Exclusive - Alex's Complete Canadian Musician Column!
Mar 12, 2022
I hope you’re doing great! I’m currently sitting on a plane on my way to New York City this morning! Alex and Isabel drove me to the airport at around 4:30 am, and here I am, listening to Mogwai's The Revenants soundtrack, alone in my three-seat row, headed to one of my favorite cities in the world; New York City! It’s 11 am now.
What I like about New York is its unique vibe and strong spirit, which both inspire me a lot! I’m not into its tourist attractions at all, or its money-driven vibe sometimes, but really interested in its people! There are no other cities on the globe where you will feel like you’re traveling the world as much as you do in New York! Everyone you encounter has a unique story, background, dreams and opinions about everything, and has something interesting and unique to tell you. I really am driven by this amazing vibe and state of mind. Is it because I don’t live there? Maybe!
This week will be all about a music festival I’ve been invited to, called The New Colossus. I haven’t stepped foot in the city since May last year for Alex to be interviewed by Lee Ranaldo from Sonic Youth. I’m truly looking forward to this trip, as I have a feeling this will change things forever for us! As I shared with you in my last letter, I spent the entire week with Alex, Ben, and Miss Isabel working very hard on our next musical project around Lou Reed’s song The Power of the Heart! I’ll be able to come up with more details in the upcoming weeks regarding this amazing and very soulful project, especially under the actual circumstances!
For now, as promised a few weeks back, I wanted to send you the entire letter Alex wrote for his Canadian Musician Magazine column which will come out next week. Scroll down to find it! It was important for me to share it with you before everyone else. It’s been a hard year thus far, especially for Alex, which also explains why I came down to Virginia last week!
But this past week has been very good for our hearts and minds… We took very long walks in the forest, listened to amazing vinyls, talked a lot about the importance of enjoying every step of every project we give life to, and this, from start to finish — otherwise, what’s the point?! We decided it was better to do a little less but to dive into those projects as deep as we can possibly go! But you know we won’t really respect this self-imposed unwritten rule! Ha! I wrote this with a smile, as I like this paradoxical side of us…!
Here’s a great hint for you: Alex and I worked on a calendar, and the live performances and the lathe-cut vinyls are coming back in April! You read that well! :)
Thanks to you all for your amazing response and support! Enjoy Alex’s writing and see you all again very soon!
Your Host and Friend,
Impossible. I’m Too Busy To Be Tired.
I was about to write about going back on the road from an artist-entrepreneur perspective when I read the moving and humbling page Catherine Harrison from Over The Bridge wrote in the latest Canadian Musician edition. That, along with the generous interview from The Strumbellas' lead singer Simon Ward and Isaac Wood stepping back from one of my favorite new bands, Black Country, New Road for mental health issues, inspired me to use my column in the magazine to share about my own recent emotional fumble. This is a view from within...
It’s quite incredible to realize that it’s already been 2 years since everyone’s lives have been profoundly impacted by the still ongoing pandemic. It’s unreal on so many levels. I was coming back from a European tour when it all began… I thought it would be a 2-week kind of thing. I didn’t pay too much attention to any of it at first, nor was I too inclined to invest any of my newfound energy in something that felt so elusive from afar. I was starting my solo journey after what I would later realize was the result of an undiagnosed depression following my father’s passing, which led me to take a break from my 10-year tenure as Your Favorite Enemies’ lead figure. My album Windows in the Sky was collecting positive reviews all over the world, I had 2 years of tours aligned, was set to play at the Tokyo Olympics… I was finally turning what felt like a never-ending corner in my life. It felt good for several reasons. Then 2 weeks turned into months, months led to a first tour postponement, then a second, and so on… but I kept on going. DIY style. I did a series of live streams before it was even a thing and managed to keep the circus going. I was not only benefitting from being locked down with my band and crew for weeks as we got back from tour, but everyone was staying at my studio, which allowed me to keep the high-speed motion I was on. All that while supporting collaborators of my label and releasing all sorts of new projects. No matter what hit me, it was all about going forward. I was pridefully determined to outrun the crisis and fiercely committed to doing so no matter how long it would last. I had to be the first in line, all systems ready to go, when everything would open again - or so I believed.
I’m from a very tight community, and we’ve been through a lot over the years: heartbreaks, betrayals, divorces, parents’ death… Life being life. But what I wasn’t ready to face was the proliferation of friends taking their lives during the initial COVID phase, followed by old-time business partners deciding to reinvent themselves in a different work area. Tensions arose as preoccupations grew amongst our usually close relationships. Old acquaintances radicalized themselves and suddenly turned their back on what was now seen as working for the “worldwide brainwashing machine” in regard to my positions to rebuke any form of violence. And if everything I have built over the years seemed utterly fragile, I kept on going and pressed on. I didn’t care about all the red lights, about the warning signs. A drink became two. The Friday gatherings became a daily affair. And every time someone took upon themselves to reflect on the dangerous path I was fully engaged on or to say just how out of character I was acting, my answer was always the same: “No worries, I’m alright. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”
I kept feeding the facade, especially as I had all the right reasons to maintain the fast pace roll I was on and all the pre-fabricated excuses I needed to explain why I was so frantically speeding up. “My loved ones trust me to lead them all through that perfect storm” was one of them. “I need to go forward, further and faster. That’s who I am and how I managed to get where I am at this point in my life” was another. Everybody knew I wouldn’t stop. I didn’t even know what “slowing down” meant. I had the vision. I had the determination. I had a purpose. For me, it has always been full throttle or nothing.
Then, a very close friend of mine told me that I had all the symptoms of burnout, of mental exhaustion, and that I was about to hit a major breakdown. I laughed about it until it freaked me out for an instant. Wait a minute… What about all the ventures I am involved in? I don’t have time for any burnout or mental exhaustion. I have a new record to finish. I’m halfway through writing a book. I have a movie score on the way. I have a label to look after, a studio to operate, a merchandising company, a vinyl plant I want to open next spring. That’s why I’m tired and stressed. I mean, ain’t this the reality of every artist-entrepreneur? Nobody else will come and save the day, it’s on you and nobody else. I’m not burnt out, it’s normal exhaustion based on normal worries associated with my job - or at least with the way I decided to work and operate. I mean, my closest friends understand that. Well, they do, right…? And to top it all, I can’t miss potentially crucial opportunities. If I say “no” now, I might not have that call a second time around. If I’m not ready, someone else will take my place or benefit from my groundwork. And that’s why I can’t slow down, let alone stop. It would be ridiculous. I mean… These are only plain facts based on the rules and the nature of the entertainment business. Or are they?
While it all made sense intellectually, I would soon have to face a much more concerning reality. My health began to greatly deteriorate to add to the vitamin D deficiency I have been dealing with for years already. Back issues, neck pain, teeth and jaw problems, severe headaches, a loud buzz in my ears - all on the right side of my body. I didn’t care. I made it through sinus cancer and went on tour all over China right after surgery, so it can’t be worse. Came dizziness, imbalance, blurred vision, sleeplessness, lack of energy, anxiety… I carried on, released more projects, made more business acquisitions. I even had the incredible opportunity to be one of the first Canadian artists to tour all over the UK and Europe last October. I was indeed the first in line when the world slightly re-opened for a second. I thought I was right to have pressed on. Whatever the cost, tiredness is only temporary anyway. I had won that crazy rat race and outgrew the waiting game.
I obviously didn’t see the Omicron variant coming up nor did I believe it would turn the world upside down once again. Amazing opportunities got canceled. I had to push releases back. I had to deal with the horror of having more friends take their lives. And just like that, I sort of collapsed. The signs of an upcoming physical crash were already there, but the mental disruption that came thereafter was even more detrimental to me as I now had to face an emotional breakdown. It was serious, but I nonetheless kept on going for a while… Until I wasn’t able to look much further than my health condition would allow me to. Burnout, momentary depression, or mental exhaustion… Whatever it was, it sounded like someone else’s problem, not mine. How could it be? I lived my life on a New York minute. There was no time to waste, I was too busy for that nonsense. My content schedule wouldn’t wait for some headaches and dizziness - or so I wanted to convince myself. Until I wasn’t able to get out of bed. And that was it. It wasn’t about me willingly deciding to take a break anymore. It was me being broken and having to deal with the reality of being too damaged to stand… Beyond repair.
It was incredibly difficult for me to accept that I had reached that point, that I had pushed too hard and for too long. I was in complete denial, frustrated, angry, bitter. I had to let it go. The future wasn’t a concern anymore, as every day became a battle against sorrows, sadness, and a profound sensation of failure. Days became weeks. And if I refused to see the reality of my condition at first, I made the best of it when I did. I slowly transitioned from “doing” to “being”. What was to me a way-too-long physical and mental resting period led me to reconnect with the fundamental passion I had for music and arts, allowed me to get back in touch with people I never took the time to even send a text message to once in a while before. I joined online support groups and ultimately decided to write handwritten letters, to send postcards. I wrote a few blogs about mental exhaustion, about being damaged. And if it looks like it took an eternity for me to accomplish it all, every tiny step was an immense victory towards recovery, if there is ever one for such affective issues. My health became the most important project of all. It was slow but steady. The most challenging elements remained being truly at peace with declining offers that wouldn’t be beneficial for my inner reconstruction and emotional restoration. It wasn’t about the fear of missing out, it was about being happy to choose me over anything else. And that is still a work in progress…
I wanted to share my story not because I think that I’m the only one who had it tough over the last 2 years - I’m too Irish proud for that - but to offer a perspective to those who, just like me, are so deep into their own process that they might lose perspective about their health or what should matter the most in their lives. Some friends told me that it takes courage to admit your own limits, and I guess it requires even more blind pride to keep going when all the lights on your engine dashboard are flashing. This is also very difficult to accept when you are used to constantly bet on yourself, always. At least, I found it difficult to accept limits. Maybe it’s because we operate in a very competitive sector, that we are often seen as having the most fun of all jobs (which is sometimes an accurate presumption), that we can’t be exhausted from playing guitar and writing lyrics… This ostracizes us as much as it provides the perfect excuses to keep going no matter what. And even if we all have our reasons, our own paradigms to deal with, professional obligations, loved ones to care for and look after, there’s no weakness in putting a knee down, nor is it shameful to fully kneel. On the contrary, this is synonymous with taking care of what matters the most to your friends, fans, business partners, family members, or whoever’s precious to us: ourselves. So please, don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need to. Take a break if you need one. Listen to all the voices imploring you to slow down. It’s never too late to make the right call, even if, just like me, you don’t have time for any of that burnout and mental exhaustion stuff…
If you ever need help:
Suicide Action Montréal
Phone: 1 866 277-3553
SMS: 1 855 957-5353


