text:
Certificate in Meditation
Although there are many ways to meditate and many different forms of meditation, they all share the characteristic of intentionally training a person's attention and concentration. Meditation practices are used by diverse cultures, are rooted in the traditions of the great religions, and have been practiced for thousands of years to promote healing. Evidence of meditation's health effects has been well documented: the practice offers improvement in the symptoms of various disease conditions in addition to the experience of a deeper spiritual connection.
Upon completion of the course, you will be able to do the following:
- Describe the health effects of meditation.
- Discuss meditation and religious traditions.
- Identify meditation types and practices.
- Examine the benefits of mindfulness meditation.
Complete the course post exam (CE Test) with a score of 80% or greater. Complete all fields of the course evaluation form. Certificate of Completion is provided once all of the courses within the certificate program have been successfully completed per criteria above.
- American Board of Managed Care Nursing
- AOTA - American Occupational Therapy Association
- California Board of Registered Nursing
- California Department of Health, Aid, and Technician Certification Section
- District of Columbia Board of Nursing
- Florida Board of Nursing
- Florida Board of Nursing - Certified Nursing Assistants
- Florida Board of Respiratory Care
- Florida Council of Dietetics and Nutrition
- Florida Council of Licensed Midwifery
- NAADAC - The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
- ASWB - Association of Social Work Boards
Occupational Therapy Process
March 30, 2021
- Cyndie Koopsen, RN, BSN, MBA, HNB-BC, RN-BC, HWNC-BC
- Caroline Young, MPH
Continuing education (CE) licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction, are not well defined, and may change. These CE requirements may vary in terms of the number of hours required to the types of courses that must be taken. ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC recommends you contact your licensing board or accrediting organization for the latest continuing education requirements of your state or territory. Compliance with CE requirements is the responsibility of the individual health care provider. Health care providers must understand the CE requirements in their jurisdictions, and be sure they are up-to-date on any rule changes that affect their license. For further information, please see our Accreditation Information.
Every effort will be made to accommodate your special needs. To request accommodations, please contact us.
The authors/planning committee members have no conflicts of interests or relevant financial relationships to declare relevant to this activity.
No commercial support has been received for this activity.
Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing nursing education only and does not imply ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC approval or endorsement of any commercial product.
None of the authors intend to discuss off-label uses of drugs, mechanical devices, biologics, or diagnostics not approved by the FDA for use in the United States.


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My weekend via Instagram: where my friends came via bus, train, and car to come see my new home and explore the big city.
xoxo, k.
With all the high def, high detail, high intensity digital media out there, it is such a pleasant change to view photos that have that cool, film feel. Me likes!

subset: commoncrawl


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by Calculated Risk on 3/12/2018 10:35:00 AM
Monday, March 12, 2018
BLS: Unemployment Rates Lower in 6 states in January; Alabama, California, Maine and Mississippi at New Series Lows
From the BLS: Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary
Unemployment rates were lower in January in 6 states and the District of Columbia and stable in 44 states, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Sixteen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier and 34 states and the District had little or no change. The national unemployment rate was unchanged from December at 4.1 percent but was 0.7 percentage point lower than in January 2017.Click on graph for larger image.
Hawaii had the lowest unemployment rate in January, 2.1 percent. The rates in Alabama (3.7 percent), California (4.4 percent), Maine (3.0 percent), and Mississippi (4.6 percent) set new series lows. (All state series begin in 1976.) Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 7.3 percent.
emphasis added
This graph shows the current unemployment rate for each state (red), and the max during the recession (blue). All states are well below the maximum unemployment rate for the recession.
The size of the blue bar indicates the amount of improvement. The yellow squares are the lowest unemployment rate per state since 1976.
Twelve states have reached new all time lows since the end of the 2007 recession. These twelve states are: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The states are ranked by the highest current unemployment rate. Alaska, at 7.3%, had the highest state unemployment rate.
The second graph shows the number of states (and D.C.) with unemployment rates at or above certain levels since January 2006. At the worst of the employment recession, there were 11 states with an unemployment rate at or above 11% (red).
Currently one state, Alaska, has an unemployment rate at or above 7% (light blue); And only Alaska is above 6% (dark blue).
Posted by Calculated Risk on 3/12/2018 10:35:00 AM


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Penny Clarke
Founder of Ashley Communications
Penny Clarke has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry and has played crucial roles in financing and developing early stage ventures, including her own. Penny has been involved in every stage of concept delivery, from research and development to eventual launch, she prides herself on her ability to deliver effective communications at all stages in the product life cycle. Penny knows what is needed to take a product to market.
Investments: Eulysis, Innoture, MuJo, Scratch
Related companies and brands: Nicorette, Botox


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Do you have a teen driver in your house? If you do, you probably put them behind the wheel whenever you can, and that's fantastic since a good way to gain crucial driving skills is to practice, practice, practice.
But a drawback to daily driving routines is that they typically follow a familiar route — to school or sports practice, maybe a grocery run — and are almost exclusively during the day.
So what happens when your new driver has to go somewhere out of the ordinary or encounter a new challenge? Knowing what to expect can build confidence.
Here are 4 tricky skills that you probably haven't practiced with your teen driver, but should.
1. How to deal with different stoplights
Unless you live in a big city, chances are good your stoplights are of the "3 light" variety: you know, red, green, and yellow.
But more involved stoplights can be confusing, like a flashing yellow that requires drivers to yield before turning left (instead of the basic protected green arrow). Your teen might not be able to recognize the differences unless you point them out, so find some of these stoplights and have them practice determining when it's their turn to go.
2. How to drive long distances
No, you're not going to want to turn your newly minted driver loose on a road trip. But if their longest adventure has been to the mall and back, they might not be prepared for what driving long distances feels like. As in, boring. And often tiring.
That's why it's smart to give them some practice free-range driving. Do it during your own family road trip. Or you can even manufacture one: you've always wanted to catch an awesome college game or visit Great Aunt Jean out in the hinterlands, haven't you?
3. How to drive at night
Driving at night has its dangers. And since most teens probably aren't hanging out with their parents on a Friday night, they may not be in the same car with you after dark very often.
Spend some time driving around with them at night on the freeway, side streets, anywhere they might occasionally navigate so they feel comfortable with the skill. Talk to your teen about the dangers of driving at night, from decreased visibility to drowsiness. And remind them to always make sure their headlights are on.
4. How to navigate unfamiliar roads
When they're passengers, teens are often texting or scrolling and not watching their surroundings. So they may be surprised to learn that one of the hardest parts of driving can be knowing exactly where to go.
Nav systems are nice, of course, and beat the heck out of the crazy folded maps many of us learned to drive with. But they don't answer all the questions. What if the destination isn't easily located, or, heaven forbid, your teen ends up outside of cell service?
Show them how to read a "real" map (and then put one in their car). Also, talk to them about what to do if they miss their off-ramp or turn, since new drivers often panic and try to make a quick turn, even if it's not safe.
So many of the skills we use every day are learned through practice. Exposing your teen to a variety of driving situations will help ensure they can confidently and carefully navigate when they're on their own.
And when you're preparing to insure your teen driver, here's everything you need to know about teen driver coverage options.


