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At a time when news from Eastern Europe is almost exclusively focused on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, it comes as a surprise to hear that someone has chosen to make a documentary about Chechnya, a place that we've heard little about since the end of the Second Chechen War in 2009.
Manon Loizeau – a French-English journalist and documentary maker – has recently returned to Chechnya 20 years after she covered the troubled territory's wars with Russia. Loizeau wants to change the fact that, in her words, "many young people nowadays don't even know there was once a war in that region."
The conflict – which saw the two territories in opposition over the course of more than ten years (the First Chechen War took place between 1994 and 1996, the Second went on from 1999 to 2009) – is estimated to have killed more than 150,000 Chechens overall, wiping out a fifth of the population.
In her documentary, Chechnya: War Without Trace, Loizeau tells the stories of those who've been long forgotten, and the result is both enlightening and tear-jerking. I gave her a call to talk about what Chechnya looks like nowadays, the resurgence of a Stalinian terror imposed by authoritative leader Ramzan Kadyrov and the country's relationship with the Kremlin.
VICE: Hi Manon. After all these years, what made you decide to go back to Chechnya?
Manon Loizeau: When I first went there, I was a young journalist beginning my career. It was the first conflict I ever covered. There was an incredible brutality to it, yet I developed friendships there. I knew that the place and its people would be in my heart forever, so it felt important to give a continuation to their stories, and to talk about a forgotten population – a forgotten country.
How different was the situation that you found there now?
Well first of all, everything was so much more open before… Reporting itself was much easier. Now, with Putin and the control of the media, it's much harder. Back in the 90s, during the Yeltsin years, it looked like the ex-USSR was well on the way to becoming a democracy. Who would have guessed that it would become what it is now?
There is an atmosphere of terror similar to that of Stalin's era, successfully implemented by the Chechen Republic's leader Ramzan Kadyrov. People know that if they say something against the regime, they are very likely to get into trouble. Everything has been "locked up" by Kadyrov.
I imagine that making the documentary and finding people to speak to was not easy.
Before I even started, all my friends had warned me that I would never manage because people were too afraid to talk. But actually, it's been quite amazing how many people were willing to speak to me. I think some people have become wary of the regime, and some cracks are – very slowly – beginning to appear. Several people even thanked me for doing what I was doing – coming all the way from France to understand their situation and give them a voice. They're not used to getting that sort of attention.
During the shoot however, me and my team had to be very careful as you get easily spotted: Western media are simply non-existent there. They are very careful as to who is filming especially during official parades, such as Kadyrov and Putin's birthdays. And of course we didn't want to put any of our interviewees in danger, so we had to be very discreet. We always had to find new tricks; but I know we were followed several times.
How would you describe the atmosphere there now?
There is an evident eradication of the past imposed by the regime. This is why in the film I worked with the aesthetics of erasure, of oblivion. Kadyrov is progressively crushing whatever remains of the Chechen identity. One of the best examples is the ban put in place by Kadyrov last year on the February 23rd celebrations, which mark the remembrance of the 1944 deportation of Chechens by Stalin. It was a day of national union – a union that Kadyrov is obviously trying to break to gain ever more power and authority.
What is he trying to achieve with this erasure of the past, in your opinion?
The aim is to get ever closer to Russia, to crush any instinct of resistance or rebellion, to suppress any feeling of identity. The only identities that can exist are his and Putin's. It really is reminiscent of the Soviet terror in lots of ways. The history of Chechnya is being rewritten – it starts now, with them. This comes as the same time as actual Russian history books are being rewritten to give a greater part to Soviet history and to Stalin.
In the film, you argue that people are more scared now than they were during the war. Why is that?
This is something I understood when I was talking to people. The major difference is that, before, people were only afraid of one enemy: Russia. Now, they know that they can also be killed by their own family because the atmosphere of terror that Kadyrov has imposed has in fact provoked betrayals within families themselves – if you know it will save you, you may be ready to denounce a member of your own family. In that sense, he has very much succeeded in dividing the population. Solidarity no longer exists.
So are you saying that people have surrendered in a way?
In a sense, yes. Because of what these people have been through, because of the war, it seems that they have accepted a sort of collective schizophrenia where they are forced to forget about the past. In the old days, it was "svoboda ili smert" – "freedom or death." Times have changed. Whatever Kadyrov says is the law. People have no other choice but to accept it. I've had people telling me that they felt safer during war time.
In the film, you didn't interview any officials from the Chechen government. Was that a deliberate decision?
Yes – I wanted this to be a "human" film, a film focusing on the people and on how they really live and behind the scenery set up by Kadyrov. Getting all these testimonies was absolutely unexpected though – I'm glad that so many were willing to speak to me. Showing images of Kadyrov during official parades was enough, as it portrayed him well enough as "the Chechen leader". There was no need to interview him.
We know that back in 2007, Vladimir Putin appointed Kadyrov as acting president of Chechnya after dismissing Alu Alkhanov and that, to this day, they remain strong allies. Would you say that Kadyrov is still acting directly under Putin's influence?
It's hard to assess, but what can be said for sure is that he's doing everything he can in order to appear as "Russia's best pupil". And he's quite successful so far: he's managed to create a sort of "mini-dictatorship" in the region, and he is keeping order in it. So in that sense, he is still very useful to Putin yes.
What are your hopes for Chechnya in the near future?
I think there aren't many hopes that things will change soon unfortunately, unless Moscow suddenly makes the decision to replace Kadyrov with someone else. By inflicting terror, organising surprise raids and killing or arresting people randomly, the risk is that he is slowly radicalising the population and encouraging terrorism.
My only hope was with the Committee Against Torture, who were fighting for human rights in Chechnya. But they've had to close down a couple of weeks ago after they got attacked for the second time.
Do you think once things have settled down in the Donbass region in Ukraine, a similar destiny will await?
In a sense, I think the seeds of what occurred in Ukraine were planted in Chechnya, and there is obviously a similarity in the scenario. One shouldn't forget that the war in Chechnya is also to a large extent what helped Putin seize power in Russia… But it's obviously hard to predict what will become of that region.
Thanks, Manon.
You can watch Manon's documentary here.
More stuff like this:

subset: commoncrawl


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Do you find yourself foraging for sweet and sugary foods more than usual? Do you constantly want to eat? It seems like this is becoming the norm rather than an isolated incident for many during COVID-19. Yes, it is a stressful time we find ourselves living in. Many are eating more, and craving sugar 12 percent more due to elevated levels of cortisol, which unfortunately is brought on with stress.
Tag: Recipes
Back to Baking Basics
This past weekend, not only did I have to brush off the cobwebs on my bakeware, but also perform some summer cleaning on the blog. I decided to get back in the saddle and start blog writing again. It has been too long. And I needed to decompress my brain to pursue other writing topics other than COVID-19 (as dictated by my day job). Great plan, right?
Overnight Oatmeal: Creation of a New Breakfast of Champions
It's been a couple of years now since I needed to move to a gluten-free diet. I always liked my morning oatmeal for breakfast, and found a couple of different brands of instant oatmeal. Easy peasy lemony squeezey with instant oatmeal packages. But then my local stores discontinued stocking my favorite. What was a girl to do? Head to the internet of course, specifically Pinterest, to research what alternatives might be available. Continue reading "Overnight Oatmeal: Creation of a New Breakfast of Champions"


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Top Requests
Learn how to write a grade change request letter. Use our sample grade change request letter as a template for your request letter.
- Sample Letter of Withdrawal from College Course
- Free Samples: Personal Reason Work From Home Request Emails that Work
- Sample Request Letter to Purchase Equipment
- Sample Complaint Letter for Rude Behaviour
- Stop Bullying: Use a Complaint Letter to Take Action
Sample Grade Change Request Letter
Your Name
Your Address
Your University ID Number
City, State, Zip Code
Name of Professor
Name of University
Address of University
City, State, Zip Code
RE: Grade change request for Biology 101
Dear Name of Professor:
This is a formal request that you change my grade in Biology 101 for the fall semester DATE from a C to a B. I understand why you gave me a C grade, but I hope you will change it because of certain circumstances that were beyond my control.
I received an A on every class test as well as an A on my project about the endangered frogs in this county. However, because I was not able to take the final exam, I received an F and my final grade was a C.
The reason I could not take the exam is that I was in the hospital with a concussion after an automobile accident.
The accident was not my fault, and I am well now, but I was under care for two weeks, during which the final exam was held. I have enclosed copies of my medical records.
I believe that if I had been able to sit for the exam, I would have made an A or B+ grade based on my other coursework. I would be happy to take the exam at any time if you would be willing to give it to me privately.
I am a pre-med student, and a C grade in any pre-med course will greatly hamper my chances of being admitted to medical school.
I would very much like to meet with you at any time that is convenient for you to discuss the possibility of my grade being raised.
I can be reached at Email Address or at Phone Number. Thank you for considering my request.
