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Get an overview of this hotel4-star inn with restaurant and bar/lounge
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Popular property highlights
Situated in Ripon, this inn is within 6 mi (10 km) of Prison and Police Museum, Courthouse Museum, and Ripon Cathedral. Ripon Racecourse and Workhouse Museum are also within 6 mi (10 km).
Property Features
A restaurant, a bar/lounge, and wedding services are available at this smoke-free inn. Free WiFi in public areas and free self parking are also provided.
Room Amenities
All 5 rooms offer free WiFi, iPod docks, and TVs. Guests will also find coffee makers, free bottled water, and hair dryers.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
The George at Wath
Property Amenities
Property Amenities
The inn offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Wireless Internet access is complimentary. Complimentary self parking is available on site.
The George at Wath is a smoke-free property.
- Number of floors - 2
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Total number of rooms - 5
- Free self parking
- Bar/lounge
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Free WiFi
- Restaurant
- Smoke-free property
- Wedding services
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking
Room Amenities
- Coffee/tea maker
- Bathrobes
- Shower only
- Iron/ironing board
- Cribs/infant beds available
- Free bottled water
- Private bathroom
- Hair dryer
- Television
- Desk
- Free WiFi
- iPod docking station
Where to Eat
Full breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning.
The George at Wath has a restaurant on site.
Property Policies
Check-in time starts at 5 PM
Check-in time ends at 9 PM
Check-out time is 10:30 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available.
- Pets allowed
- Dogs only
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Property Name
- George Wath
- George Wath Inn
- George Wath Inn Ripon
- George Wath Ripon
National Rating
This establishment has received its official star rating from VisitEngland, the National Tourist Board for England.


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Nowadays, according to our refugee friends, corruption is rampant and "in North Korea there isn't anything you can't do if you have money."
After the state-socialist economy collapsed in the 1990s, the regime was no longer able to provide for the people, and up to a million North Koreans lost their lives in the resultant famine.
The famine and grassroots marketization triggered unprecedented levels of internal and cross-border movement–much of it illegal–and trade with the outside world.
It is illegal for the North Korean people to leave their country without the regime's permission, and the regime attempts to restrict the people's movement even inside their own country.
Organized religion is seen as a potential threat to the regime and therefore nothing apart from token churches built as a facade of religious freedom for foreign visitors are allowed.
And this is just the beginning of the corruption North Koreans face on a daily basis…
Reported by conservativebrief,
If the North Koreans haven't noticed it already they will soon — there's a new sheriff in town. They're no longer dealing with the weak American President who drew imaginary red lines in the sand and thought that hashtags were the best way to deal with the low life thugs and terrorists of the world.
That was Barack Obama… THIS is Donald Trump.
Not only did North Korea recently test fire missiles that landed dangerously close to Japan, but they also put the US on notice that they were preparing for an all out war. Recently it came to light that within a few short years they would have a missile capable of carrying a nuclear war head to Japan, and US bases all around the Pacific — including Hawaii. Left undeterred, a nuclear Pearl Harbor would not only become possible, but likely.
The situation has gotten so bad that some Japanese are calling for their military to launch pre-emptive strikes against the North Koreans — and it looks like Trump may be on board with that idea.
Over the weekend, we moved our THAAD Missile Defense System into South Korea and today Trump is upping the ante by sending B-52 bombers to South Korea. These bombers are specifically designed to carry nuclear bombs! It looks like the Kim Jong Un has picked a fight with the wrong guy!
President Trump will do what's needed. The children of the world have gone without leadership for too long.

subset: commoncrawl


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Capturing the Full Picture your Social Media Data Provides
At times, I've told people who ask, my career in public relations is one of the pursuit and conveyance of truth. That's all well and good for haughty conversation over espresso with one's pinky extended and chin held high (which I'll never shy away from), but to truly succeed, it's important to realize a truth is conveyed to deliver a result for one's clients.
That is to say, that truth is the expression of a story on a client's behalf to meet a goal. Beyond the importance of direct, human interactions and connections, a social media post (i.e., conveyance of content) is delivered to achieve a goal.
Whatever it is, you're moving from content (story) to human interaction ("likes," shares) and engagement (comments, replies) to drive conversions (web visits) and actual key performance indicators (did they buy or sign up?) that mark your success.
Impressions. Reach. Loops. Engagement. Web traffic. Attention time. Audience growth. Sales.
TV, radio, billboard and print ads? You'll get impressions but, with those classic tactics, you can't measure the action. That's not to say the impression isn't important – it absolutely is. And it's not to say the actions aren't happening – they absolutely are. But you can't measure the action a consumer of your brand takes as a result of a commercial.
Social media (and all of its data) gives us an incredible chance to understand our audience's behavior. We call it data-informed creative and data-informed strategy. We set the goals. We determine the objectives (specific metrics to measure the impact of our work). We develop the strategies to guide creative conveyance of a story in order to meet those objectives and achieve those goals. That's why measuring and reporting on all that data is so important. It shows you how WHAT you're doing works toward WHY you're doing it. It shows you if you're moving the needle, how close you're getting to pinning the tail on that donkey, so to speak.
So, when you create content, what can measuring its performance tell you? To demonstrate, I've decided to share a little snapshot. This is something I tweeted during the Milwaukee Bucks game on January 19, 2015 at 8:58 p.m.:
Reminder, Milwaukee: There's a very real chance the @Bucks are gonna be fighting like this in the playoffs. And that's damn exciting. — Colin Deval (@ColinDeval) January 20, 2015
This was just a random comment from an excited Bucks fan in Milwaukee, but it does provide some illustrative metrics that help you understand what can be measured.
- The tweet had 18,528 impressions. That's a lot for one guy on a Monday night. They came from ReTweets and favorites, none of which came from third-party sources like the Bucks themselves or prominent Bucks media. It was made up of regular fans, only two of which followed me to begin with.
- The tweet had 29 ReTweets, 51 favorites and 2 replies – all from people who weren't naturally engaged with my message. They were Bucks fans with whom I had yet to connect.
The most interesting numbers in there?
- 113 people clicked on my user profile. When they did, they saw my career, interests and a link to a website, but none of that reinforced the message they saw in the tweet. It didn't say, "Milwaukee Bucks blogger. Visit my blog."
There was no reason for them to follow me in the future unless they wanted to add a random messenger to their Twitter feed. The other interesting number?
- Those 18,528 impressions resulted in only four new followers. Of all those impressions, 113 people took an action (a conversion) and only four people took the next step and followed me.
At Core, we use Sprout Social to manage our clients' social media profiles. It's powerful and gives us extensive options and flexibility for collaborating with clients and managing data. I also highly recommend spending time with Twitter Analytics to learn the patterns of activity based on your actions. Data tells a story just as much as content does.
If this were a tweet for a client to build their brand with their audience, meeting objectives to achieve their goals, this is how it would have fit in our measurement index:
18,528 impressions and 80 interactions? Pretty good! Was there value in those impressions? You bet! Some good Bucks fan bonding. And, hey, the interactions drove the impressions – can't have one without the other. But did all those people do anything? No, because I didn't give them anything to do. There was no call to action. It was just a statement for an impression, like a joke or the many pop culture references you see so often on social media.
Understanding that – how an action creates specific types of data – is how you can use the data to inform strategy development and creative execution.
Now, if it were a tweet designed for engagement – actually asking a question – chances are it would have had a much lower impression total, but a higher rate of engagement. People aren't likely to share that kind of content, are they? They might answer and engage, but they're less likely to share if it's a direct question. If our goal was to drive traffic, grow our audience or drive engagement around audience participation, this was not the tweet to do so. This tweet was designed for impressions, and it got them. This was a statement. Like a billboard. With social media activity, statements help you tell your story, but it's the participatory and engaging content that will truly drive your growth.
Want a bigger audience, increased website traffic, buzz about a new product, bolstered media relations or better customer service? Each of these requires a different strategic approach, yet they can all work together. You need a good mix, but understand that different strategies in the social space will achieve different goals.
Social media ain't all puppy dogs, memes and "happy Fridays," and it shouldn't be all link blasting, retweeting and waiting by the phone either. If you want to talk through understanding how this complexity can serve you and your organization, give me a call at 414-299-3942, email me or find me on Twitter … where you're likely to find a fair bit of weeknight Bucks chatter.
Colin Deval is a Social Media Strategist at Core. Follow him on Twitter @colindeval.
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Let Lollipops & Lipstick pamper your daughter and her friends in the comfort of your own home. Sit back and relax whilst we entertain them for a fun-filled 2 hours. Whether your daughter wants a teen girly makeover pamper party with professional hair styling and make up or, for the younger girls, a mixture of pampering, craft activities, singing and games then this is the party for her! We are the only pamper party company in Kent to include a SELFIE POD as part of a pamper party package and now also offering our popular themed tea and pamper parties including Mad Hatter and a fairy theme.
Our latest addition is our do it yourself party in a box. We supply you with all the equipment and know how to run your very own Lollipops and Lipstick party!
All of our parties are thoughtfully tailored for each age group and include age appropriate pamper party bags.
If your daughter loves nail painting, glitter tattoos, cupcake decorating, bracelet making, karaoke and lots of games then this is the package for her. Suitable for ages 5-10, this two hour party is packed with a mix of pampering and games to keep them entertained for a full 2 hours.
For the older girls (age 9-12), this party package offers pedicures with foot spas, nail painting, glitter and metallic tattoos, karaoke, our very popular selfie pod (who doesn't love a selfie!) and age appropriate games finishing with a red carpet catwalk to music.
