text:
Age: 14 - 24
Visits: 9
This round is honestly hard to talk about.
Wasn't my typical mistake.
Same psych hospital as last time. Which is a first. Everyone was jive beside myself and a roommate. She was too ill to socialize with. Created a clique with a jive dude and woman.
Literally couldn't fully understand the dude half the time.
I was in need of a translator.
He's an alcoholic.
One night while teaching the woman magic tricks out comes that dude with three large Styrofoam cups. Hands both of us a cup. It had various fruits and fruit juices.
(Stashing any food in our room is a pretty serious violation)
We thank him.
"Yeah only thing missing is rum, but damn good ain't it?"
He didn't understand the humor of it.
Now I was stuck with all psychosis patients.
One decided to play checkers. She questioned me a few times about some scars on my arms. Called me a white devil and said she couldn't play anymore.
That was confusing but I found it hilarious. Not offensive.
Check that one off the bucket list.
Finally an older country dude comes along. Two of his family members were shot in the vegas shooting still being hospitalized. He completely lost it...ending up in the psych wing.
He sounded like Tommy Chong.
I no longer needed a translator.
He was a happy guy, content with what he's experienced in life. My favorite being the story about stealing his neighbor's competition goat while drunk at some party. Then sold it to a slaughter house. Later getting arrested
Ohh the places you'll go
Where the people you'll meet


text:
Most sellers won't let you to grind out a sample of their house's paint to ensure there is no lead poison on the property. That used to be the only way to test for lead-based paint. Before, it was a gamble, but now you can be rest assured: we can test the paint without a sample! True Perspective Home Consultants use the latest high-tech lead paint analyzer XRF gun to test lead in paint with just a point and click!
True Perspective Home Consultants, Inc. is not just a full-service home inspection company. Backed by 25 years in the home construction industry, True Perspective Home Consultants was created to offer a higher level of service and convenience to the real estate agents, builders, and homeowners of Colorado.
True Perspective Home Consultants completes quality pre-listing or pre-purchase inspections in the Vail, Avon, Silverthorne, Beaver Creek, Eagle, Gypsum and Edwards, Colorado areas. Backed by over 25 years of experience in the construction field, our lead inspector and consultant conducts thorough visual examinations for our clients' peace of mind.
True Perspective Home Consultants, Inc. also conducts mold, asbestos and radon testing. We stand above the competition because of our commitment to acting as your personal consultant, not just another home inspector. Whatever you need, True Perspective Home Consultants is here for you. Call us today to schedule your inspection or testing service. We service Vail, Avon, Eagle, Silverthorne and Gypsum, Colorado!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Black Corner Computer Desk
Black Corner Computer Desk – With most photo labs focused on digital photography and color, it is a challenge to find a lab to process and print your movies in black and white. Build a darkroom with black corner computer desk at home involves a lot of equipment and implements, but not as complicated as it seems.
Instructions: 1) Clears space in your darkroom. Ideally, this will be a windowless room and a functional sink. A bath or unused basement works well. You can avoid having a sink in the dark room, but need easy access to hot and cold water. 2) It covers any window completely with dark paper. Use opaque tape to hold it in place. Once the window is covered, close the door. Note if there is some light leakage around windows and door and cover with strips of dark paper pasted. 3) Place a black corner computer desk in a far corner in which build your dry season. The dry season includes the enlarger, easel and safe for paper, and this is where your tank smash revealed. Other elements in this area include scissors, a can opener, a magnifying grain and other tools of film loading and printing pictures. This steps applying with your ideas.


text:
Dr. Chang is a different kind of dentist. Gentle, patient and caring, he takes the time to provide you with the best care possible. He is also well regarded by his patients for his thoroughness. Rather than being rushed, you know that he is there to serve your needs.
Dr. Chang completed hundreds of hours of courses in postgraduate dentistry. He is dedicated to the newest advancements in cosmetic dentistry and keeps up-to-date with the latest technologies. He is frequently among the first dentist to perfect and use the newer, more advanced techniques and equipments.
Dr. Chang has over 12 years of experience as a cosmetic dentist and has extensive training including sedation of adults and children. Advanced use of digital imaging enables early diagnosis of gum disease and cavities; and the use of sophisticated digital x-ray and intra-oral imaging means patients receive the best care possible.
Dr. Chang is an outstanding member of the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, and the North Texas Dental Society.
When Dr. Chang is not practicing his passion of cosmetic and family dentistry he spends most of his time with his lovely family. He is an avid martial artist and loves books.


text:
Recent Posts - page 2
Tyranny of Structurelessness?
The recent sexual assault and bullying allegations against Jacob Applebaum, formerly of Tor, have caused the digital security community to re-examine itself in the quest to prevent similar situations from arising in the future. In this guest post from McGill… Read More ›
FreeAnons Endorses September 9 National Prisoner Strike
This important post is borrowed (with permission of the author) from the FreeAnons website, and announces the semi-regular return of The Cryptosphere. Sorry we've been gone for more or less six solid months. Things are returning to our normal "extremely… Read More ›
Apple Stole My Music. No, Seriously.
Your humble editor has encountered this herself, kittens. ALLLLL my imported Elvis Costello, gone. All the mp3's that pre-dated iTunes, gone. Everything Apple didn't recognize, gone. At least with this Apple Music function, Apple steals it and you can play… Read More ›
Business Rocks 2016 Hackathon for the Homeless
Originally posted on hacktivist culture:
Business Rocks 2016 has hosted a global hackathon in a bid to help solve the ever-growing problem of homelessness through technology. From Manchester's City Centre to the shores of the Mediterranean, homelessness isn't just about rough sleepers…
Crypto-Affirmations (or Crypto-Negations) for a Very Monday Monday
if you know what we mean. Today's Crypto-Affirmations or rather their Debbie Downer equivalent, come to us from our old friend, Professor Gabriella Coleman of McGill University in Montreal. This one has just the right mix of adorable and soul-chilling,… Read More ›
Edward Snowden Beams Into Vancouver, Talks #PanamaPapers, #BigData, #Security
Edward Snowden skyped into Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre for a talk entitled "Big Data, Security, and Human Rights" on April 5, and here it is! We're a little behind with our Snowden Events coverage, but I blame Simon Fraser University,… Read More ›
Paying the Piper: #PanamaPapers, or How Your Ghost in the Shell Returns
Semi-regular contributor AnonyOdinn has long since moved off Twitter and onto Diaspora, but he continues to publish his blog at Cyberguerilla. That is why he is here today: somebody apparently took exception to something Cyberguerilla said (which may or may… Read More ›
Hacking Homelessness at Business Rocks
Originally posted on hacktivist culture:
What do you get when you combine a hundred hackers with a bunch of business billionaires? Just maybe a solution for global homelessness! Manchester, UK, April 15, 2016: At 9am on April 21, the Business…
"Love Must Prevail," says Assange on the eve of Lauri Love's court appearance
UPDATE: Facebook has banned sharing the direct link to the article on Facebook, but thanks to the quick thinking of @AnarcKat you can share using this retro-futuristic QR code. Many thanks for a clever workaround! Lauri Love, the 31-year-old activist,… Read More ›
Personal Statement: Do not cry wolf! #OpNimr of #Anonymous
Originally posted on hacktivist culture:
Sunday March 13th: Personal statement regarding the recent article in the Saudi state newspaper Okaz on Friday March 11 about four men condemned to death From Dubai I hear the following: Death sentences against four…
Review: ProtonMail Releases Encrypted App
When The Cryptosphere was offered a free play-test of the new ProtonMail app for encrypted email, we knew we'd need to hand this off to someone a little more knowledgable than your humble editor. Enter Alex Berta of Geek Republic… Read More ›
Send Jon a birthday card (It's easy! Just type & click!)
Originally posted on Support Jon Cowden:
Jon's birthday is on February 18th and we want to make it as special as possible. Since we can't throw him a birthday party in prison, we're making it a Birthday Card Party! You…
Why #Bitcoin Consensus Matters
As usual, frequent contributor and cryptocurrency philosopher/mage Nozomi Hayase has gone deep into the heart of the recent Bitcoin existential crisis, and come up with some powerful insights. Whether you're gripped by fear, paralyzed by confusion, or dazzled by the… Read More ›
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text:
Leave it to a public-policy research firm to tell us what we pretty much know.
The latest news from around North Texas.
According to a study compiled by the Brookings Institution, mass transportation — specifically mass transportation for people who don't have personal vehicles — sucks in the Dallas-Arlington-Fort Worth area. They probably didn't use that verb, but that's the gist.
Matter of fact, the North Texas metro area ranks as the second worst in the United States in terms of bringing mass transit to the masses, better than only Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta and slightly worse than Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown.
No real surprise, though. Arlington doesn't even operate a bus much less a system, and the Dallas DART light rail lines barely hit the highlights. Can't speak for or against Fort Worth's system but either it contributes to the poor showing or is negated by the Dallas-Arlington shortcomings.
All this means that the combined DART-The T-BLANK systems provide rides to 71.2 percent of the region's 33,326 households identified by Brookings as being sans cars and, therefore, sans transportation to jobs.
Maybe in the estimation of the transit chiefs those vehicle-less people can just call taxis … and they can eat cake while waiting for the cab.
Bruce Felps owns and operates East Dallas Times, an online community news outlet serving the White Rock Lake area. He doesn't remember the last time he rode a city bus.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NBC, NBC 5, NBCDFW.com or its employees.


