AT&T may go even bigger with fiber
AT&T could consider raising its fiber buildout beyond 30 million residential and business locations by 2025, under the right circumstances, according to company CEO John Stankey.
In fact, Stankey claims to have put that up as a challenge to the company's management team. The only thing standing in the way of going beyond 30 million locations is "execution and performance," Stankey said Tuesday at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference.
As AT&T fills in more market pockets with fiber and scales up that part of its broadband business, "we might be able to go in and say, there's more that we could possibly attack," Stankey. "I've love to be in that position to do that."
He hinted that AT&T could raise the buildout ceiling by tweaking its buildout and service models, suggesting that AT&T could maybe partner with third parties in some areas that generate a larger financial return.
Stankey wouldn't say how the proposed US infrastructure bill might also alter AT&T's outlook in a way that encourages the company to explore a buildout that goes beyond 30 million locations.
"There's a degree of uncertainty there," he said of the bill. "But in its current form [and if] it does actually make its way into law, that's going to change the landscape of the broadband business in this country … It will also change my posture and point of view on where we should be playing as a company."
Meanwhile, fiber-based broadband has clearly established itself as a growth engine for AT&T, which added another 246,000 fiber subs in Q2 2021, ending the period with 5.43 million. With about 80% of new fiber subscriber additions new to AT&T, overall broadband revenue growth at the company has finally surpassed declines in its legacy, non-fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband business.
AT&T is enjoying 35% penetration in those FTTP markets, but anticipates extending that to about 40%, and possibly more. "We're on that march," Stankey said.
But AT&T's fiber plans aren't devoid of hiccups. Company EVP and CFO Pascal Desroches warned last month that supply chain constraints had forced AT&T to cut back its 2021 FTTP buildout to about 2.5 million homes, down from an original 3 million.
Stankey said the issue largely stemmed from a slowdown in the supply of fiber assemblies that are pre-spliced and put together before it gets into AT&T's hands, along with reduced access to certain raw materials. However, deliveries over the past 30 days have tracked with AT&T's expectations.
"But the supply chain is fragile on all levels," he said, noting that AT&T missed a target for power backups at cell sites because of a shortage of a resin-based connector.
He expects the overall supply chain situation to remain choppy and bumpy. "I don't know what next week brings," Stankey said.
Handset promos likely to stay
With respect to mobile, it appears AT&T will continue to use handset promotions to help drive its recent wave of mobile service growth.
"There's nothing wrong with that strategy right now. I'd say it's a great strategy," Stankey said.
But he also believes it's important for AT&T to differentiate beyond that, hinting that the company is implanting software and "rebuilding" its product engine in a way that doesn't necessarily hinge on aggressive handset promotions.
— Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor, Light Reading
A version of this story first appeared on Light Reading.
Charter has sparked RDOF work in all 24 states where it won bids. The cable op booked about $19 million in RDOF revenues in Q1, and expects to have about $9 million per month come in over the next ten years.
Launch of 2-Gig and 5-Gig FTTP tiers in 70-plus markets puts more pressure on cable ops to enhance their existing DOCSIS 3.1 network or accelerate their upgrade activity centered on the new DOCSIS 4.0 specs.
Ziply Fiber, an operator that tangles with Comcast and Charter, has launched two multi-gigabit tiers in 60 urban areas, aiming for all markets by Q2 2022.
Elon Musk's nascent broadband will need to radically accelerate the rate of satellite launches – and navigate tricky supply chain logistics – if it's going to come close to fulfilling its global ambition.
MoffettNathanson questions whether mobile operators will have the network capacity and the right business metrics to back their aggressive stance and forecasts for fixed wireless home broadband.
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
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CEU has been the subject of several other research reports. GMP Securities lifted their price objective on CES Energy Solutions from C$9.50 to C$10.00 in a research report on Monday, March 5th. TD Securities reiterated a buy rating and issued a C$8.50 price objective on shares of CES Energy Solutions in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Raymond James reiterated a strong-buy rating and issued a C$8.50 price objective on shares of CES Energy Solutions in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Clarus Securities reiterated a buy rating on shares of CES Energy Solutions in a research report on Monday, March 5th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity cut their price objective on CES Energy Solutions from C$9.00 to C$8.50 in a research report on Wednesday, April 11th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. The stock currently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of C$8.90.
Shares of CEU opened at C$6.35 on Wednesday. CES Energy Solutions has a 52-week low of C$4.94 and a 52-week high of C$7.50.
In other news, Director Burton Joel Ahrens sold 7,000 shares of CES Energy Solutions stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$5.75, for a total value of C$40,250.00. Also, insider James Murray Pasieka sold 6,868 shares of CES Energy Solutions stock in a transaction on Friday, April 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$6.41, for a total value of C$44,023.88. Insiders sold a total of 212,137 shares of company stock valued at $1,278,575 over the last three months.
COPYRIGHT VIOLATION WARNING: “CES Energy Solutions’ (CEU) “Outperform” Rating Reaffirmed at AltaCorp Capital” was originally posted by StockNewsTimes and is the sole property of of StockNewsTimes. If you are accessing this story on another publication, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of U.S. & international trademark and copyright legislation. The correct version of this story can be viewed at https://stocknewstimes.com/2018/04/19/ces-energy-solutions-ceu-outperform-rating-reaffirmed-at-altacorp-capital-2.html.
CES Energy Solutions Company Profile
CES Energy Solutions Corp., together with its subsidiaries, provides consumable chemical solutions throughout the life-cycle of the oilfield. The company provides solutions at the drill-bit, at the point of completion and stimulation, at the wellhead and pump-jack, and through to the pipeline and midstream market.
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domain: news


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CLEVELAND — Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of sales of medical marijuana in Ohio.
The state says about 78,000 people have received physician recommendations and have registered with the state to use cannabis. Some 55,000 people have made purchases.
Earlier figures show 71% of those who've registered are 40 or older and 29% are over the age of 59. The first person who bought medical marijuana at a dispensary last January says cannabis has helped her but complained about the price.
"It’s a financial hit when you spend that kind of money on medicine," Caleodis told the Associated Press, although she added it was essential because the product can be "hit or miss" on the black market.
The state says prices have dropped appreciably for both flowers and other products in the last year.
Watch below for an earlier report from 3News' Monica Robins on how you can be approved for medical marijuana use:

domain: health


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WASHINGTON – FBI Director Robert Mueller is drawing fire for agreeing to speak to a Muslim group linked to supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah.
The White House also is involved in the American Muslim Conference’s gathering, giving a special briefing to about 30 members.
The council grabbed notoriety two years ago when founder Abdurahman Alamoudi declared at an anti-Israel rally, “We are all supporters of Hamas. I wish they added that I am also a supporter of Hezbollah.”
Yehudit Barsky, a Mideast-terrorism specialist for the American Jewish Committee, said, “To support that is to support terrorist crimes against Americans.”
White House spokesman Scott McClellan responded that the Muslim group “assured us that Alamoudi is no longer involved with the council. This is part of our ongoing outreach to people of all faiths.”
FBI spokesman Bill Carter said “the purpose behind the speech is to inform them about the ongoing war on terrorism, request the support of the Muslim community in the ongoing war on terrorism, and to remind people in the Muslim community that if they are victims of hate crimes, the FBI . . . investigates those types of violations.”
AMC spokesman Faiz Rehman insisted, “This organization has never endorsed any radical organization, much less Hezbollah or Hamas.”