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|Sighting Report
|Occurred : 2/22/2007 01:00 (Entered as : 02/22/07 1:00)
Reported: 9/24/2007 4:35:10 AM 04:35
Posted: 10/8/2007
Location: Summit, NJ
Shape: Changing
Duration:15 minutes
|while driving through the mountains of northern union county, saw a triangle.
While i'm not entirely positive of the date of this sighting, it was winter, and after the new year. In any case, a friend and i were waiting to for some other friends, and decided to make the 5 or so mile drive from berkeley heights, to summit. For the first couple minutes, it was a normal uneventful drive. That would soon change.
I was driving the car and noticed an enormous object fly overhead, at first i assumed it was a plane, but without any accompanying noise, i was forced to take a second look. At this point, i pointed up. My friend looked out the window and saw what i was pointing at. It was a craft, flying a few hundred feet up with 3 lights, and a triangular shape. The color of the lights was indiscriminate as it changed often. The object also appeared to be moving north east towards New york city. Just as we came to the realization of what we were looking at, the object seemed to disappear. (as if it knew we were observing) At which point we noticed a new object (possibly the same object), starlike in appearance , which had appeared near where the other object seemed to disappear. We stayed fixed on it, as it was now moving easterly back towards us, from a position seemingly off the coast, but near the city. All of a sudden the object jumped literally from one end of the horizon to the other instantaneously (east to west). It hovered in this new position for about 2 minutes and then proceeded to jump straight up and disappear..
Needless to say my friend and I had no doubt as to what we had seen. Our only question was as to its origin. I've always been interested in UFO phenomena and spent many a night as a child peering up hoping to catch a glimpse. Ive seen things that are suspect, but could easily be ruled out as being something entirely explainable by the right expert. This was entirely different however, there was no question that this was not any aircraft i had ever seen, or any easily explainable natural phenomena.
((NUFORC Note: Source of report indicates that date of the event is approximate. PD))


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Aerial view of the mud gushing out of a Lapindo Brantas Inc. gas exploration well in Sidoarjo, East Java. According to Greenpeace, the situation is slipping beyond control and called on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to hold Lapindo and its shareholders, Bakrie Group, Santos of Australia and Medco Group, fully accountable for one of Indonesia's worst industrial disaster.
© Greenpeace / Vinai Dithajohn
1 - 12 dari 835 hasil.


text: So you are interested in a magical experience like only an Iceland Workshop Photography Trip could be. You're in the perfect place, my friend. After years of experience in photography and more than two hundred students, I'm here to teach you all my techniques on the field in an amazing […]Read More


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Charente, Nouvelle Aquitaine
Key Features
Don't Forget€249,000 [convert] Part Loads & Removals
Property Description
An entrance from the courtyard opens to a wonderful semi-enclosed covered terrace (40 sq m) which links the main house to the left and the annex to the right. The covered terrace is used as a dining room, and can be used nearly all year round with the addition of a patio heater for the colder months.
Main house
From the covered terrace you enter the L-shaped kitchen/breakfast room (22 sq m) - the kitchen area (12 sq m) runs along the rear of the house, and comprises a range of fitted units and appliances. A glazed door and window open onto the south west side of the house, with access to the raised terrace and views across the 1 acre garden. The breakfast area (10 sq m) has an exposed stone wall with original potager and open fireplace.
The kitchen leads to a hallway with staircase and then on to the living room (approx 40 sq m). The most striking feature of this room is its slightly curving stone wall, which is beautifully constructed and left exposed to be appreciated by all. This living room is easily large enough to be used as a reception room and formal dining room, and lends itself well to this as there are two distinct areas in the room thanks to the supporting pillars.
On the first floor there are two double bedrooms (32 and 21 sq m) and a bathroom with WC (9 sq m). Both bedrooms have exposed rafters and the master bedroom has also has floorboards and an en-suite WC, which could be extended to provide a full shower room.
With a door leading straight off the covered terrace, and also with an independent access from the courtyard, is the one bedroom gite. The ground floor is an open-plan (27 sq m) reception room with a small kitchenette, and also a bathroom with WC and on the first floor there is a double bedroom (19 sq m) with a view over the private walled courtyard. The annex has previously be let for holidays at around 400€ per week.
To the front of the house is a large courtyard located between the house and a stone barn, with ample parking for 3 or more cars. Beyond this area lies a 'secret garden' which is a smaller walled courtyard with exposed stone walls a fragrant climbing plants, a really beautiful area to sunbathe in absolute privacy!
The stone barn lends its self perfectly to be converted into residential space (subject to relevant permission); it even has its own access on to the lane which runs behind the property. The barn has water, drainage and electricity connected as there is already an office, WC and laundry room on the ground floor. Early works have been started to create a 1st floor apartment.
To the rear of the house there is a south west facing garden of around 1 acre, which is laid to lawn with mature trees and shrubs. A raised stone terrace runs along the rear of the house where you can sit and enjoy the garden views.
Located in the village of Salles de Villefagnan this property is equidistant between the market towns of Ruffec and Mansle and is around 35 minutes from Angoulême.


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Continuing our Matrix Monday series which summarises some of the limited available literature on the matrix, today we summarise "Matrix structures and the training implications", W. David Rees, Christine Porter, (2004), Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 36 Iss: 5, pp.189 – 193
This short paper stresses the importance of appropriate multi-disciplinary training for team leaders in matrix structures in order for the new organizational arrangement to be effective.
Within the context of reasons for implementation of matrix structures, it examines the need for matrix training and addresses some of the leadership obstacles to effective operation of matrix structures. These can include leadership motivation issues, the lack of formal authority for leaders in a matrix, the existence of weak management structures, and the reintegration of project leaders back into the wider organization after project completion.
The article proposes several strategies which will increase the chance of success within the matrix structure,
These include ensuring support from senior management, ensuring the soundness of the general management structure into which the matrix will be introduced, ensuring that reward arrangements are appropriate, providing adequate administrative support to the team, and keeping the effectiveness of the matrix structure under review.
The authors finally note that the introduction of matrix structures may reveal management selection and training needs on the part of the senior managers responsible for the implementation and monitoring of it.
The Matrix Monday series looks each week at a single article on Matrix issues. If you have literature that you would like summarised or reviewed as part of this series, or would like to speak with a consultant about the issues raised, please contact Global Integration.


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The weekend had come with a curious blend of weather, veering wildly between the glorious sun of Spring and, well, quite frankly, a blizzard. With snow on the ground on Monday morning, the boys were out in the garden making a tiny snowman, but by the afternoon all that remained was a small puddle with two stones, a carrot and a couple of sticks sitting forlornly in the middle. Inside the greenhouse the sweetcorn, lettuce and spinach were pushing green shoots out of the compost, the washing was on the line and the air was warming nicely. After a hard day's slog at the computer, it was time to get out on the bike. I selected the Lemond Etape again.
The roads were slick with melting slush, I didn't fancy going up the Black Dog again so I headed through Rudge, easing down the winding Scotland Lane to look for the end of that byway on the way. Sure enough, there was a signpost pointing over a bumpy field towards a copse of trees. I made a note to return soon with the Mountain Bike and tackle it from the other end. Down Rudge Hill I plummeted, executing a rather splendid skid to take the corner towards Brokerswood. Near the country park I found myself needing to view the plough, so I lent the bike against a mossy pole and took to the ditch to answer the urgent call of nature. Soon I was back on the road, one hand on the handlebars, no urgency to my riding.
I've recently taken up running, which seems to have freed me up from the need to go ridiculously fast everywhere on the bike, or at least to push myself too hard, not yet anyway, I'll save that for later in the year.
On towards Dilton, up and over the little railway bridges again, the landscape laid out in golden evening light. Beyond Warminster I could see the snow clouds slowly heading off over the plain, above me clear blue sky. It seems to me that it's hard to fix in my memory just how brilliantly blue the sky is, it's like seeing a kingfisher, the blue is always so startling and vivid. Perhaps I just think in muted tones.
At Dilton I decided to take a back route and ended up going up a very steep climb called Tower Hill. Suddenly I was beset by cars, growling and revving behind me as I inched up the twisty wooded lane. At the crest I swung left heading down a very narrow country road, about forty yards down, two gleaming 4x4s had arrived at a literal impasse and now sat head to head while the drivers, both dressed in quilted bodywarmers, motioned each other to go back. I squeezed past and left them to it, approaching a switchback I heard a crunch of gears and the whine of a Shogun reversing at speed so I took the first turning I saw. Immediately I needed another wee-wee. Perhaps it was the close attention of the cars, inducing nerves and anxiety, or maybe it was the six cups of tea I had drank during the day as I worked. No matter, much relieved I continued up the hill. The road was arched by trees, a squirrel bounced from branch to branch overhead as I trickled onwards. Birdsong flooded out from the greening undergrowth, enriching the air with clear, jewel-like tones. I've noticed that one of the digital radio stations has stopped broadcasting and been replaced with a loop of birdsong, apparently this has doubled the amount of listeners the previous station had. I like to listen to the channel when I'm washing up. Looking at the ukdigitalradio website I noticed it says:
"Please note that the line up of birds featured in the cast may change without warning due to illness, weather and migration."
There was a blackbird alarm call and then a weird continuous ringing tone started up, getting louder and louder. It turned into a roar and suddenly a train rushed past on the track that I hadn't noticed was right next to the road. A little way further up I came to a small bridge and a layby absolutely smothered with bin bags and flytipped rubbish. Paintpots, a skateboard, pizza boxes, dirty nappies, cans, someone had also decided to set fire to half of it at some point. It was a depressing sight and I quickly hurried past after taking a picture.
Reluctantly I headed back to the A36 and hurtled down Black Dog Hill, getting up to 42mph. Rather than take on the dual carriageway I turned into Beckington and pottered through the village, before skipping over the A36 and heading home.
A mere 16.5 miles, but proper bicycling none-the-less. More pictures at my Flickr page (including the flytipping).


