee Shops – Is there any mom out there who doesn't like coffee? That's what we thought! Gift cards to coffee shops like Starbucks offer a perfect opportunity for moms to treat themselves every day, making them a fantastic choice for busy moms who can always use a caffeine fix.
Gift cards to coffee shops also last quite a while. A $50 gift card to Starbucks can easily stretch out to 10 trips, so moms will have a little something to look forward to for weeks to come!
- Home Goods Stores – Buying a gift card to a home goods store like Bed, Bath, and Beyond is a great choice for Mother's Day. Giving mom practical gifts – rice cookers, griddles, pans, or other such appliances – for Mother's Day may seem like a good idea, but these gifts often don't feel very special, because mom didn't pick them out herself.
A gift card to a home good store allows mom to buy whatever she wants. She can get a rice cooker if she wants one – or she could get that plush, luxury bathrobe that she's been eyeing! Allowing her to choose her own gift is a great way to ensure that your Mother's Day is a success!
- Discount Apparel Stores – If you really want to stretch your Mother's Day dollar, buying a gift card to a discount apparel store like T.J. Maxx or Marshalls is a fantastic choice.
These stores offer everyday low prices on home goods, apparel, shoes, makeup, and more – and because their prices are so low, mom can really splurge during her shopping spree without feeling guilty! She'll be able to get a half-dozen items that she loves – for the price of a single designer blouse at an upscale department store.
- Amazon – Amazon gift cards are a particularly great choice for new moms – because they can be spent from the comfort of your own home. New moms can have trouble finding time to shop for themselves, so the ability to quickly order items online and have them shipped straight to their door can be a huge deal.
There are, of course, hundreds of different gift cards that you could buy for moms this Mother's Day. But in our opinion, these cards are at the top of the heap. So buy your mother or your wife one of these gift cards, make her feel special, and she's sure to have a memorable mother's day, and feel truly appreciated.
Got Gift Cards You Don't Need? Turn Them Into Cash To Buy Presents This Mother's Day!
Need some quick cash to buy presents this Mother's Day? Why not use your old, unused gift cards? Chances are you've got a stack of gift cards collecting dust in a drawer somewhere – and if you sell those cards on a website like EJ Gift Cards, you can get paid in cash, and use that money to make this Mother's Day truly special.
So visit EJ Gift Cards today. We purchase hundreds of different gift cards, and the sales process is totally simple. Just enter the information on your gift card, get an offer, and accept – you'll be paid via PayPal. No risk, no catch – just hassle free payment for the gift cards that you'll never use.
What are you waiting for? Your mom deserves the best – give it to her by selling your old gift cards on EJ Gift Cards now.


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Date16 September 2020 - 16 March 2021
Experience VirtualConnect on-demand
Did you know that manufacturers who are digitally enabled can reduce ramp-up defects by up to 97%, and cut their maintenance costs by 40%? That's why there's never been a better time for enterprises like yours to embrace digital transformation.
Access our on-demand VirtualConnect experience to discover new smart manufacturing topics, industry success stories and expert insight.
Introducing subjects such as mechatronics, digital engineering and process control, the event features demonstrations of new technology and real-life examples of how companies like Cama, PTC, Eplan and Lubrizol overcame key industry challenges.
It's your chance to view the sessions you were unable to see live, re-watch presentations you found useful and walk the digital show floor at your convenience.
Date16 September 2020 - 16 March 2021
Hear from industry leaders who will share their own experience of digital transformation and the successes they achieved. They include:


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Trudeau moves to shore up Liberal caucus support as SNC-Lavalin controversy continues
Call to MPs came in the wake of Jody Wilson-Raybould's resignation from cabinet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has moved to shore up support in his Liberal caucus as the aftershocks of Jody Wilson-Raybould's resignation from cabinet rocked both Parliament Hill and members of his own party.
Multiple caucus sources told CBC News that Trudeau convened an extraordinary caucus meeting by telephone Tuesday evening to reassure them that nothing untoward had taken place in his office's interactions with Wilson-Raybould over the SNC-Lavalin case when she was justice minister.
But unlike the party's normal caucus meetings, this was a one-way call — with Trudeau doing the talking. Caucus members were not able to ask Trudeau questions. MPs were told to follow up with the PMO or regional offices.
MPs on the call that spoke to CBC News on condition their names not be used said they believed Trudeau when he told them neither he nor the PMO had pressed Wilson-Raybould.
Multiple MPs also told CBC News that while there was a consensus in caucus that Wilson-Raybould should no longer sit at the cabinet table, there was no justifiable reason to remove the MP for Vancouver-Granville from the Liberal caucus.
The unusual call to Liberal MPs came as Trudeau's government scrambled to deal with the aftershocks of Wilson-Raybould's abrupt resignation Tuesday as Veterans Affairs minister.
Her resignation came only days after a Globe and Mail report, quoting anonymous sources, said members of the Prime Minister's Office tried to get Wilson-Raybould to help Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin avoid criminal prosecution on bribery and fraud charges through a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA).
The SNC-Lavalin case is before a court in Montreal, charged with fraud and corruption in connection with payments of nearly $48 million to public officials in Libya under Moammar Gadhafi's government and allegations it defrauded Libyan organizations of an estimated $130 million. Its preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume Friday.
To date, the director of public prosecutions has refused to allow the company to avoid a trial by negotiating a DPA or remediation agreement.
'I do wish her well'
During the political firestorm that followed the report, Wilson-Raybould refused to comment on the case, saying she was still bound by solicitor-client privilege.
MaryAnn Mihychuk, who served with Wilson-Raybould in cabinet until January 2017, said neither Trudeau nor his staff ever pressured her when she was minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.
"I made a lot of change and I really pushed the envelope ... I never had a call from the prime minister or the Prime Minister's Office to push me in a certain direction."
Some Liberal MPs suggested anonymously in media reports that Wilson-Raybould was difficult to deal with and didn't have friends in caucus. Mihychuk said that's not the case.
"I feel she's a good friend and she is an amazing leader so I do wish her well."
Mihychuk said Wilson-Raybould also worked closely with fellow cabinet minister Jane Philpott, who has supported Wilson-Raybould on social media in the wake of her resignation.
"Jane and Jody were a team right from the start. They were working immediately on assisted dying for Canada, which has been a really terrific program, helping a lot of people. But it was complicated, so they spent a lot of time together."
Elizabeth Thompson can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com
With files from CBC's Katie Simpson