text:
Les Vêpres siciliennes to be screened live in cinemas across the world on 4 November
30 October 2013
Production photos and background information ahead of the live relay.
Curtain down on a successful 2011/12 Cinema Season
25 May 2012
New season begins in October with classic favourites and exciting new productions
Thank you for making Royal Ballet LIVE and Romeo in cinemas such a success!
26 March 2012
A look back at two major broadcast events.
Cinema season 2012/13 announced
15 March 2012
Six operas and three ballets to be screened into over 700 cinemas in 22 countries


text:
QAS E-Zine
QAS E-Zine, Volume 1
QAS E-Zine, Volume 2
QAS E-Zine, Volume 3
QAS E-Zine, Volume 4
QAS E-Zine, Vol 2 (2013): Queer Engagements with Faith and Families
Deserted Lotus: Struggling for Recognition and Respect as a Transwoman
Zephyr (Malaysia)
"I guess that remembering my past is like spiritual and mental healing, and those embarrassing details must be brought to the light and be revealed. And I often take these painful experiences as a weapon against myself doubt and realize that discovering the truth will eventually set me free."
On many occasions, I have read inspiring memoirs about transitions in varieties of identities, experiences and background. I don't deny that I'm one of the victims facing the shame, hatred, prejudice that sometimes accompanies transitions. When we remember our past selves, they all seem quite different. We know how much our personalities and tastes have changed over the years. Maybe this is the time for me to unwrap myself in order to write a poignant article of my rise and fall, my excursion as a transgender that has left me bruised and battered in my later, older years. These experiences have caused a great deal of anxiety in my daily life. Indeed, this is a problem of transgenders all over the world; it's not a particular Malaysian phenomenon. I was a devastated "Tranny,'" or "Akua," a survivor for nearly 3 decades now and still struggling on the road to recovery.
I still have my own strength, my integrity and self-respect along my life, although I consider myself as a member of the category of third gender. I live my life as a transgender and certainly do not seek anyone's permission or approval in transitioning throughout all these years. I am certainly not apologizing for this because this is not my mistake. Threats and fears have haunted me, and left invisible scars over the years. I firmly believe that Malaysia has a responsibility to protect, value and acknowledge transgender persons as I feel that this minority also has the right to enjoy employment opportunities and other benefits that other Malaysians enjoy. By doing so, Malaysia will build a bridge, a link between the authorities, the public and the transgender community. All Malaysians should at least support and listen to this community, and allow themselves to be enlightened about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) experiences. Nevertheless, until today, people still see LGBT persons as deviants and sub-humans, and continue looting their precious futures.
My inner turmoil is still there and I keep reminding myself to stay strong, because it's tough and nothing in our lives is fair or right. I believe people should know my struggle and how I survive. I have been told that I am passable as a woman from outlook or appearance. Well, my transgender life is not vivid imagination or desperation. As I continue to cross borders through my personal experiences, I rely on a little faith and the gentle powerful touch of our God that makes me stronger each day of my life. I wasn't fully comfortable in expressing myself as a transgender woman with fortitude and courage until my late 30s.
I was born in the city of Kuching, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo and I had a moralistic Roman Catholic upbringing. My parents were middle-class immigrants from Hong Kong during the early 1960s. I didn't have a happy childhood as I was regularly rebuked for my apparent increasing infatuation with girlie toys and stuff. Hence, I never told my parents that I wanted to become a girl although the obvious signs were right in front of them. They remained oblivious and couldn't care less about what I wanted in my life. As I was not aware of what it meant to be a transgender woman, I felt deeply lost and confused, sinking in emptiness. I sensed that I was not being myself, completely and wholly. Whenever I followed my parents out on any occasion, their peers would always regard me as their daughter, and my parents would be mortified. My parents never entirely accepted me in my slow transition throughout these years. I could sense that they didn't love me as much as my siblings as I was not appreciated in whatever aspect in my life. My dad passed away 7 years ago, and although I know my queer personality burdened my parents, I felt that they tried their best not to disown me from the family.
My dramatic transitioning occurred during puberty, when I was 14 years old. This was the time when I started becoming a transwoman and stopped being a little boy. I had a difficult life in coping with my older sibling who wasn't impressed with sudden changes in my body. I wasn't on hormone therapy, and my disorientation resulting from my physical appearance made me realize that I was trapped in a body that wasn't consistent with my mind and my soul. I was depressed and had suicidal thoughts. I also lacked resources or information on transgenderism. As I watched older and heavily made-up transsexuals being mocked and humiliated by onlookers, I felt that I would face the same situation in years to come. I felt so fake and artificial inside, because although I felt I was at the right place within myself, I was still considered wrong to prying eyes.
With envy, I watched biological girls grow up beautifully. I knew that I could never become like these girls and I felt betrayed, disappointed and confused. This was the time that I faced a slippery slope. I had no one to talk to, no one who understood my anguished, silent heart that felt like exploding. Unfortunately, my family was never there for moral support or comfort, especially my parents, who hoped that I would change back to being a normal son when I grew up. My other less caring relatives in Hong Kong were even worse. They denied my existence during my earlier years and thought that I was an eyesore or an awkward freak. I felt that there was something wrong with me that would never make me loveable.
In school during the 1980s, I was treated as an outsider and was left to my own devices during my school time. I did have a good time with friends during extra-curricular activities, but somehow I could sense their resentment towards me. It was also the time when the AIDS-related death of the popular actor Rock Hudson in 1985 shocked people around the world. that brought home to them the seriousness of the epidemic. Social stigma and aggressive homophobia and transphobia were surging and people started to question gay and transgender people whom they equated with unhealthy behaviour.
My belief and confidence in myself suffered a blow when some bullies started to avoid me for fear of HIV infection. Often at school, harsh and derogatory terms such as "Pondan" or "Tranny'" were tossed at me. My safety was jeopardized, and I felt insulted and humiliated as I struggled alone in school. These bullies didn't really care about or realize the consequences of their vulgar name-calling.
Things became worse when a new unscrupulous school principal arrived at the scene. Suddenly, I became the antithesis of the school's efforts to maintain higher standards of discipline. The school became intolerant of "sissy" or effeminate behaviour. The principal misused his position and started to target me, criticizing me at every chance he could get during school assemblies. He also humiliated me in front of the students and teachers. I was belittled and threatened with severe disciplinary action, which included dismissal from school. He would make comments about my school uniform being too tight and distracting to the other school boys. He would also harass me after studying in the library at night and accuse me of dressing inappropriately and provocatively, calling me a desperate attention seeker and displaying immoral values at a mission school. Three months before the final public examinations, he threatened to expel or suspend me if I did not change my effeminate behavior. It infuriated me that I was told to 'listen' and 'correct' my shameful attitude if I wanted to continue studying in this mission school. I was stunned, and wasn't given any opportunity to defend myself, that being effeminate was something that I was born with. Teachers who used to encourage me in studies suddenly changed and lost their respect for me after the incident at the school assembly. On many occasions, I was embarrassingly forced to sit alone at the end of a long row of chairs while the students tried their best to avoid sitting next to me. My heart was crushed and wounded as this denial affected my preparation for the examinations and I hid all these from my family. Until now, I still feel traumatized by the ordeal.
I had a turbulent life in my 20s. I stopped attending Sunday Mass, as I felt the discomfort of the church goers who knew me either from my school mates or their parents, and they would stare at me, wondering why someone like me should attend Mass. I used to join the choir and Christmas carolling when I was in my primary school with my older sister, but discontinued church activities when I started my secondary school. My parents also felt upset and uneasy with my sudden transition and I felt relieved that they attended Sunday Masses without me. I felt this was for their own good as I had let them down by being a "sissy" son in front of others. I never consulted the priests as I felt during that time that they would not understand my situation. I thought that a sex-worker was much more superior to a transgender as I didn't think that the Bible ever mentioned transgenders. Indeed, I was like a lost and estranged sheep, and I felt that Jesus was nowhere to be seen and did not rescue me from this tormented situation.
I was a bit of a late bloomer and only started my hormone therapy when I was either 22 or 23. It was at this time that I started to take family planning pills as a substitute for hormone pills since it's hard to obtain any estrogen hormones here in Malaysia. I didn't finish my diploma or degree as my parents were not fully supportive of my desire to pursue studies due to lack of finances. I couldn't rely on personal study loans and I doubted that I could be accepted for work offer like other people. When I failed to look for a job, misunderstandings would occur and my parents would blame my 'twisted' and 'abnormal' gender and sexual identities for my failure in securing a job. I was deeply lost, lonely and felt completely abandoned. I felt that no path lay ahead of me, except for a very dark, impenetrable forest.
I watched some transgenders abuse themselves with drugs and alcohol as they were in depression and had no guidance in their lives. I had been curious about drugs, cigarettes and alcohol during my earlier years in school, but I did not use them in my adult years. I experienced a horrifying incident when an attractive Malay-Muslim transgender that I knew drowned in a nearby, well-known river. It happened promptly after a sudden raid by the
religious officers and police authorities which caused these poor transgender women to hide themselves in dark pits or drains, and some even jumped into the river to avoid getting caught. This incident rattled me, and left me living in anxiety in my Muslim country. I felt heartbroken, wretched and distressed for my unlucky Muslim transgender friends and I was grateful that I was not a Muslim in Malaysia. I even questioned God on how I was to act in years to come, or could I go elsewhere to avoid this madness?
During the time of crisis, I had been working nights at a bar for some little cash. I wasn't eager to work as a sex escort but often took up the offer when I was hopeless and desperate. I felt like a slut and had no one to turn on as I couldn't talk to my family either. But I was clear that my faith in my religion was the most important belief that I held on to. I liberated myself from hiding in the closet and started to mingle around with other transgender friends and seek solace through sharing experiences and comfort. I interacted with Malay-Muslim transgenders as I scarcely found any Chinese trangenders in town. My desire to engage with people outside my world was growing. LGBT lifestyles as alternative lifestyles continued to be controversial issues for the Chinese community. As it was a tradition to have a boy in the family to continue the family name, I was thankful that I was not born as the only son in my family.
I had an uncertain future. I knew that I would encounter problems in looking for a decent job. I had no guidance, no mentor or any empowering counseling and there was no internet during that time. There was no LGBT assistance in the form of information, guidance or counseling. Hiring a transgender for a job was like a tug of war for employers, as there was always internal strife whenever they deliberated on hiring people like me. They weren't impressed with me, or keen to give me a chance to work with them. I felt that the public still regard transgenders as the plague or some kind of deadly disease that could provoke uncomfortable feelings and jeopardize the reputation of well-established companies as well as government sectors. Hence, I had countless of rejections after several interviews. I finally found a job, and several years later, I started to wear blouses and my favourite stilettos with boldness and courage. I started to let my hair grow longer and I felt like myself again. I felt relieved after having expressed my true self, rather than oppressing myself. I have never done full sex reassignment surgery because the Malaysian government will never grant me a complete female Mykad (Malaysian identity card) and passport because these documents insist on the gender identity of a person based on that person's birth certificate. The gender identity on these documents cannot be changed even if a person fully undergoes sex reassignment surgery.
Like other transgenders, I also was nervous and excited to fall in love, and fate take us in directions we never knew existed. In the beginning, I was naïve and easily fell in love with guys. I didn't take things slowly, carefully or steadily in order to know if they would cost turmoil in my heart. Eventually, I had my first serious relationship with a guy whom I had met from my previous company. He was indeed loving, caring and kind but he wanted a "normal" life, meaning a family and kids. It was the time that I discovered true love. Our fluctuating relationship did not last more than 7 years. I guess I wasn't so lucky in love, and it took me almost 10 painful years to get over this man. Thereafter, I had many moments of falling in and out of love, while hoping for lasting relationships. I was mostly involved with non-Malaysians and I knew that these relationships would never last, due to distance and visa complications. I started losing faith in relationship, which continues until this day. Maybe someday, I will embrace love again. I am not looking for "happily ever after" because I know it can never happen.
writes from Kuching, the capital of the state of Sarawak in Malaysia.