Your Signature
Your Printed Name
List of Enclosures: Medical Records


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Southside holds Black History Month kickoff
Southside Community Center and the Greater Ithaca Activities Center marked the beginning of Black History Month Saturday with a program of events at Southside.
About 50 people came to the event that offered a brief lesson in black history in general and the history of Southside. The lesson was given by Kenneth Glover before a series of, singing, dance, rap, drumming and spoken word performances.
Davi Mozie, the executive director of Southside, noted that the center had not celebrated the month in recent years. She invited those in attendance to take time to look at the pictures from the founding of the center in the 1937.
"We are black history and black history is happening today," said Mozie, who highlighted the pubic announcement of a Black Lives Matter chapter in Ithaca earlier in the week.
Glover gave some examples of black history and passed out copies of a newspaper story telling the origins of Black History Month. He spoke about the efforts of Carter G .Woodson who started Black History Month in 1926.
Black History Month was created by Woodson in Washington D.C, as an event to educate African Americans and others about the contributions African Americans made to American and world history.
"We have the opportunity to look at things from a different lens," said Glover about those who are informed about the contributions of African Americans to history.
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Good People,
This week I wanted to share a conversation I had on Dr. Wayne Pernell's show One Sharp Sword.
On this episode, I take you through my own journey – some of which may sound familiar if you've been listening in for a while. I talk about what my childhood was like and about some of the physical abuse I went through, and how that led me to attract abusive relationships as an adult. I tell the story of my tipping point, which was when I contracted hepatitis and needed to commit to taking care of myself to live.
As we go on, I talk about my work, how I'm transitioning out of medicine, and why I want to do more film and creative work.
Lastly, however, Dr. Wayne Pernell and I discuss the power of anger and why it's not always a bad thing. The truth is, when anger is properly utilized, it can be a great tool.
So sit back, relax, and take a listen. I'll see you in the next one.
Some Questions I'm Asked:
In This Episode, You Will Learn:


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California (CA) debt relief, settlement, and consolidation programs are explained on the following page. Disputing, consolidating, and settling debt are all options to consider, but what's the right option for you? You may not have to pay a debt that creditors claim you owe. We will also provide details about the latest California stimulus (extra $600) that Governor Gavin Newsom just approved for 11 million middle-class Californians.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic in California, debt balances increased by 2% compared to 2019. This number is not huge, but it's an increase. And keep in mind, the full financial after-effects from the pandemic have not hit yet. Consumers could use deferment and forbearance options to hold them over during the pandemic, but as of 2021, monthly payments will all be resuming. And the additional unemployment benefits will be coming to an end.
Before you apply for a consolidation loan or sign up with a CA debt settlement company, take your time and read this debt relief guide. Californians have many options, from the snowball method to debt invalidation services. Know what scams to avoid. Know the difference between California debt relief programs. Know the pros and cons of each option.
Top 5 California (CA) Debt Relief, Settlement, and Consolidation Programs & Options
- A Validation Program challenges the validity of an account where if proven to be legally uncollectible, you may not have to pay the debt. These plans can take around 36 months to complete. You can include most unsecured accounts in a validation program, including credit cards, medical bills, repossessions, and unsecured personal loans. There are restrictions like certain creditors and locations are not eligible. For example, Discover credit cards do not qualify.
- CA Debt Settlement Programs can negotiate your credit card balances and unsecured debts down by approximately 30% (including all fees, by an A+ Accredited Debt Settlement/Negotiation Law Firm). Become debt-free in 24-48 months. Discover credit cards and all major credit card debts will qualify for debt settlement in California. You can have almost any type of account resolved with a settlement plan, including repossessions, medical bills, unsecured personal loans, and more.
- CA Non-Profit Consumer Credit Counseling Programs consolidate credit card payments into one payment, reducing the amount of interest a person pays and getting them out of debt in under five years (GFS is not a licensed credit counseling company but can refer you to one)
- Low interest "Debt consolidation Loans" in California can be obtained through a local credit union. GFS does not offer consolidation loans, but we recommend this option if your primary concern is to preserve a high credit score and escape high-interest accounts. Another benefit of using a loan to consolidate your bills is that you can include secured and unsecured accounts. A home equity line of credit can also be used to consolidate because they often include the lowest monthly payment and interest rate. Still, the risk of going this route is that you could end up losing your property if you fail to make all of your payments on time.
- For Bankruptcy Debt Relief in California, you must consult with a California bankruptcy attorney. We only mention bankruptcy because it can help a person dealing with extreme financial problems that cannot qualify for debt relief programs. What are "extreme financial problems"? An example of a situation that would disqualify someone for a debt relief program in California is if a person has two credit card judgments and is on the urge of having their home foreclosed. In this case, chapter 7 bankruptcy could result in the judgments getting dismissed and wiped away clean. A chapter 13 bankruptcy could result in an affordable debt repayment plan that allows the consumer to stay home and pay off their bills over five years. So as you can see, some cases will require bankruptcy debt relief, but most of the time Golden Financial Services (GFS) counselors can assist consumers in avoiding having to file for bankruptcy.
Are you ready to apply for debt relief? California residents can get a Free Consultation Today! Call now at (866) 376-9846.
Golden State Stimulus
Governor Gavin Newsom proposed giving at least $600 to millions of middle-class California taxpayers.
Who will be eligible for the additional Golden State Stimulus checks?
"Eleven million middle-class taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of less than $75,000, with an extra $500 to those with dependent children; the income threshold and benefit would be halved for married couples filing their tax returns separately. The proposal would cover eligible taxpayers, regardless of immigration status, who did not get a $600 state stimulus check under an earlier program that targeted more than four million low-income Californians."
Compare Pros and Cons of California Credit Card Debt Relief Programs
The following infographic explains the pros and cons of each CA credit card relief program.
How to Sign Up For Debt Relief, Settlement & Consolidation Programs in CA
Through GFS, you can choose from the best debt relief programs in California. We've been servicing San Francisco, Chula Vista, Oxnard, Los Angeles, Imperial Beach, and all of California since 2004 and maintain an A+ rating through the San Diego Better Business Bureau.
If you live in California and need help with over $7,500 in debt, talk to a San Diego IAPDA certified debt enrollment specialist (858) 605-6196. Find out what programs you may be eligible for and see how much money you can save.
Credentials & California Debt Relief Program Reviews
- A+BBB rating and zero unresolved BBB complaints (click to verify A+BBB rating)
- In business since 2004 (click to verify Corporate records at Sunbiz.org)
- IAPDA Accredited (click to verify)
- Check California debt relief reviews at Shopper Approved
- 5-Star rated company on Google – (click to verify and see California debt relief program reviews)
- #1 Rated by TCR
Don't delay the pain that your bills are causing you. Take action today and let Golden Financial's IAPDA certified counselors show you the light at the end of the tunnel.
If your income has been affected by Coronavirus, you may only need "temporary relief." Learn about Coronavirus-related debt relief by visiting this page next.
California Debt Statistics
The Statute of Limitations on a Debt (California Laws)
Did you know that the Statute of Limitations in California on a credit card debt is only four years, compared to six to seven years for most other states? If it's been over four years since you last paid a debt, your creditor can no longer sue you, and legally you may not have to pay the debt.
The clock starts ticking after you become delinquent on your payments. From 30-days after you stopped making your monthly payments on a credit card or personal loan, your creditor only has up to four years to sue you over the debt.
However, if you make any payments during those four years to the collection agency, this could re-age the expiration date of the statute of limitations. If it's been a few years since you last paid a debt, consider debt validation before paying the debt collection company. Debt validation will dispute the validity of the debt to make sure the debt collection company has the legal authority to collect on t
California Debt Relief & Settlement Laws
A new debt relief law in California called the Debt Settlement Consumer Act (Senate Bill 708) –could limit how much debt settlement companies charge. If you have $100,000 in credit card bills and a credit card settlement company reduces these bills to $50,000, that means $50,000 of the $100,000 of debt gets forgiven – wiped away clean! The new law would prevent the settlement company from charging more than 15% of the amount forgiven, so if a settlement company saves you $50,000 – they cannot charge you more than $7,500.
Debt Relief Programs in California
Struggling to pay your minimum payments? Have debt collection accounts? Need help with your debt?
What is the best California debt relief program? Debt settlement, credit card consolidation, consumer credit counseling, student loan consolidation, and validation are viable options depending on each person's specific needs and goals.
We make debt relief simple for you!
- Start with a free consultation to learn your options, comparing the pros and cons of each.
- Pick an affordable monthly payment
- Start on the path to getting out of debt
To start, CALL (866)-376-9846!
Find a Debt Relief Office Near You
If you are looking to schedule a Face to Face appointment, you can sit with an IAPDA Certified Debt Relief Specialist — CALL 866-376-9846 NOW. Get help from one of our experienced enrollment specialists in the state of California. Debt relief appointments need to be scheduled to ensure an IAPDA certified representative will assist you without any interruptions. Call Now To Schedule Your In-Office Appointment at 866-376-9846.