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Kelsey took me into Hendersonville last week for a girls day trip. Downtown Hendersonville is one street with lots of boutiques and restaurants to peruse.
While window shopping we noticed Woodlands window front. There was a bag that caught my eye, possibly a pillow, some linens and a blanket that would be perfect to cozy in while cruising down the road.
So I have been on the look out for the perfect side purse. Something small, over the shoulder and can hold the importance.
Of course with Woodlands being the perfect little store I ended up spotting the perfect little purse.
I was going to wait to buy it then Kelsey decided to buy it as my late birthday gift.
We spent a good amount of time browsing the store and I wanted to buy everything and put it all into that future tiny home I am imagining up in my mind.
This will be my go to store whenever I am in Hendersonville, NC.
Happy shopping friends…..
with love,


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The Stockdale Paradox is named after Vice Admiral Jim Stockdale. Stockdale spent eight years as a POW in Vietnam. During his imprisonment between 1965 and 1973, he was tortured over 20 times. However, he survived – and helped others survive – by holding fast to gritty faith. When Stockdale was interviewed by renowned author Jim Collins, he asked Stockdale a simple question:
"Who didn't make it out?"
"Oh," Stockdale quickly replied, "that's easy. The optimists." Stockdale went on to explain that optimists believed they'd be out by Christmas but then Christmas would come and go. So they would set a new date… and then another… and then another. But each date slowly came and went without rescue. "They died of a broken heart. This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."
Do you see the paradox? How do we accept the brutal truths facing us while retaining faith that we will ultimately prevail?
The first thing any of us must do, regardless of the circumstances facing me or you, is define faith. Thankfully, the Bible does this beautifully. Hebrews tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen. In other words, by definition, to have faith is to believe something that is not yet visible or in practice. In the Stockdale Paradox, that invisible belief is the unshakeable conviction of prevailing.
So, we find ourselves sorting through this word prevail. We can't have faith in something if we don't understand what it is. Merriam-Webster defines prevail as gaining ascendancy through strength or superiority and then lists triumph as a synonym. My natural question becomes, How do I triumph in this season. And here is where I believe we get into trouble.
Remember what Stockdale said about the other prisoners who didn't make it? They, too, believed they would prevail. In fact, they were so confident of it they were labeled optimists. If that's not telling of someone who believes it will get better – that they will triumph – then I don't know what is! But it didn't work for them because they wrongly defined prevailing. Their faith rested in prevailing by Christmas, by Easter, by a birthday, etc. So, when those dates came and went and the substance of their faith appeared counterfeit, what was left? A broken heart.
Our family cannot define prevailing in this season as a successful reunification with Asher. And we certainly cannot assume it means a successful reunification by a certain date. This thinking has gotten me in more trouble than I care to admit.
However, I can (and now DO) define prevail as maintaining a confidence that regardless of what befalls our relationship with Asher, God is still good, still capable, still holy, and still in the business of working miracles – even when so few of those truths appear to be working in our situation.
But there is a second part to the Stockdale Paradox. It is maintaining faith in prevailing while also acknowledging, "the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be." I think it is safe to say it is easier to believe you will prevail when a signed order to release you is recognized by the international community and your captors than when you are undergoing torture without anything or one stopping it. But it is the very act of recognizing your present circumstances that lend an unshakeable foundation to your resolve.
I am not relying upon a fantasy to keep my eyes fixed on an ultimate prize.
For now, that means I will sit in the gloom and rain but watch for the horizon to burst forth in sunshine.


