text:
Mr Stavenhagen, friends:
It is an honour for me to make brief remarks at this session. Last weekend I travelled with our distinguished U.N. visitor in Eeyou Istchee, the traditional territory of the James Bay Cree Nation. We are fortunate to have this further opportunity to be with him today.
Today's session at Amnesty International has a special character. You are meeting with representatives of some of Canada's most distinguished, non-aboriginal, faith, human rights, democratic development, and related advocacy organizations. Mr Special Rapporteur, I believe that it is fundamentally important that they communicate to you their understanding of this situation, and their relationship with the ongoing, tragic dynamic between aboriginal peoples in Canada and the Crown.
A leading non-aboriginal Canadian legal scholar wrote recently in the Canadian Bar Review that "We live in an era of rights." The situation facing aboriginal peoples is fundamentally a rights situation. I know that governments have asked you to "be practical" and to focus on "practical solutions" in your work. We are not at all surprised. For many years, the government of Canada has demanded that we must abandon our rights-based advocacy in favour of such concepts as "local improvement of living conditions". We cannot do this. The ongoing denial of our rights, the right of recognition of our status, the right of self-determination, and our aboriginal and treaty rights to name a few, is the root cause of our situation. For us to abandon human rights advocacy is for us to get onto a slippery slope of no minimum standards, of no entitlements as of right based on our status and relationship with our territories or the Crown, and thus of diminishing charitable responses to our circumstances according to the whims of others. Mr Special Rapporteur, we have come to understand not as aboriginal peoples not only that we can "eat rights", but also that rights are the only thing we can "eat".
Canada often asserts that "its Indians" or "its Inuit" are better off than the "Indians" or "Inuit" in other countries, and that it spends seven or eight billion dollars per year on aboriginal peoples. These things may well be true on their face. However, we believe that these are false and immoral assertions and comparisons. The only question is how aboriginal peoples in Canada are doing in comparison to all other people in Canada, and whether the expenditures made on aboriginal peoples are equivalent - they should actually be higher, given the developmental deficits and gross legacies of exclusion among our peoples - than per capita expenditures from all sources on all other people in Canada.
The government of Canada - and indeed the country as a whole -- positions itself as a paragon of respect for human rights within this country and internationally. We believe that this stance and this discourse brings with it a duty to discuss, admit to, and progressively address serious human rights deficiencies concerning aboriginal peoples. Indeed, we know that Canada has explicitly assumed international obligations to do so.
In 1996, after 5 years of study, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - or "RCAP" -- issued its final report. It stated that "...Aboriginal peoples have limited resources. Their lands and resources were taken from them by settler society and became the basis for the high standard of living enjoyed by other Canadians over the years. Only a small proportion of Canada's resource income has come back to Aboriginal people, most in the form of transfer payments such as social assistance. This has never been, and is not now, the choice of Aboriginal people. They want to free themselves from the destructive burden of welfare and dependency. But to do this they need to have back some of what was taken away. They need land and they need resources."
In more "practical terms", RCAP continued: "The current state of Aboriginal housing and community services poses acute threats to health. Diseases spread by inadequacies of water, sanitation and housing (tuberculosis and infections, for example) are more common among Aboriginal people than among non-Aboriginal people. Dwellings are unsafe and there is a lack of fire protection services. On reserves, DIAND figures show that 200 dwellings are lost because of fire each year. In the North, solid waste dump sites and lack of sewage treatment create environmental hazards that contaminate country food consumed by Aboriginal people. Such direct threats to health would not be tolerated in other Canadian communities. They must not be allowed to persist among Aboriginal people either. "
RCAP continued: "...Aboriginal peoples have had great difficulty maintaining their lands and livelihoods in the face of massive encroachment. This encroachment is not ancient history. In addition to the devastating impact of settlement and development on traditional land-use areas, the actual reserve or community land base of Aboriginal people has shrunk by almost two-thirds since Confederation , and on-reserve resources have largely vanished. The history of these losses includes the abject failure by the Indian Affairs department's stewardship of reserves and other aboriginal assets. As a result, Aboriginal people have been impoverished, deprived of the tools necessary for self-sufficiency and self-reliance."
RCAP concluded with a dire warning: " It is not difficult to identify the solution. Aboriginal peoples need much more territory to become economically, culturally and politically self-sufficient. If they cannot obtain a greater share of the lands and resources in this country, their institutions of self-government will fail. Without adequate lands and resources, Aboriginal nations will be unable to build their communities and structure the employment opportunities necessary to achieve self-sufficiency. Currently, on the margins of Canadian society, they will be pushed to the edge of economic, cultural and political extinction. The government must act forcefully, generously and swiftly to assure the economic, cultural and political survival of Aboriginal nations."
Mr Special Rapporteur, by the end of the 1990's, these things had not changed, and it was becoming clear that RCAP was a dead letter. So we approached the two UN Covenant Committees. Their Concluding Observations in respect of Canada were as follows:
"...17. The Committee is greatly concerned at thegross disparity between Aboriginal people and the majority of Canadians with respect to the enjoyment of Covenant rights. There has been little or no progress in the alleviation of social and economic deprivation among Aboriginal people. In particular, the Committee is deeply concerned at the shortage of adequate housing, the endemic mass unemployment and the high rate of suicide, especially among youth, in the Aboriginal communities. Another concern is the failure to provide safe and adequate drinking water to Aboriginal communities on reserves. The delegation of the State Party conceded that almost a quarter of Aboriginal household dwellings required major repairs and lacked basic amenities.
... 18. The Committee views with concern the direct connection between Aboriginal economic marginalization and the ongoing dispossession of Aboriginal people from their lands, as recognized by RCAP, and endorses the recommendations of RCAP that policies which violate Aboriginal treaty obligations and the extinguishment, conversion or giving up of Aboriginal rights and title should on no account be pursued by the State Party. The Committee is greatly concerned that the recommendations of RCAP have not yet been implemented, in spite of the urgency of the situation. "
In April 1999, the U.N. Human Rights Committee ruled on Canada as follows:
"The Committee notes that, as the State party acknowledged, the situation of the aboriginal peoples remains "the most pressing human rights issue facing Canadians". In this connection, the Committee is particularly concerned that the State party has not yet implemented the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP). With reference to the conclusion by RCAP that without a greater share of lands and resources institutions of aboriginal self-government will fail, the Committee emphasizes that the right to self-determination requires,inter alia,that all peoples must be able to freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources and that they may not be deprived of their own means of subsistence (art. 1, para. 2). The Committee recommends that decisive and urgent action be taken towards the full implementation of the RCAP recommendations on land and resource allocation. The Committee also recommends that the practice of extinguishing inherent aboriginal rights be abandoned as incompatible with article 1 of the Covenant."
Mr Special Rapporteur, in 2001, and 2001, and 2002, and 2003, and now again in 2005, various arms of the federal government and various independent commission are continuing to issue, and escalate the language in their reports of aboriginal displacement, dispossession, crisis, and deep aboriginal community anguish and shame. The authors of these reports include Health Canada, the Auditor General, independent research institutes, commissions of inquiries, and other entities.
I will conclude with a brief quote from one of the most recent reports, from the conservative CD Howe Institute:
"We believe there is compelling evidence that aboriginal poverty is Canada's worst social wound. Curing it will not be easy; ignoring the evidence will make the task impossible."
Which brings me to my final point. This situation in Canada - which is a G8 state with the highest levels of overall capacity, technical ability, resources, lands, and standards of living and social development -- persists, and some would argue, is getting worse. Fundamentally, this is a question of a national policy of extinguishment: extinguishment of rights, extinguishment of cultures, extinguishment of peoples.
The same is true in many other countries. We believe that a central, if not a necessary component, of any meaningful change will be the entrenchment of appropriate international standards. In this regard, I encourage you to give the views of the other, mostly non-aboriginal speakers at this session, and through you the UN Human Rights Commission, the close attention for which you are renowned and very much appreciated.
Thanks you. Merci. Miigwetch.
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) Volume 2.
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Volume 1, Chapter 4: "housing" (emphasis added).
The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996),Volume 2
Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1996) Volume 2
Concluding observations of the U.N. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights : Canada. 10/12/98. E/C.12/1/Add.31.[concerning Canada's compliance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights] December 1998
Drost, Helmar and John Richards: Income On-and Off-Reserve: How Aboriginals are Faring (CD Howe Institute, March 2003).