Repvblika's Zeitgeist Memento To Guest On New Anaal Nathrakh Album
Zeitgeist Memento from the Mexican extreme metal band REPVBLIKA will appear on the new Anaal Nathrakh album on the track "Oil Upon The Sores Of Lepers."
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Denise Williams charged with insurance fraud, pleads not guilty
August 10, 2018
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- New charges have been filed against Denise Williams in relation to the death of her husband, Mike Williams.
Mike Williams went missing after a duck hunting trick in December 2000. His body was found in Leon County 17 years later.
Denise is charged with his murder.
Brian Winchester, who was Mike's best friend and later Denise's husband, told investigators he and Denise planned Mike's murder together.
Denise faced a judge Friday morning on insurance fraud charges.
Leon County Clerk records show Denise was served a warrant at the jail Thursday on three counts of insurance fraud in excess of $100,000.
Denise's attorney, Ethan Way, spoke for her Friday morning, as she sat before the judge via video conference.
Way says his client did not commit insurance fraud.
Winchester, who is now Denise's ex-husband, told investigators back in October after being arrested for Mike Williams' murder, that Denise made off well from Mike's death.
During the interview with investigators, he said, "It was actually to Denise's benefit to put off getting paid the money."
He calculated Denise getting $2.25 million in total benefits from Mike's death.
"The insurance paid off. We had to be very careful about our relationship being found out. So we were very careful," Winchester said.
After Friday's hearing, Prosecutor John Fuchs said, "The state statute that exists in the state of Florida, nobody can benefit financially for a crime that they've committed regarding a homicide. She's obviously been charged with a homicide."
Winchester received immunity after telling investigators about the murder plot and where Mike's body was buried.
"What is Brian Winchester saying? What is he getting for what he's saying? It's just something else that the state's trying to put onto Denise right now. She'll be exonerated of these charges, just like she'll be exonerated of the other ones," Way said.
Fuchs said, "No comment," when asked if Winchester would also be charged with insurance fraud.
Denise's bond on the fraud charges was set at $50,000 for each count. She was denied bond for her previous charges.
Her trial is set for September 24.
August 10, 2018
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- Denise Williams, who is awaiting trial next month for the murder of her husband, is now facing additional charges.
Leon County Clerk records show Williams was served a warrant at the detention facility Thursday for three counts of insurance fraud in excess of $100,000.
According to court documents, Williams obtained three life insurance policies totaling $1.75 million from two insurance companies following the death of her husband, Mike Williams.
Mike Williams disappeared during a duck hunting trip in December 2000. His body was found in Leon County 17 years later.
months after her friend-turned-husband Brian Winchester entered a plea to kidnapping her. He broke his silence in exchange for immunity, claiming the two of them plotted to kill Mike.
Court documents state Mike Williams applied for life insurance coverage worth $250,000 in February 1995 due to his recent marriage to Denise. Brian Winchester is listed as the agent for the policy. In March 2000, Mike applied for additional life insurance from a different company, with a policy amount totaling $500,000. In April 2000, Mike completed another life insurance application worth $1 million, with Winchester listed as the agent.
Denise was listed as the primary beneficiary for all three policies.
Nineteen days after Mike was reported missing, one of the insurance companies received a claimant's statement from Denise and Winchester. The cause of Mike's death was listed as an accidental drowning.
When the other insurance company requested a claimant's statement, Mike's death was listed as a hunting accident. In addition, documents state Denise did not tell the second company about the $1 million policy that she had already filed a claim for.
By November 2001, Denise had received death benefit checks totaling more than $1.75 million.
Detectives say when Winchester was facing charges for kidnapping Denise, he agreed to provide information about Mike's death. Winchester reportedly told investigators he and Denise began having a romantic affair in 1997 and planned to kill Mike.
Winchester said Denise encouraged Mike to get the $1 million-life insurance policy when he was considering a lesser amount. He also told deputies that he and Denise had discussed killing Mike before Mike applied for the policy.
Authorities say Denise lied to the two insurance companies by listing Mike's death as accidental, when she reportedly had prior knowledge that he would not return from his hunting trip.
During Williams' first appearance Friday morning, she pleaded not guilty to all three counts of insurance fraud. Bail has been set at $50,000 for each count.
According to a Florida statute know as the "slayer statute" or "murder probate statute," a person who kills or participates in the death of their spouse is not entitled to any benefits under that person's will, including life insurance benefits.


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Benefits of Custom Stained Glass for Your Doors
From french doors to office doors, many of these doors have glass accents in order to add that welcoming feel even when closed. Replacing the glass inserts with custom stained glass provides much needed privacy while still maintaining that welcoming feel. Custom stained glass can be designed with anything in mind– from modern to old school, you’ll be able to bring your sense of decor to life. Great for really adding that special touch to any room, custom stained glass doors can offer beauty and functionality.
Custom Stained Glass for Existing Doors in Your Home
Glass features in doors were once a really popular design idea. Bathroom doors with small glass displays on top to home offices with large glass french doors can all take advantage of custom stained glass. Even if you’re planning on replacing your doors, simply find the dimension of the existing glass or create an intended space.
Custom Door Stained Glass Design
Bring your creativity and dimensions to your computer to build your very own custom stained glass. Our intuitive builder can create virtually any look you’re trying to achieve. A popular custom stained glass door design is the Greene and Greene inspired tree of life stained glass. For something more intricate like this, please contact us directly! One of our stained glass artisans can work with you to create the custom stained glass of your dreams.
For more information regarding custom stained glass for your doors, please contact us!

domain: artistic


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La Biennale di Venezia: Seventh International Architecture ExhibitionAt the Giardini di Castello and the Arsenale, Venice, until 29 October
In Venice, gondoliers have mobile phones and, concealed within medieval fabric, Internet cafes are multiplying. Camouflaging its incorporation of the new so dextrously, Venice is hardly typical of contemporary cities, whose destiny is the theme of this year’s architecture biennale.
Under the direction of Massimiliano Fuksas, its title is ‘City: Less Aesthetics, More Ethics’. As at last year’s art biennale, not just the Castello gardens with their national pavilions but several huge buildings at the Arsenale naval complex (until recently, off-limits to the public) are brought into play. It is, by a considerable degree, the biggest Venice Architecture Biennale so far - but much of it is disappointing. The organisers want to attract ‘a wider audience beyond the field of architects and artists’, to set up ‘a dialogue with the public’. It is hard to see how that will happen.
Many of the national pavilions are uninspired; Spain’s, presenting recent work by three dozen or more practitioners aged in their 30s or 40s, was officially judged the best. It is designed w ith some panache: you enter a red antechamber and pull aside red curtains to find a large black room with display panels at eye level suspended from the ceiling. These are all constellated around a large black cube hanging in the centre of the room, whose red interior encloses a diminutive white model. But the panels only have information (images or texts) on one side, and what they convey of Spanish architecture now is no more than sketchy. The judges’ prize was presumably a tribute to what they knew had been built, not what they learned about it here.
There are few rewards at the German, French or Netherlands pavilions. The German topic, the changes which Berlin has undergone in the past 60 years, is full of potential, but it has been treated very ponderously. Perhaps to avoid charges of ‘aestheticism’, the photographic evidence is greatly underplayed in favour of largescale city plans and framed texts propped against the wall; the latter, with their long lists of protagonists, look like memorials.
The French pavilion is almost entirely given over to polemical texts - handwritten, sometimes stretching the width of a wall, and barely possible to read.’Ethics masks the void of politics … As the French pavilion is the symbol of institutional power, it can only be the subject of symbolic inversion, ’ say its commissioners (who include Jean Nouvel). But, in so uningratiating an environment, how many people will persevere to find its point?
No such demands on visitors are made in the Netherlands pavilion - or ‘NL Lounge’, as it is styled.With several options for sitting or reclining (bean bags are cool again), a voice intoning ‘take off your shoes’, and access to television and the Internet, this laid-back setting is supposed to represent the blurring of public and private in contemporary life. ‘Think about exclusion and inclusion, ’ says the exhibition guide. Mention of the Netherlands would usually suggest adventurous contemporary architecture, an acute engagement with density or sprawl; that’s hardly in evidence here.
In this lacklustre context, the British pavilion - ‘City Visionaries’ - is more effective than it might otherwise have been.An intriguing large colourful model of Alsop & Stormer’s C/Plex community arts building in West Bromwich is the centrepiece of the first room, but the walls are entirely covered by a vague abstract ‘painting’, when they could have conveyed more information about the C/Plex project, or put it in the context of the practice’s other work.
Branson Coates’ ‘Ecstacity’ installation is quite effective visually, despite its kitschy, trinket-like little models and its collaging of different cities in the manner of late 1960s Situationism.’Feel free enough to get lost and build up your own experiences out of the chaos of the place, from the complex spaces of streets and alleys to the cacophony of media options, ’ says an accompanying text, which scarcely counters the sense of superficiality.
Zaha Hadid’s display depends on the seductive appeal of her bridge and Mind Zone models; anyone immune to that will find little else to detain them. Of the four British participants, it is David Chipperfield who makes the strongest showing, with an impeccable presentation of his Palace of Justice in Salerno and Davenport Museum of Art in Iowa. Some finely-crafted models large and small (a relative rarity at this biennale) are backed up by enough information for visitors to understand the nature of the two projects - both of which reflect the biennale’s theme in their urban awareness.
Hadid and Alsop & Stormer also feature in Fuksas’ international selection at the Italian pavilion. Alsop has written ‘Masterplanning is Big Architecture’ on one wall and, on another: ‘Our objective is to look at large areas in the same way that you think about a single building.’ There is, however, no explanation of what that entails.
The rest of the walls have been ‘decorated’ in a time-honoured way by throwing paint on them at intervals and letting it drip randomly to the ground. There are two projections: one showing a sample of Alsop & Stormer’s architecture, the other, rather curiously, a series of flowers. Visitors might feel short-changed.
Two pavilions in particular fuse content and presentation persuasively - the American and the Danish.
The American pavilion is at present ‘work in progress’, with students from Columbia Un ivers ity and UCLA, under the direction of Hani Rashid and Greg Lynn, engaged in a four-week workshop whose output will then be on display for the rest of the biennale.
Banks of computer screens are much in evidence, along with various three-dimensional prototypes and components; one aim is to provide ‘an understanding of spatial configurations and building complexes that goes way beyond conventional geometric definitions’.
Lynn’s students are involved with an ‘Embryological Housing’project: exploring the potential for mass-produced customised houses and aiming for a ‘more vital, evolving, biological’ model of design and construction than the ‘Modernist kit-of-parts’. How far these computer visualisations translate into satisfying built reality is something else; after all, Lynn’s recent Korean Presbyterian Church of New York in Queens is one of the least numinous religious spaces you can find. But the seriousness of purpose that informs this pavilion, and the industrial-finish beauty of some of its products, must be admired.
The Danish exhibition, ‘Transitions - Space in the Dispersed City’, focuses on nine specific sites in Copenhagen, all marginal in character, which could supply a new coherence to the city or the landscape. This is, of course, an undertaking that has not just a local significance, and what makes it satisfying is the imaginative range of responses, in two and three dimensions, that are on show. They convey a feeling for materials and a poetic appreciation of site that are in short supply elsewhere at the biennale.
There are other notable Scandinavian contributions. The small Finnish pavilion presents ‘Concrete Spaces’ - a mostly photographic survey of the work of Aarno Ruusuvuori (1925-92), with an impressive large tactile model of his Huutoniemi Church, Vaasa, at the centre, boardmarked in miniature. In the Nordic pavilion Juha Ilonen shows ‘The Other Helsinki: The Reverse Face of the Architecture in the City’- a splendid series of photographs of hidden courtyards in Helsinki, to illustrate Ilonen’s premise that ‘the unwitting architecture of the back yards is at best far more vibrant and forceful than what the streetfronts have to offer.’ This unsuspected portrait of a city is executed with great technical finesse.
But the prize for best architectural photography at the biennale went to an exhibitor at the Russian pavilion, Ilya Utkin, whose images of ruined buildings in his homeland have a cumulative power (despite being poorly hung). They complement the meticulous architectural fantasies drawn by the other Russian exhibitor, architect-artist Mikhail Filippov, whose subject is the failure of all utopias - whether dreamt up by Constructivists, Stalin or Le Corbusier.
Much is made in the biennale’s promotional literature of Fuksas’ and Doriana Mandrelli’s 280m long video wall, which occupies almost the whole length of the Corderie, the Arsenale’s former ropemaking sheds.
It shows scenes of different cities, in overviews and details, but not as an unfolding narrative that holds the attention - it’s wallpaper, which people only glance at as they drift through the building.
Unfortunately it subjugates many of the other exhibits in the Corderie, casting them into a twilight where captions and texts are barely decipherable.Reiser + Umemoto (new infrastructure in Manhattan) and Itsuko Hasegawa are among those whose work is worth studying here.
Beyond the Corderie, in the sixteenth-century Artigliere, Richard Rogers Partnership makes the best possible case for its Welsh Assembly building, with a handsome model and an emphasis on sustainability. Then comes a dramatic change of mood in an installation by China’s Gary Chang: a four-storey assemblage of cages and green fluorescent lights, like a malign collaboration between Bruce Nauman and Dan Flavin; the cages are the size of a prone person and some have pillows in them. Thereafter, as the exhibits become more dispersed, and as the Arsenale’s architecture is itself insistent (Sansovino’s Gaggiandre), any focus to the biennale is finally dissipated.
Putting ‘City: Less Aesthetics, More Ethics’ in perspective, at least until 23 July, is a superb exhibition at the Palazzo Grassi called ‘Cosmos’. With more than 400 paintings and drawings from the past two centuries or so, its subtitle is ‘Art in Pursuit of the Infinite’, but there are a number of architectural inclusions: Boullee’s drawings for his ConeShaped Cenotaph and Temple of Nature and Reason, Nikolai Suetin’s Constructivist City, Le Corbusier’s Musee Mundaneum. Alongside artists’ visions, from Caspar David Friedrich’s mysterious Moonlight Seascape to a blue Planetary Relief by Yves Klein, are documentary images from actual explorations - to the Poles, the American West, the Moon. These last have a certain pathos: they are all scenes of man on the move, before either the ethics or aesthetics of settlement arise.

