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New Treatment Significantly Improves Long-Term Outlook for Breast Cancer Survivors:
International clinical trial concludes women should consider taking letrozole after five years of tamoxifen treatment to continue to reduce risk of recurrence
- Posted: October 9, 2003
- Updated: June 10, 2004
June 10, 2004 Update:
An updated analysis from an international clinical trial of the drug letrozole was presented on June 8, 2004 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in New Orleans. With additional follow up now available to a median of 2.5 years, letrozole (Femara) was found to be effective in reducing local and distant recurrences of cancer, as well as new breast cancers, regardless of whether the patient's cancer had spread (node-positive) or had not spread (node-negative) to the lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis. The rate of distant breast cancer spread was reduced by 40 percent compared to placebo. Most importantly, with the additional followup available for this new analysis, letrozole now shows an improvement of 39 percent in overall survival for node-positive patients.
"Of equal interest to the good news on survival, additional follow up did not show any further increase in side effects related to bone fractures or heart," said Jeffrey Abrams, M.D., coordinator of the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Cooperative Group breast cancer treatment trials. "While a survival advantage has not yet appeared for patients with node-negative disease, their results do parallel those seen in node-positive tumors."
Follow up with women in this study will continue for another ten to fifteen years. Other studies are being planned or are in progress to examine the issue of when is the optimal time to switch women on tamoxifen to aromatase inhibitors, such as letrozole, and for how long these drugs could be administered.
Original Statement:
A Canadian-led international clinical trial has found that post-menopausal survivors of early-stage breast cancer who took the drug letrozole after completing an initial five years of tamoxifen therapy had a significantly reduced risk of cancer recurrence compared to women taking a placebo. The results of the study appear in today's advance on-line edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The clinical trial has been halted early because of the positive results and researchers are notifying the 5,187 women worldwide who have participated in the study. Women on letrozole will continue taking the drug and those on the placebo can begin taking letrozole, if they wish.
"This very important advance in breast cancer treatment will improve the outlook for many thousands of women," said Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., director of the National Cancer Institute which led the study in the United States. "This is one more example of the ability to interrupt the progression of a cancer using a drug that blocks a crucial metabolic pathway in the tumor cell."
Study researchers found that letrozole, when taken after five years of tamoxifen therapy, substantially increased the chance of remaining cancer free. In total, 132 women taking the placebo had their disease recur compared to 75 on letrozole. Overall, letrozole reduced the risk of recurrence by 43 percent, so that after four years of participating in the trial, 13 percent of the women on the placebo, but only seven percent, of those on letrozole had recurred. Deaths from breast cancer were also reduced. Seventeen women taking the placebo died of breast cancer compared to nine taking letrozole.
While tamoxifen is widely used to prevent breast cancer recurrence in post-menopausal women, it stops being effective after five years because, researchers believe, tumours become resistant to it.
"More than half of women who develop recurrent breast cancer do so more than five years after their original diagnosis," says Paul Goss, M.D., of Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. "For years, we have thought that we had reached the limit of what we could do to reduce the risk of recurrence with five years of tamoxifen. Our study ushers in a new era of hope by cutting these ongoing recurrences and deaths from breast cancer after tamoxifen by almost one half." Goss, a leading expert in novel hormone therapies for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, conceived and chaired the international trial with letrozole.
A form of hormone therapy for the treatment of breast cancer, letrozole works by limiting the ability of an enzyme called aromatase to produce estrogen, a major growth stimulant in many breast cancers.
Mayo Clinic medical oncologist James Ingle, M.D., says, "Based on our findings, all post-menopausal women with hormone-receptor positive tumours completing about five years of tamoxifen should discuss taking letrozole with their doctors to reduce their risk of breast cancer recurrence." Ingle, from Rochester, Minn., led the research study in the United States.
With Canadian Cancer Society funding, the clinical trial was coordinated by the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group at Queen's University, in partnership with the U.S. National Cancer Institute and its Clinical Trials Cooperative Groups. Novartis, which manufactures letrozole, also known as Femara®, provided the drug for the trial.
Women participated in the study for an average of 2.4 years and for as long as five years. The study found that women taking letrozole had a reduction in the number of recurrences of cancer in their previously affected breast, a reduction in the number of new cancers in their opposite breast, and a reduction in the spread of the cancer outside their breast.
The side effects of letrozole, a pill which is taken once a day, are very similar to those experienced by women undergoing menopause. They were generally mild in study participants. Women in the study will continue to be followed to more thoroughly assess any effects of long-term use of letrozole on bone strength or other organs. Until these are known, patients should be monitored closely.
"The Canadian Cancer Society is pleased to have made a key contribution to this study," says Barbara Whylie, M.D., director of Cancer Control Policy for the Canadian Cancer Society. "We estimate that more than 20,000 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and just over half of those are going to be eligible for this drug. That means these women will have a significantly improved hope for a future without cancer."
"This large trial only began in 1998 and we already have important results that will change clinical practice," says Jeffrey Abrams, M.D., coordinator of the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Cooperative Group breast cancer treatment trials. "This is a tribute to the patients and physicians who participated since their efforts will now have a positive impact on so many lives."
Participants in the clinical trial were enrolled through hospitals, cancer centers and institutes throughout Canada, the United States, England, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and the International Breast Cancer Study Group coordinated the European component of the trial.
The Canadian Cancer Society is the largest charitable funder of cancer research in Canada. It funds clinical trials research through its support of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group.
The National Cancer Institute is the primary U.S. agency for cancer research.
For more information on the results of this clinical trial and what it might mean for you:
More information on aromatase inhibitors can be found at:
In Canada, call the Canadian Cancer Society at 1-888-939-3333, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or visit www.cancer.ca. Service is available in English and French.
In the United States, call the National Cancer Institute' Cancer Information Service at 1-800-422-6237, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit cancer.gov. Service is available in English and Spanish.


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Posted by Nichole Johnson |
Saturday, May 05, 2012
Capital University held its 162nd Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 5, 2012, conferring degrees on more than 640 graduates, at The Capital Center Field House, located at 1 College and Main in Bexley. Capital President Denvy A. Bowman, Ph.D., presided over the ceremony, and Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman delivered the keynote address to a crowd of more than 5,000, including over 530 graduates who participated. "Today, graduates, we celebrate with you and we celebrate because of you. For this marks the cultivation of 642 thoughtful, capable and ethical leaders whose values compel them to serve and improve their communities," Bowman said."You are all to be commended," Coleman said. Listing several accolades Columbus has earned for its economy, job creation and its ability to attract college gradates, Coleman added, "If you're wondering where to move for a good job, I have some good news for you. You don't have to move at all. Stay right here."At Capital, they ask you to ask, they ask you to think, and they ask you to lead. It is your obligation to change that world, and you only need two things to do that — inspiration and perspiration. You need to be focused, you must sweat for success. As you are conferred this degree from one of the finest universities in the country — Capital University — and as you go forward to change the world, do it with inspiration and perspiration."The festivities concluded with graduates completing the traditional procession through Memorial Gateway, the official entrance to campus. The tradition of the ceremonial passage through the gateway begins in the fall when entering students process in through the gate as a symbolic entrance into the academic community. The passage is repeated in reverse order each year at the end of Commencement, with all graduates exiting the gates, symbolically marking the completion of this part of their educational journey.
Located in the Columbus, Ohio, neighborhood of Bexley, Capital University is a private, four-year undergraduate institution and graduate school. Capital prepares students for meaningful lives and purposeful careers through a relevant liberal arts core curriculum and deep professional programs. Influenced by its Lutheran heritage, Capital places great emphasis on the free and open exchange of ideas, seeking out diverse perspectives, active participation in society, leadership and service. With a focus on rigor and experiential learning, the University capitalizes on its size, location, and heritage to develop the whole person, both inside and outside the classroom.
Contact: Nichole JohnsonDirector of media relations and communicationsCapital University614-236-6945c: 614-440-9158
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Contour 3320 ContourGPS Waterproof Case - Green
Item#: C256-0060 | Model#: 3320Contour ContourGPS Green Waterproof Case Product Details
Contour 3320 ContourGPS Waterproof Case
Tune up your underwater adventure with the Contour 3320 ContourGPS Waterproof Case! This casing guard is build to eliminate water leakage and lock out moisture for underwater photography. The camera is set safe by two safety latches acting to hold the camera on its secure location. Trails is designed to set the camera on variety of mounts against tides and currents. The green and transparent outlook forms an attractive combination. Give your underwater adventure a new twist with the Contour 3320 ContourGPS Waterproof Case!
What It Is And Why You Need It:
- ContourGPS Waterproof Case; ensures total protection against wet conditions
- Two safety latches; holds the camera in its secure location
- Trails settings; allow you to set the camera on variety of mounts
Manufactured by: Contour
Warranty provided by: Contour
Limited Warranty: 6 months parts; 6 months labor
Mfg Part No: 3320
UPC No: 7935737087556
Box Size: ( Length:7, Width:8, Depth:3)
Shipping Weight: 0.5500 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information - Limited Warranty: A full text version of the limited warranty
may be obtained by mailing a self addressed, stamped envelope to the
address below and requesting the warranty for item number: C256-0060
Warranty Information
7795 W. Flagler St. Suite 35
Miami, FL. 33144 - Contour logos are registered trademarks of Contour. All others trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


text: Through four volumes of Figure's Monsters series, the producer has kept up with the creepy Halloween-flavored bass music. If you're looking for terrifying tricks and tasty treat-filled beats, he's got you covered. Monsters, Vol. 4 was released on DOOM earlier this month, but in the spirit of this haunting holiday, we get bangers like "The Blob" for free… for tonight only! Trying to scare the shit out of the trick-or-treaters? Need a ghoulish soundtrack for your at-home Halloween rave? Figure's got you covered.


