Orange Park man to face another child molestation chargeGREEN COVE SPRINGS – A man already in the Clay County Jail after being charged with molesting an 11-year-old girl now faces a second …
Orange Park man to face
another child molestation charge
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A man already in the Clay County Jail after being charged with molesting an 11-year-old girl now faces a second charge of lewd and lascivious behavior on another girl.
Rafael Delgado Soto, 50, of Orange Park, is accused of fondling a girl more than 10 years ago when she was in seventh grade. Investigators interviewed the woman, who’s now 23, as they continued to gather evidence against Soto for inappropriately touching another girl, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said. He was arrested on Aug. 16, and he told deputies he had a “sexual attraction to younger females for many years” and he told them about touching another girl years earlier, according to the arrest report.
Soto’s bond was increased to $300,006.
Man busted after fighting
with two CCSO deputies
FLEMING ISLAND – A man fought with two Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies after he was found hiding in the closet of his estranged wife’s house.
Barend Matthew Watkins, 53, of Fleming Island, was charged with violation of an injunction for protection against domestic violence, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence after the wife called CCSO after Watkins entered her residence despite having an order not to visit uninvited or while intoxicated.
The wife went to a neighbor’s house while deputies entered after Watkins refused to open the door. They found him hiding behind items in the closest, according to the arrest report.
Watkins refused to leave the closet and fought with deputies, pushing one against the wall. After they put him in handcuffs, he “rammed” into both officers to knock them against the wall. One deputy was kicked in the chest while they tried to wrestle Watkins into the car. Watkins eventually was placed in the car after the second deputy struck him in the leg with his flashlight.