domain: design


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This gourmet tea is full of natural antioxidants and it has a robust, invigorating aroma that is sure to jump-start your morning; the longer you allow it to steep, the stronger it becomes.
Irish Breakfast Tea is a blend of hearty Assam and Sri Lankan teas that produce a rich, liquoring cup with the strength and malty flavor of the best teas of Sri Lanka.
Ingredients: Black Tea
Steeping Suggestions: 1½ tsp. tea, 8 oz. boiling (212°) water, steep for 3 - 3 ½ minutes.
Tea Latte Recipe: (1 serving) 3 tsp. tea, 1 cup water, ½ cup steamed milk, ½ tsp. sugar or condensed milk. Steep tea in water and add to steamed milk.
Shipping and delivery notes:
We deliver fresh!!! Each order is packaged fresh right before it is shipped. Please allow 2-3 days to process your order and ample time for packaging and delivery. Most order take between 7-14 business days to deliver. If your item is out of stock, you will be notified immediately of any delays. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
A very robust flavor, but not bitter. Very warm taste, A nice energy boost without creating caffeine jitters.
This is the best!
A nice fully bodied flavor, without being too bitter.

domain: food


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Intramuros Learning Sessions episode no. 83
This presentation is about the experience of the City of Valenzuela in heritage conservation, tourism development and public history through the development of a museum dedicated to the life and heroism of Dr. Pio Valenzuela (1869-1956). Being named after the hero, the City of Valenzuela serves as an agency that promotes the relevance and meaning of Dr Pio Valenzuela today as it fulfills its social obligations in the name of education, heritage and tourism.
Through the Pio Valenzuela museum project of the Valenzuela City LGU, the presentation aims to discuss and reflect on the issues and challenges that are common to cultural governance, heritage and tourism development in the local context.
About the Intramuros Learning Sessions
The Intramuros Learning Sessions (ILS) is the educational webinar series of the Intramuros Administration (IA). The IA is an attached national government agency under the Department of Tourism.
Topics are interdisciplinary and cover themes related to Intramuros and Manila studies, Philippine studies, as well as cultural heritage studies. Pursuant to IA’s charter, the ILS aims to contribute to the strengthening of the Filipino’s national identity and sense of belonging and pride.
For inquiries contact us at [email protected]
See Previous ILS Episode
Christianity and the Development of Libraries in the Philippines
|See Next ILS Episode|
Violence Against Women and Children: Clarifying Truths from Myths

domain: library


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In the first story of the compilation of the same name, The Pier Falls and Other Stories, Mark Haddon describes vividly and precisely what happens during a catastrophic event and how it affects the victims, responders, onlookers, and relations. The pier falling is definitely not pretty, and the story described the event so well that you can feel that lurching feeling in your stomach when you realized that you barely escaped Death and that you just got lucky.
How agitating it is to watch the death toll! Whether you’re tracking for statistics, actually witnessing the deaths, or being added to it, seeing the death toll rise by the minute is so unnerving, unsettling. Everything about the time the pier falls harbors traumatic images, and you never want to revisit that moment ever again.
Mark Haddon, I had so many feelings when I read The Pier Falls, and now I have recurring images of a pier falling in my mind. Grim, jarring, but well done.


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General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) Dr. Daniel Olukoya has warned Nigerians to take coronavirus (COVID-19) seriously.
Speaking to newsmen during the inauguration of the remodeled foyer of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Senate Building sponsored by him, Olukoya urged Nigerians to obey safety protocols stipulated by the government.
Naija News reports that Dr. D.K Olukoya is a first-class microbiology graduate of UNILAG.
While lamenting that many Nigerians still do not believe that the virus was real, the fiery clergyman said COVID-19 existed and should not be joked with.
The MFM GO advised the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to kickstart an awareness campaign to persuade Nigerians that the virus is real.
Olukoya said: “The first thing is to convince the populace that it is real because some people don’t believe it exists.
“But I am a man of God and I have prayed for so many people with the same infirmity and I know that it exists. So, we should not joke with it.
“People should obey all the rules. And most importantly, we should pray that this pandemic will go away.”
Recall that Olukoya had on December 31, 2020 released shocking prophecies for the New Year 2021.
The popular cleric tagged 2021 the “Year of Restoration and Revival.”
Meanwhile, Naija News reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday night reported the country’s highest daily positive rate with 1354 new cases of COVID-19.
The new cases was reported in a post on the disease control agency’s Twitter handle.
The newly reported cases bring the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria to 92,705 which includes 76,396 discharged cases and 1,319 deaths.
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New Aboriginal Personís court opens today in Brantford
Friday, January 17, 2014
Jan. 17 Ė Brantfordís first Aboriginal Personís court is open for business today to support Aboriginal clients in the Brantford area for two days every month. Aboriginal clients can also access free legal aid services in the courthouse.
The provinceís newest Aboriginal Personís court (known elsewhere in the province as a Gladue court) is located in the Brantford Courthouse, in close proximity to the largest First Nation in Canada. Among its specialized features, the Aboriginal Personís court:
- is available to all self-identifying Aboriginal persons
- will take the findings of Gladue reports into consideration; these are reports on offenders' backgrounds, including circumstances unique to this community such as residential school experiences
- will propose sentences using a restorative justice approach that aligns with Aboriginal culture and traditions
Brantfordís Aboriginal Personís court will deal with criminal guilty pleas and sentencing. Local duty counsel lawyers, some of whom are Aboriginal, will:
- represent eligible clients on guilty pleas, including negotiations with the Crown
- provide referrals to agencies that can help develop the clientís rehabilitation plan and
- address Gladue principles before the court.
LAO staff in the court will provide a range of free LAO services such as advice and information. As part of LAOís Aboriginal Justice Strategy, staff and duty counsel have received cultural training that will help them provide effective services to low-income Aboriginal Ontarians.
Supporting Aboriginal Personsí courts is part of LAOís Aboriginal Justice Strategy Ė its ongoing plan dedicated to enhancing access to justice for Aboriginal people and achieving measurable improvements to services for Aboriginal people across Ontario.
For more information, please contact:

