text:
BOSTON - After being swept aside in the Bronx with the ease of taking out the trash the Jays headed to Beantown with their tail between their legs.
The journey from New York to Boston is not a long one but for the Blue Jays something magical occurred along the way.
Given up for dead, the Jays, perhaps energized by the 10-player trade that GM Alex Anthopoulos made on Friday, came alive in the tough and unfriendly environment of Fenway Park and pulled off a stunner by sweeping the three-game series.
The Jays saved their best for Sunday against Boston ace Jon Lester, a lefty who has owned them of late. They jumped on him for five runs in the opening frame, four more in the second and cruised from there to a 15-7 rout where they piled up 18 hits.
"Our team has been able to bounce back," said J.P. Arencibia, who contributed a three-run homer in the second. "It's pretty crazy. When we've gotten swept we've been able to either bounce back with a sweep or win a series.
"It's kind of a credit to our pitchers, to keep us in the game, and the hitters to go out there and do what we need to do."
Travis Snider ended Lester's day in the fifth with a two-run blast to centre field, his first homer since his summoning from Las Vegas on Friday.
The 11 runs and four homers that Lester surrendered were career highs.
"To come out with a sweep is really something to build off of," said Snider. "It's a good group of guys who play for each other.
"The motto here, we've got a bunch of grinders and we're going to keep going and keep fighting until the ninth inning comes and the last pitch is thrown."
With the three-game sweep, the Jays moved back over the .500 mark to 48-47 and dumped the Red Sox into the basement of the AL East. It marked their first three-game sweep in Boston since Sept. 28-30, 2009 and increased their record over the Red Sox this season to 7-5.
Coupled with Tampa's loss to Seattle, the Jays sit just a half-game back of the third-place Rays.
"It was a good offensive day and the way the first inning was completed, it seemed like it was going to quickly shape up to who could score the most runs," manager John Farrell said. "Fortunately we put together a lot of good at-bats and we executed in many different ways whether it was safety squeeze, sac bunt, moving guys over, sac fly.
"Obviously we drove some balls out of the ball park but it was just a very good offensive day and a very good weekend considering the way we came out of New York and the loss of Jose (Bautista). Guys have bounced back and we've had a very good weekend here."
The Jays didn't waste any time getting to Lester, who came into the game having posted a 4-1 record with a 2.78 ERA against them in his previous seven starts.
Brett Lawrie greeted Lester's first pitch by drilling it over the Green Monster in left for his ninth home run of the season and the Jays were off and running.
"That was big obviously against a pitcher like that," Arencibia said of Lawrie's homer. "You get that first pitch and he hits it out of the park, it's tough to rebound from. We just kept on putting them (hits) together and were able to score nine runs on a guy like that, that's pretty tough."
Yunel Escobar followed Lawrie's blast with a walk and Colby Rasmus reached after dropping a perfect bunt down the third-base line.
Edwin Encarnacion's ground-rule double into the seats in right brought in their second run and J.P. Arencibia made it 3-0 with a RBI ground out.
The Jays weren't finished as Rajai Davis' doubled home Encarnacion and after moving up on a wild pitch, Davis scored from third on a beautifully executed safety squeeze by Jeff Mathis.
After Boston rallied for three runs in the bottom of the first, the Jays kept pouring it on in the second as with two on (two walks) and two out, Arencibia hit a three-run bomb into the seats atop the Monster. It was his 15th home run.
Davis followed with a rocket over the Green Monster and its seats to up the Jays lead to 9-3.
The Jays have an off day Monday before a tough six-game series at home against a surprising Oakland squad and a surging Detroit Tigers.
It never gets easy.


text:
Democratic congressional candidate Ron Barber says he'll seek changes to federal health care legislation widely known as Obamacare if he wins the 8th Congressional District seat.
Barber is to meet Republican Jesse Kelly in the June 12 special election to replace former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Barber was Giffords' district director before she stepped down in January to recover from being shot.
Barber's campaign says he called for reform of the Affordable Care Act on Sunday and said mailers and phone calls saying he was involved in its crafting aren't true.
Barber laid out several needed changes, including caps on rate increases. He also said he opposed higher energy taxes and supports increased U.S. energy production.
Kelly has made expanded oil and gas production a major issue of his campaign.
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
VANCOUVER, BC - On the morning of their much-anticipated debut in Major League Soccer, Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced that less than 100 tickets remain for today's season opener versus Canadian arch-rivals Toronto FC at Empire Field.
"We're delighted with the response from soccer fans throughout the province to our very first match in Major League Soccer," said Whitecaps FC chief executive officer Paul Barber. "We asked Whitecaps fans to fill the stadium on Saturday and provide a fantastic and intimidating atmosphere at Empire Field. The fact that we are very close to capacity for our MLS debut against Toronto FC is brilliant news for our club and our province."
Fans are encouraged to arrive early in white as gates at Empire will open no later than 2:30 p.m. PT and kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. PT. Season ticket holders are also reminded to bring their scarves, with the attached bar code, as it will serve as their March 19th match ticket.