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Garlic, an aromatic herb regularly added in many cuisines worldwide, enhances the taste and can improve overall health. Garlic benefits you in multiple ways. Also, an age-old saying claims this herb can make vampires run away. Though it is a metaphor, it is recommended to eat garlic. The health benefits of eating raw garlic are many. It can combat many health ailments and is believed to have anti-cancer properties. These benefits are also backed up by research.
Be it chopped, halved, toasted, crushed, roasted, minced, or even whole, garlic can enhance the dish’s taste. Learn more about this herb and its benefits for skin, hair, and health. Scroll down.
What Is It?
Garlic is an herb belonging to the Allium family, contains numerous cloves, and has a strong, pungent, spicy smell.
What Are Its Benefits?
It enhances circulatory health, prevents cardiovascular diseases, reduces blood glucose levels, and strengthens the immune system. It also helps treat UTIs and yeast infections and improves skin health.
Who Can Use It?
Anyone can consume it except pregnant women or lactating mothers.
One to two cloves per day.
Individuals allergic to garlic, having issues like stomach ulcer, IBS, or IBD, or recovering from a recent intestinal surgery should avoid taking it. Overconsumption may cause heartburn, excess body heat, and skin irritation.
In This Article
What is Garlic?
Garlic is a bulbous herb vegetable. Its scientific name is Allium sativum and is most commonly known as (lasun/lahsun) in Hindi, ‘Vellulli’ in Telugu, ‘Poondu’ in Tamil, ‘Veluthulli’ in Malayalam, ‘Bellulli’ in Kannada, ‘Rasoon’ in Bengali, ‘Lasan’ in Gujarati, ‘Lasun’ in Marathi and ‘Lassan’ in Punjabi. It is basically the edible bulb part of the lily plant and belongs to the Allium family (1).
Some of the other veggies that belong to Allium family are onion, leek, chives, shallots, and scallions. The average height and diameter of a garlic bulb is about 2 inches and contains numerous cloves, and both the cloves and bulb are enclosed in a paper-like sheath, which has white, off-white, purple or pink hue. The cloves of garlic are firm and are covered in a thicker paper-like sheath of the same color as the outer sheath. To use garlic, you need to detach the cloves from the bulb and peel them. Garlic tastes pungent and has a strong spicy smell. The pungent taste of garlic mellows down when cooked and adds a nutty flavor to the food.
There are different types of garlic such as softneck garlic, silverskin garlic, artichoke garlic, and hardneck garlic. Softneck garlic is the most common type of garlic that you see in the market and has a soft stalk, papery skin and creamy white in color. The outermost cloves of this garlic are larger in size as compared to those closer to the center. Silver garlic has a pink hue on its outer sheath and has a strong aroma. Artichoke garlic has a milder flavor and has larger but fewer cloves. Sometimes the artichoke garlic has a purple tint on its papery skin. However, it is the hardneck garlic that is known for its purple outer sheath. It has a hard, woody stalk and there are three types of hardneck garlic – rocambole garlic, porcelain garlic, and purple stripe garlic (2).
Garlic mostly requires lower temperatures to grow, but there are reports where garlic was found to have grown in warmer tropical regions. In fact, garlic grows best in temperate regions and doesn’t thrive in too hot or too cold regions. In India, Gujarat is the leading producer of garlic followed by Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Garlic requires well drained loamy soil and is planted from August to November and is harvested within 4 to 5 months. The garlic bulbs are then dried to increase their shelf life.
History Of Garlic
Garlic is one of the oldest crops. Garlic is mentioned in Indian and Egyptian cultures about 5000 years ago, in Babylonian culture about 4500 years ago, and in Chinese culture about 4000 years ago. The crop originated in Central Asia and is referred to as “center of origin” and a wide range of garlic varieties can be found here. In the early days, there were no specific types of garlic. In fact, after garlic was cultivated in southern Europe in the last 1000 years the softneck and hardneck garlic varieties started to get noticed. Garlic is believed to have become popular as humans migrated to various parts of the world. Today, each year about 10 million metric tons of garlic is produced worldwide, China being the leading producer of garlic with 66% garlic production (3),(4).
Is Garlic Good For You?
So, how good is garlic for you? Garlic is rich in compounds like Allicin, Sulphur, Zinc, and Calcium that have health benefits, beauty benefits as well as antibiotic and antifungal properties. It is also a rich source of a mineral known as selenium. Selenium is known to fight cancer and it works with vitamin E in the body to boost antioxidant power. Garlic also acts as a blood thinner due to its salicylate content. This enables proper blood flow and enhances circulatory health.
Nowadays, garlic’s reputation as a medicinal herb is significantly growing. This is because it has been confirmed by many researchers to be highly effective in preventing and treating a wide range of health conditions (5). In fact, for decades, garlic has been recommended by natural medicine practitioners all over the world to be included in the daily diet because of its many powerful effects on health. Now, before I tell you the various benefits of garlic, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts of the herb below.
Garlic Nutrition Facts
Garlic contains numerous vital nutrients – flavonoids, oligosaccharidesi XA type of carbohydrate, which may also act as prebiotics and help boost digestive processes. , alliin and allicin and also high levels of sulfur. Let’s look at its nutritional value in detail (6).
|Total Fat||0.5 g||2%|
|Dietary Fiber||2.1 g||5.5%|
|Pantothenic acid||0.596 mg||12%|
|Vitamin A||9 IU||1%|
|Vitamin C||31.2 mg||52%|
|Vitamin E||0.08 mg||0.5%|
|Vitamin K||1.7 µg||1.5%|
|Calcium||181 mg||18 %|
This was about garlic nutritional benefits. Now, let’s find out how many ways garlic can be beneficial for your health, skin, and hair.
Health Benefits Of Garlic
Garlic health benefits are plentiful which include reversing heart disease, improving the health of diabetics and also preventing and fighting various forms of cancer. As garlic is consumed in small amounts, its bioactive components – sulfur and phytonutrients – have many health benefits. Here are some of the most profound garlic benefits that are supported by studies.
1. May Help In Stabilizing Blood Pressure
Mature garlic extract contains a bioactive sulfur compound, S-allylcysteine, which has been found to effectively lower blood pressure by 10 mmHg (systolic pressure) and 8 mmHg (diastolic pressure). Sulfur deficiency is one of the reasons for high blood pressure and therefore supplementing the body with organosulfur compounds can help stabilize blood pressure (7). Heat treatment tends to destroy allicin.
Garlic Dose To Lower Blood Pressure
Consume raw or dried garlic to be able to consume allicin in garlic.
2. May Help Lower LDL Cholesterol
American scientists found that aged garlic extract supplement can help lower LDL cholesterol by 10% in hypercholesterolemic male human participants. In rats, garlic inhibited the synthesis of cholesterol in liver cells. The researchers further experimented with water soluble and lipid soluble compounds of garlic and found that water soluble compounds in garlic inhibited cholesterol synthesis by 20-60% (8).
Garlic Dose To Lower Blood Pressure
You can eat 1-2 raw cloves of garlic per day to reduce LDL cholesterol.
3. May Reduce The Risk Of Cardiovascular Diseases
Scientists have evidence that garlic can help prevent almost all cardiovascular diseases. It helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases by lowering bad cholesterol, lipid, and serum triglyceride increase antioxidant activities, and decrease platelet aggregation. Garlic was also found to be effective against atherosclerosisi XThe hardening of arteries due to the build-up of fats, cholesterol, and other substances affecting blood flow. (9),(10).
Garlic Dose To Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases
Have a clove of raw garlic in the morning before your morning walk or morning run to keep cardiovascular diseases miles away.
4. May Improve Bone Health
Age and unhealthy lifestyle can make your bones weak, which means that fractures and osteoporosis will set in much earlier. Garlic has been found to be effective against osteoporosis and arthritis. In a study, scientists supplemented lab rats with garlic oil and found that garlic oil was able to suppress ovariectomyi XThe surgical removal of one or both ovaries, commonly performed for treating issues like ovarian cancer and cysts. -induced bone resorption (11). Another group of researchers concluded that the diallyl disulfide helps to suppress the matrix degrading enzymes and therefore prevents damage to the bones (12).
Garlic Dose To Improve Bone Health
Consume 2-3 raw garlic cloves per day to improve bone health.
5. Can Relieve Intestinal Ailments
An upset stomach or a broken digestive system can hamper your daily life. So, if you are suffering from intestinal problems, you might want to consume garlic. Garlic tends to differentiate between the good and bad gut bacteria in the intestine and has an anti-bacterial effect on harmful enterobacteria (13). Scientists have also found that garlic is effective against H. pylori infections (14).
Garlic Dose For Relieving Intestinal Infection
Consume 1 raw garlic before breakfast with a glass of room temperature or cold water.
6. May Regulate Blood Sugar
High blood sugar can make you prone to developing diabetes, blood pressure, obesity etc. If you are suffering from high blood sugar, you must include garlic in your diet. Scientists from Kuwait conducted an experiment with raw and boiled garlic and found that raw garlic significantly reduced blood glucose levels in lab animal models (15). Therefore, consume raw garlic instead of the cooked bulb to help lower the blood sugar levels.
Garlic Dose For Lowering Blood Sugar
Consume 3-4 cloves of raw garlic to lower your blood sugar levels.
7. Can Prevent Thromboembolism
Clotting of blood to prevent excess blood loss is good but not when the blood clots detach and are carried by the bloodstream to other vital organs such as brain, lungs, kidney etc. Indian scientists experimented with garlic. The participants were asked to consume 10 mg raw garlic every day before breakfast for two months. The study concluded that garlic could be used to prevent thromboembolism (16).
Garlic Dose For Preventing Thromboembolism
Consume 3 garlic cloves before breakfast every alternate day.
8. May Reduce The Risk Of Cancer
Garlic contains diallylsulfide that helps inhibit oxidative stress, selenium present in garlic is known to have cancer-fighting properties, prevents DNA mutation and uncontrolled cell proliferation, and metastasisi XA process involving the spread of cancer cells from their original site to different parts of the body. (17). So, if you want to lower the risk of cancer, consume garlic along with leading a healthy lifestyle.
Garlic Dose For Fighting/Preventing Cancer
Consume at least 1 raw clove of garlic every day in the morning.
9. May Strengthen The Immune System
Garlic contains phytonutrients that are antioxidant in nature. Antioxidants flush out toxins and reduce oxidative stress in the body, which prevents you from falling sick or being prone to DNA mutations and disrupted cell functions. Researchers have also found that supplementing with garlic helped increase different types of immune cells in the body (18).
Garlic Dose For Boosting Immunity
Garlic is a natural immunity-boosting remedy. Consume 1-2 raw garlic cloves per day to strengthen immunity.
10. Can Relieve Oxidative Stress
As I mentioned earlier, garlic can help relieve oxidative stress. The water soluble organosulfur compounds found in garlic can help prevent DNA damage, reduce inflammation and atherosclerosis risk due to oxidative stress. In fact, garlic can also help prevent heart diseases by nullifying harmful free oxygen radicals (19),(20), (21).
Garlic Dose For Relieving Oxidative Stress
Consume 1 clove of raw garlic every day to flush out the harmful free oxygen radicals.
11. Helps Prevent Heavy Metal Poisoning
Heavy metals can kill you. And therefore it is best that you get rid of any traces of heavy metal from your body. A study conducted on lab rats showed that orally administering garlic helped reduce the levels of heavy metal (22). Another study confirmed that pickled garlic was more effective in lowering cadmium levels (23).
Garlic Dose For Lowering Heavy Metal
Consume pickled garlic to reduce or prevent heavy metal poisoning.
12. May Help Manage Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, mainly caused by unhealthy lifestyle. Scientists at IICT, India fed garlic to lab rats and found a reduction in blood glucose and triglyceride levels and also the rats showed increased insulin sensitivity (24). So, if you are prediabetici XA state in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes mellitus. or a diabetic, consume garlic to lower glucose levels in the blood and make your body insulin sensitive.
Garlic Dose For Diabetes
Consume 2-3 cloves of raw garlic to prevent the risk or fight diabetes.
13. Helps In Reducing Yeast Infections
Yeast infections can be both embarrassing and distressing. Garlic is a natural remedy for yeast infections. Scientists have found that fresh garlic extract is highly effective against Candida infections (25). In another study, the researchers found that garlic was effective against candida vaginitis (26).