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JUDGES 3:5-6: "The Israelis continued to live among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, taking their daughters as wives for themselves, giving their own daughters to their sons, and serving their gods."
OBSERVATION: What is my relationship with the culture of this world? When I read the book of Judges, I find myself rising up in judgment against the Israelites. How could they so quickly turn from the Lord, who had so mightily delivered them from Egypt, and enabled them to inherit the Promised Land under the hand of Joshua? Yet, in the midst of my judgment, I sense a still small voice calling me to examine my own life. Am I acting just like the Israelites?
The Israelites did not immediately plunge into sin. Their departure from the Lord began with small steps of disobedience. One of the key instructions they had received was to not marry anyone from the surrounding nations, nor to give their daughters in marriage to the sons of these nations. In doing so, they not only disobeyed the Lord, but they began to learn their culture. In a very short time they began to serve their gods. I am sure that serving false gods was something they thought they would never do. Yet, they opened the door by embracing the culture of rebellious nations, and eventually they walked right through it.
I don't believe any sincere Christian proclaims – "I am going to accept Jesus Christ, so that I can continue to enjoy my sin, but still have the assurance that I will go to heaven." Yet, just like the Israelites, a Christian can become entangled in sin, and once again find themselves in bondage, even after they have been set free. Paul tells us in Romans,
- "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" Romans 6:15-16 NKJV
If we serve sin, we will be a slave to sin, and sin will overcome us. If we serve God, and abide in His grace, we will grow in His righteousness. This is not speaking about how a person becomes a Christian. It is speaking about how we walk after we are Christians. We are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, we walk by grace, into the obedience that leads to righteousness, once we are saved!
- "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV
So what does all this have to do with our opening question? What does this have to do with my relationship to the culture of this world? Everything! If I am embracing the culture and wisdom of this world, I will follow the path the Israelites took in the book of Judges. They were God's chosen people, but they found themselves continually defeated, continually in bondage, and all because they embraced the culture of the nations that were still among them. They failed to defeat them, began to live among them, and soon learned to follow in their ways.
I think if we are really honest with ourselves, we all have made the same error to some degree or another. The call is not to begin to judge others and point out how much they have compromised in their walk of faith. The call is to humble myself before the Lord and ask Him to show me any areas in my life where I have compromised, where I have embraced the culture of this world, and where I have limited my strength in Christ, or become bound by former attitudes and sins. David cried out to the Lord,
- "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV
This is the prayer I am moved to pray this morning. Lord, search me, know me, show me, LEAD ME! Reveal any area where I have begun walking down the path of the wisdom of this world, and not according to Your Wisdom. Help me to quickly repent, and to return fully to You. Help me to see the blind spots in my life. Grant me the grace to continue in Your pathway of righteousness. Give me discernment and understanding as I read Your Word!
Give me Your Wisdom!
- "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." James 3:17-18 NKJV
In Jesus Name!


text:
by Ann Corley Silverman
The sibilant 's' slides quietly into the open oil of a liquid landfall.
A slight growl pushes air into what is round beneath the feet.
The dental stability of final sound an anchor on planet underfoot.
But here, the liquid.
No labial pout, no punctuation.
So much for definition.
Worms turn in the soil of our syntax, enriching excrementally
the nature of understanding.
All lips and liquid boundaries.
Mouthfuls of earth in endless periods.
This life. And this life. And this life.
A surface of soil, at midpoint to tree, cushions the foot.
Some surface in a plowed field sucks at the boot and removes it.
Some surfaces slip inside and under.
Feet sink into surf.
Toes splayed in mud and sand grow no roots.
Attempting, though, a pirouette,
Striking some balance of the awe-struck.