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What's New
Improved supports for iOS 7.App Description
A multitouch painting program for kids with random brush sizes and colors! Once you start the program, you will be shown a black canvas, just start painting!Tap with 2 fingers to draw lines.
Tap with 3 fingers or shake the device for menu!
Use the menu to import photo, take picture, save the drawing, print to AirPrint enabled printer, or email to your friends! You can show it to us too - once selected, they will be shown to the world!
** Review **
My baby loves drawing and the random brush color of this application makes it more entertaining. simple to use, my kid just need to draw and shake the mobile phone to erase the drawing! - AppConsumer
** Picture Gallery **
App Changes
February 28, 2014 New version 2.4
October 05, 2013 New version 2.3
April 13, 2013 New version 2.2
October 30, 2012 New version 2.1
November 10, 2011 New version 2.0
May 14, 2011 Initial Release


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The Chums are here! With boats returning to the docks with their limit (4) it's a great time to do some fall fishing. Chums aren't the most attractive salmon with their giant under bites but they are just as delicious as the rest and they put up a great fight on the rod.
Our Octoberfish Chum Derby will be starting on October 1st and run through October 9th; this will be your last chance to win great prizes just by fishing folks.
Prizes include accommodation and activities at two of the Oak Bay Marine Group's properties and a prize will be given to the largest fish every day. Find all the details on our webpage at http://www.painterslodge.com/lodge/events/octoberfish/
~ Caylin


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shopping bag is empty
Approximately 32 inches high. This animal ornament is elaborately handcrafted in Rajasthan, India, an area globally renowned for its folk art. It is a veritable collage of beads and bells, recycled fabrics and ribbons! These animal ornaments are fun and unique decorations for the holiday season, but many of us leave them hanging all year around. (Due to the very handmade nature of these items, each piece is unique and measurements are approximate.)


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Beauty pageant princess Paisley Dickey best known as the little girl who wore a Pretty Woman prostitute dress on Toddlers and Tiaras has paid tribute to her dead rabbit Bun Bun by having him stuffed and mounted on one of her pageant crowns.
The four-year-old's creepy trip to the taxidermist was documented by her stage parents, who sold the tape to TMZ.
The family says Bun Bun died of a heart attack when he heard a balloon pop. They tried to bury him, but Paisley refused to say goodbye.
Sooo … they popped his scary, stiff, bunny corpse in a shopping bag and took him along to the local taxidermist who consulted with their toddler about her pet's final resting place wedged in the middle of her favourite plastic pageant crown.
Cue: nightmares.
Check out the scandal that made Paisley famous in our video slideshow:


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Here we go again. After the back-and-forth drama surrounding the future of the Holden Commodore in the U.S. market, new reports suggest General Motors is, in fact, seriously looking at selling the rear-wheel-drive sedan in North America as a Chevrolet.
If the notion sounds familiar, it should. Shortly after the sublime G8 was axed as a byproduct of Pontiac's death, GM car czar Bob Lutz told us that the car, sold in Australia as a Chevrolet, was "too good to waste," and would be sold through U.S. Chevy dealers as a Caprice. It didn't take long for PR reps and other executives to quickly backpedal -- then-CEO Fritz Henderson turned down the idea, stating he wasn't a fan of rebadging it as a Chevy.
The truth lurked between those two extremes. Holden's Caprice, a long-wheelbase version of the Commodore, joins Chevrolet's portfolio later this year as a police cruiser, but isn't available to the general public. As such, this leaves a hole in GM's performance car portfolio, and product planners are beginning to look for ways to fill it. Could a Chevrolet-badged Commodore fit the bill?
Perhaps. We've previously heard GM president (and former Holden boss) Mark Reuss is an advocate of the idea, but a new report from Australian newspaper The Age suggests such wheels are already turning.
"What we are looking at is bridging a gap in the performance sedan market that was vacated by the Pontiac G8," GM senior engineer Al Oppenheiser told The Age. "With no Pontiac, the obvious performance brand is Chevrolet."
There's more logic in the idea than simply giving American buyers and Chevy dealers a hairy, V-8, rear-wheel-drive sports sedan. The death of the G8 severely impacted Holden's production facility near Adelaide, as the division had previously planned to export nearly 30,000 Pontiacs each year. The loss reportedly shorts Holden nearly $1 billion in annual revenue, which is especially painful, considering the $77 million spent to ready the plant for the left-hand-drive production run.
It wouldn't be all that hard to ready the Commodore for Chevrolet's use in the U.S. Most of the extensive engineering to convert the car to left-hand-drive has already been performed, and other details -- notably ensuring lamps and other subsystems meet FMVSS requirements -- could be tackled by using G8 parts or designs. Additionally, Holden exports the Commodore to the Middle East as the Chevrolet Lumina -- if GM brass don't push for a complete exterior refresh, the grille and bumper fascia (with some modifications) could be used to quickly ready a bow-tie model for the States.
If approved, the U.S.-spec Chevy Commodore could be sold with the same engines once used in the G8 range. The standard 3.6-liter V-6 was good for 256 horsepower, while the 6.0-liter V-8 delivered 361 horsepower. G8 GXPs were fitted with the 6.2-liter LS3 V-8, and was rated at 415 horsepower. That's certainly plenty of power, but if product planners feel there's a business case, the 556-horsepower, supercharged 6.2-liter LSA V-8 -- which currently powers the Cadillac CTS-V range -- could also be squeezed underhood.
We'd wager the four-door sedan is certainly under consideration for our market, but variants of the Commodore could also be under consideration as well. At one time, GM considered selling the Commodore Wagon under the Pontiac brand, and actually came close to selling the Commodore Ute pickup as the G8 Sport Truck. Of those two, we think the latter would be more likely to come stateside. Not only would it help Chevy's CAFE ratings (if classified as a truck), but it would also make for a perfect comeback for the El Camino nameplate.
What say you? Should the Commodore appear in Chevy's portfolio ASAP, or does it need a head-to-toe makeover? What engines would you like to see fitted? Would a wagon or small pickup variant make sense in the United States? Sound off in the comments section below.
Source: The Age


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The Boxcar Lilies bring an energetic presence and contemporary take on a range of traditional genres including folk, bluegrass, country, and gospel. Accompanied by guitar, clawhammer banjo, concert ukulele, electric bass, and washboard, their singing voices-like their writing voices-are distinct and exceptional. Sometimes gritty, sometimes delicate, their sound is always warm and welcoming. See more about The Boxcar Lilies here.
The Cuyahoga Valley Heritage Series, presented by the National Park Service and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley Natioanal Park, celebrates the cultural legacy of the Cuyahoga Valley. The series is sponsored by Time Warner and the Lloyd L. and Louise K. Smith Foundation.
Tickets are $17 for general public, $12 for Conservancy members, and $5 for children ages 3-12. To become a member of the Conservancy and enjoy special pricing on all of our park events, click here.
© 2013 Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park