Fans unable to attend today's match can watch live on TSN, as well as Bell mobile phones, with the pre-game show kicking off at 3 p.m. PT. Today's match is also available live on TEAM 1410 with the pre-game radio show starting 1:30 p.m. PT.
Following today's season opener, Whitecaps FC will embark on their first away match in MLS when the club travels to Chester, Pennsylvania, to take on MLS Eastern Conference side Philadelphia Union at PPL Park on Saturday, March 26. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. PT and is live on Rogers Sportsnet One and TEAM 1410 radio. Whitecaps FC return to Empire for their next two matches, Saturday, April 2, versus Sporting Kansas City, and Wednesday, April 6, against New England Revolution.
Single-seat tickets for today's game, as well as the matches on April 2 and April 6, start at $20, plus applicable service charges, and are available at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centres, online at ticketmaster.ca, and Charge-by-Phone at 1.855.6.GO-CAPS (1.855.646.2277).
Whitecaps FC Major League Soccer 2011 season tickets are also available and start at a base price of $319, plus applicable tax and a $10 processing fee per order. To secure a seat and for additional information about Whitecaps FC MLS season tickets, suites, and loge boxes, call 604.669.9283 or visit whitecapsfc.com.


text:
Unfortunately, this job is expired as of 4/15/2015.
To continue in your search through the appropriate job categories, click either Administrative Staff, Higher Education Executives, Faculty, Post-Doc and Graduate Assistants, . You can also utilize "guess-free" keyword search tools with up to eight pre-defined criteria. Search for and Apply to academic postings directly from the site. Post your background either confidentially or overtly. Stand out and be discovered!
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Clinical - Teach early childhood education courses, such as content methods courses (e.g,, math, social studies, science), introduction of early childhood education, and classroom guidance. Collaborate with faculty in developing and revising programs. Facilitate course-related field experiences. Advise undergraduate students. Provide service to the department, university, and the profession.
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text:
Maccabi Games' Valley team to compete under Westside JCC's auspices
The closure of the Milken Jewish Community Center did not mean the dissolution of a Valley delegation to the Maccabi Games. Team L.A. Milken, which had been affiliated with the Milken JCC in West Hills, will now compete under the auspices of the Westside JCC on Olympic Boulevard.
Every delegation to the Maccabi Games must be affiliated with an official Jewish community center. The Milken team will retain its own coaches, athletes and administration for this summer's games, but will be officially registered with the Westside JCC.
"There's no real difference in the delegation's administration," Westside JCC Assistant Executive Director Ronnel Conn said. "It's truly just a technicality."
Philip Benditson, a former Milken JCC board member who chairs the Maccabi program, said that the official announcement for the center's closure came after the delegation had already paid its registration fees and booked plane tickets. JCC Association, which organizes the annual games, decided to allow the Milken delegation to compete as L.A. Milken JCC on condition they went under the banner of the Westside center.
Until its closure, the Milken JCC was the last remaining Jewish community center in the San Fernando Valley with its own building. In February, Milken JCC chair Steven V. Rheuban announced that the board was abandoning its search for a new location following the Jewish Federation's sale of the Bernard Milken Jewish Community Campus, which housed the center, to New Community Jewish High School. Milken JCC closed its doors on June 30.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Maccabi Games, with events scheduled to begin on Aug. 5 in Houston and Memphis, and the following week in Rockland, N.Y.
Team L.A. Westside, which is in its sixth year, is sending 65 athletes to the games, the largest delegation to date. The Milken team is sending 115 athletes.
Benditson said that the closure hasn't really affected the teams' abilities to practice, though now they were required to pay to use the facilities, including swimming pool and basketball gym, on the Milken campus.
Discussions about how to organize teams for the 2013 games won't begin until after this year's games are over, but there is a good chance that the Westside JCC will oversee all Los Angeles-area Maccabi operations.
"The only thing that is certain is that it's all going to be under our JCC's management," Conn said.
Benditson, who has worked with the Valley delegation's Maccabi team since 1995, thinks that a deal can be worked out to maintain a comparable program for next year.
"We're appreciative that we still have our program," Benditson said. "We believe in the program and we like working with the kids. We're hoping to find a way to keep a program alive in the San Fernando Valley."


text:
AN 'inspirational' former teacher who headed the English departments at two North East schools has died aged 99.
Nancy Deas, of High Green, Gainford, led the English department at the former Darlington Girls High School before moving to Polam Hall where she also worked as department head before retiring.
Mrs Deas was a keen historian and her research led her to write and publish 'A Brief History of Gainford' which was illustrated by her late husband, architect Victor Deas.
Loading article content
Maureen Alderson, who worked as vicar of Gainford before retiring three years ago described, Mrs Deas as a "gentle and generous" friend who left a lasting impression on generations of pupils.
She said: "It is just indescribable how lovely she was.