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Montrose in Randolph County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Randolph County / Tucker County
Formed from Harrison in 1787. Named for Edmund Jennings Randolph, Virginia statesman and soldier. Largest county in the State. Federal dominance of the Tygart's Valley in War between the states largely determined control of W.Va.
Formed in 1856 from Randolph. Named for Henry St. George Tucker, Virginia statesman and jurist. In this county is the Fairfax Stone, marking the boundry of the vast Fairfax estate. Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley among features.
Erected 2009 by West Virginia Archives & History.
Location. 39° 5.475′ N, 79° 47.149′ W. Marker is in Montrose, West Virginia, in Randolph County. Marker is on U.S. 219, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Montrose WV 26283, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Seneca Trail (approx. one mile away); Corrick's Ford (approx. 5.4 miles away); a different marker also named Corricks Ford (approx. 5.4 miles away); Corricks Ford Battlefield Corricks Ford Battlefield (approx. 5.4 miles away); a different marker also named Corricks Ford (approx. 5˝ miles away); The Corrick House (approx. 5˝ miles away); Parsons / Corrick's Ford (approx. 5.7 miles away).
Categories. • Natural Features • Political Subdivisions • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil •
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on November 12, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 696 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 12, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.

domain: history


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Why you should watch The Sinner, Big Brother and more
Gloria Grahame rules over her orphan asylum with an iron hand--not to mention a claw hammer and a cleaver. Manages to keep some tension despite murky photography and muddy sound.
Show More »
Download the TV Guide app for iPhone, iPad and Android!

domain: entertainment


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Read on to learn more about how to perform lymphatic drainage massage on both the upper and lower extremities. active lymphatic system uses the natural movements of smooth muscle tissue to do May 30, 2016 How to Perform Self Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD)# FDRS2016.
Fat Disorders Research Society. Understanding Manual Lymphatic Drainage Cynthia J Shechter LE& RN Duration: 28: 50. The major contraindications to manual lymphatic drainage are acute congestive heart failure, acute renal failure, active blood clots, active infection, active bleeding and undiagnosed cancer. If none of these are present, MLD is a safe and gentle modality appropriate for many indications, and is the best option for moving fluid from one body Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) MLD is a specialized massage technique that consists of very gentle and rhythmic movements, administered by a trained therapist.
Each stroke slightly moves the skin in the direction of the lymphatic flow to encourage the movement of fluid out of a congested area of the body and back into circulation. 65 comments to The Science behind Manual Lymph Drainage in the Treatment of Lymphedema.
Mary Fickling. April 18, 2012 at 11: 07 am. Wondering what are your views regarding treating a breast cancer patient with active cancer. Cancer has metastised in bone. There is a real tie to burning toxic lymph in fibromyalgia. It is Go With the Flow: Manual Lymphatic Drainage; Go With the Flow: Manual Lymphatic Drainage. Michelle Vallet, August 16, 2016. Active infection in the limb area youre going to treat is also a contraindication, Thompson says. Infection and inflammation are not the same, she adds.
Infection always has inflammation, but Risk Support: ACTIVE BOW TIE. Version 1. 7 launched in September 2007. Bow tie approach was originally devised to energise the safety management system. In its original formulation it was used in the hazard identification and the development of hazard register, but has recently been extended to operational risk analysis to link risk Healing Within provides advanced therapeutic body work with techniques including Lymphatic Drainage, CranioSomatic, and Active Isolated Stretching in Brandon Florida Manual lymphatic drainage is a very light technique that stretches and twists the skin in a very precise manner and direction in order to allow the lymphatic system to draw more fluid out of the tissue and into the lymphatic system.
Ownest Ginger Massage Oil, 100 Pure Natural Lymphatic Drainage Ginger Oil, Spa Massage Oils, Repelling Cold and Relaxing Active Essential Oil 1 Active Bow Tie Manual v1. and the list of actions to be carried out in the event of a specific emergency situation following a major hazard event. The operational process model may be established for the purpose of quality management system.
Documents Similar To Manual for Active BowTie. bow tie. Uploaded by. baaziz2015. BowTieXP Self Manual Lymph Drainage Simple and easy to perform manual techniques are an integral part of the selfmanagement program.
In this stage, the patients have completed the intensive phase with the lymphedema therapist, and are familiar with Active bow tie manual lymphatic drainage pressures

domain: medical


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U.S. health officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) O121 infections linked to raw clover sprouts that have sickened as many as 10 people, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced May 22. Half of those who fell ill have been hospitalized, the FDA said, but no one has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome and no deaths have been reported.
The FDA said it is investigating the outbreak — which has been linked to raw clover sprouts from Evergreen Fresh Sprouts LLC of Moyie Springs, Idaho — along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local officials. A CDC report said that as of May 21, there were seven confirmed and three probable cases of E. coli illnesses, three in Idaho and seven in Washington.
"We are moving quickly to learn as much as possible and prevent additional people from becoming ill," the FDA said in a statement. "We recognize that people will be concerned about this outbreak, and we will continue to provide updates and advice."
Citing reports from the the Washington State Department of Health (WDOH), and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW), the FDA said the contaminated sprouts were eaten in sandwiches at several food outlets in Washington and Idaho, including Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches in King and Spokane counties in Washington and Kootenai County, Idaho, as well as and two Pita Pit locations in Spokane County (WA) and Daanen’s Deli in Kootenai County (ID). The FDA added that Evergreen also distributed sprouts to other restaurants and some retail grocery stores in the region.