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Managing the risk for infection is one of the primary tasks in optimizing outcomes for solid organ transplant recipients. Infections such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and urinary tract infection (UTI) are common causes of morbidity and mortality in this population. For example, UTI affects approximately 80% of recipients of kidney transplantation and represents the cause of hospitalization for sepsis in roughly 30% of these patients. Further, CMV affects between 8% and 32% of patients following kidney, heart, or liver transplantation.1,2
While infection risk is highest during the first year after transplantation, ongoing vigilance is required for the remainder of the patient's life. However, the "goal is for the recipient to be able to return to their home and live as normal a life as possible with a functioning graft," according to a paper published online in March 2019 by Robin K Avery, MD, physician and professor of medicine in the division of infectious disease at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Marian G Michaels, MD, MPH, professor of pediatrics and surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and physician at UPMC Children's Hospital.3
Various "strategies for safe living must be carefully woven into the transplant recipient's life as they move toward regaining normal function and return to an active and productive life," the authors stated. Such strategies are the focus of their paper, which is a section of the recently updated American Society of Transplantation Infectious Disease (AST ID) guidelines authored by the AST ID Community of Practice. Numerous other articles within these guidelines focus on specific infections such as CMV, UTI, and pneumonia, whereas the study conducted by Avery and Michaels pertained to managing the risk for infection from a wide range of etiologies.1,3-5
Because randomized controlled trials are not possible in this setting, the recommendations are "based on available knowledge of the mode in which various infectious agents are transmitted, anecdotal clinical experience, the opinions of respected authorities, collections of case reports, and common sense," they wrote.3 [Editor's note: There is also a corresponding Patient Brochure in both English and Spanish on the AST website.]
Infectious Disease Advisor interviewed Dr Avery and Dr Michaels to further explore these issues and related implications for clinicians treating solid organ transplant recipients. (Responses were jointly provided by both physicians.)
Infectious Disease Advisor: What are some of the most common sources of infection in organ transplant recipients?
Avery and Michaels: Transplant recipients have weakened immune systems because of the powerful medications they must take to prevent rejection of their transplanted organs. Consequently, there are many potential sources of infection that transplant recipients should know about. Some of these infections can come from the donor, and therefore transplant teams develop protocols to try to minimize this effect.
Some infections are internal — for example, caused by organisms that live on our skin, in our lung airways, and in the intestinal tract — but external environmental exposures are also very important. Transplant recipients should be particularly careful during the first 6 months after the transplant, or after any episode of rejection when they have had increased doses of immunosuppressive medications.
Common external sources of infection include direct contact — often on the hands — with materials such as soil, dirt, and manure; inhalation of aerosolized respiratory viruses and bacteria from sick persons or from fungal spores during gardening, landscaping, or at construction sites; ingestion of contaminated food or water; contact with pets or other animals with an infection; infections transmitted by mosquito or tick bites; and recreational and occupational exposures.
Our goal is to empower transplant recipients and clinicians with information about infection prevention so that transplant recipients can have an improved quality of life and return to activities that are important and meaningful to them in a safe way.
Infectious Disease Advisor: What are examples of some of the measures that patients should take to prevent these infections?
Avery and Michaels: Every person has unique life circumstances that may affect some parts of safe living recommendations. For example, a person living on a farm is going to have unique challenges compared with someone living in an urban environment. Accordingly, early in the process of considering being a transplant recipient, patients and their family should discuss their lifestyle with their transplant team.
However, certain universal themes such as hand washing and avoiding high-risk exposures can be emphasized. Our article gives detailed advice on hand hygiene, ways to avoid acquiring infections through direct contact, prevention of respiratory infections, water and food safety, animal contact and pet safety, safer sexual practices, issues related to work, school, and recreation, and mosquito precautions.
Examples of food precautions include avoiding the following: raw or undercooked meat or eggs, unpasteurized dairy foods (such as soft cheeses), raw or undercooked seafood, raw sprouts, and smoked seafood, among others. It is also very important to heat all leftovers to steaming hot and to wash knives and cutting boards in hot soapy water to avoid cross-contamination from meat to vegetables. Transplant recipients should also be particularly cautious about salad bars, street vendors, pot luck dinners, or picnics where food has stagnated at room temperature for an extended period, or any situation in which the hygiene of food preparers is uncertain. Outbreaks of foodborne infections have been linked to all of these sources.
Transplant recipients should also pay particular attention to food recalls that are reported locally. Infections from food or water contamination can be much more severe or prolonged in a transplant recipient. One specific example is the Listeria spp, which is found in a variety of foods, especially unpasteurized cheeses and deli meats, and can cause meningitis in transplant recipients.