Garlic Dose For Diabetes
Consume 2-3 cloves of raw garlic every day. Do not apply raw garlic on the infected area.
14. Helps In Treating UTI And Kidney Infections
Cranberry is the go-to fruit for treating or preventing UTI, but garlic is no less. Scientists have found that garlic can help treat or prevent the growth of P. aeruginosa, a pathogen that colonizes the urinary tract walls and is responsible for recurring UTIs and kidney infections (27). Garlic is also effective against E.coli growth in the urinary tract (28).
Garlic Dose For Preventing UTI And Kidney Infection
Consume 3-4 cloves of garlic to prevent and fight UTI and kidney infections.
15. Can Help In Treating Asthma And Common Cold
Garlic has been used for ages to treat common cold and asthma. A special mustard garlic oil is massaged near the nose and on throat and lungs area to help treat chest congestion. Now, scientists also have found evidence that garlic can delay the hypersensitivity associated with asthma and also help treat common cold (29),(30).
Garlic Dose For Treating Asthma And Common Cold
Heat mustard oil with garlic and massage your body with this oil for treating cold. You can also consume 2-3 cloves of raw garlic to treat cold and asthma. Make sure you talk to your doctor first.
16. May Relieve Cold Sores
Cold sores or blisters are caused by herpes simplex virus. These are generally painful blisters that erupt in and around lips, chin, and nose. The worst news – this is contagious. Garlic contains antiviral antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties and therefore may help treat these blisters. However, there is no solid scientific evidence to back this belief.
Garlic Dose For Treating Cold Sores
Consume 1-2 cloves of raw garlic to treat cold sores.
17. May Reduce The Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease And Dementia
Garlic is said to protect from neurodegenerative disease, dementia. Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia and garlic is also effective against Alzheimer’s disease. A bioactive compound S-allyl-cysteine, found in garlic is neuroprotective in nature. Moreover, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of garlic also help prevent neurological deterioration (31),(32).
Garlic Dose For Preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Consume 3-4 garlic cloves per day to help prevent the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
18. May Aid Weight Loss
If you want to lose weight, you must consume garlic. Because garlic actually gets to the root of the weight gain problem. It helps to inhibit the expression of adipogenic tissues, increases thermogenesis, and reduces bad cholesterol (33) (34).
Garlic Dose For Weight Loss
Consume 3-4 raw garlic cloves for weight loss.
19. May Improve Eye Health
It is impossible to believe, but garlic has also been found to help improve eye health. Scientists have found that garlic reduces intraocular pressurei XThe fluid pressure of the eye essential for maintaining its shape. A rise in its level is a risk factor for glaucoma and eye issues. (35). The antimicrobial property of garlic is also effective against the microbes causing eyesight threatening keratitisi XThe inflammation of the cornea or white part of the eye, caused by infection, injury, or wearing contact lenses for long. (36). Scientists have also found that garlic juice can help prevent lead-induced apoptosisi XA biological process where the cells destroy themselves when stimulated by an external or internal trigger. of the retinal cells in rats (37).
Garlic Dose For Eye Health
Consume 3-4 cloves of raw garlic after breakfast to protect your eyes.
20. Helps Reduce Ear Infections
Garlic has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and therefore may be effective against ear infections. However, there is no scientific evidence to establish this yet.
Garlic Dose For Reducing Ear Infection
Consume 2-3 cloves of raw garlic to reduce inflammation and microbial infection. However, consult your doctor before you start taking garlic to reduce ear infection.
21. Kills Oral Pathogens
Allicin present in garlic has antimicrobial properties and helps kill oral pathogens that are associated with dental caries and periodontitisi XA severe gum infection that leads to tooth loss and may affect the surrounding bones and cause other health complications. (38). Scientists have also experimented with garlic extract as mouthwash and have found it to be an effective one (39). In fact, using toothpaste or mouthwashes containing garlic extract can help prevent dental caries (40).
Garlic Dose For Oral Health
Chew one raw garlic clove every day if you are suffering from a toothache or dental caries.
22. Improves Iron And Zinc Absorption
Both iron and zinc are important for proper functioning of various biological processes. Garlic contains sulfur that positively influences the bioavailability of both iron and zinc (41). Therefore, if you are iron or zinc deficient, you must include garlic in your diet.
Garlic Dose For Improved Iron And Zinc Absorption
Consume 1-2 raw garlic cloves to increase iron and zinc absorption and bioavailability.
23. May Ameliorate Fatty Liver
An excessive amount of fat deposition in the liver can be fatal. Garlic had been found to be effective against non-alcoholic fatty liver. Sulphur containing amino acid cysteine in garlic helps to have a better detoxification effect and generates potent antioxidant glutathione. Scientists found that S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) helped ameliorate hepatic injury and garlic oil’s antioxidative properties also helped protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver (42),(43).
Garlic Dose For Ameliorating Fatty Liver
Add raw chopped 1-2 garlic cloves to spinach smoothie to help prevent fatty liver.
24. May Help You Live Longer
It is clear from all the above garlic benefits that consuming garlic can help improve your health by protecting your vital organs and cell functions. This way, garlic can help increase longevity (44).
Garlic Dose For Long Life
Consume 2 garlic cloves per day for long and healthy life.
Benefits Of Garlic For Skin
The garlic benefits for skin are explained in greater detail below. Know how to apply garlic on face and skin for good results.
25. May Reduce Acne
Garlic is a powerful antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Since acne is caused due to over accumulation of toxins, clogged pores, and bacterial infections – garlic can be used to reduce acne (45).
How To Use Garlic For Reducing Acne
You can eat 1 clove of raw garlic followed by a glass of cold water. Also, make sure you keep yourself hydrated and clean your skin every 3 hours.
26. Soothes Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease, and the symptoms are red, scaly, and itchy skin that affect the scalp, elbows, and knees. It is not curable but consuming garlic can help reduce the disease symptoms. Psoriasis is caused due to inflammation, and since garlic is a strong anti-inflammatory agent, many recommend the use of garlic to reduce psoriasis. However, there is no direct scientific evidence to prove this.
How To Use Garlic For Reducing Psoriasis
Consume 3 cloves of raw garlic with leek, broccoli, and beetroot juice.
27. May Delay Aging
Skin aging occurs due to stress, unhealthy habits, stress, inflammation, genes etc. S-allyl cysteine, found in garlic helps protect the skin from UV damage and wrinkling. The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds present in garlic help scavenge the oxygen radicals thereby reducing stress. Moreover, scientists have also found that garlic induces synthesis of normal human skin cells in the lab (46),(47).
How To Use Garlic For Delaying Wrinkles
Consume one clove of raw garlic with honey and lemon the first thing in the morning. You can also add raw chopped garlic to Triphala water and drink it in the morning.
28. May Fade Stretch Marks
The moment you hear about stretch marks, all you wish is for them to vanish! Well, they are stubborn, and our skin is elastic. To reduce stretch marks can take a long time if you don’t put in extra effort to get rid of them. Hot oil massage with garlic may help reduce stretch marks, and you must try it with olive oil or mustard oil.
How To Use Garlic To Remove Stretch Marks
Heat mustard oil and add 2-3 cloves of garlic. When you start to smell the garlic, remove from flame and let it cool down a bit. You can use it when it’s still warm. Massage in circular motion.
29. May Soothe Eczema
Dry, itchy, flaky, rough, and inflamed skin is known as eczema. It is caused due to inflammation triggered by an allergic reaction. Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties and thus believed to be effective against eczema. But there is no solid scientific backing this theory. So, talk to your doctor before consuming garlic to reduce symptoms of eczema.
How To Use Garlic To Remove Stretch Marks
Consume 1-2 raw garlic cloves with room temperature water.
30. Can Treat Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s foot is caused due to a fungal or yeast infection, also known as tinea pedis (ringworm of the foot). Garlic is an antifungal agent and can be used to treat ringworm of the foot.
How To Use Garlic To Treat Athlete’s Foot
Consume 2 garlic cloves with leek juice in the morning.
Benefits Of Garlic For Hair
Ever thought of what are the uses of garlic for hair. But hey, even consuming raw garlic can have benefits for your hair – they can improve hair health and appearance.
31. May Prevent Hair Loss
Hair loss is a serious problem these days. Pollution, impure water, bad eating habits, stress etc. all add up to rapid hair loss. Scientists have found that garlic gel, along with betamethasone valerate can help prevent hair loss (48).
How To Use Garlic To Prevent Hair Loss
Consume 1 raw garlic clove with a spinach smoothie. Also, add lots of garlic in cooked fish to prevent hair loss.
So, those were the 31 garlic benefits for health, hair, and skin. Now, let me tell you how you can incorporate garlic into your daily diet.
How To Incorporate Garlic Into Your Diet?
- You can consume a clove of raw garlic to treat all your health problems.
- Add garlic to your food – pasta, bread, curries, casserole, salads, soups, dal, stews etc.
Best Ways to Use Garlic
The best way to use garlic to get rid of all health, skin, and hair problems is to eat it raw. Cooking it – boiling, frying, roasting etc. destroys it healing properties. So, start by taking a small piece of raw garlic and gulping it down with a glass of water in the morning. Then start consuming half a garlic and finally, chew a whole clove of raw garlic and wash it down with water. But you can also use it in other cooked food recipes. Here are a few garlic recipes for you.
If you want to reap the healing power of this wonder herb, try adding it to some of your favorite recipes. Here are a few delicious recipes using garlic to try so you can enjoy all of their health-promoting benefits of garlic everyday.
Note: Heating garlic cloves whole or immediately after crushing can destroy the sensitive enzyme (alliinase) in garlic that is responsible for producing allicin.
However, the health benefits can be partially conserved by crushing garlic and allowing it to stand for 10 minutes prior to cooking. That gives the enzyme time to be released and for allicin to form. Once formed, allicin is relatively heat stable.
1. Garlic Baked Chicken
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 minced clove of garlic
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt to taste
How To Prepare
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease the baking tray.
- In a bowl mix olive oil and minced garlic.
- In another bowl mix breadcrumbs, cheese, dried basil, and black pepper.
- Dip the chicken in oil and garlic mixture and then coat it with the breadcrumb.
- Place the chicken breasts on the baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.
2. Roasted Garlic Sweet Potato Soup
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 large onions, cut into wedges
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Cooking spray
How To Prepare
- Spray the baking tray with cooking oil and toss in the sweet potato and onion.
- Remove the thin papery skin of the garlic bulb and chop off the top and wrap it in a foil.
- Toss it into the baking tray and bake the veggies for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Let it cool for 15 minutes and take out the garlic bulb.
- Now, gently squeeze out the soft garlic cloves into a blender.
- Add dried thyme, chicken broth, black pepper, olive oil, and parsley to the blender and blend until it becomes smooth.
- Transfer this into a saucepan and add the baked onions and sweet potatoes.
- Use a hand blender to blend the onions and sweet potato.
- Stir and cook for 5 minutes more.
3. Garlic Basil Pesto
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup grated pecorino cheese
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
How To Prepare
- Process basil, pine nuts, and garlic until they are finely chopped.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season it.
- Now, add the olive oil and pulse again until it becomes smooth.
- Transfer it into a bowl and mix with grated cheese.
Yummy, aren’t they? So, go ahead and prepare the best food with garlic and enjoy good health as well. But the next big question is how to select and store garlic? Read on to find out.
How To Select And Store Garlic?
To choose the best garlic, always hold the garlic in your hand to feel if it is damp and soft. Reject it immediately. Select the ones that are plump, firm, and light. If you like garlic and use it on a regular basis, choose garlic that has larger clove as peeling so many cloves can be very tiring. A trick to peel garlic quickly is to dry it in the sun for a day and then transferring it into a steel bowl, cover it with a plate and shake it vigorously. This will magically peel off all the garlic in just a minute.