California debt settlement example:
California debt settlement program negotiates a credit card bill down from $4,216.14 –– $1,475.75. (results vary, and this is before debt negotiation company fees get added in)
Consumers in California can choose from multiple programs to help them get rid of all their debt.
In some cases, consumers may need more than one program to address all of their bills. For example, you may need a consumer credit counseling program to consolidate your credit cards and settlement program for your third-party collection accounts.
Federal Student Loan Consolidation, California:
Golden Financial Services can provide you step-by-step instructions on consolidating your federal student loans into an income-driven repayment plan, where your new monthly payment would be close to zero dollars per month. Every year, you would recertify your income-driven plan to keep the lowest monthly payment and ensure you keep track of when you're eligible for loan forgiveness.
If you work in a public service job like teachers and police officers, you could be eligible for loan forgiveness in as quickly as ten years. Here is the step-by-step guide on consolidating federal student loans, reducing your monthly payment, and getting loan forgiveness.
All of your existing loans will get paid in full with student loan consolidation, leaving you with one consolidated loan to pay back. Keep in mind; these are government student loan consolidation programs that you can do on your own, and you don't need to hire any California debt relief company to assist you with this option.
Example of a student loan consolidation case, where the consumer was approved for a zero-dollar payment
The government makes these low payments available for consumers who are experiencing financial hardship.
California Credit Card Debt Settlement & Validation
For delinquent credit card debt, Golden Financial Services could personalize a plan for you to get out of credit card debt much quicker than when paying minimum payments on your own, depending on your goals and budget. We would recommend using debt validation if accounts are in "third-party collection status."
Accounts get proven to be "legally uncollectible" in many cases because creditors can't provide complete and accurate records that they are legally required to maintain.
A legally uncollectible debt does not have to get paid and subsequently cannot legally be reported on your credit report.
A California debt relief client used validation services to walk away from paying a Barclays Bank Credit Card (example case)
Debt Settlement – California
California debt settlement programs can be used as a second alternative to dealing with credit cards if the consumer is current on their payments but on the urge of falling behind or if the validation doesn't solve the problem.
For a settlement program to work, the account needs to be with a third-party debt collection company. Collection companies buy the debt for less than 50% of what it was initially worth in many cases, which is why they're willing to settle for such a reduced amount.
Does debt settlement California programs hurt credit scores?
To save a person, the maximum amount negotiators wait until the original creditor writes off the debt before offering a settlement. After creditors write off the debt, they can then get reimbursed the money owed through tax credits. Consequently, creditors will sell delinquent credit accounts to third-party collection agencies for much less than the full balance owed. After the collection agency takes over handling the account, negotiators can get the best savings on a settlement.
Late marks and a collection account get inflicted on the consumer's credit report while on a settlement program, hurting their credit scores. Accounts can get settled before they turn into a collection account, but the savings won't be as good.
Before using a settlement program, consider debt validation to dispute the account's validity and force the collection agency to prove they are legally authorized to be collecting on the account. After an account is invalidated, it can no longer legally remain on credit reports. Validation services can save a person more money in the end when compared to a settlement plan.
Downsides of Settlement Programs Include
- Credit card companies are not required to settle at a certain amount, but most of the time will settle. No settlement company can guarantee any type of specific savings. Reputable settlement companies will quote clients conservatively based on past results. So, for example, if, on average last year, settlements were anywhere from 40%-55% of the balance, the program will quote you at 60%. We want to see clients save more money in the end than what we originally quoted them because that makes happy clients!
- You could also owe taxes on the amount that gets forgiven on a settlement as the IRS sees the "savings" as "income."
- Although it's rare, creditors also have the right to sue a person over an unpaid credit card.
- Not all clients will finish the program successfully. Some clients can't afford to make all of their monthly payments and are forced to cancel the program.
Does validation also have all of the downsides that come with settling debt?
A validation program does not come with all of the same downsides as a settlement program. Here are a few differences:
- For starters, if an account is invalidated and you don't have to pay it, there are no potential tax consequences.
- If an account is invalidated, it can't legally remain on credit reports. With a settlement program, late and collection accounts can stay on credit reports for up to seven years.
- With validation, all of the accounts are disputed immediately after they are sent to collection. Still, with a settlement program, only one account at a time is negotiated on and dealt with. Consequently, some accounts will sit untouched for over a year with a settlement program.
Credit scores are negatively affected over the first year of the program with validation as accounts must age and get sent to third-party collection status before they can get disputed. Consequently, there is a chance that creditors can issue a summons to go to court, like with a settlement program.
The debt validation program recommended through Golden Financial Services includes a money guarantee that the consumer pays nothing if results are not achieved. Suppose a summons is received while on the program; there is a full refund provided.
Consumer Credit Counseling – California
Consumer Credit Counseling Programs are designed to lower a person's interest rates and consolidate all credit card payments into one.
Accounts are easier to manage when only having to deal with one monthly payment.
With consumer credit counseling, you can become debt-free in 4.5 – 5 years (average).
A consumer credit counseling company will often tell consumers that there won't be any adverse effect on their credit program. Still, the truth is there's always a negative effect on credit when using any debt relief. California consumer credit counseling programs will result in credit cards getting closed out at the end of the plan. Consequently, credit scores go down towards the end of the program.
Do California consumer credit counseling programs lower credit scores?
Consumer credit counseling does put a consumer credit counseling third-party notation on a person's credit report. Some creditors look down upon this mark because it appears that "you couldn't manage your bills on your own."
Additionally, there is a negative effect on credit scores at the end of a consumer credit counseling program due to credit cards getting closed out at the end of the program.
Can credit scores improve with credit counseling plans?
At the beginning of a credit counseling plan, credit scores may improve due to late payments getting re-aged to show current, and overtime balances will go down, improving scores.
How much can you save with California credit counseling?
A person's monthly payment on a credit counseling program is usually around the same as what it would be when paying "minimum payments" on their own. However, you can save money on interest, as credit counseling plans lower credit card interest rates.
Learn more about credit card consolidation here.
Bankruptcy Debt Relief California:
California Bankruptcy Debt Relief Options have the worst negative effect on credit. With chapter 7 bankruptcy, consumers can walk away from all of their debt, including secured debt, where they end up paying nothing aside from attorney fees.
With Chapter 13 bankruptcy, consumers end up paying back their debt, but over about five years on average, and their payment is based on what the judge determines they can afford. Bankruptcy should always be considered a person's last option. Read more about debt settlement vs. bankruptcy.
California Debt Relief Disclosures and Scams – What you need to know
California's debt scams prey on consumers who are struggling with their finances. Some debt settlement companies in California will try to charge consumers up-front fees before settling their debt; this action is illegal. A company can only charge a fee for debt settlement in California after an account is settled and at least one payment has been made on the settlement.
The average fee for debt settlement is 15%-25% of the total amount enrolled in the program, so any company trying to charge you more than that is overcharging you. Some companies will also charge 15% of what they save you; this is also OK as long as it's only charged after the account is settled and paid off, not one day sooner.
With debt negotiation & settlement programs in California, consumers are set up with an FDIC insured savings account. Your payments go into this account and accumulate until enough is available to settle and pay off one of your bills for around half of what is owed (not including the settlement fee for the company). Any company trying to draft from your bank account and direct the funds into their own "company account" is a red flag and could be a scam, unless, of course, it's a consumer credit counseling program. With credit counseling, you pay the credit counseling company, and they will then disburse the funds to your creditors but at a lower interest rate.
Reputable debt relief companies in California will be transparent and forthright with you about each program's downsides, as all programs include pros and cons. If you run into a company that doesn't disclose the downsides with you upfront before asking you for bank information, that right there is a big red flag.
What is the game plan if you receive a summons?
You need to understand what the game plan is if one of your creditors decides to sue. You need to know how the program will affect your credit score and the plan to rebuild it. You need to know what plan B will be if Plan A doesn't work. For example, what if an account is proven to be valid with a validation program? What's Plan B?
The debt validation program recommended by GFS comes with a money-back guarantee. If a creditor issues a person a summons to go to court, the client is fully refunded on that account. The client is then referred to a law firm that settles the debt for a much smaller amount than the total owed.
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I have just received a second 'Sunshine Award' for my blog. Thank you to fminuzzi and to KirkyKoo for the earlier award. Both are much appreciated. It made me think about the naysayers who tell you that blogging is not worth the time and effort, especially if you write fiction. The argument goes that if you write non-fiction it is important to write about your topic and to build a following but that if you are writing fiction you are wasting your time, especially if you decide to write about the craft of writing itself.
Well, I beg to differ.
Firstly, I don't just blog to build a following, to increase my social media platform, or to sell books or to raise my profile as a writer. These are words you'll hear media savvy writers using but I'm not keen on them.