domain: food


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Acupuncture to improve live birth rates for women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Trials volume 13, Article number: 60 (2012)
IVF is a costly treatment option for women, their partners, and the public. Therefore new therapies that improve reproductive and health outcomes are highly desirable. There is a growing body of research evaluating the effect of acupuncture administered during IVF, and specifically on the day of embryo transfer (ET). Many trials are heterogeneous and results inconsistent. There remains insufficient evidence to determine if acupuncture can enhance live birth rates when used as an adjunct to IVF treatment.
The study will determine the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture with improving the proportion of women undergoing IVF having live births. Other objectives include: determination of the cost effectiveness of IVF with acupuncture; and examination of the personal and social context of acupuncture in IVF patients, and examining the reasons why the acupuncture may or may not have worked.
We will conduct a randomized controlled trial of acupuncture compared to placebo acupuncture.
Inclusion criteria include: women aged less than 43 years; undergoing a fresh IVF or ICSI cycle; and restricted to women with the potential for a lower live birth rate defined as two or more previous unsuccessful ETs; and unsuccessful clinical pregnancies of quality embryos deemed by the embryologist to have been suitable for freezing by standard criteria. Women will be randomized to acupuncture or placebo acupuncture. Treatment is administered on days 6 to 8 of the stimulated cycle and two treatments on the day of ET. A non-randomized cohort of women not using acupuncture will be recruited to the study. The primary study outcome is the proportion of women reporting a live birth. Secondary outcomes include the proportion of women reporting a clinical pregnancy miscarriage prior to 12 weeks, quality of life, and self-efficacy. The sample size of the study is 1,168 women, with the aim of detecting a 7% difference in live births between groups (P = 0.05, 80% power).
There remains a need for further research to add significant new knowledge to defining the exact role of certain acupuncture protocols in the management of infertility requiring IVF from a clinical and cost-effectiveness perspective.
Clinical Trial Registration
Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12611000226909
There are a greater number of women now attempting pregnancy at an older age when they are less fertile; and consequently a growing number of couples accessing Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART). In Australia during 2008, there were 61,929 ART cycles, however only 22.6% resulted in a clinical pregnancy and 17.2% resulted in live deliveries . In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a resource-intensive and costly treatment option for both women and their families, and for public healthcare expenditure, and there is a significant personal cost to couples undergoing repeated IVF cycles. Therefore new therapies that improve reproductive and health outcomes are highly desirable.
Complementary therapies and medicines are used by individuals with infertility and eight surveys report prevalence rates between 13% and 82% [2–9]. Acupuncture has become an emerging therapy used as an adjunct to IVF. A survey of UK acupuncturists indicates 15% provide fertility support, and for some practitioners this has become a large proportion of their caseload . Eighty percent of acupuncturists reported most of this work was related to assisted conception.
There is a growing body of research evaluating the effect of acupuncture administered during IVF, and specifically on the day of embryo transfer (ET). The first systematic review was published in 2008 and this review found that acupuncture as an adjunct to ET was associated with statistically and clinically significant increases in the pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth rates . Although these findings were encouraging they were somewhat preliminary, and highlighted a need for further placebo controlled trials, with improved reporting of trials. Over the last 3 to 4 years several new trials and systematic reviews have been published [12–15]. To date many trials are heterogeneous and results inconsistent. There are several possible explanations for the heterogeneity of trials included in the systematic reviews. Several reviews included a trial addressing a different research question to other trials . This trial also reported a very high pregnancy rate in the control group. The heterogeneity may also be attributed to the combining of data from different control groups, for example groups including IVF alone and no acupuncture, the use of needles inserted into sham points, and the use of non-invasive placebo needles. There was also clinical heterogeneity in the treatment protocols used between studies, with variation in the acupuncture points used, timing of treatment, and frequency of acupuncture. There remains insufficient evidence to determine whether acupuncture can enhance live birth rates when used as an adjunct to IVF treatment.
Our study aimed to reduce the methodological and clinical heterogeneity observed in previous designs. We designed a multicentered, randomized controlled trial (RCT) that compares acupuncture with an acupuncture control, and a non-randomized observational usual care group. We undertook a Delphi study to achieve consensus on the design of the optimal acupuncture treatment protocol to be used in this research. The primary study objective is to determine the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture with improving the proportion of women undergoing IVF having live births, the key outcome in trials of reproductive medicine. Secondary study objectives include: methods to determine the cost-effectiveness of IVF with acupuncture; and a qualitative study to examine the personal and social context of acupuncture in IVF patients, examining the reasons why the acupuncture may or may not have worked, and identify other effects of acupuncture.
We will conduct a parallel randomized controlled trial of acupuncture compared with a placebo control using a non-invasive placebo needle. A non-randomized group will receive standard care to allow comparisons with the baseline pregnancy rate. The rationale for a non-randomized arm includes the need to provide a baseline pregnancy rate, and acknowledgement from our previous research experience that women would not accept randomization to this group . We acknowledge this group of women may have different outcomes, and incorporating a usual care group to provide baseline pregnancy rate is problematic. The analysis of the usual care only group will be treated as an observational study with known confounding factors adjusted for in the analysis. The study will recruit participants from IVF centers in Australia (IVF Australia, Assisted Conception and Fertility South Australia, Flinders Reproductive) and one center in New Zealand (Fertility Plus).
We will recruit women aged <43 years, undergoing a fresh IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle, and restricted to women with the potential for a lower live birth rate defined as two or more previous unsuccessful ETs (fresh or frozen), and unsuccessful clinical pregnancies of quality embryos deemed by the embryologist to have been suitable for freezing by standard criteria. The rationale for our inclusion criteria is based on a possibility that where the baseline pregnancy rates are high for some IVF settings, the added value of acupuncture maybe reduced. We have identified a group of women were the pregnancy rates are lower, and for whom adding acupuncture may improve their clinical outcomes. The characteristics of age <43 years, undergoing a fresh IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle, reflect the characteristics of majority of women undergoing fresh IVF cycle in Australia and New Zealand. IVF units outside of Australia and New Zealand may have lower age restrictions.
Women will be excluded if they are undergoing a frozen ET, have been previously randomized to the study, planning pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or receiving donor eggs, or are currently having acupuncture.
Randomization and blinding
Women will be allocated to a study group by a research nurse phoning the randomization service, prepared and based at the National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Centre, Sydney, Australia. The randomization sequence is computer generated and concealed via central allocation. There will be stratification by the number of ET cycles (2 to 6 and 6+), woman’s age (<38 years, and 38 to 42 years), and collaborating center. Randomization will be into two study groups, acupuncture and a placebo control using the non-invasive Park needle . Study participants, care providers, the outcome assessors, and the analyst will be blind to study group allocation.
Following randomization women in the intervention groups will see the study acupuncturist based at the IVF centers, or at close proximity to the IVF centers. The acupuncturists are registered with national professional associations, and with a minimum of 2 years clinical experience. Training will be provided to all study acupuncturists on the treatment protocol, practitioner intent or treatment aspirations, recording of treatments administered, the acupuncturists’ duty and an explanation of proposed future monitoring. The treatment protocol was based on two rounds of a Delphi process, with consensus achieved on a treatment protocol for the study. Nineteen acupuncturists participated in this process, with practitioners from Australia (6), China (2), Denmark (1), Sweden (1), the United States (4), and the United Kingdom (1). All women will undergo a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) diagnosis. The initial diagnosis and treatment will take 60 to 90 minutes undertaken on days 6 to 8 of the stimulated IVF cycle. Two treatments will be administered immediately before and after ET.
Group 1: Acupuncture treatment based on the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) style of acupuncture. For women randomized to receive acupuncture the initial treatment includes core points Guilai ST-29, Guanyuan Ren-4, Qihai Ren-6, Sanyinjiao SP-6, Xuehai SP-10, plus up to five additional points based on a TCM pattern differentiation. Two subsequent treatments will be administered on the day of ET pre and post transfer. Points administered on the day of ET include Diji SP-8, Xuehai SP-10, Taichong LR-3, Guanyuan Ren-4, one point from Shenmen HT-7, Neiguan PC-6, or YinTang, Baihui DU-20, Taixi KD-3, Zusanli ST-36, Sanyinjiao SP-6, and auricular points Shenmen and Zhigong. Manual acupuncture will be performed with needles inserted using the Park device , a supporting tube that facilitates maintenance of blinding for the participant. Needles will be inserted to a depth of not greater than 2 cm and retained for 25 min. The insertion of the acupuncture needle into an acupuncture point typically generates a range of sensations called ‘de qi’, this sensation will be maintained during the initial treatment on days 6 to 8, and during the pre-embryo treatment only. Points will be inserted bilaterally except for acupuncture points located on the Ren and Du points and YinTang point.
Group 2: Placebo control. This group will receive placement of non-invasive Park sham needles . The Park needle has been shown to be an effective device for blinding in RCT . These needles have a retractable needle shaft, a blunt tip, and skin penetration does not occur, and the needles have a supporting device. The acupuncturist will hold the ‘needle’ in place with one hand, while moving the handle of the needle with the other hand, so the shaft disappears into the handle. The needle is inserted through Park supporting device. The location of sham non-acupuncture points are away from real points and are described in relation to anatomical landmarks and relationship to acupuncture channels. Thirteen sham points are described: three on the abdomen, four on the arm, two on the leg, one on the back, one on the forehead, one on the foot, and one on the ear. The duration of needling and treatment session is the same as for the acupuncture group.