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June 28, 2012 No comments
Customs Operations Delay Imports into Brazil
eBay asks buyers, sellers to be patient.
Sellers who ship items to Brazil should know that packages sent in the last few weeks may take significantly longer to reach their destinations. According an eBay General Announcements post, deliveries to Brazil have been delayed in recent weeks because of "ongoing customs operations." These operations include increased customs inspections as part of Operation Crimson Tide, which began in March and aims to combat fraud. Read More
April 5, 2012 No comments
Can You Sell Antiques and Collectibles to China?
Hi guys, I would be glad to read an article on sellers' experiences of selling antique and collectible goods to China. Recently, I have had to refund buyers for the non-delivery of antique crocodile and snakeskin handbags, and a vintage necklace, which contained some coral. Read More
November 10, 2009 No comments
Paris is Lovely Year-Round
Advice to take the worry out of shipping to international customers
When we began writing about e-commerce more than 10 years ago, the thought of shipping orders to international customers was enough to make a successful eBay seller cringe. Heck, we were nervous just writing about eBay sellers fulfilling international orders. Everything felt so overwhelming. Read More


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Urbanscapes is back this year, but I'm not sure if you will have to buy a ticket to access the grounds, or just the music section. So the marketplace, and foodie place, and lepak areas are not free again I guess. Wait. Before you head over to KL PAC, this year's event will be held at Astaka, PJ. Nnear the Eye Hospital/Asia Jaya.
Wait! Read this: At-the-door purchase only: RM25 tickets exclusively for TM customers only (please show receipt/bill/monthly statement at entrance)


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Introducing the Hunt Backcountry Podcast!
I am excited to announce a new project that I've been working on with my buddy, Steve Speck, from Exo Mountain Gear. The two of us have been tossing around the idea of starting a podcast for quite some time. Well, we finally decided to commit to making it happen. I am super excited to … [Read more…]


text:
Google announced "New Nexus 7" tablet
Google today announced their new Nexus 7 tablet a special event hosted by Android and Chrome chief Sundar Pichai. It's almost 2mm thinner than the original Nexus 7 with HD display(1920×1200, 323DPI). Other features includes dual speakers, 5mp rear camera and this is the first device shipping with Android 4.3, the new version of Jelly Bean. Android 4.3 supports advanced multi-user system, bringing in "restricted profiles", lets parents limit what their child's account can do, […]
Google announced Balloon powered Internet access – Project Loon
By Google's Project Loon, they wanted to give everyone on earth Internet access. They think it might actually be possible to build a ring of balloons, flying around the globe on the stratospheric winds, that provides Internet access to the earth below. They say We believe that it might actually be possible to build a ring of balloons, flying around the globe on the stratospheric winds, that provides Internet access to the earth below. It's […]
Introducing Google Drive
Google released Google Drive—a place where you can create, share, collaborate, and keep all of your stuff. Whether you're working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in Drive. You can upload and access all of your files, including videos, photos, Google Docs, PDFs and beyond. With Google Drive, you can: Create and collaborate. Google Docs is built […]
Google Account Activity gives you a monthly summary of your account activity across many Google products
With Account Activity Reports you can learn what's going on in your account, e.g. how many emails you have sent and received, how often you have searched on Google, from which countries you have logged in and how often your YouTube videos have been viewed. Every month the Account Activity Report will collect and summarise data across your Google account – e.g. sent emails or top searches. Data deletion at the data source, e.g. in […]
Import Orkut's albums to Google+
Orkut users can easily export their albums to Google+ with this simple tool. Note that in order to export your albums, you must have a Google+ account. Click http://www.orkut.com/AlbumsExport In the next screen, click each album you want to import or just click select all. Click Import selected. Wait for the export process to complete. You are done! Note that by default all exported albums are set as private in Google+ and only visible to […]
Download 100 Paid Android Apps(Like Fruit Ninja HD, BW, Smart Office etc. )For Free
GetJar is now offering GetJar Gold where users can get top android applications for free. Yes, you can download 100 paid apps(includes many famous and useful applications) for free. How to download? Goto http://mktg.getjar.com/getjargoldcatalogue.html on your mobile, scroll and view the app, press "Download Here" button and follow the instructions given by them. List of free applications 1. Aces 3d brick breaker 2. Aces jewel hunt 3. Advanced task manager 4. Age of zombies 5. […]
List Of Samsung Devices Getting Official Android 4.x Ice Cream Sandwich Update
The platform update for GALAXY S II and GALAXY Note will start in the first quarter 2012, and other GALAXY devices will soon follow. The ICS-upgradable devices are the GALAXY S II, GALAXY S II LTE, GALAXY Note, GALAXY R, GALAXY Tab 10.1, GALAXY Tab 8.9, GALAXY Tab 7.7, and GALAXY Tab 7.0 Plus. For upgradable models, Samsung will make separate announcements on details of OS updates schedule for each market according to market situation […]
The Google Docs Viewer launch support for 12 new file types
Google Docs allows us to quickly view documents online without leaving your browser. You can also upload and share these files in Google Docs, so that anyone can view the content using their browser. Now the Google Docs Viewer launch support for 12 new file types. Microsoft Excel (.XLS and .XLSX) Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 / 2010 (.PPTX) Apple Pages (.PAGES) Adobe Illustrator (.AI) Adobe Photoshop (.PSD) Autodesk AutoCad (.DXF) Scalable Vector Graphics (.SVG) PostScript (.EPS, .PS) […]
Enable desktop notifications in Chrome for Gmail, Chat & Calendar
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Google's Guide To Browsers and the Web
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Shatil reaches out to players who help us further our vision of a just and equitable Israel. Our partners include the academic world, Knesset Members, government ministries, local councils, hospitals, PTAs, reporters, businesses, foundations, and of course, our colleagues at social change organizations. This way, we are not only more effective, but we also disseminate our message to those who might not view social change as a part of their mandate. By broadening the social change arena, we generate greater impact.
Coalitions and Forums
Shatil provides professional services to a broad range of coalitions and forums in Israel in a variety of areas including social justice, human rights and religious pluralism.
Among the coalitions and forums we coordinate or work closely with:
- The Forum for a Social Budget
- The Forum for Public Housing
- The Coalition for Affordable Housing
- National Coalition for Direct Employment
- The Coalition Against the Exclusion of Women from the Public Sphere
- The Forum to Abolish the Arrangements Law
- Yachdav for the Prevention of Violence in the Ethiopian Family
- Ramat Hovav Forum for Environmental Quality in the regions surrounding the industrial compound in the Negev
Partnering with Academia
Shatil works with leading academic institutions in Israel as well as several colleges in the geographic periphery to empower the voices of the disenfranchised, to spread best practices and to build a commitment to social justice and equality among emerging leaders and leading thinkers. Among the institutions we collaborate with are Tel Aviv University, where we coordinate a practicum for sociology and anthropology as well as communications students; Hebrew University in Jerusalem where we work with social work students; Sapir College with which we implement a joint course in resource development; and other academic institutions throughout the country with which we have diverse collaborations.
Partnering with Government
Shatil has made the strategic decision to intensify our joint work with national government and local authorities. In northern Israel, for example, we cooperated with the Haifa Municipality's Social Services Authority in planning and implementing a project for training social and community workers. Providing the participants with better knowledge of public policy and its role in promoting social justice and combating poverty, the training improved the capacity of social and community workers to serve as agents of change in weakened communities.
Other partnerships with the government include round-table collaborations between business, NGO and government representatives in dealing with government policies toward the third sector and an interdisciplinary team of some 90 prime movers in the Negev including several heads of regional councils and municipalities, which seeks to become the central address for government, academic and nonprofit programs in the Negev.