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Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) | New International Version (NIV) |
34 "But keep watch on yourselves, or your hearts will become dulled by carousing, drunkenness and the worries of everyday living, and that Day will be sprung upon you suddenly like a trap! | 34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. |
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (The Complete Jewish Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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Fat Free Mix Vegetable Rice Recipe
This is a fat free recipe and easy to make.
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Gluten Free Chickpea Bread recipe
In this recipe show Chef Pippa Kendrick shows you how to make gluten free, vegan and yeast free chickpea bread. A household staple that everyone can enjoy!
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Almond Coconut Balls Recipe - Gluten Free Cookie Recipe
Easy delicious cookies with almonds and coconut! Not only tasty but also gluten free! Try this out at your kitchen!
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Learn to make gluten free Pizza following this recipe show. Try this out at your kitchen! More about the Coles Gluten Free range: http://bit.ly/17a10Su More Gluten free recipes from Coles: http://bit.ly/11oIVS5
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Easy homemade pizza made from scratch. Topped with grated cheese, vegetables & pizza sauce, it's delicious & yummy Enjoy!!!
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Brenda's Chow
I love to cook almost as much as to eat. I'm especially interested in high fiber, low fat and low calorie. But of course I want it to taste GREAT!!
(165 Recipes) Created by GATOR12
Recipes in this Collection
Very Good 4.9/5
(7 ratings)
Cookbook creator says: Pizza for One Submitted by QUADDOLLP Carbs: 26.6g | Fat: 8.4g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 33.1g | Calories: 313.8
Very fiber-full recipe!! Submitted by TONIBALOGNA_11 Carbs: 12.2g | Fat: 5.2g | Fiber: 3.3g | Protein: 8.5g | Calories: 127.9
(no ratings)
I have fixed this several times for cold evenings and taken it to church function. Received compliments and love the speed and use of crockpot. Submitted by GATOR12 Carbs: 9.3g | Fat: 5.1g | Fiber: 0.9g | Protein: 13.6g | Calories: 137
Brought To Your Kitchen From SparkPeople Member: LBBROCK195 Carbs: 42.2g | Fat: 1.6g | Fiber: 8.2g | Protein: 8.8g | Calories: 206.9
Very Good 4.7/5
(37 ratings)
Submitted by SHELLTHERUNNER Carbs: 8.8g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 0.9g | Protein: 27.6g | Calories: 227.2
I am known for my pancakes, so trust me on this one! Submitted by AMROZ123 Carbs: 18.2g | Fat: 0.4g | Fiber: 3.3g | Protein: 5.2g | Calories: 92.6
Cookbook creator says: Crush up cereal, don't use entire env Ranch,salty. Submitted by 2BHOTT Carbs: 15.1g | Fat: 3.4g | Fiber: 0.5g | Protein: 34.4g | Calories: 232
Very Good 4.3/5
(3 ratings)
These are tasy meatballs Submitted by STARRINGME Carbs: 1.4g | Fat: 2.2g | Fiber: 0.1g | Protein: 2.1g | Calories: 34.6
Very Good 4.1/5
(7 ratings)
Cornbread that you use applesauce instead of oil Submitted by MSODROG Carbs: 29.3g | Fat: 2.6g | Fiber: 1.6g | Protein: 5.4g | Calories: 160.9
Very Good 4.3/5
(19 ratings)
From the Biggest Loser Families Cookbook Submitted by TWOBEESINLOVE Carbs: 10.5g | Fat: 0.1g | Fiber: 2.9g | Protein: 1.5g | Calories: 43.9
Very Good 4.5/5
(4 ratings)
Cookbook creator says: parboil after peeling and then cut into fries, bake @425 for 15 min after coating with olive oil and seasonings cook 15 min each side. Submitted by OCTOBERBRIDE09 Carbs: 25.2g | Fat: 4.7g | Fiber: 2.2g | Protein: 1.3g | Calories: 143.2
This recipe has been marked private.
Incredible! 5.0/5
(1 rating)
Low fat soup Submitted by ROSEHIP:-) Carbs: 27g | Fat: 2.6g | Fiber: 6.8g | Protein: 18.9g | Calories: 202.4
Incredible! 5.0/5
(1 rating)
Low fat, low calorie, yet very satisfying! Submitted by WYTCHHAZYL Carbs: 33.5g | Fat: 1.4g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 5.8g | Calories: 166.4
Incredible! 5.0/5
(4 ratings)
Adds protein and nutrients to your salad without adding a lot of fat! Only about 16 calories per 2 tbsp serving, compared to 30-50 for store bought fat free ranch dressing. And at least 4x more protein. Submitted by CUTHAILJET Carbs: 2.2g | Fat: 0g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 1.8g | Calories: 15.9
(no ratings)
Easy! Submitted by SSTENNETT Carbs: 31.5g | Fat: 25.3g | Fiber: 2.7g | Protein: 28.3g | Calories: 470.5
(no ratings)
lo-fat lo-calorie Submitted by GATOR12 Carbs: 21.7g | Fat: 3.9g | Fiber: 0.4g | Protein: 2.1g | Calories: 134
A much quicker version of the Italian classic; less time, but no less taste. Submitted by VEGGIEKITTY Carbs: 34.5g | Fat: 10.7g | Fiber: 4.9g | Protein: 28g | Calories: 342.3
Applesauce makes this cake healthier than your regular cake. Carbs: 21.5g | Fat: 5.7g | Fiber: 2.9g | Protein: 3.6g | Calories: 145.8
Very Good 4.9/5
(9 ratings)
I love trail mix and dried fruit. This is a candy free recipe that tastes like it has candy in it. Kids thinks the fruit snacks are gummy bears. Submitted by MAGGIEW46 Carbs: 16.2g | Fat: 1.4g | Fiber: 0.8g | Protein: 0.6g | Calories: 77.8