To store garlic, keep it at room temperature or sun dry it before storing it at room temperature. Store garlic in places where there is good air circulation, dry and dark. You can also store garlic in a zip lock bag. Finally, you can store peeled garlic in oil or vinegar. So, where can you buy garlic?
Where To Buy Garlic?
The best place to find fresh and unadulterated garlic is the local farmer’s market. You can also buy garlic in supermarkets and online stores too.
It is clear that garlic has many benefits but can it cause any harm if taken in excess quantities or when people with certain conditions take it? Let’s find out in the next section.
Potential Raw Garlic Side Effects
Garlic benefits and uses are well known. But, the side effects of eating raw garlic can’t be overlooked. Check out what are they.
Consuming raw garlic can make you stink as it has a strong and pungent odor.
Nausea, Heartburn, Vomiting
Consuming too many raw garlic cloves can make you feel dizzy, cause heartburn, and in some cases make you vomit.
Too much garlic can irritate the stomach lining, disturb digestion, and cause gastritis issues.
Consuming too many garlic cloves can lead to heating up of your body, which can cause too much sweating.
Garlic can trigger a migraine. So, if you suffer from a migraine, avoid consuming excessive raw garlic.
If you consume garlic in excess, it can affect your eyesight. Hyphema or bleeding inside the eye is found in those who consume too much garlic.
Low Blood Pressure
Yes, garlic helps prevent hypertension but when you consume it in excess, it can cause low blood pressure.
Too much garlic can cause allergic reactions leading to skin rashes, reddening of the skin, and flaky and itchy skin.
Aggravates Vaginal Infection
Garlic in mild doses can help prevent vaginal infections but in larger doses can aggravate the vaginal infection.
Excess garlic can be toxic and to remove the toxins the liver has to work extra. This may finally damage your liver.
Who Should Avoid Garlic
- Pregnant women.
- If you are allergic to garlic.
- If you are suffering from a stomach ulcer, IBS, IBD or just underwent intestinal surgery.
- If your doctor doesn’t allow you to take garlic.
Infographic: Interesting Facts About Garlic
Garlic is a popular and widely used flavoring agent in cooking and a traditional remedy. From regulating blood pressure to preventing hair loss, garlic has many health benefits. Check out the infographic below to learn some more interesting facts about garlic.
Garlic is added to many dishes in different cuisines for its aroma. Research states that garlic can manage blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk of cancer, yeast infections, Alzheimer’s, and ear infections. It can also delay aging signs, manage acne, psoriasis, and eczema, and fade stretch marks.
However, overdosing on garlic may cause heartburn, excess body heat, and skin irritation. Hence, moderation is advised. If you want to take garlic for any specific health condition, it is advised to consult your doctor beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any benefit to removing the core of a garlic clove?
No, you must eat the whole clove of garlic.
How to reduce garlic odor?
Chew parsley or mint right after consuming raw garlic to get rid of garlic’s pungent odor.
What is the best time to eat raw garlic?
Eat it in the morning after drinking your detox drink.
Does eating garlic prevent flea bites?
Garlic can help repel the mosquitoes and so, you may consume it to prevent getting bitten by fleas.
How many cloves of garlic should a person eat per day?
You can consume 1-4 raw garlic cloves per day.
Can you eat garlic skin?
No. Unless you want to feel how it feels like to be a grass-eating animal! You get enough antioxidants from the clove, why would you want to eat the tasteless and papery skin?
What are the benefits of eating raw garlic in morning?
Eating raw garlic in the morning can help reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, obesity, premature aging, hypertension, high blood glucose levels hair fall, and can help you avoid skin problems.
Is it good to eat garlic and honey in the morning?
Garlic and honey are both rich in antioxidants and have antimicrobial properties. So, consuming them in moderation will help you ward off various bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, help prevent throat infections, aid weight loss etc.
Is garlic a herb or a spice?
Garlic is a herb vegetable.
Is it okay to have milk with garlic?
Yes, you can have milk with garlic.
Is it safe to use garlic mask for acne?
No. Do not use garlic directly on your acne as it may irritate your skin and aggravate the acne.
Does garlic help in skin whitening?
Garlic helps to flush out the toxins and helps to make your skin acne-free and also helps to reduce marks.
Garlic for facial hair – rubbing garlic on face hair growth.
Garlic will not help remove facial hair.
What are the uses of garlic paste on skin?
Consuming garlic paste will help to scavenge the harmful oxygen radicals and treat all your skin problems. However, we do not recommend you to apply garlic paste on skin without consulting a skin specialist.
Any benefits of black garlic supplements?
You can take black garlic supplements to boost your immunity, improve skin, hair, and memory.
What are the benefits of garlic soap?
Garlic sopa will help prevent any skin infections and also protects against acne.
How many Calories in Roasted Garlic Bulb?
One clove is 4 g, total calories is 4 calories. Garlic bulb of 40 g gives 40 cal.
- The water-soluble organosulfur compounds in garlic may reduce inflammation, signs of aging, and oxidative stress.
- Consuming garlic increases thermogenesis and reduces bad cholesterol to promote weight loss.
- The powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties of garlic may help reduce acne.
- If you want to use garlic to get rid of all skin, hair, and health problems, consume it raw.
Want to know about the benefits of eating raw garlic every day? If yes, then watch this video to know how adding it to your diet can help to improve overall health and well-being.
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- Varieties of Garlic.
- The origins and distribution of garlic: How many garlics are there? Agricultural Research Service, USDA.
- Garlic Post-Harvest Operations, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects, Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories, SELFNutrition Data.
- Potential of garlic (Allium sativum) in lowering high blood pressure: mechanisms of action and clinical relevance, Integrated blood pressure control, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Cholesterol-lowering effect of garlic extracts and organosulfur compounds: human and animal studies, The Journal of nutrition, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review, Nutrition journal, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic and Heart Disease, The Journal of nutrition, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Prevention of bone loss by oil extract of garlic (Allium sativum Linn.) in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis, Phytotherapy research : PTR, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Dietary garlic and hip osteoarthritis: evidence of a protective effect and putative mechanism of action, BMC musculoskeletal disorders, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects, Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Assessment of antibacterial effect of garlic in patients infected with Helicobacter pylori using urease breath test, Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Including garlic in the diet may help lower blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides, The Journal of nutrition, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Effect of ingestion of raw garlic on serum cholesterol level, clotting time and fibrinolytic activity in normal subjects, Journal of postgraduate medicine, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Can garlic reduce risk of cancer? The American journal of clinical nutrition, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Effect of Allium Cepa and Allium Sativum on Some Immunological Cells in Rats, African journal of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines : AJTCAM / African Networks on Ethnomedicines, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic attenuates cardiac oxidative stress via activation of PI3K/AKT/Nrf2-Keap1 pathway in fructose-fed diabetic rat, PLos One, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
- Garlic supplementation prevents oxidative DNA damage in essential hypertension, Molecular Cell Biochemistry, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic compounds minimize intracellular oxidative stress and inhibit nuclear factor-kappa b activation, The Journal of nutrition, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- A study on the effect of garlic to the heavy metal poisoning of rat, Journal of Korean medical science, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- The antioxidant and anti-cadmium toxicity properties of garlic extracts, Food science & nutrition, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic improves insulin sensitivity and associated metabolic syndromes in fructose fed rats, Nutrition & metabolism, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Effects of Fresh Garlic Extract on Candida albicans Biofilms, Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Investigating the therapeutic effect of vaginal cream containing garlic and thyme compared to clotrimazole cream for the treatment of mycotic vaginitis, Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic blocks quorum sensing and attenuates the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, FEMS immunology and medical microbiology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Alternative Approaches to Conventional Treatment of Acute Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection in Women, Current infectious disease reports, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Complementary and alternative interventions in asthma, allergy, and immunology, Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic for the common cold, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Neuroprotective Effects of Garlic A Review, The Libyan journal of medicine, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Ameliorating effects of aged garlic extracts against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Springer Nature.
- Reduction of body weight by dietary garlic is associated with an increase in uncoupling protein mRNA expression and activation of AMP-activated protein kinase in diet-induced obese mice, The Journal of nutrition, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
- Effect of garlic on high fat induced obesity, Acta biologica Hungarica, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Therapeutic Uses and Pharmacological Properties of Garlic, Shallot, and Their Biologically Active Compounds, Iranian journal of basic medical sciences, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- In vitro evaluation of the amoebicidal activity of garlic (Allium sativum) extract on Acanthamoeba castellanii and its cytotoxic potential on corneal cells, Journal of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics : the official journal of the Association for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- The Effect of Ascorbic Acid and Garlic Administration on Lead-Induced Apoptosis in Rat Offspring’s Eye Retina, Iranian biomedical journal, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic allicin as a potential agent for controlling oral pathogens, Journal of medicinal food, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Efficacy of garlic extract and chlorhexidine mouthwash in reduction of oral salivary microorganisms, an in vitro study, Ancient science of life, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Inhibitory activity of garlic (Allium sativum) extract on multidrug-resistant Streptococcus mutans, Journal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Higher bioaccessibility of iron and zinc from food grains in the presence of garlic and onion, Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic-Derived S-Allylmercaptocysteine Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Rat Model through Inhibition of Apoptosis and Enhancing Autophagy, Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- The anti-fatty liver effects of garlic oil on acute ethanol-exposed mice,, Chemico-biological interactions, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Herbs that Ensure Good Health and Longevity, The West Indian medical journal, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Garlic in dermatology, Dermatology reports, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory effects of active garlic components and the inhibition of MMPs via NF-κB signaling, PLos One, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- Testing garlic for possible anti-ageing effects on long-term growth characteristics, morphology and macromolecular synthesis of human fibroblasts in culture, Journal of ethnopharmacology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
- 48. Combination of topical garlic gel and betamethasone valerate cream in the treatment of localized alopecia areata: a double-blind randomized controlled study, Indian journal of dermatology, venereology and leprology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

