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When I was a young Christian and wondering what a new life in Christ would look like, a friend I had just met, volunteered to disciple me.
Each Friday night, a big bowl of popcorn sat between us as we opened our Bibles. I looked forward to our times together. I hungered for the truth and asked Diane, "What does God think about this, and what about that?" She always went directly to the Bible to show me the answer from God's Word.
It was between the pages of the Bible that she pointed out some of the women that God loved unconditionally. Women like Mary Magdalene, possessed by seven demons, but now delivered, healed and a follower of Jesus. Rahab, the harlot, who became a heroine of faith. They were two women transformed by God and later used in a mighty way. She shared the hope that God would transform me too as I followed Him.
Thirty-seven years later, she is still my best friend and mentor. She is a role model of how a Christian woman lives her life with all its trials and triumphs. Diane continues to have a great impact on my life, and she is surely one of my great blessings from God. Today our relationship is based on mutual caring and sharing.
Mentoring and discipleship are closely related. Discipleship is spiritual in nature. Mentoring is advising someone or teaching them a certain set of skills. Both are built on relationship building and a commitment to one another.
In the book of Ruth, we read about a beautiful relationship between two women. Ruth lifted Naomi's spirits; Naomi guided Ruth. Each one was offering the other, the assurance of hope.
Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. (1Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV)
I have mentored girls coming out of sex trafficking and young girls needing someone to talk through situations of life. The need for mentoring is all around us. Will you seek the Lord to show you someone who needs mentoring or discipleship? It will be a most rewarding experience as you share His love with someone in need. And who knows, you may just make a friend for life!
For more information about Mentoring & Discipleship, visit my new Pinterest board.
Thank you, Lord, for the relationship we have with you.
Join the conversation – If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe and recommend my site to other broken people! I appreciate your comments – Do you have a mentoring story to share? I
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Love and Blessings,


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All memberships require approval which generally take 48-72 hours. As soon as your membership is approved, you will receive a notification email at the email address you used when you created your online account with georgetowncoc.com.
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Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce memberships are valid for 1 year from the purchase date.
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Yes. If you would like to advertise on georgetowncoc.com please visit our advertising page for details on available options and purchase advertising space online.


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1647 Poolville Road Hamilton, NY 13346
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Conceived and designed the experiments: KSC NJM FAA. Performed the experiments: NJM MZZ SMS BA AI RAR. Analyzed the data: KSC NJM MZZ. Wrote the paper: KSC.
Previous studies have linked aspartame consumption to impaired retention of learned behavior in rodents. Prenatal exposure to aspartame has also been shown to impair odor-associative learning in guinea pigs; and recently, aspartame-fed hyperlipidemic zebrafish exhibited weight gain, hyperglycemia and acute swimming defects. We therefore investigated the effects of chronic lifetime exposure to aspartame, commencing in utero, on changes in blood glucose parameters, spatial learning and memory in C57BL/6J mice. Morris Water Maze (MWM) testing was used to assess learning and memory, and a random-fed insulin tolerance test was performed to assess glucose homeostasis. Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the associations between body characteristics and MWM performance outcome variables. At 17 weeks of age, male aspartame-fed mice exhibited weight gain, elevated fasting glucose levels and decreased insulin sensitivity compared to controls (P<0.05). Females were less affected, but had significantly raised fasting glucose levels. During spatial learning trials in the MWM (acquisition training), the escape latencies of male aspartame-fed mice were consistently higher than controls, indicative of learning impairment. Thigmotactic behavior and time spent floating directionless was increased in aspartame mice, who also spent less time searching in the target quadrant of the maze (P<0.05). Spatial learning of female aspartame-fed mice was not significantly different from controls. Reference memory during a probe test was affected in both genders, with the aspartame-fed mice spending significantly less time searching for the former location of the platform. Interestingly, the extent of visceral fat deposition correlated positively with non-spatial search strategies such as floating and thigmotaxis, and negatively with time spent in the target quadrant and swimming across the location of the escape platform. These data suggest that lifetime exposure to aspartame, commencing in utero, may affect spatial cognition and glucose homeostasis in C57BL/6J mice, particularly in males.
Previous studies have shown that chronic consumption of the dipeptide artificial sweetener aspartame may affect the T-maze cognitive performance of male rats, promoting impairment of retention of learned behavior when compared to the performance of controls [1]. The Acceptable Daily Intake for aspartame currently stands at 50 mg/Kg body weight in the United States, and 40 mg/Kg in Europe. Once ingested, aspartame (L-aspartyl-phenylalanine methyl ester) is rapidly metabolized to its metabolic components phenylalanine, aspartate, and methanol in the ratio of 504010 w/w/w [2]. Whilst the neurological effects of methanol have been well documented, [3] aspartate, like glutamate, has been shown to cause brain lesions [4], obesity [5] and impaired memory retention [6] in rodents exposed to these excitatory amino acids (EAA).
The aspartame metabolite phenylalanine is an essential amino acid which occurs naturally in the breast milk of mammals; however high levels of phenylalanine are a health hazard to those born with phenylketonuria (PKU), a metabolic disorder caused by an inherited mutation in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene which prevents phenylalanine from being metabolized correctly. This results in a detrimental accumulation of the amino acid, leading to developmental defects, seizures and mental retardation [7]. Normal mammalian plasma levels of phenylalanine are approx. 30–50 µM (0.5–0.8 mg/dL), however 1 in 50 individuals are heterozygous for the mutation in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene [8], resulting in significantly higher levels of fasting plasma phenylalanine compared to non-carriers [9], together with a reduced phenylalanine clearance rate after intravenous loading [10]. Repeated ingestion of 8 servings of aspartame-sweetened beverages by PAH heterozygous individuals incurred plasma phenylalanine levels of up to 165 µM [11], although this was still well below the levels reported to cause neurotoxicity during acute administration in primates. Additionally, genetically mutated PAH-deficient homozygous Pah enu2 PKU BTBR mice have six times the level of brain phenylalanine compared to their heterozygous counterparts [12], resulting in abnormal CNS synapses and dendritic spines [13] together with pathological cognitive impairment [14]. In vitro, phenylalanine has been demonstrated to specifically and reversibly attenuate glutamatergic synaptic transmission by competing with the glycine binding site of N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor [15], [16]. Additionally, the ratio of GluN2A/GluN2B NMDA receptor subunit expression is significantly increased in the hyperphenylalaninemic Pah enu2 PKU mouse model, suggesting a potential mechanism whereby elevated levels of phenylalanine may impair brain development and function [12], [17]. Since their discovery in the early 1950s, NMDA receptors have been implicated in many crucial functions of central importance, including learning and memory, neuronal plasticity and neurotoxicity [18], [19]; and they are the only known receptor that is regulated both by a ligand (usually glutamate) and also by voltage [20]. There are at least five binding sites on the NMDA receptor which regulate its activity including glutamate, glycine, magnesium, zinc and a fifth site that binds to the hallucinogenic substance phencyclidine [21]. The central role of NMDA receptors in the process of learning and memory has been confirmed by the extensive use of NMDA receptor agonists and antagonists to study long term potentiation in memory acquisition and maintenance [22].
Whereas it is generally agreed that aspartate crosses the placenta only to a limited degree [23], phenylalanine is actively transported across the placenta [24], resulting in an increase in this aromatic amino acid at the expense of the maternal concentration [25]. During pregnancy, aspartame administration by gavage resulted in impaired performance of the offspring in an odor-aversion test administered to guinea-pigs within the first month of life [26]. This insightful study confirms previous reports in a second species, that aspartame administered pre- and postnatally to rats can result in impaired cognitive performance of the offspring [27]. Furthermore, aspartame has been shown to cause brain inflammation, hyperglycemia and fatalities in a third species: the hyperlipidemic zebrafish model [28]. Aspartame-fed zebrafish also exhibited swimming defects which were interpreted as possibly due to damage in the brain and neurons (28).