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Last night, a poorly researched piece by Steve Kroft appeared on the television news program, 60 Minutes. I say "poorly researched" because it took me all of five minutes to find problems in what some of those interviewed on the program said. While truthy, it wasn't exactly the whole truth.
The core problem this program displayed is making a post hoc logical fallacy of connecting two seemingly-related things and suggesting a causal relationship exists. Because some of the people who commit mass killings have mental health issues, this is a sign of "a failed mental health system that's prohibited from intervening until a judge determines that someone presents an "imminent danger to themself or others."" The two may have little to do with each other (and in fact, according to real research, don't).
No, the sign your mental health system has failed is when you're locking up tens of thousands of people with serious mental illness in prison for petty crimes, rather than simply treating them in less restrictive settings.
Before posting, please read our blog moderation guidelines. The comments below begin with the oldest comments first. Click on the last comments page to jump to the most recent comments.
I truly hope this comment will be posted, because readers need to know how fellow psychiatrists think and react to other "well prominent" psychiatrists who think they speak for the profession being in alleged positions of authority and expertise:
I think Torrey, like other psychiatrists who have been in positions of academia or other public institutions and have this false sense of authority and accepted spokespersons for the profession, are out of touch with the reality that mental health care can provide in 2013. These doctors don't provide daily, repetitive mental health care interventions, and think that since they wrote a book, sat on a committee, or have a position in an alleged influential organization like the APA or write for a journal read by more than 1000 doctors, that they speak for the field.
Well, they don't when they make absurd statements that Dr Grohol replicates above with "About half of these mass killings are being done by people with severe mental illness, mostly schizophrenia. And if they were being treated, they would've been preventable."
Really, I don't remember signing a document or statement after finishing my training that I can identify without error who is a risk to themselves or others, and who is not. And you know, readers, this guy really thinks that, in my opinion. Whether it is well intended, or just the arrogance and lack of accountability that insulated and distant interaction with the general public he most likely has, it is wrong to say that as an alleged spokesperson for psychiatry.
And here is another "and", he is probably an emeritus of the APA and they as an organization want this kind of rhetoric said because they want the public to think psychiatry alone can save the day. But boy, does the APA blow it when they use colleagues who are out of touch with the realities of care.
You as a society want to vilify someone, want accountability and a scapegoat for these shootings, well, you need to start with yourselves. You need to look at what you tolerate, what you glorify, what you consider acceptable norms, and when you want to look the other way and ignore issues or problems that can't be ignored, well, be ready it might bite you in places you won't likely tolerate.
Yes, people who are psychotic can be a threat. So are people who are just antisocial, which by the way, might be considered a DSM diagnosis, but is not a psychiatric illness amenable to treatment over 90% of the time. And, people who use mind altering substances without supervision or regulation are more prone to violence.
Rule #1 taught to me in training that is still applicable today: people with a history of actual violence are more likely to be a risk for future violence. That overrides a psychiatric diagnosis first and foremost. Maybe it is time to let those who think that violence has no real accountability or consequence realistic reconsideration. I am not advocating we indefinitely incarcerate all who have been violent, but, if one has been violent and been brought to public attention for it, well, 2 strikes might be a profound out.
It is what it is with these incidents. Overtolerance and minimizing egregious behaviors has to be reconsidered for this culture to not be traumatized repetitively.
Just the opinion of one psychiatrist. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Joel Hassman, MD
Board Certified psychiatrist
practicing now over 20 years.
I'm not sure how to put this exactly. It's something I have been mulling over for a while. I often wonder if our definition of mental illness isn't too narrow? I mean, if you can murder an un-armed, non-threatening, defenseless fellow human being, doesn't that pretty much indicate that your brain is broken? at least temporarily? In other words, aren't all murderers mentally ill? Taking the life of another is such an incredibly radical, irreversible, devastating act that it seems that one would have to be out of their head to do it. A lot of violent crime happens under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but that doesn't get classified as mentally ill. However, in my opinion, addiction IS a mental illness. So whether the murderer is drunk, or high, or has poor impulse control, or has been under way too much stress lately , OR IS SCHIZOPHRENIC, seems like splitting hairs. These are all varieties of mental illness. Murder is an insane act, therefore the actor is insane – even if temporarily. And I'm not talking about situations that might seem justifiable like protecting yourself or your family. I'm talking about the deliberate and totally unjustifiable taking of the life of another. It's INSANE. There is something very wrong with the person who does this. Their wrongness has often been characterized as a character defect. But isn't a character defect a mental defect? I'm not sure where I am going with this, but it just seems like the arguments over violence and the mentally ill is somehow oxymoronic…
Pablo, I respect what you wrote however I would never put addiction in the same category as schizophrenia. Addiction starts with a voluntary choice to indulge in the a substance, often multiple times before becoming addicted. Also, being under the influence of a drug/alcohol is a temporary condition and the high/altered state subsides once the chemical wears off. At this point in time, it still seems we know so little about the development of schizophrenia.
But Pablo, I am glad that you commented and contributed and that at least 3 people gave a damn about the story on 60 minutes. To me this issue is a national disgrace so I thank you for caring enough to comment.
there is a term in law that might have relevance to your question. it is the term "hot blooded murder" the typical example is killing when you find your wife and your best friend in bed…extreme emotion has taken control. temporary situation with a specific emitional event as the trigger. so we dont consider the killer as culpable as some other killers. nor do we get tangled in questions of insanity. we dont often bring the question of insanity into drug murder either. or steroid rage murder. we bring it into the court primarily when a history of mental problems are demonstrable, particularly the SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESSES. these are now being recognized as ORGANIC DISEASES of the Brain. this is quite different than bad attitude, mainly because the ability to know right deed from wrong deed is compromised or completely missing. this is hardly "splitting hairs." it is also a difference with an established, peer reviewed scientific literature supporting it. this scientific work is more advanced than dr Grohol would have you believe. by itself i would let it go as his opinion based on his understanding. BUT, having read the same statistics as dr Fuller regarding the number of brain diseased among mass killers. ..which are not stats dr Fuller pulled from thin air of created but found from independent sources…i have to take exception to dr Grohol and say i see bias in his argument. i feel a lot of it comes from the position he expresses about "rights" and his calling upon the bogey man of something like "precrime" detention. some of refer to it as "dying with their rights on" and have serious issues ehere the right to refuse trestment by a florifly delusionsl individual trumos the rights of each and all ithers in a community. dr Grohol would have you under the delusion that TAC is not hearing from "the trenches". that i csn safely say is a lie and nothing less.
Dr.Grohol, great piece. I saw the 60 Minutes story and cringed.
And on another subject, isn't it time for you to have your own PsychCentral blog, instead of getting subsumed and sometimes buried in the other bloggers of "World of Psychology?" Call it, "World of Psychology: The Grohol View" or something like that. Highlight it in the blog listings at the very end. Make it easy for us who want to read what you, personally, have to say.
It is too bad that this story wasn't backed-up with scientific facts. But mental illness is clearly a factor in some of these recent shootings, all though it is not perfectly clear that it is the root cause. As someone with two undiagnosed and untreated siblings that are likely full blown schizophrenic and very delusional and who refuse treatment and whose lives are squandered, I firmly believe that there has to be a better way to address mental illness. I believe that we need to change our healthcare system and applicable laws to compel treatment to stabilize folks, if a treatment is available, in an outpatient setting. There also needs to be meaningful support systems in place for families dealing with mentally ill members. In my family, my untreated siblings have severely damaged all the relations within our family and messed up my nephew whose parent is ill, etc. Not to mention the years of stress, worry, trying to find a way to get help, etc all to no avail. My siblings live with my elderly mother and I am sure they will be living on the streets if she pre-deceases them. What a waste, what a stupid healthcare system, what stupid laws we have.
I agree, and I think "clearly" was an appropriate term to use. I'm not a psychiatrist, but I am an RN with 30 years of experience, mostly in ER and Management. MRIs' and PET scans CLEARLY showed the differences in the the brains of mentally ill people, not all, but some do. The first school school shooting occurred the early 1980's, in a neighboring county. It is rarely mentioned, probably because the boy killed a teacher and a janitor but no students. It was widely discussed that this 12 year old child lived in poverty , was abused at home and picked on at school, which was a new one for him The teacher he shot had bought him a pair of glasses the week before he shot her, and obviously told everyone she worked with about it. I heard it at work the night of the shooting by another teacher at that school. To me, that was totally unnecessary and embarrassing for the boy. I have a problem with a system that still uses the term "mental hygiene." Hygiene means cleanliness in my world, so are mentally ill people "dirty minded"? A large number of seriously mentally ill people ARE in jail or living on the streets. They have no other alternatives. If psychiatrists can't see the U.S. system is broken, they are a huge part of the problem. Also just reporting the problem to the police is inadequate. Do they follow up and make sure their patients are monitored? I highly doubt it. Good post Sammy, no matter what words you used. And doctors, if you don't like my choice of words, which is typical of many doctors in all fields, too bad. I make no apologies for them.
I'm glad that someone thought enough to comment on the "60 Minutes" segment on mental illness. It seemed logical and possibly true, but it left me empty. I am a person with dysthymia, a lesser form of depression that lasts for years. I Have tried to keep up with mental health issues, but I've also been terribly mentally ill at times in my life, currently taking what is commonly called a "coctail" of medicines.
Yes, I'm aware of Dr. Torree's views on mandatory out-patient committment. I think this is a slippery slope that some states are doing or considering. In South Dakota the 2012 legislature passed new laws on out-patient committment. I had talked to the executive director of NAMI South Dakota and a local legislature, both at the same NAMI meeting, and was assured that adequate funding for this would be part of the process. Much to my dismay I found out the legislature didn't provide any new funding for this proceedure. They in a draft part of the bill said that this was going to "help" those with a mental illness, and streamline the proceedure, plus of course, save money for the taxpayer. Talking to a state employee of the Dept. of Health, I believe, at a NAMI State convention that year I pointedly asked about this–I was assured that money from a special funding source was to be used for this.
Sorry for going into such detail, but there seemed to be lack of understanding re: this. It hasn't really made me comfortable yet, as I can just see state legislatures across the country taking this direction to "help" the consumer and save valuable tax dollars, thus possibly lowering funding for their mental health systems even more.
I don't want to sound cynical but with the countrys obession with entertainment of sex, volience, and nilhism, I don't see much hope for the disabled in our society, as we can easily be dismissed as "unnessary", or of not "contributing" to society.
I'll throw this much in, we need the faith communities to take on a stronger role to help those with a mental illness. I am a person of the Christian faith and believe that God will provide, even if society doesn't.
I watched 60 Minutes and think it was good that they had a segment on that showed that there is a real problem with the criminalizing of the seriously mentally ill. I worked in a large county mental health system where we tried to treat the people with more serious problems who didn't always take their meds and many had no insight into their brain dysfunction. Half our county jail inmates were being given psych meds and most were antipsychotics. A lot of the violence we saw was on family members such as beating a Mom to death with a baseball bat. Yes some were using street drugs but others were too dysfunctional to even get those. Many were homeless living under the freeways. None of this was happening when I was growing up in the 50's and 60's. Society should ask why that was not happening then. I think we all know that the commitment laws are not working and there need to be some changes made or more senseless violence is going to happen with more people who are out of touch with reality in jail. The most effective treatment for the real seriously mentally ill was a long acting injectable medication with supported supervised community housing or long term rehab housing with supports in the community like Clubhouses. I am on the board of a non profit that is providing permanent supported housing in central Florida called Dave's House. The link is http://www.brainfoundationofflorida.org. There needs to be a lot more funding for housing, research and changes in the laws to solve this huge problem. I have seen major success stories but also many tragedies both in California and also in Florida.
I totally agree with all you have to say! I pray all our states put this in place! I live in Indiana and remember what it was like in the 60's even here in Indiana. So many people are alive and thrived back then! Thank You!
My personal suspicion about the _60 Minutes_ piece is that Steve Kroft has fallen into the popular fallacy _post hoc, ergo propter hoc._ Post hoc conclusions that someone who perpetrated some horrific crime may have had an undiagnosed mental illness do not justify the propter hoc contention that all persons with mental illness should be locked away for the safety of the public. Moreover, the main reason why this Canadian believes in gun control laws comes down to the choice between policing the means of violent crime or policing the people. And the United States has effectively accepted the enormous political and financial burden associated with policing the people.
For some background, read how 'untreated' become a meme – no science, determined focus and lots and lots of money.
O.K., I'm kind of conflicted about this issue and am trying to choose the right words not to give the wrong impression. I have had mental health problems for most of my life, and while I am functional and productive, have had to rely on a good deal of medication and therapy to stay that way (as well as keeping my life much more simple and predictable than I would prefer).
I am not violent or aggressve at all, and am likely to become extremely passive and withdrawn if my symptoms are worse. From what I've read about statistics on mental illness and violence, this is pretty typical even for people a lot worse off than me.
However, it is not contradictory to believe the following statements.
A. The majority of the large, diverse population of the mentally ill are no more violent (or perhaps even less violent) than the average person.
B. At the same time, those suffering from certain conditions may be an exception to the general rule. For example, someone with delusions of persecution may be motivated to "defend" themselves from imagined enemies. Some may also have delusions in which they expect a violent act to be rewarded, like the guy who tried to kill President Reagan and thought this would make Jodi Foster fall in love with him.
So it is possible to entertain the possibility of danger from a small sub-group of the mentally ill without promoting fear of the mentally ill as such. The concern wouldn't even apply to most people with serious psychotic disorders. But when you have a situation of delusions with violent content + a history of violence, aggressive personality traits, threats, weapon ownership or high levels of impulsivity, there is reason for concern.
Another thing is that even if "mentally ill" is not the correct term for most of the recent mass killers, there still could be mental health problems associated with their actions. Personality disorders and/or anger management and impulse control issues, for example.
People with these types of behavioral issues come in contact with the mental health system as well as the mentally ill, and professionals should be better trained in seeing and responding to the signs of danger.
The problem of murder started with Cain and Able. Back then it was considered sin. I don't things have changed much since then.
I think the Doctor interviewed on 60 Minutes made a good point. To many of our mentally ill are in jail or prison. This indicates to that our society is still in the dark ages when it comes to the handling and care of our mentally ill. I think that was the basic message he was trying to get across.
I'm not a mental health professional, but I am someone who has lived with the stigma of mental illness.
Mental illness only comes to light when you have a James Holmes or someone of that nature do something awful. The majority of people with mental illness are not violent and are more likely to be victims than victimizers. We tend to suffer in silence.
A fair number of us hold jobs, but much of the time these are not high paying jobs. Many of us cannot afford counseling. The county mental health systems are overwhelmed, and their first line of treatment tends to be putting a person on medications. I personally do not tolerate most medications, and I find that most of the counselors are not used to dealing with higher functioning individuals such as myself. They are used to dealing with people who are severely compromised.
I have long thought that I could benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, but I could never afford it.
Yes, the mental health system in the United States fails overall. But it doesn't simply fail to weed out and incarcerate the violent mentally ill minority. It fails the non-violent mentally ill majority by not having affordable, accessible treatment available to us. This treatment would include counseling, not just putting us on drugs and sweeping us under the rug.
Dr. Grohol has opened up a major concern, not just in America, but the basic issue of how we can prevent human violence toward self AND others. When I wrote my book focusing on the series of school shootings in the mid to late 90's, I distanced myself from the professional squabbling and media indifference about why do most persons perpetrate massacres against innocent youth and adults. As an emotional health educator, I have focused on an aspect rarely discussed: Those kids and adults who want to harm others, and often themselves, suffer from unbearable emotional pain, which keeps them collecting and hiding it unside until it explodes. We must know that it is hurt people who hurt people. Yet we need widespread preventative coping skills education to explain this no-fault dynamic tortures so many pre-teens and teens.
So, what can we do about it? First, we should be developing practical brain-based coping skills programs in communities and our elementary achools. Preventative public health requires that, since no one else knows what a person's experience is in their inability to identify one's "Four Core Emotionally Wounding Experiences": Losses, rejections, betrayals and humiliations.
To explain why the human brain coping process is sensitive to, and essential for dealing with one's emotional wounding experiences we need free education programs which I've been advocating for nearly 20-years starting in pre-teen years in elementary school.