domain: sociology


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port authority chairman david samson.JPG
David Samson, chairman of the Port Authority and partner in the powerful Wolff & Samson law firm, was appointed Port Authority chairman by Gov. Chris Christie in 2011.
(Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger)
TRENTON — Records turned over to the state legislative committee investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closings show the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, David Samson, has been "intimately involved" with day-to-day operations.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), a co-chair of the panel, said Monday the documents provided by Samson included his many communications with Gov. Chris Christie’s administration, though none show direct contact with Christie.
"It paints a picture of a guy that’s intimately involved in the operations at the Port Authority," Wisniewski said. "He’s not a chairman of the board in a traditional sense, but a guy who’s making a lot of phone calls back and forth with folks down in Trenton."
Samson, one of the most prominent legal figures in the state and a longtime adviser to Christie, faces mounting questions about potential conflicts between his work at the Port Authority and the work of his high-profile, private law firm Wolff & Samson.
Most recently, a Star-Ledger review found Samson voted to award millions of dollars in Port Authority contracts to a company whose owner is represented by Samson’s law firm in a hotly contested and lucrative legal fight involving a railroad construction company.
Wisniewski said it would be hard for Samson to distance himself from the Port Authority by saying he only attends meetings and votes.
"When you see the intimate level of involvement, it’s hard to even come with a rationale why it’s not a conflict," Wisniewski said. "It becomes clear when you look at everything as a totality that the Port Authority really became a subdivision in the governor’s office."
A spokeswoman for Samson could not be reached for comment.
Wisniewski said the communications also cast doubt on Christie’s insistence that he knew nothing about the September lane closings until after access was restored. The governor’s senior staff was involved, but no evidence has emerged directly linking Christie to the decision.
"When you look at the number of people in that upper echelon with the governor and their routine involvement with the Port Authority, and in particular in some cases with this issue, you just kind of shake your head and say how is that possible?" he said.
DOCUMENTS PILE UP
The governor’s office did not return a request for comment.
Wisniewski said the legislative committee began receiving responses to the 18 subpoenas for records issued earlier this month, but the process will take several more days, if not longer. The panel is still receiving records in response to 20 subpoenas issued last month.
A criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues with word that Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, who was thrust into the national spotlight after the lane closings gridlocked his borough, met with federal prosecutors for more than three hours.
"Mayor Sokolich voluntarily met on Friday with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark to discuss the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge this past September," his attorney Tim Donohue said in a statement. Donohue declined to comment on the discussions.
Sokolich, a Democrat, and other members of his party believe the lane closings were orchestrated by supporters of Christie as retribution for his decision not to back the governor’s re-election.
"The mayor is grateful for the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the mayor and his entire administration will continue to cooperate fully with this investigation as well as the Select Committee’s investigation," Donohue said.