Study group 3: Usual care only. For women who decline to be randomized and were not planning to have acupuncture, they will be invited to participate in a non-randomized group receiving standard care only group, and provide consent to participate in all data collection.
Our primary study endpoint will be the proportion of women reporting a live birth defined as the delivery of one or more living infants, >20 weeks gestation or 400 g or more birth weight. Our secondary endpoints will be the proportion of women reporting a clinical pregnancy defined as demonstration of fetal heart activity on ultrasound scan, measured at 7 to 8 weeks, miscarriage defined as a non-viable pregnancy prior to 12 weeks, quality of life using the MOS Short Form 36 (SF36) , anxiety using the Stait Trait Anxiety Inventory  and infertility self-efficacy measured by the Infertility Self-Efficacy Scale  at trial entry, 2 and 14 weeks from trial entry. We will also collect data on expectations, and the therapeutic alliance. Clinical data will be collected from the IVF center database. Other outcomes will be collected by postal questionnaires. Data on the safety of acupuncture and any adverse events will be collected from practitioner treatment notes (Figure 1)
Our pilot data  were suggestive of a larger treatment difference; however we have chosen a more conservative 7% estimate of the clinical effect from acupuncture compared with the placebo control group. The proportion of women with a live birth for women with multiple cycle failures in the placebo control group in our previous study was 12.1% . To detect a 7% increase in the proportion of women that report a live birth between the treatment and placebo control, with 80% power at the 5% significance level will require 449 women per group. We have allowed for a loss of 30% due to cancelled cycles, or no ET. A total sample size of 1,168 women is required.
We expect a larger treatment effect (10%) when comparing acupuncture and standard care. To detect a 10% increase in the proportion of women that report a live birth between the treatment and standard care, with 80% power at the 5% significance level will require 193 women in the non-randomized group. Allowing for a 30% loss, due to cancelled cycles, or no ET, 251 women in the non-randomized group are required.
Data will be analyzed by a statistician based at UWS blind to study group. Analyses of the endpoints will undertake an ‘intention to treat’ approach and compare differences in the primary and secondary endpoints between groups. The primary analysis will compare the proportions of patients with live births. Logistic regression will be used to identify baseline variables which are associated with outcomes. Linear models will be used to test for between group differences in the continuous outcome measures (for example, health status).
Subgroup analyses will be stated a priori, for example influence of stimulation doses, long- or short-acting stimulation cycle. Levels of significance will be reported at P < 0.05.
A qualitative study using in-depth interviews is nested within the RCT. The purpose of the interviews is: to investigate how women perceive the study intervention and how they think about their use and experience of it, and its effects; and to provide evidence of the process by which the outcomes of the RCT may have been achieved. A sample of 50 women will be recruited through theoretical and purposive sampling to ensure equal numbers of participants from both the intervention and placebo control groups, and a socially diverse sample of women across demographic background, treatment outcome and coping outcomes (as determined by the self-efficacy scores). It is anticipated that 50 interviews will lead to data saturation. The interview will cover topics such as the women’s experience of IVF treatment and its impact on personal wellbeing and social and family relationships, and women’s perception of the impact of acupuncture. Interviews will examine their experience during the period following ET and the pregnancy test. Their beliefs about the impact of acupuncture on their bodies and health, and its potential impact on the reproductive outcome of their treatment will be explored in conversation. Analysis of qualitative interview data will be iterative and the interview schedule will be modified to include emerging themes.
An economic analysis will be conducted alongside the RCT. The primary measure of outcome for the economic analysis will be the cost per live birth. Resource use collected within the study will include costs associated with the provision of the proposed acupuncture intervention plus the direct costs of IVF based on expected average clinic fees, the frequency and duration of GP visits, the frequency and duration of antenatal visits and inpatient admissions, for example miscarriage loss or antenatal complications. Mean costs and effectiveness between the intervention and control groups will be compared and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) presented in terms of the cost per unit improvement in clinical outcome as measured by the live birth rate. An assessment of the sensitivity of the results obtained to variation in measured resource use, effectiveness and/or unit costs will be undertaken using appropriate one-way and multi-way sensitivity analysis . Data will be collected from Medicare, a national database of health utilization, activity and resource use, and completion of data forms by women reporting health utilization not captured by Medicare.
Approval to conduct this study has been obtained from the following research and ethics committees: University of Western Sydney (New South Wales), Greenslopes Private Hospital (Brisbane, Queensland), IVF Australia (Sydney, New South Wales), St Andrews Hospital (Adelaide, South Australia), and the Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee (South Australia).
IVF is a costly treatment option for women, their partners and the public, and there is a significant personal cost to couples undergoing repeated IVF cycles. Therefore new therapies that improve reproductive and health outcomes are highly desirable. Acupuncture is an emerging therapy used as an adjunct to IVF, and it is important to healthcare consumers and healthcare providers that the evidence base for this modality be established.
This research will add significant new knowledge to defining the role of certain acupuncture protocols applied on the day of ET and one other day of the IVF from a clinical and cost-effectiveness perspective. The study design utilizing mixed methods will also generate a different form of new knowledge that will allow the social and personal experience of acupuncture to be explained and their relationship to acupuncture determined. The research will add significantly to the clinical evidence base to allow conclusions to be made on the role of acupuncture to improve reproductive outcomes.
This trial is currently recruiting participants.
Wang YA, Chambers GM, Sullivan EA: Assisted reproduction technology in Australia and New Zealand 2007, Assisted reproduction technology series no. 14. AIHW cat. no.PER 47. 2010, AIHW National Perinatal Statistics Unit, Sydney
Stankiewicz M, Smith C, Alvino H, Norman R: The use of complementary medicine and therapies by patients attending a reproductive medicine unit in South Australia: a prospective survey. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2007, 47: 145-149. 10.1111/j.1479-828X.2007.00702.x.
Zini A, Fischer MA, Nam RK, Jarvia K: Use of alternative and hormonal therapies in male infertility. Urology. 2004, 63: 141-143. 10.1016/j.urology.2003.07.018.
Boivin J, Schmidt L: Use of complementary and alternative medicines associated with a 30% lower ongoing pregnancy/live birth rate during 12 months of fertility treatment. Hum Reprod. 2009, 24: 1626-1631. 10.1093/humrep/dep077.
Ayaz S, Efe SY: Traditional practices used by infertile women in Turkey. Int Nurs Rev. 2010, 57: 383-387. 10.1111/j.1466-7657.2009.00797.x.
Edirne T, Arica SC, Gucuk S, Yildizhan R, Kolusari A, Adali E, Can M: Use of complementary and alternative medicines by a sample of Turkish women for infertility enhancement: a descriptive study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Med. 2010, 10: 11-10.1186/1472-6882-10-11.
Coulson C, Jenkins J: Complementary and alternative medicine utilisation in NHS and private clinic settings: a United Kingdom survey of 400 infertility patients. J Exp Clin Assist Reprod. 2005, 2: 5-10.1186/1743-1050-2-5.
Schaffir J, McGee A, Kennard E: Use of nonmedical treatments by infertility patients. J Reprod Med. 2009, 34: 415-420.
Smith JF, Eisenberg ML, Millstein SG, Nachtigall RD, Shindel AW, Wing H, Cedars M, Pasch L, Katz PP, Infertility Outcomes Program Project Group: The use of complementary and alternative fertility treatment in couples seeking fertility care: data from a prospective cohort in the United States. Fertil Steril. 2010, 93: 2169-2174. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.02.054.
Bovey M, Lorenc A, Robinson N: Extent of acupuncture practice for infertility in the United Kingdom: experiences and perceptions of the practitioners. Fertil Steril. 2010, 94: 2569-2573. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.03.072.
Manheimer E, Zhang G, Udoff L, Haramati A, Langenberg P, Berman BM, Bouter LM: Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2008, 336: 545-549. 10.1136/bmj.39471.430451.BE.
El-Toukhy T, Sunkara SK, Khairy M, Dyer R, Khalaf Y, Coomarasamy A: A systematic review and meta-analysis of acupuncture in in vitro fertilisation. BJOG. 2008, 115: 1203-1213. 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01838.x.
Cheong YC, Hung Yu Ng E, Ledger WL: Acupuncture and assisted conception. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008, CD006920-10.1002/14651858. 4
So EWS, Ng EHY, Wong YY, Lau EY, Yeung WS, Ho PC: A randomized double blind comparison of real and placebo acupuncture in IVF treatment. Hum Reprod. 2009, 24: 341-348. 10.1093/humrep/den380.
Andersen D, Løssl K, Nyboe Andersen A, Fürbringer J, Bach H, Simonsen J, Larsen EC: Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer: a randomized controlled trial of 635 patients. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010, 21: 366-372. 10.1016/j.rbmo.2010.03.029.
Craig LB, Criniti AR, Hansen KR, Marshall LA, Soules MR: Acupuncture lowers pregnancy rates when performed before and after embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 2007, 40-Suppl 1
Smith CA, Coyle ME, Norman R: Influence of acupuncture stimulation on pregnancy rates for women undergoing embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 2006, 85: 1352-1358. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.12.015.
Park J, White A, Stevinson C, Ernst E, James M: Validating a new non-penetrating sham acupuncture device: two randomised controlled trials. Acupunct Med. 2002, 20: 168-174. 10.1136/aim.20.4.168.
Ware JE, Sherbourne CD: The MOS 36 Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Conceptual framework and item selection. Medical Care. 1992, 30: 473-483. 10.1097/00005650-199206000-00002.
Speilberger CD: Manual for the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). 1983, Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA
Cousineau TM, Green TC, Corsini EA, Barnard T, Seibring AR, Domar AD: Development and validation of the Infertility Self-Efficacy scale. Fertil Steril. 2006, 85: 1684-1696. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.10.077.
Briggs A, O’Brien B, Blackhouse G: Thinking outside the box: recent advances in the analysis and presentation of uncertainty in cost-effective studies. Annual Reviews Public Health. 2002, 23: 377-401. 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.23.100901.140534.
The trial is funded by a 4-year project grant from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
CAS, SdL, MC, JR, RN, NJ, GS, JL, and CB all contributed to the development of the study protocol. CAS prepared the initial draft of the manuscript, and all author critically reviewed the content. All authors approved the final version.
An erratum to this article can be found online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-1986-4.
Authors’ original submitted files for images
Below are the links to the authors’ original submitted files for images.
About this article
Cite this article
Smith, C.A., de Lacey, S., Chapman, M. et al. Acupuncture to improve live birth rates for women undergoing in vitro fertilization: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 13, 60 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6215-13-60