Our VIP Makeover package is for pure indulgence. Let our professional hair and make up stylist work her magic to make the girls look and feel like superstars! Pedicures, manicures, music/karaoke also included. Great for proms, sweet 16's or just a girly party. Suitable for ages 12+
The perfect mix of pampering mixed with an elaborate Alice in Wonderland or fairy themed tea party. This 2 hour party includes an hour of pampering followed by our amazing tea party and then age appropriate games to finish off. Suitable for ages 5+
Our indoor/outdoor fairy party is truly magical! We arrive to set up our fantastic fairy wonderland either in your back garden or in your house (if the weather isn't behaving!)Suitable for ages 4+
Why not make your daughter's party even more fabulous? Other special extras include:
Sweet cones
A candy floss machine
A "mocktail" drinks fountain
Chocolate fondue
Our spectacular sweet ferris wheel filled to the brim with pick n mix
Our fantastic SELFIE POD which is included in our Lipstick party package or can be hired as an extra to go with any other party package
We have been running for over 8 years and are well established with a fantastic reputation.
We are prompt to respond to your enquiries and provide an excellent service from beginning to end.
All our staff are friendly, well trained and DBS checked.
Lollipops & Lipstick take pride in providing a high quality party ensuring the birthday girl is truly spoilt and has an amazing time. Our games and activities are fun and thoughtful and tailored to each age group with age appropriate prizes.
We know what girls want from a pamper party and your daughter and her friends are sure to be talking about it for weeks after!
Lollipops & Lipstick Girls Pamper Parties cover many areas in South East London and Kent. We operate from Abbeywood, Addington, Barnehurst, Bickley, Biggin Hill, Blackfen, Blackheath, Beckenham, Belvedere, Bexley, Bexleyheath, Brasted, Bromley, Chatham, Chelsfield, Chislehurst, Crayford, Darenth, Dartford, Eltham, Erith, Eynsford, Farnborough, Farningham, Foots Cray, Gillingham, Gravesend, Greenhithe, Greenwich, Hextable, Horton Kirby, Keston, Longfield, Maidstone, Medway, Meopham, Mottingham, New Eltham, Northfleet, Orpington, Otford, Petts Wood, Plumstead, Rainham, Rochester, Sidcup, Sevenoaks, Southfleet, St Marys Cray, St Pauls Cray, Stone, Swanley, Swanscombe, Sutton at Hone, Thamesmead, Welling, Wilmington, Westerham, West Wickham, West Kingsdown Kent and the surrounding areas. Note some of these area may incur mileage charges.
For areas outside of the towns listed above, please contact us to discuss.


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It's been a pretty up and down week for the pastry you hate to love, the Doughnut. A Minor League Baseball Team changed the cruller game forever by putting a hot dog in a Krispy Kreme donut, but then it was revealed that Dunkin' Donuts is removing a chemical compound from their powdered sugar that can also be found in paint and sunscreen. Suffice to say, it's been a rough week for Homer Simpson's favorite pastry.
Now, we've got a case where a mother actually left her five-month-old baby inside of a doughnut shop and didn't realize it until they were ten miles away at, you guessed it, another doughnut shop, because the first doughnut shop didn't have the particular kind of doughnut they were looking for. I'd say that the biggest surprise for me is that this story took place in Southern California, and not Central Florida.
A South California woman and her cousin were on a mission to look for a specific doughnut when they arrived at Golden Donuts in National City, CA, a town about five miles south of San Diego, on Wednesday, with the five-month-old baby in tow. But when the shop didn't have the doughnut they were looking for, they dipped — sans baby. A store employee found the poor, forgotten child.
"I thought she took the baby," said the employee. "And then a customer told me, 'Oh the baby on the table.' And then I look around. She was already gone."
The employee called 911, and upon arriving at Yum Yum Donuts in Spring Valley, CA, they realized, in the most terrible 90's sitcom-y way possible, that the baby was missing. Can't you just picture Roseanne Barr, Tim Allen or Patrick Duffy saying, "Gosh, the baby is so quiet. So peaceful…" [Turns Around] "JIMMINY JILLICKERS, WE DON'T HAVE THE BABY!" In fact, this sounds a lot like an episode of Step By Step.
The Mother Of The Year candidate rushed back over to Golden Donuts, where the police gave her back her baby without arresting or citing the woman. The mother said that she and the cousin were confused about who was watching the baby; again, sounds like a sub-plot from one of the bad Full House seasons. "I thought you were watching Michelle!" "No, I thought YOU were watching Michelle! Michelle, there you are!" "You got it, dude!"
Some people just shouldn't be allowed to breed. I hope they at least got some proper doughnuts out of this, though..
[via NBC San Diego]


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Health products, facial masks and other trendy products from Korea.
Product Code [A56]
Price: RM17.9
Quantiy: ONLY 1
Mia accessories on sales! Only ONE piece for this classy accessories. Get it now while stock lasts.
Product Code [CM8]
Price: RM49.9
Cute, unique, trendy, colourful and elegant pocket mirror in STYLE. Perfect gift for ladies or personal make up.
Product Code [A53]
Price: RM31.9
Quantiy: ONLY 1
Product Code [L]
Price: RM38.9
Quantiy: ONLY 1
Origin: Korea
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McDonald's on Ford Road
44900 Ford Road
Canton, MI 48187
View more Canton restaurants
(734) 459-3313
Cuisine: Bakeries, Burger Restaurants, Fast Food Restaurants, Sandwich Shops, Soups and Salads
2.8 of 5.0 from 4 reviews
price range:Less than $10
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Business Profile for McDonald's
McDonald's is located at 44900 Ford Road in Canton, Michigan. This is one of 2 McDonald's locations in Canton. Sherry Bynum is the manager of this location.
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McDonald's Reviews
Add your review for McDonald's.
It's McDonald's. just like any other. They have 2 drive thrus here!
by Dan C.
Service sucks balls
by Jay B.
I couldn't agree more!
by Jody E.
Best hangover cure is their coke and fries!
by Maria S.
Other Locations
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220 Ann Arbor Road West
38418 Ford Road
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45510 Michigan Ave
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38015 Ann Arbor Road
McDonald's on N Beck Rd
15110 N Beck Rd
33921 Ford Road
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39700 Five Mile Road
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10760 Belleville Road
McDonald's on Joy Road
31355 Joy Road
McDonald's on Michigan Avenue
31350 Michigan Avenue
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44275 Ford Road


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|Home | About | Journals | Submit | Contact Us | Français
Human studies show that the number of teenagers abusing anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) is increasing. During adolescence, brain development is altered by androgen exposure, which suggests that AAS may potentially alter central nervous system development. The goal of the present study was to determine whether pubertal AAS exposure increased dendritic spine densities on neurons within the medial amygdala and the dorsal hippocampus. Pubertal gonadally intact male rats received the AAS testosterone propionate (5mg/kg) or vehicle for 5 days/week for four weeks. To determine the long-term implications of pubertal AAS use, another set of males received the same AAS treatment and were then withdrawn from AAS exposure for 4 weeks. Results showed that pubertal AAS exposure significantly increased spine densities on neurons in the anterior medial amygdala, posterodorsal medial amygdala, and the CA1 region of the hippocampus compared to gonadally intact control males. Spine densities returned to control levels within the anterior medial amygdala and the posterodorsal medial amygdala 4 weeks after withdrawal. However, spine densities remained significantly elevated after AAS withdrawal in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, suggesting that pubertal AAS exposure may have a long-lasting impact on CA1 hippocampal neuroanatomy. Since pubertal AAS exposure increased spine densities and most excitatory synapses in the central nervous system occur on dendritic spines, AAS may increase neuronal excitation. It is proposed that this increase in excitation may underlie the behavioral responses seen in pubertal AAS-treated male rats.
Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use by human adolescent males is on the rise (Burnett and Kleiman, 1994, DuRant et al., 1995, Melia et al., 1996). This is of particular concern because puberty is a time when increasing endogenous hormone levels influence brain maturation (Primus and Kellogg, 1990, Sisk et al., 2003), which may be adversely affected by AAS exposure.
Two brain regions that have been found to be sensitive to pubertal hormones in both human and animal studies are the hippocampus and amygdala (Meyer et al., 1978, Giedd et al., 1996a, Giedd et al., 1996b, Romeo and Sisk, 2001, Giedd et al., 2006, Zehr et al., 2006). The volume of the amygdala and hippocampus has been shown to increase with age in human adolescents (Giedd et al., 1996a, Giedd et al., 1996b). Additionally, after puberty rodent males have an increased posterodorsal medial amygdala volume (Romeo and Sisk, 2001, Cooke et al., 2002, Zehr et al., 2006). Furthermore, hippocampal CA1 spine density levels increase throughout puberty, and castration before puberty can abolish this increase in male rodents (Meyer et al., 1978). Therefore, these two brain regions are clearly sensitive to AAS exposure during puberty.
Both androgens and estrogens have been shown to affect the density of dendritic spines in the amygdala and the hippocampal formation (Woolley et al., 1990, Johansen et al., 2004, Cooke and Woolley, 2005, Garza-Meilandt et al., 2006). For example, estradiol treatment has been shown to increase neuronal spine density within the posterodorsal medial amygdala (Gomez and Newman, 1991, Cooke and Woolley, 2005) and pyramidal neuronal spine density in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus of adult ovariectomized female rats (Gould et al., 1990, Woolley et al., 1990, Cooke and Woolley, 2005, Garza-Meilandt et al., 2006). Recently, it has been found that exogenous testosterone treatment increased the number of spines on neurons in the medial amygdala and the number of spine synapse densities, which can reflect an increase in spine density, in the hippocampus of adult castrated male rats (Fowler et al., 2003, Leranth et al., 2003).
It has been previously shown that many of the effects of testosterone are due to its conversion to estrogen (Gorski, 1985). However, several studies suggest that testosterone is more salient in male brain morphology than estrogen. For example, male rats typically have a higher density of dendritic spines on neurons in the medial amygdala than female rats (McDonald, 1992). Furthermore, castration of adult male rats or monkeys resulted in decreased CA1 pyramidal spine synapse density, and testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT) exposure restored spine synapse density levels to control levels (Leranth et al., 2003), whereas estrogen administration had no effect on restoring spine synapse density levels in male rats (Leranth et al., 2003).