Having demonstrated a practical, basic "no-fault" educational program that removes BLAME & SHAME, I began first introducing and evaluating a Brain Works & Coping Skills for Kids project with over 700 4-6 grade classes. Results from that demonstration program in California and Arizona led me to offer a FREE, open-access online educational resource so any educator, mental health professional, parent or pre-teen/teen to learn practical ways of getting over hurt feelings in a "no-fault" process. Now, nearly 6 yrs. later, I'm surprised that this exploratory website, http://www.copingsklls4kids.net, is the leading resource in the world on the subject of brain-based coping skills. I'm amazed that among the half-million visitors to our site, many of whom hear about it via social media, are youth and adults from every state in the U.S., plus 192 other countries.
I agree with the individual above. I have experience with the mental health system. I entered after a nervous breakdown after too many assaults and overwhelming discomfort with life. The psychiatrist told me I was bipolar and I complied wanting relief and help. I took antipsychotics, ssri, benzos, lithium, Depakote, ambien..and I became void and suicidal. The type of help offered was condescending to me as a human. I have had several jobs before, and lived an independent life. I became non compliant to their dismay and anger..then withdrew with no help which felt like torture. I was on one medication in the end and got healthy enough to start doing small things again. Then, I went to a counselor. I had to pay, as the system only offers nurses and half hearted case workers that talk to you like a child. The counselor helped through EMDR and diagnosed as PTSD. How did this happen? I'm left dumbfounded with suicide scars and the memory of condescending arrogant medical professionals that disregarded my experiences and looked down on my humanity. Perhaps sometimes the "treatment" offered is not helpful??? I'm sure sometimes it is, however if this happened to me,i'm sure it could happen to another individual and I do not wish it upon anyone. doctors also prescribe irresponsibly, I know someone with a TBI that was on 4 SSRI drugs and gabapentin. I was shocked. He is now dead. These stories are from real life, not the DSM 5.
The fact that mental health professionals cannot agree on the problem or how to approach it is a disservice to society. Academic arguing over whose methods, theories, statistics and treatment approaches are correct is great for the classroom, but offers nothing for the good of the public. Ask the man on the street what the problem is and they will tell you these violent acts were committed by mentally ill young men. A result of a broken mental health system. An observation that doesn't even require a high school education. So while those with the knowledge and skills to fix the problem continue to argue about who is right, the rest of society sits and waits for another violent act to be committed by individuals who needed help but couldn't get it.
We are a culture of scapegoats and blame. When this magical drug that improves insight and judgment is released and mass produced at a reasonable cost, America will be cured.
Wish there was a sarcastic font for that last sentence. But, it is was psychiatry sells as a whole, what the public clamors for these days as a whole, and, common sense is the exception in problem solving. Cue Congress in illustrating that dearth of common sense
Quick fixes, folks, that is society today. And what is a firearm?
Hi, Our Mental Health care in this Country is proably one of the worst in the World! First off Insurances don't want to pay… Why? If your diabetic you see a specialist…. why not the same for someone who has emotional issues? No you see we want to put everyone in a room (Group) and pay one therapist to oversee… I have experienced first hand "Unethical and Unprofessional Therapist" anyone care to discuss these issues… please feel free to let me know.
Speaking as a retired Probation and Parole Officer, having some experience with treating violent offenders I am amazed to read the little concern with one of the major factors in the mass killings occurring in America (I am an Australian).
America is the land where any citizen can obtain weapons of mass destruction. Thus any person with a slightly unbalanced brain, can execute their fellow citizens at the spur of the moment. The gun lobby is more powerful than any democratic government!
Treatment of mental illness is usually based on the administration of drugs and/or psychotherapy, that by studies have shown to be fairly ineffective. This may leave about 60 percent of patients with treatment resistant depression or mood disorders. (http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/2011/research-evidence-for-hypoglycemia-part-4/#SSRIs)
It should be realized that that about 75 percent of all your prisoners have drug addiction as a comorbid condition to their offenses. These addiction are due to "mental illness" where drugs and chemicals give some relief to the debilitating symptoms of mood disorders. A small minority of these drug addicts may graduate to more serious violent offenses, and yet the professions in the mental Health Industry have a poor record of even curing addiction. I believe this may be due to the fact that most psychologists are trained to believe that "Mental illness is an illness of primarily the mind" (by neurolinguistic influences), whereas in fact most people with mood disorders suffer from an underlying physiological illness that causes them to have "mental symptoms". Having some experience in nutritional psychotherapy I have been able to help many violent offenders with a combination of nutrition- and psychotherapy to overcome their metabolic illnesses – mostly regarded as "silent diseases" – that have contributed to the dysfunctional personalities.
For instance, one of the many metabolic disorders that contribute to mood disorders is reactive hypoglycemia – a pre-diabetic condition. It interferes with the production of biological energy (called ATP) so essential in the manufacture of feel-good neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and many others. It can be treated without recourse to drugs by the adoption of the hypoglycemic diet (similar to a diabetic diet). Of course there a host of other treatable illnesses that can be treated such as most of the digestive disorders – Crohn's Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Celiac disease and so on – that interfere with the absorption of vital nutrients that the body requires to manufacture feel-good neurotransmitters. In psychonutritional treatment it is essential that these physiological factors be treated FIRST, before embarking on talk-therapy which remains ineffective so long the biological aspect of personality is ignored!
What is needed is to get rid guns in the community and and reform the Mental Health Industry with a greater emphasis on non-drug treatment in the direction of nutritional biochemistry and followed up with psychotherapy. It needs a team of specialists of psychiatrists, psychologists, Nutritional psychotherapists, nutritionally trained nurses and counsellors, family therapists an so on to bring this about.
Ah, the leader of the APA does not disappoint: here is Dr Lieberman's post at http://www.thehealthcareblog.com he did last Friday:
Interestingly at the end, he wrote this, which to me sounds eerily similar to what Torrey was quoted in Dr G's post at the top:
"In his recent book, American Psychosis, the mental health advocate E. Fuller Torrey writes that "at least one third of the homeless and 20% of the incarcerated" are mentally ill and that "our public (mental health) facilities are overrun by untreated individuals". The recent spate of mass shootings is a tragic and preventable consequence of our failed policy."
It is amazing these guys say with such certainty that these shootings are preventable consequences.
Can I get one of their crystal balls for my office?
We must fight the stigma to keep the "old way" the thing of the past; that being the way of the permanent commitment in a psych ward full of abuse and neglect. Thanks to the wonderful headline on MSN this morning, the masses are being force-fed the idea that the mentally ill are coming for them, much like a zombie horde… "Woman in DC Shooting May have Thought Obama was Stalking Her, Sources Say." http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/04/20816675-woman-in-dc-chase-may-have-thought-obama-was-stalking-her-sources-say#comments
It goes one to say she has a history of mental health trouble.
The comments are especially infuriating with gems like:
"The federals have just defunded a mental hospital in Maine. We need to transport these ill people to Washington to live there. More mentals will be shooting up schools. Close and do away with mental health and see the chaos spread. Our government is dysfunctional and we need a new form of government that will not allow the wealthy to take over."
"This is really sad. I feel bad for this lady's family and her kid. We need to seriously re-think our mental health programs in America. It's not gun control that will stop mass shootings it's mental health reform. We have to setup a better system to have people exhibiting mental instability put into custody in a mental health facility (instead of jail like they are now). Florida's Baker Act is a small step in the right direction."
I just love knowing that some people call us "Mentals." Wow. What a lovely term. I know that the current system doesn't work for everyone, and our entire healthcare system is not that great with the cost of insurance, etc. But this type of hatred and ignorance is going to start spreading. We need to fight this stigma. The media is turning against us. The hated mentally ill against the beloved guns; here comes the discrimination!
I agree with Sammy the Cat; it just seems obvious that a person who commits a spree murder or a mass murder, or a person who commits serial murders, or even someone who kills their spouse and maybe their kids then maybe their own self… is mentally ill!
The publication "Mother Jones" did a huge, very thoroughly researched article about all the spree killings and mass murders (MJ differentiates these) done in the USA *over the last 30 years* and when the info was available they included the mental illness diagnosis of the perpetrator(s).
"… A majority were mentally troubled—and many displayed signs of it before setting out to kill. Explore the map for further details—we do not consider it to be all-inclusive, but based on the criteria we used we believe that we've produced the most comprehensive rundown available on this particular type of violence."
This article continues to be updated as new spree-killing or mass-murder incidents occur. Here is the link to "A Guide To Mass Shootings In America"
I agree that *something* is broken and needs fixing. Probably mutually interconnecting things about our culture, our laws, or our mental health care system are broken and need fixing. Or at least, improving. A better, more workable balance between individual rights and the right of the public to expect safety in public places needs to be found. Somehow.
Funny thing here is… when in America somebody mass kills, conclusions go straight to mental illness. In Europe, usually socio-political aspects are discussed first (although some tried to pass off Breivik as mentally ill… but probably for political issues, so they can swept neatly under carpet).
One needs to look at the cultural and social aspects. Like it or not, in the USA violence is somewhat glorified, guns are glorified… so of course there is gonna be more violence. Don't sweep it under carpet as "they are crazy". You can screen the whole population and medicate everybody who ever shown an intrusive or anti-social *thought*. But violence is still gonna happen if current attitude prevails.
As a research Biopsychologist I only need to bring up one important point that others have noted but I'd like to emphasize further that shuts down the whole idea that mental health related issues cause mass murderers. It is the issue of correlation vs. causality.
People these days are out to look for "scapegoats" because they can not accept the fact that they have little control over such incidents as Newtown. Without this control they need to somehow come up with ideas/actions that will explain how such events can happen and act on them so that they are not helpless.
So they pick the folks with mental disorders (the 'Them" vs. "Us" mentality) and a group of people who can't / don't advocate for themselves. it's the same idea that somehow gun control will really prevent these horrible events.
So…let's first look at gun control….It is true that one thing in common in gun deaths is that all those who committed these crimes have guns. But does that mean that all people who have guns are to be treated the same way as those who commit crimes with guns?
Just so in these mass murders. Yes…it may be that a % of these folks have mental "illness" but given the very large number of folks with mental health issues who don't commit crimes we can't really talk about causation.
In the recent CT gun control law the Dept of mental health and addiction services has been given the job of gathering information about those who have been hospitalized for psych problems and create a database. I shutter to think how those data might be used in other ways (background checks, landlord inquiries, etc.).
It is interesting to note that many folks who consider suicide are not "ill" per se but just are overwhelmed with stresses in their life and or catch 22's of life that they feel are unsolvable and very painful.
What this amounts to is psychiatric Naziism & elitism. The problem with this lazy-minded "get 'em into treatment" philosophy & is unforgivably missed is violation of free will & criminalizing the mentally ill. It is Un-American "soccer mom" hysteria, ignorance, & violates the spirit of civil rights legislation for the disabled. Less than 1% of violent crime is committed by the mentally ill. Gosh, 60 Minutes, what if you don't want treatment? Did you forget patient's rights in this dialogue? What this paradigm in America creates are "Montag"'s & dissidents. In situations where medication is refused, patients are hit, assaulted, threatened & brutalized, & activists are persecuted, "leaned-on" by the system, & subjected to Russian, "Conquest of the Planet of the Apes" & "1984" style public harassment & shaming. The dangers of anti-psychotic medication are crookedly covered up & concealed with literal Soviet tactics. Psychotropic medication is, for all intents & purposes, diluted insecticide/nerve gas (side-effects are essentially insecticide poisoning). John Nash ("A Beautiful Mind") was a schizophrenic awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the mathematical game theory & had been off of medication for 10 years when he was awarded it. Any know-it-all comments on him, CBS? Is he a threat, CBS?
I am a Mother of 4 sons, our third son took his life in 2002. He was 20 years old and tried everything! Psychiatrists would prescribe one drug after another! We saw 3 psychiatrists, one saw him for a month and moved out of state, the next wouldn't even look at him, he looked at us his parents. The last one was too busy the night before our son took his life and sent us to another clinic and our son had to tell what he was going through All Over Again!! He then said" I don't think anyone can help me!" We sought out psychologists and therapists and yes, he went to the Emergency at the hospital and only stayed 72 hours. What is wrong with you people in the psychiatric field? Our son had Major Depression and OCD in Scrupolosity and not one gave us the signs of suicide even after his stay at the hospital! Quit bickering about what all you saw wrong in this 60 minute piece! It's been LONG overdue! And you professionals are worse than lay people as far as the stigma of mental illness goes. This is a father who tried to help his son to no avail and put the message out there! … Change the Laws so these kids can get Real Help instead of a revolving door! … What are you psychiatrists doing? What are YOU doing about it?!Why aren't YOU screaming to the public and the politicians & using the media? No, you'd rather criticize! Our family will never recover and I pray in my lifetime I never have to go through that hell again with such a passive broken down system! .. You know how bad the system is! Make a Change instead of going in circles – kids are dying and families are suffering every single day!…Missing My Son- Deborah Sheets – Indiana
Ask any mother of a seriously mentally ill child turned adult when danger is coming…we will let you know…and it doesn't take a crystal ball to know it.
My son was institutionalized his entire life "for safety" because medicine has left treatment of psych "issues" to behaviorists who could care less about finding a CURE….instead his young life was flushed down the toilet like all his peers the day he aged into adulthood in a county who's civil liberties groups protect your right to live in the street until you die in the gutter…or batman playing movie theater (his mom knew) or elementary school classroom (Adams mom WANTED to have him committed but our LPS Laws made sure that didn't happen….whew to think what an awful think it would be to Pass Leguslation helping families in crisis keep their sick disabled adult child safe and possibly just prevent the next Isla Vista…cuz Ethan's parents… did they know he was sick?? oh that's right they were AT THE POLICE STATION begging for help that very night…crystal balls…u have some nerve acting like kids like my son and his peers do not cause the chaos calamity and confusion in the world that society is feeling with MOST of our "acts of violence"…you know the ones I am talking about …the ones that have some young kid acting out in a delusional state his disorganized intentions…. the give away bleed to lead headline will certainly have the words "madman"…"lunatic" and generally "monster"…oh ya and the police… well they keep "looking for the motive"…. acts involving our kids hit society pretty hard…much harder then when our kids simply kill themselves…then no one cares…it sure seems like you are ok with the 5% being left to self destruct because not one word in your long winded attempt to dissuade folks from believing that severe mi has No Corralaton to TRAGEDY offers the suggestion that some folks might actually need Long Term INVOLUNTARY care because they LACK insight….there is a wonderful federal mental health bill that YOU and your peers should be supporting …instead you are helping to create more confusion in the eyes of the public by acting like mi and violence have NO correlation whatsoever…because of Misinformation spewed by groups like yours the bill is being chopped up by the GOP into bits that are "non controversial"and lack any assistance for Families with Adams, Elliot's and Jared's….we could save these children from the death sentence of the age 18 cliff if we had major reform of our civil commitment laws.
Instead I ur children are allowed to roam free after 18 with County funded case managers "protecting" their clients "choice of housing"….that while our boy was HOMELESS and thinking he found his "new family" on the streets of Santa Ana Civic Center…four arrests three hospitalizations four group homes evicted from….all before he turned 19. Now he rots in prison with crazy boy tattooed (literally) across his beautiful face…pepper sprayed three times …keeps "reoffending" while in ISOLATION 23 hours a day…but NO MEDS because he "is fine"…according to the correctional facility our child will spend the next 15 years in he is NOT SICK ENOUGH for psych meds…see it's not illegal to tattoo stuff all over your face but it is a problem if you are a seriously mentally ill young guy who gets drunk one day while homeless and decides to go into a bank with a sticky note demanding one thousand dollars…..our county promised that once matthew "got in trouble with the law" they could help him….they failed to mention all that help was voluntary only….God forbid we force meds into someone who is as "fine and healthy" as our boy. Families alone watch as children are left to self destruct after 18 all while carrying 400 pages of psych hospitalizations and medical records dating back to age 5 to Board of Supervisor meetings begging for AOT services.
Not every tragic act is preventable but it is discourteous of you to assume that boys like ours don't exist…many families have begged for help while predicting the exact collateral damage you claim has no association to the illness that has robbed them of the very ability to fight back and recover…no insight equates to tragedy.
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What are Compiled Records?
Compiled records consist of records assembled together around a particular surname, subject, or location in various formats. This lesson will cover several forms of specific compiled records covering the topic of colonial immigrant origins. These will include:
When these compiled records include sources and/or they outline clues used to come to various conclusions, they can save a researcher much time and energy.
Family Histories
Family histories are book-length discussions of a family's genealogical connections. Generally they are one of two types. Most early family histories traced the male (surname line) descendants of a specific person (often an immigrant). In recent years, an increasing number have discussed the ancestry of a specific person (often the author/compiler). In either case, immigrant ancestors are a significant part of these publications, for they either begin with one, or trace back to several immigrants.
An estimated 90,000 published, book-style family histories exist for North American families, at least half dealing with immigrants. Many, of course, are not colonial era immigrants, but if you descend from a very early immigrant, particularly from the 17th century in the northern states, there is an excellent chance that a published account (book or periodical article) of his descendants exists. At the beginning of that account will be information gathered by the author relative to the immigrant's origin in the old country. It may, or may not, identify his town of origin, but it will at least provide clues, and is the best single source of such information for many colonial immigrants.
Some compiled works focus specifically on immigrant ancestors of American families. Two representative titles were privately published by John Brooks Threlfall (in Madison, Wisconsin):