The timing, dosage and route of EAA administration in vivo appears to be of critical importance, since acute exposure to high doses of dipeptide aspartame during adulthood has no effect on cognitive ability in either humans [29] or rodents [30]. However a single i.p. injection 500 mg/Kg aspartate was sufficient to cause memory impairment and neuronal damage in adult mice undergoing passive avoidance testing [6]; and intracranial injections of phenylalanine caused permanent amnesia in 1 day old chicks [31]. Similarly, perinatal exposure to glutamate results in delayed onset neuroendocrine dysfunction together with cognitive deficiencies [32]–[38], whereas exposure to considerable amounts of dietary glutamate in adulthood is apparently without effect [39]. Interestingly, we [40] and others [41] have noted gender-specific differences in behavior in response to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). Gender dimorphism in MSG-induced impairment of the growth hormone / IGF-1 axis has also been investigated [42], and it would be of interest to ascertain whether gender dimorphism in glucose homeostasis exists in response to aspartame consumption.
The aims of the present study were therefore to examine the effect of lifetime exposure to aspartame, commencing in utero, on weight gain, spatial cognition, insulin sensitivity and glucose parameters of male and female C57BL/6J mice. We used a dosage of aspartame which approximated the ADI for aspartame in the US (approx. 50 mg/kg body weight). Insulin sensitivity was assessed by a random fed insulin tolerance test (ITT), together with measurements of fasting glucose and insulin levels; and cognitive performance was assessed in the Morris Water Maze (MWM). The relationship between visceral fat deposition and cognitive function was determined by analyzing the correlation between body characteristics, glucose and insulin parameters and performance targets in the MWM test, using Pearson correlation analysis.
C57BL/6J mice of both sexes were obtained from the Jackson Laboratory and housed/caged in a controlled environment (3 to a cage in pathogen-free conditions of 12 h light/dark cycle, 22±2°C) and fed a standard chow diet with water ad libitum until 6 weeks of age. The two diet groups used in this study were (1) ad libitum Standard Chow (Control diet) with ad libitum drinking water. (2) Ad libitum Standard Chow, with ad libitum drinking water containing 0.25 g/L aspartame as the only source of drinking water (Asp-Phe methyl ester, catalog A5139 Sigma Aldrich). After a 3-week period of adjustment, male and female mice were bred, weaned and maintained on these respective diets for the times stated. Mean body weight was assessed at 6 and 17 weeks of age. Food and water intake was assessed at 7 weeks and again at 15 weeks of age, in pre-weighed mice over a four day period, by weighing the food pellets and water bottles to the nearest 0.1 g. Mean food/water consumption was calculated by subtraction, and expressed as g/20 g body weight (bw) and mls/20 g bw respectively. Mean aspartame consumption was calculated from the amount of aspartame-water consumed, and expressed in mg per Kg bw. Body length to the nearest mm was assessed at 6 and 17 weeks of age using a woven tape measure. The breeding and care of the animals were in accordance with the protocols approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre. At the conclusion of the study, animals were humanely euthanized with a mixture of xylazine and ketamine (10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg respectively); and the liver and visceral fat were carefully dissected out and removed, rinsed twice in PBS, blotted dry and weighted to the nearest 0.01 g. These tissues were rapidly snap-frozen for use in further studies.
Overnight fasting blood glucose was measured using the Ascensia Contour glucometer (Bayer HealthCare, IN, USA). Fasting serum insulin was measured using the mouse insulin ELISA kit from Millipore/Linco (Uppsala, Sweden). Homeostatic Model Assessment Index (HOMA-IR) values, a measure of insulin resistance, were calculated according to the established formula: (fasting serum insulin µIU/ml) * (fasting serum glucose mM)/22.5 [43]. Serum Triglyceride (Tg), total cholesterol (T-CHOL), and HDL-C concentrations were measured in overnight fasted mice using the Reflovet Plus instrument (Roche, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland) as previously described [40].
The spatial learning abilities of the C57BL/6J mice were assessed at 16 weeks of age (mature adulthood) in a MWM task [44], since our previous studies indicate that this is the optimal time for assessing the effect of dietary interventions on cognitive behavior [40]. The apparatus consisted of a white circular pool of 150 cm diameter and 50 cm height, filled with water made opaque by the addition of a small amount of non-toxic white paint (30 cm deep) and maintained at 21–22°C. A circular escape platform (11 cm in diameter) was placed in a fixed South-West location hidden 0.5 cm below the surface of the water, and 3 stationary geometric visual cues were kept in the room throughout the period of testing as previously described [40]. A digital camera was positioned above the centre of the tank and linked to a tracking system in order to record the performance of the experimental subjects (HVS Image Analysis VP-200, HVS Image, Hampton, UK).
Mice were given four consecutive days of acquisition training sessions that consisted of four trials per day with an inter-trial interval of 20 minutes. In order to investigate the effect of diet on allocentric spatial reference memory, the position of the hidden platform remained fixed however the entry point was pseudo-randomly selected from one of the 4 compass locations each day, and the same sequence of starting points was used for all the mice tested. Mice were given 120 seconds to find the platform and if the subject failed to locate the platform within this period, it was guided onto it. All mice were allowed to rest on the platform for a 30 second interval after each trial. At the end of the training block, mice were put in a pre-warmed drying cage and allowed to dry prior to being returned to their experimental cages.
During the acquisition phases of learning, mice adopt a number of increasingly sophisticated escape strategies as part of allocentric spatial memory acquisition [45]. Initial strategies such as thigmotaxis and random searching which do not involve any spatial or directional preference progress to strategies usually described as scanning (directionless searching of the interior portion of the pool), chaining (circular swimming at an approximately fixed distance greater than 16 cm from the wall), followed by directed searching for the escape platform.
A Probe Test was run on day 5, after 4 days of acquisition. Before the probe test, the hidden platform was removed and the mouse was introduced from the north quadrant, where it was left to search for the platform for 60 seconds. Time spent in the target quadrant, number of platform crossings, and annulus crossing index (ACI: defined as the number of crosses over the platform position in the target quadrant, relative to crosses over the corresponding platforms in the remaining three quadrants) were recorded.
The effect of aspartame on glucose parameters was determined using a random-fed insulin tolerance test (ITT) administered to 19-week old mice. Because swimming exercise has been shown to alter insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis [46], we performed the ITT on additional mice who had not been subjected to the water maze protocol (n=18 per diet / gender group). For the ITT, an intraperitoneal injection of insulin (Sigma, IL) at a dose of 0.75 U/kg body weight was administered, and whole blood glucose levels were measured from the tail vein at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes after injection.
Data were presented as mean ±SEM for body-weight, serum lipid profile, glucose and insulin variables separately in male and female mice. For statistical comparisons between the two diet groups, unpaired Student's t test was applied using Graph Pad Instat software (version 3, California, USA). For the MWM experiments, the following variables characterizing the performance of mice in the MWM were chosen for analysis: Latency, defined as time taken (in seconds) for a mouse to reach and climb the platform, and the length of each Swim Path (in meters). Locomotor activity was analyzed using the average Swim Speed (M/s), and the percent of time that the animals were relatively stationary (with swim speed below the 0.06-m/sec threshold) was recorded as Floating Time (%). Thigmotaxic swimming activity was defined as percent of time swimming parallel to the pool's wall within a 16-cm distance from the wall. Spatial cognition of the platform location during acquisition trials and during the probe day was evaluated by the analysis of the dwelling time in each of the pool's quadrants. Overall treatment effects were examined using a repeated measures generalized linear model using SPSS 13.0 statistical software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). For the analysis of the escape strategies, the Swim Paths for each mouse was plotted and categorized into one of the following search strategies:(1) Direct swim towards the location of the platform; (2) Directed search, in which the animal swims in a search pathway directly towards the platform; (3) Focal search: searching in the quadrant containing the hidden platform. (4) Scanning, where the search path is restricted to a limited, often central, area of the pool; (5) Random searching in which the animal swims over the entire area of the pool. (6) Chaining, which is circular swimming at a fixed distance from the wall; (7) Thigmotaxis (wall-hugging swim): a persistent swim along the outer 16 cm of the pool. (8) Floating: a state of inactivity without forward movement. The use of each search strategy was presented as a percent of incidences during each trial over the whole analyzed experimental period.