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Question: What do 50% of our guests have for dinner on check in day? The answer is: Pizza. Well, we are here today to tell you there is another great option!
The Fresh Market! It is located between Palmetto Dunes and Sea Pines right off Hwy. 278 in the Fresh Market Shoppe's.
This grocery store which has some wonderful prepared foods for your kick off vacation dinner such as rotisserie chickens, southern side dishes, take and bake pizzas and a deli. This way you will not have to lift a finger!
To start off your shopping experience you will pass the gorgeous fresh cut flowers area which are sure to brighten anyone's day!
Next you will stroll through the perfectly arranged produce area and you will find the freshest heirloom tomatoes, Meyer lemons, key limes and exotic mushrooms just to name a few! They offer fresh fruit and veggie platters pre-made for convenience as well.
This store is truly a gourmet one stop shop! They offer everything from A to Z. There is a butcher case with USDA prime meats, bakery case with gorgeous cakes and pastries made in house, a unique imported and domestic cheese case which pairs great with their outstanding wine selection.
On Tuesdays they offer a buy 1, get 1 free special on select items throughout the store and there is typically something from the meat department included which is a HUGE savings!
Be sure to check it out at least once while you're here! Enjoy!
Start Planning Your Hilton Head Island Vacation Today!


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Birthday wishes on Facebook are kind of expected these days.
It's nice that Facebook not only reminds you about your friends' birthdays, but they also give you a chance to spend some money and send them a gift card right away. Of course, they're happy to pocket some cash in the process in order to help their flailing stock.
However, if more than 3 people share the same birthday in your contacts, it can be rather annoying to wish them a happy birthday because a new set of ads/gift options will pop up after every message. This in turn expands the window and pushes everything down. You can't use the scroll wheel on your mouse, that will only move the news feed. There's no scroll bar for this pop up window that will let you scroll down to the next birthday buddy, either. It's a little annoying.
The quick workaround is to work from the bottom-up. If you begin your birthday wishes with the last person in the "Today's Birthdays" window, only the contacts you've already sent a message to will be pushed down, which will save you a little extra time to get to the next friend, without the fuss of a window with no navigation ability.
The time it won't save you won't be much, probably less than the time it took to read this. However, it does make the Facebook experience a little less annoying. It's likely that in the near future, they'll streamline the gifting process more.


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Over The Edge is a special events company that provides signature events for non-profit organizations around the world. Business leaders, individuals, and community members are invited to raise donations in exchange for the experience of going Over The Edge of a prominent building. This unique event generates front page news, raises tens of thousands of dollars and provides participants with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Over The Edge is responsible for all technical aspects of the event including the insurance, professional staff, and rappelling equipment. Their mission is to create a legacy with a 10-year goal to help non-profit organizations throughout North America raise $50 million dollars.
Every Over The Edge events sets up as an industrial work site that is OSHA compliant and based on IRATA and SPRAT rigging and safety best practices. We use industrial equipment that is similar to the gear used by professionals in the rope access industry. Our event staff includes some of the best and highly trained rope access technicians in the world. Our impeccable safety record is a testament to these high standards. Each event site has a comprehensive Site Inspection & Safety Plan completed and if every potential risk cannot be mitigated, then the site will simply not be approved. For a more detailed explanation click here.
Anyone with a desire to support a worthy cause and enough courage to go Over The Edge is welcomed to participate! There are a few requirements: Participants must weigh between 100 and 300 lbs., be at least 12 years old (a parent or guardian must sign a waiver for all participants under 18), and raise a minimum of $1,000. No prior experience is necessary, just enough courage to go Over The Edge for PCL!
We accep two kinds of teams. Firstly, you can partner with a friend and form a Fearless Friend Team of two people. Companies or organizations can also form teams. For more information, please see our Fearless Leaders page.
Event organizers will do their absolute best to schedule your teammate's rappels as close together as possible. Please keep in mind scheduling is on a first-come, first-serve basis and it may not be possible to schedule everyone in subsequent order. Please also note that at most events there are only two ropes on event day, so even if you are scheduled together, it is not possible to have more than two individuals rappel together at the same time.
Typically Over the Edge can operate in rain. When rain, lightning, wind or heat become extreme, the event will be delayed at least 10 minutes from the last observed strike or sound of thunder or until the conditions ease and are deemed safe by event personnel. Event organizers will reach out to all participants if weather affects rappel time.
Once you have signed up for your rappel, we will notify you in case of a full day rain delay. Note: Rain dates are always the following day of the scheduled event.
Please arrive one hour prior to your rappel time at The Regency Plaza. PCL volunteers will be onsite to direct you and take you through the staging area to training and then your rappel! After you have successfully completed your challenge you are free to watch other rappels or leave the event.
From registration to rappelling, your thrill of a lifetime should take approximately 1.5 hours. The actual rappel will average 10 minutes but could be as long as 20+ minutes depending on the individual's rappelling pace. Afterwards, you are welcome to stay and cheer on other participants!
Over the Edge at the Regency Plaza is 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday, May 4. Rappellers will also receive an email confirming their rappel time one week before the event.
Please wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes. You will be provided with helmets, harnesses and all other rappelling equipment needed. If you are dressing up, please run your outfit of choice by PCL organizers before event day to ensure it complies with safety regulations. Please also note: all personal items including cell phones and cameras must be left at registration.
The money you raise goes towards furthering the mission of Providence Community Library.
You have until May 4 to raise the $1,000 minimum. Should you not meet this minimum fundraising amount by event day and still wish to rappel, you will be required to pay the remaining amount before you will be permitted to take part in the rappel.
We will be working with you throughout your fundraising period. If you do not have 50% of your $1,000 ($500) by two weeks prior to your rappel you will be contacted by us to discuss your progress and your ability to raise the funds by event day. We're here to help you!
All donations will automatically get a tax receipt if run through our online donation system. Offline donations will be mailed tax receipts.
Yes, simply bring or mail any cash or checks made payable to Providence Community Library. Remember to bring full names and addresses for tax receipt purposes and to write your name on the check. If you are part of a Fearless Leader team, please write your company name on the check.
All monies raised are considered a donation to Providence Community Library and are non-refundable. If you or someone on your team does not wish to rappel on event day, you may offer a replacement to rappel in his/her place provided appropriate waivers are signed and they have registered on the site with PCL staff.
You can guarantee your spot to go Over The Edge by filling out a Credit Card Security Deposit Form. If you haven't reached the fundraising minimum by the May 4th deadline your card will be charged the difference. For example, if you raise $850 by May 4, your card will be charged $150.00 and you'll be able to go Over The Edge! Then you'll have 30 more days to raise funds, and any donations you receive will count towards your goal. We will then reimburse your credit card up to the amount you were charged.