text:
Last Chance Wildlife Center, Inc. Last Chance Wildlife Center, Inc.
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Please wait . . .
Mission Statement
We are a non-profit hospital dedicated to caring for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, with the goal of releasing the animals back to their natural habitat.
We care for multiple species of wild animals, adults, babies and in between. We treat, house, feed and release hundreds of birds and mammals each year.
This information
Might be out of date
Do you work for this organization?
Request administrator status and update its information!
Would you recommend Last Chance Wildlife Center, Inc.?


text:
Although financial need is certainly a consideration for support, there are students whose future education and training, self esteem and future successes would benefit from such recognition of effort made and need for support. Such assistance could include costs of tests, tutoring, equipment, travel to competitions, application fees or college visitation. Special consideration too for special education students, students with physical disabilities, and students suffering loss or other trauma
broaden the scope of this fund beyond just financial need.
In addition, at the request of Dr. Alan Goodwin, current principal, two benches have been purchased for WWHS to recognize and commemorate the first 50th reunion of the
first two graduating classes, 1964 and 1965,
May 2015.
Remember the last 50 years and what we have accomplished
began in June 1964.
Your generous donation is deductible for taxes, given for educational purposes.
It is hoped that, to perpetuate the fund, each subsequent class celebrating their 50th Reunion will be notified of the opportunity to make a contribution as a class gift to this established fund. Record of these gifts will be made a part of the history of the school.
Donations should be made by check, payable to
Walt Whitman HS, Bethesda MD, designated to the
Daryl W. Shaw Student Enrichment Fund.
Identify your class year on the check please.
Mail checks to
Mrs. Janet Bowker Miller, 7613 Quintana Court, Bethesda MD 20817, for recording and delivery
to the school.


text:
Earlier this year I went to Prague for my first time. I did a solo backpacking trip that included Barcelona, Rome/The Vatican, Prague, and London. I think my biggest regret from that entire trip is that I didn't plan spend more time in Prague. I didn't realize that there were so many things to do in Prague with so many attractions! And it is cheap!I was only there for 2 and a half days, but I really powered through and saw as many points of interest and sights as possible. I believe I saw the best things to do in Prague, but there is still so much more I researched (most mentioned below) that I'll be heading back soon to see.Prague is a dream city for a budget traveler. For example, I stayed in a $12 hostel the first night and a luxury 5-star hotel the second night for about … [Read more...]
This is probably the first post I'm going to make here that is going to set me up for serious judgement, but I'm just being honest about the things I do when I travel. Happy ending massages aren't on my normal itinerary, but something I wanted to try out in a place that it is legal and full of gorgeous women.I did look this up before I went to the Czech Republic as an option, but it kind of happened out of nighttime boredom.I was only in Prague for a couple of days. The first day I got there in the afternoon on a flight from Rome. When I checked into my hostel I tried to find a time that I could do laundry, but the only time I could do it was 8pm that evening. I was in desperate need for some clean tee shirts so I just took that time and went out exploring.That day I … [Read more...]