Averaged aspartame ingestion in the drinking water was 55.14±4.74 mg/Kg body weight. Water and food consumption were unaffected by the addition of aspartame compared to controls (data not shown). Weight gain was significantly higher in the male aspartame diet group compared to controls (Table 1, P=0.024), but female weight gain was unaffected by diet. Body length and visceral fat deposition were both increased in aspartame-fed mice of both sexes (Table 1, P<0.01). Females weighed less than males, and had less fat deposition following aspartame treatment, although there was no difference between the absolute or relative weight of the visceral fat collected from control animals. Liver weight was affected by diet as well as gender, with livers from aspartame-fed males weighing more than control males; and more than those of female aspartame-fed mice (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively). Additionally, aspartame-fed mice had elevated fasting blood glucose levels compared to non-consumers of both sexes, although females had lower levels than males (Table 1, P<0.01). Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR levels in female mice were significantly lower than males, although all were within the normal range (Table 1). Pearson correlation analysis was used in order to examine associations between body weight, fat deposition, indices of glucose homeostasis and lipid profile. As expected, body weight at six weeks of age strongly correlated with weight at 17 weeks (Table 2, r=0.888, P<0.001). We also found correlations between weight gain and visceral fat, body length, fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR (Table 2, r=0.322, 0.546, 0.440, 0.371 and 0.548 respectively, P<0.01).
A Random-fed insulin tolerance test administered at 19 weeks of age showed that glucose levels in male aspartame-fed mice were 120.2% higher than control mice following insulin challenge (Fig 1A, P=0.001); and remained significantly elevated above controls for up to 30 minutes, suggesting impairment of glucose and insulin regulation. The mean Area Under the Curve (AUC) in male aspartame-fed mice was significantly higher than control, suggesting deregulation of glucose homeostasis (Table 3: 5829.79±197.72 µU/L/60 min vs 4829.58±131.96 µU/L/60 min: P<0.001), Mean AUC in female mice showed a similar trend without reaching significance (5194.63±208.04 µU/L/60 min vs 4819.93±190.36 µU/L/60 min). The half-life of glucose in the aspartame mice showed a non-significant trend towards elevation compared to control (Table 3). Collectively these data indicate that aspartame treatment affects C57BL/6J weight gain (6–17 weeks of age), visceral fat deposition and glucose homeostasis particularly in males, and to a lesser extent in females.
During the acquisition phase of the MWM testing (days 1 to 4), significant differences in place learning performance of aspartame-fed mice became apparent. Cued escape latencies across sessions of mice from both diet groups are shown in Fig 2. All mice improved their performance over the 4 days of training, however, latencies of male aspartame-treated mice were higher than control latencies on the last 2 days of the 4-day trial (Fig 2A, P<0.05), suggesting that aspartame may have impaired learning (acquisition) skills in these mice. Female aspartame-fed mice had similar latencies to non-consumers (Fig 2B). The duration of time spent in the target quadrant where the hidden platform was located is shown in figure 2C (males) and 2D (females). As testing progressed, mice learned to spend more time searching for the platform within the target quadrant, but aspartame-fed males spent significantly less time searching for the platform in the target quadrant (Fig 2C, P<0.05). A comparison of mean distance (in meters) to reach the goal platform showed that aspartame-fed mice were farther from their goal than controls on all four days of acquisition training, suggestive of impaired learning (Fig 2E, P<0.05). Swim speed was unaffected by diet (data not shown).
To gain further insight into the reduced spatial learning of aspartame-fed mice, we studied the non-spatial behavioral parameters of these mice and that of controls. Floating behavior, characterized by periods of immobility and defined as percent of time with swim speed below a 0.06m/sec threshold, revealed a significant effect of diet during the acquisition period, with male aspartame-fed mice exhibiting increased floating behavior on days 2,3 and 4 compared to controls (Fig 3A, P<0.001). Thigmotaxis, defined as percentage of time spent swimming within 16cm of the pool wall, was greatly increased in aspartame-treated males throughout the whole experiment (Fig 3C, P<0.01), whereas female thigmotactic behavior decreased throughout the acquisition period, and showed no diet effect. Taken together, our data suggests that males exposed to chronic dietary aspartame had impaired spatial learning abilities together with increased non-spatial strategies.
To assess the effect of diet on qualitative aspects of learning which could account for the apparent differences in latency, we analyzed the respective search strategies displayed by the mice to locate the hidden platform on the four days of acquisition training. As the training progressed, control male and female mice spent increasing amounts of time in directed searching and direct swimming towards the platform, in addition to using other strategies which require spatial and directional searching, including focal searching (Fig 4A,B). Non-spatial behavior, such as thigmotaxis and floating, decreased during the 4 days of training such that by Day 4, male control mice spent no time either swimming around the periphery of the maze, or floating directionless. Conversely, compared to control, aspartame-fed mice exhibited significantly less time acquiring spatial and directional strategies to find the hidden platform during the acquisition training (Fig 4B, P<0.05).
Regardless of gender, diet-induced differences in spatial retention were apparent during a probe test, the recognized measure of spatial memory, performed after the 4 days of acquisition training. Once the platform had been removed, aspartame-fed mice of both genders spent significantly less time swimming towards the former position of the hidden platform compared to control, (Fig 5A & B, P<0.05). Additionally, male aspartame-fed mice crossed the former location of the platform significantly less frequently than controls (Fig 5 C, P<0.01), and had a lower Annulus Crossing Index (Fig 5E, P<0.01), implying impairment of spatial memory. Platform crossing and annulus crossing indices of female mice showed a similar trend without reaching statistical significance (Fig 5 D & F). Overlapping swim paths (n=12) of aspartame-fed and control male and female mice are shown in figure 5 G & H. The location of the hidden platform can be visualized through the aspartame-mice swim path, indicating that the animal did not frequently cross the location of the platform during the trial.
To complete our analysis of the performance of the mice during this water maze test, we next used repeated measures generalized linear modeling analysis of MWM performance variables throughout the 4 days of acquisition training and during the probe test, in males and females consuming the aspartame diet compared to controls (Table 4). In males, significant differences in floating and thigmotactic behavior between controls and aspartame-fed mice were apparent on four out of the five days of testing, and the mean distance to goal (a measure of how close mice swam towards the platform) was significantly different between the two diet groups on all days of testing (P<0.05). The performance of females however, was only significantly different on the last day of acquisition training and during the probe test.
In order to understand more about the possible mechanisms behind the reduction in escape latencies in aspartame-fed mice, we next examined correlations between body characteristics and MWM performance indicators (Table 5). Surprisingly visceral fat deposition correlated positively with floating time on all days of the trials, and also with thigmotaxis on day 3,4 and the day of the probe test (P<0.05). Fat deposition also correlated with escape latency time on these days, and negatively with time spent in the target quarter, platform crossings and ACI. Finally, in order to validate our analysis, we performed correlation analysis on all MWM outcome variables in all mice analyzed simultaneously. As expected, we found a strong negative correlation between latency and floating time and between latency and mean distance to goal (Table S1). Escape latency also correlated negatively with time in target quadrant, number platform crossings, and the ACI. Taken together, these correlations suggest that our analysis is valid, and lends credence to observations concerning adiposity and non-spatial learning strategies.
Our results suggest that neonatal exposure to aspartame consumed as part of the diet of pregnant mice, together with continued chronic exposure of the offspring to dietary aspartame throughout the first 20 weeks of life, may result in increased weight gain compared to controls together with impairment of insulin sensitivity and cognitive performance, most notably in males. Food and water intake was not affected by aspartame administration within the ADI. The results of our analysis support previous observations that aspartame may cause impairment in learning and memory particularly when administered chronically [1], [47] or neonatally [26]. Additionally, damage to hypothalamic morphology has been reported in neonatal rodents ingesting high amounts of aspartame [48].