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reviews & comments (3)
I just bought an ice cream maker, so I just made the sorbet. It was lovely, my friend thought so, too. I think the star anise complemented the pineapple beautifully. It is important that you use a very flavourful pineapple.
I have made this recipe several times, and all my guests raved. No one complained about the anise taste, admittedly quite sophisticated. I will try also with mint! It is particularly good with the roasted pineapple.


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21 Oct 2012
Manage power usage automatically
Review Rating:
Type: Free for personal use only
Platform: Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows 7, Windows 7 64-bit, Windows Vista, Windows XP
Manufacturer: MiserWare, Inc.
Price: Free
This is the Software Publisher's description.
With Granola software power management, you can reduce the energy consumption of your laptops, PCs, and servers by 15-35% without any impact on the way you use these devices. Whether you use Granola as part of your own personal quest to save the world, or as a way to help conserve in your business, you can know that you are part of a thriving community of individuals and businesses worldwide all saving energy.
Your computer has lots of power settings. To keep it running efficiently, you need to keep changing these settings based on what you are doing. Reducing your computers' energy waste the old fashioned way can be time consuming and tricky. Power management shouldn't have to be so painful.
Installing Granola is simple and easy, and takes only seconds. Once it's installed, Granola operates autonomously, which means that you don't have to spend your time configuring it and reconfiguring it. Granola just works, doing what it is supposed to do - reducing your energy consumption - leaving you do what you're supposed to do.
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This paper seeks to provide education and technical insight to beacons, in addition to providing insight to Apple's iBeacon specification
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Description: Quilters, sewers and crafters know that you must keep your tools working at their top performance. That means keeping your Rotary Cutters ready and sharp, at all times. Now that is quick and easy with Gingher Rotary Blade Refills. They are easy to change and you know with Gingher you will always get quality. 45mm- Revolutionary, hands-free blade changing system was designed to protect hands from accidental cuts. The magnetized points within the blade knob ensure you will not need to touch the sharp edges. The knob holds the blade for you and the disposable case locks in the old blade for safe and easy disposal. Full instructions with diagrams on the back of package.
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Media Commons Coordinator - UIUC
Media Commons Coordinator
Academic Professional
University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign
Position Available:
Position available immediately. This is a 100%-time, twelve-month appointment Academic Professional position.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign seeks an innovative, collaborative, and service-oriented professional for the position of Media Commons Coordinator. Reporting to the Head of the Undergraduate Library, the successful candidate for this newly-created position will provide leadership for the establishment of the Undergraduate Library's Media Commons. The Media Commons Coordinator will collaborate with colleagues in the Library and across campus to develop programs and services that focus on undergraduate students and instructors creating and using media in course-related activities. The Media Commons Coordinator will establish strategic relationships and design services and instructional programs supporting undergraduate students' curricular requirements in the creation, dissemination, use, and curation of digital media. The Media Commons service model is built on a commitment to providing flexible technology-intensive spaces, training and educational programs focused on students and faculty engaged in instruction, and programming designed collaboratively by librarians, faculty, and campus providers of technology services to undergraduates. The Media Commons Coordinator participates in related Library and campus committees and ad hoc groups and serves as a resource for other Library units, including the Scholarly Commons.
The Media Commons Coordinator will:
- Lead the Media Commons program and service development, facilities, technologies, and training, in consultation with the Library, and key campus personnel;
- Direct the hiring, scheduling, training, and evaluation of staff for the Media Commons to provide technology consultation, teach workshops, and provide support for software and technology equipment management, including the Undergraduate Library's loanable technology program;
- Develop, coordinate, and/or teach student workshops on media and technology literacy, and the use of the hardware, software, and other technologies available in the Media Commons;
- Develop and maintain a Media Commons web site and contribute to a media and technology literacy virtual presence and ongoing communication channels;
- Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to develop and implement technologies that enhance the accessibility of Library materials and primary source documentation into the curriculum;
- Represent the Media Commons in efforts between the Library and campus partners to identify best practices that foster technology enhanced learning spaces. Campus partners include: CITES, Educational Technologies, the Office of the CIO, the Center for Multimedia Excellence, ATLAS the Writing Across Media program, faculty and students interested in media development;
- Participate with the Library and campus partners in planning efforts, formal and informal, to develop policies, procedures, and initiatives related to the Media Commons programs and services;
- Develop methods to assess the effectiveness of services and programs and conduct needs assessments for potential services and resources, in consultation with the Library's assessment program;
The University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign is one of the preeminent research libraries in the world. With more than 12 million volumes and significant digital resources, it ranks second in size among academic research libraries in the United States and first among public university libraries in the world. As the intellectual heart of the campus, the Library is committed to maintaining the strongest possible collections and services and engaging in research and development activities in pursuit of the University's mission of teaching, scholarship, and public service. The Library currently employs approximately 90 faculty and 300 academic professionals, staff, and graduate assistants.
The Library consists of multiple departmental libraries located across campus, as well as an array of central public, technical, and administrative service units. The Library also encompasses a variety of virtual service points and "embedded librarian" programs. The Media Commons will be a new service program housed in the Undergraduate Library http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl, and will complement similar service initiatives, including the Learning Commons http://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/lc/and the Scholarly Commons http://www.library.illinois.edu/sc. For more detailed information, please visit http://www.library.illinois.edu
Bachelor's degree; evidence of successful program development or management experience; demonstrated supervisory experience; current, relevant experience with Microsoft Windows and Apple operating systems, educational technologies, media creation and editing, and common desktop applications; experience developing and producing video, audio, web pages and other media products; demonstrated ability to effectively provide instructional presentations; understanding of media and digital literacy; excellent oral and written communication skills with demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with a variety of staff and user groups; experience evaluating and selecting media and technologies software and equipment; successful experience working in a collaborative environment.
Master's or doctoral degree in one of the following areas: media, library and information science, education, or computer science; demonstrated experience working with faculty, students and other stakeholder groups on the development of media-focused programs and services; familiarity with the application of gaming, social networking, and immersive environments to instructional settings; experience in program assessment
Salary and Rank:
Salary commensurate with credentials and experience.
Terms of Appointment:
Twelve-month appointment; 24 work days' vacation per year; 11 paid holidays; 12 days annual sick leave (cumulative up to a maximum of 240 days) plus an additional 13 days (non-cumulative) per year if necessary; health insurance, requiring a small co-payment, is provided to employees (coverage for dependents may be purchased); participation in the State Universities Retirement System is required upon appointment (8% of member's salary is withheld and is tax exempt until retirement); newly hired university employees are covered by the Medicare portion of Social Security, and are subject to its deduction.
Campus and Community:
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It employs 3,000 faculty members who serve 31,000 undergraduates and 12,000 graduate and professional students; approximately 25% of faculty receives campus-wide recognition each year for excellence in teaching. More information about the campus is available at www.illinois.edu. The University is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, which have a combined population of 100,000 and are situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 120 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution. For more information about the community, visit: http://illinois.edu/about/community/commun ity.html or http://www.ccchamber.org/.
To Apply:
To ensure full consideration, please complete your candidate profile at https://jobs.illinois.edu and upload a letter of interest, resume, and contact information including email addresses for three professional references. Applications not submitted through this website will not be considered. For questions, please call: 217-333-8169.
In order to ensure full consideration, applications and nominations must be received by May 15, 2012. Interviews may occur before the closing date; however, no decisions will be made prior to the closing date.
Illinois is an Affirmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and value diversity and inclusivity. www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu
Application Information
Contact: |
Human Resources University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
Online App. Form: | https://jobs.illinois.edu/default.cfm?page=job&jobID=18462 |