domain: law


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Opioid maintenance therapy is the term used to describe the ongoing use of an opioid-based medication as a treatment for people recovering from uncontrolled opioid addiction. While doctors often use a medication called methadone in this form of therapy, they can also use a generally safer medication called buprenorphine.
In a study published in October 2014 in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Internal Medicine, a team of American researchers assessed the potential role of opioid maintenance therapy in preventing the spread of hepatitis C infections among people who use injection drugs.
Opioid Maintenance Therapy
Opioid-based medications are commonly used to help people who enter treatment for an addiction to heroin, prescription opioids or other opioid substances. These medications are useful in two treatment contexts: opioid detoxification and opioid maintenance. During opioid detoxification, doctors temporarily use opioid-based medications to help people in treatment avoid the potentially severe, relapse-promoting effects of opioid withdrawal.
During opioid maintenance, doctors use controlled doses of an opioid-based medication as a longer-term, safer alternative to the uncontrolled substance intake that characterizes opioid addiction. Some people receive opioid maintenance therapy for a few months, while others receive the therapy on an ongoing basis.
The medication most associated with opioid maintenance therapy is methadone, a fairly powerful opioid substance only available in the U.S. in certain facilities licensed and monitored by the federal government. However, many programs now use buprenorphine, a weaker opioid substance legal for use in a much wider range of treatment settings.
Generally speaking, buprenorphine does not come with the same potential for abuse as methadone. In addition, while people who abuse methadone can easily experience an opioid overdose, buprenorphine overdoses are relatively rare. Also, people who abuse buprenorphine have much lower chances of developing medication dependence.
Hepatitis C is the name for a viral infection that produces significant and potentially dangerous inflammation inside the liver. The same name also applies to the virus (also known as HCV) responsible for causing this form of infection. Like all viral infections, hepatitis C is contagious. In America, people who use injection drugs are the most likely population group to experience exposure to HCV. Typically, such exposure occurs during the unsanitary use of needles and syringes or other types of paraphernalia associated with injecting drugs or medications into a vein, into a muscle or under the skin. Some people develop a limited form of hepatitis C known as acute hepatitis C.
However, others develop a much more serious, ongoing form of the infection known as chronic hepatitis C. People with the chronic form of the disease can experience severe or potentially fatal health issues that include permanent liver tissue scarring (i.e., liver cirrhosis) and certain types of malignant liver cancer. Unfortunately, most initially acute cases of hepatitis C turn chronic over time.
Can Opioid Maintenance Help Prevent Hepatitis C?
In the study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers from Boston University, Boston Medical Center, the University of New Mexico and UC San Francisco used data gathered from a 13-year project to help determine if injection drug users who receive opioid maintenance therapy have a lowered chance of getting infected with the hepatitis C virus.
This project included 552 young adult users who were under the age of 30 and free from hepatitis C when their participation began. Some of these participants received opioid maintenance therapy as their primary form of treatment. Others received opioid detoxification or forms of drug treatment that did not involve opioid medications. In addition, some participants did not receive any drug treatment.
Over the course of the study period, 171 of the participants were infected with HCV. After analyzing the breakdown of affected individuals, the researchers concluded that the participants who received opioid maintenance therapy had a significantly smaller chance of getting hepatitis C than the participants who went through opioid detoxification or received a form of treatment not based on the use of an opioid medication.
The study’s authors concluded that members of the opioid maintenance therapy group had a lower rate of HCV infection because they had a lower rate of exposure to the risk factors that make such an infection more likely to occur. They believe that the use of opioid maintenance therapy may substantially limit the transmission of hepatitis C among young people who consume injection drugs.
Learn More About The Different Types of Addiction Treatment
30 Dec 2013
Would you swallow paint thinner or iodine? Would you inject yourself with lighter fluid or gasoline? Of course not. But desperate addicts living in impoverished areas of the world have turned to a drug that is made up of these kinds of toxic ingredients. The drug is known as Krokodil and it is a deadly substance.
The History Of Krokodil
Krokodil first appeared in the early 20th Century when it held a Swiss patent and was sold under the name Permonid. It is a derivative of morphine, but is 8-10 times stronger than morphine. Because of this, the drug also has a long history of non-medical use.
More recently, the drug resurfaced in poor areas of Russia around 2002 where it was seen as a cheap substitute for heroin. Krokodil is a concoction of codeine and any number of harsh chemicals which might be found around the house or in the garage. It has been cheap to make because until not long ago codeine was sold over-the-counter in Russia.
From 2002-2010 use of Krokodil spread across Russia, dragging what is guessed to be several million addicts in its wake. Exact figures on the numbers of users are hard to come by since the drug is essentially a form of suicide. Many users die within two years of starting to inject Krokodil. Why would people take such a scary drug? Because it is three times cheaper than heroin and 10 times stronger than codeine.
Krokodil did not remain in Russia. It is believed to have spread across Europe, taking hold in poor, mostly rural regions. It is now thought that Krokodil has crossed the ocean to Central or perhaps North America. There was a highly publicized report of a young girl who showed up in a hospital in Mexico City with what doctors thought to be a severe STD. Instead, it turned out that the girl had been injecting Krokodil into her genital area for a period of months.
Nasty Effects Of Krokodil On The Body
Krokodil is gruesome in that the drug destroys the user’s body from within. The drug causes blood vessels to break open and nearby tissue to die. Like the corrosive agents used to make the drug, lesions eat away a person’s flesh right down to the bone. It is called Krokodil because at the site where the person injects themselves with the drug the skin takes on a toughened, scale-like appearance. It gets a foothold among groups where heroin is too expensive. In the U.S. evidence shows a similar trend with many turning away from expensive prescription drugs in favor of far less costly street heroin.
Krokodil In The U.S.?
There have been unsubstantiated reports of Krokodil’s presence here in the United States, but so far no reports have been verified. Bringing a sample into a reputable lab is all that would be needed to determine that the drug has indeed come to America. Experts suggest that there is really no reason for Krokodil to find a home in this country.
Drug enforcement agents, addiction specialists and others say that the fact that Americans can afford less immediately lethal street drugs is reason enough to forego Krokodil. Though Krokodil, like methamphetamine, is a drug made as a home-brew, it is still hard to find, so why would drug users go looking for it? Lastly, Krokodil’s high is dependent on codeine – a substance that is far more controlled in this country than in other parts of the world.
So while the drug has definitely been traveling around the globe in recent years, it does not appear to have landed here as of yet. Still, the hopelessness that would drive a person to use such a frighteningly destructive drug is enough to warrant concern here at home and around the world.
Read More About Reported Cases Of Krokodil Use In The U.S.
Crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth) is an illegal, illicitly produced form of methamphetamine, a tightly controlled stimulant drug with limited but real usefulness as a legitimate medication. People who use/abuse this illegal product run significant risks for developing a range of serious or potentially deadly health complications. According to the results of a study published in October 2013 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, teenagers and young adults who use crystal meth substantially increase their chances of getting involved in IV (intravenous) drug use, a form of drug use strongly associated with severe substance-related health problems.
How Methamphetamine And Crystal Meth Effects The Body
Methamphetamine is a close chemical relative of amphetamine; like that well-known stimulant medication, it produces euphoric sensations and sharply boosts the baseline activity rate inside the brain. Over time, the brain can get accustomed to methamphetamine’s effects and develop a dependence on the drug’s presence. In turn, dependence on methamphetamine is often a precursor for methamphetamine addiction, a highly disruptive and destructive combination of dependence, drug cravings and drug-oriented lifestyle patterns. Doctors occasionally prescribe legal, pharmaceutically manufactured methamphetamine to treat cases of narcolepsy, severe obesity or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Crystal meth gets its name from its characteristic crystalline appearance. In America, most of the available supply of this drug comes from illegal, large-scale manufacturing facilities located on U.S. territory or in other countries. Some crystal meth also comes from small-scale operations that only service local areas. Depending on the process used during its creation, illegally made methamphetamine can contain a number of highly dangerous compounds, including sulfuric acid, acetone, hydrochloric acid or red phosphorus. Since use of crystal meth inevitably takes place outside of a legitimate medical context, it inherently constitutes a form of drug abuse. People who habitually use the drug have exceedingly high risks for developing an addiction or other major health problems such as drug overdoses, disturbed or violent mood shifts, extreme tooth and gum damage (meth mouth) and psychosis (hallucinations and/or delusional thought processes).
IV Drug Use
IV drug use is the common term for the purposeful injection of drugs directly into the bloodstream. As a rule, doctors and other medical professionals use this term in reference to the injection of recreational substances rather than medications. IV drug abusers commonly rely on direct bloodstream access to rapidly deliver substances to their brains, and thereby rapidly trigger the effects associated with those substances. IV drug injection carries risks above and beyond the risks classically associated with recreational drug use in general.
IV Drug Use Risks
- Increased chances of drug overdose
- Dangerous or lethal infections such as hiv/aids or hepatitis b or c
- Lethal infection-related complications such as bacteremia or sepsis
- Increased chances of developing pneumonia
- And increased chances of dangerous contaminants or additives
How Crystal Meth Use Increases Chance Of Falling Into IV Drug Use
In the study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers from several Canadian institutions used information gathered from a project called the At-Risk Youth Study to examine the potential connection between crystal meth use and the initiation of IV drug use among teenagers and young adults between the ages of 14 and 26. All told, 991 individuals submitted answers to questionnaires regarding their baseline drug-using behaviors. At the beginning of the study, 395 of these individuals were crystal methamphetamine users, while another 390 were IV drug users. The researchers tracked the drug use patterns of all 991 participants over five years in order to uncover any developing trends.
Altogether, 16 percent of the participants not initially involved in IV drug use began taking drugs intravenously over the course of the study. After analyzing their data, the researchers found that the recent use of a non-injectable form of crystal methamphetamine is clearly linked to increased chances of beginning IV drug use. In most cases, prior users of non-injectable crystal meth choose this drug for their first forays into intravenous use. The researchers also found that the average young user of crystal meth who initiates IV drug intake makes the transition to intravenous use at the exceptionally early age of 14.
Meth Treatment Significantly Needed In City, Street Culture
The authors of the study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal gathered their data from young people either living on the street or heavily involved in local street culture. They believe that their findings indicate an urgent need to address crystal methamphetamine use in this population and curb the transition to IV drug use.
Read More About The Connection Between Hepatitis C And IV Drug Users And Get Help Today!
Hepatitis C is a form of serious, liver-damaging illness triggered by infection with a virus commonly known as the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Current evidence indicates that, throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world, the majority of new cases of this illness stem from the unsanitary injection of IV drugs (intravenous drugs). In a study published in June 2013 in the Harm Reduction Journal, a multi-institution research team reviewed some of the potentially overlooked factors that contribute to the ongoing connection between IV drug use and HCV infection. The researchers concluded that patient-doctor miscommunication and lack of access to required resources have a considerable impact on the reinforcement of this connection.
How Is Hepatitis C Spread?
Hepatitis C is one of four viral diseases that get their names because they damage function inside the human liver. It is a blood-borne illness that typically occurs when an individual with HCV knowingly or unknowingly exposes others to his or her infected blood. Common routes for this exposure include intentional or accidental needle sticks or injections, as well as the accidental entry of infected blood through a cut or through the mouth. Additional, less common potential routes of exposure include mother-to-child transmission inside the womb, organ transplant procedures, kidney dialysis procedures and blood transfusions.
Hepatitis C Symptoms
The hepatitis C virus can produce either acute (short-term) infections or chronic (long-term) infections. In both cases, affected individuals often have few or no early symptoms of the changes going on inside their livers. If early symptoms do occur, they are as follows.
Early Hepatitis C Symptoms
- Loss of energy
- Spikes in body temperature (i.e., fevers)
- Swelling in the abdomen
- Abdominal pain in the liver region
- Nausea and vomiting
- Declining appetite
Eventually, people affected by chronic hepatitis C can develop serious or potentially fatal cases of cirrhosis (liver scarring) or liver cancer. Roughly 75 percent to 85 percent of people who contract hepatitis C develop the chronic form of the illness.
IV Drug Use And Risky Behaviors
IV drug users have an uncommonly high rate for hepatitis C (and a number of other serious, infectious diseases) for several reasons. First, the introduction of a hypodermic needle into a vein provides direct access to a person’s bloodstream. In combination with poor needle-related hygiene, this method of drug use provides the hepatitis C virus with a very easy avenue for entry into the human body. The most common unhygienic practice associated with transmission of the virus is the sharing of dirty needles among two or more drug users. In addition, people who take drugs intravenously often establish other patterns of behavior that can further increase their risks for HCV exposure. Examples of these harmful behavioral patterns include having unprotected intercourse with intimates and engaging in sex-for-drugs exchanges with others.
Factors For The Connection Between Hepatitis C Infections And IV Drug Use
In the study published in the Harm Reduction Journal, researchers from seven U.S. institutions looked at some of the lesser-known factors that can account for the strong, enduring connection between IV drug use and hepatitis C infections. Rather than take a large-scale approach, they focused on 14 groups of IV drug users in the San Francisco area and the New York City area. Altogether, these groups contained 95 individuals. Each of the participating individuals took part in a series of discussions designed to identify specific hindrances to the adequate prevention or treatment of HCV in IV drug-using populations.