And here's the thing…I blog because I love to write.
I love to write short stories, I love writing novels (despite the frustrations and the hours involved in creating carefully crafted sentences) and I really enjoy writing blog posts. My blog is an outlet for the hundreds of ideas that are sparked as I speak to people, or read other posts, or hear something that I want to comment on in more than just a thread.
Here's the other thing (never use the word, 'thing.' It's as good as using, 'like,' 'just,' or 'somewhat.' Don't use those words)…
I blog because I like to connect with people, to link to articles and to provoke discussion.
I really appreciate the comments and feedback. Some of the suggestions from blog readers have been really helpful to me. I enjoy the engagement with you, my blog readers, and I appreciate the range of ideas. It is important to me that you are enjoying the posts and finding a nugget of useful new information.
Of all the social media sites (and there are many, too many to keep up with to any great extent) blogging is my favourite for it's sheer freedom and for the more personal interaction with people. Anyone else with me on this?
Here's the other thing… blogging gives you a blank canvas that (don't use the word 'that' either) is shorter than a novel but long enough to express an idea succinctly, adding images, links and graphics if you wish.
I enjoy posts with images, videos, book trailers, statistics and links to other useful posts, either on the same blog or elsewhere on the web. Blogging is a great way to raise the profile of other bloggers, to share interviews or book reviews, to encourage others and to share useful information. I have purchased several books recently, purely because they have been mentioned on the blogs of people who I like and trust.
I read blogs written by book reviewers, publishing houses, photographers, travellers, self-published authors, marketing experts (despite their use of terms such as 'platform,' or 'sales'). There is a huge range of topics. Some are highly specific, others are more general, but if you took blogging away from me there would be a dimension missing.
There are those who would argue that blogging takes up valuable writing time. Really? What do you do when you are not writing? Watch TV? Read? Go out? Well, I have an evening of writing ahead of me just because I am on a roll and because I have the time, but I wanted to write this post FIRST to say that blogging IS absolutely worth the time and effort. It is worth it because (and I run the risk of beginning to sound like a l'Oreal advert here) I enjoy the writing and because I learn so much from others.
Please, don't let anyone stop you blogging if you enjoy it.
Here is a list of brilliant blogs which I read regularly. They are by no means exhaustive, I do read many more, and blogs are about sharing so here you are:
Short story authors and links to journals/competitions:
Book bloggers and author interviews:
A Little Blog of Books and Other Stuff
Literary agents:
Industry news and general interest:
Do drop by and let me know if you blog and what your gain from blogging, or add to the list of good blogs to share.
And have a lovely weekend.


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It was July 2 and Maureen's birthday. People of a certain age don't usually make a great deal of birthdays and so ours are low keyed. Nonetheless we do note, as a recent scientific study revealed, that people who have many birthdays live longer than those who don't have as many. Having said that I hope that the Admiral of our Fleet has many more we can celebrate together wherever we are.
One of the ways we could have celebrated was for me to make breakfast, bring fresh flowers for the table, have a grand lunch at a restaurant with some friends and maybe a few old fashion rum punches as sundowners. Unfortunately, the only thing I could accomplish was breakfast. Elsa, a blustery visitor to our shores, arrived in the morning and hung around for most of the day.
Elsa, as you may know, was crowned Hurricane Elsa just as we were finishing our breakfast. She started to make her presence known when we woke at 5:30 AM as the winds started to pick up. The dense clouds obscured any sunrise although no rain fell for a few hours. Checking the local weather radar, the massive rain echoes were approaching Barbados. From the location and movement, it looked like the center of Elsa would pass over Barbados and head for St. Vincent. Barbados is 98 miles south-east of us, and St Vincent is 50 miles south of where we are, Rodney Bay Marina.
This storm was not a surprise visitor. For the last five days all eyes were on the mid-Tropical Atlantic. Weather forecasters and weather models were all in agreement that a significant tropical wave that came off Africa would face favorable conditions to form a strong wave or tropical storm and head west. That was exactly what happened. It sped quickly west, over 25 knots, and arrive on our doorstep as a tropical storm Elsa. It grew into Hurricane Elsa as it passed over Barbados.
By 8 AM squalls came in waves. Winds over 25 knots pushed Kalunamoo against the dock. This was expected. I removed our ramp the day before, added and adjusted dock lines to keep her farther from the dock (the south side of Kalunamoo). As the wind increased and heeled the boat the fenders protected the boat. I knew the winds would be clocking, going from North-East to East then to South East during the day so there would be less pressure against the dock as the day progressed. By 10:30 the barometer recorded its lowest pressure before starting to rise. This meant the center of Elsa was due south and would start to pull away. Sustained wind gusts to the mid 40's (knots) made a racket as rain went horizontal. Instantaneous gusts were probably higher. The below table shows our observations during the day.
Since we were about 75 miles north of the center of the storm the strongest wind were south of here. Everything held as no damage was sustained. Heavy rains occurred here, in St. Vincent and Grenada. Landslides here killed one person in St. Lucia. We had hired a worker and his wife to varnish our teak toe rail and today he said that there was plenty of damage inland including lowsing part of his roof. The usual leaks when heavy rain occurs were noted on board but nothing like the old "leaky teaky" of yesteryear.
This was our first encounter of a named hurricane in the Caribbean. This was an early season storm, especially for this area. In the last 31 years only one other named storm crossed any East Caribbean Island earlier than Elsa. However, our close encounters with strong tropical waves and storms, here and on the East Coast, over the last 40 years were not unusual. Hurricanes were the prime reason we would go to Trinidad in the summer as it is below the "hurricane belt". Trinidad has been closed since last year and who knows when it will open up. Nationals will be permitted in the middle of July but no word of non-nationals. In any case we chose to stay in St. Lucia as we flew to NY for 7 weeks, knowing that the marina is a relatively safe harbor during storms.
And it was. Many boats that were anchored in the bay, including commercial boats for the resorts, came into the marina the day before the storm. There was plenty of space and all were well protected. Granted that this was not a major hurricane and the winds were not at hurricane strength here, it still provided good protection. Electricity on the dock was shut off by 11:30AM until this morning.
The video is what the marina looked like during the day.
As written before hurricanes can be very destructive to these islands but there are steps that can be taken to lesson the danger. Heavy rain is sometimes more of a factor than the wind. The season has just started and no one knows where or when the next storms will form. Historically only 2 or 3 storms affect the East Caribbean during the summer season. Last year's number of storms, 30, was a record. Only 2 were in the Eastern Caribbean. There was also a recent explanation from the National Hurricane Center that although it was a record number, modern technologies help identity more storms than ever before. It was an active season but not as active as the number of storms would suggest.
Well by late afternoon, the winds calmed down to the typical summer trades of 15 and less. Clouds and showers were still around but it was all quiet after a stormy day. Maybe Elsa came to celebrate Maureen's birthday in a very unconventional way. What a way to say Happy Birthday Maureen!


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Immodest Proposals for the David Gemmell Legend Awards
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
I'm reading and reviewing all ten finalists for the David Gemmell Legend Awards. You can follow along here. And don't forget to vote.
I'm taking a brief break at the halfway point to stop talking about the books and talk about the Awards themselves. Please join in below.
There are two definitions of modest - "humble" and "small" - and generally when someone has a "modest proposal" they actually mean neither. So let's not beat around the bush here: this is about big changes, proposed arrogantly.
As with previous years, there are some ground rules:
- The folks running the DGLA are working really hard, actively making the award better every year, and, most importantly, really love fantasy. Running an award is difficult and (very often) thankless. So don't be a dick.
- I have absolutely no affiliation with the DGLA. I don't even get the press releases. I suspect they know this website exists, but I doubt they're reading along. So you're shouting your suggestions into the internet void - that's part of the fun. But don't be surprised when the award doesn't scramble to enact them.
- Philosophically, I think we need to keep the core tenet of the DGLA intact - it is a publicly voted award for fantasy. If only to focus the conversation. Other than that, I think all ideas are fair game.
I've thrown a few ideas into the ring below, but please, share your proposals in the comments.
Debuts = Debuts
Let's get this one out of the way, because I think this was a problem this year. I think debut is best interpreted as 'first published novel'. Novel means a work of fiction, 50,000 words or more. First published means 'made available to readers on any platform, including self-publishing'. If someone's published a history of the Cold War, and then published The Blood City of Thrones - the latter is eligible. If they've self-published a heart-breaking work of staggering lit-fic, and then published The Secret Ember Sword a year later with Harpenguin Voyallancz - the latter isn't eligible.
Part of this is simplicity. Making a debut = first published novel is clean and tidy. It also means that there's no judicial interpretation required. Part of the problem with Kameron Hurley, Ben Peek and John Hornor Jacobs having books considered 'debuts' is that it required a judgement call from the admins on whether or not their previous books were sufficiently 'fantasy'. That's treading in subjective waters, and, since the DGLA is about the public's choice, we shouldn't have that sort of pre-voting decision making. It isn't like we're banning the books entirely, after all - they're still up in the Novel category.