Another example is norovirus, which is best known as the "cruise ship virus," but is now found throughout the food supply and is the most frequent cause of foodborne infections in the United States. While members of the general population may experience a gastrointestinal-based illness, with vomiting and diarrhea for 1 to 2 days, transplant recipients can develop a severe diarrheal illness that waxes and wanes for months, with weight loss and dehydration and, occasionally, damage to the transplanted organ.
Pets are an important part of many transplant recipients' lives, and we offer tips to make pet ownership safer. Examples of pet and animal safety include avoiding reptiles, amphibians, chicks, and ducklings because of the increased risk for infection with Salmonella spp and other pathogens and avoiding exotic pets and stray animals. Further, it is not recommended to get a new pet in the first 6 to 12 months post-transplant, or at times of increased immunosuppression.
Ideally, transplant recipients should not handle cat litter, bird droppings, or other animal feces, and should have other individuals do this. If that is not possible, then the transplant recipient should wear disposable gloves and a mask when cleaning up after pets and remember to wash their hands afterwards. All pets should be followed by a veterinarian.
These are just a few examples of the types of advice that can help ward off harmful infections and allow transplant recipients to live safely.
Infectious Disease Advisor: For primary care physicians and others involved in the patient's care post-transplant, what are ways in which they can support these patients in reducing the risk for infection?
Avery and Michaels: The primary care provider has a very important role to play in the prevention of infections in patients who have received a transplant. While our article does not cover immunizations, as another AST ID Guideline section covers immunizations in detail, pre-transplant immunization is one of the most important ways for a primary care team to help prevent infections after transplantation. As such, immunizations should be updated before transplant whenever possible.
Likewise, while many questions will be directed to the patient's transplant team during the first year after transplant, over time the primary care provider will increasingly be the first clinician to see the patient for any acute illnesses and will often be asked questions regarding infection exposures and prevention. The primary care physician or provider can reinforce the messages in our article and can communicate rapidly with the transplant team if any infection is detected that requires their involvement. Communication with the transplant team is also necessary when a new medication is initiated because of concerns regarding drug interactions with transplant medications.
The primary care physician should administer a yearly influenza vaccine and can update other immunizations that were not given prior to transplant. Patients should be referred to the other sections of the AST ID Guidelines in the same issue on immunizations and travel and the transplant recipient.6 We highly recommend these as part of safer living strategies.
It's also important for physicians in the community to recognize that infections in transplant recipients can take unusual forms or can be more prolonged and severe than in the general population. Norovirus diarrhea, for example, frequently goes undiagnosed for long periods of time because clinicians are accustomed to categorizing such infection as rapidly resolving and do not consider it as a cause of protracted diarrhea.
With any unusual syndrome, consultation with the patient's transplant team and a transplant infectious disease physician is recommended. This is particularly true for patients who are many years post-transplant, who may be regionally removed from their original transplant center and may only travel back there infrequently, if at all.
Infectious Disease Advisor: What are other takeaways for clinicians, remaining research needs in this area, or any other points you would like to mention about the topic?
Avery and Michaels: We would like to have a stronger evidence base for counseling patients regarding the magnitude of the risks associated with their proposed activities — for example, patients who are contemplating returning to work after their transplant in an occupation with potential for infection exposures. More research is needed to try to define these risks more precisely. We do encourage transplant recipients and family members to ask as many questions as possible of their transplant team, whenever necessary, because it's much better to prevent these severe infections than to treat them. Although not all infections are preventable, following these principles should help to minimize risk and assist transplant recipients in leading the lives they want to lead.
1. Goldman JD, Julian K. Urinary tract infections in solid organ transplant recipients: guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019;33:e13507.
2. Azevedo LS, Pierrotti LC, Abdala E, et al. Cytomegalovirus infection in transplant recipients. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2015;70(7):515-523.
3. Avery RK, Michaels MG; AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Strategies for safe living following solid organ transplantation-Guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019;33:e13519.
4. Razonable RR, Humar A. Cytomegalovirus in solid organ transplant recipients-guidelines of the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019;33:e13512.
5. Dulek DE, Mueller NJ; AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Pneumonia in solid organ transplantation: guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019;33:e13545.
6. Buchan CA, Kotton CN; AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Travel medicine, transplant tourism, and the solid organ transplant recipient-guidelines from the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice. Clin Transplant. 2019;33:e13529.