The goal of this study was to determine the effects of pubertal exposure to chronic high doses of the widely abused AAS testosterone (Pope and Katz, 1994, Mottram and George, 2000) on dendritic spines on neurons in the medial amygdala and the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus. Since, both human and animal studies have shown that pubertal AAS exposure has varied effects on mood, such as increased irritability and aggression (Kopera, 1985, Kindlundh et al., 2001, Thiblin and Parlklo, 2002, Farrell and McGinnis, 2003a, Wesson and McGinnis, 2006), pubertal exposure to AAS may alter the central nervous system. Therefore, we hypothesized that gonadally intact males exposed to chronic high doses of AAS during puberty would show increased spine densities on neurons within the anterior medial amygdala, posterodorsal medial amygdala, and the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus compared to gonadally intact controls treated with vehicle. Additionally, we predicted that the proposed increased in spine densities would remain following withdrawal from pubertal AAS exposure.
Long Evans male rats were purchased from Charles River Laboratory (Wilmington, MA) and received on postnatal day 38. Animals were housed in a temperature-controlled room (23°C) in standard Plexiglas cages (25 × 20 × 18 cm) with ad libitum access to food and water. Lights were maintained on a 12:12 hour reversed light/dark cycle, with lights off at 1200h. Body weights were recorded weekly and found not to be significantly different from controls (AAS males, 348.9± 13.8g Control males, 368.5± 7.9g, AAS withdrawal males, 451.4± 26.5g, Control withdrawal males, 484.8± 10.3g). Experimental procedures were performed in accordance with National Institutes of Health's guidelines for animal care and use.
Males were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: 4 week pubertal exposure to the AAS testosterone (n=9) or vehicle control (n=8) (polyethylene glycol 200). In addition, 3 rats from each treatment group were withdrawn from the experimental treatment for 4 weeks to examine the long-term effects of pubertal AAS exposure. A four-week withdrawal period from pubertal AAS exposure has previously been shown to be sufficient to allow the endocrine system to return to a physiological state, as evidenced by similar wet testes and prostate weights between AAS withdrawal males and vehicle control males (Feinberg et al., 1997).
AAS (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) exposure was initiated on postnatal day 40, which is the time of preputial separation (Korenbrot et al., 1977). Testosterone propionate or vehicle control was subcutaneously injected at a dosage of 5mg/kg body weight five days a week for four weeks (Farrell and McGinnis, 2003a, Cunningham and McGinnis, 2006, Wesson and McGinnis, 2006), which is comparable to the AAS levels (10-100 times physiological testosterone levels) abused by humans (Pope and Katz, 1988, Bahrke et al., 1990, Bahrke et al., 1998, Mottram and George, 2000). In male rats this dosage of testosterone results in several endocrine changes, such as ~30 fold increase in serum testosterone levels, decreased testes weights, and increased seminal vesicles and prostate weights (Feinberg et al., 1997, Farrell and McGinnis, 2003b).
The anterior medial amygdala, posterodorsal medial amygdala, and the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus of the brain were selected for spine density analysis (Figure 1). The CA1 region of the hippocampus has been shown to be sensitive to testosterone, as determined by the decrease in spine synapse density following castration in adult male rats (Leranth et al., 2003). In addition, both sub-regions of the medial amygdala, anterior and posterodorsal, undergo changes in volume throughout puberty, which is a critical period during which testosterone levels increase (Romeo and Sisk, 2001).
The animals were sacrificed by a lethal administration of pentobarbital at a dose of 50 mg/kg i.p., flushed and perfused with lactated Ringers (Brawn Medical Inc, Irvine, CA) and 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Immediately following decapitation, the brains were removed and immersed in ice-cold 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1M PBS for 1 hour, followed by 6 washes of 0.1M PBS every 5 minutes. After washing the brain, the tissue was sectioned at 300 μm on a Lancer vibratome (Lancer, St. Louis, MO). The thickness of the tissue was chosen to minimize the number of severed dendrites within the brain slices (Claiborne et al., 1990, Garza-Meilandt et al., 2006).
The neurons and associated dendritic components in the perfused brains were labeled with 1,1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3,3' tetramethlindocarbocyanine percholate (DiI, Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR), a lipophilic carbocyanine dye. In perfused tissue the DiI can travel 0.4mm/day and is confined to the membrane that has absorbed it (Balthazart et al., 1994). Crushed crystals of DiI were placed on the tip of a micropipette. The micropipette was placed on a manipulator that was used to advance the micropipette into the tissue. Crystals were placed in three different locations within each brain region. In CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus, crystals were placed along the transverse axis of the stratum lacunosum-moleculare. Also, in both the anterior and posterodorsal medial amygdala, crystals were place in the dorsal, middle, and ventral regions.
Once the DiI crystals were placed in the appropriate regions, the sections were stored in a vial containing a 2% paraformaldehyde and 0.1M phosphate buffer (7.4 pH) solution. The vial was placed in the dark at room temperature for a three-day incubation period (Garza-Meilandt et al., 2006).
Both the anterior and posterodorsal medial amygdala segments were sampled from the secondary dendrites of bipolar or multipolar cells (Rasia-Filho et al., 1999). There are many types of neurons in the medial amygdala, but the majority (~ 85%) of these neurons are pyramidal neurons with long branches (Rasia-Filho et al., 1999, Muller et al., 2006). Since these neurons can be easily visualized with DiI, they were selected for study. In the dorsal hippocampus, spine densities were analyzed on secondary apical dendrites of the pyramidal cells within the stratum radiatum of the CA1 region (Galea et al., 1997, Danzer et al., 1998). Segments were sampled bilaterally. Utilizing secondary segments for each brain region allowed for uniformity across all dendritic segments.
The labeled neurons were randomly assigned numeric identifiers for analysis. This procedure allowed the investigator to analyze the segments without bias. The dendrites were imaged by utilizing a scanning confocal laser microscope (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA) mounted on a Nikon Labophot-2 microscope equipped with a fluorescence emission laser and a 60x oil immersion objective (Zeiss). The fluorescent laser was set at 568-nm emission length, allowing visualization of the DiI-labeled segments. Only intensely and discretely labeled segments of secondary branches of pyramidal cells were selected for analysis. Additionally, another criterion for analysis was that the chosen segment be at least 20 μm in length and 100 μm from the cell body. Each segment was imaged by making scanning sequential scans at 0.3 μm z-step intervals.
Spine density was analyzed by an investigator, blind to the treatment groups, using an Igor-based spine counting program (WaveMetric, Inc, Lake Oswego, OR). Examination of individual segments was performed by the investigator scrolling through the individual confocal scans and placing a mark by each visible spine. Spines were categorized as dendritic protrusions that were at least 0.25 μm in length (Desmond and Levy, 1985) and were observed as separate protrusions in one or more scans. The number of spines was summed and the dendritic length in three dimensions was quantified to determine the number of visible spines per dendritic micrometer (Garza-Meilandt et al., 2006). No correction factor was applied for hidden spines (Woolley and McEwen, 1993).
Spines within the medial amygdala are of three types: small bulb on a thin stalk, mushroom-shaped, and thin stalk with two or more branched heads (Rall, 1974). Dendritic spines within the stratum radiatum layer of the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus are thin, stubby, or mushroom-shaped (Desmond and Levy, 1985, Harris et al., 1992). The dendritic spines of neurons in both the medial amygdala and the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus observed within this experiment were consistent with these structural characteristics. However, within this study dendritic spines were not categorized based on shape (Rall, 1974, Desmond and Levy, 1985, Harris et al., 1992)
A total of 6 dendritic segments from different neurons were quantified for each brain region per rat. Therefore the dendritic segments for 6 animals totaled 36 segments per brain region. Dendritic segments for 8 control animals totaled 48 segments per brain region. For three animals in the AAS withdrawal group, there were a total of 18 segments in each brain region. Average segment length was approximately 30 μm.
Spine densities from all segments in each brain region were averaged per animal. The spine density was analyzed with either a Kruskal-Wallis or Kolmogorov-Smirnov non-parametric tests to determine main effects, followed by Tukey/Kramer test for post hoc comparisons (Statview 5.0). Data were displayed as mean ± SEM. P values ≤ 0.05 were designated as significant.
Kolmogorov-Smirnov analysis of age on spine density levels between control males and 4 week withdrawal control males showed similar means between groups with no significant differences, regardless of nuclei. Therefore, spine densities from these two control groups were compiled into one overall control group for further analysis.
There was a significant overall effect of pubertal AAS treatment on spine densities of neurons within the anterior medial amygdala (Kruskal-Wallis, p<0.018). Post hoc analysis of spine densities revealed that pubertal AAS treatment significantly increased spine densities from 1.48 spines/μm to 2.33 spines/μm (Tukey/Kramer, p<0.05) (Figure 2). Following withdrawal from AAS, spine densities were not significantly different from controls. Figure 3 illustrates representative dendritic segments from the anterior medial amygdala showing that spine densities increased in AAS treated males compared to gonadally intact control males (Figure 3, A vs. B), and returned to control levels after four weeks of AAS withdrawal (Figure 3, C vs. A).
The same pattern of AAS-induced spine density alterations was found in the posterodorsal medial amygdala. There was a significant overall effect of AAS treatment on spine densities on neurons in the posterodorsal medial amygdala (Kruskal-Wallis, p<0.005). Figure 2 shows that pubertal AAS exposure significantly increased spine densities from 1.43 spines/μm to 2.40 spines/μm (Tukey/Kramer, p<0.05), but there were no significant differences between AAS withdrawal and control spine densities. Figure 4 depicts representative dendritic segments from the posterodorsal medial amygdala showing that pubertal AAS exposure increased spine densities and that spine density levels returned to control levels after 4 weeks from withdrawal from AAS.