"She was an absolute lady to the hilt, so gentle and generous and with a lovely manner about her.
"Even after all this time there were former pupils of the schools who still remembered her and came to her funeral.
"Nobody could speak highly enough of her; she was that good a person."
In a letter to the Darlington and Stockton Times, former Darlington Girls High School pupil Elizabeth Esteve-Coll – who went on to become the first woman director of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London – described Mrs Deas as a "gentle inspiration".
She said: "Her passing marks the end of an era for many of us but our memories of her influential teaching will last for the rest of our lives."
Mrs Deas spent the last three years of her life at the Manor House Care Home in Barnard Castle and died on January 16; ten weeks before what would have been her 100th birthday on Easter Sunday.
Scores of well-wishers attended her funeral at St Marys Church, Gainford, on Tuesday (February 5), including several former pupils of Polam Hall and Darlington Girls High School – now the Hummersknott Academy.
More Darlington News
- 'The best thing to ever happen to Darlington' - Council leader heralds opening of £13.7m Hippodrome Theatre
- DARLINGTON: Quakers on verge of another signing after blowing Tamworth "out of the water"
- She's 18 and has just become one of the youngest councillors in the country
- DARLINGTON: Nathan Cartman leaves Quakers to join Farsley Celtic
- Care group confirms commitment with new recruits
- Festive fundraising brings Christmas to Cockerton
- Bob the Builder creator tells Darlington children to follow their passion
- ' I hope to be a voice for residents' - Teenager wins by-election after A-levels success
- Neighbours unhappy about Michelin-starred restaurant's early morning deliveries
- New era for theatre as Darlington Hippodrome holds official opening ceremony today


text:
|2010-01-10, 15:14
|Link #583
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Florida
Thanks Cats and Daniel for your comments! I was going to trace and ink one the sketches earlier but finals and vacation snuck up on me kinda quick so I wasn't able to. But I finally found a little spare time and redrew the sketch of her sitting with the can of coffee.
I even made the snowflake brush myself! I can make a blank background version if anyone wants me to.
Last edited by nissie; 2010-01-12 at 21:02.
|2010-01-12, 20:51
|Link #584
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
I joined Animesuki forums about four months ago just so I could post a colored version of this drawing--
Spoiler for Image Rotated and Resized for Upload:
It took me a few minutes to finish the outlines on paper but it took me forever to pick up the electronic brush.
It should have conformed to the oh-it's-a-new-school-year-and-it's-summer-theme at that time (July).
If my short college-term break lasts a little longer, maybe I'll find some drive to work on this thing.
|2010-01-19, 06:32
|Link #585
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Monterrey N.L. Mexico
|2010-02-05, 09:30
|Link #586
Kira_Naruto, the ecchi
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: http://www.exciting-tits.com/
Edit: Images removed because the external hosting service was "upgraded" in Jan 2014.
This means the images were deleted. What remained here would only serve as an advert so has been removed.
Next come the fail part XD.
Tomorrow .. or some time in the future
Last edited by NightWish; 2014-11-13 at 09:04.
|2010-02-05, 10:01
|Link #589
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Florida
|2010-02-05, 10:07
|Link #590
Kira_Naruto, the ecchi
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: http://www.exciting-tits.com/
Well.. dont keep your hopes up.. I sux at coloring even after spending hours rewatching coloring tutorial on youtube
Coloring with mouse is hard .. And I keep experimenting with different style.. Still finding a foot in and familiarizing myself with SAI
|2010-02-06, 11:36
|Link #591
Kira_Naruto, the ecchi
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: http://www.exciting-tits.com/
Fixed the hair somewhat .. Fixed the messy and irregular pressure a bit ..
Edit: Images removed because the external hosting service was "upgraded" in Jan 2014.
This means the images were deleted. What remained here would only serve as an advert so has been removed.
Last edited by NightWish; 2014-11-13 at 09:04.
|2010-04-12, 15:34
|Link #592
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Sweden
Age: 33
So...I finally decided to contribute with something here, instead of just trolling this thread
Since I'm no master with the pen, I decided to share a little song that I created for Kairin instead.
The song is a little 4 channel creation, done in MilkyTracker, and it's called "Kairin, Play That Synth!"
Basically it was born from me imagining Kairin rocking away with a synthesizer
(there is some more story behind it, but that is more related to another thing. Gonna try wrap it up simple: if someone by any chance would find this song with another name, it's the same song, since I also dedicated this song to some friends of mine, but then with a different title for the song. Though I want to point out that the solid ground of inspiration for this song is Kairin, and it's mainly dedicated to her.)
...hope that it made some sense
Anyway the .rar in the link contains both a .mp3 and the original .xm. If you wanna listend to the song using the .xm, but are not sure what it is, please read the "readme" provided.