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Iver C. Olsen
Iver C. Olsen (1904 – November 5, 1960) was an accountant for the Office of Strategic Services and the War Refugee Board in Stockholm during World War II. In that latter capacity he provided WRB funds to Raoul Wallenberg in his efforts to rescue the Hungarian Jews.
He was born in 1904 and worked for the US Department of Commerce in the 1930s and for the Treasury Department in World War II. Assigned to work in Sweden, he handled Special Fund accounting for the Office of Strategic Services and handled funds from the War Refugee Board for the rescue of refugees. Following the end of the war he acted as a representative for the International Cooperation Administration. In 1954 he was the Washington, DC representative of Tripp and Co. He died on November 5, 1960.
- Iver C. Olsen; Rights of foreign shareholders of European corporations (United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce) (1929) ISBN B0008AWPV4
- Allan Gersten; A Conspiracy of Indifference: The Raoul Wallenberg Story
- "Iver C. Olsen, former economic adviser with the International Cooperation Administration, died yesterday at Arlington Hospital after a short illness. He was 56". Washington Post. November 6, 1960.
- National Archives Record Group 226, Records of the Office of Strategic Services; RG 210, Records of the War Refugee Board
- New York Times; March 16, 1931, Monday; Washington, March 15, 1931. Despite expansion of British loans to Latin America in 1930, American loans to all foreign nations last year exceeded those of Great Britain by more than $300,000,000, according to a survey by Iver C. Olsen of the Department of Commerce which was made public today.
- New York Times; October 11, 1954; Joins Tripp in Washington.
|This biographical article related to the United States military is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.|