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Those in attendance included corporate sponsors, individual sponsors, local government officials and the young high school and middle school mentees.
President Ronald Arnold welcomed everyone to the banquet.
"We the men of 100 Black Men of Bradley County Incorporated sincerely thank you for being here," Arnold said. "It is so vital to the success and continuation of the organization."
He said the support of the community resulted in the longevity of the club.
Added Arnold, "This year we will complete 20 years as an organization, but without the support we have received from all of you, we would not have lasted 20 months."
Reports provided in the extensive banquet booklet detailed the organization's revenue in 2013. Total funds equaled $61,218. At $32,267, a majority of the funds came from last year's banquet. Additional revenue included: $6,372, golf tournament; membership dues, $1,915; $1,500, Iron Man donor; $1,000, donations; $664, basketball tournament; and $600, health and wellness.
An additional report detailed the expenses for 2013. According to the pie chart, more than half of the money raised went toward scholarships. This means students received $24,532 in 2013 from the organization.
Remaining expenses covered items like the mentoring program, health and wellness, national assessments, professional fees and banquet expenses.
Three scholarship recipients were honored at Saturday's banquet: Teeona Hall of Austin Peay State University, Donovan Bledsoe of Cleveland State Community College and Rashad B. Sharp of Lee University (graduate).
The Rev. Aubrey Ector, who served as master of ceremonies, said the most "robust and mature" of the programs offered through the 100 BMBC are mentoring and education. More than 15 mentees attended the banquet from both the high school and middle school levels.
Mentees Hailey Marie Langston and Ashton Dunn also received recognition. Both middle school students spoke to the large crowd.
Dunn shared his "I am the Future" essay.
He called for a change.
"Killing and crime need to change. With our minds … we can make a change. As a 100 Black Men member, I am committed to making these changes," Dunn said. "I will because I am not the past. I am the future."
He said the future needs a little help.
"We are here to show we are different. No one can stop us. We will make the future different in the best ways we can," Dunn said. "Crime needs to stop. The world knows not what it was made to be."
According to Dunn, the world is a big place, a "very big place" with a lot of problems.
"I am the future because I will make this earth a better place," Dunn said. "I will give back to the community. I will help feed the people in need. I will be the man who my parents made me to be."
Representatives from Lee University and the governments of Bradley County, Cleveland and Charleston attended and spoke at the banquet.
Vice President of Student Life Dr. Mike Hayes said he teaches leadership at Lee University. Students often think being a great leader means gaining popularity or an accomplishment to hang a hat on.
Instead, Hayes said he reminds students the son of man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life ransom for many.
"Here is the bottom line we try to tell our students. I can't tell you whether or not you are a great leader until I can see whether or not you left the place in better shape than you found it," Hayes said. "I can't tell you whether or not you are a great leader until the people who come after you got it better because of what you did."
He said he loves 100 Black Men of Bradley County because the organization lives up to what it means to be a great leader.
Lindsay Hathcock, executive assistant to the Bradley County mayor, thanked the organization for a job well done. He said the county looks forward to many more years of the group's positive impact.
Charleston City Commissioner Donna McDermott said she has seen the good work completed by 100 BMBC firsthand. Her son has been a participant in the organization since the seventh grade.
"I want to say thank you. Thank you again on a job well done," McDermott said. "[100 BMBC] has had such a great impact on my son personally as a mentor, leadership, for the things he has accomplished at Lee University and for the things he will accomplish after."
She concluded, "So, is this a good organization? No, it is a phenomenal organization."
Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland and Vice Mayor Avery Johnson offered their support and congratulations to the organization as well.
Johnson said the group has given out more than $780,000 in scholarships throughout its 20-year span. There have also been at least 44 students who have graduated from college with some type of support from the organization.
"When I look at these kids and think about how far we've come and how many of you have stayed with it, and I am asking every man in here, if you are not a member of 100 Black Men, you need to sign up," Johnson said. "And it don't make any difference to me what you look like."
"If you are a man, sign up for this organization so you can support the mission of 100 Black Men of Bradley County."
More information on the group can be found by visiting www.100bmbc.org.