Hope you'll enjoy it
|2010-04-14, 13:43
|Link #593
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Florida
Well, Oggiw, that's was certainly interesting. I enjoyed the overall melody/rhythm though the video game noises were very different. Maybe the music will inspire some of us to draw more fanart of Kairin...
|2010-05-17, 20:03
|Link #595
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Hampshire
First Try
Hello everyone,
I have been a longtime lurker, first time poster. And just to start things off with a bang I have attempted my hand at drawing Karen! This is my first time ever using Gimp, so I don't really know the secret ways of making things look great yet. But I started out with a pencil sketch, inked it, and then scanned and edited. I know the hand isn't awesome, but hey.
Nice to meet you all.
|2010-05-29, 13:09
|Link #596
Share ratio 130%
Join Date: Aug 2009
Age: 56
Today (29-May-2010), Kairin appears to have been reduced to one white pixel
(http://www.animesuki.com/images/px.gif). What happened? Is it my browser's fault?
|2010-06-02, 16:13
|Link #599
Nothing More
Join Date: Mar 2003
Age: 38
GHDpro has got the server back up so it should be fixed now (is for me). I'll be updating the main page with a new Kairin soon ...
Edit: New version by Holly.
Last edited by NightWish; 2010-06-02 at 17:59.
|kairin, wiki candidate
|Thread Tools


text:
Police have launched a hunt for a missing Hampshire woman.
Officers are concerned for the welfare of Heather Harley who has not been seen since around 10pm last night when she was at home.
Coastguards have joined police in an ground and sea search for the 66-year-old, of Bellfield Road, Titchfield.
She is dcescribed as:
- White
- 5ft 4ins tall
- Short brown hair
- Green eyes
- Possibly wearing blue and pink checked pyjamas with a red fleece top.
A police spokesman said she may be in a confused or withdrawn state due to lack of medication.
Anyone with information can contact Fareham police station by phoning 101.
In an emergency, dial 999. Information can be given anonymously by phoning the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.


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Seven Rules for Creating Balance in Life
The answer is balance. You can do it all, you can live the kind of full life, made possible by our wonderful technology, and you can live a life of passion ??" if you do so with balance.
Imbalance exists everywhere. You can see it in the fact that there is an epidemic of marijuana dependence and depression among our teenagers. You can see it in the fact that almost every middle-aged adult who comes for counseling is struggling with marital problems, work problems, family problems, and, all too commonly, alcohol dependence.
But the therapeutic effects of balance are out there, too. Alcoholics Anonymous works by restoring balance. A recovery program for narcotic addicts in Lynn, Mass. works by using creativity to restore balance. And, if you think about your clients who have successfully sustained recovery, you will recognize the ways in which you probably helped them to sustain recovery by restoring life balance.Finding natural balance
The balance that I am referring to is a natural balance. It is built on the physiologic operating principles of your nervous system. You can find and sustain a natural, resilient balance by following a carefully constructed program, a program of natural and common sense steps such as:
- balanced sleep
- the right amount of exercise
- a structured diet of food and entertainment
- healthy relationships
- the right type of positive thinking or self talk
You can help your clients to establish balance and, by doing so, sustain recovery from chemical dependence. If you feel out of balance yourself ??" in our fast-paced, hyper-linked society, imbalance happens before you know it ??" you can apply the principles of balance to your own life, helping yourself to live the life you want.
Listen to the words of Allison, a teenage patient of mine. She is a high-school senior and the oldest child in a blended family. Mom and Dad work full-time jobs to make ends meet. Allison receives little direct supervision at home, and came to see me because she wanted better grades so that she could go to the 'best' colleges.
I asked Allison about her daily habits. Here is what she told me: 'I get up at 5 a.m. to do my homework before school. Then I'm in classes all day. After school, I have committees and student council. There is the school play, so I'm busy with rehearsal until about 10 p.m. I get home at 11 p.m. I talk with my friends over the Internet until 1 a.m. and then I do homework until 2 a.m. and I go to bed.'
When I asked her if she could try to get more sleep to relieve her daytime tiredness, Allison said, 'I can't sleep more. When would I do all of this stuff?'
I asked her about substance abuse, specifically about marijuana. She replied, 'I do smoke every day, but I'm not a drug user. It calms me down and sort of helps me to keep going. But since it's natural, I'm OK with it. My folks are too.'
In Allison's high school, marijuana use is an epidemic. Depression is too. A classmate recently committed suicide and three others have attempted it. Allison too, is quite depressed although she has trouble seeing her symptoms because as she says: 'I'm a positive person, so things don't get me down, I just feel kind of wired at night.'
Allison's life is terribly out of balance. She feels stressed. She can't sleep. She always feels as though there is something she must do. She is unable to calm down. Allison is tired all the time, she can't concentrate and she is depressed and anxious.
Her solution? Smoke pot everyday despite the clear evidence that her grades and health are suffering.
also see Dr. Sorgi's book: The 7 Systems of Balance : A Natural Prescription for Healthy Living in a Hectic World
---------------------------------------------------------Living without limits creates imbalance
We live in an exciting time that is unique in the history of mankind. Consider how different life is for us, than it was for our ancestors. Until the industrial revolution in the 1800s mankind lived an unchanging life. The rhythms of day and night and the changing of the seasons balanced it. Life was structured by and focused on survival needs. To our ancestors, any imbalance was a sign of danger. Excitement, stimulation and change were all dangerous, to be avoided whenever possible.