text:
Today at the Fair: Sept. 10
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
7:30 p.m. Tickets for the stage front standing are $48, reserved grandstand tickets are $38 and bleacher tickets are $33. Award-winning country artist, Martina McBride will be performing on the U.S. Cellular Grandstand stage. This Kansas-born artist has had a number of top hits and because of this success, McBride was named as one of the most played woman vocalists in country radio...
The Chill on the eve of the fair
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
With the 99th Clay County Fair just hours away, members of the community gathered Friday night at the fairgrounds for the The Chill, presented by Spencer U.S.A. and Young Professionals of the Spencer Chamber of Commerce. The Chill was held at the Northwest Bank Stage and featured live music by Matt's Family Jam, a band which will be performing each day of the fair. Kirk and Mary Petersen (pictured) of Northome, Minnesota, took the opportunity to show off their dancing skills as the band played. Friday's gathering was the second to last day of The Chill scheduled this year. The final Chill will take place on Oct. 7.(Photo by Seth Boyes)
Spencer police to carry body cameras
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
The purchase of 20 body cameras from L3 Mobile Vision was approved by the Spencer City Council on Tuesday. The purchase price for the cameras will be $26,055.25. The city had previously included $19,072 for the purchase in the city improvement plan...
Preventing suicide in Spencer
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
The Iowa Department of Public Health found suicide to be the 10th leading causing of death for all Iowans and the second leading cause of death in people ages 15 to 44. In accordance with these findings, Gov. Terry Branstad signed a proclamation declaring Sept. 5-11 as Suicide Prevention Week...
Hurst's reserved seating
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
The grandstand area at the Clay County Fair has remained lit since the passing of former fair manager Phil Hurst last Friday. Members of Hurst's family, in a tribute to the 12-year face of the "World's Greatest County Fair," arranged the seating so that it spelled out "PHIL" to passers by on West 18th Street. ...
'13 Hours in Benghazi' hero 'Tanto' Paronto to appear at CCF
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
CommStock Investments and supporting sponsors announce that Chris "Tanto" Paronto will be speaking at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Clay County Fair for a private customer appreciation crowd at the Events Center. He will conduct a book signing following the event which would be open to the public...
Preserving our Heritage
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
PETERSON -- As the O'Brien County Conservation Board prepares or its annual Historical Fall Fest, it all celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Prairie Heritage Center which has become the home of the annual event. Following a busy summer of activities in conjunction with the recognition of a decade in the venue, Naturalist Charlene Elyea is ready for the day's activities next Saturday...
Outlaws returning to CCF Speedway
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series returns to Clay County Fair Speedway as part of the 2016 Clay County Fair on Friday, September 16 for the Arnold Motor Supply Shootout Presented by Bob's Bike Shop, Vanderhaag's Inc., H&N Chevrolet and Gillund Enterprises. The National Sprint League will also be in action with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series...
Transitioning into fall
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
September is truly a month of transition. School has begun; high school athletics, college and pro football take over the weekend sports scene. At the same time, crops are turning, farmers are harvesting silage and the Clay County Fair sporting its title as the "World's Greatest County Fair" opens in mid-September. It's also the time of year when even after the lawn is mowed that falling leaves quickly dot the landscape...
Catch fall fish on jigs
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
There are lots of signs that fall is not far away. You can listen to the locusts at night, notice that the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler, or you can just look at the calendar. No doubt, another fall is starting to make its entrance...
Iowa's bur oaks suffering from blight
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
DES MOINES ― Bur oaks are native to all 99 counties in Iowa and are arguably one of Iowa's toughest native trees. However, this year, many of these trees are showing signs of bur oak blight. Bur oak blight is a leaf fungus that causes severe defoliation. ...
Iowa pheasant population similar to 2015, quail highest in 27 years
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
DES MOINES -- State officials covered more than 6,000 miles of county roads counting upland game during the first two weeks of August and after all the species were counted, data compiled and numbers crunched, what can Iowa pheasant hunters expect to find this fall?...
Stewardship tips: Set the example
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
Despite years of slogans and public service announcements from virtually every government agency, litter is still a problem. Litter is not just an eyesore; litter also poses a threat to wildlife and fish. For example, in a recent study, scientists with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography estimated that fish living at intermediate depths in the North Pacific Ocean, "swallow as much as 24,000 tons of plastic debris a year."...
Laker's Harrison named POTW, team enters rankings
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
An Iowa Lakes Community College men's soccer player has been recognized as Men's Soccer Goalie of the Week by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) as well as the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC). Ollie Harrison, a Newbury, England native was selected based on games against No. 4-ranked Iowa Western and Indian Hills. Harrison saved 12-of-14 shots on goal during his combined 132 minutes of action in both games. The Lakers are 2-2 with Harrison in net...
CC-E overwhelmed by Wolverines
(Other Sports ~ 09/09/16)
PAULLINA -- An early injury to senior Sarah Nehring in the first set left Clay Central-Everly scrambling on the volleyball floor Thursday night. The South O'Brien Wolverines thoroughly capitalized on the situation, dealing out a 25-10, 25-3, 25-10 sweep...
Titans become 'own worst enemy'
(Other Sports ~ 09/09/16)
GRAETTINGER -- Not much is going to go your way in volleyball when you post a kill efficiency, which indicates the amount of point difference between the attacking team and the opponent for each swing, of .011. Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire found itself in that exact situation Thursday night, falling to Manson Northwest Webster in a 25-14, 25-23, 25-10 sweep...
Jaguars breeze past Sioux Central
(Other Sports ~ 09/09/16)
GOWRIE -- A rough patch of Sioux Central's volleyball season expanded Thursday night when the Southeast Valley Jaguars swept the Rebels (25-21, 25-16, 25-19) for the scarlet and gray's fourth straight defeat. Sioux Central now sits at 1-5 on the season, but head coach Sue Mattson sees too much ability on the roster to be content...
Iowan receives national preservation award
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
SHELDON -- Harold "Hal" Tuttle, director of the Prairie Arts Historical Park in Sheldon, was awarded the NSDAR Historical Preservation Award at a Aug. 23 ceremony in Sheldon. In past years, only three other Iowans have qualified for this award. Mary Thunhorst, regent, of Spirit Lake, also presented Tuttle with a Ladies of the Lake Chapter certificate recognizing his achievements...
Clay County 4-Hers reach community with compassion
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
The Clay County 4-H Youth Development Program has combined citizenship and compassion to host a special 4-H event each year during the Clay County Fair. Clay County 4-Hers grow in compassion and also plan to help others by donating one of their own human sciences exhibits in this renewed event entitled "Community Compassion."...
Around Campus
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
CEDAR RAPIDS -- Kirkwood Community College has released its dean's list for the summer 2016 semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 GPA or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours at the college. Daniel Borkowski, of Everly, was among those on the list...
County bankers support 4-H/FFA programs
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
Representatives from the Clay County Bankers Association presented ISU Extension and Outreach Clay County with a donation of $8,500 for 4-H and FFA programs and events for 2016. These funds will be used for scholarships, farm safety, fair livestock trucking, 4-H and FFA special award premiums, and other 4-H youth development rogramming. The Clay County Bankers Association member banks are Community State Bank, Spencer and Webb; Farmers Savings Bank, Fostoria; Farmers Trust & Savings Bank, Spencer; Home State Bank, Royal; Northwest Bank, Spencer; State Bank of Everly, Peterson and Spencer; and U.S. Bank, Spencer. (Photo submitted)
ISA board elects 2017 officers
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
ANKENY -- Six farmers were elected to leadership positions at the Sept. 8 meeting of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) board of directors. Rolland Schnell of Newton took his seat as president. Farmers elected were: Bill Shipley, of Nodaway, president-elect; Lindsay Greiner, of Keota, treasurer; Randy Souder, of Rockwell City, secretary; and Stephanie Essick, of Dickens, executive committee...
Sailing program returns with a strong summer
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
STORM LAKE -- On a sultry late summer afternoon, a young man looks to be in trouble well out on the lake from Sunset Park. His sailboat has capsized, and he slowly pulls himself up to the bottom side of the hull, using his own body as a counterweight to try to pull the sail up out of the water...
Storm Lake poised to help South School conversion
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
STORM LAKE -- Renovation of vacant South School into a 40-unit apartment complex may have to wait a year to wrap up necessary state grants, but once construction begins, it should be done in just under a year -- or around fall in 2018. So says Shawn Foutch, of Kansas City-based Foutch Brothers development firm, who made his first appearance before the Storm Lake City Council Tuesday to update local officials on the project...
Sloma's 'monumental' task is work in progress
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
OKOBOJI -- The desire to preserve the history found in the cemeteries of Dickinson County has become a labor of love for Dorothy Sloma, of West Okoboji. "Can cemeteries come alive?" asked Patricia Ward Schuneman, president of the Okoboji Cemetery Association. "Dorothy applies her kind of research to one of those marble orchards with a major amount of passion that really brings each stone back to the life of its inheritor."...
Kadens Kloset program to start in Newell
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
NEWELL -- An effort is underway to open a Kadens Kloset program in the area. Kaden's Kloset is a nonprofit organization -- a shop for free necessities and resources for foster and adoptive families, children, teens and new/expecting mothers. Kadens Kloset was birthed out of a specific need common to many new adoptive, foster and expecting families. ...
IGL TeleConnect expands into Everly area
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
EVERLY -- IGL TeleConnect, the area's fastest growing internet service provider, announced that it now offers high-speed internet access to those residing in the Everly area. IGL TeleConnect's network technicians invested the better part of this year building a first-class network structure. The new location will provide residents and businesses with fast and affordable internet service from a company that boasts exceptional customer service...
NYC trip is emotional for firefighting duo
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
LE MARS -- This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the downed airliner in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief David Schipper was an assistant fire chief with the Spencer Fire Department at the time...
Small farm town boy in a big county fair world
(Column ~ 09/09/16)
I grew up in Oklahoma City for the first 11 years of my life, but a large part of my childhood memories consist of the times I spent on the different farms of my relatives. I remember spending a lot of time with my grandmother and helping her husband Monroe in the wheat fields and fishing...
It doesn't seem 'fair'
(Column ~ 09/09/16)
So here it is, and by it I mean the big "it" in Clay County -- the Clay County Fair. The self-proclaimed "World's Greatest County Fair" which every year seems to live up to its billing, drawing more than 300,000 visitors through the gates in a county where the population doesn't even top 20,000...
Iowa Lakes names new medical services, health and fire coordinator
(Local News ~ 09/09/16)
A former Iowa Lakes graduate is returning to her alma mater to help prepare first responders to save lives. Miranda DePyper was named the community college's new emergency medical services, health and fire coordinator. The northwest Iowa native has more than 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry...
Behr, No. 3 Garrigan muscle through Rebels, 32-0
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
SIOUX RAPIDS -- Sioux Central didn't exactly get the fairy tale ending to their first night of varsity action on the new football field, but playing against the No. 3 team in the state makes that pretty difficult. The Rebels simply had no answers for Bishop Garrigan and star tailback Gibson Behr as the Golden Bears rolled to a 32-0 victory...
Tigers dominate 2nd half, beat Humboldt 14-7
(High School Sports ~ 09/09/16)
It wasn't pretty, but the Spencer Tigers found a way to win Friday night at Dale Norton Field, unofficially running for 194 yards and two touchdowns -- both by Cooper Fox -- in the second half of a 14-7 victory over the Humboldt Wildcats. "Give the kids credit. ...
Cam you see straight?
(Column ~ 09/09/16)
When I was in college (Yes, at the University of Iowa which will be 2-0 in football around 10 p.m. tonight. I applaud Matt Campbell for saying ISU has to stop disappointing its fans after week one's loss to the mighty UNI Panthers by the way. He's right. ...
Stories from Friday, September 9, 2016
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The Show Committee asks that all exhibitors treat safety at the Show as a priority and share the responsibility in ensuring that all safety regulations are obeyed. We want you to have a successful and enjoyable Show but also a safe and accident free occasion.
- On entering the grounds make yourself aware of the location of emergency services
- Please observe signs especially those relating to caution in all livestock areas.
- All animals including foals must be haltered and led by a competent handler.
- Please do not exhibit animals that are unsuitable e.g. hard to control or acting in a dangerous manner.
- It is advisable for exhibitors to have their own Public Liability Insurance to cover any eventuality.
- Animals should not be tied to trailers/horse boxes, gates etc.
- All animals must be confined to their designated area and kept under strict control.
- Dogs must be kept on a lead and under the control of the handler at all times.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- If you become aware of any activity that poses a threat to the public, please alert one of the many Show Stewards.
It is imperative that all in attendance co-operate with our Safety Officers and Stewards and caution and care must be exercised at all times throughout the day.
Important notice for all exhibitors – from the Irish Show Association
The Irish Show Association would advise all Animal Owners who have their Animals Insured to have the Insurance Cover extended to cover them while showing Animals at Shows, we understand that it costs very little or nothing all depending on who you have insurance cover with.
The reason for us giving you this advice is that if your animal lashed out and injured someone or damaged someone's property and it is established that your animal was out of control at the time, you may be held responsible or partly responsible for any injury or damage caused, you may end up paying all, or part of any settlement reached.