Aspartame is metabolized rapidly into methanol, phenylalanine and aspartate [2]; and oral administration of aspartame (200 mg/Kg) has been shown to increase levels of rat brain phenylalanine and its metabolite tyrosine, whilst decreasing levels of leucine, isoleucine and valine [49]. Whereas it is generally accepted that aspartate does not readily cross the placenta, phenylalanine and tryosine are readily transported to the fetal tissues; resulting in an increase in phenylalanine at the expense of the maternal concentration [25]. In rodents, phenylalanine is readily converted into the neurotransmitter precursor tyrosine by the hepatic enzyme PAH [50]; however if the activity of this enzyme is reduced or absent, the high levels of accumulated phenylalanine may be converted into other metabolites such as phenylpyruvate, phenylacetate and phenyllactate [50], [51]. Crucially, studies have shown that in rodents, PAH activity is undetectable until the final days of gestation and birth, whereupon the gene is activated by glucocorticoids and cyclic AMP [52]–[54]. Experimentally induced hyperphenylalaninemia has been shown to result in spatial and non-spatial deficits in cognition and learning that are not related to impairment of locomotor skills [55], [56]. In humans, deficiency of PAH due to genetic mutations in the gene results in phenylketonuria (PKU), which is characterized by neurotoxic hyperphenylalaninemia and microcephaly, together with visuo-spatial, executive and attention deficits [57], [58]. The mechanisms responsible for the hyperphenylalaninemia-induced brain damage are still largely unknown; however hyperphenylalaninemia has recently been shown to promote oxidative stress in rodent brains, which may contribute to the neurotoxicity in phenylketonuria [59], [60]. Oxidative stress is the result of the aberrant production of reactive oxygen and / or nitrogen species, or a decrease in the capacity of antioxidant defenses for example glutathione; and has been linked to a number of neurodegenerative diseases and to the cognitive decline associated with aging [61]. Importantly, subcutaneous injections of aspartame have recently been shown to increase rat brain thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS; markers of lipid peroxidation) and decrease glutathione levels [62]. Collectively, these observations may provide clues as to a mechanism whereby aspartame metabolites; phenylalanine in particular, may contribute to the impairment in spatial learning and memory that we observed in mice exposed to aspartame in utero and during the first months of life.
During acquisition of the water maze task, young rodents typically improve their performance as indicated by a progressive reduction in escape latencies over successive training sessions. Upon introduction to the maze, mice initially adopt non-spatial behaviors including thigmotaxis, scanning and chaining [45], [63]. As training progresses, this behavior gives way to spatial learning, resulting in more cued swimming towards the hidden platform, more time spent in the target quadrant, and shorter escape latencies. Within the context of this paradigm, aspartame-fed mice exhibited significant differences in learning strategies at four months of age, which resulted in longer escape latencies compared to controls, together with quantitative and qualitative differences in behavioral strategies employed. Towards the end of acquisition training, aspartame-fed mice spent significantly more time swimming around the periphery of the pool and passively floating compared to control mice, which may be indicative of an ineffectual non-spatial swim strategy [64]. Increased thigmotaxis behavior linked to a deficit in responding to visual cues has previously been noted after experimentally induced lesions to the dorsal-striatum: a compound structure of the brain believed to be involved in stimulus-response learning [65]. Additionally, lesions to the hippocampus [66] and NMDA receptor blockade using specific antagonists have also shown to result in increased thigmotactic behavior [67], [68].
Impairment of spatial memory in the aspartame diet group was suggested by a significant reduction in time spent swimming towards the former platform location during the probe test. Additionally, thigmotactic behavior and passive floating during the probe test was increased in male aspartame-fed mice compared to controls. Taken together this suggests that chronic exposure to aspartame may impair rodent spatial memory. It has previously been suggested that exposure to high doses of aspartame at a late stage of pregnancy may result in a delay in visual placing response in the offspring, which is a measure of sensorimotor activity [69]. However, a second study failed to duplicate these findings [70].
In addition to the effects of aspartame on rodent cognitive performance in the water maze, aspartame appeared to raise fasting blood glucose levels in both sexes. The relationship between peripheral blood glucose levels and cognition has been well-documented and suggests that there is a homeostatic neuroglycemic range within which optimal cognitive function occurs [71]. Hyperglycemia may damage the microvasculature of the blood-brain barrier and/or modify insulin availability in the brain, disrupting normal brain function and cognition. Interestingly hyperglycemia, increased body weight and swimming defects were recently observed in hyperlipidic zebrafish exposed to aspartame [28], which tends to support our present observations. However, our data using doses of aspartame approximating the current ADI contrasts with a previous report which concluded that long term consumption of aspartame from six weeks onwards did not increase weight gain [72]. This apparent contradiction could conceivably be due to the fact the aspartame in that toxicology study was administered from the 6th week of life onwards at a dose of 2–4 g/Kg body weight (40–80 times the current ADI), resulting in a significant reduction in food intake for animals consuming the higher quantity of the dipeptide sweetener. Interestingly human studies have found a positive correlation between the consumption of artificial sweeteners and weight gain [73], [74]; and surprisingly in diabetic subjects, aspartame-containing meals elevated blood glucose and insulin levels to the same extent as that of higher-calorie sucrose-containing meals [75].
A third novel observation in our study relates to gender-specific differences in insulin sensitivity and cognitive performance, with males apparently exhibiting a greater adiposity, weight gain, glucose dysregulation and cognitive impairment compared to females. Gender-specific differences in behavior have also been documented in response to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) a commonly consumed food additive. MSG-treated males appear to be more adversely affected than females [41], [76], and have a greater increase in adipose tissue deposition [77] and insulin resistance [34] than females. Therefore the possibility exists that although both males and females showed equal increases in fasting glucose levels in response to aspartame, the gender-specific differences in cognitive performance may be due to differences in the extent of adiposity and insulin resistance, both of which are associated with cognitive performance [78]. A final intriguing outcome from our study was the correlation we found between visceral adiposity and the adoption of non-spatial escape strategies (thigmotaxis and floating behavior) during the MWM test. In general, non-spatial behavior in the MWM test is associated with an inability to adopt spatial cognitive abilities [79], and others have found that high-fat diets which promote obesity also impair spatial memory in rodents [80], [81].
Our study terminated when the mice were 20 weeks of age (mature adulthood); however it would be of interest to ascertain whether the effects that we noted resulting from lifetime exposure to aspartame will still be apparent in an aging mouse model. Our unpublished observation, together with previous studies [81] suggests that the water maze performance of older C57Bl/6J mice decreases markedly with aging. Further studies are warranted to assess the effects of aspartame on metabolism and cognition in aging mice, and in mice from different strains. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that compared to controls, neonatal exposure of rodents to dietary aspartame, combined with chronic aspartame consumption throughout early life, may result in impairment of glucose and insulin homeostasis, together with a reduction in cognitive performance. Several gender differences were observed, with males exhibiting greater sensitivity to aspartame exposure. Our data supports previous observations that chronic exposure to aspartame may result in memory deficits in rodents.
Correlations between body characteristics and spatial memory variables in the MWM test.
We thank Jonathan Caigas, Rhea Mondreal, Rosario Ubungen, Razan Bakheet and Qammar Al-Haffar for excellent technical assistance; and our gratitude goes to Mr Hakim Al-Enazi for his unparalleled help in coordinating research resources.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Funding: This work was funded with the support of the National Comprehensive Plan for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (#08-MED490-20). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
PubMed Central Canada is a service of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) working in partnership with the National Research Council's national science library in cooperation with the National Center for Biotechnology Information at the U.S. National Library of Medicine(NCBI/NLM). It includes content provided to the PubMed Central International archive by participating publishers.


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Laswim Pool and Spa Equipment CO.,LTDJasmine (sales)
Company Description
LASWIM is the brand of swimming pool equipment & SPA with 25 years experience and the sole pool and spa products venture to get involved in qualified project construction within the industry.
So far, LASWIM devotes most of attention to swimming pool water treatment and spa research & innovation, it's applied in the product development and production, enjoys a good reputation in the industry. LASWIM undertook many world-class swimming pool venue (e.g.: 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games swimming and diving hall, 2011 the World University Games swimming venue, 2013 East Asian Games Venues), is the most comprehensive manufacturer and engineering in the line of China's swimming pool & spa industry.
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Installing the stair banister is important for the comfort, the beauty and safety of the home residents at our home. This is because the stair banister is installed on the sides of the stairs to guard us. This is the way the banister works to protect us from falling off from the side of the staircase.
Graphics and other visual elements, as well as any sign reproduced on the display products reproduced on the Website belong to their respective owners and users and cannot be used without the prior and written approval of their respectiv owners. Copyright © 2004–2017 Information and Creative about House Design.


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DNA testing services are listed below by gene and by disease. Click on a test for a brief description with a link to a detailed assay summary which includes specimen requirements,
order codes and CPT codes.
For the current price list, please email us at [email protected] with your name, title and institution. Please review the Logistics, Billing, and Frequently Asked Questions pages. If you have questions, please contact us. If you are a patient, please see our patient information. Some of our services are described in brochures which are available for download or by mail.
Multiple and complementary tests are available for comprehensive diagnostic testing. For most genes, sequence analysis covers the entire coding region and associated splice junctions. For many genes, deletion/duplication analysis is also available.