domain: medical


text:
Source: Portland Press Herald
On September 13, 2001, The Portland Press Herald reported that "Muslims in Portland received an outpouring of community support Wednesday - a day when many feared they would be targeted for harassment, violence or worse. Community leaders made a public plea Wednesday to guard against potential acts of prejudice, hatred and violence toward Maine's Muslim population in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. Nearly 500 people gathered on the steps of City Hall Wednesday for an interfaith show of sympathy for the victims and support for Maine's 2,000 Muslims, who braced for a backlash after federal authorities said the prime suspect in the attacks is Islamic extremist Osama bin Laden." The article continued, "City leaders and clergy set a tone of respect and understanding at the City Hall vigil. 'I ask everyone to use this horrible tragedy to bring our community together,' said Ethan Strimling, director of Portland West, a local social service agency. 'I ask everyone to use this horrible tragedy to recognize the prejudice within your hearts and wash it away...I ask everyone to use this tragedy as a stepping stone, not to accusing your neighbor, but to getting to know them better.' Tom Ewell, director of the Maine Council of Churches, said, "We stand together, shoulder-to-shoulder, as Jews, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Ba'hai and adherents of other religious traditions. In this time of crisis we are joined simply by our common humanity in the aftermath of the terrible tragedy of yesterday's attack.'"

domain: sociology


text:
AUGUSTA – In nearly 11 years as a state trooper, Scott Stevens has patrolled some of the most rural land in Maine. He’s solved crimes that seemed unsolvable and smoothly resolved a fight one person planned to settle with a knife. And he’s taken it all in stride.
But on Tuesday, the soft-spoken police officer turned red at thought of doing one thing: accepting the Trooper of the Year award.
“There are a lot of other people who deserve it,” he said as the governor, the public safety commissioner, 200 current and former police officers and his family gathered for the awards ceremony. “This is very humbling.”
Stevens grew up in northern Franklin County, graduating from Mt. Abram Regional High School in Strong. After becoming a state trooper in 1995, he was assigned to police the same region.
Stevens, 37, has stayed there since – patrolling, volunteering, raising his family.
“He knows everybody. Everybody knows Scott,” said Col. Craig Poulin, chief of the state police.
Stevens has done the traditional police work, solving a string of camp burglaries, for example, and resolving a heated argument between a knife-wielding landlord and his tenant. But he also volunteers with the historical society and other community groups. He regularly spends time at Mt. Abram Regional High School, speaking to classes, volunteering as a mentor, offering advice to students who ask.
Principal Jeanne Tucker thinks of him in C’s: compassionate, caring, committed to the community.
“If he can see a student needs a word of wisdom instead of a strong hand, that’s what he’ll use,” she said.
Although he has a full-time patrol, a family and community commitments, Stevens also trains new troopers and teaches at the police academy.
“He’s one of those troopers that other troopers look up to,” said Lt. Dale Lancaster, Stevens’ boss and the man who nominated him for the award.
This was the second time that Stevens had been nominated for the award, one of the most prestigious presented to a state police officer. He beat 10 others to win.
Stevens knew he’d won before attending the annual state police awards ceremony. But even as he waited with his family, he couldn’t believe the honor was his.
He loved the region, he said. He just tried to watch over it and treat the people there with respect.
“I have one of the nicest corners of the state to police in,” he said. As part of the honor, Stevens received a plaque, a commemorative license plate and a uniform pin. He also received a standing ovation.
Although he’d been asked to prepare a short speech, no one prompted him to speak at the podium. So he left the stage quietly, with a shy smile. He wasn’t about to keep the spotlight any longer than he had to.
But he’d had words in mind.
“This is probably the proudest, most humbling day of my life,” he said.