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Nintendo's next console, the Switch, has generated a great deal of fanfare. From the months of rumours and speculation over the NX (as it was codenamed), to the sense of cautious optimism following its unveiling, gamers and Nintendo fans seem interested in what the console can offer. The Big N held a Switch Presentation last night, which answered many questions, and showed off a selection of the games coming to the system.
The Presentation kicked off strong, revealing that the Switch will launch worldwide on 3 March 2017, at a suggested retail price of $299.99 (roughly R4,055 locally). The European price has yet to be announced, and will vary between retailers. This is important to note, because South Africa is considered a European region in the gaming market.
Next came some news about Nintendo Online Services, which will enable online multiplayer. Much like PlayStation Plus or Xbox Gold, this will be a paid service, and more details about pricing will be revealed soon. In a similar vein to those other online services, Nintendo subscribers will also be able to download and play an NES or SNES title each month, according to the company's website. Whether you get to keep the games hasn't been revealed, but some SNES titles will have online multiplayer added in. The Switch is also doing away with region locking, allowing games from any region to work on the system. Nice move, Nintendo.
The presentation then explained the Switch, and how its different modes work. It was nothing new, just detailing how the system allows you to play on your TV, or on the go. The only really important reveal was the battery life, ranging from three to six hours, depending on the game. The system can be played while charging, and is powered through a USB Type C port. Also, up to eight Switch systems can connect for local multiplayer via Wi-Fi.
Next came a detailed look at the Joycon controllers. If you didn't know, the controllers exist as two pieces, and can be either attached to the touch screen (seen above), attached to a grip to act as a typical controller, or used separately in each hand. The Joycons are actually incredibly impressive, packing in features like infrared cameras, NFC readers, and advanced rumble technology.
The first gameplay presentation was for 1-2 Switch, a casual party game featuring a bunch of motion-controlled minigames. The games are played primarily played face-to-face, and essentially pit players in a game of reflexes. 1-2 Switch will launch alongside the console on 3 March.
The next game was a competitive fighting game called ARMS. It looks wacky, and casts players as fighters with really long, extendable arms. The game is played through motion controls, and is basically a mix of boxing and shooting. It's also Nintendo's first new IP since Splatoon.
Speaking of Splatoon, the hit competitive shooter is getting a sequel on the Switch. Creatively titled Splatoon 2, it will feature familiar ink-spewing gameplay, with the addition of new weapons, stages, and supermoves. Splatoon 2 will launch sometime in mid-2017, and both post-launch content and ongoing events are planned.
Following this was the next big title for gaming's foremost mascot: Super Mario Odyssey. The game will be a 3D platformer, and features some locations completely new to the Mario universe, such as a scale version of New York City. The trailer shows off new traversal methods, and new gameplay mechanics featuring Mario's hat. Super Mario Odyssey is planned for release in late 2017.
The game announcements started coming through quickly from this point, beginning with the surprise reveal of Xenoblade Chronicles 2.
Following that was a teaser for Fire Emblem Warriors, a hack-and-slash brawler from the team behind Dynasty Warriors, and the recent Hyrule Warriors.
Moving on, Nintendo revealed that over 80 third-party games are in development for the Switch. Two brief teaser trailers played, announcing the next Shin Megami Tensei, and a highly stylised RPG called Project Octopath Traveler. A video then played, showing Tod Howard, director of Bethesda Game Studios, officially announcing Skyrim for the Nintendo Switch. Suda 51, from Grasshopper Manufacture, announced that the star of No More Heroes would be coming to the Switch. There were no other details, but fans of Travis Touchdown should be happy to see his return.
Following this, EA's Patrick Söderlund took to the stage, and announced that FIFA would be coming to the Switch. He promised more details would follow, and that it would be "the most immersive, social, authentic sports game, ever created for Nintendo players". After this, a sizzle reel of Switch games played, showing off a slice of the console's lineup.
The presentation then detailed what the Switch would be sold with, and its different varieties. Each system ships with the screen, dock, Joycon controllers, the Joycon grip, and all the necessary cables. Two options will be available at launch – one with grey controllers, and one with red and blue. Both options will sell for the same price.
The presentation ended strongly, having saved all its Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild news for last. After a truly spectacular trailer (seriously, I still have goosebumps), it was revealed that the game will be a launch title for the Switch, hitting shelves on 3 March.
And that brought the presentation to a close. All in all, the Nintendo Switch is looking promising. Its price point is fairly low, its controllers are impressive and innovative, and its portable battery life is similar to that of a New 3DS. Also, it appears that third-party developers are keen to work with the system, which may save the Switch from the slow death that befell the Wii U. The entire presentation is below if you want to watch it, skip to the 33:31 mark for the actual start.


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The meeting aims to develop the content of the on-line training on gender equality mainstreaming in border security and management.
This training course, organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the Transnational Threats Department in close co-operation with the Spanish National Police (Policia Nacional) is part of a multi-year initiative aimed to strengthen co-operation mechanisms between border security and management agencies of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (PfC) and participating States (pS). It will focus on risks at the borders and ways to be used to tackle contemporary challenges, ranging from transnational crime and terrorism to irregular migration flows both at land and maritime borders.
The goal of the roundtable is to identify the required elements for the needs assessment to be conducted in Ukraine and for the potential technical assistance project/s.
This meeting, organised by the Transnational Threats Department/Borders Unit (TNTD/BU) and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, aims to examine ways to promote cross-border co-operation and confidence building across the borders in the OSCE area.


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Updated: 7th April, 2020 6:18 AM.
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Real Estate | Star-Gazette Powered by Placester


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Days have passed, time zones have changed, continents have been traversed, yet I can't – nor do I want to – shake a magical moment in Morocco that sent shivers down my spine, right before Shabbat began.
It's difficult enough to imagine that I had a religious experience in a country where only a handful of Jews remain. It's all the more amazing that it occurred in a sacred pilgrimage village that was once forbidden to non-Muslims. Moulay Idriss is where the faithful gather at the tomb of the great-grandson of Muhammad, who brought Islam to Morocco.
I travelled to the town from the ancient city of Volubilis, which was once a provincial Roman capital and is an undeniably impressive site. Among the incredibly preserved remains (to call them "ruins" would be doing them a disservice) were parts of a synagogue and plots of land that belonged to an active Jewish community. Here, as in many places in this area back in the day, the three major religions lived harmoniously – if not best friends, then at least peaceful cohabitants.
This became even more apparent as I continued to tour Morocco. In every city or village I visited, signs of a once-vibrant Jewish quarter (mellah in Arabic) were not just evident, but prominent: street signs named after rabbis; plaques indicating where synagogues once stood; and locked gates protecting ancient Jewish cemeteries.
As excited and proud as I was to see these markers, it was also somewhat troubling and depressing. For as much as Jews were once treated with respect and dignity in these towns (mellahs were purposefully built near the royal palace, as the ruler of the day wanted the Jews close by for their business acumen and wise counsel), there are no longer any signs of active Jewish life as far as I could tell.
This was especially evident as I came across the gate to the Jewish cemetery in Fes – the country's second-largest city, which is often referred to as Morocco's cultural capital. Coercing my way inside (after a monetary show of appreciation to an old woman passing by who somehow had a key), I explored hundreds of whitewashed tombs, until I came upon a building with a locked door. A few more coins changed hands and an even older man carrying a huge set of keys miraculously appeared and led me to a sight that left me speechless.
I was standing inside one of the most beautiful, ornate shuls I have ever seen. It was decorated from floor to ceiling with mosaic tiles, hand-carved wooden accents and elaborate hanging lamps. But all of this – along with the Aron Kodesh and bimah – were almost impossible to see through the clutter that filled every inch of space. It was like a huge Jewish junk shop (flea market, if I'm being kind). Everything from dusty tefillin to old kosher butcher signs, discarded sheitels and paintings of revered rabbis (along with a facsimile of the Mona Lisa right next to an ark containing the lone, shabby Torah scroll). Remnants of hundreds of years of vibrant Jewish life had been thrown into what the old man now called "the museum."
This all came back to me on my pre-Shabbat trek through the hills of Moulay Idriss. As I stopped to catch my breath, below me, I saw the village's picture-perfect medina. And then it started – a low, mournful wail that cut through the silence not like a dagger, but like a butter knife spreading an aural layer on the picture painted below. At that moment, the muezzin's call to prayer – which is directed toward Allah, in Arabic – could just as easily have been the Shema, directed toward ha-Shem. It was an opportunity to stop and reflect upon the beauty surrounding me, and to thank my creator for all that had led me there. The chills began. It was a Kabbalat Shabbat like no other.
This experience – which seemed to last for hours, but was no more than minutes – shook me to my core and brought to a head what I had been feeling throughout my Moroccan adventure. The similarities and shared practices between Arabic and Jewish cultures were evident everywhere: the hamsa to ward off evil; the families sitting on low stools during the seven-day grieving period after the death of a loved one; the accepted behaviour (or lack thereof) in a shuk; the food; the music. Even Arabic words were easily understandable to my Hebraic ears. For example, the aforementioned "mellah" was thusly named because the Jewish merchants dealt in salt- "melach").
I felt more of a kinship with the citizens of Morocco than with most North Americans I have encountered throughout my travels in the U.S. and Canada. The more time I spend in the Arab world (having visited Egypt and Jordan, as well), the more ludicrous our conflicts appear. At the risk of oversimplifying – and condensing centuries of terror, hatred and bloodshed into what might be perceived as a naive statement – there is no doubt in my mind that our struggles and battles over the years have been between family, not strangers. (With plenty of black sheep on both sides to ensure that true familial harmony will never prevail.)
But standing on that Moroccan hilltop gave me a renewed sense of hope. As the song goes, Kol ha'olam kulo, gesher tsar me'od – the whole world is a very narrow bridge. I can only pray that we all cross it together, safely and peacefully.