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Is anyone out there? Next time you come across a blog post without a comment, take a few minutes to stop and chat and leave some feedback. You'll make someone's day, I promise.
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Listen to the New Chromeo Track, 'Over Your Shoulder'
Striking while the white-suit-wearing iron is hot (Daft Punk! Robin Thicke! Bruno Mars!), disco kings Chromeo have put out the first single from their upcoming album White Women. "Over Your Shoulder" is the Chromeo we know and love: totally groovy. Meanwhile, White Women is as of now without a release date, so we recommend they get on that quick.


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Dundee - 24h on
It was the manager's happy task to offer his thoughts after the 3-0 win at Dens Park. In short, he was very pleased and felt that quality told in the end.
He urged as many Motherwell fans as possible to attend Fir Park next week to celebrate the team's progress and urge them on to claim a European place..
He was pressed on the possibility of finishing the season as runners up and conceded that if the team was to finish second, despite the loss of Jennings, Craigan, Clancy and, later, Murphy, it would be a bigger achievement than last season's.
Stuart McCall talks to MFC TV at Dens ParkThe suggestion that he was the catalyst for our good form was brushed aside and he pointed out that "it's this current group of players who deserve the praise".
He was delighted that we matched the effort that Dundee put into the game and took pleasure at the goals from Law in particular. With tongue in cheek he said "it was about time" that he had started to score some goals.
Higdon saw us on our winning way with a well taken header. He was robbed of a decent celebration as he had scored at the home end and to rejoice amid the in the gloom that spread through the Dee support seemed harsh. Cheers from our support arrived to break the silence and our top scorer added another on to his impressive tally.
Law then scored a good goal followed by a great one. His fist was a fine glancing header directed away from the 'keeper. The second followed a well corner, as the pundits say – "straight from the training ground". Law detached himself from the crowded area and Hateley delivered an inch perfect corner. After a controlling touch our man dispatched it into the net. It will feature large in our goals of the season reel.
After other results the chasing pack has thinned out a bit. Ross County are now eight points behind but Inverness remain close behind. A win against St Mirren is called for next week. As McCall said, "We've got six games to go and we're just insisting on the lads not to take their foot off the pedal now."
Source: FirParkCorner
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I was pricing out bags of compost today for my sfg, and there are a few different kinds out there... Which would be the best to get? Are there specific ingredients in the compost I should look for or avoid?
Thanks for the feedback! |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by snibb Salt Lake City (email@example.com) on Sun, Apr 26, 09 at 17:20
Whatever you do, dont buy the least expensive compost. Its that way for a reason. Garden and Bloom compost(not soil amendement)is excellent, as is Harvest Supreme if you can find them. They should be pretty readily available. |
Thanks, snibb. I'm one for generic brands, but I figured I'd stay away from the cheapest soil for that reason. ;-) Should I avoid anything that says "soil amendment" then? Is this acceptable? I remember seeing in yesterday... http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100207757 I haven't seen Harvest Supreme or Garden Bloom around here (just looked up pics of them)... What about Miracle Gro stuff? Any other brands, or contents I can look out for? I'm pretty much sticking to "big box" stores since I don't know where a lot of things are here, and am timid about driving to new towns still (also, the 2 nurseries I've been to are WAY overpriced for me). |
Also, would any of the Sun Land or OSH composts be acceptable? http://www.sunlandgarden.com/products-home_gardeners.php |
Here is a link that might be useful: OSH soil
- Posted by snibb Salt Lake City (email@example.com) on Mon, Apr 27, 09 at 0:46
momma...I dont know what those products are. I can only comment on the soil amendment from Garden and Bloom's. If you look on the ingredient list for compost, you should get a pretty good idea of whats in it. A blended compost, vs. say just cow manure, would be ideal. The more the variety in compost, the better. You could go with something like cow manure, turkey manure, and maybe mushroom compost. That would be a good one. Or, maybe cow, mushroom, and turkey....it would all be good for you |
would someone tell me where you can buy this Garden and Bloome Compost? I looked at their site and it looks like if you don't live in southern CA or Or you can't get it. |
- Posted by tanabrown4424 (My Page) on Tue, Jun 9, 09 at 12:39
I am really liking the Garden & Bloome line that I have discovered this year. Surely they have been around but this is the first I've seen of them. I've purchased two bags about two weeks apart from each other. 3 Cu Ft. for 7.99 at Scott McLendon's Hardware. It covers well and looks like high quality shred bark. It doesn't look like it's going to fade into something fugly. It is brown dirt color. Seems to be holding in moisture around my potatos, zukes and flowers. I also added it to the Rose garden. I think it's a real bargain. I didn't find a websit for that company though. It's easier to handle than a bail of peat moss too! |
Here is a link that might be useful: tanasplants
- Posted by gardener_mary 6 MA (My Page) on Tue, Jun 9, 09 at 13:12
The important thing to do when you are looking for compost is to lift the bags and feel them. If they feel heavy, wet and clumpy avoid them. If they feel light and fluffy then it will probably be a good choice. I got a couple of bags of composted cow manure from Lowe's before I read this advice and I just bought by what it said was in the bag. I ended up with bags of clay soil. That may not be too bad if I was trying to amend sandy soil, but I already have my own clay soil that I was trying to lighten up. Good luck and good gardening, Mary |
Mel suggests compost from several sources. I didn't find this as easy as it seems. When I was searching, most of the big box stores only carried one, and it was usually cow. Also consider your local hardware stores, ours down the street had bags of seashell and mushroom compost. It was beautiful stuff. Keep searching. |
Here is a link that might be useful: GrafixMuse's Garden Spot
Here there is a city beautification group and they sometimes sell compost really cheap that is how we got ours. I don't know how you would go about finding that out. Maybe you have heard about who keeps your city nice and planted with flowers and can research that. We knew ours because their are small signs that say "brighside project" next to most of their projects. It was pretty good compost though I don't think it had any kind of manure in it. We had to add that seperate. Have you went to the garden web forums for your area/region to get an idea there? |
Here is a link that might be useful: my garden blog
One 2x6 standard size box is 8 cubic feet of Mel's mix. I mixed enough for 3 boxes each time. For that I used 8 bags of compost (1cu ft bags). Of that I used 2 bags of poultry compost, 2 mushroom, 4 cow, That was what I could find so that is what I used. Having said that, I have had excellent results. I feel the key was the hot nitrogen rich poultry compost. 1 to 4 ratio on the black Hen compost worked for me. |
Our local stores carried cow and mushroom. Then I also found worm castings on Craigslist and chicken compost at a local hydroponic store (where I also found the vermiculite). I check Craigslist every so often and there is usally someone wanting people to come take their manure off their hands! We started a few worm bins, and I also bought a bunny - he's a good manure making machine LOL. Anyway, just a few thoughts on places where you may be able to find some different types of compost for your boxes :) . |
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