domain: news


text:
If you are passionate about music and love to create your own songs, then you need feature rich music studio software. This software helps you create your own original music along with just the kind of sound effects that you need. The options you have are virtually unlimited when you use software that has the right features and functionalities. If you have not tried out any such software before, here are a few ideas to help you choose the right product.
Tutorials to Help Beginners
For amateurs, it is often a confusing task to figure out how to use the music software optimally. A step by step guide is a great help for such users. Make sure your music software has a comprehensive tutorial showing you exactly how to use it to create music. The tutorial should include step by step instructions on using each of the in built features so that you make full use of its every aspect.
See if you can create samples guided by the tutorial so that you get to actually create a complete trial song. This will help you begin using the software with complete confidence.
Multiple Output Formats
It is important to make sure that your software lets you create music in a variety of formats. It is ideal if you can copy your creations onto a CD, convert to mp3/ wav or upload to the web. This gives you the ability to share and distribute your music in the best possible way. Remember that when you want to play your music at a party or show, you may not be able to find a compatible player if you have your music only in CDs or as mp3s. It is best to get software that allows output creation in many different formats so that you are fully prepared to have your music play in any kind of player.
Ease of Recording
Test out the recording feature of the software you want to buy. It is best to get software that lets you record by simply plugging in your microphone or electronic instrument. In this case, all you have to do is simply click record and you are ready to capture the music your instrument makes or the vocals the microphone captures. If you are going to use software to record your bands performance, then opt for one that lets you record different instruments and vocals on individual tracks. This makes editing a breeze when you are adding the finishing touches to your album.
A top notch music studio software lets you create enthralling music within the comfort of your home. You get to create full feature albums without needing to purchase expensive and bulky equipment. The software makes your music truly versatile so that you can tweak it to match the audience or the atmosphere at different events and shows.
In case you are a music enthusiast or an expert musician, then you would certainly be running to a music studio for practice every now and then. Heading to a music studio each time might not be easy especially when you are juggling with time limitations. Steps in- home music studio! Having a home music studio offers various advantages, making your music practice a lot simpler and easier.
Anyone who visits a music studio frequently would certainly understand the inconvenience engaged in the same. It isn’t a simple job to pack your musical instruments and then unpack them over and again. Besides, it may be quite cumbersome to carry your musical instruments primarily if you need to travel long distances.
In case you believe in living penny wise, then you’ve even more factors to have a home music studio. Renting a music studio comes at quite a cost. When you have to incur this cost too often, then you could end up burning a hole in your pocket. Having your own home music studio could eliminate this expense, providing for more savings in your budget. You could use the same money to buy a treadmill.
Now one may argue that establishing a home music studio isn’t cheap either. Well, it may not be cheap but it isn’t as expensive too. All you require is some fundamental audio equipment and you are done. Of course, you may eventually go on to add other amenities like plush couches, bean bags as well as other things.
The next in line advantage of home music studio is customization. You can select the equipments according to your own liking and specific requirements. This comes as a welcome change as you need not put up with the bad quality mikes and other equipment that you have to use in rented music studios. Home music studio is the superb option as you canget everything tailor made right from the audio equipment to the couches.
Another primary advantage of owning a music studio is that you can save on your time. Travelling to a music studio on daily basis is no joke as it could eat away a lot of your time. Commuting to the studio every day can be a hassle in case you do not have your own car. You might be required to hire a car, which is again a time consuming process, to ensure that you take along your musical equipments safely.
In addition to the given benefits of having your individual music studio, there are plethoras of other pros too. To understand more about the other pros, it is finest to experience them for yourself by first owning a home music studio at the earliest best.
Many people have a dream of becoming a singer or a band member. They want to enter in the music industry, share their talent and show their passion for music. However, the first question that comes in their mind is “where should I start?” Obviously, they should create their own music or sample of composition. Generally, it takes a lot of time as people need to practice more to present their best one with great lyrics and wonderful beats. Music studio is a best place to practice as it will help in giving the best output than home recording studio. Some studios also offer specialising services like mixing of voice, voice over recording, audio mastering, etc.
There are a few things that everyone should consider while choosing the best music studio to get completely satisfying results. An important part of the recording procedure is audio mastering. Getting music mastered by the right person is more important to increase the overall quality of the music. The qualified engineers, who have learned song mastering in their own way and time, are responsible for editing and fine finishing to the recorded music. You will understand the importance of audio mastering once you hear final recording done by professional and the recording done by you.
Nowadays, audio mastering and voice over recording is no longer expensive, due to the evolution of digital mixers and digital mastering software. They have made visiting a music studio more affordable and setting up one easier. Despite the digital manipulation, it is still a lengthy process and should be done by only editing the music. For getting perfection, years of practice must be needed. Thats why, it is important to choose the right recording place with an established reputation for producing quality recording through qualified on-site recording engineer.
While choosing a music studio, you should also consider equipment like mixing console, studio monitors, multi-track recorder, and others that are required to do a good job. Many studios use the utmost quality analogue and digital softwares to finalise your mixes and to give it the commercial standard. There are many studios available in Melbourne, which provide the great services. You can find the best one by browsing the internet or taking help of your friends who have already practiced at one of them.
The best music studios are those which offer audio mastering and all the professional touches needed to make a dramatic difference to the impact and quality of your recording. Having a recording done at a professionally mastered recording studio raises the possibilities of success to a great extent, by understanding the potential your recording has and finalising it with voice over recording.
Sahara India Pariwar, headed by Mr. Subrata Roy Sahara who is the Managing Worker and Chairman. Sahara India Pariwar has an all India presence. Sahara Group has various business interests like Finance, Infrastructure and Housing, Media and Entertainment, Consumer Products, Manufacturing, Services and Trading etc. This group has launched its state-of-the-art Music Studio- STUDIO NYSA. It is a new feather in the cap of Sahara India Pariwar. This studio provides the facility of recording, editing, mixing and mastering of music under one roof.
Studio NYSA is equipped with one of the best mixing console in the world -The SSL 9000K series-. Studio NYSA -A’ stands out from the rest due to its sonic quality. Studio NYSA -A’ is proud to be the third worldwide and first in the country to own this awesome piece of creation from the SSL Stable. This studio is a dream place for any musician to work. This studio is one of the best sounding studios in the country. A wide number of gadgets available in the studio help one to experiment, improve and create a musical difference under the same roof. The Studio is equipped with the Dyna Audio monitoring system for both Stereo and Surround.
Studio NYSA -B’ is highly advanced in its technology. It possesses the -SSL 4000 GT’ that is the most sought after console in the world even today because of its outstanding sonic quality. Both the studio setups cater to the best recording technologies with their combination of analog and digital recording domains and thus making it the best in the industry and the country. This facility offers the best ambience for making songs and background music for films.
Furthermore, the Studio is also capable of providing dubbing facility for films too. The Studio has proficient human resource in the form of its audio team. It has also well trained and experienced professionals who have worked with the best music directors and directors of the film industry. This studio is a place of choice for one to work due to the blend of professionalism and hospitality. This is a kind of music studio with the combination of services and technology. This music studio was launched in the presence of well-known celebrities
Rani Awesti is a highly respected full time professional writer. She has written several Articles on Subrata Roy Sahara, Sahara Groups and more articles.

domain: artistic


text:
Typical jobs for Mogfords
Hard-working people, the Mogfords. 41 worked in domestic service, according to the 1901 Census.
Where most Mogfords lived
In the 1900s, you’d probably bump into a Mogford in Devon.
Mogfords’ criminal history
How do we put this... Not all Mogfords were angels, apparently. We found 8 in criminal records.
Mogfords in World War I
According to the World War I records, 40 Mogfords served in the First World War.

domain: history


text:
EFFECT OF SIN
Judges 16:18-21 (20) – Then she cried, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” When he awoke from his sleep, he said, “I will escape as I did before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him. (CSB)
I once observed the demolition of a set of flats, and within a week, these tall buildings were flattened. The amount of planning, money, and labour invested in building the apartments was gone in a matter of days. This demolition can be compared to our spiritual life and the effect of sin.
SIN can downgrade and kill. The Bible describes Samson as an anointed and strong man who singlehandedly pulled down the gate of the city. However, when he lusted after Delilah, he was captured by his enemies. In our key text, Samson thought he would easily escape from the enemies, but he never knew that God’s presence had departed from him, and he perished. “Sin is a destroyer of divine presence.” That’s why I pray for you that whatever constitutes a little or big sin in your life shall be blotted out, in Jesus’ name.
Beloved, if you think you are standing, remember that it takes a lot of effort to build a relationship with God or with man, but it only takes an action to destroy the relationship. A little sin can ruin the investment of a million years. Your anointing, prayer altar, and ministry could be wrecked by a single sin (1 Corinthians 10:12-13). However, if you have fallen to sin, the good news is that Christ came purposely to save you from destruction. Surrender to Jesus today and be saved!
Hymn: Are You Washed in the Blood? – Elisha A. Hoffman (1878)
1. Father, please forgive my sins. Give me a new beginning and help me to guard my thoughts and actions through Your Holy Spirit.
1. Spend quality time praying in the Holy Ghost and uprooting every root and consequence of sin in your life.
A NEW YOU!
© The Food of Champions 2022
All rights reserved. This material and other digital content on this blog cannot be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from THE FOOD OF CHAMPIONS (email@example.com)

domain: literature


text:
The Southeast Asian bloc is considering stronger measures against the Myanmar military but a range of factors may preserve the unproductive status quo.
Consider being a Frontier Member.
Support independent journalism in Myanmar. Become a Frontier member today
In a forgotten corner of Yangon, a theme park feted by the former junta now lies derelict, with its residents facing an uncertain future.