DNA Testing Services by Gene Symbol (Gene Name)
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MLH1 somatic promoter hypermethylation (MLH1-METH)
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Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers
As part of Kaiser Permanente's Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract, Huntsman provides on-call architectural design services on numerous projects for hospitals, medical centers, medical office buildings and administrative offices throughout Northern California. Our team has studied, planned, and designed renovations of laboratories, pharmacies, examination rooms, CT scanning rooms and operating rooms. In addition, Huntsman has provided our technical expertise for upgrades to various mission critical facilities such as data centers, emergency generators, UPS systems, life-safety systems, and other essential systems. Huntsman has also provided design services for administrative campuses, medical office buildings, and hospitals requiring OSHPD review.
Some of the more technical spaces under OSHPD jurisdiction include an Oncology/Infusion pharmacy located at Kaiser San Rafael Medical Center. Air pressure in each room of the pharmacy isolates air flow; this isolation allows for a door-free vestibule and chemotherapy medication areas, while still being USP 797 compliant. Within each of the compounding areas are exhaust hoods and waste receptacles, also keeping the rooms within code requirements. As part of Kaiser's initiative to digitize and centralize patient health records, Huntsman has assisted in the KP Network Strategy that entails upgrading server rooms and IT rooms throughout multiple Kaiser facilities to support global networking scalability. We have provided scoping studies and design services to increase server capacity, additional UPS power, and data processing and storage requirements.
The following is a list of the various projects in Kaiser's Northern California medical center portfolio:
San Francisco Medical Center
San Rafael Medical Center
Santa Rosa Medical Center
Napa Medical Center
Fairfield Medical Center
Vacaville Medical Center
Livermore Distribution Center
Client Kaiser Permanente
Location Northern California
Scope On-Call Architectural and Interior Renovation Services
Size 250,000 square feet


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Debt deadlines loom for Novare
Novare Group, an Atlanta-based developer that has been one of uptown Charlotte's most active builders, is facing possible default on "a substantial amount" of debt, including loans tied to its Catalyst residential tower.
As with many developers, the residential market has been anything but kind to Novare lately. And, in its financial statements obtained by sister paper Nashville Business Journal, the company says the impact of the financial crisis on Charlotte's banks has not helped.
"We have endured down markets before, although none like this, and we will emerge from this one as well," Novare Chief Executive Jim Borders said in a letter to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, also a sister paper. "While these are obviously not the best of times, we are playing through it the only way we know how: with honesty, transparency, dedication, execution, and optimism."
Novare has been removed as operating development partner in the 440 South Church office tower, which is adjacent to the Catalyst building.
Last year, the company suffered a net loss of $61 million, and in the first quarter of this year it recorded a $47 million loss, Novare's financial statements show.
The company has stopped making payments on $48 million in debt owed to Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. Novare says it is negotiating a transaction with Lehman that would largely eliminate its credit facility with the investment bank, which filed for bankruptcy last year.
Novare is no longer making scheduled interest payments on loans secured by projects in Charlotte, Atlanta, Houston and Tampa, Fla. Novare suspended the payments as lenders consider a request to restructure those loans, which total more than $57 million.
No properties have been foreclosed upon, Borders said in an e-mail to Atlanta Business Chronicle, "but there are near term and past due maturities that could result in that."
In its opinion on the company's financials, Novare's independent auditor, Deloitte, said defaults and $280 million in debt maturing this year "raise substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern."
The company says in the financial statements that it is seeking opportunities to reduce debt and in some cases will have to transfer properties to lenders, including Lehman, to satisfy its debts. Novare reduced salaries by 10% across the board in the second quarter and reduced its head count, including some members of senior management.
Novare is one of the most prolific condo developers in the Southeast to be undermined by the housing downturn, with projects rising from Charlotte to midtown Atlanta to Austin, Texas. Novare entered the Charlotte market with a bang, starting with the Avenue condo tower at Fifth and Church streets. Construction of the 36-story tower started in 2005. The building's 386 units were sold out by the time it opened in 2007.
The 440 South Church office building and adjacent Catalyst condo tower were part of the company's larger plan for a complex of buildings in Third Ward.
Novare borrowed $73.2 million from Wachovia Corp. for the construction of Catalyst. It has defaulted on a mezzanine loan with an affiliate of Lehman Bros. tied to the 27-story residential tower. A failure to cure the default or otherwise modify the loan "could result in foreclosure by the lender on the company's equity interest in the project," according to company financial statements. The size of the mezzanine loan with Lehman Brothers Real Estate Mezzanine Partners was not disclosed.
In a statement to the Charlotte Business Journal, Borders says the company's financial challenges will not affect the building or its residents. Earlier this year, with the real estate market continuing to worsen, Novare converted half of the 462 condo units at Catalyst into for-rent apartments.
"Catalyst has three key stakeholders including Wachovia, Lehman Bros. and Novare Group, and the project is continuing to do well," Borders says. "Our lease up is progressing ahead of schedule, our residents are happy, we continue to market the condominiums, and all parties are pleased with the performance of the project. Any financing issues have been and will continue to be worked out among the stakeholders and will have absolutely no impact on the building or the residents, who are our primary focus."
Novare is also in default on a $6.4 million loan secured by an undeveloped piece of property on the same block as Catalyst and the 440 building. The loan matured on March 1 and has not been repaid. Novare says it is seeking an extension from the lender.
The company also owns an office building at 222 S. Church St. and the Shops at Avenue.
Until recently, Novare had been a co-developer with Trinity Capital Advisors on 440 South Church, a 15-story office tower that will house the expanded corporate center for GMAC Financial Services.
Aware of Novare's deteriorating financial condition, however, Trinity has been working for the last several months to restructure its partnership with the developer. Novare will retain its investment in 440 South Church, but as of three weeks ago Trinity Capital is the sole operating development partner, says Peter Conway, managing partner with sister company Trinity Partners.
Conway says Novare's financial condition is "immaterial to our project."
"There are no Novare Group issues that would have an impact on 440 South Church, which we believe will be one of our most successful projects," Borders says.
Conway says Trinity has leased 190,000 square feet at 440 South Church. That includes 135,000 square feet to GMAC Financial Services, which recently opted to take a fifth floor in the building. Real estate investment firm Buchanan Street Partners is a significant investor in the project.
The California firm invested $16.6 million in equity in the project and arranged a $60 million senior loan with a pension fund, National Electric Benefit Fund, for its construction.
"The building is well-capitalized, and Trinity Capital is the sole manager of development," Conway says. "Novare has been a great partner. It's just a change and an evolution of things related to the realities of their market, which is residential."
Novare has been hurt by the dramatic decline in the condominium market, which has left the company unable to sell units at a profit.
The company has also spent money for future development on land and architectural plans that "are worth substantially less and in some instances worth nothing in a world where development is nearly impossible," Borders wrote in a letter to investors.


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88 Pages Posted: 16 Oct 2013 Last revised: 17 Jan 2016
There are 2 versions of this paper
Date Written: January 2016
We derive a novel test for nominal exchange rate stationarity that exploits the forward-looking information in long maturity bond prices. When nominal exchange rates are stationary, no arbitrage implies that the return on the foreign long bond expressed in dollars is identical to the return on the U.S. bond. In the data, we do not find significant differences in long-term government bond risk premia in dollars across G10 countries, contrary to the large differences in risk premia at short maturities documented in the FX carry trade literature. Moreover, in most of the cases examined, we cannot reject that realized foreign and domestic long-term bond returns in dollars are the same, as if nominal exchange rates were stationary in levels, contrary to the academic consensus.
Keywords: exchange rate stationarity, carry trade, UIP, currency risk premia, bond risk premia
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Lustig, Hanno N. and Stathopoulos, Andreas and Verdelhan, Adrien, Nominal Exchange Rate Stationarity and Long-Term Bond Returns (January 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2340547 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2340547
By Ralph Koijen, Tobias Moskowitz, ...
Option-Implied Currency Risk Premia
By Jakub Jurek and Zhikai Xu
Forward and Spot Exchange Rates in a Multi-Currency World
By Tarek Hassan and Rui Mano
The Share of Systematic Variation in Bilateral Exchange Rates
Volatility Risk Premia and Exchange Rate Predictability
By Pasquale Della Corte, Tarun Ramadorai, ...