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Two poverty researchers discuss about the social forces reinforcing the cycle of segregation.
For a good chunk of the 20th century, residential segregation by race was a fact of life in America. Today, that's still the case in many cities around the country. While residential segregation has, on average, declined, in many parts of the United States it remains stubbornly high.
Researchers who study segregation typically focus on a few possible explanations for the persistence of segregation in America—the economic barriers faced by minorities, for example, or housing market discrimination. But in a new book, Cycle of Segregation, out this week, researchers Maria Krysan and Kyle Crowder suggest a new perspective, which they refer to as the social structural sorting perspective. Or, in layman's terms: The many ways in which an individual's daily life—their social networks, the neighborhoods they live and work in and travel through, etc.—might serve to perpetuate segregation.
"All of these daily processes that are baked into our social lives really shape the way that we perceive our residential choices," Crowder told me recently. "And because our social networks and our daily activities and our residential experiences are all racially circumscribed—they differ by race—members of different racial and ethnic groups are facing, or perceiving, different kinds of residential options."
For more, I sat down with Krysan and Crowder to talk about their new book and its implications for housing policy.
What are the assumptions many researchers make about segregation?
MK: One of the assumptions is that people know about all of the places that they could possibly live, that they could afford to live in, and they knew the characteristics of the communities. So they have sort of comprehensive knowledge of all the communities, how much it costs to live there, what the services are. And then they go about their housing search considering all of those options and, sort of, computer-like, process the information and decide the ones that fit their residential preferences with their economic means and then there's the answer. This assumption sort of ignores the social processes that feed those perceptions.
In the book, you talk about three stages of the housing search—the pre-search stage, stage one, and stage two. What happens in each of those stages?
MK: The pre-search stage is what we do all day, every day, as we move around a place before we're searching for a place to live. It's all the other stuff: the lived experiences, reading the newspaper, talking to friends, shopping and going places; you're gathering all this information without intentionally gathering it for the purpose of finding a place to live.
When you decide you want to move, you enter stage one: the process of drawing on this information that you've gathered throughout your life to decide which two or three communities you're going to focus your attention on. That first-stage process is informed not by computer-like behaviors, but by heuristics—shortcuts that decide which of the many possible communities you're going to search in. So you might have two or three characteristics: You need to live near your family; you need to live within a five-mile radius of your work. You use your shortcuts to decide if communities fit these features or not. Geography is an easy one, but it's also schools. I'm going to use heuristics to make decisions about which communities are going to have "the good schools" that I want to send my kids to.
Once you've figured out stage one, which is the two or three suburbs or neighborhoods in a city you're going to look at, then you get to the process of what people have in mind when they think about searching for housing, which is finding the actual unit.
You both spent a lot of time interviewing people in Chicago about how they perceive different neighborhoods or suburbs. Some of the people of color you interviewed were really not interested in living in mostly white suburbs, because of concerns about discrimination they might face in those towns.
MK: In today's conversations with African Americans, it's less about the old-fashioned cross burning in my front yard; it's more about being welcomed: Would people look at me funny? If something does go wrong in the neighborhood, would they think it was my fault?
It's an interesting example of another point of our book. There is explicit discrimination, where people refuse to rent to you. But there's also this issue of anticipated discrimination, which factors into the decision-making process. It's not that discrimination doesn't matter, but to some extent it matters even more profoundly than has been characterized. It's not just about the landlord that won't rent to the African-American tenant. If I've heard that my friend tried to rent in that suburb and they had a landlord refuse them, I don't want to live in a place where that's the ethos.
Let's talk a bit about how social networks are affecting housing decisions. How did this play out for some of the people you interviewed?
MK: One of the most interesting parts of writing this book has been uncovering the expected and unexpected ways in which that happens. There's the traditional, actual finding of a vacancy—literally, "I saw a place next door, you should go move there."
The other obvious one that you get is, "My mom lives there, and I want to be near here while she's getting older." Or, "I have sisters that live in that suburb and I want to be closer to them because they're my family."
For me, what was interesting was the less-direct stuff. You're sitting around the office talking about places and your co-worker talks about where she lives and that becomes information that you now have about what a place is like. It all feeds into perception of a place.
KC: And both of those mechanisms have important implications for segregation. Somebody growing up on the north side of Chicago, for example, will have friends and family that tend to be concentrated in one set of neighborhoods very different from the neighborhoods of the friends and family of somebody who grew up on the south side. That racial circumscription of social networks means that we're facing different locations of that instrumental information and different indirect information about characteristics of different kinds of neighborhoods.
One takeaway from this book is that it might be possible to at least nudge the needle on some of these segregation issues without a huge investment in affordable housing, which doesn't seem like it's on the horizon. What kinds of interventions do you think might be effective at these different stages of the housing search?
MK: I'm glad that message comes through. There are more levers, more ways to intervene in these processes.
There's local government, which wants to increase the diversity of its community and encourage movers of all races and ethnicities. [Advocates should] say: "There's an information process that goes on in housing searches, and the deck is stacked against us attracting whatever group we're interested in attracting in order to create the diversity in a community, and we can intervene in that information process. We can do advertisement and PR campaigns about our community." That's a very straightforward, lower-cost effort to try to change pre-search and stage one.
KC: It would be a mistake to believe that all we really need is to intervene in the social process of the search and try to change individual behaviors. These social processes that we're highlighting operate within a profoundly racially stratified structural system.
There are assumptions about correlating characteristics, things like, "Neighborhoods with a particular racial composition have this quality schools or this level of crime." We need to combat the kernel of truth behind those assumptions. We need to address or redress those structural conditions that lead to underfunding schools in black neighborhoods, for example. If we focus just on the social behavior of individuals, we lose sight of the fact that we really need to address those structural inequalities.
Right, and by the same token, just because there are these social forces reinforcing segregation, that doesn't mean that economic force or discrimination, for example, aren't also significant barriers to integration. It doesn't mean that we don't also need to expand voucher programs and enforce housing discrimination laws.
KC: Right, we're not saying that economic forces in discrimination are unimportant. In fact, there are dramatic racial and ethnic differences in socioeconomic resources that alter the ability of some groups to just gain access to certain kinds of neighborhoods even if they know about them. It is important to create more affordable opportunities in predominately white neighborhoods if you're going to integrate those neighborhoods. And it's really important to combat discrimination; one act of discrimination can have this ripple effect that dissuades a lot of people from entering a particular neighborhood.
Even if you develop affordable housing in a currently exclusive neighborhood, if you don't address the social processes that lead people to sort themselves into those neighborhoods, it's pointless. You have to address those social sorting processes as well.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. It originally appeared on Pacific Standard, an editorial partner site. Subscribe to the magazine in print and follow Pacific Standard on Twitter to support journalism in the public interest.