A Ford F-150 10R80 transmission lawsuit first popped up back in August of 2019 in Illinois concerning 2017-2020 models that experienced “clunking, banging, harsh shifting, jerking, hesitation, and slipped gears,” among other numerous alleged issues. Another Ford F-150 10R80 transmission lawsuit was filed in January of 2020 in Pennsylvania, followed by a third in Massachusetts the very next month. Ford filed to have the Illinois lawsuit dismissed last November, but now, the case will move on after another judge only partially dismissed the suit, according to Car Complaints.
Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr. is allowing some state claims to proceed while also dismissing some breach of implied warranty claims in other states. Judge Dow Jr. ruled that it’s too early in the process to dismiss the claims entirely, and wants to leave the matter to the class certification stage following “class discovery, the plaintiff’s motion for certification, and the benefit of full briefing on the issue of class certification.”
As far as the claims of an implied warranty, negligence, fraud/fraudulent concealment, express warranty, and unjust enrichment go, Judge Dow Jr. argued that the plaintiff’s claims are too varied to satisfy commonality requirements. “Whether these differences destroy commonality is an issue for another day,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ford argues that the “nationwide class allegations” should be dismissed under Rule 12(f) on the basis they are “facially and inherently deficient” given all of the “material distinctions among the different laws to be applied to the members of the proposed class.”
We’ll have more on this and all pending Ford lawsuits as soon as it’s available, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford F-Series news, Ford F-150 news, Ford business news, Ford lawsuit news, and continuous Ford news coverage.
This just started happening on my 2019 Platinum at 34K miles. Have had truck since new and just started to happen more frequently. However it’s very intermittent. Trying to figure out if it’s load, temp, throttle position, altitude, RPM, etc.
No joy yet but it’s happening for sure.
My 2017 clunks loudly on downshift only on the highway once the transmission heats up. Typically shows up twenty miles into a trip. Shifting is buttery smooth otherwise. When it happens it sounds like the tranny is going to fall out. Going back to a Ram over this.
I own a 2018 Ford xlt just bought it with 50k miles at 51k miles I have experienced a delay in shifting and a hard slam shift forward to my truck between 15 to 20 mph. I asked the dealership what the issue was all about and he said transmission learns by the driver and it’s all computer and it can be re set at the dealership.havent brought it to the dealership but reading this raising the concern even higher for me.
They “reset” my system….they just say that. They need to fix the issue. At this point i don’t even want a new transmission I want my money back.
I have similar issues with my 2020 Explorer with just 16k on it. So far they’ve done software updates and then 2 weeks ago a new valve body/control unit. some issues got better, but still upshifts hard when cold, 1-2 and 2-3, sometimes downshifts hard, 3-2 and 2-1. appears to go neutral sometimes when slowing down to turn and then neutral, coasts through turn. More than once it slammed during upshift in turn I thought I had been rear ended. two dealers wouldn’t even make an appointment for any trans. repairs!
Same issues 2018 F150. Jerky and cranky shifting, hesitating to the point scared I will cause wreck. Dealership now says $8000 to $10,000 for new transmission. I will not and wouldn’t recommend anyone own a Ford after the way they are handling this problem they know they have and I have been a lifetime Ford owner but no more!!!
I own a 2018 Ford F150, 5.0, 10 speed. I experienced issues while maintaining low speed up a hill. The transmission would “hunt” for the appropriate gear. Fast forward, a few days ago the truck when placed in Drive went straight to 4th gear at a dead stop. When I drive to drive the RPMs would skyrocket. I would immediately disengage the throttle, the truck would shift to 1st gear and jump forward even with my foot on the brakes! When the vehicle came to rest (dead stop) if would “hunt” between gears again 1 to 3 to 6 to 1, finally stopping on 4th gear! How do we join the lawsuit or do I just have my lawyer file?
I have a 2018 Mustang with 10R80 transmission. I’ve had multiple issues with the transmission. So far, dealerships did a PCM reflash, replace valve body and now it’s currently in the shop going through another round of diagnostics for the same hard shifting issue. As someone mentioned in the comments, initially it was only evident when the engine is cool, but later on, I started feeling the lunge even after driving 50+ miles.


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When we contacted the customer support of most casinos, we were simply told that they don’t track this data. However, BigSpin customer support informed us they only list reputable third-party games with a solid background. Slots.lv is one of the best crypto casinos, so there are are also exclusive bonuses for Bitcoin deposits. You can get a double deposit up to $250 twice a week on Bitcoin deposits. And if you deposit with Bitcoin for the welcome bonus, the total bonus value is up to $7,500 instead of $5,000. Additionally, Bitcoin-exclusive accounts get 25 free spins each week when you deposit.
Still I’m surprised by the lack of variety in the machines in the front row in the picture. Granted, the majority of the machines in Bally’s casino were Bally machines. We should really be asking where the looser machines are. But let’s bow to common usage and continue using the term loose machine.
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How do you pick a winning slot machine?
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Both the welcome offers and reload bonuses carry 35x rollover requirements, and you can use the extra funds on any slot game you like. Top Dollar and Double/Triple Double Diamond are examples of some very well known reel slots. If you look at these machines, you will notice that they look aged, and that is because they are. Other games that play very similar to Buffalo and are also produced by Aristocrat include 50 Lions, Miss Kitty, and Aztec. Almost all of these games require getting 3 of one symbol either on the first three lines or the whole board in order to get a bonus round. The biggest differences are in how the bonus rounds themselves play out.
The symbols featured in this game include seashells, gold rings, gem-encrusted crowns, mermaids, dolphins, and the almighty god of the sea – Poseidon. A successful slots strategy begins before you ever start to play. Here are a few things to consider before you even look at a machine. All slots pay out to a specific paytable that is determined by the developers and a Random Number Generator. The Excalibur Casino and Hotel is home to the largest single-win from a slot machine with $39 million won on Megabucks there back in 2003. These properties will welcome you to some of the top slots of Vegas and extend you the common courtesy of a comfortable gaming environment to enjoy, along with great food and beverages.
Created by IGT, this magical fantasy-themed game has 5×3 reels and 20 pay lines with multiple opportunities for free spins. On top of that, Diamond Queen’s free spins offer 2x bet multipliers for all matches. Despite having only 3 free spins, this slot has a big payout opportunity, making it stand out from the rest. The third free spin has three middle wild reels that could be a huge potential for a massive payout.
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This is the location that the highly visible slot machines are trying to draw you to, and these machines are notorious for having low payouts. Similarly, avoid the machines next to gaming table areas and ticket lines. Many machines require that a player gamble with the maximum amount of money to have a chance at winning the jackpot. The payout table is a small printed sticker displaying the percentages of likelihood for the winning combinations. After waiting in queue for over 30 minutes to learn more about their average RTP for slots, we could not get any concrete data. We were reminded that online slot games depend on random number generators and informed that they don’t track their average casino RTP scores.
Gonzo’s Quest is one of the top-rated slot machines of all time by players, casinos, and casino critics alike. Never play more money than you can afford to lose and never underestimate the risks of gambling addiction — even when you play fun slot machine games for free. And if you feel things might be getting out of hands, seek professional help. An important factor to consider when you want to know how to pick a slot machine is to check if an online casino holds a license by the UKGC and/or the MGA. Regardless of the casino bonus they offer you or the insane fixed maximum amount of free spins they promise. When we talk about loose slots we don’t imply that these are games where you get better chances to win money.

domain: game


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The UK’s leading marine charity, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), is looking for thousands of volunteers to clean up the nation’s beaches as part of its 25th anniversary Great British Beach Clean event (14th-17thSeptember).
Being by the sea makes us feel better, and the Great British Beach Clean isn’t just a good day out for people who love, or live near, the coast – it’s great for wildlife and the beach too!
The Great British Beach Clean, now in its 25th year, not only spruces up hundreds of beaches around the coast, but volunteers also record the litter they find, and it’s this aspect that has really helped MCS change policy and behaviours over the last quarter of a century.
The 5p carrier bag charge, a ban on microbeads in wash-off products, consultations on a plastic tax and deposit return schemes, reduction in the use of plastic straws and the banning of lantern and balloon releases – all have come about following compelling evidence gathered over decades of MCS beach cleans.
The 2017 Great British Beach Clean saw almost 7,000 volunteer beach cleaners pick up record amounts of litter from 339 UK beaches – a staggering 718 bits of rubbish from every 100 metres cleaned. That was a 10% rise in the amount of beach litter picked up during the 2016 event.
Beach cleans take place from Cornwall to Cumbria, Denbighshire to County Down, Hampshire to the Highlands and all places in between. The event incorporates the Great Channel Islands Beach Clean and the Great Northern Irish Beach clean, so please encourage relatives who live elsehwere to join in.
For the second year running, the Great British Beach Clean in England is being sponsored by Waitrose who are supporting MCS’ year round beach and river clean programme.
Beach litter has steadily risen over the 24 years since MCS began recording it. However, there was some good news last year because the number of single-use plastic bags found on UK beaches almost halved between 2015 and 2016. MCS says this was almost certainly due to the charges at the checkout and shows the impact that behaviour change can have on beach litter.
In 2017, ‘on the go’ items made up 20% of all litter found on the UK’s beaches and 63% of all litter that comes from the public. MCS categorises cardboard cups, plastic cutlery, foil wrappers, straws, sandwich packets, lolly sticks, plastic bottles, drinks cans, glass bottles, plastic cups, lids and stirrers as ‘on the go’. The charity says the figures highlight the nation’s lazy habits when it comes to littering. The amount of litter suggests we’re treating the outdoors as a big dustbin, happy to dump at will rather than keep hold of our litter until we find a bin.
“Taking part in the Great British Beach Clean really can make a difference. In previous years when we’ve highlighted increases in dog poo bags and sewage-related debris found on beaches, we’ve seen drops in numbers subsequently. Due to the massive increase in wet wipes we found between 2013 and 2015 we were able to launch our ‘Wet Wipes Turn Nasty’ campaign which has resulted in improvements in labelling, removal of plastic from ‘flushable’ wet wipes in retailers’ own brands, and shown retailers the need for their flushable wipes to pass water industry standards.” says Lizzie Prior, MCS Beach and River Clean Project Officer.
Cleaning and surveying a beach only takes a couple of hours at most. Each beach has a coordinator, who explains how to fill in a simple data form, and then it’s just a case of grabbing a litter picker and a bin bag and filling it up with rubbish!
If you can’t find a beach clean near you, you can organise one, too.
“Beach litter is a serious environmental problem,” says Lizzie Prior. “But the solution is in our hands. We want the 25th Great British Beach Clean weekend to be the biggest ever. The BBC’s Blue Planet II has given the UK public a real understanding of the pollution crisis facing our oceans and people really want to make a difference. The more volunteers we have, the better it’ll be for our seas.”
Tor Harris, Head of Responsible Sourcing and Sustainability at Waitrose, said:
“Our coast is important to all of us so the Great British Beach Clean is a key opportunity to reduce pollution, especially from plastics. We’re really happy to support such a fantastic event and this builds on our environmental commitment to ensure that all our packaging is widely recyclable, reusable or home compostable by 2025. We’d love for our customers and Partners (employees) to sign up and organise local beach cleans to improve them for wildlife and all of us.”
Join The Great British Beach Clean (part of the Waitrose Beach and River Clean-up) and be part of the biggest and most influential fight against marine litter in the UK.
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery also support the Marine Conservation Society beach litter programme.
Sign up for a clean near you at www.mcsuk.org/