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New York Times article by BFS Parent Martha Southgate
New York Times, August 10, 2012
Cullen Jones and Lia Neal were among the many swimmers to win medals for the United States in this year's Olympic Games. But their inspiring performances obscure a disturbing truth. Not only are they, as African-Americans, anomalies in the elite levels of their sport, but enormous numbers of African-Americans do not have even rudimentary swimming skills, a lack that costs lives.
…Horizons National, an academic summer program…partners low-income schools with independent schools and colleges that have access to swimming pools. Here's a quote (posted on the program's Web site) from one participant: "When I started Horizons I was so afraid of the water that I would not even go in the shallow end. Learning how to swim and overcoming that fear helped me realize that I could do anything." Who said this? Algernon Kelley, who now has a Ph.D. in chemistry and lectured at Xavier University of Louisiana. Read the full article at nytimes.com.


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This article was also published on LinkedIn on 1/26/16. Indiegogo turns eight this month. In eight years, Indiegogo has grown into something so much bigger than my co-founders Danae Ringelmann, Eric Schell and I ever imagined in 2008 (well, actually, we formed the idea in 2006, so it's been almost 10 years). It's amazing to … read more
Tag: Slava Rubin
Slava Rubin: Our First 8 Years
Indiegogo's 10 Best Sundance Film Festival Moments
We just got back home after an amazing time in Park City. WOW! Thank you for making the Indiegogo Lounge the place to be at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. There was never a dull moment and we couldn't possibly cover in just one blog post everything that happened in those four packed days. So here's … read more
Join Indiegogo in Park City
This year we are particularly proud of leading the way in film funding, with more Indiegogo films winning awards, and gaining distribution than ever before. Indiegogo's film community grew exponentially in the last two years and that's all thanks to you. Watch the live stream from TheWrap here: TheWrap Interview Studio at the Indiegogo Lounge by … read more
Meet the Indiegogo Team at CES 2015
For the latest information on CES 2016, including campaigners at the Indiegogo Zone, events, speaking engagements and more, visit our new page. Indiegogo at CES 2016 Info Update: On Wednesday, Jan 7th, 2015 we announced a partnership with Amplifier, a leading full-service production company based in Austin, Texas: See the official announcement. On Tuesday, Jan 6th, we introduced InDemand, … read more


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World Premiere of the Music of Nine Irish Jazz Composers written for the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra.
On Monday 1 November 2011 at 9pm in The Button Factory, Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 in what was one of the jazz highlights of the year, the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra presented the world premiere of the music of nine Irish jazz composers.
The nine composers were Brian Byrne, Alex Mathias, John Moriarty, Fintan O'Neill, David O'Rourke, Karl Ronan and Ronan Dooney with Pamela Keeley, Nick Roth, Abigail Smith and Brian Wynne.
Three of the composers are based in America, Brian Byrne, Fintan O'Neill and Dave O'Rourke. Three of the composers are regular members of the orchestra, Alex Mathias, Karl Ronan and Nick Roth. John Moriarty and Brian Wynne have occasionally performed with the orchestra. Pamela Keeley, the lyricist for Karl Ronan and Abigail Smith have not written for a jazz orchestra before.
Allen Smith and Ciaran Wilde, the co-founder with Ray Martin and the leader of the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra discussed the possibility of Jazz on the Terrace commissioning Irish jazz composers to write original compositions for the Orchestra to add to its repertoire for its current series of concerts. Allen Smith proposed making an application for grant aid under the Arts Council's Music Commissions Award for a Jazz on the Terrace commission commencing in 2010. This was successfully done and the music has been included in the Music Network Performance and Touring Award Series of concerts. The world premiere took place on Monday 1st November in the Button Factory, Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.
(Like the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra on Facebook)
There were two further performances of these new works on Saturday 6th November 2010 in the Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray as part of the Improvised Music Regional Touring Scheme and on Wednesday 15th November 2011 for the Limerick Jazz Society in Dolans Warehouse, another concert in the Music Network series.
One of the aims of Jazz on the Terrace since its inception has been to expose Irish musicians to new ventures in jazz music and this project afforded an exceptional opportunity for Irish composers to create music for an Irish jazz orchestra.
The desire and the enthusiasm of Ciaran Wilde and Ray Martin in working so hard to bring this jazz orchestra together, to seek out arrangements of the classic jazz big band repertoire and then to ask some of the Irish arrangers in America to help them by sending what they could, deserves to have the added dimension of new work performed throughout the country and recorded. Jazz on the Terrace also made a successful application to the Music Network/Arts Council Music Recording Scheme 2010 to make a permanent archive of this music.
In 2010 the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra performed at the dlr Festival of World Cultures, Kilkenny Arts Festival, The TBCT Culture Night and at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.
The members of the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra are: Ciaran Wilde, Alex Mathias, Derek O'Connor, Nick Roth, Robert Geraghty – saxophones; Danny Healy, Ray Martin, Mark Adams, Eamon Nolan – trumpets; Jim Clarke, Karl Ronan, Barry McBrien, Paul Frost – trombones; Phil Ware – piano, Hugh Buckley – guitar, Cormac O'Brien – double bass, Shane O'Sullivan – drums.
Supported by The Arts Council.