Encourage more YA and self-published books
I am totally a broken record on these points. But these are the two fastest growing areas of fantasy, of all genre fiction and, in fact, of all publishing. Again, if this is an award that represents the public taste in fantasy fiction, it needs to be embracing the realities of the genre.
Nominations from the greater public
There are weird references to 'nominees from the public' on the website, but, even as a DGLA obsessive, I've never actually seen that happen - or understand how to make that possible. Currently, the DGLA pokes publishers, publishers to send in books, those books constitute the 'longlist'. The public then gets involved in the two voting stages that follow.
If there's a mechanic to get nominations from the public, that'd be great because...
- It increases the range and diversity of nominations. This is where those YA and self-published titles could come from. And small press. And etc. etc. All without adding to the administrative burden.
- It increases engagement with the award itself. Because this is fun!
The challenges, I think, are:
- Technical. But organisations like the British Fantasy Society do this already, with a simple Google Form. For something like the DGLA, it'd be nice to see a social mechanic for this as well - #fantasyfriday or something, where you shout out your favourite books from the year.
- It could be too successful. I mean, a list of every fantasy book published could be self-defeating. You could filter with the award admins (but, I don't like this as, again, a public award should be public) or do something like the Goodreads system - every book sent by a publisher is automatically on the 'longlist'. And any other book that gets, say, 10 nominations, gets on the 'longlist' as well. That would add a bit of an admin burden, but it'd be fun. And would weed out the really long-tail books.
As an added benefit, this would make the 'longlist' actually mean something (a little something, but still more than it means now).
Make a new friend
The DGLA seems to be settled in at 17,000 or so votes a year. I think that's votes, not people, but let's assume the latter. First, that's a big honking number. Second, it could be bigger. r/fantasy has 79,000 members. Fantasy Faction has 27,000. Westeros.org has some equally silly number. Various Game of Thrones related sub-reddits total to well over a million. Granted, there's a fair amount of overlap there, but, you know... golly.
So how about a partnership strategy? Where's the little app that let's people vote from reddit, or the widget on the home page of Fantasy Faction? How many tickets to the awards ceremony can the DGLA swap r/gameofthrones for a stickied thread on the top of their subreddit? Etc.
This would also be a nice way of getting around one of the Award's lingering problems - the lack of discussion. Right now there's a rush to vote on day 1, then again on day 1 of the finals. But there's not a 'book club' feel to it, and there's very little conversation about the books (or even comparing their merits). Getting a partner on board could address this without putting the DGLA into a position of having to produce their own content.
Enable social voting
Following on from the above, how about a mechanic where people can vote without going to the (renovated but still... slightly clunky) DGLA site? There are two parts to this challenge:
- Philosophical. That's pushing content out, as opposed to trying to reel folks in. I don't think that's at odds with the DGLA approach in general, as long as you remember that the ultimate KPI here is 'number of voters' and not web hits.
- Technical again. But, honestly, this isn't 2005, or 2010 even - there are a lot of interesting cross-platform voting plug-ins.
But I think this is worth it. Give people a means to vote where they are, not where the site is.
More social media in general, really
Given this is the award for the public, you need some way of actually dealing with the public. Right now, there's a huge reliance on intermediaries: relying on publishers to send books, relying on authors to send voters. The award has a Twitter account that hasn't been updated in over a year and a Facebook page that's trying, but hasn't done much. They aren't easy sites to find, either. If you'll notice a theme to my immodest proposals, it is about going straight to the readers. But that won't happen without a commitment to social media. Right now, I suspect that has - understandably - been the last priority. But maybe the time has come?
I can understand the twitchiness around appointing a person (or people) to be the 'voice' of the DGLA, but a lot of that could be alleviated through proper planning. Again, this is the genre award selected by the public, so let's have fun with that!
Let voters choose three books, not one
Ok, now we're into the really immodest stuff. What if everyone got three votes for each category, not one?
Mark Lawrence, who is a man who knows his statistics, discussed this with me on reddit, and he suggests that it'll actually remove variance from the results - meaning the shortlists (and winners) will reflect commercial popularity even more.
But I'm optimistic. Without any study behind this, I feel there's a lot of knee-jerk voting going on - people that vote for their favourite author, rather than a specific book. What would make this interesting would be how people use their second vote, not their first one. I'm a die-hard fanboy of Chester McFlot (author of God-Viking: The Blood War), so obviously I'm going to vote for his book, no matter what. But then, then what? What happens when I've got a vote outside my 'comfort zone'? Maybe that's where I choose something more 'objectively' quality? (No offense, Chester.)
Honestly, I think Mark Lawrence is right. But with the Legend shortlist looking increasingly predictable, some change should be considered.
Add new and distinctive categories
Last year, I proposed 'Starts', 'Series' and 'Standalones' as replacements for 'Novel' and 'Debut'. These reflect the various ways fantasy books are published and add a bit, of, I dunno... fun. And let's build on that. If we're the big public award - the MTV Awards of Fantasy - why not have categories that no one else can have? Credit for this idea goes to Sam Sykes, but how about some categories that are all about making people laugh, talk and have some fun?
Most Epic Battle
Best Magic System
Ultimate Hero
Vilest Monster
Most Thrilling Romance
This isn't a publisher-focused award or one for 'true-fans', so I'd eschew anything like editor or publisher, or anything that requires a knowledge of, say, word-counts. The DGLA is the award for people that like reading fantasy books, so let's not require any sort of specialised knowledge beyond that. (It is one of the things I dislike about the Hugo Awards - as soon as you're requiring the reader to recall or research a story's word-count, you're outside of anything approaching the normal reading experience. So let's not do that here.)
And, yes, there's potential for infinite silliness here, but, you know, were I an author, I'd be pretty happy to walk off as the creator of the year's 'Vilest Monster'. As a reader, this also gives me more options to choose from - I'm probably more likely to skim the 'Vilest Monster' shortlist for reading suggestions than a generic 'Year's Best'. So these categories - and more - could showcase the range of fantasies, and all the different types of enjoyment the genre has to offer. And be fun.
Ditch the trophies
"It's worth noting that the trophy for The Legend Award is the most expensive literary award anywhere." - DGLA website
Obviously just my opinion, but I think that's a cool thing that benefits one person, and doesn't actually make a difference to anyone else - or the prestige of the award. And, as awesome as the axe is (and it is pretty awesome), how about just writing a cheque? Authors like that, a lot. A cool trophy is cool, but it is pretty far down on my personal list of priorities.
Or, let's be boring. Say the axe costs... £500 (I suspect this is way cheaper than the Snaga, but, whatever)... how about we slap that £500 into a Facebook advertising campaign promoting the winner's book? I KNOW. EXCRUCIATINGLY DULL. But you'll flog God-Viking (Chester will like that), build awareness of the DGLA (good for everyone) and get Likes for your community.
Ok, that's very functional, so how about making a deal for a full-page ad in SFX or Empire instead? I suspect publishers would be far happier, more readers would see it, and Chester can enjoy his £50 gift certificate to Red Lobster in the knowledge that the rest of the prize fund is out there working to flog his books.
This isn't without precedent. The Booker is guaranteed to sell books, because the Booker spends its money on marketing the shortlisted and winning books - and also itself. That ain't dumb.
Rename the prize
Yup. I'm going there. How about dropping David Gemmell from the name of the award?
The Legend Award would still honour the man and be named after his most famous book. And the category titles could stay the same, I guess - they make sense. (Unless you juggle categories as noted above.)
I know Gemmell's influential and important and seminal. I am very sympathetic. Many people regard Gemmell with the same loyalty, awe and appreciation that I have for folks like Eddings and Dragonlance. I'm not trying to bury the man or his contributions to fantasy. (FYI - I also think "The Orbs" is a more inclusive, more interesting name than "The David Eddings Orbs Awards". The Orbies?!)
But... The Legend Awards is a hell of a name. The sort of thing that you put on a book. And, for that matter, fits on a book. It doesn't sound niche, or British or even exclusively epic fantasy - it just sounds big.
I suspect that isn't going to be a very popular suggestion.
Your turn!
Any ideas? What would you do to make the David Gemmell Legend Awards even bigger and better? If possible, stick to the core idea of 'a publicly voted award for fantasy' - or, if not, explain why that wouldn't work. ALL IDEAS ARE GOOD IDEAS. (Except the bad ones.)


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Open your own mind and look for the reasons behind the behavior, and you'll take the first step toward breaking down barriers and communicating with an "impossible" person.Mark Goulston in Just Listen
This book is the most important book any student, professional, or family member can read because it helps us talk so we can understand and become closer. Great ideas in each chapter. Simple and potent. Lots of stories as examples. Specific things to say and why.