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Wizard had a preview of Earth X, a new comic mini-series much like
DC's Kingdom Come. Although they specified that this still
may not become a comic book, I had been inspired by the sketches done by
Alex Ross. So much so that I created this figure of Capt. America.
The base figure is a Total Justice Green Lantern with the limbs from the
Hawkman figure. The head is from a ToyBiz Forearm while other details are
made of Sculpey. With a piece of white cloth painted like the flag and
a custom shield made from the bottom of a pop can, this figure is complete.


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It seems like a no-brainer to me:
St. Vincent, otherwise known as Annie Clark, has created a guitar designed specifically for women.
She now joins Albert Lee, John Petrucci, and Steve Morse in the release of a signature guitar with brand Ernie Ball Music Man. Given free rein on the piece's design, Clark set out to create something that would tackle her own past issues with the standard design of the instrument.
"For me a guitar that is not too heavy is really important because I’m not a very big person," she told Guitar World. "I can’t even play a Sixties Strat or Seventies Les Paul. I would need to travel with a chiropractor on tour in order to play those guitars. It’s not that those aren’t great guitars, but they render themselves impractical and unfunctional for a person like me because of their weight."
Clark's model, therefore, is light in its construction with a slim, tapered waist. "I was always finding when I was playing onstage and wearing various stage outfits the guitar would cut across one of the best features of the female body, which is your waist," she continued. "I wanted to make something that looked good and not just on a woman, but any person."Follow the link and watch the whole video. It's interesting, at least to me, to see someone own their art and try to expand it and share it with others by giving them a tool designed to eliminate a lot of the issues created by the fact that the guitar was originally designed and marketed to men.

domain: hobby


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Is there a "Star Wars" character that evokes a less passionate response than Dash Rendar? Boba Fett will get a "Love him," Jar Jar will get a "Hate him," and heck, even Kitster and Ben Quadinaros have obsessive supporters.
Dash, on the other hand, will get an indifferent "Meh" from most fans. And that's about right -- he's not the best "Star Wars" character ever, and he's not the worst. Fans know who he is because he was the major new hero in "Shadows of the Empire," the much-hyped (and pretty decent) 1996 novel and comic series (and video game and action-figure line, for that matter), but they can't tell you much about him other than "He's a smuggler, kind of like Han Solo."
Part of Dash's inoffensive blandness comes from the fact that he was created by a committee. "Shadows" filled the gap between "Empire" and "Jedi," addressing many key plot points, but it couldn't use Han Solo. Dash calculatedly filled the void; as I recall, when Leia first sees Dash at a distance in the novel, she thinks for a split-second that it's Han.
And aside from a few cameos and off-the-cuff mentions, "Shadows of the Empire" remained the only story to feature Dash up until "Shadow Games" (November, paperback). The oversight is understandable: If an author needed a Han Solo-type character, they would naturally choose Han Solo. Storytelling generally doesn't require two characters with the same traits.
But Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff do a decent job of rescuing Dash from obscurity in this pre-"A New Hope" novel where the cash-strapped smuggler and his sidekick, the Nautolan (think Kit Fisto) Eaden Vrill, take a job as bodyguards for Juval Charn, a holostar with a secret. Breaking the standard storytelling rule that contrast -- rather than commonality -- makes characters pop, the authors also include Han in the story. It sort of works: I like Dash more now that I see how similar he is to Han. And it's neat to see the smuggler culture enriched through Han's and Dash's conversations and rivalry/almost-friendship, along with the comfortably familiar Mos Eisley cantina setting.
"Shadow Games" is by no means an essential "Star Wars" novel, and I admit that I struggled with it at times. Initially, the plot operates sort of like "Clue" on a spaceship -- who is the saboteur among Juval's large entourage? But some set pieces are overly convoluted (I had trouble visualizing some action sequences) and we aren't given a fair chance to guess the surprises (including a big one that changes the nature of what we're reading).
Reaves did better work with his Jax Pavan/I-Five novels ("Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter," the two "MedStar" novels with Steve Perry, and the "Coruscant Nights" trilogy). There's a great sense of camaraderie among the desperate and disparate characters in those novels. "Shadow Games" tries for that vibe, but there's just a bit too much mistrust and -- due to the secretive nature of Juval and her crew -- not enough characterization.
Reaves is such a proven character writer that I'm tempted to blame Bohnhoff for the book's flaws while giving Reaves credit for what works. That's probably unfair. Maybe this is just a rare misfire in Reaves' oeuvre.
All that having been said, "Shadow Games" succeeds in making Dash a relevant character again, and I wouldn't mind if he popped up in a sequel with Juval and some of her gang, or in another adventure with Han. Also, there's a nice twist involving Dash's droid Leebo that fits with Reeves' established interest in droid intelligence; that could be explored further.
Kind of like the character of Dash Rendar, "Shadow Games" isn't crucial for casual fans. But it's not a total waste of time either.

domain: entertainment


Srinagar, Feb 14 (PTI) Hardline Hurriyat Conferenceleader Syed Ali Shah Geelani today blamed the government andsecurity forces for the death of three children in anaccidental explosion in a village in Malroo on the outskirtsof Srinagar.
"Had the area been made clear of the explosives, thistragedy could have been avoided and three innocent childrenwould not have been killed," Geelani said in a statement.
Three siblings - Noor Mohammad (10), Bismah (8) andMuskaan (4) - were killed when a shell which they had broughtto their house exploded last night.
According to preliminary investigation, the children hadfound the unexploded shell from the debris of a house that wasrazed by security forces during a gun battle with militants inMalroo area, 12 kms from here, in October last year.
Geelani said the army had "full knowledge" about theexistence of explosives in the rubble of the house where "amysterious encounter" took place last year.
He said it was the responsibility of the police and armyto clear the area of the explosives.
Police had claimed to have killed three militants aftersecurity forces blasted two houses where militants werebelieved to be hiding.
Geelani appealed to Amnesty International and UNICEF totake "serious notice" of the incident and use their influenceto bring to justice those responsible for the "killing" ofthree children.
Meanwhile, moderate Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz UmerFarooq, in a statement from United States, expressed "deepsadness" on the death of the three children.
JKLF Chief Yasin Malik also blamed the government for thechildren''s death, saying "it was the government''sresponsibility to clear the area (of explosives) after amilitary operation".


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TBEX North America 2017 will be held in Huntsville, Alabama, USA, from 4th to 6th May 2017. The high-tech city of Huntsville which sprawls at the foot of a mountain in North Alabama is equally at home in the 19th century or the 21st. Huntsville’s tourist attractions reflect the heritage of Alabama’s first English-speaking city, the strife of the American Civil War and the accomplishments of America’s rocket scientists. The city is nicknamed “The Rocket City” for its close history with U.S. space missions. Huntsville has been important in developing space technology since the 1950s.
February 19, 2016
February 17, 2017
- Qatar Airways strengthens presence in Ireland following inaugural Dublin-Doha flight – Silvija Travel Tips
- The Social Travel Summit – Kitzbühel, Austria 19-20 September 2017 – Unravel Travel TV
- conichi – Winner – Phocuswright EMEA Travel Innovator Award and People’s Choice Awards 2017 – Unravel Travel TV
- Inaki Uriz, CEO, Caravelo – Battleground Phocuswright Europe 2017 – Unravel Travel TV
- Phocuswright Europe 2017, Amsterdam Battleground Winners – Unravel Travel TV

domain: geography