…and the Cross-Section of Expected Returns
By Campbell Harvey, Yan Liu, ...
By Andrew Ang
Common Risk Factors in Currency Markets
By Hanno Lustig, Nikolai Roussanov, ...
A Five-Factor Asset Pricing Model
By Eugene Fama and Kenneth French
Currency Premia and Global Imbalances
By Pasquale Della Corte, Steven Riddiough, ...


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Master of Surgery, Post Graduate Diploma in ENT, MBBS
ENT Specialist, Thane
Do Otrivin nasal spray 3 times a day and then do steam inhalation after 10 minutes of nasal spray. Do not use otrivin for more than 3 days try taking steam inhalation for 3 times a day. To know how to take steam, please read instructions below to know - how to take steam inhalation for best results. If problem is not solved in 2-3 days, you may need additional medicines. Techniques to steam 1) Boil a pot of water. 2) Pour water into a large flat pan or bowl. If you use a casserole, water will remain warm for longer duration. 3) Place your head over the bowl at a distance of 1 feet. 4) Cover your head and bowl with a large towel (like a tent), take long breath through your nose and breath out through mouth. Take a break every 1-2 minutes until you feel relatively cooler. Do it for 10 minute twice or thrice a day. If you feel that the treatment is getting too much for you, raise the towel so that fresh air is brought into the area and breathe through your mouth a couple of times and then resume Take care - Take all precautions while dealing with hot water. Also, keep children away and wan others that you are dealing with boiling hot water. Other way is - by an Electric steamer available in market and take steam through it. It is more convenient.
50 years old male from Bhilai asked
My mother who is 75 years old, has been found to have K.pneumonia in her throat swab which is sensitive to chloramphenicol. She does not have fever, but has unproductive cough and difficulty in swallowing when taking bigger pieces of food. Advise whether chloramphenicol can be given in a home setting.
International Academy of Classical Homeopathy, BHMS
As homoeopath I would advise bioch asthm no 3 tabs 2tom day for19 days Kali.carb 12c 3tims a day for wk merc sol 12c 3tims day for 5 days spongia 6c 3tims a day for wk kalibich 200 one dose Ipecac 3c one dose day for 12 days inform me progress
45 years old male from Mumbai asked
I am having a cough from yesterday. I had visited a local doctor but I am not relieved. The entire night I could not sleep because of cough can you suggest some medicines to get relief from the same.
MD - Homeopathy, BHMS
Homeopath, Vadodara
16 years old male from Patna asked
How lukewarm water good for cold .we know that cold is viral disease .do it really have any affect of warm water?
Homeopath, Chennai
Homoeopathy is ideal for all ages for most of ailments acting a better substitute for antibiotics, anti allergic & other kinds of medicine. Today most common problem especially in children is cold & cough which is due to lack of IMMUNITY to fight against infections in our surroundings. Homoeopathy acts as a best source of medicine to boost immunity & fight against infections. Homoeopathy also offers treatment in all allergic, acute & long lasting chronic diseases by improving immunity. You can easily take an online consultation for further treatment guidance and permanent cure without any side effects
25 years old male from Basti asked
Mujhe cough problem nhi hai but bulgam bahut create hota hai throat me. Bar bar bulgam clean karne ke liye Coughing karne padta hai. I have sometime chest pain in right side. What is the reason of this?
MBBS, Dip.Cardiology, Fellowship in Clinical Cardiology(FICC), Fellowship in Echocardiology
Cardiologist, Ghaziabad
19 years old male from Surat asked
Sir. I am addicted to smoke too much. And Now I am suffering from cold and cough ver much. .so sir what can I do now?
Psychiatrist, Bangalore
Dear lybrate-user, Please try to stop smoking at the earliest. It has many health benefits in the long run. When you stop suddenly, you may get withdrawal symptoms like restlessness, irritability, lack of concentration, increased hunger, sleep disturbance, headache, impatience, anxiety, depression, etc. If you have them please donât get back to smoking, take nicotine gum or lozenge or patch. They are available in all medical shops. You donât need a prescription from doctors. Use 2 mg gum if you smoke less than 25 cigarettes/day. Use 4 mg gum if you smoke more than 25 cigarettes/day. First 6 weeks, use 1 gum every 1 â 2 hours. Reduce it in week 7 â 9 to one gum every 2 â 4 hours. In week 10 â 12, reduce it further to 1 gum every 4 -8 hours. By 3 months, you will be able to stop both cigarettes and gum fully without any withdrawal symptoms. Please feel confident that you can do it and give yourself some gift for doing it like vacation or books or new mobile. Smoking is a chronic relapsing condition like diabetes and B.P. So please donât worry if you restart smoking. Start all over again to stop. You will learn the situations that make you smoke and avoid them. Please think of health benefits and money saved often. Plan how to avoid relapsing situations, like smoking friends, along with alcohol, stressful feeling or depression. Delay, drink, deep breathe, distract and discuss are the helpful tips. Increase of non smoking zones, gift yourself for stopping smoking. Even chewing cinnamon may delay. Please remember that the urge to smoke comes and goes like waves. Delay and see whether it goes away. It will like a passing cloud. All the best.
year old male from Bhubaneswar asked
BASM, MD, MS (Counseling & Psychotherapy), MSc - Psychology, Certificate in Clinical psychology of children and Young People, Certificate in Psychological First Aid, Certificate in Positive Psychology
Psychologist, Palakkad
Dear lybrate user. I can understand. An affected person can experience the following AIDS symptoms: nausea. vomiting. persistent diarrhea. chronic fatigue. rapid weight loss. cough and shortness of breath. recurring fever, chills, and night sweats. rashes, sores, or lesions in the mouth or nose, on the genitals, or under the skin. To prevent aids, please do not go for sexual intercourse with unknown or infected women. Use condoms. Take care.
0 year old female from Navi Mumbai asked
Hello sir, 7 month 3 weeks old son had influenza vaccine on 11th jul. Was having mild cold den. Since NXT day of vaccination he z having wet nonproductive cough. Have febrex plus syrup 2.5 ml thrice but it's not helping. please tell d needful. Is antibiotic needed. Or and I switch to Oder medicine for cough. Plzhelp.
DNB (Pediatrics), MBBS
Pediatrician, Gurgaon
year old male from Patiala asked
I have cold from my childhood and when I started running then I became tired means my breath became bigger and becoming problem to breath easily. So what is the solution for this problem. I have allergy from dust.
Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS), MS - Counselling and Psychotherapy
Ayurveda, Jammu
year old female from Delhi asked
Hi. My husband is 41 years old. He coughs when goes to bed. While sleeping sometimes. Frequently happening. Please suggest.
0 year old male from Mumbai asked
Hello, my son is 6 month old. Is having cough and cold. He is on breastfeed only. And from last two days after every feed he vomits whole feed with mucus. He is on medication of a abphyline2. 5 ml twice and clamp forte 5 ml twice. But having no relief. Please suggest me what should I do?
General Physician, Durg
Please do to your child nebulization three times a day. Due to cough he vomit after feed. Use ondenstron drop.
27 years old female from Kakinada asked
Hi doctor, I am 12 weeks pregnant. I have allergy and asthma problem. I am getting cold frequently along with eye itchiness and redness. I am unable to bear it. My doctor prescribed citrizen tablets. I am afraid to take that tab. Yesterday I take the tablet. Is that ok to take that during pregnancy? I am so worried. Please suggest me.
PG Diploma in Clinical Research, Diploma in Acupuncture, MBBS, College Of Physicians & Surgeons
General Physician, Mumbai
26 years old male from Delhi asked
Is only reocurrence of cold sore on nostril one before 3 month and another one now a symptom of hiv? No other complication.
General Physician, Ahmednagar
year old male from Etawah asked
Will it be right to take cloves during cold and cough. What other natural things could be taken during cough.
ENT Specialist, Anantapur
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Abhay Nursing Home, Sakinaka
Andheri East, Mumbai, Mumbai
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text:
Warning: This post is political and contains nothing about lifting weights/fixing HP computers. Read at your own risk.
A lot of people (usually the same ones that said 'I support the troops but oppose the war') assume that because I am an Iraq war vet, I do not like George W. Bush. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here are some facts about George W. Bush:
1. I fought two wars (okay, one war twice) while Bush was my commander.
2. I swore an oath of loyalty to Bush. An oath of loyalty is for life, motherfuckers. For lack of a better, non-Dungeons & Dragons-sounding term – Bush is my liege lord.