Maybe if I listen more skillfully, as Mark Goulston teaches in Just Listen, the invisible, seemingly impenetrable wall between people with opposing ideologies will gradually thin.
Isn't hearing each other what we need right now? Everyone's speaking. Or sticking their fingers in their ears. But who is really listening?
"What's something fun or important that you think you and I should do within the next five years?" Then see how fast you move from "It's your turn to do dishes" to a new and better life plan.Mark Goulston in Just Listen
I suggest applying one idea for a whole week or a month instead of trying to absorb the entire book at once. There are so many techniques; it's easy to forget them if you don't try them out on a test drive.
This book is a keeper.
Photo by form PxHere


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"If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you."https://www.active.com/running/articles/18-motivational-running-quotes-to-keep-you-inspired
During this mental health journey of getting my head right, I have fallen in love with Running, again, for the nth time. Living with Anxiety and Depression as a result of Childhood Trauma has made it difficult to enjoy workouts like the majority, except when I'm running. Running gives me a feeling of escape. In the middle of a panic attack, all I want to do is escape into my Happy Place and put all those negative thoughts into the VAULT! The ability to go as fast or as slow as I prefer, when I want, feels euphoric.
In the past, food was my escape. I used it for everything, found an excuse at every negative thought or experience during any given day. I realized that I no longer want anything or anyone to influence and/or control me to the point of no return – ever again. I want to have control of everything, and that includes food. Everything I put in my mouth has a cost, and I learned that the hard way losing my Gallbladder. Regardless if I needed el maldito organ, I still wanted to die with all of my organs. Well, actually, I also had a hysterectomy so it's a shitshow at this point. Whatever stays is paying premium rent at this point, lol. Seriously though, I have battled obesity most of my life.
The point I am trying to make is that I feel in control when I run. I have a running playlist with my favorite musica urbana/o artists – YES, I grew up on Reggaeton and I love that shit! I digressed; the weight loss I appreciate the most. I have not weighed what I weigh today since before having my youngest child. The heaviest I have ever been is 315lbs, and today I weigh 265lbs. While I am still way overweight, I rather do this slow and steady. Besides, I am super strong!
I am trying to turn a new leaf and dig into passions I enjoyed most growing up. In addition to writing, I love Dance. I have considered dancing again, but more holistically, by filming my own videos and posting them on my Instagram. It is still a thought, but I welcome tips from the Pros, as per always. My favorite Choreographer of all time is Cat Rendic. I grew up watching her dance on a show called The Roof as a youngin', and fell in love with her style ever since. I'm such a FAN!
Thank you for supporting this blog and my ADD self. We covered a lot today, and I have a new goal this week to post daily – cheers amigos!


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The construction of Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards will enter a new phase next month when three major streets are permanently wiped off the New York City grid to accommodate the developer's basketball arena.
State officials announced on Monday that Fifth Avenue between Flatbush and Atlantic avenues, plus two adjacent blocks of Pacific Street, will be closed starting on Feb. 1 to accommodate construction.
The streets will not reopen if the arena is built.
And the same announcement revealed that the Carlton Avenue bridge, which was closed almost exactly one year ago, will not reopen in January, 2011, but in April, 2012.
The controversial street de-mapping has long been a part of the proposed Atlantic Yards mega-development, but the announcement of the closures of Fifth Avenue, plus Pacific Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues and Vanderbilt and Carlton avenues, were criticized as premature by project opponents.
"They're taking the streets prematurely," said Dan Goldstein, the spokesman for Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn. "We'll be challenging that [street seizure], which is part of [the state's use of] eminent domain."
Since leaping one of the last remaining major legal hurdles in late November, Ratner has moved forward with his project far more rapidly than a Nets fast-break. And in December, he sold $511 million in tax-free bonds — roughly half the money needed for the arena.
Ratner also installed "Future home of the Barclays Center" signs around that time. The street closures indicate that the pace of construction will likely intensify.
Still, the proposed traffic changes are relatively minor compared to the "Fourth to Flatbush two-step" that will close Fourth Avenue north of Atlantic Avenue. In the proposed traffic model, Downtown-bound drivers on Fourth Avenue will be forced to turn right on Pacific Street and then left on Flatbush Avenue to continue their journey.
What is more concerning for some Prospect Heights residents is that the longer build time at the Carlton Avenue bridge. As the Atlantic Yards Report revealed on Wednesday, the new delay is the result of a slower build-out plan by Ratner — longer than disclosed in the project's final Environmental Impact Statement. The change in plans is permissible under Ratner's contract with the state if it is the result of an "unavoidable delay."
A spokesman from the Empire State Development Corporation, the quasi-public state agency overseeing the mega-project, could not be reached before The Brooklyn Paper's eminent online deadline.


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Drug deaths up in Dutchess, soar across state
The number of accidental drug overdose deaths in Dutchess County jumped 31 percent from 2014 to 2015.
Last year, there were 59 accidental drug overdose deaths investigated by the county's medical examiner's office, 14 more than in 2014, according to the most recent county data available from the Medical Examiner's office.
The number of local accidental overdose deaths has fluctuated in recent years according to the county, up from 36 in 2010, with a high of 63 deaths in 2013.
A second set of statistics specifically regarding opioid-related overdoses from the state Health Department — which tracks information differently from the county — show fatalities among Dutchess residents surged from three in 2003 to 22 in 2007, and increased to 37 in 2013. The state calculates the number of accidental opioid overdoses based on a person's county of residence, according to the department.
The number of opioid-related deaths rose 47 percent across New York between 2010 and 2014, according to the state.
READ MORE: KILLERS AND PAIN: Painkiller law sends users to heroin
The increase, which is fueled by heroin abuse, is part of a national trend, but the new statistics from the department show just how stark the problem has become across the state, particularly outside New York City.
Dutchess had the highest rate of opioid-related overdose fatalities among its residents from 2009-2013 in counties with 20 or more deaths, at a rate of 5.5 per 100,000 people. Suffolk and Bronx counties were ranked second and third.
"Opioid addiction is a national epidemic that continues to plague families in communities across New York," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said May 10 when he announced a new drug task force.
Indeed, 26 of the state's 62 counties saw the number of deaths double during the five-year span, according to the state. A total of 5,860 deaths occurred in New York between 2010 and 2014, compared to 2,931 from 2003 through 2007, a review of the data by Gannett's Albany Bureau showed.
The Dutchess County Health Department said there has been a "consistent increase" in emergency room visits and hospitalizations related to non-fatal heroin overdoses. Between 2010 and 2014, the rate of emergency room visits and hospitalizations among Dutchess residents due to unintentional, non-fatal overdose from heroin "more than tripled" from 11.8 overdoses per 100,000 people to 41.8 overdoses per 100,000 people.
The state Legislature is debating over a package of new bills to address the growing problem before the legislative session ends in mid-June.
A report quietly released by the Health Department this month shows how staggering the heroin and opioid problem has become:
- Heroin- related deaths in New York reached 637 in 2013 — a 163 percent increase from 2009.
- The percentage of drug-related drugs involving heroin rose from 16 percent in 2009 to 29 percent in 2013.
- Naloxone, the heroin antidote, was administered during 12,000 emergency calls in 2014, up a whopping 57 percent from the previous year as it became more available.
- Opioid-related emergency department visits increased 73 percent between 2010 to 2014.
- Heroin deaths among young people has skyrocketed: Half the deaths in 2013 were among people under 35.
Deaths per day
The numbers are staggering in some places across New York: In 2013, an average of two New Yorkers a day died of heroin-related overdoses, according to the state Health Department, which relies on information from death certificates to maintain drug-related death data.
Ten counties had a rate of more than 10 deaths for all opioids per 100,000 population in 2014, well exceeding the New York average of 6.7 opioid deaths per 100,000 people, Gannett's review found.
Sullivan County in the Catskills had 20 deaths per 100,000 people, while Dutchess and Tioga also ranked in the top 10 at 10 deaths per 100,000 people.
In Dutchess, 256 residents died from opioids — which include painkillers — from 2003 through 2014, according to the state
"We have a comprehensive effort to educate the public about the risk of abuse and the challenges of addiction," said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.
Area troubles
In Ulster County, the deaths jumped from two in 2003 to 34 in 2012. There were 17 in 2014, according to the state.
Monroe County, the deaths increased by 76 percent between 2010 to 2014 — from 34 to 60.
Sen. Rich Funke, R-Penfield, Monroe County, is among lawmakers pressing for more state aid to address prevention and recovery.
"More preventative education could go a long way to help keep our kids healthy and addiction-free," Funke said.
The opioid deaths also increased in the lower Hudson Valley as experts said young people in particular are turning to heroin as a cheaper alternative to other drugs.
Indeed, the heroin deaths among people under age 35 hit 313 in 2013 — nearly triple the number in 2009. Among those deaths, 103 of them were people aged 15-24.