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The Nuts and Bolts of the Sequestration 'Meat Axe'
WASHINGTON – It seems the looming sequestration that one lawmaker concedes will take "a meat axe" to the federal deficit is like the weather, to paraphrase Mark Twain – everybody talks about it but nobody does anything about it.
Time is running out for the White House and congressional Republicans to reach an accord that will prevent across-the-board budget cuts totaling $1 trillion over the next nine years from taking place. The two sides remain far apart and neither appears willing to make any concessions to halt a process that analysts claim will disrupt government services and has the potential to toss a monkey wrench into an already slumbering economy.
"This is not a game," warned Leon Panetta, the outgoing secretary of Defense whose department could be staggered by the cuts. "This is reality. These steps would seriously damage the fragile American economy and they would degrade our ability to respond to crisis precisely at a time of rising instability across the globe -- North Africa to the straits of Hormuz, from Syria to North Korea. We would have no choice but to implement these kinds of measures if Congress fails to carry out its basic responsibility to the American people."
The situation is complicated.
During the summer of 2011, congressional Republicans and the White House were wrestling over legislation to raise the debt limit, with the GOP looking to reduce a national debt that has now reached $16.5 trillion. Negotiations finally led to the Budget Control Act of 2011, which hiked the debt ceiling in exchange for deficit reduction measures totaling $2.4 trillion over a 10-year span.
The bill specifically identified $1.2 trillion in cuts. The remaining $1.2 trillion over 10 years was left to be determined by a so-called "Super Committee," with its recommendations to be implemented by Jan. 1, 2013. If the panel failed to reach an agreement, the legislation called for across-the-board spending reductions, called sequestration, to be shared by defense and non-defense programs, although Social Security, Medicaid, federal retirement, several anti-poverty programs, military pay, and the price tag for ongoing wars were exempted.
The Super Committee failed to reach concurrence but a last-minute deal struck by the administration and congressional Republicans over what became known as the "fiscal cliff" delayed sequestration to March 1. As part of that deal, the sides agreed to permit Bush-era tax cuts for those earning $250,000 or more to expire, thus reducing the amount required for sequestration to about $1 trillion over nine years.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, insist that they will not consider including any additional tax hike to reach that $1 trillion target, asserting that the amount must come from program cuts. President Obama is calling for a balance of budget cutbacks and tax reform measures, adding that steps should be taken to push sequestration further down the calendar so an agreement can be reached. GOP leadership snubbed the White House recommendation.
McConnell said "American families are already feeling the pinch of the Obama economy" and that it's "time to get serious" over budget cuts.
"If Democrats have ideas for smarter cuts they should bring them up for debate," McConnell said. "But the American people will not support more tax hikes in place of the meaningful spending reductions both parties already agreed to and the President signed into law."
According to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, sequestration will force across-the-board cuts totaling $85.3 billion in 2013, split equally between defense and non-defense programs – 42.7 billion. The budgets for mandatory defense programs will be cut by 7.8 percent while discretionary defense programs lose 7.3 percent. On the domestic side, Medicare faces a 2 percent reduction while mandatory spending is cut 5.3 percent and discretionary programs lose 5.1 percent.
The Office of Management and Budget maintains sequestration will have "a devastating impact on important defense and nondefense programs."
"While the Department of Defense would be able to shift funds to ensure war fighting and critical military readiness capabilities were not degraded, sequestration would result in a reduction in readiness of many non-deployed units, delays in investments in new equipment and facilities, cutbacks in equipment repairs, declines in military research and development efforts and reductions in base services for military families," according to a recent OMB report.
On the domestic side, the report said, sequestration would, among other things, harm education initiatives by reducing grants that support smaller classes, afterschool programs and children with disabilities. The Federal Aviation Administration's ability to oversee and manage airspace and air traffic control would be reduced. The Department of Agriculture's efforts to inspect food processing plants and prevent foodborne illnesses would be curtailed.
"The Environmental Protection Agency's ability to protect the water we drink and the air we breathe would be degraded," the report said. "The National Institutes of Health would have to halt or curtail scientific research, including needed research into cancer and childhood diseases. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's ability to respond to incidents of terrorism and other catastrophic events would be undermined. And critical housing programs and food assistance for low-income families would be cut."
Furloughs and layoffs by the thousands are expected to occur within the federal government. And the impact will bleed into the private sector. Marion C. Blakey, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association, which works closely with the Pentagon, said more than two million American workers across all sectors of the economy will lose their jobs "if our political leaders fail to fix the self-inflicted wound of sequestration and the dangers it poses to our warfighters and national security."
"Sequestration is a slow-motion catastrophe for our military forces, our space program and virtually every critical function of our government from air traffic control and border security to food inspection and more," Blakely said.
Adam Hersh, an economist at the liberal Center for American Progress, said allowing sequestration to occur will cost the U.S. economy an estimated 0.6 percentage points of growth in 2013.
"The combined effect of these spending cuts and the recent changes to U.S. tax policy could dampen U.S. economic growth by 1.9 percentage points in the near term," Hersh said.


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War's Reward Free Fleet 6 available on Amazon!
MonthJuly 2016
So over the next few months I'm determined to get out a few books seeing as you're reading them like crazy!! 🙂
Here is my tentative release schedule (I will update as dates are confirmed or books are released).
Sacremon 9July OUT NOW!
War's Reward 23 July OUT NOW!
Masoul Harmony War 2 August 9 2016
Osdal Harmony War 3 August Date to be confirmed
Fernix Harmony War 4 September Date to be Confirmed
Until the 11th of July Sacremon will be on sale for $0.99, pick up a copy and let me know if you want me to continue the series! 🙂
War's Reward Book 6 of the Free Fleet Series will be available on the 23rd of July, yes this month!! In Two weeks!!
Let me know if you have any questions and I'll be happy to answer them! 🙂
© 2020 Michael Chatfield
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑


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Category Archives: Michael Stephen Daigle
Saying thanks when hard work paid off
Originally posted on Michael Stephen Daigle:
The hardest part of writing at times is knowing too much. In the case of THE RED HAND, the Frank Nagler Mystery series prequel, that was surely the case. I had written three books…
"The Weight of Living" named Distinguished Favorite in NYC Big Book Award contest
Originally posted on Michael Stephen Daigle:
"The Weight of Living," the award-winning Frank Nagler Mystery, has been named a Distinguished Favorite in New York City Big Book Award contest. Thank you the New York City Big Book Award judges. This…
Nagler book four done: 'The Red Hand'
Originally posted on Michael Stephen Daigle:
It's done. The fourth Frank Nagler Mystery, called "The Red Hand." It's done as much as it can be before going through an editing process and revisions, and all the stuff that follows the…


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Professor Mark Williams of the University of Oxford talks about mindfulness meditation as an alternative treatment for depression. In fact, mindfulness is also a powerful tool to help someone recovering from addiction.
Check out various other YouTube clips on mindfulness from Mark Williams, Jon Kabat Zinn (who was instrumental in promoting mindfulness as a tool for health issues in the Western world) and others.
I include the book Mark refers to in my list of six books that can help your recovery in our Resources section. Here is what I say about the book:
'If you don't think that this book is for you because it has the word 'depression' in its title, forget that idea. Mindfulness, a simple but powerful way of paying attention to your most difficult emotions and life experiences, is a powerful tool to help people recover from addiction.
The authors take insightful lessons from Eastern meditative traditions and cognitive therapy, and demonstrate how to sidestep the mental habits that lead to despair, including rumination and self-blame, so you can face life's challenges with greater resilience.
There is an accompanying CD of guided meditations from Jon Kabat-Zinn making this an invaluable package. '


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Jackson Street Youth Services is looking for Academic Coaches to help youth in our Corvallis and Albany shelters succeed in their academic pursuits. Current need is at Albany House.
What it means to be an Academic Coach
While youth are in shelter, they engage in study hall during the week. Academic Coaches are present during study hall (one or more evenings per week; M-Th) to assist the group working on school work, projects, or goals. This often includes hands-on academic skills training (memorization techniques, time management, study skills, etc.) and individualized assistance.
Academic Coaches also are asked to design educational activities where youth in study hall can practice skills and build confidence in their abilities. During this process, Academic Coaches often are working with multiple youth in succession, helping each individual with their work, and building relationships.
Who can be an academic coach?
We are seeking individuals who have experience with teaching and/or tutoring, and a passion for working with youth who need extra supports. Education students who wish to gain experience working with youth from different backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Successful coaches have experience in time management, tutoring, organization, alternative education, lesson planning, and creative approaches to learning.
We ask for a one night per week, one-school term minimum commitment. Coaches who stay engaged the entire year are highly desired.
To become an Academic Coach, please fill out a Volunteer Application!


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Kokua OpenSim Viewer 4.2.1 Release
KokuaOS-188.8.131.52007 is released. Gavin Hird (macOS) is the lead developer for KokuaOS. This viewer is for OpenSim grids and is branched off at Kokua version 4.0.2. While the ability to logon to SecondLife is present, Jelly Dolls and Bento Joints are not supported. This is primarily a bug fix release.
There are no automatic updates with KokuaOS. If you want it, download and install on your schedule.
Please refer to Release Notes for more detail about fixes and additions in this release.
For a complete list of changes please see the change log.
Click takes you to the Downloads wiki.


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Zoggs Reef explorer Adults 300902
Snorkelset voor volwassenen. Bevat bril en snorkel.
Explore the wonders of the ocean with our Reef Explorer mask and snorkel set, a great recreational item that offers both functionality and great value for money. This snorkel set is for adults. Shatter proof tempered glass lens Vylux skirt seal Snorkel clips to mask Double feather head strap for superior fit and comfort Angled Vylux mouthpiece for additional comfort


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I've been working since I was 14 years old. Started with summer jobs mostly but by the time I was 17 I had already started my first full time job. It was working at the movie theater. I will be honest, I really didn't like that job at all, that's sugar-coating it…. I hated that job! But it was a paycheck and I was able to buy myself little things and that brought me sense of pride and responsibility. Fast forward 10 years later I've pretty much held a job this entire time with only small breaks in between. I have always had this independent spirit about me, I like supporting myself and not needing to worry about anyone telling me what I could and could not do with my money. I've never really liked any of my jobs but it was an income, so I would tolerate whatever extra BS came along with having said job.
Then what seemed like the light at the end of the tunnel I found a new job. It paid slightly less than my old job but it was a job and we have a wedding to pay for. I had a funny feeling about the place when I first interviewed for it, something seemed off but I ignored it and thought I was just being paranoid. Fast forward to a week into me working there I called my Fiancée upset that this would not work out. The management seemed extremely unorganized and I never felt like I was actually learning anything. Yet and still I put my feelings to the side and sucked it up and did what an "Adult" does, work the job and collect the pay check. It only progressively got worse, I started to get lots of negative feedback, and I began to notice the pettiness of some of my fellow employees. My manager was extremely rude, unprofessional and literally critiqued everything I did including which direction I walked to the bathroom.. I am not kidding. My manager told me I needed to yell more at my subordinates if I felt like they weren't being productive which is something I told her I would not do. It makes me feel extremely uncomfortable yelling at people who are adults like me, just trying to make a living. I wrote up at least four people during my time there, one being a young woman who was late for her shift because she was experiencing morning sickness. I felt horrible writing up a pregnant woman whom also still looked visibly sick at the time I had to administer the write up. I left work every day feeling drained, frustrated and stressed.
My job was threatened simply because other people did not like me, It all became too much to bare. I began to question how much I am willing to put up for a paycheck. When you are being demeaned, disrespected and you're being asked to do things that are against what you believe is right do you stay? I opted to leave, I decided that the paycheck was not worth the stress and me going against what I believed is right. It was extremely hard to walk away from a steady paycheck when I did not have another job lined up. I battled with feeling like I failed, like I was just giving up and that as an adult I should have just stuck it out. I now believe that being an adult is knowing when to bow out gracefully. I put in my two weeks' notice and carried out my last days in a professional manner even though I was met with nothing but unprofessionalism in return. I walked out on my final day with my box of personal items in hand with my head held high and a smile on my face knowing I made the right decision. And it felt damn good!
Electa is a Writer/Blogger and a self proclaimed foodie. She is in her 20's and figuring out life, love and the pursuit of happiness. Follower her on twitter @emazing17 and instagram @emazing17
By Electa Johnson
Electa is a Writer/Blogger and a self proclaimed foodie. She is in her 20's and figuring out life, love and the pursuit of happiness. Follower her on twitter @emazing17 and instagram @emazing17