As an adaptation to these survival needs, the human nervous system developed a robust alerting and alarming mechanism. It is hard-wired into the brain. At the earliest sign of any imbalance, a natural vigilance occurs, a dysphoric and worried scanning, to look for the cause of danger ??" to look for any threat to survival.
Now contrast this with modern life. All of our wondrous inventions, electricity, the automobile, the jet airplane, the telephone, and most recently, the Internet ??" have inexorably stripped away all of the natural, external limits, boundaries and structure that had dictated life for our ancestors until the past 200 years. Nowadays, you can literally do anything anywhere, with anyone at any time. Life is filled with possibility and passion.
As was the case for Allison, living an exciting life with no limits can leave you out of balance. When your life is out of balance, your nervous system responds, as it must, by sending you warning signals, sounding its innate alarms, causing you to feel stressed, restless, worried and depressed. When this is a daily occurrence, using alcohol, pot, cocaine or narcotics becomes a chemical solution for the dysphoria produced by an unbalanced life.What happens in the brain?
In the human nervous system, excitation is delicately balanced by inhibition. Excitation generally arises in the brain stem and in the subcortical areas of the brain. Collections of nerve cells ??" the locus ceruleus in the brain stem, the thalamus, the hypothalamus and the amygdale in the subcortex, and, in the limbic system ??" provide the excitation. These areas are the power supply for the brain. If you feel excited, emotional or energized, it is because the subcortical areas of your brain have swung into action.
Subcortical activation is balanced by inhibition from the neocortex. You experience this neural inhibition as conscious thought. The neocortex, the part of the brain that is newest, produces conscious thought. The neocortex, especially the frontal lobes, gathers information, comparing and contrasting input. The neocortex plans and then executes an action, when and where it is needed, using the emotion and the energy from the subcortical areas of the brain to power the needed action.
The brain and nervous system function best when they are in balance. But, as Allison's story indicates, the external factors of modern life conspire to throw the nervous system out of balance. Many turn to chemical abuse as a last ditch effort to restore balance.
Here is what my patients have told me:
Like Allison, every one of these patients had a serious problem with balance.
Fortunately, it is possible to live a life of excitement and possibility, without the pain of chemical dependence. It takes balance to do so. Recovery from chemical dependence, or prevention of chemical dependence is achievable by structuring life, using tools and techniques derived from the neurophysiologic principles of balance.
The areas of balance listed below are based on the balance between excitation and inhibition that is central to the function of the nervous system. Each represents a set point, intrinsic to the nervous system, a balance point that has been discovered and verified by current neuroscience research.
To start to re-establish balance, help your clients inventory each of the seven essential areas of balance. Outline the ways in which your client's life is out of balance. Then, using tools and techniques, derived from the natural physiology of balance, you can develop a program of structure and balance for life ??"- a program that I call, the 'rules for living.'
The 'rules for living' are common sense techniques, specific to your client's life, that help them to avoid imbalance, or to re-establish lost balance.
When you help your clients to apply their own 'rules for living' you will be teaching them how to facilitate a healthy balance ??" preventing stress, minimizing dysphoria, decreasing worry and unhappiness. This helps to sustain recovery.
You can use the 'rules for living' as a curriculum for therapy, providing the structure, the content, the goals and objectives for a successful program of recovery. It takes about six to 12 visits of focused work to diagnose balance problems, to set up the 'rules for living' and to educate your client about using their unique program of balance. After the initial visits, you shift to a longer-term model of therapy to explore the difficulties your client may experience in trying to apply the 'rules for living.'
You also can use a longer-term therapy to understand and explore the life-changing effects of restoring balance.
As you do this for your clients, and perhaps for yourself, you will be establishing a natural balance. Each of the rules for living that you derive will help to establish and maintain a natural balance in your nervous system. A natural balance that leads to a calmer, more resilient and chemically free approach to life.The 7 Rules for Living
- The balance of sleep and wakefulness
Sleep and wakefulness are the fundamental balance in life. Sleep too much and you become lethargic, unmotivated and depressed. Sleep too little and you become forgetful, edgy, irritable and impatient. Sleeping is an inhibitory process that allows your brain to become refreshed and renewed for the next day's activity. Sleep can be disturbed by day-to-day over- stimulation, and by under-stimulation. Chemicals such as alcohol, marijuana and amphetamines can disturb the balance of sleep. When sleep is disturbed, a cascade of imbalance affects all aspects of mental function. Balancing sleep and wakefulness must be the first step in any program of recovery. Sleep programs always include a structured adherence to the cycles of day and night, proper diet, avoiding sleep-disrupting chemicals and the right type and timing of exercise. If a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea is present, it's necessary to refer to a sleep specialist.