3. We killed for Bush and some of my comrades died for him.
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother;
4. Not that public opinion counts for shit, but do you know what Bush's approval rating was in the Army in Iraq in 2007 (a very deadly year)? 100% – I never talked to one guy who thought we were doing the wrong thing. This includes everyone from colonels to privates on sandbag duty. Some of my commanders were pussies or martinets, but we all knew while GW was on top, things would come out OK. So fuck you, Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore, pretty much every journalist, and all cowardly deserters.
5. George Bush paid me, housed me, and fed me better than I had ever received before. He is a rich man, so this is a ridiculous proposition, but if he ever needed money, food, or a place to stay; I WOULD GO WITHOUT SO THAT HE COULD HAVE SOME.
6. This goes for Condy, Rove, Cheney, etc. I got your back to the end.
7. I saw Bush speak in person and it was among the greatest days of my life.
8. If Bush called me and told me we were invading Canada because they besmirched our honor in the War of 1812, do you know what I would do? Equip myself accordingly and proceed in a northward direction.
9. If you have further questions about loyalty, honor, or the duties of a man to his lord, read the poem, "The Wanderer," and know that to be without your lord is nothing but emptiness.


text:
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This has been a long time coming…
Below is some of the great feedback we got from the Trademark – Dawn EP – their first ever release with us on Intelligent Audio!
*** This release is also available on vinyl!! Limited press of only 300 ***
Please click here to buy the Dawn EP from me on Discogs.
I have 213 100% positive ratings, cost is £4.49 + shipping – you can also make me an offer!
I will accept any reasonable offers! Please support the vinyl!
Laurent Garnier: "love the 4 tracks in there will present on the radio Great quality music
Phat Phil Cooper: "Wow, such a nice surprise to get such a good package, all tracks sounding great and such a great variety of tempos and moods… "
Andy Ward, Soul Heaven: "beautiful music.. not really what I play in my club sets but can definitely get exposure on my radio shows."
Dubble D/Moodymanc: "Nice tracks…all very lush and interesting…remind me in a lot of ways of old pork stuff….(which is a great thing btw…!!!) In a lot of ways more original and appealing than the housier stuff for me….please keep me in the loop!! Cheers!!!"
Harri, Sub Club Glasgow: "really nice tunes"
Tyler Stadius: "Spacey atmopheric grooves. I like."
Still Rob G, OM Records, End Up, Mighty SF: "Beautiful stuff. Full support!"
Raymundo Rodriguez, Jaded, Wrong etc London: "Superb sounds, more muisc like this please."
Ken Christensen, 5 Mag: "This is one of the most outstanding promo's I have received in 2009. Brilliant!"
Jay West, Argentina: "tracks that make u feel good, great job!"
Asad Risvi: "Outworld reminds of old LTJ Bukem Earth stuff…lovely"
Bushwacka!: " great stuff….reminds me of a lot of things – good things. wont play these often, but lovely music to have….well done"
Shane Johnson, Fish Go Deep: "New Frontiers is cool and I like Outworld a lot. Great groove and summery vibe. Will be playing."
Giom: "Superb release, thanks a lot for this, will try it out at my next show!"
Anil Chawla: "Really nice tracks, loving New Frontiers in Particular."
CJ Macintosh: "New Frontiers for me…..nice!"


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Thurra River estuary
Common Correa, Croajingolong National Park
Azure Kingfisher, Gipsy Point
Boardwalk at Wingan Inlet Nature Walk
Diuris orchid
Hooded Plover – a threatened species
Lots of short guided walks
Birdwatching, Croajingolong National Park - coastal forests (photo M Cardoso)
Coastal Wilderness Landscape
Caledenia orchid
Quiet beach walks with time to stop and gaze out to sea
Jacky Dragon
Howe Range from Bastion Point, Mallacoota
Lilac Lily – a delicate flower of the forest
A sleek native Bush Rat caught out exploring
Point Hicks Lighthouse cottage
Graded: Easy
Walks: Lots of short walks (up to 5 km) at a very relaxed pace.
6 nights accommodation
Focus: Coastal environment, flora & fauna, history
Destinations: Croajingolong National Park, Point Hicks Lighthouse, Mallacoota, Gipsy Point, Thurra River, Wingan Inlet, Australia's Coastal Wilderness Landscape
Educational discovery level: Moderate
Birdwatching, spring wildflowers, long white sandy beaches, rock pools, heathland and rainforest, what more could you want? If you think you'd also like a good mixture of short guided walks and some relaxing time to just enjoy your surroundings, then this is exactly what this ecotour offers.
Croajingolong National Park in far East Gippsland with it's magnificent wilderness coastline and undisturbed forested foothills is home to a vast array of indigenous plants and animals. You will be assured of a rich variety of natural history experiences and your guide will have lots of wonderful local knowledge to share.
Wildlife experiences usually feature strongly and birdwatching is excellent with not only bush birds, but also waders and seabirds. (Download our Croajingolong bird list below). Your guide will give you the opportunity to appreciate and learn about a range of local creatures, whether it be a passing whale, lizards scurrying around the rocks or a tiny, but colourful caterpillar.
October is the peak month for wildflower and as well as the obvious displays of wattles, boronia and other flowering shrubs, we take the time to look up close and find some of the tiny delights at ground level. Discover plants that were utilised by the local aboriginal people long before European settlement and imagine how well this land provided for their needs.
Every night you return to cosy accommodation and the first three nights are spent in historic lighthouse keepers quarters at Point Hicks Lighthouse boasting superb ocean views and fascinating history. Sit on the verandah, gaze out to sea, watch for seals, a passing whale or Gannets diving for fish.
A guided tour of the tallest lighthouse on Australia's mainland is a chance to immerse yourself in a fascinating history and hear about present day life at the Lighthouse.
After we leave the lighthouse, there are some interesting side trips and a whole range of wonderful walks around Mallacoota area from a cosy accommodation base at either Gipsy Point or Mallacoota itself.
This is a perfect holiday for curious nature lovers! You will discover that Croajingolong boasts such a wonderful range of different landscapes and habitats, each with its own mix of plants and animals and we will be sure to let you discover some places just not found by the causal tourist.
October 8, 2018
7 Days ex. Bairnsdale $3660
Contact us for more details and itinerary or to reserve a place
Download birdlist (Word doc)
View a photo album in Facebook
Other Easy Ecotours
Stories and Poems from past participants
A quality tour to Croajingolong
By T. Newcombe (Vic)
"From the moment Jenny met us in Bairnsdale, I was amazed by the excellent organization of this tour. Firstly, we were whisked away to Bruthen for lunch where an incredible picnic lunch was set before us. Chicken, ham, a wide variety of salads, locally baked bread and more. What a start!
Our first three nights were spent at Point Hicks. Such a delight to lay in bed listening to the waves so close by. We went on several very interesting walks including visiting the incredible dunes and nearby coast. What made the walks so interesting was the vast knowledge of flora and fauna by Jenny and others of the group. I never knew there were so many varieties of fern!
As the stay ay Point Hicks Lighthouse was self-catering I had imagined peeling potatoes and getting meals ready. Not so. Jenny produced sumptuous feasts before we even realized she was cooking. Our job was the washing up, which we gladly did. I so enjoyed the home-made and local products Jenny supplied. All the jams, marmalades, pickles, sauces, were home-made or locally produced, and such a variety of teas – too many to try them all.
The next two nights we spent at Gipsy Point Lodge. Thank goodness we were on a walking holiday, as again we were spoilt with excellent meals. The walks were varied and interesting and the animals a delight. Not forgetting the ferns of course!
I did so enjoy this short break away and felt invigorated by being active outdoors with nature. My lasting impression is the quality of this tour. Everything was first class and I thank Jenny for sharing her knowledge and love of this area with me."
Reflections & highlights from the Croajingolong National Park Tour
By Dorothy Francis
In October when Victorian wild flowers were at their best I joined the 7 day Croajingolong Coastal Ecotour with easy day-walks along the coast of Victoria. This magnificent National Park stretches from Sydenham Inlet to the NSW border covering 87,500ha. The name Croajingolong is derived from the local aboriginal tribe 'Krauatungalung' meaning 'people of the east'. In the past there was abundant wild life included shellfish, wading birds and other marine life along this magnificent wildlife wilderness. The aboriginal people would have had a good life with the many estuaries and inlets that a stretch along this vast coastline.