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Smith Designs
Contemporary Kitchen
A penthouse suite overlooking Victoria's outer harbour, this one-of-a kind interior explored innovative solutions to make the most of its 360-degree views. In 2009, the suite won two Gold CHBA CARE awards (best innovative feature and best kitchen) and three Silver CHBA CARE awards. It was also nominated for two CHBA Georgie Awards in 2009.


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People in Nebraska pride themselves on being "Nebraska Nice" and from the welcoming treatment I received in Lincoln, I certainly felt like I was amongst friends. Lincoln may be known for it's historic and award-winning collegiate football team, but I'll always remember it as the town where I had a super fun time – and the best pasta I ever tasted!
I'm a Kansan and I had never visited Nebraska! I was overdue for a trip, and when I saw that an uber hip hotel called Graduate Lincoln was located downtown, I was convinced. To discover Lincoln, you simply must show up and take it all in — and we did!
The dynamic city, known as Nebraska's capital and the home of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, completely surprised me. I mistakenly assumed that I would find a cool hotel surrounded by a common college town with typical restaurants and bars. Nope! The city I experienced included hospitable people ready to lay out the red carpet. Whether someone is looking to dine on local cuisine or jam out to '80s music while playing pinball in the Haymarket District, whatever you're looking to do, Lincoln has it!
I chose to stay at a boutique hotel Graduate Lincoln for the vibes (and it is centrally located in the city's historic district dotted with restaurants, bars, and retail stores). Also located close to the UNL's campus, the hotel focuses its design and ambiance entirely around its location — all things collegiate and cool drip from every inch of the hotel's aesthetic. Everything inside Graduate Lincoln from the wallpaper to the bedding is meant to be nostalgic; to remind you of your glory days as your college/younger self.
Another bonus of staying at Graduate Lincoln? The love dogs! Whatever the cost of the room, it was worth not having to board our pup who was welcomed in all parts of the hotel from the lobby near to the Top Golf Suites located adjacent to their tiki bar, John J's.
And you know I did my homework! I knew that John J's was known for serving great food and the ultimate tiki cocktail meant to be drank by two people (I mostly drank it – thank you very much!). So, the scene on Sunday early afternoon was set. I sipped on my rum punch to the backdrop of the local cover band Kelly Oh Brian while my dog dined at my feet on bacon provided by the waitress. Everyone was feeling delightful!
Our room was average in size but not in character. The walls were covered in historical maps, hilarious quotes, and references to the Midwest. The cabinet included a small refrigerator and a Keurig® was placed inside our bedside table which doubled as a hollowed out vintage TV.
Graduate Lincoln has several amenities on-site ranging from old school arcade games in the lobby to an indoor pool and tables games. Street parking isn't much of an option for guests, so I recommend self parking in the neighboring garage that costs $15/night or $17 for valet parking. (We purchased the room package that included two breakfast tickets, which totaled around $139 plus taxes.) Pro Tip: Eat breakfast at the hotel's cafe! I was quite impressed with the quality food and the healthy options included on the menu. My avocado toast was covered in a layers of gorgeous farm to table ingredients.
Short on time, we immediately asked locals which Haymarket District restaurants included dog-friendly patios and then we headed out to get a taste of the area! Our first stop led us to Lazlo's Brewery and Grill where we relaxed on the shaded patio and drank Empyrean Ales best IPAs and seasonal favorites during their happy hour. Pro Tip: Take advantage of beer and drink discounts from 3pm-6pm. $2 off drafts, $2 off appetizers (the beer battered onion rings are to die for).
After returning our dog back to the hotel room, we sought out another patio to enjoy a drink before dinner. We were pleased with the expansive views and comfy rooftop setting at Barry's Bar and Grill. To the backdrop of country music, we people watched and drank cold, domestic beers while seated in adirondack chairs.
As we grew hungry for dinner, we scoped at a "secret" restaurant The Other Room located in a cobblestone alley. Locals informed us that the eatery and craft cocktail bar is like a speakeasy and "if the light above the door is green, they're open and open to seating guests. Otherwise, come back another time." Unfortunately, they were not open when we checked it out, but I'll be sure to revisit the area just to try it out next time. Instead, we dined at Vincenzio's Italioano Ristorante, a family owned authentic restaurant serving Italian entrees. Pro Tip: Always ask the server, "What entree from the menu do you like to eat when not working?" Our server's answer? "Get the Cavatappi Con Broccolo Al Forno. It's like crack. Everyone loves it!" It was hands down the BEST pasta dish I've ever eaten. The dish was served dripping in cheesy, white sauce and baked with a crust of more cheese and breadcrumbs.
I highly recommend sitting on the patio and enjoying a large bowl of pasta served with warm crusty bread at Vincenzo's. The menu is affordably priced and the food is worth every penny.
Soon after dining, we walked the Haymarket District to Versus Arcade Bar. Open to only adults 21+, the basement arcade is stuff to the gills with all the retro games you remember from pinball to Frogger to ice ball. Don't have a roll of quarters? You can buy them from the bartender who serves up a long list of fancy cocktails and basic beers. Pro Tip: Make sure you visit the bathroom to check out the "scenery."
Not much for the bar scene? The city has a number of daytime entertainment options. For football fans, there is no better place to watch the game then at the University of Nebraska. Even if you're not a die-hard Husker fan, you should treat yourself to a self-guided tour of Memorial Stadium, and be sure to check the Game-Day Experience Room that takes fans on a multimedia tour of a Husker game day and tunnel walk. Located indoors near the trophy room, attendees can also view The Traditionas Lobby Kiosk to learn about former and current NFL players who were one-time Cornhuskers. Want to tour the stadium? Enter the northeast side of the stadium to enter the stadium and prepare to be amazed!
Lucky for me, it was the weekend which meant one thing…I had to hit the farmers market in the Haymarket Historic District! Wear comfy shoes and be ready to walk in all directions of the downtown area because it's a BIG market. Local vendors sell everything from beautiful bouquets of flowers to homegrown vegetables. But leave the dog at the hotel because pets are not allowed! Pro Tip: Park in one of the city owned parking garages for free the first hour or pay $1.25/hr afterward. Prefer meter parking? Expect to pay $1.25/hr enforced Monday thru Saturday 8am-6pm.
There is something charming about a town that celebrates its local artists by allowing them to paint murals around the city, and Lincoln is no different.
I promise you'll love your visit to Lincoln. And because I'm so sure you'll love the people and the city, I'm going to leave you with the ultimate tip for any visitor. Pro Tip: Make sure to stop at the Lincoln Visitor's Center (7th and P Street) and ask Betty (or any one of the other amazing employees) your questions about the city. Not only will she give you insider tips but she'll even take your photo with the infamous bobblehead "Lincoln" before sending you on your way with brochures in hand.
Perhaps you've already visited Lincoln, Nebraska? Leave me your tourism tips in the comments below!