- The balance of movement and rest
Research has shown that daily movement such as an exercise program, walking or manual labor can lower blood pressure, decrease heart rate, improve cognitive function and increase well being. Movement counteracts the inevitable physical tension that results from sustained mental activity. It does so at the deepest level of the nervous system, where physical inactivity, combined with vigilant, mental activation is equated with danger.
If you spend your day immobile, in a car, in front of a computer or at a desk, you do not feel rested, you feel tense, restless and slightly wired. Try to relax without movement and you really can't. A regular program of movement ??" it could be walking, a workout at the gym, yoga, dance, tennis, gardening, progressive relaxation or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) ??" will dissolve the restless tension that comes from physical inactivity. It will reset the workings of your brain and allow a refreshing type of rest; one that leaves you feeling renewed and invigorated. Movement and physical inactivity work best in a dynamic, daily cycle.
As my patients have told me, chemical use, especially alcohol and marijuana, becomes an antidote for the dysphoria that comes from a day spent mentally active but physically inactive. Sadly, the chemical use further interrupts the natural balance of movement and rest. A person using chemicals never truly becomes rested. The result is more tension, irritability, lethargy and chemical dependence.
- The balance of appetites and abstinence
The natural human reaction to abundance is to consume. For our ancestors, this was adaptive since times of abundance may have been uncommon. Appetites such as hunger, thirst, sex drive, the drive to acquire goods, were neural signals that it was time to plan and take action, so that the appetite could be satiated. Nowadays we live in a world of abundance. There are no periods of abstinence naturally interposed between periods of consumption ??"-so we consume at will. Intuition tells us that the right thing to do when feeling a strong appetite is to consume. But intuition is wrong. Physiologically, when feeling the stimulation of an appetite, the right thing to do is to plan an activity and to carry out that activity and then only after the planned activity, to consume. This is the essence of abstinence. You maintain abstinence by using cognitive processes to inhibit the impulse to consume and by interposing a planned activity, that redirects thought away from the appetite. Controlled abstinence is healthy and is fundamental to recovery. With chemical dependence, abstinence must be absolute, however, the balance of appetites and abstinence, applied to other areas of life, such as eating, shopping, working or sex, will reinforce the absolute abstinence so necessary for recovery.
- The balance of relationships and being alone
Directly or indirectly, we are constantly in contact with others. It is a stimulating experience that evokes strong reactions from deep within our brains and our hearts. Too much of this contact is virtual, through television, the Internet, and over the telephone lines and not enough is in person, with people to whom we have strong connections. Virtual contact with others through electronic means usually occurs when you are alone. Then, your nervous system becomes stimulated by visceral, emotional reactions without the calming structure of an in-person relationship. Witness the phenomena of email 'flaming' as an example.
Despite the fact that we are surrounded continuously by images of people and by electronic communication with others, we spend too much time alone. Time alone is counterbalanced by time spent with other people, with whom you have an attachment. Spending too much time alone in contact with others only through electronic media produces a state of unbalanced, subcortical, visceral stimulation. It leads to depression, loneliness and frustration. It leads directly to chemical dependence.
Time alone must be balanced by time spent with real life, in person, contact with people. Not just any people, however. The contact must be with people with whom you have an attachment, a relationship, so that there is a matrix of understanding that exists from person to person ??" each person, knowing well, and caring about the other person. This is one reason why Alcoholics Anonymous is so successful in treating addictions.
- The balance of emotion and intellect
Your brain works through a dynamic balance between emotion and intellect. Emotion is an excitatory process that powers action, memory and thought. Intellectual activity or thought is an inhibitory process, where the brain, to inhibit, time, modify and plan action, manipulates mental images and symbols. The visceral aspects of emotion, the energy of emotion, come from the older parts of the brain in the limbic system and subcortical areas. Intellectual thought comes from the newer, neocortex, primarily in the frontal lobes. These two areas of the brain are hard-wired together because the balance of emotion and thought is fundamental to proper brain activity. Too little emotion and you become flattened, dull, withdrawn and unhappy. Too little intellectual thought and you become labile, reactive and over-emotional, ultimately burned out and depressed. Either state is dysphoric and leads to chemical dependence as a solution.
The balance of emotion and intellect is an active process. Cognitive behavioral researchers have shown us how to use specific learned techniques to balance emotion with cognition and to balance cognition with emotion. The techniques involve a type of self-talk; helpful, positive and affirming self-talk, to counter negativity, fear and self-doubt, and to modulate emotional excess. In recovery from chemical dependence, learning these techniques works like a buffer, to prevent either an excess of emotion or an excess of intellect from leading to dysphoria and relapse.