There was a significant overall effect of AAS treatment on hippocampal spine densities (Kruskal-Wallis, p<0.006). Post hoc analysis showed that pubertal AAS exposure significantly increased spine density levels in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus from 2.37 spines/μm to 2.98 spines/μm (Tukey/Kramer, p<0.05), and spine densities continued to be significantly elevated at 2.89 spines/μm following four weeks of AAS withdrawal (p<0.05) (Figure 2). Representative dendritic segments from the stratum radiatum of the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus are seen in Figure 5. Spine densities were increased as a result of pubertal AAS exposure (Figure 5, B vs. A), and remained elevated four weeks after AAS withdrawal compared to controls (Figure 5, C vs. A).
The micrographs in Figures 3--55 are composite images from a series of confocal scans. Although it may appear at times that the dendrite diameter was altered, it was actually an artifact of superimposing several confocal scans into one composite image. At a confocal microscopic level, no structural differences in dendritic spine or dendritic diameter were observed in any of the treatment groups.
This study quantified dendritic spines on neurons to study the effects of pubertal exposure to the AAS testosterone within the medial amygdala and the hippocampus. In the current study, we demonstrated that pubertal AAS exposure increased spine density on neurons within the anterior medial amygdala, posterodorsal medial amygdala, and the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus in male rats compared to gonadally intact control males. Additionally, we found that pubertal AAS exposure had long-term effects on spine density levels within the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus. Spine densities remained elevated four weeks following pubertal AAS withdrawal.
Spine density levels for gonadally intact control males were consistent with spine density levels reported in previous studies (Trommald et al., 1995, Rasia-Filho et al., 1999, Markham et al., 2005). For example, spine densities on neurons for gonadally intact control males in this study were 1.4 spines/μm in the medial amygdala compared to 1.9 spines/μm reported by Rasia-Filho (Rasia-Filho et al., 1999). Also, a spine density of 2.37 spines/μm in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus was similar to spine densities of 2.0 spines/μm reported by Trommald (Trommald et al., 1995) and 2.8 spines/μm by Markham (Markham et al., 2005).
It has been postulated that spine densities can be a measure of excitatory potential (Nuriya et al., 2006), since excitatory synapses are usually made on spines (Nimchinsky et al., 2002). Moreover, testosterone has been shown to enhance excitation of neuronal parameters. For example, testosterone application has been shown to decrease the absolute refractory period of neurons in the medial amygdala, thus resulting in increased neuronal excitation (Kendrick and Drewett, 1979, Kendrick and Drewett, 1980). Also, in vitro 20 minute bath application of testosterone increased the frequency of excitatory post synaptic potentials (EPSPs) in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons from castrated adult males and ovariectomized adult females (Smith et al., 2002). However, when male rats are castrated during puberty and given replacement testosterone, suppressive effects on hippocampal CA1 long term potentiation (LTP), another measure of excitation, have been noted (Harley et al., 2000, Hebbard et al., 2003). These studies suggest that testosterone can influence neuronal activity by different mechanisms, which may underlie the process whereby testosterone lowers the threshold to respond to stimuli.
Interestingly, a temporal parallel linking spine density and aggressive behaviors can be noted. During puberty, AAS exposure increased spine densities on neurons in the medial amygdala and the hippocampus and also increased aggression displayed by intact male rats (Farrell and McGinnis, 2004). This aggressive behavior has been linked to the medial amygdala (Masco and Carrer, 1990, Wood and Coolen, 1997, Grimes et al., 2003, David et al., 2004, Giammanco et al., 2005).
In further support of this premise, long-term behavioral effects have been found in male rats pubertally exposed to AAS. For instance, aggression remained elevated several weeks after withdrawal from pubertal AAS exposure in adult male rats, which may be a result of learned behavior (Farrell and McGinnis, 2004). This behavior is consistent with the time frame that pubertal AAS exposure increased hippocampal spine density, which has been associated with learning and memory (Moser et al., 1994, Jarrard, 1995, Leuner and Shors, 2004). Interestingly, findings from an adult AAS exposure study showed that aggression declined to gonadally intact control levels within three weeks after withdrawal from adult AAS exposure, in contrast to the permanent effects of pubertal AAS exposure (McGinnis et al., 2002). Consequently, the increased spine density on neurons in the medial amygdala and the hippocampus from AAS exposure during the critical period of puberty may play an important role in AAS-induced behaviors.
It is possible that pubertal AAS exposure may have a more global impact on dendritic structure than just spine density as was examined in the current study. In vitro studies using androgen receptor transfected PC12 cells showed that androgens increased neurite length and branching (Lustig, 1994, Lustig et al., 1994). Furthermore, an in vivo study in adult male rats showed that testosterone increased dendritic surface area and dendritic branching of preoptic/anterior hypothalamic area neurons (Cherry et al., 1992). Interestingly, this study used supraphysiological levels of testosterone propionate (5mg/kg body weight) (Cherry et al., 1992), which is actually the same dosage of testosterone propionate used in the current AAS study. Results from these studies in conjunction with our results demonstrate that testosterone can alter neuronal structure, and thus possibly affect neuronal function by increasing the receptivity of neurons.
Notably, it has also been found that gonadal hormones, such as estrogen, can increase spine synapse density by altering the amount of presynaptic inputs per CA1 hippocampal dendritic spine (Yankova et al., 2001), thus further increasing neuronal receptivity to multiple hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, it is known that androgens can increase hippocampal spine synapse density (Leranth et al., 2003), but it is not known if androgens also alter the amount of presynaptic inputs per CA1 dendritic spine. Further studies will need to be conducted to determine if pubertal AAS exposure affects other dendritic parameters, such as dendritic length, dendritic branching, and afferent inputs of neurons within the amygdala and hippocampus. Moreover, increased lengths of withdrawal from pubertal AAS exposure needs to be examined to determine the saliency of pubertal AAS exposure on neuronal parameters.
This study is the first empirical demonstration of neuroanatomical changes resulting from pubertal AAS exposure. Both the medial amygdala and the hippocampus showed increased spine densities on neurons as a result of pubertal AAS exposure. Notably, spine densities within the hippocampus did not return to gonadally intact control spine density levels after four weeks of AAS withdrawal, suggesting that pubertal AAS exposure has long-term effects on hippocampal morphology. Since pubertal AAS exposure increases dendritic spine density during brain maturation, the effects of AAS abuse by human adolescents may result in enduring changes in brain function.
We would like to thank Drs. Augustus R. Lumia and J. Thomas Cunningham for their insightful comments on the manuscript. We appreciate the expert technical advice Mr. Michael O'Boyle and Mr. Natividad Ybarra. This research was supported by NIH Grant DA 10886 to M.Y.M.
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My Relationship With "In Sickness & Health"
Woman & Money
My engagement had been a tornado of debt, failed careers, and an illness that was destroying the health of my future husband. As we picked out a wedding cake and discussed first dance songs, I wasn't sure if I wanted to be married to this man who suddenly felt like a stranger to me. However, when we received a diagnosis to the mystery illness that had hung over our relationship, it felt like we could finally see the light. We couldn't have been more wrong.
Read Part One here.
A slow and brutal crawl led us to the diagnosis of Lyme Disease. While it was a relief to know what we were facing, we were not prepared for the complexities of the disease, or the treatment. There isn't a lot of understanding about the disease and its manifestations, which left many of our family members thinking the ordeal would be a quick fix. My soon-to-be husband started taking antibiotics, but after a considerable amount of time, he wasn't getting any better. The doctor decided a heart catheterization was the next step. He had a cath inserted into his left arm where it would remain for the next 10 months. The logistics of a semi-permanent heart cath are not convenient. He couldn't lift anything over twenty pounds, and he had to keep gauze wrapped around it when it wasn't in use in order to ensure that he didn't accidentally yank it out which could make him bleed to death. Five days a week, he hooked a bag of antibiotics to the IV attached to the outside of the cath, pumping the bag of meds straight into his heart. Insurance didn't quite cover the cost of the doctor or the medication, and we had not a fraction of the monthly income needed to cover it. We had to turn to my mother-in-law for assistance. This kind of begging only further hacked at our confidence.
I remember one of the first times I saw him hooked to the IV in our living room. The bags had to be refrigerated, and as the cold fluids pumped into his heart, they drained the color from his face, making him look ashen and truly ill. The sight of him tore at my soul. At a time in our lives when we were supposed to be looking forward to the future and enjoying the benefits of our youth, my husband was hooked to an IV and planning his trips outside the house around his flaring symptoms. For the first time, I realized how hard the whole thing must have been for him.
As we were bending our lives around this strange diagnosis and the IV pole that became a piece of furniture in our life, I had accepted my new accounting job, we were planning our wedding, and we were buying a house. All of this culminated in a storm of stress and a deficit of cash. We had to move in order for me to accept the new job, and I had to take the job in order to keep from falling behind in the growing stack of bills. My husband was adamant that we would save in the long run if we bought a house instead of renting. However, this meant borrowing the down payment from my mother-in-law. After an argument and a week without speaking, I gave in, and we asked for the money. I was pulled further into the fire of resentment, and it burned through all of my feelings of competence and accomplishment.
We stumbled our way through the weeks, battling each problem as it came and trying to find any residual excitement for our upcoming nuptials. The state of our finances was an open sore on the surface of our relationship, and it left both of us struggling with our own perceived burdens. I felt alone as I tried to salvage any shred of dignity and tackle the ever-growing debts that were burying the life I had once imagined. As for my husband, he was reeling from an illness that had robbed him of his twenties, and despite years of schooling, he was penniless in the wake of a miscalculated career attempt. In our youthful immaturity, we did not yet understand that together we were stronger, and we allowed the circumstances to fester. We married on a hot September day, and I remember looking at the cards in the card box, hoping we had received enough money to make the next mortgage payment.