After reviewing and analyzing the results of the participants’ discussions, the researchers identified several potential barriers to the receipt of adequate services or the accurate transmission of HCV-related information from doctors and other health care professionals to people who use IV drugs. These barriers include lack of a full understanding among IV drug users about the significance of an HCV diagnosis, lack of drug user knowledge regarding the symptoms and potential consequences of hepatitis C, a poor drug user understanding of the need to monitor the course of a hepatitis C infection, lack of facilities where intravenous drug users can actively seek out HCV testing, and lack of a broad range of options for the treatment of diagnosed cases of hepatitis C.
Health Care Professional’s Role In HCV/ Hepatitis C Treatment
In light of their findings, the authors of the study published in the Harm Reduction Journal concluded that health care professionals must increase their efforts to relay accurate, sufficiently detailed information about HCV and hepatitis C. They also concluded that these improved educational efforts must take place both in drug treatment centers and in facilities that perform disease screenings.
Read More About IV Drug Users And Other Dangerous Risks
20 Nov 2013
Desomorphine, also known by the Russian nickname Krokodil or the English language equivalent Crocodile, is a synthetic substance based on the opioid narcotic drug morphine. This drug, outlawed in America, has much stronger chemical effects than morphine and produces severe side effects in long-term users that can include tissue destruction, limb loss or death. Desomorphine users commonly take a homemade form of the drug that contains one or more additional toxic substances. Until recently, desomorphine abuse was not known to affect any segment of the U.S. population. However, in September 2013, the country’s first identified cases of this abuse allegedly occurred in Phoenix, Arizona.
Morphine is an opioid substance taken directly from the sap of a plant called Papaver somniferum (commonly referred to as the opium poppy). Like all other natural and synthetic opioids, it achieves powerful, potentially addicting drug effects by accessing key portions of the brain and creating intense spikes in pleasure levels, as well as a reduced ability to feel pain. Desomorphine was invented in a laboratory setting in the 1930s by changing morphine molecules’ natural chemical structure. Compared to morphine, it produces roughly 10 times the level of effect at any given dose. This drug effect comes on rapidly and also fades away in a relatively short amount of time.
Even in its most chemically pure form, desomorphine is capable of producing significant damage when used repeatedly over time. The most common side effect of chronic use—a form of blood vessel and soft tissue damage that results in green, scaly skin—gives the drug its nickname, Krokodil (Crocodile). If left untreated, desomorphine-related vessel and tissue damage can ultimately result in tissue death (gangrene) or a clot- and inflammation-based ailment called thrombophlebitis. People with these conditions can lose their affected limbs to amputation or even die. Doctors can potentially combat the active drug effects of desomorphine with the anti-narcotic medication naloxone or other treatments used to address heroin addiction. However, there is no specific, fully developed treatment for the drug. In addition to dealing with the brain effects of desomorphine addiction, doctors commonly need to address the severe physical injuries associated with the drug’s use.
Today, desomorphine abuse doesn’t typically involve batches of the drug made in a laboratory. Instead, most users make an injectable form of the drug themselves by boiling tablets of another opioid narcotic, called codeine, then combining the resulting liquid with any one of a number of additional toxic additives, including gasoline, red phosphorus, hydrochloric acid or paint thinner. Together, these substances can produce a level of blood vessel and tissue damage far above that associated with pure desomorphine, and users can develop large pockets of rotting flesh or even lose their flesh all the way down to the bone. Current evidence indicates that chronic users of “bootleg” Krokodil commonly die within a period of two or three years.
International Patterns of Krokodil Usage
The first known cases of bootleg Krokodil abuse occurred among heroin users in Russia in 2003. These users were looking for a cheaper alternative to the normally available narcotics in their country. According to current estimates, roughly 1 million people in Russia and another million people in other European regions use the drug. However, these estimates are likely quite imprecise, and no one really knows how many people in Europe or other areas across the globe take some form of Krokodil. In the U.S., desomorphine belongs to a highly restricted class of substances called Schedule I substances. All drugs with this federal classification are illegal, present a strong potential for the onset of abuse and/or addiction, and have no accepted usefulness in medical treatment. Still, some amount of pharmaceutical-grade desomorphine likely enters the U.S. through illegal Internet sales or other unlawful avenues. Americans also have access to the materials required to make bootleg desomorphine.
First Krokodil Cases In The U.S.
In September 2013, a poison control center in Phoenix, Arizona, reported two cases of Krokodil abuse among local residents. The directors of this facility believe that the cases in question are related, a situation that indicates that use of the drug is not widespread. However, since they represent the first nationally reported incidences of Krokodil abuse in the U.S., the two cases are naturally garnering significant amounts of scrutiny and media attention. As of now, no one can truly say what course the use of homemade desomorphine will take among American IV drug abusers in the years and decades to come.
Read More About The Zombie Drug Finding It’s Way To The U.S.
A recent report from Olympia, WA, calls for a citywide conversation regarding the growing problem of heroin abuse plaguing the area—particularly drawing attention to the widespread issue of dirty needles. Heroin abuse is damaging in a host of more obvious ways—addiction, destroyed relationships, torched careers and the direct physical consequences—but one of the biggest issues comes from the use of unclean needles. This conversation isn’t a comfortable one for many citizens, but it’s a problem that will not go away, particularly with the epidemic-level prescription drug abuse gripping the nation.
Prescription Drugs: A Gateway To Heroin?
The prescription drug addiction crisis that America is facing has already been shown to have led users into heroin abuse. Understanding why requires some basic knowledge of the chemical similarity between the substances. The most effective painkillers are opioid drugs like oxycodone and hydrocodone (the active ingredients in OxyContin and Vicodin, respectively), substances derived from the opium poppy. This plant is the ultimate source of heroin, and the drugs are therefore effectively the same. Exceeding your doctor’s prescribed dosage heightens the narcotic effect of the substance, making it roughly comparable to taking a dose of heroin. This is why 12 million Americans used prescription painkillers non-medically in 2010 and why so many people become addicted and many of them overdose—but the supply isn’t always easy to come by.
One of the unexpected downsides of cracking down on prescription drug abuse is that many people are left addicted to opiates but without the pills to satisfy their cravings. This problem is “solved” by many of the users by buying heroin — it’s easier to get and is cheaper than the medically legal versions prescribed by doctors.
Hidden Drug Problem
Olympia, WA, is experiencing an increase in heroin use. Previously, the heroin problem was primarily confined to grim alleyways in the inner city, but now—thanks in part to narcotic prescription medicines—it’s expanded into the suburbs, spreading across the city like a disease. While the obvious issues are the crimes associated with heroin abuse and the physical harm to the user, another immediate problem tied to increased heroin use is that of dirty needles littering the streets. The local paper, the “Olympian,” is calling for an open and frank discussion on the problem within the community.
Dirty Needles And Blood-Borne Viruses
Research from 2004 shows that one-fifth of HIV infections and the majority of hepatitis C infections were related to intravenous drug use, and one-quarter of America’s injecting drug users have HIV or AIDS. The reason is simple: with intravenous drug use, any case where two users share a needle represents a potential infection; the blood invariably remaining on the needle being plunged directly into the vein of the next user. In short, all needle-sharing is equivalent to unprotected sex. This is why needle-sharing is particularly ill-advised, but thinking realistically (particularly when accounting for the priorities of someone dependent on opiates) it’s clear that many users will take the risk to get their fix.
Needle Exchange Programs: Encouraging Addiction Or A Vital Service?
The problem with needle sharing is why needle exchange programs were created. The premise is simple: offer intravenous drug users a safe place to dispose of their used needles and offer them clean injecting equipment to reduce the risk of infections in the future. Olympia provides such a service and has for nearly 20 years. In 2012, about 950,000 dirty needles were collected and marginally fewer clean ones were distributed. The fact that the number of collections exceeds the number of distributions is a source of concern (the widespread discarded needles in locations like parks risk infecting children or non-using adults), but overall, the program undoubtedly reduces the numbers of blood-borne viruses.
However, critics argue that it isn’t right to distribute equipment to drug users who clearly have a problem, and that the programs merely allow them to continue on in addiction. This is an understandable criticism, but public health officials and those who operate the programs counter that the benefits of the programs outweigh the potential moral issues. Reducing the spread of HIV and hepatitis is a huge benefit, and it’s clear that the users aren’t only continuing to take heroin because they’ve been given free clean equipment; they are struggling with addiction and would continue using either way.
Harm Reduction As A Last Resort
It’s unreasonable to assume that every heroin user—or indeed every prescription drug user—will be able to quit effectively. Human history has repeatedly shown that not to be the case. This is why, in the most extreme cases, it’s better to focus on reducing harm as much as possible. The individual might be struggling to battle his demons and get clean, but does that mean we should stand by and do nothing while he risks HIV infection? It might make us feel like we live in a more harmonious world to pretend that these problems don’t exist, but it doesn’t improve the situation. If you turn a blind eye to the unnecessary suffering, you’d be fooling yourself to think it stopped happening.
Drug use comes with a host of risks, and not all of them relate to the substance you’re taking or how your behavior changes due to addiction. In fact, some of the most significant risks for injecting drug users come from the danger of catching a blood-borne virus from dirty needles and injecting equipment. The most well known disease that can be passed along as a result of dirty injecting equipment is HIV, but research has shown that the prevalence of the immunodeficiency virus is much lower than the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which affects about 27 percent of injecting drug users. In line with the significant risk this represents, researchers have suggested some simple steps that can be taken to reduce the prevalence of HCV.
Injecting Drug Users and HCV
HCV is a contagious virus that leads to the liver disease commonly known as hepatitis C. The condition can vary in severity, producing anything from a few weeks of mild illness (which may even be ignored) to a much more serious, lifelong ailment. In severe cases, the condition can lead to liver cancer or cirrhosis of the liver (which is the death of liver tissue, causing a drastic reduction in functioning), and according to the World Health Organization , about 350,000 people die every year as a result of the condition.
Like HIV, HCV is contracted through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person, which means it can be caught through things like a tainted blood transfusion or organ transplant. However, the most immediately preventable cause of infection is the sharing of injecting equipment among drug users and accidental infections through used needles. The problem of infection is made much worse by the fact that 80 percent of those infected don’t initially display symptoms.
Among all people newly infected with the condition, about 80 percent will develop the chronic version of the condition, and the majority of those will progress to chronic liver disease. Those who are symptomatic might experience fatigue, nausea, vomiting, stomach and joint pain, dark urine, grey feces and jaundice (a yellowing of the skin due to decreased liver function).
The UFO Study
The “U Find Out” study is memorably abbreviated to the “UFO Study,” and it has been conducted for over 16 years on young injecting drug users in San Francisco. There were over a thousand participants between 2000 and 2007, and many valuable statistics have emerged from the research. Out of those who were screened, 45 percent—almost half—had the antibodies for HCV, which indicates that they’ve had the infection at some point in the past or are currently suffering from it. Although spontaneous remission is possible, this only happens in about one in five of those infected, so most continue to be infected as they use drugs and potentially share needles. Many of the infections are related to direct needle sharing, but the researchers also found that 40 percent of cases are related to the sharing of other equipment such as preparation containers and filters.
The problem of HCV infection isn’t particularly challenging to address, but it does require a concerted effort on the part of public health officials. Needle exchanges are an essential element of the strategy as they provide injecting drug users with clean equipment, but the researchers point out that these centers should endeavor to also provide additional equipment. The researchers want to see exchange programs rolled out across more of the country, but it’s important that they don’t focus on needles alone.
A new method of screening for HCV is also available. It allows users to receive the test results in a mere 20 minutes, and one of the key suggestions is to expand testing to at-risk populations where possible so that anti-viral medications can be provided to tackle any cases of infection and therefore reduce the risk of further transmission. Additionally, counseling for those infected with the condition or who are at risk because of their intravenous drug use will be an essential component of a successful strategy. The researchers also suggest that interventions should be developed to address the social risk factors that make injecting drug use—and therefore HCV infection—more likely.
Finally, as you might expect, encouraging abstinence—or at least a reduction in use—among injecting drug users is one of the most important suggestions. There are many other psychological, sociological and medical reasons that these individuals should be offered treatment, but it would have an undeniably significant effect on the numbers of new HCV infections.
Harm Reduction Is Essential
The expected criticisms of this approach come from those who believe that offering drug users clean needles is in some way “encouraging” them to continue abusing substances. This is far from the case; in fact, harm reduction measures are specifically designed to help users who are struggling to quit entirely. Moralizing and refusing any help unless the individual stops taking drugs entirely places unrealistic demands on users and risks marginalizing them and making it much less likely that they’ll attend treatment. Giving a young heroin addict a clean needle to plunge into his arm might not be the most appealing idea, but if you can accept that large numbers of people are unable to stop using drugs (for whatever reason), then it would be truly cruel to expose them to unnecessary risk. Needle exchange programs should be widely available in every locality to reduce the vast numbers of new HCV infections.