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Contact Us
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Spelt is a healthy ancient grain that can be used a flour substitute. This flour has triple the amount of fiber than white flour and is a great swap for diabetics.
- 2 cups spelt flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine-grain sea salt
- 1 bag (6 oz) baby spinach
- 3/4 cup real maple syrup
- 1/2 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg**
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups mashed banana (about 3 small or 2 large bananas)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a food processor or blender, combine the spinach, maple syrup, almond milk, flax egg, applesauce, and vanilla and process until completely pureed. Add the wet ingredients and the banana to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
3. Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool at least 10 minutes.
**A flax egg is one tablespon ground flaxseed plus three tablespoons water. Let set for about 15 minutes until it becomes a gooey consistency.
Watch The Video
This recipe was recently featured in The Biggest Health Myths Americans Still Believe.
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eWaste Glossary - ProTek RecyclingBy Protek Recycling | Tuesday, May 03, 2016
You already know that ProTek Recycling is your go-to for all your electronics recycling needs, but what exactly do all these terms we use mean? Look no further – your official eWaste Glossary is here! We've compiled a list of definitions for the most common terms in our field of business to help you better understand what it is that we do.
Check it out below:
Carcinogens: Cancer-causing substance that can be released into the air from electronics that are improperly disposed of.
Electronics Recycling: The process used to recover useful materials from the electronics, such as metal, glass, or plastic.
Electronic Waste (eWaste): Electronics that have come to their EOL or EOU and are to be disposed of.
End of Life (EOL): The point at which a product can no longer be used for any purpose whatsoever and should be properly disposed of/recycled.
End of Use (EOU): The point at which a product can no longer be used for its original purpose, but may still be useful for something else.
Refurbishing: The process of repairing or changing certain components (hardware or software) of a product to extend its life and allow it to be reused for its intended purpose.
Understanding electronics recycling is easier once you become familiar with the terms involved. Contact ProTek Recycling to learn more, today!