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Here are some of the most commonly asked questions answered by the experts: scientists, and those who've experienced first hand the impact of cannabis use and psychosis
Research says
YES. Cannabis is linked to psychosis as one of the factors associated with developing a psychotic disorder.
The jury is no longer out. We now have substantial evidence that regular cannabis use in adolescence increases the risk of developing psychosis.
The risk with use varies from an estimated 4x to 12x depending on factors such as family history of mental illness, age at which cannabis use starts and THC content of the cannabis.
Specifically, regular cannabis use in adolescence:
- is linked the development of a chronic life-long psychotic disorder in at-risk individuals.
- is associated with an earlier age of onset of psychosis.
- can complicate and/or prevent recovery in individuals already diagnosed with a psychotic disorder.
Youth voice
I'm still not sure what caused what, but I wish I had more information.
It triggered it. Because I was smoking a lot of it several times a day and hearing stuff... I hallucinated right after smoking.
I couldn't tell whether it was the weed that did it, or was it my brain that was affected… and the weed was a trigger
I think smoking pot increases symptoms in people with mental disorders and those who don't have mental disorders – if there's any trace of it in their family history it can make it go "boom".
Psychotic symptoms starting happening and I heard radio messages and voices in my head and then I stopped and haven't smoked since.
Research says
Possibly you. We have no way at present to identify who will have a mental health crisis with cannabis use.
Research has shown that cannabis use impacts psychosis. Cannabis use impacts age of onset and the development of psychosis.
People who use cannabis in their early teenage years (<age 15) are at greater risk of developing psychosis, at a younger age, and later in life.
Cannabis use has been shown to trigger and worsen psychosis in some young people. They are also likely to experience their first symptoms at a younger age.
The earliest onset is associated with higher THC "skunk" cannabis strains; an average of 6 years earlier onset. This association is so strong that it may be to blame for London, England having one of the highest rates of psychosis incidence in the world.
Overall, this knowledge has led to the development of lower risk cannabis use guidelines that strongly suggest starting cannabis use later in life.
Youth voice
I think it could play a role to speed up the things that happened – psychosis, definitely. I think it triggers for some people susceptible, but not necessarily all people.
I think there definitely is a link between psychosis and any type of drug use including marijuana. Because it makes you hallucinate. It intensifies existing hallucinations and thoughts and then creates a mass amount of anxiety.
Research says
We only have a short list of currently known risk factors such as starting cannabis use before age 15, having a relative with a mental illness increases your risk, and use of high THC cannabis strains.
Unfortunately, we cannot tell who is who is at risk of developing psychosis if they use cannabis but we do have several risk factors that we can name.
- The age at which cannabis use is started in one of these factors with below age 15 being especially dangerous.
- The amount of THC in the cannabis
- The balance of CBD and THC in cannabis
This knowledge has led to the development of lower risk cannabis use guidelines that strongly suggest starting cannabis use later in life.
Youth voice
If I had not started smoking marijuana I would never have known I had psychosis… it would never have come out. Because it was technically the drug that was causing me to have psychotic symptoms.
What is psychosis?
Research says
Psychosis is a mental state in which you lose touch with reality.
Psychosis is a break with reality characterized by hallucinations, false beliefs (delusions), impaired thinking and lack of motivation.
For more information about psychosis, please see the facts section.
Youth voice
It was chaotic, my thinking was scattered when I smoked and I had a lot of bizarre thoughts. Some of the stuff like how to control other people through thoughts… got really paranoid I would go too in depth with it on my own away from my friends.
Research says
There are several types of motivation for cannabis use. People use for different reasons at different times.
The reasons for using cannabis vary from individual to individual and even use to use; but we have some categories for the various motivations for using cannabis.
Enhancement motives can be thought of as adding excitement to your life. This is often a motivation for recreational drug use.
Social motives are those that cause you to indulge in a behavior to help you enjoy a party for instance.
Conformity as the word implies is acting to be like your peers.
Coping is a motive that is often applied to cannabis use in relation to psychosis. This motive relates to people using to help cope with stress and anxiety.
Routine is an additional category of motive and we often think of this motive as the one people can avoid if they have activities and interests in their lives. This motive is cited when people use out of boredom.
There has been some research done on motivations to use cannabis. There has been a systematic review (a large formal review of the literature joining that gives an overview of the results from different studies) done looking at motives for cannabis use. This overview suggested that early onset of use (11-15 years of age), regular use that was not related to social motives and use to cope with stressful life events were all risk factors for developing a cannabis use disorder.
Conformity motives predicted use but not dependence. Coping may be a motive more often used by women when deciding to use cannabis. While routine and conformity are often motives for men to use cannabis. Additionally, there are studies that suggest having a mental illness might be a risk factor for developing a cannabis use disorder but these were mixed. This makes it unclear if people use cannabis to self-medicate in relation to their mental disorder.
Youth voice
It's fun and disorienting like the most insane rollercoaster I've ever been on.
It helps me relax – a lot – it makes me carefree – like nothing matters except for the moment…. I'm not used to living like that. It puts me in that state.
I wanted to... all my friends tried it before me. I was the only one who hadn't…
At first it took away the pain and depression then it all just back tracked - it instantly starting causing pain and depressed feelings.
I've never tried it because I don't like the smell. I was worried about my health, and I was into school and sports and I didn't feel pressure to do it. I was drawn to a different crowd.
Research says
Although there is a lot of information out there about the different properties of Sativa vs. Indica, scientifically (and legally), there is no difference between these two types of cannabis plants. And all cannabis plants are considered to be Cannabis Sativa L.
They were originally different strains of cannabis that came from different regions of the world. However, due to years of interbreeding, cannabis species have cross-pollinated, and studies have shown that there is no longer a difference in plant genetics between plants labeled Indica versus plants labeled Sativa. The existence of different species of cannabis and how many there are is currently under dispute.
What about THC and CBD?
Just knowing whether cannabis is sativa or indica won't tell you much about the effect it might have when used. There are many other significant characteristics and differences between different types of pot, especially when it comes to THC and CBD content. High THC cannabis refers to strains with greater than 15% THC, and these are becoming more common in Canada. THC is the compound that mostly gives you the "high".
However, for the developing brain these are the strains that are potentially the most damaging as they overwhelm your body's internal cannabinoid system, which is busy making sure your brain regions connect correctly. Also these higher THC strains are associated with a higher risk of developing psychosis even without a family history.
These high THC strains are also usually low in CBD. CBD is known as the neuroprotective component in the cannabis plant. In previous decades there was a balance between the ratio of THC:CBD, this is why older research suggests cannabis use is less risky for mental health. High CBD strains are often used in medical marijuana patients as they have less of the high and more of the potential medical benefits.
While the safest approach for youth is to wait to try cannabis, if you are considering using or have been using, a less-risky approach is to use a lower THC strain (8% or below) with an equal % of CBD. These would be similar to the strains in the 2000s and earlier and we know from research done then that the risk of developing psychosis is still there but it is 2-4x rather than 8-12x.
Also research done in 2000s and before would suggest that there is also less impact on anxiety and depression with these strains of weed. However, we do not know if there will be permanent changes done to your developing brain structure even with use of these strains. More research needs to be done.
Youth voice
When I switched from a high THC to a high CBD strain, it made a big difference.
It was helpful for me to learn about different strains and how they affected my psychosis.
Changing my weed habits was hard but it really helped in my recovery.
The more info I had, the more I felt empowered to make my own choices.
Research says
A "bad trip" has some of the features of a psychotic episode.
How can you know if you're experiencing psychosis or just a bad high? It can be difficult to distinguish the difference because a bad trip that can occur when smoking cannabis has some of the same symptoms as a psychotic break. Cannabis use can cause a temporary psychotic episode in some people.
You may know someone who has had a bad trip. Unfortunately, we now know that those who have had a bad trip on cannabis are at high risk for developing a psychotic disorder, which is a chronic condition such as schizophrenia.
Youth voice
It intensified existing hallucinations and thoughts, and then creates a mass amount of anxiety.
I feel like people are coming after me, really paranoid.
I never realized it was psychosis, started getting paranoid when I started smoking weed… I didn't realize until later and connected the dots.
Research says
Yes, cannabis is addictive.
Cannabis use can cause addiction in some people. In the same way that not everyone who has a drink becomes addicted to alcohol, not everyone who uses cannabis will become dependent.
People sometimes point to scales of addiction and use the lower addictive potential of cannabis as proof of how cannabis is unlikely to cause addiction. However, on these scales cannabis is usually ranked with coffee for addictive potential. How many people do you know that have to have their morning cup of coffee or get a withdrawal headache?
Individuals who are dependent on cannabis will also experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using such as anxiety, a strong sense of uneasiness, sleep disturbances, irritability, loss of appetite and in some cases, aggressive behavior.
People who are dependent on cannabis have what is called a cannabis use disorder. This disorder may affect up to 30% of cannabis users. We do know that younger age of starting cannabis use and use of high THC (also known as high potency) cannabis can increase the risk for developing a cannabis use disorder.
Unfortunately, we do not currently have effective treatments for cannabis use disorders.
Youth voice
In the beginning it was if friends had it… to buying… to once in awhile… to once to twice a week… to everyday then to several times a day.
I was smoking weed all day everyday to deal with my problems instead of dealing with them in real life.
At the same time I don't like how it makes me feel afterwards even if it cheers me up. I lose my motivation for the day, kinda similar to a hangover… I go through ups and downs, I feel pretty good, laughing, having a good time… then I start worrying about things and I get tired too.
Research says
Cannabis binds to receptors in the brain to give the high that people experience. Unfortunately, this binding action may overrule the natural function of these receptors.
Why does cannabis use affect mental health especially if you start using as a teenager? The answer is tied to brain development. Your brain develops from birth up to about age 25. The brain develops in stages- basically from the more ancient parts of the brain, closer to the back of the head (such as those areas that control breathing) towards the front with your prefrontal lobe (the very front of the cortex), which develops last.
This region of your brain is most involved in your personality, decision making and social behavior. You have cannabinoid molecules that your body makes to perform biological functions within you. In the developing brain, the receptors that bind these biological cannabinoids are used to guide brain cells to make the correct connections needed for healthy brain function.
Plant cannabinoids such as THC and CBD bind to these same receptors and research suggests that the large amount of signal that comes from inhaling or ingesting weed overwhelms the normal brain development process.
The reason adults over 25 are not at the same risk is that these cannabinoid receptors have done their job finishing brain development and then research suggests that this function is turned off by the cannabinoid receptors changing their pattern of expression (where in the brain the receptors exist).
Youth voice
Smoking made me feel better in the moment, but I'm pretty sure it made things worse over time.
It was chaotic, my thinking was scattered when I smoked and I had a lot of bizarre thoughts.
We're finding that pot use seems to change over time, and people start for different reasons. I cant believe how early some people start smoking pot! The most common response is 12 years old!
Are there gender differences?
Research says
Cannabis affects men and women differently such as women store THC in their bodies for longer.
Did you know that there are sex differences in how we react to cannabis? It is well known from drug use surveys that males tend to use more recreational drugs than females. Unfortunately, this may be masking some troubling trends that are being newly researched. In early psychosis, females usually have a later age of onset than males, and female cannabis users may develop earlier onset psychosis with cannabis use.
There is also evidence that females who use cannabis may be less likely to quit and they report a lower quality of life than male cannabis users. More research needs to be done on this topic. While there are gender differences that may exist with cannabis use and psychosis there is no evidence for socioeconomic or ethnic differences.
Research says
Cannabis use can impair recovery and treatment options if you already have a mental illness.
What about use in people who have already been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder? Ongoing cannabis use in people with psychotic disorders has been shown to be associated with more frequent relapses, more frequent hospitalizations, and greater positive symptoms in users compared to non-users with psychosis.
Besides the link with psychosis, there is increasing evidence that using cannabis can also impact mental health in other ways.
Our current understanding is that cannabis use can increase the risk for depression and some forms of anxiety disorder.
Overall, the literature shows that cannabis use is positively associated with symptoms of depression and, when begun in adolescence, can increase the risk of developing depression.
Cannabis use in adolescence may also increase the risk of suicide. A meta-analysis, which combines data from 14 different studies, demonstrated that cannabis use at early ages, particularly heavy use, was associated with an increased risk of depression. In a current market with higher THC content, less cannabis may be needed to develop the same level of risk.
Youth voice
I quit because it was making me worse with the illness it's hard to do good… to get my life back even without it.
If I smoke, ultimately doing it would make me so nervous… It's fun and then it gets scary.
Smoking weed is fun. No doubt about it. It also takes away anxiety and depression. But what I didn't know is that weed causes anxiety and depression. Not to mention psychosis, paranoia, and other nasty stuff. It's a terrible cycle, but if we can fight the cycle and get treatment for the root of the problem, weed doesn't seem as hard to get rid of, and we'll be much better in the end.
If you smoke marijuana on certain medications it can cause a bad reaction and cause worse psychotic symptoms.
Research says
If you are under the age of 25 or have been previously diagnosed with a mental illness, use cannabis with caution.
We now have substantial evidence for a link between cannabis use in adolescence and development of psychosis later in life.
Cannabis use can also have a negative impact on disease course in individuals already diagnosed with a psychotic disorder.
Starting cannabis after age 18 is associated with a lower risk of developing psychosis than starting by age 15. However, our best evidence is that waiting until your brain is fully developed (age 21 to 25) is your best defense against the risk of developing psychosis with cannabis use.
Youth voice
If we knew then what we know now, we would have cut down or stopped smoking earlier.
Your peers and social group may pressure you to try marijuana and although it may seem like something new, fun or exciting to try out, there are negative effects. It smells and it isn't good for your health. Your dependence on it may increase over time. What starts off as something to do with your friends may turn into an isolating or scary experience.
For most of us, it sometimes felt like marijuana worsened or even triggered our psychosis symptoms. A few of us have also found that it messes with our medications.
For some of us, marijuana masked our emerging psychosis symptoms. We thought they were just the effects of being high, and didn't know that it was time to seek help