- The balance of past and present
The time-saving tools available to us, tools such as the automobile, the fax machine, the Internet, to name a few, are so seductively fast and immediate, that they draw us into being overbalanced toward a present, or real-time orientation. Spontaneity, creativity, action and impulse are characteristics of working in the present. Subcortical, noncognitive thought processes control in-the-moment thinking so it is tied closely to emotional reactivity. Being overbalanced toward the present can result in an overemotional, impulsive, albeit, highly creative lifestyle. It can lead directly to chemical dependence ??" the decision to consume becomes a spontaneous impulse with no regard for consequence.
Thinking about the past requires time and space. In the right amount it aids in planning, it can be pleasurable, it can help prevent you from repeating mistakes.
Thinking and processing based on past experience is a higher level thought process, based in the neocortex, requiring contributions from many areas of the brain such as the limbic lobes, the amygdale and the hippocampus. It is an inhibitory process. Too much thinking about the past can lead to melancholic immobility.
Chemical dependence develops when people need intoxicating chemicals to help them to forget, to help them to be more spontaneous and to facilitate in-the-moment behavior patterns.
Techniques that facilitate in-the-moment function include writing and other creative arts, role-playing and exposure techniques. Past-oriented functioning is facilitated through self-reflection and dialogue with a sympathetic listener.
- The balance of belief and doubt
Because of the scientific revolution ??"- a profound societal change that began in the Renaissance ??"- ours is a culture of doubt, questioning, cynicism, worry and anxiety. In some ways, this is unfortunate because our brains are hard-wired to be anxious, worried and doubtful.
A recent study using MRI imaging found that children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (a condition that is the sine qua non of worry and anxiety) have an enlarged thalamus ??" the thalamus is a key, subcortical structure that processes visceral or bodily reactions.
Worry is effectively counterbalanced by belief. Mankind has long used religious belief as a way to quiet basic worry and doubt. Researchers have shown that belief in a positive outcome can help to rid you of social anxiety, depression and panic attacks. Twelve-step programs are based on the use of belief to counterbalance the deep denial (read cynicism and doubt) of the alcoholic. Too much worry and you become anxious and immobilized by doubt.
The core of any program of recovery involves restoring belief.
Let's return to Allison and her balance problems. Allison's life is overbalanced toward stimulation. She does not have enough movement and exercise to counterbalance the nervous tension generated by the endless hours of immobile mental activity spent in school, in student activities, in front of the computer. She is overbalanced toward superficial and electronic socialization. She does not spend enough time relating to someone with whom she has an emotional attachment. Because her parents work so hard and cannot provide the guidance she needs, her life is overbalanced toward doubt. She questions and doubts everything without a framework of belief provided by a mentoring adult. Her appetites are unstructured, unobserved and as a result, uncontrolled. She eats and drinks whatever is at hand. She cannot calm down, cannot sleep. Marijuana smoking is her answer to her problems of balance, and lacking the personal resources to be abstinent, she has become a daily pot smoker.
My prescription for Allison ??" the 'rules for living' that will structure and facilitate a balanced life, ridding herself of fatigue, worry, poor concentration, depression and marijuana dependence are as follows:
- Arrange to get a minimum of eight hours of sleep nightly by stopping all stimulating activity at 9:00 p.m. Do not nap in the day to 'catch up' (the balance of sleep and wakefulness).
- Exercise daily by taking up dance. Find the time for this by substituting dance for her work with drama (the balance of movement and rest).
- Spend 30 minutes daily painting (she loves visual arts) to help her to have a better understanding of her reactions to the events of the day and to minimize her ruminations about past events (the balance of past and present, and the balance of emotion and intellect).
- Find an experienced adult, such as a coach, a parent, a teacher or a therapist, who will take a genuine interest in her and who will provide reasoned, structured guidance (the balance of belief and doubt, and the balance of relationships and being alone.
- Cut down on the size of her social circle, and spend more time with a smaller circle of close friends (the balance of relationships and being alone).
- Have a planned dinner each night with family or close friends and avoid eating on the run (the balance of appetites and abstinence, and the balance of relationships and being alone).
- Since her family professes strong preference for religious beliefs, start going to church and use prayer to help maintain abstinence from pot. In other words, look to a belief in a higher power to help her to fight off her cravings (the balance of abstinence and appetites, and the balance of belief and doubt).
It took some time, but using her rules for living ??" rules that we developed together ??" Allison was able to stop smoking pot and to feel better. She established a healthy balance in her life. Her grades improved and she became happier.
As Allison discovered, you can establish a healthy, substance-free life by using balance. You establish a natural balance by finding the right amount of excitation or passion in your life balanced by the right amount of inhibition or structure.
Apply the principles of balance and you will find natural pathways to sustain recovery. Apply the principles of balance and enjoy the excitement, possibility and passion of modern life.