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The TWIN salt and pepper grinder is gradually adjustable, allowing you to grind salt and pepper to your desired coarseness. • Easily refillable • Made from rubber-sprayed plastic, for a non-slip finish
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Category Archives: Basic Questions About Hynotherapy
Hypnosis and Health Insurance — saving money and time
I was talking to a friend and she said she was paying half as much for hypnosis than she did last year because her insurance now covers some of it. Is that true?
Yes, it's true. One of the things that's a real benefit with the Affordable Care Act is its awareness that covering sickness is only half the battle; you have to promote Wellness if you want to reduce disease, increase productivity, and allow people to live happier and longer lives. Plus, with fewer people ill or suffering, less money is spent on all forms of medicine and therapy not to mention how much money is added to the economy when people make it to work more often in more positive moods.
Before January 2014, some insurance companies would reimburse clients Hypnotherapist for things like smoking cessation, weight loss, etc. But they didn't have to unless there was a Wellness Program to sign up for or if a company decided to have one. However, with the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies have to give some level of reimbursement for Wellness. This includes Hypnotherapy, Massage, and other alternate therapies like Naturopathy.
This is what I've been doing for my clients. So far the usual amount reimbursed is 50%.
I give my clients a receipt that says:
•The state's code number for hypnosis (in California it's 90880).
•A list of the reasons the client is seeing the Hypnotherapist (It should look like "Wellness: Weight Loss, Sleep Disorder, Smoking Cessation, Anxiety, Stress Relief, Agoraphobia, etc.).
•The dates the client saw the Hypnotherapist and how much they paid.
The client should be given two copies, one to send to their insurance company and one to keep. How much a person will be reimbursed depends on their health insurance company and program.
However, I am not putting myself out as the expert on this. I'm located in California and I do know how Wellness is covered in the Affordable Care Act here, but I do not know exactly how it works anywhere else.
I would suggest that everyone call their insurance company to find out how the new law is helping them in this and other ways.
Hypnosis has been show to be the shortest-term therapy available and thus saves time and money. Now, with reimbursement, seeing a Hypnotherapist is more cost-effective than ever.
So What is a Suggestion, Anyway?
Every time I hear people talking about how effective hypnosis is, they mention the power of suggestion. You mention it in your articles, but have never really defined it.
In a normal day, everyone gets suggestions all the time such as when someone tells you what route to drive or which shirt to buy. It's an idea given to you by someone else that you receive and consider consciously. Usually their effectiveness depends on the knowledgeability of the other person. If they know the area better, you're more likely to travel as per their suggestion. But, even if they are only as familiar with the place as you are, just hearing a suggestion gives it power. It goes to the forefront of your mind and overshadows your other ideas. However, if that suggestion is different from what your subconscious is comfortable with, then when someone tells you to take a route that involves going through a neighborhood you have negative associations with, your subconscious isn't going to let you take it no matter how much faster it is or more logical.
But there is one time when the subconscious mind is very open to absorbing suggestions — during hypnosis. Hypnosis occurs during the thirty minutes before a person falls asleep. You may have heard in school that what you study just before you go to sleep is what you'll remember best. This is because during hypnosis, the critical facilities in your conscious mind, such as logic and reasoning, are already only half aware of what's going on and are no longer filtering out new, potentially uncomfortable, thoughts and ideas.
A hypnotherapist is skilled at coming up with words and images that "speak" to their client. The idea that a person's hand can become so light that it will defy gravity and float up into the air seems impossible consciously, but to the subconscious anything is possible. If a person is not in hypnosis, logic and reason will tell them that their hand is not getting lighter; however, when under hypnosis, the subconscious mind pays more attention to the voice of the hypnotherapist than the physical reality. Therefore, they will believe that their arm is becoming lighter. If a person is visual, one might concentrate on the image of the hand rising or playing in the breeze. Auditory people are encouraged to hear the air lift their hand. Kinesthetically oriented people are told to feel the air lift their hand. In nearly every case, the hand will rise.
It's never just the power of suggestion that affects people, it's how a suggestion is given and when. When created by a skilled hypnotherapist, the results can be profound and life changing.
How can Hypnosis Help with Stress?
A lot of my friends are always complaining that they are "stressed out." Can hypnosis help?
Like everything else your response to stress is a learned behavior, a habit. Some things that trigger stress begin in childhood and are related to specific things such as going to the doctor or a general pressure to be Number One. Others are related to current pressures or fears. Sometimes stress may not seem to be related to anything at all. While some people think they strive on stress, they are all actually using the anxious energy to drive them forward in a way that will cause them to mentally – and possibly physically – collapse. Through a few sessions of hypnosis you can always lighten one's current stress level, but sometimes, that is not enough.
While it would be nice to get rid of stress by what causes it, that's not always possible. Everyone has to see a doctor at some time. Life gives us difficult situations that can't be resolved for a long period of time or you can't always leave a job even though your co-workers, bosses, or responsibilities are overwhelming. In these situations, dealing with the stress comes from two directions: techniques that help the individual control the feelings of stress and suggestions that adjust their response to outside triggers.
The one technique that helps everyone is to get them deeply hypnotized and create a Special Place in their mind where they are absolutely calm, comfortable, and safe. I work intensely with the imagery of the place, not just what you see, hear, and touch, but the more primitive smell and taste. The trick is to have them feel so relaxed and secure that even the concept of anxiety can't arise. Then that feeling of calm is tied into an anchor, usually pressing together the thumb and first finger of the non-dominant hand. The suggestion is given that whenever they press their anchor, the calm and safety of the Special Place will flow throughout their body, washing away all feelings of stress. Or, they can close their eyes, press their anchor, and take a mini-vacation. This quickly becomes a valuable tool a person can use for the rest of their lives.
While there are many things that people can do to take control of their stress they are all, of course, much more powerful if they have been instilled and reinforced in hypnosis. I start with calming breathing techniques, teaching how to relax one's body, and, finally, self-hypnosis. I also use this, my favorite breathing technique, for sleep and anxiety. All you need to do is take very deep breaths through your nose using your abdomen inhaling "CALM," hold it for a moment, and then exhale through your mouth as though you had a straw there and exhale STRESS. After you pause, then start again. Imagine the Stress leaving your body never to return. I generally recommend doing CALM and STRESS twice and then at least 2-3 repetitions using C-A-L-M and S-T-R-E-S-S.
Stress caused by job issues, relationship problems, problems stemming from childhood, and more, need to be addressed directly. Very often the problem at work is with the boss or a co-worker. I usually block the person to those people's negativity. Then I retrain so that instead of responding with stress, they remain extremely calm. Relationship problems need similar treatment, but often you have to work on getting the strength to start directly addressing the problems with the other person.
Incidents that occurred in the past have to be attacked in many directions. You have to give people general calming tools and block them to both external AND internal negativity. But because the negative emotion causing the stress comes from the inside, you have to work with the memories of what initially caused the stress. Sometimes you have to search for them before you can desensitize them. Then you cut the emotional connections to the incident and the trigger. Ironically, very often what triggers stress may not even resemble what originally caused it.
The other things that people can, and should, do on their own is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and make sure they get in approximately 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. This not only keeps your body and mind healthy, but it releases endorphins, the brain peptides/neurotransmitters responsible for putting you in a positive mood.
Is Hypnosis Dangerous?
A lot of people say hypnosis is dangerous. Is that true?
Myths about hypnosis, perpetuated by Hollywood movies, urban legends, and fiction, lead people to think all kinds of untrue things about hypnosis, including that it is somehow dangerous. In fact, hypnosis is a natural state that always occurs 30 minutes before you fall asleep. Nothing bad can happen to you in hypnosis; you are always in control and can come out of it whenever YOU want to. In fact, you will hear everything that is going on and will be talking with your hypnotherapist while you are hypnotized. It feels like when you're caught up in a movie or a book – or just about to fall asleep.
One of the oldest fears about hypnosis is that the hypnotist is controlling you and can make you do whatever they want – even commit murder. This is completely impossible. If anyone suggests something that goes against your values, moral belief system, or is in any way dangerous to yourself or anyone else, it is rejected immediately. Your hypnotherapist is merely giving your subconscious the suggestions you asked for. Even a stage hypnotist – who is an entertainer and not a hypnotherapist – doesn't make people do things they don't want to do. He or she finds the people who are extroverts and love to perform. People are also much more likely to do silly things while they're with a group.
You don't have to worry that you will suddenly start thinking about scary or painful things. The number one job of the subconscious mind is to protect you, and it is always on the job. Another fear is that you can go into the trance and not wake up. However, since hypnosis is a normal part of the sleep cycle, your hypnotherapist can easily wake you if you do fall asleep.
The only area of concern regarding hypnotherapy is making sure you find a well-trained, capable hypnotherapist you feel comfortable working with.
Why does it look like mind control when someone is under hypnosis?
Why does it look like mind control when someone is under hypnosis? Niall Wade
The reason people confuse hypnosis with things like mind control is that most people only see examples of hypnotized people in movies and on TV. But those people aren't really hypnotized; they're actors pretending to be hypnotized.
Many years ago, when hypnosis first became popularly known, plays and books started distorting hypnosis to use it for dramatic purposes. The hypnotist became a villain, often a wizard or vampire, who would use his "powers" to make the other characters do evil things like murder. The actors' faces look almost frozen, zombie-like — just like you think they would be if they were actually under someone else's control and their own mind and will power have been taken away. But this is all pretend.
If you want to see someone who is actually under hypnosis, you'll notice that at stage hypnosis shows, people are usually slumped over in their chairs and they look like they are sleeping.
But in no way can any hypnotist or hypnotherapist ever make someone do anything that they personally believe is wrong. A person's moral, core beliefs are sacrosanct and cannot be affected or changed. You can also never be made to do something that would hurt you personally. Hypnosis consists of suggestions and the subconscious mind will always reject the dangerous ones.
How does hypnosis work?
I've been reading your site and was wondering exactly how hypnosis works.
There are two parts to our minds, the conscious and the subconscious. The conscious mind is our awareness, the thoughts and feelings we experience everyday. It experiences the world based on what comes through our five senses during the time we are awake, but it doesn't take everything in. While we can control most of our actions and feelings through our conscious decision-making, we can't always — such as when our will power is too weak to stop us from eating things we shouldn't or emotions boil up that we have no control over.
Below that is our subconscious mind which we are not directly aware of except when thoughts "jump" into our mind. This is where our imagination lies and is the seat of our creativity. It registers all the information we receive more quickly and completely than the conscious mind, but without a sense of time, logic, or reasoning. In it are established all our central beliefs, conditioning, and every kind of habit from behavioral to emotional. Its processes are closely tied to the brain itself, which is why we sometimes call hypnosis "retraining the brain." Unlike our conscious mind, the subconscious "thinks" in images.
When the client is in hypnosis, they are in a semi-awake state – a form of trance — where there is direct access to the subconscious, better known as suggestibility. The hypnotherapist phrases his or her suggestions using the images and words he or she has discovered that are most meaningful to the client. These go directly to the subconscious mind which, as long as it doesn't violate the client's core moral belief system and reinforces what the conscious mind wants to believe, is seen as true and accepted. This then changes how the brain actually thinks so that it changes associations such as when cigarettes no longer seem pleasurable or comfortable, but make you feel sick. Or instead of triggering a panic attack, a once fearful object creates feelings of calm and comfort.
What if things come up in hypnosis that I don't want to know about or I'm not ready to deal with?
I had a really bad childhood and I don't remember it all. What if stuff comes up during hypnotherapy that I don't want to know about or I'm not ready to deal with?
One of the advantages of hypnotherapy is that you and your hypnotherapist are always in control of the situation. A difficult or painful memory will not come up until you are absolutely ready to — and want to — work with it.
Hypnotherapy's object is to change behavior. To do that we are changing habits by "retraining the brain." It doesn't matter what caused the habit to change it. Events like panic attacks can be removed without ever bringing up what caused them. In any case, we always ask the subconscious first if it is ready to handle any memories and scary memories will never surface until you are ready for them. When you are, we'll examine the memory while keeping you completely blocked from the emotions. You'll know what you felt, but without feeling scared, pained, fearful, or any sort of negative emotion. Then the emotions themselves are removed. The memories remain, but not the emotions that used to be connected to them.
What is Hypnotherapy Revisited/Can Anyone Be Hypnotized?/What Does Hypnosis Feel Like?
When you posted earlier that hypnotherapy was only like the theatrical hypnosis shows in that people are hypnotized, I got curious. When you see those shows it's always a big joke about that person who claims they "can't be hypnotized" and always is (at least in the show). But really how often does this happen? Are there people who can't be hypnotized, even if they are coming to you for therapy?
I've been doing this since I was 12, a very long time now, and in my experience nearly everyone can be hypnotized. The few exceptions have been those people who really did not want to be hypnotized because they, mistakenly, thought they would lose control. And, I get those people partially under before they are too uncomfortable to continue. The fact is, you are ALWAYS in control. You hear everything that is going on, we talk while you're in hypnosis, and you can stop the session at any time.
The fact is everyone is in hypnosis everyday. Hypnosis is that 30 minute period before you naturally fall asleep when your imagination becomes more active and your conscious mind is turning inward. Another familiar example is when you're reading and completely wrapped up in the book. The biggest difference between that type of hypnosis and what we do in my office is that you are focusing on my voice.
When I put you in hypnosis, it feels like a daydream only I'm guiding you through it. At the beginning of the session, we discuss what your goals are or what behaviors you want to change. From this, I learn the language of your subconscious mind which thinks in images. Some people are more visual or kinetic, so I can figure out how to phrase things and what sort of imagery to use. And then, after I put you under, everything I say is what you've told me that you want to hear. You'll hear every word I say although you might drift off once or twice. When I see that, I'll bring your attention back to me. Everything in hypnotherapy is based on being comfortable and safe.
Can Hypnotherapy Help With Smoking?
Hypnosis is all about changing habits, getting your subconscious to stop associating something with a behavior that you don't like — like smoking.
I cannot stop smoking and would like to know if hypnotherapy can work for me. Sam
In nearly every case, yes. The techniques I use have about a 90% success rate and usually take from 2-8 sessions, depending on the situation. Obviously, someone who has been smoking since they were ten takes longer than a 28 year-old who started in college. Ultimately, however, the only deciding factor is if you are really ready to quit now.
First ask yourself "WHY DO I WANT TO QUIT?" If the answer is that my doctor told me to or my wife did, it's going to take longer because we're going to be spending a few sessions getting you to want to quit for your own sake.
No matter what, smoking cessation will require you to do some work. I'll have you cutting down regularly, smoking in unfamiliar and uncomfortable places all while we replace the habit with something positive. If you smoke for social reasons, I'll teach you to be comfortable without anything in your hands. Breakfast is coffee and a cigarette? You need a better start in the morning to begin with and this is a great time to take control of your health in every way. If your cigarette is your best friend, well, there are a lot healthier ones out there and we'll find one you like even more.
We'll need a check-in session three months after we're done and three months but the six month can easily be done by phone.