As we settled into married life, I was determined to get a grip on our finances, and because I was making the money, I felt it was all on me. I took it upon myself and kept tight control over every penny. With it came uneven roles in our marriage. It became an area of contention, and we fought endlessly about it. My husband didn't understand why we only had $40 a week for groceries or why there was never a spare penny for anything extra, and his inquiries sent me into tearful frenzies where I would attack him for his inability to contribute. In actuality, I was desperately trying to keep my student loan payments at bay, put breadcrumbs into our savings account, and send any spare money to my mother-in-law as repayment. As I slid the miniscule spare money into an envelope, I thought of how pathetic the sad five and ten dollar bills must have looked to her. While our problems were caused by a variety of missteps and misfortunes, I unfairly attributed it all to my husband's lack of employment. I leaned on blame instead of being patient and understanding.
My selfish behavior tore at the fibers of our relationship, widening the financial gap between us. Fed up with my refusal to include him in the finances, my husband became more secretive about everything in his life. There was this stinging mistrust that spread like a rash, affecting everything it came in contact with. I feared it would destroy us. I was exhausted by the constant push and pull, and it killed me to see the same themes from my parents' marriage running through my own – something I had sworn would never happen.
It came to a head one day when I happened to be looking for a business card in my husband's wallet. As I opened the wallet, I saw two neat fifties tucked inside. I knew they had come from his mother, and I stormed upstairs to confront him. My anger and frustration boiled over as I demanded to know why he had not put the money toward our bills. I whined and lamented about the unfairness of it, but I was met only with a bored look as my husband pushed past me. My screaming turned into hysteria, and I chased him down, reminding him that we were living off $40 a week in groceries, but he had been spending money. He let me scream until I had no words left, and he stood there looking me in the eye, unnerving me with his calmness. "Tell me how much you have to pay in student loans per month?" I knew by his tone that he already had the answer. I had been caught. I fought on, screaming the injustices I felt had been put upon me, and my husband took the bait. For hours we stomped from room to room rehashing old arguments, bashing each other with insults, and it eventually ended with me throwing his clothes out the bedroom window, conveniently parachuting down into the back of his truck. I locked myself in the bathroom and cried as I wondered what the hell to do next.
After feeling sorry for myself for a good amount of time, I accepted that I had done wrong and my behavior was ridiculous. We had to make changes. We couldn't throw away our relationship and our marriage because we had money problems. Most importantly, I had made my own mistakes that had contributed to our problems, and I had to stop acting like the victim. The one thing I kept thinking was that mental picture of my husband sitting there, hooked to that IV. I should have been there for him at such a crucial time in his life. I should have been supportive and focused on helping him get better, but I was letting money take precedence over everything else. I reduced his role in our relationship to a monetary contribution, and in this, I stripped him of all the goodness and kindness that had made me fall in love with him.
There was no miracle or overnight fix that solved our issues. It has taken years of us fighting and compromising to get our finances under control, and even now, years later, we are still working on it. What I realized through all of it is that most of us do not marry someone with identical views on money. Regardless of the differences, it has to be a joint effort. Money is one of the most common causes of disagreement in a marriage, and the one that most often leads to divorce. It is a symbol of trust and security in the relationship, and if one person holds more of the finances it can skew the control and create an uneven sense of power. In my own marriage, honesty and partnership have been the most important parts of reconciling the gap.
We still fight and run into issues, and we always will. I am conservative with our finances, which can be ineffective, and my husband believes that with high risk comes high reward, which can be dangerous. We've learned to compromise instead of fighting endlessly. He has taught me to think outside the box about saving, investing, and decreasing debt, while I have helped him better manage day-to-day finances. Money is an area that changes constantly throughout our lives. The variables are always evolving, and the sum we are striving to reach changes constantly. Regardless of who makes the money, the decisions affect the entire household, and they should be decided together.
Looking back on the early issues we had in our marriage, I see how much money can impact the views of our partners. It colors our confidence in them and how we perceive their competence. Once the finances became an honest and equal partnership, it changed the dynamic in our relationship and made us both more conscious of our choices and our goals. Money is one of the pillars of a relationship. It is part of the stability and security we seek in a partner, and it is crucial to the health of the marriage to handle the money wisely, together.
Read more of Kait's work.


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Monthly Archives: June 2017
5 Key Takeaways on the Road to Dominating Movers
The 5 Advantages of Hiring a Long Distance Mover
Long distance relocation is something many people have to experience due to various reasons. Included in these reasons are new job opportunities, school, the need to move in with a loved one, and keeping family members safe if you testify against a known criminal. In addition to the stresses that are present in normal moves, long distance relocation has complexities due to the distances that have to be covered. Hiring a long distance mover is the most appropriate option in such a situation, and it is a move that will result in the five merits highlighted next.
The distances to be traveled mean that your items have to be packed really well to withstand the rigors of the journey. A professional long distance mover knows very well about such an issue and is prepared to give protection to your items from all forms of damage. If you opt for a DIY move, most of your precious and fragile items will arrive at their destination in bits.
Moving companies that are specialized in long distance relocations are properly insured for such activities. There is excellent cost efficiency if you hire a long distance moving firm, which is unlike what many people may assume. Given that long distance relocation is expensive in itself, you can save more if you hire a professional than when you choose to do things the DIY way. An example is that you will not be required to purchase packing materials for the job, which will simply be disposed of once the exercise is complete. In a DIY move, you will be required to buy supplemental insurance, hire a truck, pay for gas, and other expenses, which are all absent if you hire a long distance moving company.
If you fail to hire experts during the move, the presence of multiple automobiles in your family could make it stressful to conduct the exercise. In such a situation, you may have to find a driver for each vehicle, which means buying gas for all the cars in your possession. It can be stressful, especially if you intend to fly your family to the new city so as to prepare for the arrival of your belongings or to take up the new job before the opportunity is taken up by other parties. The costs involved here will be astronomical because you will have to hire drivers for the automobiles and fuel them too, plus pay for the transportation of the drivers back to their home state once they complete their work. It will be easy to avoid such stresses and costs if you use a long distance moving company, which offers vehicle delivery services.
A long distance mover has been to your destination over and over. On the other hand, you may never have been to such a place in your life, and that will make settling difficult. A long distance mover will, as a result, point you to services such as gas, electricity, water, and landline telephones.
Questions About Mattresses You Must Know the Answers To
Why Buying a Mattress for Back Pain is Beneficial
People who suffer from chronic pain in their backs might feel that they suffer from a lot of its effects in their daily lives. The good news is that there are ways to ease this back pain, ways which might seem surprisingly practical and easy. One can, for instance, purchase a mattress which has been designed expressly for the purpose of easing back pain and of eliminating the negative effects that it brings to life. Purchasing a mattress which is specifically designed to ease back pain, then, will definitely give you a lot of wonderful advantages and benefits to enjoy, and you will certainly feel that you have made the right decision in purchasing it.
Purchasing and using a mattress which has been designed to alleviate back pain will certainly benefit you in a lot of different ways, one of which is the fact that when you do so, you can be sure to enjoy greater comfort each time you sleep. If you are a person who is very busy, you might certainly feel exhausted if you are not able to get enough rest because of the back pain you suffer. It will give you relief to know, then, that there is a way to alleviate the back pain that is keeping you awake at night, and it is through a mattress designed to deal with and treat problems like yours.
Another thing that people can enjoy when they find a good mattress for back pain is the benefit of knowing that this mattress will be durable and long-lasting. If you have tried mattresses of low quality, you might know that they deteriorate very quickly and that they cannot alleviate body pain in any way, but can actually add to this pain. One will be glad to know, then, that when he or she finds the best company that sells mattresses designed to alleviate back pain, these mattresses will be durable and long-lasting, meaning that they will not lead to increased discomfort and heightened pain.
One who finds a good company which offers mattresses for back pain will also be able to benefit because, in the long run, this mattress will contribute to the health of the spine. When you start sleeping on a high-quality mattress like this, you might even find out, as time goes on, that your posture has improved in a considerable degree, which is, in so many different ways, truly beneficial to you.
When all has been said, then, people can definitely enjoy a lot of wonderful benefits when they are able to find the best mattress designed specifically to alleviate and prevent back pain.
Cite: http://tyrneathem.com/why-your-back-hates-you-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/
3 Lessons Learned: Products
Water Filtration Systems
Quality commercial grade water filtration apparatus for homes and other places are offered by different companies. People do not compromise with their health and those of their families. It is for this reason that companies engaged in water filtration make enhanced performance of their commercial grade filtration available for use. Water filtration system purify water used in all places.
As a pointer to care for home water, Sweet Water LLC has under-counter water filtration alternatives. The system is the best in the market in terms of filtering water. Sweet Water LLC has made it such that every cartridge has a seamless and polymer-lined aluminum. Other actions such as watching the storage, use, and presence of harmful contaminants is an added measure of safeguarding water and health. It has an aluminum lining as opposed to plastic.
Sweet Water LLC's under-counter filtration system has a filtration with micro-pure precoat. The elements are found inside the filtration system. Compared to what other systems offer, the filtering strength and hitherto chlorine and particulate minimization is six more times. These features improve the protection to people, their families and loved ones. It does not cost much to acquire the system. The filtration system safeguards people against dangerous contaminants including asbestos, cysts and lead.
Sweet Water LLC provides the most effective home water purification systems. The US-based company also offers education on harmful contaminants that people should be safeguarded against. Proper storage and use of these products helps in minimizing incidents. Never keep hazardous materials in food containers.The health of people depends on water they bathe and drink every day.
The government has authorities that oversee the safety of water. It is also the responsibility of authorities to offer guidelines regarding alternative products that without hazardous ingredients whenever possible, people should buy exact quantities if avoiding hazardous products and materials is difficult, and need to share excess hazardous products if they cannot the whole quantity.