Westchester County had 460 opioid deaths from 2003 through 2014, up 61 percent between 2009 and 2014, the records showed.
Rockland County — had a 56 percent increase to a total of 98 opioid-related deaths since 2003.
John Coppola, executive director of the state Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers, said the increases are alarming. He said the state needs to expand its treatment facilities, saying too many addicts can't get inpatient help.
He said the state should "build a meaningful infrastructure so that we can do prevention treatment and recovery services into the future."
State support
Cuomo and lawmakers are discussing a package of measures to address the heroin scourge. The Republican-led Senate passed a series of bills May 17, and the Democratic-controlled Assembly said it would review the proposals.
Sen. Fred Akshar, a former deputy Broome County sheriff, said he initially viewed the drug problem as a law-and-order issue. But now he sees the need for greater treatment and prevention.
"There was a time in my career, in which I felt that enforcing our way out of this issue was the solution, and clearly I was wrong," Akshar, R-Colesville, Broome County, said.
State officials said it keeps expanding its response to the heroin epidemic, by expanding training, increasing state aid to local agencies and making naloxone more readily available.
The state's budget for naxolone, for example, has increased from $300,000 a year to $3.5 million over the past two years.
In 2013, the state had 86 community drug prevention and naxolone distribution programs. In 2014, 102 new programs were approved — with another 70 added in 2015, the state report said.
Still, Senate Republicans released a report with 48 bills and recommendations to expand New York's response, and Cuomo's task force is touring the state to find additional solutions.
"We've made strides," Sen. David Carlucci, D-Clarktown, Rockland County. "Every time we find an issue, it leads to another issue."
READ MORE: Heart disease among top health concerns in Dutchess
Poughkeepsie Journal staff writer Nina Schutzman contributed to this report. Joseph Spector is chief of Gannett's Albany bureau. Sean Lahman is a watchdog reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle who specializes in database analysis.
Accidental opioid overdoses fatalities by year
New York State Health Department totals for opiod-related overdose fatalities in residents of Dutchess and Ulster counties.
Dutchess County
2003 3
2004 2
2005 16
2006 9
2007 22
2008 24
2009 20
2010 32
2011 26
2012 35
2013 37
2014 30
Ulster County
2003 2
2004 1
2005 2
2006 3
2007 14
2008 9
2009 12
2010 9
2011 15
2012 34
2013 23
2014 17
On the Web
Visit www.poughkeepsiejournal.com for extensive coverage of the drug epidemic in New York, including stories, photos and videos.


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Album of the Week: Historian by Lucy Dacus
"Someone's profession. Feels like my name more than a musician."...more
"Someone's profession. Feels like my name more than a musician."...more
Many times music and literature can evoke pretty similar feelings. That was the case for Kyle Kramer with Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild and Grouper's latest album Ruins, as Kramer writes in a must-read essay over at Noisey....more
NOFX bassist Fat Mike spoke with Noisey about his S&M lifestyle, a choice often viewed as socially unacceptable. He sees BDSM individuals as facing many of the same challenges as the LGBTQIA community, though without the support of a community: It's so unfair because the transgender, bisexual, gay, and lesbian communities have their groups. They're […]...more


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Today I made a Sub-Zero in the same style I made my Scorpion art I posted last week.
Today I made a Sub-Zero in the same style I made my Scorpion art I posted last week.
Greetings fellow hoo-mins.
Super busy week has come to a close as tomorrow restarts regular busy week. WWE Raw on Monday is always fun to see live even though the current storylines are terrible. I'm glad they brought out the Wyatt Family after the cameras went off.
Vegas was beautiful trash as usual. The gaming convention was cool. Though kinda forgettable this year.
Artcade in Rockford was very cool. Met some really nice and talented artists. The gallery was set up perfectly. Sold 3 out of my 5 arts. I can't complain…I wasn't planning on selling any. They are posted below:
If anyone is interested in the Mega Man piece, let me know. These are framed and matted too by the way. And I'm not asking much for it anyway. But, yeah, next time who knows what I'll draw…but I'm excited to be getting into galleries. Haven't done one since high school.
Halloween is getting closer! Wooooooooo.
Hey, long time no see! Been as busy as a racoon at a waffle factory. Just popping in this evening to promote a new art show I am apart of:
Join Rockford aRt.cade for it's 4th epic video game art exhibition "FREEPLAY". As requested by fans, artists will be free to choose any game, any genre, any theme, so prepare yourself for a ridiculous variety of work from over 20 talented local artists! (Also featuring a 5 hour custom gaming soundtrack, local baked goods, interactive displays, video, and contests with prizes by TNT Games of Rockford!). Our shows are always all-ages, so bring the family for a memorable night of art, music, food, and fun!
All is being held at Threetofive Studio in Rockford IL on October 3rd and 4th (Friday and Saturday).
All artwork I have done will be for sale (framed, matted, all nice n' purtty) So come on out, check out some cool art, play some video games, eat some food, and go about your day. I'm really happy to be apart of this. A real good group of people art putting this on.
Below is just a sample of the pieces being sold by me. They are watermarked and are just a preview. I'll post the actual pieces after the show as I am a baby and don't want to spoil anything…completely anyway. I had a lot of fun doing these. I like to make people laugh. And when I realized that this show was more of a celebration of classic video games rather than some snooty art judgement court it really helped me a lot.
Now, excuse me, I am off to some pro wrestling shows and then a gaming convention in Vegas. I'll be dead by Friday. And the Halloween season is upon us. Initiating Maximum overdrive. So much Mountain Dew will be consumed this month.


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The Great Dictator Chaplin's words are as relevant today as they were in 1940.
Charlie Chaplin's famous portrayal of fictitious dictator Adenoid Hynkel, a thinly-veiled version of Hitler, made waves around the world when he premiered the 1940 comedy, "The Great Dictator."
Some call it the greatest speech ever made. This remix puts Charlie Chaplin's climactic address from "The Great Dictator" into present-day context, showing how the spirit of liberty, brotherhood, and equality that defeated fascism seven decades ago must be urgently reclaimed.
Democracy calls for the people to take a stand and fight for their beliefs around dinner tables, in public forums, and on social media, or in the case of France on the very streets But in the Brexit era, rancour has eclipsed civil discourse far too often.
Vulgarity, lies, and bitterness have marred the democratic process, and in some cases, the animosity between those on the left and the right, 'Remain or Leave' has become so personal, that it's easy to forget we're all fighting for the future together in a shared community of people with a shared history and language.
As a nation fully engaged in the politics of the moment, we take a valuable lesson in stepping back and reflecting on the true goals of democracy.
Charlie Chaplin's speech at the end of The Great Dictator provides an excellent road map of how a citizenry can conquer the issues that divide it and how a selfless leader should view the world.
Even though our political leaders fall well short of this vision it has become more and more evident that all workers should unite and set aside our differences as we face in this unprecedented attack on our families and homes that will impoverish not just the poorer in society but both the masses and the middle-classes.
This attack from the oligarchy is unprecedented, they have become intent on crushing all resistance using the very resources that should be in public hands our energy utilities to press down on our very existence with this so-called cost of living crisis, we need to unite for the common good in a common cause, to reclaim what is ours.
Charlie Chaplin's Greatest Speech
"I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone – if possible – Jew, Gentile – black man – white.
We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness – not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world, there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men's souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.
Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost….
The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men – cries out for universal brotherhood – for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world – millions of despairing men, women, and little children – victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.
To those who can hear me, I say – do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed – the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. …..
Soldiers! don't give yourselves to brutes – men who despise you – enslave you – who regiment your lives – tell you what to do – what to think and what to feel! Who drill you – diet you – treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men – machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don't hate! Only the unloved hate – the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!
In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: "the Kingdom of God is within man" – not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power – the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.
Then – in the name of democracy – let us use that power – let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world – a decent world that will give men a chance to work – that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will!
Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world – to do away with national barriers – to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!
Final speech from The Great Dictator Copyright © Roy Export S.A.S. All rights reserved
The Great Dictator Chaplin's words are as relevant today as they were in 1940.
The Great Dictator was Chaplin's first film with dialogue. Chaplin plays both a little Jewish barber, living in the ghetto, and Hynkel, the dictator ruler of Tomainia. In his autobiography Chaplin quotes himself as having said: "One doesn't have to be a Jew to be anti Nazi. All one has to be is a normal decent human being."
Chaplin and Hitler were born within a week of one another. "There was something uncanny in the resemblance between the Little Tramp and Adolf Hitler, representing opposite poles of humanity, " writes Chaplin biographer David Robinson, reproducing an unsigned article from The Spectator dated 21st April 1939:
"Providence was in an ironical mood when, fifty years ago this week, it was ordained that Charles Chaplin and Adolf Hitler should make their entry into the world within four days of each other….Each in his own way has expressed the ideas, sentiments, aspirations of the millions of struggling citizens ground between the upper and the lower millstone of society. (…) Each has mirrored the same reality – the predicament of the "little man" in modern society. Each is a distorting mirror, the one for good, the other for untold evil."