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The SFR Ice Skate Blade guards are made from durable poly propylene material to ensure an easy fit and great protection for the blades. The perfect accessory for any ice skate enthusiast!
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Posts Tagged 'Labyrinth'
The limits of GPS: looking for a labyrinth on the edge of a cliff
In an earlier post (Tommy on the edge of a cliff), I wrote about the experience of walking the labyrinth at Eagle's Point in San Francisco's Golden Gate National Recreation Area. What I didn't write about was the role technology played in finding the location of the labyrinth, which is a user-created feature of the GGNRA and not officially acknowledged. As I wrote in "Tommy on the edge of a cliff," a Google search located three labyrinths in San Francisco and I decided to visit the one at Eagle's Point along the Land's End trail where the bay meets the ocean. Before I left to drive across town, I plotted and saved the journey on Google maps on my trusty iPhone. Once I arrived at the trailhead, I relied upon the GPS function of the iPhone to find my way to Eagle's Point. I was surprised to find the trails in the GGNRA clearly marked on Google maps but quickly found that the GPS that works so seamlessly on city streets and freeways was out of its depth. The twists and turns of the trails made simple instructions—"take the next left"— seem meaningless and vague. What on later occasions would be a 20 minute walk turned into a circuitous 40 minute hike.
The conclusion I draw from this experience is not the inadequacy of GPS in non-urban settings but how completely the use of GPS has infiltrated my approach to finding my way. I later found that the trail markers in the Land's End area of the GGNRA clearly indicate the directions to Eagle's Point and following them creates a much shorter route to the labyrinth.
As a note: this post was inspired by the Omni Project of Portugal Consulting, "a self-funded study about the impact that digital technology is having on our lives." Well worth checking out.
- Related articles
- Tommy on the edge of a cliff (decipheringculture.com)
- Tommy on the edge of a cliff (Redux)(popculturetransgressions.com)
Tommy on the edge of a cliff
A labyrinth is not a maze. There is no intention to fool you: there is one way in and one way out. You simply follow the path to the center and then back out, a metaphorical equivalent to any number of spiritual traditions. Walking a labyrinth can be a walking meditation if you do it with intention.
Placing one foot in front of the other,
Gauging the distance as you frame the intention;
Taking the step, intention inseparable from action.
It falls into a rhythm, step after step, clearing the mind.
For the last year, I have been working to rewire my brain in response to some neurological difficulties. Choosing alternative modalities of treatment in lieu of the bag of drugs the neurologist handed me, I made steady but uneven progress. Bodywork, meditation, exercise, music became part of my daily routine. Recently, my wife suggested I add labyrinth walking to my regimen: "I think if you walk a labyrinth once a week, you'll be healed." She described her experience walking a labyrinth and I decided to give it a shot. A Google search located three labyrinths in San Francisco and I decided to visit the one at Eagle's Point along the Land's End trail where the bay meets the ocean. A drive across town and a forty minute hike led me down the bluffs to a labyrinth perched on a cliff. I entered the labyrinth and tried to walk the path with singleminded intention. Maintaining the clarity to keep an even gait was harder than I imagined, especially when the outer circle of the labyrinth passed within three feet of the sheer drop to the rocks and water a hundred feet below. I followed the circuitous path to the center, stood for a while then retraced my steps out of the labyrinth.
I left the labyrinth refreshed and inspired, and a little mentally tired. A beautiful sunny day, the experience of walking the labyrinth on the edge of the cliff had left me with the feeling of possibilities. A number of the healing modalities I'm using are premised on the theory that brain waves need periodic recalibration. To me, walking the labyrinth was most like becoming absorbed in listening to a piece of music. Like deep listening to music, walking a labyrinth can take you away to another world and bring you back reoriented to this one.
- To learn more about how music recalibrates human brains, read William Benzon's Beethoven's Anvil: Music in Mind and Culture.
- To learn more about labyrinths, go to Wikipedia Labyrinth page, The Labyrinth Society, The Labyrinths of Grace Cathedral.


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Hello, my darlings!
This post is about a major bucket list moment of mine. A must thing to do while in Sri Lanka and an amazing experience. Taking the blue train from Kandy to Ella. A bumpy seven-hour ride (map) but maybe the most
On my bucket list you'll rarely find a goal saying "visit this country", "go there". There's a reason for me to go and see a country. And usually there's an animal involved like "swim with the whale sharks in the Philippines" or "meet a pig in the Bahamas" or "get a hug from a sloth at the Peruvian Amazon". Well, for Sri Lanka it was "ride the blue train in Sri Lanka!" And I got to cross it off my bucket list.
Before going, I saw so many photos of this train ride. Instagram is full of people hanging out of it and they make it look so easy. Well it's not. Not because the train goes too fast, but because it is such a bumpy ride, I thought I was going to fall out or hit my head on a tree or something. I have three or four nice photos and like a million photos with only my head or arm or a foot sticking out of that door! It was so hard!!! I was looking at the photos to create this post and kept laughing!
Anyways, the following photos are (obviously) from the Kandy to Ella ride on the blue train and I also added a few of the photos we took at the Ella train station. And the last one is from our hotel in Ella. Actually, the view you're watching in that photo is of the Ella Gap and is taken from the room terrace of our hotel in Ella. Gorgeous, right?