Children homes, schools, and community organizations find these guidelines helpful. Labeling improves the safety during storage, store materials and products using their original tins, avoid mixing different hazardous chemical products.
They also advise on the right products that help in eliminating dangerous contaminants. The advice includes buying products other than water with less toxic elements. Recycling what can be recycled is advisable. Enhanced features of safety are monitoring the storage, use, and presence of harmful contaminants.
Proper storage and use of these products helps in minimizing incidents. Proper keeping of anything hazardous is crucial. Careful handling and use of containers that corrode helps in avoiding contamination of water. Avoid pouring part of water into other water sources that are totally used. Incompatible ones can ignite, react, and explode making them not recyclable and dangerous to both people and the environment. Read and apply instructions as directed by the manufacturer of the water filtration system.
Resource: visit this site
Learning The "Secrets" of Furniture
Why You Should Buy Handcrafted Home Goods
The nature of handmade products implies that they are few in number. Including a handcrafted product in your home adds the desirable level of individuality. One of the reasons to purchase a handcrafted product is that they add some sense of uniqueness and beauty. Everyone wants to have something different from other people. This uniqueness is simply a beauty on its own.
To stand out does not mean you buy goods from a big company. Actually, a handcrafted charcuterie board or a cheese board can reflect your personality and style.Literally, a handmade cheese board or a charcuterie board is an example of a unique product. You can make wonders by offering handmade products as unique gifts to friends or relatives. This is because they possess exclusive features that are not found in other products.
The benefits of handcrafted goods are many. Therefore, we are going to look at the main ones.
First, handcrafted products reflect the true art of tradition. We all belong to different communities, and therefore supporting the local artists is a good way to uplift the entire community. Those who craft items are typically skilled, but the technology is killing their talents. So, buying their handmade products is one of the best ways to promote their talents.
Second, handmade goods offer a more satisfying experience. For instance, buying a cheese board provides a feeling of satisfaction because it is not manufactured from a factory machine. It is more satisfying to have an artistically crafted product. Since you can trace the history of that charcuterie board, you feel more satisfied.
Third, you can get what you want because there are many artists all over the world. No one is restricted to buy from a certain region. Through the internet, it is easier to find any kind of business at the comfort of your home. Due to the increasing number of artisans selling handmade products online, you can just buy what suits you best.
Fourth, handmade products provide the value of what you buy. Once you understand a product is handmade, you can deduce that the product is more genuine. Even if the price is high, people will want to purchase. Clearly, you can conclude that people are convinced that handcrafted items are of high-quality than machine-made ones.
Fifth, You can just love the investment you make. There is a big difference between a factory-made and handmade good. An artisan works under inspirations, and therefore the final product is just fit for a particular group of people. Therefore, the handmade items reflects an exceptional uniqueness of the owner. Also, uniqueness is another aspect you want to maintain throughout your lifestyle. And therefore, a handmade product will turn that dream into reality.
The Essentials of Options – Getting to Point A
Commercial Cleaning Services and Their Wonderful Benefits
Cleaning may always not be a very fun thing to do and you may be surprised or not that there are a lot of people who do not like cleaning up at all. You may only clean up your place when guests are coming over because you just do not like putting things in order and cleaning up your house. If there were no such cleaning service out there, you will really have to do all the cleaning by yourself so you should be really happy that there are such things as cleaning services to really help you in your cleaning tasks. If you are one who needs help cleaning your house or your office, a commercial cleaning service can help you. When you are in need of help because you have so much to do, you can just hire a commercial cleaning services and they will really benefit you; let us look at the top benefits that you will get from a commercial cleaning service.
When you hire a commercial cleaning service, they can really clean up so good for you that you will feel like you are living in a brand new house again. If you really need to get your offices cleaned out very well, these professional cleaning services can really do the job for you. If you would really want to have a very clean place and if you do not want to be the one to clean your house, you can just hire a cleaning service to do it for you. Hiring a professional cleaning service can really benefit you because you will have a very clean place and you can really say that the service you hired is really worth it. This is a great benefit indeed and one that many people are already doing because they see that it is really very beneficial indeed to hire the help of a commercial cleaning service because they can really clean up your place very well.
Another really good thing about hiring a commercial cleaning service is that these services can really help you save time. Everyone wants to have more time but if you hire a cleaning service, you will have lots of time to do other things than to clean up. When you hire the help of a commercial cleaning service, you can really begin to see how much time you can save from these guys so it is really worth it. This is a wonderful benefit indeed that any body can benefit from such as families, moms and office managers.
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CHICAGO – TV fans know Monica Raymund as paramedic Gabby Dawson on the long-running "Chicago Fire." But the talented actor is expanding her range, debuting her first film as director, "Tanya," at the Midwest Independent Film Festival on Tuesday, August 1st, 2017. The short film – written by Sam Forman – will be part of "Female Filmmakers Night" at the Midwest Indie, and is part of Raymund's involvement with Hidden Tears Project, an organization dedicated to raising consciousness by creating media on gender inequality, sexual abuse and human trafficking.
United States
Interview: Founder Pepe Vargas of Chicago Latino Film Festival on Closing Night, May 4, 2017Submitted by PatrickMcD on May 4, 2017 - 2:05am
CHICAGO – On the final day of a major film festival, it's always good to acknowledge the work of the people who make it happen… like Pepe Vargas, who is the Founder and Executive Director of the Chicago Latino Film Festival. The Fest concludes on Thursday, May 4th, 2017, at the AMC River East Theatre in Chicago, with the Venezuelan film, "Tamara." For complete details and to purchase tickets, click here.
Film News: 'One Night of Love' Opens 33rd Chicago Latino Film Festival on Apr. 20, 2017Submitted by PatrickMcD on April 18, 2017 - 10:05am
CHICAGO – One of the oldest Latino Film Festivals is right here in the Windy City, as the 33rd edition of the Chicago Latino Film Festival kicks off with the Argentinian film "One Night of Love" on April 20th, 2017, at the AMC River East 21 in the Streeterville neighborhood. The star of "One Night of Love, Carla Peterson, will appear on behalf of the film. For complete details and to purchase tickets, click here.
Interview: Meiling Jin Premieres Made-in-Chicago 'Chop Chop TV Show' on Dec. 22, 2016Submitted by PatrickMcD on December 22, 2016 - 8:56pm
CHICAGO – Tenacity and purpose reaps benefits, and no one knows this more than hard-working Chicago journalist, actress, producer and model Meiling Jin. She is the producer and lead actress in the new made-in-Chicago sitcom, "Chop Chop TV Show" (AKA "Chop Chop"), premiering on December 22nd, 2016 (11pm CST), on Comcast, Xfinity, WOW and RCN broadcast systems Channel 25. The show combines Ms. Jin, her roommate, and her diverse friendships in a series of adventures and misadventures in the great city of Chicago.
Film Review: 'The Birth of a Nation' Depends on its Own PietySubmitted by PatrickMcD on October 7, 2016 - 8:43am
CHICAGO – "The Birth of a Nation" has been making news since it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival early this year. Taking place before the American Civil War, this incendiary look at a real slave rebellion in the deep South does pack a punch, but its approach isn't completely successful.
Film Review: Searing 'Last Days in Vietnam' Documents Vital HistorySubmitted by PatrickMcD on October 3, 2014 - 8:31am
CHICAGO – It has been nearly 40 years since the Vietnam War truly ended, with the desperate events during the Fall of Saigon. "Last Days in Vietnam" is a brilliant new documentary that puts it all in perspective, the final surreal folly of America's nightmarish involvement in the Vietnam War. Director Rory Kennedy – the youngest daughter of Robert F. Kennedy – generates a precise and gripping document that lingers long after it has been experienced.
Film Review: Real Hunger Games are Exposed in 'A Place at the Table'Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 1, 2013 - 8:39pm
CHICAGO – There has been an attitude shift in America in a couple of generations toward the poor and unlucky in life. What was once a campaign to end poverty and take care of that part of the population, has turned into a demonization of them. This is one of the main themes in "A Place at the Table," an overview of the continuing hunger problem in America.
Interview: Director Kristi Jacobson Sets 'A Place at the Table'Submitted by PatrickMcD on February 25, 2013 - 2:13pm
CHICAGO – One of the strangest problems in the United States, the richest country in the world, is "food insecurity." Millions of Americans, lost in economic or working poverty, can't keep pace with their food needs. The new documentary "A Place at the Table" dissects this social problem, and is co-directed by Kristi Jacobson.
Film Review: Chilling, Creepy 'Apollo 18' Makes Us Wonder What IfSubmitted by PatrickMcD on September 2, 2011 - 6:15pm
CHICAGO – Space, the final frontier. The USA made one giant leap for mankind during the Apollo moon landing program forty years ago. Why were the missions abruptly terminated? Why haven't they gone back? "Apollo 18" theorizes on the answers.


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There are total 14 letters in Tetractinellid, Starting with T and ending with D.
Total 1168 words created by multiple letters combination of Tetractinellid in English Dictionary.
Words that starting with Tetractinellid
Words that containing Tetractinellid
Words that ending with Tetractinellid
Definition of the word Tetractinellid, Meaning of Tetractinellid word :
n. - Any species of sponge of the division Tetractinellida. Also used adjectively.


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Where a wrong is done us by someone generally we may be sure that the experience represents the expiation of a wrong which we have done to someone in a past incarnation. It is useless to cry out against the injustice of the injury when the cause lies deep within our own history. It is best to put aside the natural feeling of resentment and, understanding as well as we may what it is we are expiating, take its lessons to heart.