Chaplin spent many months drafting and re-writing the speech for the end of the film, a call for peace from the barber who has been mistaken for Hynkel.
Many people criticised the speech, and thought it was superfluous to the film. Others found it uplifting. Regrettably Chaplin's words are as relevant today as they were in 1940.
This is a "Pay as You Feel" website.
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Introduction: Elegant Fall Colored Wedding Invitations
I looked at a lot of wedding invitations and fell in love with several designs, yet nothing was ever exactly as I wanted, or if it was, the price was way too much for our budget. At this point, we chose to create our own wedding invitations using a kit from an amazing paper company as our base, and then adding to it to create an elegant invitation with a touch more pizazz that would truly set the tone for our special day.
Step 1: Materials
-"Carmine" Invitation Kit purchased from http://www.invitesite.com The paper in this kit included recycled card stock, and gorgeous red mulberry with mango leaves decorative paper which I loved. Elements were: 8.5x11" Husk Card stock, 6.25 x 12.5" Husk Card Stock, Starfold Wrap Mulberry paper, Exterior 6.5x6.5" Envelopes, A4 RSVP Envelopes, Matching Pre-Cut Envelope liners for RSVP and Main Envelopes, and Red Taffeda Ribbon (Which I did not use for this project.)
-"Java" Colored 12x12 Card Stock from Bazzill Basics
-"Brown" colored single sided 5/8" satin ribbon from http://www.jkmribbon.com
-Ink for your printer
-Fonts were purchased off of http://www.veer.com We used "Pabst" and "Declaration"
-Images were purchased off of http://www.istockphoto.com We made sure to use vector images which allowed us to utilize different elements. Search terms we used were "Vector, Floral, Grunge".
-Stamps created on http://www.zazzle.com
Step 2: Tools
-Rotary Cutter which will give you the ability to cut and score your paper
-Lighter (And possibly a candle for multiple invitations)
-Glue Sticks (Which are provided when you buy the "Carmine" Kit)
-Glue Dots: The Kit also includes some of these, but you will need extra, I suggest using
the "Memory" version, which are large enough dots, but extra thin specifically for attaching
paper or photos to each other.
-Gold Pens for edging.
-Glimmer Mist from Tattered Angels color: "Gold". http://www.mytatteredangels.com/
-Printer. (Ours was an HP inkjet printer.)
Step 3: Assembly - Addressing Your Envelopes
If you plan on printing addresses from your computer directly onto your envelope, (ie: return addresses etc), I suggest do so prior to gluing in your envelope liners as this will add thickness to the envelopes and may create complications. Pictured on the left is the address printed directly on the envelope... on the right, we used clear mailing labels, printed on them and then stuck them on.
Or, you could always utilize the handy instructable I submitted for DIY Calligraphy and fake your way through making it look hand written.
Step 4: Adding Liner to the Envelope
I personally think that lined envelopes add an extra touch of luxury. The carmine kit comes with envelope liners. However, if you were doing this from scratch, it's a simple method of sacrificing one envelope as a template, tracing on your desired paper as the liner and cutting by hand.
Using your glue stick, insert your pre-cut envelope liners into each envelope. Fold liner over to apply glue, and then gently press to the inside of the envelope. DO NOT USE A GLUE GUN. I know a bride who's envelopes were falling a part, so she decided to glue gun them together.
Not only are hot objects and paper a bad idea, she also added weight and thickness to her invitation which can increase the postage cost.
Step 5: Adding Some Bling to the Wrap Paper.
Now here's where you get to benefit from my lessons learned. While I loved these kits, I wanted to add some sparkle. I thought the exterior mulberry paper would look lovely if it were edged in gold. So, I went out and purchased a couple bottles of gold nail polish and got to work on each piece. While the effect was lovely, it created an extremely stinky apartment. Doing this project again for someone else, I was able to re-create the effect using a gold marker and a gold gel glitter pen on top. Same look, less stink.
Step 6: Make That Paper Shine!
I also wanted to add a soft shimmer to the exterior of this mulberry paper. For my project, I ended up using "Queen Phyllis" eye makeup from Bare Minerals... adding it to a makeup brush and lightly brushing it over the paper to create a shimmer effect. Result was pretty, but costly. Lo and behold, I discovered a new product by Tattered Angels called glimmer mist! It's effective and fast and adds a fine colored glimmer to any product. So... take the mulberry paper and lay it down with the part that will be facing outside laying up. (Make sure you have something underneath you don't mind getting sprayed too.) Shake the glimmer mist so everything mixes properly, and lightly spray the paper. Allow to dry a few minutes.
Step 7: Creating Your Base - Part 1
Here's a random note about invitations... there is no single right way to do them. They can be as simple or complicated as you want them to be, and there are a million and ten different ways to design them. For me, there are two basic things to think about when it comes to your invitations:
1. What information do you want on them?
2. How would you like that information to be presented?
For our elements/information we chose:
- Invitation
-Hotel Information
For how the info was presented, I decided I wanted all these elements to be bound in such a way that there was only ONE piece of paper for the guest to potentially lose. Hence, the idea of a 'book' type setup was born.
Take your Bazzill 12x12 Java paper and cut in half using the paper cutting feature of your rotary blade so now you have two pieces that measure 12x6".
Step 8: Creating Your Base - Part 2
Now changing the cutter so it is in scoring mode, score your 12x6 paper in half so that you can easily fold your java colored paper into a 6x6" booklet.
Step 9: Creating Your Elements
Now we're onto our elements section. For us, we opted to have four different parts to the invitation; The invitation, hotel card, maps/directions, RSVP card. The first three parts were all square measuring 5.5x5.5" and were printed on our HP Inkjet home printer on the 12.5x6.25" card stock, and then cut down to size. As stated above, original images were purchased off of istockphoto.com, and fonts from veer.com. Graphics were then created on Adobe InDesignCS3 software.
Step 10: A Note About Maps
For the map, first we took a screen shot of google maps. Image was then brought into Adobe Illustrator where a second layer was created, and the key streets were traced over. It was then transferred over to InDesign where graphic was created and saved as a PDF.
Step 11: Mounting Your Elements Onto the Base
After the invite, hotel info and map cards were printed up and cut to size, I mounted them onto the java card stock by placing glue dots on each of the four corners of the cards and pressing them gently to the paper to adhere.
I suggest using Glue Dots. They are my favorite. They also have 'memory' glue dots which are made for scrap booking. They are thin, but have a high tack.
Step 12: RSVP Cards
RSVP Cards were printed on the 8.5x11" card stock. The actual cards measured 5.5x4.25" and hence fit 4 to a sheet. We also then flipped the paper over and printed our monogram on the other side which was a merging of our initials together, an 'M' and an 'A'.
Step 13: Finishing Up the RSVP
RSVP cards were cut down, and then tucked inside the flap of the RSVP envelope which had our return address printed on it along with the proper postage. (We used superhero stamps for the RSVP envelope because we're closet nerds.) Whole shebang was then tucked inside the booklet.
Step 14: Wrapping Up Your Invite
Meanwhile satin ribbon was cut to 24" in length and fed through the pre-cut holes in the starfold mulberry paper, shimmer side of the paper down. (Depending on your bow tying skills, it may need to be slightly longer.)
Step 15: Wrapping Up Your Invite Part 2
Place invitation inside and then fold the pointed flaps over securing shut with a single glue dot.
Step 16: Tie and Finish the Ribbon
Tie your ribbon into a neat little bow, using your scissors trim the edges, and then with a lighter, carefully melt the edges of the bow to prevent the satin from fraying. (Good old, Ren Faire trick.) If doing multiple bows, it might be useful to light a candle and utilize the flame from that.
Step 17: Stamps
A quick note about stamps. We ended up custom making our postage on the outside from http://www.zazzle.com For these invites, they are considered 'odd sized' and therefore require more postage. The weight and thickness of your invitation will also determine the cost to send it. I highly recommend taking a sample invitation to the post office before buying postage.
I love using zazzle as it's a great way to make a neat impact. A note however about the image you chose... make sure it's bright enough, if your photo that you upload is too dark, your stamp may appear grainy. Despite it being grainy, I still love our stamp we used, which was a photo of us at Sundance along with our wedding date added on there via Photoshop before being uploaded.
Step 18: The End
And there you have it! These were truly a labor of love between myself who likes to scrap book and my husband who does graphic design. Even now, we still like to make fancy invitations for events we throw. Our friends love getting them, and claim they're often times more ornate than actual wedding invitations they get, which is nice to hear.
Approximate Cost: $6.50 per invitation INCLUDING postage for invite and RSVP envelope.
A couple more images for the road.
Participated in the
DIY Wedding Contest