domain: medical


Buy Home Decor Home Decorative Items In Living Room Bedroom
Indoor air pollutants may be generated by widespread household items, similar to cleansing brokers, cooking gas, furnishings polish, pet dander, and paint. Other than this, domestic home equipment akin to refrigerators and heaters may also be the common supply.
As a matter of reality, indoor air air pollution has turn out to be a global concern. We will say that pollution ranges inside and in closed spaces are as much as 5 times increased. Since most pollutants are not seen to the naked eye, you might not be capable of conscious of the dangers of soiled air.
Indoor air pollution may be generated by common home goods, equivalent to cleansing agents, cooking fuel, furniture polish, pet dander, and paint. Aside from this, home home equipment such as refrigerators and heaters might also be the widespread source.


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Lovely hotel, great position for ski in ski out, fantastically helpful staff
Staff really went the extra mile. Very polite and helpful. Room was big and at a reasonable place compared with others in Val Thorens. Convenient location very near access and exit from slopes, and quiet. I will not look anywhere else in future
Very well furnished apartments with kitchens containing everything you need to live for a week. The apartments are a good size and well connected to La Croisette via a short gondola (when it works!) that runs 0800-2300 on demand (total journey about 10 mins) or a but that is less frequent. The hotel ...
Club Belambra was a nice discovery for my family. The staff was very courteous and friendly. The hotel was clean and convenient. It has a very convenient access to the ski slopes. Ask the staff what slopes to use to find your way back to the hotel because you can easily get on the wrong one. We really ...
What a lovely hotel. The staff were absolutely amazing and the food served is excellent. The location is hard to beat as the lifts are on the door step. We had a very enjoyable stay.
Had a weeks stay with my Husband and 2 children (7&10)at this hotel over Easter half term and couldn't find one fault. The staff, food and deco were amazing. The location for the lifts is great and the ski shop in the hotel couldn't help enough, we hired all our equipment from them. The Concierge ...
Stayed for two nights in a room with slopes view good experience
Very convenient for access to skiing and equipment hire, also town centre. Restaurant not part of hotel so service disjointed. Be aware that you as a resident won't have a guaranteed table for dinner you need to book in advance.
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domain: travel