We were a small group of four who joined Jenny; our expert leader, driver, guide & cook for the first 4 days then Maria took over thereafter. Most mornings & afternoons we did short leisurely walks of 3 to 4km. Despite poor weather forecasts, the weather was very kind to us, only needing an umbrella for about half an hour all week.
The highlights for me were the many sightings of Humpback whales with their calves frolicking out to sea off Point Hicks on their migration to Antarctica for the summer. The group listed 70 wonderful bird species and 137 sightings that the experts shared with me a novice. I loved the profusion of wildflowers, especially the many native orchids that were so tiny but spectacular. We spent much of our time walking along minor tracks or on our knees, to see the next & the next wild flowers and taking photos.
At remote Pt Hicks we stayed in a lighthouse keeper assistant's cottage built in 1890 and did several local coastal walks. They are used for holiday makers now as the Lighthouse light is automated. Once three 'keepers' worked three shifts every 24 hrs and their families had to live in this beautiful but isolated spot. These days caretakers rotate each two weeks and are responsible for the weather/sea forecast three times a day & looking after visitors to the area.
This rugged coast is where Capt Cook first sighted the Australian mainland from the 'Endeavour' in 1770. It was named after the 1st Lieutenant Zachary Hicks who made the sighting. Until recently the only access was by sea to a nearby sandy beach 20-30 minutes walk away or by horseback down a windy unmade track, now it's only a 45 minute drive from the main road.
After leaving Pt Hicks we went further east to the north arm of Mallacoota Inlet staying at Gipsy Point Lodge and enjoyed the beautiful scenery from the lodge with lots of wild life such as a King Parrot that would eat out of your hand, Kangaroos grazing down by the inlet and a curious Kookaburra in a gum tree in the grounds. Inside there was a wonderful log fire in the huge guest sitting/dining room where coffee/tea was available 24hrs a day and we enjoyed our meals together.
John the boat tour captain at Gipsy Point took us out in his boat for 4 hours one morning and showed us the marvellous wildlife; many birds such as sea-eagles nesting in a gumtrees and diving for fish, a brilliant kingfisher, kookaburras, tiny blue wrens, and many other sea birds & birds of prey. We saw a metre long black snake in the sun on the riverbank, and a number of different types of lizards including Gippsland water dragons basking in the sun near Genoa Falls.
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the trip and can recommend it to anyone interested in our wonderful country and its flora and fauna. A wonderful trip; thank Jenny for all your organization.
Croajingolong Coastal Ecotour
By J. Penington (Vic)
From the time we had lunch at Bruthen we know we were in for surprises.
Point Hicks in a small gale is majestic, one can understand how the wind sculptured the tea-tree covered slopes to an undulating expanse of immaculately shaped ridges and troughs.
I was a surprise to look down upon the numerous sea eagles as these magnificent birds patrolled the shore line below us.
Nothing was more delicately balanced or more colourful than the view of the light house floor when seen from the top of the stair will. The framing of scene by the spiral stair railing was perfect!
The Genoa Falls with water dragons, in the late afternoon was a delight of tranquillity and moving water.
Gipsy Point Lodge garden in the early morning revealed an exciting profusion of native birds, too many species seen to be enumerated.
The profusion of orchids in the vicinity of Gipsy Point inspired an interest in the novice "orchid watcher'.
The fight between a kitten ring tail possum and a raven, on the beach at Mallacoota was interesting, the little animal attacking its giant adversary as soon as it regained balance after being tossed about by the tail. Jenny's handling of the rescued youngster, which travelled in a bag suspended from the rear vision mirror until it had recovered, was a delight.
Over all, a great experience of plants, birds, terrestrial animals, aquatic animals, mountains, sea and rivers.
My Croajingolong Highlights
By R. Flett (Vic)
One persons highlights are not necessarily the highlights for others, but we were a pretty compatible group, enjoying one another's company and sharing experiences and knowledge - of birds and plants, childhood and travel, life in general and in the particular. These are certainly underpinning the memories of my days, in Croajingolong National Park. The line from Tennyson's poem, Ulysses, where Ulysses says, "I am a part of all that I have met" seems to be threaded among it all too. So, our highlights:
Impressions of my trip to Croajingolong National Park
By J. Crakanthop (NSW)
On one of our walks from the lighthouse we went along the original track from where supplies were offloaded from ships onto the jetty ready to be hauled to the lighthouse site. What a big undertaking! The stamina and resolve of those original workers has to be admired. It must have been a daunting task to haul all the requirements to build the concrete lighthouse, plus supplies for the workers. With exposure to the extremes of weather and climate it must have been a testing time for the workers. Those pioneers certainly had it tough!
During our walk back from the Thurra Sand Dunes, we chanced upon a lyrebird which was fossicking in the understory of the rainforest. It appeared to be very tame and not the least disturbed by our close presence, but the minute one stepped off the track, that bird immediately took evasive action, so it was indeed keeping a very close eye on us. To me it was a magical experience to be so close to a very special bird. The delight was enhanced by the feeling of calm in the quiet of the rainforest where time seemed to stand still and the world and its worries a very long way away."
My first visit to Point Hicks
By P. Stewart, (Vic)
It was my first visit to Point Hicks and I was looking forward to spending time at such an historical site. After an hours journey from Cann River the last bend brought into prominent view the top half of the startlingly white structure of Point Hicks lighthouse thrusting itself into the brilliant blue sky.
Our accommodation was in the assistant lighthouse keepers' quarters. The house was surrounded at the sides and back by high, dry stone granite walls. It was a lovely hot, dry, still day on our arrival but there is no doubt the wind speed would be extreme at times.
From the front porch was a multi million dollar view of Bass Straight and being on a promontory a potential opportunity to see both the sunrise and sunset over the ocean. An historical marker on the rocks at the point was directly in front of the house. This was the land first sighted by Lieutenant Zachary Hicks of Captain Cook's first voyage of discovery in 1770.
We were fascinated by a group of perhaps two dozen or so Australian Fur Seals 'rafting' a short distance in the ocean from our porch viewpoint. Even with a big swell and waves crashing over a rock nearby they floated (usually on their sides with one flipper waving in the air) as if anchored to the sea bed. The three days we were there they were observed in exactly the same location at all hours of the day.
On our first full day we went for a walk to see the extensive sand dune systems at Thurra River. As we walked past an unattended camp site set up with tents and equipment our group was captivated by three to five large goannas moving through the camp site. One plastic rubbish bag had already been split open and contents strewn around. The giant lizards jostled for position sending the losers running for cover. As we watched a large fellow easily climbed the trunk of a woody shrub and reached out to a second rubbish bag which had been hung in the bush to keep marauders away. When the campers finally returned they would have quite a mess to clean up.
The next day we visited Wingan Inlet. We walked to the ocean beach and along the beach to the entrance. From there we were able to observe through binoculars a large Australian Fur Seal colony on a small rocky island at the entrance to the inlet.
The next day we said goodbye to our lighthouse home after a climb to the top and an interesting talk by the keeper.
We travelled the Princes Highway towards Mallacoota. A stop was made for a walk down to some falls on the Genoa River. Here we found six or more Gippsland Water Dragons basking on huge boulders beside the gently flowing water. The Gippsland Water Dragon is a large lizard. It is usually a shy species but in certain tourist areas they can loose their fear of humans. We were able to get very close to them to get some great photos.
The accommodation at Gypsy Point Lodge was first class. A walk up to the lookout at Genoa Peak was just what was required to help keep our waist-lines in check. Stunning views were seen of the surrounding Croajingolong National Park. Gabo Island with its lighthouse could be seen in the distance and that I hope will be a trip for another time.
Thank you Jenny for an enjoyable week.
More comments
An extremely enjoyable trip. Tom and Maria were great fun and looked after us all very well. Good food, fantastic scenery and Gipsy Point Lodge exceeded expectations. I could indulge my passion for birdwatching while others did more demanding walks.
Lyn (Melbourne)
"A well planned tour with a most satisfying balance of activity, sightseeing, plants, birds, coast and mountains. And a prevailing goodness of food, care and the company of fellow travellers. I have enjoyed the week very much."
Jim (Melbourne)
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