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All women who have revealed this benign tumor are concerned about the effect of uterine fibroids on conception and pregnancy.
Recently, the frequency of uterine fibroids detection during pregnancy has highly increased. Firstly, pregnancy after 30 y.o. has become more common. Secondly, there are better diagnostic methods. In particular, doctors widely use ultrasound and other techniques.
Of course, every woman who faces this problem worries about myoma’s effect on pregnancy and childbirth.
Uterine fibroids are benign, monoclonal, well-delimited, encapsulated tumors originating from the cervix’s smooth muscle cells or uterine body. It is one of the most common benign tumors of the female genital area, which occurs in 20-40% of women of reproductive age.
Initially, fibroids grow from muscle cells of the uterine wall. According to recent studies, this disease affects about 70% of women. Most of them do not even know about it.
In most cases, nodular fibroids of the uterus develop asymptomatically and slowly. Its value can range from a few millimeters to 30 cm in diameter. It rarely transforms into a malignant tumor.
However, in the United States, uterine fibroids are a disease that causes 200,000 hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) per year.
Depending on the location within the uterus, there are the following types of fibroids.
Its location is the outer layer of the uterus. Subserosal uterine fibroids do not become evident until they reach large sizes and begin to interfere with the normal functioning of neighboring organs.
They grow inside the uterine cavity in its internal layers. These fibroids can cause severe bleeding, abdominal pain. In the case of growth, they prevent spermatozoa from moving through the fallopian tubes and cause their blocking. Consequently, it can make natural fertilization problematic or impossible.
It is the most common form of uterine fibroids. It is located in the walls of the uterus. As the fibroids grow, they cause pain and cramping, uterine bleeding. Moreover, the organ significantly increases in size, which causes discomfort to the woman.
They locate within the uterine ligaments. Their surgical removal has a high risk of damaging blood vessels and adjacent internal organs.
They are a consequence of the appearance of stalk-like legs in subserosal fibroma. Their growth causes an excess of the peduncles and severe pain in the lower abdomen.
Fibroid tumors can attach to other organs. Fibroma of the cervix belongs to this category.
Asymptomatic and small fibromas do not interfere with the conception of a child. Difficulties arise in the formation of fibroid tumors that block the fallopian tubes, which is why sperm can not fertilize the oocyte.
Fibroids in pregnant women can adversely affect the course of pregnancy. They reduce the free space in the uterus and prevent the embryo from developing. As a result, premature birth, late miscarriages are possible. Besides, large fibroids complicate childbirth, and can be an indication for cesarean section.
According to scientific data, two main factors cause the development of uterine fibroids.
Additionally, the onset of the disease is contributed by:
Scientists have noticed that the risk of uterine fibroids development increases with age. Since the disease is hormone-dependent, it does not develop in girls until their first menstruation and in women during the menopause.
Usually, uterine fibroids progress without any apparent signs. Only 15–25% of patients show clinical symptoms that depend on the size and location of the benign tumor, the growth direction of the fibroid nodes. These include:
If uterine fibroids press on the bladder, urination increases. When it pushes the ureter, hydronephrosis occurs. If it pressures the walls of the rectum, the woman feels constipation and pain during defecation.
In case you have similar symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. It’s easier to prevent the disease than to deal with the consequences.
During the examination on a gynecological chair, the doctor determines that the uterus is enlarged and has a dense texture and a tuberous surface. Furthermore, doctors detect nodes in the uterine cavity during the ultrasound. This method allows determining the location of tumors, their relationship to neighboring structures.
Using x-ray or ultrasonic hysterosalpingography (HSG), the doctor can detect a submucous form of fibroma in the endometrial cavity. If the patient complains of bleeding during the intermenstrual period, it is necessary to exclude cancer during the diagnostics. Therefore, a gynecologic oncologist can make the following examinations:
Before making a final uterine fibroids diagnosis, doctors should exclude:
To do this, they use:
In a situation where it is impossible to distinguish uterine fibroids from ovarian cancer using non-invasive methods, they can use diagnostic laparoscopy. Using a laparoscope, the doctor inserts an endo-video camera into the uterine cavity through small holes in the abdominal wall. The camera transmits the resulting image to a six-color color monitor.
If the disease is asymptomatic, the doctor should observe it in dynamics. Additionally, specialists use expectant tactics if patients have menopause.
Indications for conservative therapy are:
During the conservative uterine fibroids treatment, a woman should take:
To suppress the synthesis of ovarian steroids, doctors use Danazol, Gestrinone, and other derivatives of androgens. A woman should take them for up to eight months. To normalize the growth of the endometrium, doctors recommend gestagens, such as Norethisterone, Progesterone, Dydrogesterone. Taking progestogens is justified only for small fibromas with concomitant endometrial hyperplasia.
To stop the growth of fibrotic nodules, the intrauterine hormonal device Mirena helps. It contains the gestagen levonorgestrel (LNG) hormone, which provides a contraceptive effect and prevents further growth of a benign tumor.
Combined oral contraceptives can slow down the development of fibrotic nodes, the diameter of which does not exceed 2 centimeters. The course of treatment is three months.
Surgical treatment of uterine fibroids is the advised solution if:
Removal of fibroids is possible by performing conservative myomectomy by laparoscopic, vaginal, or laparotomic access. During the operation, a surgeon removes the fibrous node and preserves the uterus. If the fibroids are submucosal, the doctor may resort to a hysteroscopic myomectomy without incisions. Doctors use organ-preserving operations for women who are planning a pregnancy in the future.
Among the modern methods of uterine fibroids treatment is uterine artery embolization. Within the process, doctors cross the vessels feeding the neoplasm, which blocks local blood circulation. Therefore, nutrients do not enter the fibroids, and their growth stops. This method is beneficial and, most importantly, safe. It allows you to preserve women’s reproductive health.
Moreover, one can use ultrasonic ablation to remove fibroids. During the procedure, the nodes are ‘evaporated’ by ultrasound. Doctors monitor Each step of the surgery with MRI.
The most common complications that occur after surgery to remove uterine fibroids are:
Most often, women face this diagnosis at the age of 30. Doctors detect it in 10% of patients who turn to the help of advanced reproductive techniques. Therefore, many patients are worried about the success of IVF with uterine fibroids.
Fortunately, this disease in itself is not a contraindication. However, it can be the reason for failed artificial insemination. The mechanism of influence of this disease on fertilization is not fully known. But if you answer the question of if you can make IVF with uterine fibroids, the answer is yes. Qualified doctors carry out successful IVF programs with this diagnosis. However, no one can guarantee that the disease will not interfere with the successful onset of IVF pregnancy.
What factors can affect IVF with uterine fibroids are as follows.
All of these adverse changes often accompany disease and increase the risk that a fertilization program will fail. Therefore, we recommend not to take risks. First, treat or remove the fibroids, and only then carry out artificial insemination. Do not worry if IVF is possible with uterine fibroids – our clinics employ specialists of different profiles. You can consult an IVF expert for free, make an appointment, and discuss treatment options. We will help you choose an experienced doctor and treatment center to create an optimal therapy plan.
Remember that each case is different. Our practice shows that artificial insemination is sufficient if the nodes’ size does not exceed 30 mm, and the organ is not deformed. In such cases, you can do without prior therapy and surgery.
Answering the question, what is the difference between fibroma and fibroids, you should know the following. The fibroid is a benign tumor, in the structure of which connective tissue predominates. Myoma is a benign tumor of the uterus, which bases on muscle fibers. Fibroids are easier to cure using conservative methods. Myoma in the vast majority of cases needs surgical removal.
The probability that uterine fibroids will transform into a malignant tumor is minimal, 1%. At the same time, the disease can prevent the onset of pregnancy and lead to premature birth, late miscarriages. The neglected forms of pathology provoke severe bleeding, anemia.
There is no specific prevention of uterine fibroids. Doctors recommend that women exclude provoking factors: abortion; uncontrolled use of contraceptives; early treatment of acute and chronic inflammation. It would be best if you also make an ultrasound of the uterus once a year and regularly visit a gynecologist.