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The latest debt trends & analysis from our industry experts
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Regardless of whether you're looking for debt help online or by phone, our simple debt advice process will ensure we find the right solution for you. Here's how we do it:
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Achim Albrecht0000-0002-4543-0659
Achim Albrecht serves as a member of the Research and Development Department of the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency. He has received his B.S. degree from the University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France, in 1982; his M.S. degree in geology from RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany, in 1986; and his Ph.D. in geochemistry from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA, in 1990. After research at the University of Trier and the Max-Planck Institute for Geochemistry in Mainz, both in Germany, on isotope geochemistry, he went to the Chemistry Department of Rutgers University, USA, where he worked as a Lecturer and Research Associate on cosmogenic radionuclides. Dr. Albrecht moved into the environment field during his tenure at the ETH Zurich, Switzerland (Eawag—Environmental Physics, Institutes of Soil and Plant Sciences) where he worked on anthropogenic radioactive tracers in the biosphere. 10 years ago he joint Andra as a Project Engineer in charge of the mathematical modelling of biosphere radionuclide transfer in relation to radioactive waste disposal and of issues concerning the near-field chemistry (microbiology, redox, organic matter, nitrates) of existing and future disposal sites for radioactive waste.
Biography Updated on 6 January 2013


text: If you went to Interstellar Rodeo last year and want to make sure you get first dibs on tickets for 2013, then you'll need to pre-register for the pre-sale (if you haven't done this already). Our webstore, located at www.sixshooterrecords.com has a new system. You'll need to create an account (sorry, I know we have your email address here and all, but we couldn't afford the IT bill that it would have taken to integrate the two systems). When you create your account (by hitting the little "login" button on the top right), click the box "I attended Interstellar Rodeo 2012." Watch for the line up and ticket announcement in March!


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SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Brodsky & Smith, LLC Announces Investigation of Montage Technology Group Limited - MONT
Jun 13, 2014, 21:05 ET from Brodsky & Smith, LLC
BALA CYNWYD, Pa., June 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC announces that it is investigating potential claims against the Board of Directors of Montage Technology Group Limited ("Montage" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: MONT) relating to the proposed acquisition by Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Co. ("Shanghai").
Click here to learn more about the investigation http://brodsky-smith.com/767-mont-montage-technology-group-limited.html, or call: 877-534-2590. There is no cost or obligation to you.
Under the terms of the transaction, Montage shareholders will receive only $22.60 in cash for each share of Montage stock they own. The investigation concerns possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law by the Board of Directors of Montage for not acting in the Company's shareholders' best interests in connection with the sale process. The transaction may undervalue Montage and may be below the premium paid in comparable transactions. The transaction will result in a loss for many Montage shareholders as Montage stock traded at $25.63 on January 17, 2014. In addition, an analyst has set a $28.50 per share price target on Montage stock.
If you own shares of Montage common stock and wish to discuss the legal ramifications of the investigation, or have any questions, you may e-mail or call the law office of Brodsky & Smith, LLC who will, without obligation or cost to you, attempt to answer your questions. You may contact Jason L. Brodsky, Esquire or Evan J. Smith, Esquire at Brodsky & Smith, LLC, Two Bala Plaza, Suite 602, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004, by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com by visiting http://brodsky-smith.com/767-mont-montage-technology-group-limited.html, or calling toll free 877-LEGAL-90.
Brodsky & Smith, LLC is a litigation law firm with extensive expertise representing shareholders throughout the nation in securities and case action lawsuits. The attorneys at Brodsky & Smith have been appointed by numerous courts throughout the country to serve as lead counsel in class actions and successfully recovered millions of dollars for our clients and shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
SOURCE Brodsky & Smith, LLC


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#NextUp: Heaven's Basement Build an 'Empire,' Perform 'Nothing Left To Lose' + 'Can't Let Go'
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It's been a breakout year for Heaven's Basement, who are experiencing success with their 2013 album, 'Filthy Empire.' The UK rockers scored a hit last year with 'Fire, Fire' and are currently heating up radio with the single 'Nothing Left To Lose.'
The guys in Heaven's Basement recently stopped by the Loudwire studio to film the first edition of our new series #NextUp, which spotlights a band on the rise. In addition to sitting down for an intriguing interview, Heaven's Basement rocked acoustic versions of the aforementioned 'Nothing Left To Lose' as well as the track 'Can't Let Go' (watch below).
While Heaven's Basement are on solid footing now, it's been a roller-coaster ride of sorts for the band, which has seen its fair share of lineup changes over the years. With the arrival of vocalist Aaron Buchanan in 2011, the band solidified its current roster, and it's been full-speed ahead ever since.
In addition to scoring hits on the radio, Heaven's Basement are building a reputation as a dynamic live act, delivering a vibe reminiscent of '70s and '80s arena rock. With sing-along choruses and anthemic guitars, the band's music elicits a rousing response from the crowd, whether it be a small club or a massive outdoor festival.
So, learn more about the band Heaven's Basement in the interview above, and see them in action rocking two acoustic tunes below.
If you like what you hear, you can pick up Heaven's Basement's latest album, 'Filthy Empire,' at iTunes, as well as check the band out at one of their 2014 tour dates.
Heaven's Basement Perform 'Nothing Left To Lose'
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Heaven's Basement Perform 'Can't Let Go'
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