domain: finance


Non-U.S. stock managers were far and away the top performers among the most popular mutual funds used by defined contribution plans in the year ended June 30.
The top three stock fund performers were Vanguard World International Growth, a fund sponsored by the Vanguard Group, Valley Forge, Pa., and subadvised by Schroder Capital Management International, London; T. Rowe Price International Stock; and Harbor International, a fund sponsored by Harbor Capital Advisors, Toledo, Ohio, and subadvised by Northern Cross Investments, Hamilton, Bermuda, with returns of 25.46%, 22.13% and 21.24%, respectively.
On the home front the year was a tough period, with the majority of domestic stock managers logging returns in the single digits or even negative numbers.
Fixed income wasn't much prettier. The highest one-year return - by the Kemper High Yield Fund - was 5.09%. Runners up, which also were high-yield funds, included Putnam High Yield Trust and Merrill Corporate High Income Fund, with 4.74% and 3.86%, respectively. Most of the other fixed-income funds ranked by Micropal Inc., Boston, were flat or down for the period.
Domestic bond managers were gloomy on their prospects for the U.S. economy, and therefore some were bullish on the bond market.
Vincent Lathbury, vice president of Merrill Lynch Asset Management, Princeton, N.J., which runs the $3.2 billion Corporate High Income fund, said: "Our strategy is to remain fully invested. Fixed-income markets are attractive and have upside potential on the convincing evidence that the economy has slowed.
"At current interest rate levels we're not overly concerned about interest rate risks to investors. The opposite of risk is reward. A longer maturity can lock in favorable yields for a long period of time," he said. The average maturity in the portfolio is eight years.
Still, the road will be bumpy based on inflationary fears until the economy shows a decisive sign of softening.
Mr. Lathbury said the coming six months will be as frustrating as a 10-mile delay on a summer road trip. "But once we get to Maine, we're going to have a great time on vacation," he said.
Once the economy shows signs of decline, "like sheep being led to the barn by the shepherd, everyone will get bullish again," he said.
Mr. Lathbury's favorite junk bond sectors include airline equipment trust certificates of such companies as Delta Airlines Inc. and USAir Group Inc. "because we think their operations are improving and the asset protection is sterling."
He also likes first mortgage bonds of Atlantic City gaming casinos such as Showboat Inc., Trump Plaza and Bally's Park "We think the market is overly concerned about (possible) competitive gaming in Philadelphia and New York. We don't think it will happen soon, and those bonds have nice strong asset protection," Mr. Lathbury said.
Investors are being paid handsomely too. "We're talking big yields here," he said, noting, for instance, that Trump Plaza is yielding 16%.
Another area Merrill likes is emerging markets. The firm has less than 5% in investment-grade companies in the below-investment-grade markets of Argentina and Mexico.
Jin Ho, senior portfolio manager of the Putnam Cos., Boston, and manager of the $3.5 billion High-Yield Trust, is following a two-prong strategy, under the assumption that interest rate volatility will continue.
Putnam is keeping durations short vs. benchmark indexes and is continuing to emphasize sector and issue selection.
The sectors Mr. Ho likes include cable and wireless communications, and cyclicals such as chemicals, paper and steel; basic industries; health care; and supermarkets. Among his favorite values in individual issues are Gaylord Container Corp. and The Multicare Cos. Inc.
It's no accident the sector mix looks fairly recession proof. "As we move through the economic recovery, good portfolio managers need to keep an eye on the short and intermediate term, but also the long haul. Trees don't grow to the sky. One needs to think about a slower environment for the companies we follow," Mr. Ho said.
He said sectors such as cable and health care will continue to experience heady mergers and acquisitions activity. That's often a negative for debt securities, but these deals can be positive "if you're in the right names," he said.
Unlike some other fixed-income managers, Mark Durbiano, portfolio manager and vice president of Federated Investors, Pittsburgh, manager of the $400 million Federated High Yield Trust, is bullish on the economy, at least for the next six months.
Consequently his fund, which ranked fourth for the year at 3.38%, is sticking to cyclical industries such as steel and paper, which it began buying a year ago on the expectation of an improving economy. Among his holdings are Stone Container Corp. and Truck Components Inc., which announced an initial public offering a couple of weeks ago.
Another area he likes is the cable industry, which the fund underweighted vs. high-yield benchmarks in the first half. Now in the aftermath of the Bell Atlantic/Tele-Communications Inc. merger that fell apart, the sector looks cheap. His holdings include: Continental Cablevision and Cablevision Systems Corp., both of which are big companies "with the wherewithal to play in the business going forward," he said.
Mr. Durbiano noted "the entire high-yield market's done pretty well relative to other fixed-income investments." He expects long-term interest rates to remain in the 7.25% to 7.75% range. In light of that stability, "you want as much income as possible and corporate exposure to benefit from the strong economy in the next six months or longer," he said.
In contrast to the domestic fixed-income funds, managers of the top performing stock funds - all of them international - predicted economic recoveries in many markets.
George Murnaghan, vice president of Rowe Price-Fleming International Inc., Baltimore, which runs the $5.4 billion T. Rowe Price international stock fund, said: "Our outlook is relatively positive as to the potential for foreign markets. The larger (developed) economies have had recessions in the last several years and falls in interest rates in 1992-1993, which were supportive to equity markets."
Rates popped up a bit earlier this year in response to the rise in U.S. rates, but Mr. Murnaghan doesn't expect the rises abroad to continue. He expects rebounds in corporate profits in Europe and Japan. In addition, Southeast Asian and Latin American markets will continue to experience double-digit profit increases.
The fund has 23% in Japan, a low percentage relative to the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe Australasia Far East Index, and 18% in the Pacific excluding Japan, led by Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia. Its 46% European weighting is heaviest in the Netherlands, France and Switzerland.
Among Rowe Price-Fleming's favorite stocks are: Reed Elsevier PLC, the Anglo-Dutch publishing company that is expected to profit from a rebound in advertising revenue as economies turn around; Kingfisher PLC; the U.K. retailer; and Kyocera Corp., the Japanese semi-conductor manufacturer. In Southeast Asia, he likes media stocks such as Singapore Press Holdings and Malaysia's New Straits Times Press. Both will benefit from a long-term cyclical trend in which consumer wealth will increase, boosting ad spending, he said.
Like Rowe Price-Fleming, Schroder Capital Management International, London, the adviser to the Vanguard World International Growth fund, expects economic growth in a number of major non-U.S. markets.
"With the (Japanese) government's massive August fiscal package now having effect and a further package widely discussed, nobody should doubt that recovery will come, even if the exact timing is uncertain. We shall continue to add to our holdings of recovery stocks in Japan over the next six months," said Richard Foulkes, the fund's portfolio manager, in a report to shareholders dated March 10.
The portfolio had 21% in Japan, a reduction of 6% compared with six months earlier, as the firm lightened its exposure to interest rate sensitive stocks. But the portfolio manager increased holdings in manufacturing stocks, which are expected to lead the market in a recovery in corporate profits.
Like Japan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are expected to see earnings recover in the future, as the countries have eased monetary policy significantly, the Schroder report said.
The Harbor International Fund has been overweighted in Europe, Latin America and the Pacific Rim, but underweighted in Japan. Interest rate increases hurt some of the fund's European holdings, but that was counterbalanced somewhat by the strengthening of most local currencies against the dollar, according to a semiannual report to fund shareholders.
As of June 30, the fund had 55.8% in Europe, led by the United Kingdom, Switzerland and France; 25.4% in the Pacific Basin; 8% in Latin America; 6% in Africa; and 4.8% in cash. Two of the fund's top 10 holdings are South African mining stocks: Anglo American Corp. and Gencor Ltd. Other major holdings include Sweden's AB Volvo; SGS Holding, a Swiss bank; and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., a Hong Kong conglomerate.