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During this period my main job title was senior commercial manager for Nishimatsu's international operations, from as far west as Bangladesh to as far east as Seattle, to as far south as Singapore and to as far north as Taiwan. I was also a director of a number of Nishimatsu's subsidiary companies in Hong Kong. I estimate the commercial value of the projects which I managed during this period to be approximately US$5 billion.
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Child and Family Photography – Now in Dublin, Ireland
I will now be taking bookings for child and family photography in Dublin, Ireland.
Sneak Peeks, New Born, Maternity, Couple and Family Photographer, Johannesburg
Happy New year (a little late, better late than never?)
Sneak Peeks. Family and Newborn Photography in Johannesburg.
Here are some sneak peeks from a few recent shoots.
I am so grateful to God for my job. I love photographing all these beautiful faces 🙂
Sneak Peeks….
Here are some sneak peeks from the last few months, there are so many, so I will probably have to do a part 2.
Sneak Peeks…
If you would like some family/child photos, drop me a mail at firstname.lastname@example.com
The sweet Amelia, once again.
A few sneak Peeks…
I love seeing how the children grow, its one of my favourite aspects of my job.
Sneak Peeks…
I am so thankful to God for my wonderful clients and for allowing me to do this job. <3
Arabella and Addison…
Arabella is so animated and loved striking poses for the camera, Addison was a little shy, but oh so sweet.
Abigail Rose…
Abby just gets more and more beautiful every time I see her.
about me
I am a 30 something photographer, from South Africa. I am now based in DUBLIN, IRELAND I chase sunsets for a living. I love God and I love everything he created. John 15:5
Contact meMobile: 0871704433
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| 13.8°C Dublin
A LEADING priest has called on Ireland's four Catholic archbishops to point the finger of blame at the Vatican for its central role in the global clerical child abuse crisis.
Ahead of today's long-awaited meeting with senior Vatican officials, Fr Sean McDonagh, an expert on the environment and ecology, has also appealed to an international team of investigators to join forces with the four Irish church leaders in putting the Vatican under fire.
The Irish delegation is led by Cardinal Sean Brady, and the nine-member team of outside investigators is headed by the senior English churchman, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor. Fr McDonagh said yesterday they should insist from the outset that the Vatican be held accountable for the worldwide abuse crisis.
"I believe the Irish archbishops and the team of visitors should begin by scrutinising Rome's own handling of sex abuse allegations," Fr McDonagh, a co-founder of the Association of Irish Priests, last night told the Irish Independent.
He instanced how for decades the Vatican shielded the late Fr Marcel Maciel, the notorious Mexican paedophile founder of the ultra-conservative Legionaries of Christ, as "one of the greatest failures in terms of accountability any where in the church".
However, there was no comment on Fr McDonagh's challenge from the Irish camp and the investigators, who privately sang from the same hymn sheet that they were all in the dark as to how Pope Benedict wants to conduct the Irish inquiry he announced last March.
A timetable is expected to be agreed today when Cardinal Brady, accompanied by Archbishops Diarmuid Martin, Dermot Clifford and Michael Neary appear, as summoned, before the Congregation of Bishops.
On his arrival in Rome yesterday, Archbishop Neary told the Irish Independent that he would not know if the investigators would consult priests and laity until he knew the outcome of today's meeting.
Also already in Rome are the heavyweight churchmen from the US and Canada who have been specially assigned by the Vatican to compile an inventory of their conclusions for presentation to Pope Benedict on the shocking findings of the Ryan and Murphy reports.
As well as analysing the causes of the huge scale of clerical child abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin and in industrial schools run by religious orders -- as well as their cover-up -- the investigating team is to examine the current child protection schemes. How abuse victims are being treated will also be a key feature of the probe.
The investigators will be mandated by the Holy See to come forward with recommendations on how to "assist the local church on her path of renewal".
Irish Independent