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Although the ECB received a massive 27 "Expressions of Interest" in acquiring one of the 6 teams which will participate in next summer's inaugural Women's Cricket Super League, it has been suggested that they may struggle to translate these into actual bids when the deadline comes around at the end of this year.
Almost all of the submitted Expressions of Interest were led by existing First Class counties, who are the only ones with access to the one thing you need above all else to host a team: a ground!
(Notwithstanding the fact that educational institutions have been repeatedly posited as potential hosts, Clare Connor made it clear at the launch event that even Loughborough's ground would not meet the required standards!)
Clearly then, the counties hold the keys to the kingdom – they have the grounds; not to mention the coaches, the indoor schools… and the actual experience of running a professional cricket team, which should not be underestimated!
However, the word around the game reveals a worrying picture of cold feet at county board level, echoing what Lizzy Ammon has written here:
"Privately some county chief executives have said to me that they are concerned about the realities of being a host team."
Unsurprisingly, when you start to dig a little bit deeper, a lot of this seems to come down to money. With a couple of notable exceptions, the First Class counties aren't exactly swimming in it, and Super League looks at best like a break-even exercise.
Yes, the ECB have talked big money… and to be fair, it is a lot more than the women's county sides currently get… but it still isn't lottery winnings, by the time you've annualised it and divided it around 6 teams. Back of an envelope calculations carried out by CRICKETher suggest that the Aussies are investing almost twice as much in WBBL.
Super League is also a risk, the kind of which the counties feel very nervous about pursuing in the current climate; with the suggestion being that if they could be sure they'd break even, they might go ahead; but given the impact even a fairly small loss could make upon their overall bottom lines, there are serious concerns.
None of this is insurmountable of course; and the likelihood has to be that with 27 frogs to kiss, the ECB will still find their 6 princes… but they just might have to sign a couple of pre-nups first!


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People always ask me one of these three questions when it comes to healthy eating and planning my meals. 1.When do I find the time to cook? 2. Isn't eating healthy really expensive? 3. How do I decide upon my weekly meals and do I get tired of eating the same things? I will address each question separately.… Continue reading The 4 P's of Healthy Eating: How to Save Time, Money and Unwanted Calories.
Tag: livegfree
Superbowl Snacks can be Simple, Healthy and Delicious
Superbowl Sunday is one of the biggest and most celebrated events in the US. Millions of people gather around the television with food and libations to watch the commercials, halftime show, and the best two teams of the NFL go head to head for the national championship title. Unless you are a true fan of the… Continue reading Superbowl Snacks can be Simple, Healthy and Delicious


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She is based in London, but her roots are in Greece. Afroditi Krassa established herself mainly as an interior designer. Her customers include Ligne Roset, Bonaldo, Cassina and Topshop. Her studio has carried out projects for some of the most awarded London restaurants of the last few years, among which Itsu, Café Rouge, Oriel and Dishoom.
I always wonder when I visit how the Milanese feel that the whole creative world has descended upon them for that week.— Afroditi Krassa


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Kale Chips--a.k.a Seriously Addictive Snack!
1-2 big bunches kale, leaves chopped to chip sized pieces
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
coarse salt, to taste
1-2 tablespoons favorite seasoning blend (we love hot and spicy Spike)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spread kale onto baking sheet. Pour the apple cider vinegar, oil and seasoning onto kale. Mix to coat all pieces.
3. Bake for 10 minutes or until crispy. Serve immediately!
ooof. these.
these right here?
these are my new kryptonite.
so many reviews pulled me in one direction then so many pulled me in another.
conflicted feelings surrounding me, i tore up the leaves. i tossed them in the oil & vinegar.
THEN! i dashed the whole pile of 'em with: paprika, garlic salt, onion salt & nutritional yeast.
10 minutes later...heaven.
please try these. don't let the mixed reviews sway you. try the seasonings i did-- it makes them divine!
Never had kale before but tried these after seeing mostly good reviews. Decided to toss them in the oil and vinegar and salt and then put them on the pan. They came out great! A little too salty, but I was eyeballing the salt. The only downside I can find is the after taste of kale is in your mouth for a while. If you don't like that taste, you probably won't like the recipe, but I do so I did! Even if they were a tiny bit soggy in spots, if you eat them warm, they still taste fine.
Ok so I was excited to try these today as I would love a healthy snack that tastes like potato chips!
I must say that I didn't like that all that much. First time they came out too soggy. 2nd batch 1/2 came out soggy and 1/2 came out just right.
However, the just right ones tasted good for a hot second and then the taste sunk in and I didn't not approve lol
I'll stick to my baked chick peas instead.
These are good! I do admit I was skeptical even though I really like kale. If I eat a whole bunch's worth of kale chips, does it count the same as if I ate a bunch of kale, or does some of the nutrition go away during the baking? I really really really want to count them in my daily vegetable count! I'm definitely making these again, maybe an incentive to start a garden with kale!
I do like these chips, and they are super easy, and cheap to make! My only dilemma was that they weren't vinegary enough for me, so I like to dip the chips in a small bowl of the apple cider vinegar. If you are a fan of vinegar either add more or try my way, and if you don't like vinegar try the recipe as is and you may not even notice.
i added a bit too much oil and salt, so some of my "chips" didn't turn out too good, but the ones that did were EXCELLENT. very, very, very tasty. i just finished the batch i made now and am gonna make some more to share with my mom!
These are fantastic! A little sea salt, garlic powder, cumin, and nutrition yeast make 'em taste taste just like the ones at my local health food store but at a fraction of the cost ($8.00 for a tiny bag!) and three times the amount. So delicious. A real keeper.
I thought these were OK. Not great, but OK. I had a bunch of Kale that was almost past it's shelf-life and it was good for that but I wouldn't go out of my way to get kale just to make these.