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13 Aug 2017
… The felicitous experience of the Overself may come briefly during meditation. It comes abruptly. At one moment the student is his ordinary egoistic self, struggling with his restless thoughts and turbulent feelings; at the next the ego suddenly subsides, and every faculty becomes quiescent. All the disciple has to do is to be nonresistant to the divinity which is taking possession of him, to receive lovingly and not strive laboriously…
22.214.171.124, Excerpt
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10 Aug 2017
There, in the deepest state of contemplation, the awareness of a second thing--whether this be the world of objects outside or the world of thoughts inside--vanishes. But unconsciousness does not follow. What is left over is a continuous static impersonal and unchanging consciousness. This is the inmost being of man…
126.96.36.1993, Excerpt
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6 Aug 2017
These teachings are not the result of conjecture nor the mirror of opinion. They are insights got by an opening of the inner eyes. This fact must be pointed out, in all humility, if they are to carry to any reader the revelatory understanding which they have already brought the writer.
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3 Aug 2017
Ultimately he will have to rise into that pure atmosphere whence he can survey his personal life as a thing apart. And, still more difficult as it is, he will have to live in such a way as to use personality to express the wisdom and goodness felt on that height…
18.104.22.168, Excerpt
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31 Jul 2017
A meatless diet has practical advantages to offer nearly everyone. But to idealists who are concerned with higher purposes it has even more to offer. On the moral issue alone it tends to lessen callousness to the sufferings of others, men or animals, and to increase what Schweitzer called "reverence for life."
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30 Jul 2017
All living forms everywhere embody this principle of being--the One Infinite Life-Power. It is not itself personal yet it is open to man's personal access and will respond to his invocation--provided he succeeds in establishing contact with it and provided his approach is right--but its response must come in its own way and time.
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28 Jul 2017
The egoism which falsifies our true sense of being and the materialism which distorts our true sense of reality are maladies which can hardly be cured by our own efforts. Only by calling, in trust and love, on a higher power, whether it be embodied in another man or in ourself, can their mesmeric spell ultimately be broken. Yet it is our own efforts which first must initiate the cure.
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21 Jul 2017
The notebooks are copyright © 1984-1989 The Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation
This site is run by Paul Brunton-stiftelsen · email@example.com


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Who would ever thought that an American President would interfer with an Israeli election just because the Prime Minister will not recklessly acquiese to said American President's will that would surely reduce Israel's security and means to defend herself. Why would an American President send a team to assist the opposition party to defeat the said Prime Minister in his reelection bid? Further, why would an American President publicly and rudely refuse to meet the Prime Minister when he comes to address Congress? Why would our President be in such a petty snit? Could it be that Prime Minister Netanyhu, like Churchilll, will warn us and the world of another barbaric supremacist ideology that threatens humanity? Could it be that the Prime Minister will call this theological enemy what it is, Radical Islam? Could it be that we and the world will see that President Obama has not only appeased, but negotiated with and ignored the genocide of the world's enemy, just like Neville Chamberlain and the global academic elite did before WWll? Could it be that Barack Obama will be revealed as the deceiver he is and has always been?
Month: January 2015
Obama and the Radical Islamists
In order to depose Kaddaffi, Clinton and Obama made deals with Al Qaida, our enemy and that snake came back and killed our people in Benghazi. Do I have that right? In Egypt, Obama and Clinton supported the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt after Mubarack was deposed and had a hissy fit when Egyptians said no to the Sharia persecution that the Radical Islamists imposed and deposed them. Now Obama and the State Department are meeting with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, again. Are they planning another coup ?Why? The Syrian rebels, the doctors,the lawyers, the regular people had Assad on his heels, but Obama waited until the Radical Islamists had infiltrated their ranks and Assad had recovered before he sent help. Why? President Obama Ignored the barbaric persecution and genocide of the Assidis and the Christians until the public outcry made him send help, limited as it is. To this day, he has not armed the Kurds and the other minorities, always deferring to the Iraqi government who is inbed with radical islamist Iran. Now Obama is negotiating with Iran, a radical islamist terrorist led nation, allowing them time to finish their nuclear weapons program and their intercontinental missile program. Why? Obama is releasing Gitmo detainees before any truce or surrender is signed with the radical islamist group the detainees fought in. Why? Obama has taken the side of Hamas and Palestinians over our ally Israel. Obama has also sent some of his people from his 2008 election team over to work with Netanyahu's opposition, trying to defeat the Prime Minister in the upcoming election. Not to mention, Obama has just publicly embarrassed Netanyahu again by refusing to meet with him during his address in front of our Congress. Why would an American President interfere with Israel elections? Netanyahu refuses to be bullied by Obama and will not reduce Israel's security by acquiescing to Obama's will. Why? Our President is recklessly negotiating with our enemy the Radical Islamists. Why? President Obama refuses to say we are at war with Radical Islam and it's barbaric, supremacist theology. Why? Does Obama just want the Middle East in Flames or does he want two Caliphates, one Shite and one Sunni? Maybe he thinks the Shite and the Sunni will make nice if Iran can hasten the end times so the Mahdi will come. Or maybe our President is just an incompetent fool,paralized with familia loyalty and guilt with a heavy dose radical leftist lunacy.
Why the public is skeptical about Climate change.
Scientists have been caught lying and inflating facts, about climate change data, especially UN scientists. In my opinion it is more about money, control and power, than a real problem. The sun has more to do with the change in our climate than people. It is a natural cycle. Perhaps nature is preparing the earth to feed and water the 10 billion people projected to be on the planet in 2085. Increased carbon dioxide is needed to increase food output and melting some of the ice caps will provide the needed water. I think a little warming is a good thing. It sure beats the ice age the scientists predicted in the 70s. The scientists would do better finding a cheap and efficient way to remove salt from sea water. We will need more drinking water and irrigation water to water our plant and animal food sources instead of trying to make bugs a food source . I don't want my grandchilden eating bugs.
The Senate passed the Pipeline bill—–YEAH
The Government should use the extra revenue to find a cheap abundant efficient alternative if Obama and the environmentalists REALLY care. Wind and solar are too inefficient and heavily subsidized. They aren't it. Just saying, I think this fuss from the radical left is about something else entirely. The Pipeline is a safer way to move the oil that we and the rest of the world use. It has a much lower carbon footprint than rails. Not to mention 40000 good paying jobs and the other 40000 support jobs the pipeline will create is nothing to sneeze about. Though temporary, they pay the bills of the employee, reduce government dependent and pay the government's bills for a while. We should have the tax and reg reforms needed to create and replace those jobs by then. Thank you, Congress.
Al Jazeera, like Obama, uses political correctness to silence public discourse and weaken our war on terror
Political and ideological correctness is killing us and defeating us. We are at war, the world is at war, humanity is at war with Radical Islam and it's violent inhumane barbaric supremacist theology. I wish our President was not a Neville Chamberlain/Sal Alinsky clone. Obama is a dangerous leader. His reckless inability to name the enemy and provide a comprehensive strategy to defeat the enemy imperils not only us, but the world. As for Al Jazeerah who really trusted them to not be apart of Radical Islam's jihad? They are the media and they know that words matter. Look at Churchill, he defeated another Supremacist ideology with his words defining the danger to humanity. Netanyahu may be the Churchill of our time, warning the world of the dangers of Iran and the Radical Islamist march of darkness.
The White House spokesman, Schultz, says the Taliban is an armed insurgent group?!
The Obama crew really ought to have some outside voices in their elite radical leftist salons. They live in a different universe if they believe what they are saying. The Taliban is Radical Islam and Radical Islam and their violent barbaric supremacist theology is our enemy and it is the enemy of the modern world. There is no coexistence with it. Why our President is releasing combatants before a treaty or surrender is signed, I cannot say. Why he has not tried to deprogram the combatants before he releases them I do not know.It works like a cult and should be treated as such.
Has Boehner broken the Logan Act law or Has President Obama?
Obama has sent his people, including the State Department, over to Israel to meet and work with Netanyahu's opposition to defeat Bibi. Jeremy Bird who worked for Obama in his 2012 campaign is working for the opposition. He would not be there if Obama didn't want him there. I think our President might be the one that broke our Logan Act law. Netanyahu is addressing the Congress to get his take on the Iranian and Radical Islamists imminent danger to us. He is here to inform and I will be listening. I will be listening to the Churchill of our day. Our President says the war is over, while we are still droning and bombing and while Radical Islam is calling for the death of America, Israel and any other infidel nation. Obama says the war on terror is over while Americans and others are publically beheaded, flogged and forcibly converted and enslaved to Sharia. We know that the war on terror rhetoric is just not true, but Obama continues to deny,distract,deflect and deceive. Obama is a cross between Chamberlain and Sal Alinsky of our day.
The Logan Act. "Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both"
Obama has violated his oath of office
Our President has violated his oath of office. Obama does not execute our laws and he does make up his own laws. His behavior is erratic. Everywhere he goes, everything he does, everything he touches,he leaves chaos and instability. He is either incredibly naive and incompetent or it is by design. Sal Alinsky and Clowerd and Piven have written that you must destroy economic and civil order to force thru marxism and transformally change America. I think Obama lied when he promised "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
My hopes for the Benghazi hearings
I hope Gowdy can find the truth about what happened. I hope our brave public servants and security personnel who were invoved, will come forward with the facts and answers to our questions. Why was security decreased in an Islamist Terror zone? Why were war assets moved away from the middle east on 911 so that there was no help for Benghazi personnel? Why did Obama say that our nation was prepared to respond to any attack on us on 911? Why did Obama and H Clinton lie about the video and take their lies and apology on the road to the UN and Pakistan? Why was Stevens in Benghazi on 911?What was the CIA mission? Why did Obama and the world not help Libya to stabilize their new government after deposing Kadaffi?