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This instructables will cover all steps I did for my drinking horn. This includes some simple carving and metalwork and excludes the proces of preparing the horn for whatever usage you desire.
14-6-2013: The instructions for my socket are added.
Step 1: Materials
- 1 cow horn (size as desired)
- carving tools
polyurethane coating,don't just use a coating. Use something natural like bee wax.
- Copper tube
- Materials for socket, I used some forged metal curles I got from a friend.

domain: hobby


DNCE & Nicki Minaj Team Up For “Kissing Strangers”
DNCE & Nicki Minaj has teamed up for the hot new single "Kissing Strangers".
Multi-platinum group DNCE has finally dropped their latest single featuring global superstar Nicki Minaj – today! The funky summer smash titled "Kissing Strangers" includes DNCE's iconic and infectious pop hook along with Nicki Minaj's high-energy verse.
Don't forget to check out "Kissing Strangers" HERE!


The Duchess of Sussex has addressed the University of the South Pacific in Fiji during her first speech on this Royal tour.1:52
The Duchess of Sussex has addressed the University of the South Pacific in Fiji during her first speech on this Royal tour.
MEGHAN Markle’s half-sister has claimed the duchess told a big lie in her first official speech on the Royal Tour.
According to Samantha Markle, the Duchess of Sussex was “delusionally absurd” to claim to an audience at the University of the South Pacific’s campus in Fiji yesterday that she had paid her own university fees, using scholarships and financial aid programs.
In an angry since-deleted tweet, Samantha criticised her sibling, claiming it was actually their father, Thomas Markle Senior, who’d forked out the money for her education.
In her widely-praised speech on Tuesday, Meghan told the crowd that she understood the “personal feeling of pride and excitement” that came with attending university.
“I am also fully aware of the challenges of being able to afford this level of schooling for many people around the world — myself included,” she said.
“It was through scholarships, financial aid programs and work-study where my earnings from a job on campus went directly towards my tuition — that I was able to attend university. And, without question, it was worth every effort.”
Samantha later doubled down on her claims, even tagging the official Kensington Palace Twitter page in her accusations.
“Our father paid for all of her education! This speech is not true,” she wrote, adding: “Our father paid for all of her education, this is an outrageous lie! She needs to stop hiding the truth.”
She then listed all the institutions their father had paid for — claiming he financed Meghan’s education at the Little Red School House, Immaculate Heart, and Northwestern University — before demanding “proof” of her scholarships.
“Proof, let’s see proof of scholarships and grants. Dad paid for her education, all of it. If she worked at all, it was for extra shoe money and party money,” Samantha wrote.
Thomas Markle Senior has previously claimed that he paid Meghan’s $41,980-a-year tuition after winning $1.586 million on a lottery.
“When Meghan was 11, she moved back in with me up until she was 17 and went to college,” he told the Daily Mail last year.
“I was having my good years then, making good money, and could afford to give her the best, with a good school, good education, good home. She became the woman that she is today thanks to everything I did for her.”
Despite the negativity from her half-sister surrounding her university speech, the Duchess of Sussex’s first official royal tour with Prince Harry has so far been widely considered a raging success.
The tour briefly hit a rough patch yesterday, with security having to whisk Meghan out of a Fijian marketplace just six minutes in to a planned 20-minute appearance.
It’s understood the pregnant royal whispered to an aide just minutes before she was whisked out of the public meet-and-greet due to a “security risk”.
Massive crowds had swarmed the Suva Municipal Market in a bid to catch a glimpse of her.
An onlooker claimed Meghan appeared to “look concerned” as she entered the “hot and humid” market.
“When she got into the market she looked really disengaged, not her usual self at all,” they told UK newspaper The Mirror.
“She stopped to speak to a pineapple seller on one of the stalls and had a very blank and disengaged look on her face, which is very unlike her.
“It was very hot and humid in there so perhaps it wasn’t the best environment for a pregnant woman.
“After speaking for about a minute she broke off and spoke to the same aide again before she was whisked out of the market very soon after.”
Pictures showed members of the security team and local authorities looking flustered as they quickly guided Meghan out.
The Duchess gave an apologetic wave to her fans as she was escorted out, brushing her fringe out of her face.
Kensington Palace later claimed Meghan’s sudden exit was due to a “security risk”.
Meghan Markle: Life as a Duchess0:59
While life as a duchess seems like a fairytale, Meghan Markle may still be learning how to safely find her way as the newest member of the royal family - thanks to a wealth of royal protocols.


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"My children purchased a photo engraving for me on silver of my Yellow Lab for Christmas. This is one of the most wonderful presents I have ever received and I will cherish this long after she has passed on. Thank you!"
-- Helen B.
"Just wanted to say thank you once again for a great product. This is the second time I have purchased from you and have been in awe of the finished product. After the first purchase I felt comfortable enough to order again and send it right to my mother in law without seeing it. Keep up the great work. Thank you"
"My husband gave me my Valentines Day present early this year and it was a locket with my parents wedding picture in it (they both passed away - my mother recently) and I ABSOLUTELY love it. It is beautiful. I told him now I want one with OUR wedding picture in it. I know we will definately be purchasing from you again! Thank you so much!!!!!"
-- Susan D
"Two days after ordering, the sterling silver oval four photo locket, Catalog II-4003 was received in a beautiful box. I'm impressed that it could get here so soon as it was engraved. The locket is an anniversary present from my husband -- it's the first time he's actually given me an anniversary present before the actual day! Did I mention it's gorgeous? Couldn't be happier with the quality."
"I would like to say thank you too Daniel.I received my order in 2 days done the way it was ordered and beautifully gift wrapped.He was totally professional and gave great guidance I ordered a fingerprint engraved piece,with a message on the reverse,everything was exactly as discussed.Tracking info was sent immediately upon shipment.Thanks so much Linda"
"Just received my bracelet. It is beautiful and unique
and I LOVE IT. I now have an everlasting image of
my precious schnauzer, Sadie. This bracelet will always be my most cherished piece of jewelry."
"When I received my locket I was speechless, it is absolutely exquisite! I wanted to celebrate our Scottish Heritage, but was looking for something unique, hence the Luckenbooth and the pictures inside to celebrate our beautiful daughters wedding, which had a traditional Scottish flare. My Locked will become a family heirloom to be passed down many generations. Thank you ALL for your wonderful expertise and patience in making my beautiful locket become a reality."
"My first order from Pictures On Gold, an anklet for my wife, was a great buy,quality for the price, and was delivered as promised.My wife loves it."
"Just a note - The numbered earrings were perfect. In fact much better than the photo on the website. I was concerned they would be too big. Not the case. Plus they arrived so quickly at the normal UPS rate. Great job and thank you."
"I am fascinated with the quality of the pictures on the charms. Thank you so much"
-- Tina S.

domain: artistic


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A group to have fun with PSP.
A place to chat about Bearville. Join today for fun, games, fashion, friends, graphics, and more!
graphics, signature tags, avatars, scrapbooking, learning psp
Free forum : one stop for all your graphic design needs
A forum to share punBB, phpBB 2, Invision, & phpBB 3 themes for Forumotion forums.
A place for discussion and suggestions for the Black Market Heroes PVE server for 7 Days to Die
Come join the one of the best Call of Duty communities/clans there is! We are active and still going strong after a whole year!
Free forum : A forum meant for discussions of all sorts.
Islamic Art - Exclusive Graphic Designs, Free Islamic Graphics, Poems and Short Stories by Muslim Sisters, Islamic Art for Children.
Free forum : A site for roleplaying, writing, and art.
The Best of Artists & Shops
artists, stores, shops, products, crafted, handcrafted, sell, digital, #graphics, vintage, antique, zazzle, etsy, meylah, zibbet, storenvy, cartel, bonanza, fine, america, cafe, press, shopping, promotion, advertise
We are a non-profit World of Warcraft community server.
PS3 clan. A forum for the members of Apex Evolution.