text:
Yesterday I got the best haircut of my life. On the way home I had to use my pepper spray to chase off a would-be-mugger. I’ve been extra cranky ever since…
Yep, you read that correctly, a coloring party. If you don’t know who Dallas Clayton is why don’t you go familiarize yourself with some of his work, because he’s awesome and it will give you a better idea of what the heck this is all about.
(sorry about the shaky video, my hands and arms were not cooperating today)
Have now been thanked in 3 published books. New life plan: don't try to accomplish anything, just be friends with talented people 😉
— Jennifer (@bdbdb) June 2, 2015
Do you remember when I posted about my friend Laura Stone and her wonderful book The Bones of You? This time I’m proud to introduce you to another one of my talented friends, Victoria Denault. I can’t even remember how many years I’ve known Victoria, but I know it’s more than I can count on my fingers. Victoria is fabulously talented and has started publishing romance novels. (Bad Jen for not posting about this sooner!)
If you’re like me, you’re a little hesitant when it comes to novels about romance. Too many of them tell stories where all a woman needs to find true happiness is a man to acknowledge that she has worth. Or sometimes all a man needs to overcome massive commitment issues is a woman good enough for him. Gag. (Honey, if he’s scared of commitment he’s not going to invest in the relationship no matter how “good” you are, and if you can’t find happiness inside yourself no man is going to be able to give it to you!) But I’m getting off topic… The stories Victoria tells are not that at all. Don’t let the classic cheesy romance novel covers fool you, Victoria’s characters feel like real people. Real people who, like most of us, are trying to successfully navigate this often frustrating thing called ‘life.’ Ideally with a best friend/lover/companion by our side.
You can read an excerpt from One More Shot here. The second book in the trilogy, Making a Play, was just released. Excerpt here. Look for the final installment, The Final Move, in December of this year.
Victoria Denault loves long walks on the beach, cinnamon dolce lattes and writing angst-filled romance. She lives in LA but grew up in Montreal, which is why she is fluent in English, French and hockey.
Still not convinced? Here are One More Shot reviews from around the web:
Overall this was a really fabulous read and I must say I was shocked how well written it was for it being the debut novel for this author. It is a beautifully written story that is sweet and funny, it’s hot and very sexy but it’s also at times it has just the right amount of drama. Jessie and Jordan’s story was a really great and I immediately felt the connection they shared and the chemistry between them when they got together was electric. This was my first read by the author but it definitely won’t be my last and I will be adding her to my list of authors to keep an eye on for sure.
BethyMac76 on Amazon
One More Shot is the first book I have read by Victoria Denault, and as a debut novel it was a pretty stellar start to the Hometown Players series. … This is a book that jumps back to Jordan and Jessie as teenagers and for the first 50% or so the story is giving you the reasons as to why they have spent the last 6 years apart, and the beginnings of their reconnection. It was well paced; the developments and revelations from them both were spaced perfectly. … I often get to a point where the drama being added to drama just for the sake of more drama just bores me. Victoria worked the drama and angst between this couple perfectly, I felt a little frustration, a little empathy, and understood where both of them were coming from at points, I think the dual POV gave the depth to them, as you were given their reasons for what they did in the past, as well as their motivations for everything that went down with them as the story moved on.
Miss Claire L. Robinson on Amazon
I love second chance romances!!! One More Shot was a great combination of sweet, angst, steam and still managed to pull on my heartstrings. It was the first book in a new series and I have to say I cannot wait for the second book (about another couple coming out Sept. 2015)!! I loved Jordan and Jessie and really hope will get more of them in future books :). Steph and I both agree One More Shot is a 4.5 star book and want to thank Victoria Denault for introducing us to the town and people of Silver Bay!
Stephanie and Christin’s Reviews on Good Reads
I fell in love with this story very early on. … I really enjoyed this book more than I expected to and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good semi-steamy, super sexy, second chance romance.
Jaime Fiction Fangirl’s Reviews on Good Reads
If you know who Big Bird is, you might be interested in this post. If you don’t know who Big Bird is I’d really like to ask you about what it’s like to live on a distant planet, totally isolated from the rest of the human race. (And how it is that you have an internet connection!)
Watch the trailer below:
Did you watch it? If you’re anything like me, just the image of Big Bird brings out feelings of love and happiness, innocence, nostalgia, and childhood. Like a lot of people, I grew up on Sesame Street. It’s not something I think about a lot, I don’t have kids so I don’t watch Sesame Street anymore. Probably the only time I consciously think about Sesame Street is when I’m listening to my music on ‘shuffle’ and a song from Sesame Street comes up in the rotation. Considering the amount of music in my library that’s not often.
In the summer of 2012 someone told me about a Kickstarter campaign to fund a documentary about Caroll Spinney, the man behind Big Bird. After watching a short video and seeing what the filmmakers were trying to do, I was “in.” I made my donation to the campaign and, other than the occasional e-mail updating me on the status of the project, sort of forgot all about it.
Well, it’s been a while but I Am Big Bird is now playing in theaters and available to stream at home. I finally saw it, and totally loved it. I wasn’t expecting to be so emotional while watching it, but I was. Truly a wonderful documentary telling a wonderful story. If the trailer above didn’t do anything to catch your interest then maybe your reaction will be different than mine was, but if you can’t help but smile when you see Big Bird, give this film a chance!
Well after my comment the other day that I’m not using the “reviews and recommendations” section of this website enough, I’m certainly on a roll right now! 🙂 I’d like to tell you about a wonderful book that just came out, written by my lovely and talented friend Laura Stone.
(Keep an eye on her website by the way, for the release of her book Laura is doing a “virtual book tour” with something new everyday including chances to win her book for free!)
I’ll let you know right up front that this is a sexy love story, so naturally sex is going to be part of the book. It’s so much more than that though, it’s about love and the choices we make for it, when to sacrifice for love and when we need to put ourselves first. And when a second chance is presented, do we grab on with both hands or do we look back at ‘what might have been,’ sigh, and continue on our chosen path? This is no formulaic “romance novel,” these are people dealing with real emotions and decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. This might be a work of fiction, but it’s been a long time since I have read something that felt so real. If stories with sex in them or stories with two boys in love aren’t your thing, consider this your warning to move along, nothing to see here… If that doesn’t scare you off so easily let me take a minute to tell you why I love this book so much.
The review I left on Amazon:
Exceptional story from an exceptional author! I read this book expecting a romantic love story that I could enjoy. I got so much more! The characters are fully three dimensional and fantastic, and not just the main characters. Every part of the world this author creates was so fully realized that at some point you are totally engrossed in these people’s lives and forget that they aren’t really your friends. The highest compliment I can give this book is that, where another author would be content to wrap up the plot and leave it as a “sweet love story,” Laura Stone uses that as almost a jumping off point to get into the heart of the story and start examining who these people are and what makes them ‘tick.’ It’s been a long time since I’ve read a romance story where I couldn’t see the ending coming a mile away, but this one kept me glued to the page the whole way through. I don’t want to say too much so as to drop hints about the ending, but just know that the characterizations, the plot, the emotions, every part of the story are all top notch. If you are like me the minute you finish this book you’ll be searching the internet for an announcement about her next book release. I don’t know when that will be, but I promise I’ll be buying it the very first day it is available!
Publisher’s Weekly said:
Stone’s sensitive debut reunites two lovers who were separated by both distance and expectations. Oliver Andrews is slaving away on his M.A. in Cambridge, Mass. When he opens an email from a friend back home in Atchison, Kan., he finds a video that delivers an emotional gut-punch. It shows Seth Larsen, Ollie’s first—and only—love, singing on a nationally broadcast morning TV show in New York. The pair had broken up five years before when Ollie, encouraged by his father, decided against following Seth to New York. Seth felt betrayed: he wanted a career on the stage, and the distance from Boston to New York was too long. But Ollie was determined to pursue his own dream of becoming a social psychologist, even if that meant giving up on love. With the support of their friend Moira, Seth and Ollie decide to take another stab at building a life together. Stone plays the relationship with restraint, letting it unfold slowly and organically.
RT Book Reviews gave it 4 1/2 stars and said:
A casual style allows you to slip easily into the complicated lives of Oliver and Seth as they attempt to reconnect. Anyone that’s ever tried a long distance relationship can relate to the unique circumstances. Their beautiful love story will bring plenty of laughter, and even a few tears, as these men grab hold of their rare second chance. It was appreciated that neither man was willing to give up his dreams because that wouldn’t have felt true to the love they have shared since boarding school. Oliver has spent the last few years focused on finishing his degree program at Cambridge, letting important relationships slip away. On a particularly stressful morning, he gets an e-mail from his hometown friend with a video attachment detailing the Broadway success of his ex. He thought he was over Seth, but hearing his voice brings the memories flooding back, forcing him to re-evaluate the course of his future, and maybe give him a second chance at love.
Our Wolves Den said:
Oliver Andrews was wholly focused on the final stages of his education at Cambridge University when a well-meaning friend up-ended his world with a simple email attachment: a clip from a U.S. morning show. The moment he watches the video of his one-time love Seth Larsen, now a Broadway star, Oliver must begin making a series of choices that could lead him back to love—or break his heart. The Bones of You is full of laughter and tears, with a collection of irritated Hungarians, flirtatious Irishwomen, and actors abusing Shakespeare that color Oliver and Seth’s attempts at reconciliation.
Carly’s Book Reviews said:
Seth and Oliver have a complicated history that started with their relationship in high-school. Tolerance is low in small town Kansas and growing up gay can be down right dangerous. Both boys have challenging backgrounds and have been hurt in the past. Their young love is unable to stand the test of time, distance and immaturity. Both Seth and Oliver have perused other relationships since their separation, but the attraction of their first love remains. An unexpected second chance at love forces each man to face the mistakes that drove them apart. While hindsight may be 20/20, it is also easy to fall back into old habits. Just when things are starting to look up for the charismatic couple again, history threatens to repeat itself, proving that sometimes you have to look backwards in order to move forward again. The Bones of You is a complex and emotional story that focuses on love, loss and second chances. Told from Oliver’s perspective, his internal dialog is raw and gut-wrenchingly honesty. Seth is a little harder to identify with, as readers get to know him through Oliver’s thoughts and impressions. The cast of secondary characters is dynamic and entertaining, often bringing much needed comedic relief to the otherwise intense story. While opposite in many ways, the two main characters have an elemental chemistry that struck a deep chord and kept me engaged. Well written and steadily paced, it is thought provoking in many ways and offers a slightly different twist to the traditional story line of rekindling lost love.
I’ll stop copy/pasting reviews from around the web now, I’m sure by now you’ve already decided this isn’t your thing or you’re already intrigued. I’m so excited for Laura and I want to the whole world to know it, but beyond all of that supportive friendship stuff, the fact is that this is just a damn good book!
The Bones of You can be purchased from Amazon in paperback or on Kindle format here, from Barnes & Noble here, or you can get it directly from the publisher in paperback or e-book bundle (that means formats for all e-readers!) However you choose to read it, I think you’ll love it. I certainly did!
Well, I certainly haven’t used the “Reviews and Recommendations” part of this website as much as I thought I would when I started it. I’m going to take this opportunity to promote a few stores on Etsy that I think should get more love. (If you have any you think I should know about please share them in the comments!)
Roweville Retro is my friend Lisa and her husband Scott who make the most beautiful pens, fountain pens, pencils, key chains, and more. Seriously, go look at their creations, they are gorgeous! I am the proud new owner of one of their pens in teal dyed wood and I love it.
Public Quirks is my Aunt who isn’t really related to me by blood but is certainly related to me by love. Her store is all Christmas cards right now, not something I have a real pressing need for, but maybe you do… I’ve received many of Katy’s cards over the years and they are the kind you never get rid of, so beautiful and unique. Katy has the best sense of humor so my favorites of hers are the funny ones, maybe we can get her to put up some of those for sale. My all time favorite card of hers was a funny, geeky, Star Trek themed card. So great!
Cards I’ve saved over the years…
(Sorry about the crappy scans, they don’t do the cards justice!)
A random Etsy surfing find was LeCubicule, handmade, simple yet stunning jewelry. I bought this ring from her, with a custom stamped word. I love so many of her pieces, I doubt this will be my only purchase.
Stitch and Swash was another random Etsy find, and wow am I glad I found it! If you know me well you know I can mostly take or leave fancy jewelry or nice cars or designer clothes or whatnot. I like what I like and if I can have it I am content with it for a very long time. The one big exception to that is purses. If I became a bazillionaire overnight I would run out first thing and buy the purses, all of the purses. Everywhere. They might be my kryptonite, but Superman is in pain when exposed to kryptonite I think, and I’m just happy as a you-know-who rolling in you-know-what when in the midst of the pretty, pretty purses of the world.
Angie hand makes all of the bags and wallets she sells. It’s always kind of hard to tell just what the quality of something is from pictures, and when it is a pricy item it’s a bigger risk. I spent almost an hour reading her reviews before making my purchase. There were an unusually high number of reviews and they were all way over the top glowing reviews. It kind of convinced me that most of them were friends or family, but then I noticed there were no bad reviews, at least none I could find. It seemed like a fairly safe risk because why would you plant fake reviews if you weren’t trying to minimize the genuine not-so-good reviews? So they were probably real. I bought this purse and Angie worked with me to make all the tweaks and customizations I wanted.
When the purse arrived I realized my high expectations had been too low, and all of those “too good to be true” reviews were actually honest. This is the nicest purse I have ever seen, much less owned. The leather is great quality, and so soft to the touch. The zipper and hardware (always the first things to break on my bags) are solidly built and well connected. It feels like a bag that is going to be in still great shape 10+ years from now. The inside comes with a sewn in key hook and cloth pocket on one side. I had Angie sew in a zipper pocket with a cell phone holder on the other side. No more digging around in the bottom of your bag because everything you need inevitably falls down there. I picked out the leather color I wanted, the lining color I wanted, and even the thread color I wanted (basic black is my style but you can really make it colorful if you want.) You also get your choice of art designs on the front but I decided not to do any of those. They are all cute, but I want something that will be in style for a very long time and basic seemed to me to be the way to do that. (But go to her shop and look at all the colors and combinations and art she can do, it’s really great!) I’ve bought really expensive purses before, way more expensive than this one one, but this is the best purse I’ve ever owned. If I ever get the cash to splurge on a purse again I have my eye on a few other of her styles! 🙂
Well, that’s all I have for right now. I do far less shopping at this point in my life than I did when I was working, but I’ve come across these items that I truly love and want to share with you. I hope you check them out. If you buy anything let me know, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do!
A while back I was treated to the pleasure of a visit from a friend I rarely get to see. She’s known me nearly all of my life. Although we aren’t the best at staying in touch with each other sometimes, I always smile when I see her name on my Caller ID no matter what kind of day I’m having.
This last visit she handed me two books and I was surprised to find out she’d published some of her poetry. I knew she was creative, I still have a battered and well-loved copy of a story she wrote and gave me when I was child, but it wasn’t something we talked about regularly so I had a brief moment of “oh, wow!” surprise. Then she showed me a poem she wrote about my Mom… I took a moment and read it, but tears quickly started coming and I pretty much closed the book immediately and turned the conversation to other things. Not that I didn’t want to read it or feel those emotions, but I didn’t want them to color the few hours we had to enjoy each other face to face.
I set the books aside for a few days, but then I fell into a sort of routine. Most days it takes me a while to get my brain up-and-running (no jokes please!) after I get out of bed, and so I would pick a page at random and read a poem while I sipped my tea. A few minutes of total focus every morning on one poem would help get my brain up and running, creative juices flowing, and in that ‘not quite all the way awake’ state I think I could really feel the emotions in each poem more than I would be able to if I was reading later in the day. Instead of focusing on what to cook for dinner or whatever items on my “to do” list were (or weren’t) going to get done. I stretched this out, treasuring each page and not allowing myself to consume them all in one sitting.
I love Susie as a person because she’s wonderful. I’m also a fan of her work, and those are two separate things. Susie has a special gift, she can really convey emotion in very few words. That’s something I’ve found very few people are able to do. At times I laughed out loud or felt tears in my eyes reading her words. She’s so talented. I will treasure these books.

domain: literature


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