Really getting tired of the left's hypocritical bashing of Bush and Corporations
Regarding, Iraq,the world, including our people,our Congress and the UN was on board with the war. All looked ate the world's intelligence thought that Sadaam was a world threat. While many Dems have tried to rewrite history on this score, even they cannot refute that Saddam and his sons were monsters and the world is better off without him and his. As for welfare, I don't have a problem with government welfare. I do have a problem with generations being forced into government dependence because our abusive tax and regulatory codes have destroyed good paying jobs by chasing corporations overseas. When our government attack our "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God'semployers, burdens them into staganation and failure, it has essentially declared war on the middle class and destroyed it and destroyed any chance of upward mobilization for the poor. Under Obama Wall Street has excelled, but Main Street has lost ground. Giving, charity is an individual gift to God. Jesus said "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" In My opinion Government is taking more than it's fair share. It is this greediness for power and control that will kill our economy and will kill the American Dream if we do not decrease it's footprint substantially. The incompetence and cronyism of Congress started this ball rolling. Exibit one is the recession which was caused by the incompetent loose housing policies of our government. Yes the banks made the bad loans, pawned them off on Fanny and Freddie, but it was government policy that encouraged this reckless behavior and it was government oversight that allowed it.


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Online Obituaries
Keith A. DeBarge
October 05, 1965 - April 06, 2017
Keith A. DeBarge
Leominster - Keith A. DeBarge, 51, of Leominster, died unexpectedly, April 6, 2017, in Leominster Hospital, after being stricken ill. He was born October 5, 1965, in Leominster, son of Joan (Mondeville) Bazucki. Keith was a roofer by trade but there was nothing that he did not do, he was very much a handy man. He was a member of St. Cecilia's Parish.
He adored his daughter Bianca and his two grandsons Jackson and Rolland. Growing up he was known as the best baseball pitcher for Leominster Babe Ruth coached by Rick Niles. Some former teammates remember his pitching to be thrown so hard and fast that he could throw a baseball through a concrete wall. In his spare time he enjoyed riding his many motorcycles and popping wheelies. He lived life through his own rules and ideas. If he liked you he would do anything for you at anytime of day or night. He would walk into or out of anywhere and leave people laughing or wondering what just happened. He loved to travel, and any chance he had to pack up and go, he went wherever his heart desired and that made him love life. He loved the beach and spending every single day with his grandson Jackson. Keith was quite a jokester and had many sayings of his own that his friends and family will carry on such as; "you dropped your pocket" ( as he pointed to the ground and made you look), "everybody sucks but me", We're French we're not Russian", "Your socks are on the wrong feet", and many more. Keith will be remembered by all as a hardworking, free spirited, loving father and grandfather.
He is survived by one daughter; Bianca (Guertin) Huntley and her husband, Rolland Huntley III, of Leominster, one brother; Mark DeBarge of Leominster, his mother; Joan Bazucki, of Leominster, five sisters; Karen Pope and her husband Joe, Pamela DeBarge, Debra Hebert and her husband Richard, Lorrie DeBarge and Penny DeBarge, and her son Joseph Cornacchia, all of Leominster, as well as many nieces and nephews. He also leaves two grandchildren, Jackson Collins Jr., and Rolland Huntley IV, and his daughter's mother Patti Guertin.
He was predeceased by a sister Donna Hammond.
Funeral Information
Calling hours will be held Wednesday, April 12, 2017, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. in Wright-Roy Funeral Home, Inc., 109 West St., Leominster, MA with a prayer service to follow at 8:00 p.m.
To Light A Candle, Sign his Guestbook or Leave A Message of Condolence, please visit www.wrightroyfuneralhome.com
Visitation: wrightroyfuneralhome
View Memorial and Sign Guestbook


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Nidar certified 'Good inside'
On 15th February 2011, Nidar was awarded UTZ certification. The certified cocoa is produced in the Ivory Coast by farmers who are associated with UTZ certified cooperatives. The farmers receive agricultural training, which increases their income and improves their living conditions.
UTZ Certified
UTZ Certified is a foundation that has developed a global standard for sustainable production and distribution of coffee, cocoa and tea.
By the end of 2015, all of the cocoa in Nidar's chocolate will be certified. Availability of UTZ cocoa is limited, and that is the reason that Nidar will not achieve 100% certified cocoa before 2015.
Certification of Nidar
UTZ demands that all those who supply UTZ marked products are certified so that Nidar, and other companies who are investing in UTZ certified raw materials, really adhere to their plans. It also ensures the necessary traceability.
On 15th February, an auditor from Aranea Certification audited all of Nidar's routines and plans concerning certified cocoa, and approved its UTZ marked packaging, contracts, ordering routines and reporting. Our system was approved and Nidar has now been awarded its UTZ certificate.
-Nidar is following the tense situation in the Ivory Coast closely, explains Director of Corporate Communication Robert Rønning.
-There is currently an interim embargo on export of cocoa. There are good stockpiles of cocoa in Europe, so the situation does not have any current impact on Nidar's chocolate production. But we are concerned for the cocoa farmers in the country that cannot sell their produce. Conditions for many of the cocoa farmers are already difficult, and a long-term stop in trading in cocoa will mainly affect innocent families who make their living from the crop, he says.
Nidar's schedule for increasing its share of certified cocoa is as follows:
- 2011: 15 percent certified cocoa
- 2012: 30 percent certified cocoa
- 2013: 50 percent certified cocoa
- 2014: 75 percent certified cocoa
- 2015: All cocoa used by Nidar will be certified by UTZ CERTIFIED


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It was Chennai's favourite meeting place. "Drive-in pakalam!" ("Meet me at the drive-in") was the standard form of greeting between friends. The Woodlands Drive-in restaurant was also one of Chennai's best-known landmarks. Everyone stopped there. It was a pit stop for the visitor to the city who wanted to soak up a bit of the "real Madras".
Woodlands Drive-in provided it in spades, whether it was the early morning coffee at 6.30am, just as the "Suprabatham" sung by Subbulakshmi came wafting through the air, or the first batch of idlis that were pulled out, still puffing slightly, from their huge aluminum steamers, at 7am, or the crisp dosais, served on a banana leaf with a dollop of fresh butter. Or maybe it was the waiters who would greet you with a hot tip, "Coffee is on its first trip, best decoction of the day!" The whole point of the food and the service at the Drive-in was that nothing ever changed. You could be sure that the onion sambar was exactly as it used to be 40 years ago.
Just a memory: The Woodlands Drive-in restaurant in Chennai (Photo by: The Hindu)
And now, it's all gone, razed to the ground by official diktat.
This is a requiem for an institution that once defined the city which used to be known as Madras, and has now become Chennai. More as a celebration of what it meant to so many people rather than as a plea that it might all be restored to its former glory. Maybe, as some people say, its time has passed. There are now more malls and specialist coffee places selling, or at least aspiring to sell, coffee from Colombia and Vietnam, the hot new home of the coffee bean. The once-famous "degree coffee" that the Woodlands staff fluffed up for you by pouring it from a metal tumbler into a squat round container to create a nice froth, has now been superceded by espressos and lattes spritzed with cream and swirled to make feathery patterns on the surface.
There are no true connoisseurs of south Indian coffee left, the famous Mylapore mamis, who would twitch their diamond-studded nose-rings and complain, "There's too much chicory in the brew today." Or worse still, that buffalo milk had been added instead of cow's milk. Needless to say , in the early days, the Woodlands Drive-in had its own cowshed at the back.
If, as Conrad Hilton of Hilton Hotels remarked, the only criterion for a successful hotel is location, location, location, the Woodlands Drive-in was started at the right place, at the right time. As recounted in a long obit in Chennai's best-known city paper, Madras Musings (which thankfully still retains the old name), the Woodlands Drive-in restaurant opened on 15 April 1962. This was the heyday of the famous Udupi restaurants and hotels such as Woodlands and Dasaprakash, that had their branches in most of the larger towns in the south.
When Krishna Rao, the legendary owner of Woodlands, heard that the Horticultural Society of Madras was facing financial difficulties, he offered to rent a part of the wooded area and open a restaurant. It faced the large area known as Gemini Studios on one side. On the opposite side, there is the St Mark's Cathedral. It was only later that the American consulate building appeared diagonally opposite, adding a certain architectural grandeur to the area, and gradually, the whole intersection—crossed by a network of flyovers—became one of the city's best-known rallying points and bottlenecks.
All through this time, the Drive-in continued doing what it did best. It attracted a certain type of food lover. For one thing, you needed a car, or a scooter, or a van. You needed plenty of time to spend in the shade of the magnificent trees. You needed company.
This is where many of Chennai's most ardent courtships took place. It was safe enough for parents to sanction chaste encounters between romantically-inclined couples. If not anything, they felt, the regular waiters would be there to keep an eye on their children. Actors between shoots, dancers, resplendent in costume and make-up, catching a breath of air before a performance at the Music Academy down the road, or the husbands of pious women who were at church on Sunday mornings, were just some of the regulars at Woodlands.
As for the staff, they seemed to go on forever. Their job was to take the orders—after rattling off the items that were fresh on the counter, memorize the complex sequence (they would take several orders at a time), and then bring the lot back carefully balanced on metal trays. They did this through rain and shine.
Even during the disastrous floods in the early 1980s, the Woodlands staff was at hand with its trays. The spot boys, or tray boys who were in charge of fixing the metal racks on to the open car windows, were just as diligent.
The best known was Mani. We saw him grow from a young teenager, to husband and father, and then as the others informed us, he married again and had two wives! He never seemed to want to move on to another job. Years later, we heard that he had moved on to a higher plane altogether, where someone must still be shouting at him, "Mani, fix my tray."
My favourite was someone who in the early days had managed to serve me a portion of a milk sweet that I loved. It used to be called basundi. One day, however, a snake from the horticultural side of the establishment got into the vat of hot, sweet basundi. I was among the 30 or so people who consumed the sweet that day and not surprisingly, was violently ill.
The incident became a cause celebre. The management offered to pay for our treatment. From that time on, however, the tray boy who had served me would always came up and introduce himself with a wicked grin, "Madam, I am your poisoner."
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