The 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback is based on the automaker’s new TNGA-platform that also underpins the Prius. A sedan version will follow eventually.
Toyota has revealed the all-new Corolla hatchback in images ahead of its public debut at the upcoming 2018 New York Auto Show next week. The all-new model is based on Toyota’s new TNGA-platform that underpins the Prius as well, while the design is a lot more evocative than the Corolla iM, the model its replaces. The new Toyota Corolla hatchback is essentially the Toyota Auris hatchback that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, but gets the Corolla badging for the North American markets. Apart from the new name, the 2019 Corolla hatchback features new styling, more features and enhanced dimensions as well.
The 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback is now 1.5 inches longer, 1.2 inches wider and 1 inch lower than its predecessor. Most of the length has gone into elongating the wheelbase that makes for improved cabin space on the model. The new TNGA platform also brings a lower centre of gravity to the model while the latest design theme takes inspiration from the American-spec Camry, C-HR and the likes.
Under the hood, Toyota has announced that the 2019 Corolla in the US will be powered by the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that replaces the 1.8-litre unit. Power figures for the motor are yet to be announced, but the unit will come paired to a 6-speed manual and a CVT unit. The hatcback also gets a sports-tuned suspension for a more involving drive. All variants of the new Corolla come with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 that includes a tonne of features including pedestrian detection, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist and auto high beams. There are seven airbags as standard along with ABS, EBD, BA and more.
The US spec Corolla is very different from the India-spec model and we do not get the hatchback version either. That said, the new Corolla hatchback will be joined by the sedan version later in the timeline underpinned by the same new platform. That’s the version, which will make its way to India. Expect the new generation Corolla Sedan to be introduced sometime in 2019 in the country.


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Patient Advocate For You: What To Do When You Leave The Hospital
You have successfully prepared for your visit to the hospital, you or your loved one have undergone the operation, and you are now recovering in the hospital. Since the procedure was successful and you or your loved one seem fine, you no longer need to worry about anything, right?
On the contrary, the last part of your hospital visit is just as important as any other part of your visit, if not more so. Research shows that patients forget 80% of what they heard during discharge. Three out of four patients who are 64 years or older leave the hospital with an incorrect prescription, or without understanding how to follow their medication regimen post-discharge. Some patients feel better soon after leaving the hospital, and stop taking their medication altogether without consulting their doctor. This is why your preparations to leave the hospital are so important, and why we at CampaignZero want to help you make sure you have everything ready to go home.
4 Patient Advocate Hospital Tips For When You Leave
If you don’t properly prepare for your discharge, you may find yourself having to contact your doctors again, or even be readmitted to the hospital.
1. Take the time you need at discharge
- Ask all the questions on your mind. Now is the time to get all the information you need, so don’t be afraid to ask questions and address concerns.
- The discharge nurse may not have all test results on hand. If you have not received all test results at the time of discharge, make a list of those that need to be tracked down post-discharge.
- Among other complications after hospitalization, patients can leave with an infection or blood clot brewing and not show any symptoms. Ask for a list of symptoms from any potential complications, and call your doctor if you have any problems or concerns.
2. Record discharge instructions
Ask your doctor or nurse if you can make a recording of the discharge instructions or any other conversations you’d like to remember. All smartphones have audio and video recording capabilities, or you can buy a simple digital voice recorder online for less than $30. Recording the instructions is easier and more accurate than trying to take notes by hand, and a great way to ensure that you don’t miss anything important!
3. Check in with your loved one
The first few months after hospitalization can be a difficult time of recovering from the procedures, attending followup appointments, and trying to adjust to everyday life. Your loved one will need extra care and attention during this time.
- For the first month after their hospitalization, try to visit or talk to your loved one at least once a day to ensure they are taking their medication and to check if they are experiencing any signs of complications.
- In the next several months after their hospital stay, try to visit or talk to your loved at least once a month. Again, make sure they are taking their medication and ask them if they are experiencing any complications.
- If your loved one is unable to take care of their health care and other personal needs on their own, arrange for yourself or someone else to stay with them.
4. Be on alert for some surprise costs
- Some medications may not be covered by your insurance. If a prescribed medication is not covered, ask if a substitute is available that your plan will cover.
- Some procedures received while in the hospital may be billed separately from the hospital, and may not be covered by your insurance. If you need to receive such a service, ask your doctor for a referral to a practice that your insurance will cover.
Our Patient Advocate Office is ever just an email or phone call away: 703-222-1300 – we’re happy to help! A phone call is free and it could save a life or reduce a large hospital bill.


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Police investigate after 24-year-old was fatally shot on northeast side
Indianapolis police are investigating, after a 24-year-old was fatally shot Sunday morning on the northeast side.
At 10:46 a.m., Indianapolis Metropolitan Police responded to a call of a person shot in the 5600 block of Brendon Way Parkway, less than three miles from Lawrence Central High School.
Officers found Montel Robinson, from Indianapolis, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Police did not release any suspect information. Anyone with information is urged to contact the IMPD Homicide Office at (317) 327-3475.
The investigation is ongoing.

domain: law


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Kraken is the first and only multi-processed, multi-threaded, fault-tolerant framework for PHP. It has been written to provide easy and reliable API for creating distributed applications using PHP. Kraken aims to solve typical problems of writing such applications and to provide developers with powerful yet elegant tools for dealing with them.
GGP-Botter is a general game playing framework written in SWI-Prolog that provides API for creating AI-driven bots that learns to play any game if the proper rules are provided. Framework consists of an interface for GGP server-client communication, event-driven bot architecture, separate rules for writing bot and game rules and more.
SPNA which stands for "Simple Petri Network Analyzer" is a browser-based tool which provides algorithms able to analyze performance and architecture of any distributed system. It works using petri-network based algorithms and enables interface for creating, migrating, managing and designing petri network systems. The tools comes with graphical IDE and visualisation tools.
SNES which stands for "Social Network Evolution Simulator" is a tool which provides algorithms able to simulate evolution of social networks. It uses set of specially defined both simple and complex rules to predict how any given social group is going to evolve as time passes. The project has been presented and warmly received at the AI conference in AGH-UST in Poland. The program comes in two versions - the frist one is online and browser-based while second is in the form of destkop application built with Titanium SDK.
Elradia 2 was the second iteration of Elradia franchise. The game provided better graphics and switched from turn-based system to live action. The sequel also totally revamped old game mechanics, removing outdated systems and putting more focus to crafting, looting, fighting and especially questing. It was the first game in the series which provided interative environment and arcade elements.
Elradia Construction Set
Elradia Construction Set was a project aimed to create interoperable tool for creating RPG games via browser-based graphical editor. It provided interface to create game worlds using existing or custom 2D graphics, painting the world, defining game rules, creating loot and bestiary. Some of experimental, not fully implemented features were support for BBQ codes and creating install scripts.
Elradia | Erathia 2
Elradia, also known as Erathia 2, was spiritual successor to the Erathia game. It modernized the gameplay by moving from text-based gameplay to a 2D animated sprite-based world. Elradia improved on the previous game making each mechanism more complex to master, but easier to start with. The game wastly expanded its universe by adding new races, cities and locations and adding new features such as dungeons, raids and colosseum tournaments awaiting for most experienced players.
Erathia was one of the first browser text-based MMORPGs in Poland, and the second most popular of its time. The game contained a hand-crafted fantasy world full of magical wonders and inhabited by hundreds of monsters. Each player at the start of his adventure was asked to create his character by choosing such RPG elements such as race, class, specialization and more. The game provided fighting, crafting and trade mechanics. The main point of the game was to collect scraps of the map, reavealing the location of secret place, in which the end game boss awaited. It was the ultimate quest waiting for bravest wanderers!

domain: game