domain: health


text: Santa’s got a throwback sack full of 90s dance music videos so you can shake your holiday hiney! Join us at the Bell House for the return of our holiday party featuring music videos from the Backstreet Boys, N’SYNC, Britney, Christina, Mariah & much more, all projected on the big screen! Come take a photo with Snoop Clausy Claus & tell him what you want, what you really really want! As always, it’s FREE and WE GOT SKITTLES!!!!

domain: artistic


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Though cribbage may appear to be an old-fashioned and complex card game due to its origins in the early 1600s, it has been a favorite pastime of many generations. This timeless game is simple enough for new players to grasp quickly while providing fast gameplay that can give them an edge over more experienced opponents. Cribbage truly stands out as a classic card game with lasting appeal. Keep reading to learn why this game is a top card game for beginners.
Why is cribbage great for beginners?
If you’re new to the world of card games, then you may want to consider playing cribbage online. Cribbage is an incredibly popular game and playing a cribbage game online can be a great way to get started as a beginner.
Playing cribbage online is convenient and easy to access. You don’t need to gather a group of friends to play; you only need a computer and an internet connection. You can take your time and move at a speed that’s comfortable for you, giving you the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them. This can be especially beneficial for beginners who may be hesitant to make mistakes in a live card game.
Playing cribbage online can also help you improve your skills quickly and help you become familiar with the rules and nuances of the game. Whether you’re playing against a computer or real people, learning the basics of the game will be essential for your success. Once you become comfortable with the rules and how the cards interact, you’ll be able to practice different strategies and hone your skills. You’ll be able to look at how your opponents play and develop your own cribbage strategies to gain the upper hand.
Cribbage may involve logic and calculations, but it’s much simpler than other card games. The rules are easy to learn, so you can quickly become an expert in the game and have a great time playing. Over time, you’ll gain a better understanding of the game and how to play it to maximize your chances of success. With practice and dedication, you’ll be able to become a skilled and successful cribbage player.
What are the basics of cribbage?
Cribbage is a two-player game, but it can also be played with four people in teams of two. All you need to play is a standard deck of 52 cards and a cribbage board. The goal of cribbage is to be the first player or team to score 121 points by strategically playing cards. This can be tracked using a “cribbage board,” which consists of two small, rectangular wooden planks with 121 holes each for tracking progress.
Each player is dealt six cards and must decide on four to keep in their hands and two to discard. These discarded cards will form a pile called the “crib,” placed face down. The person to the dealer’s left should place one card face on the table from their hand. These cards must be kept separate and visible for review at the end of the round.
The dealer will place their next card on the table and announce its combined value with their opponent’s card. This process will be repeated alternately, with each player laying down a card while declaring the new total until it reaches 31. If any player cannot play without exceeding this number, they must say “go,” allowing the following individual to make a move if possible. If the next player can play cards to equal 31, they’ll score two points. Conversely, if neither player can reach 31, the last player to play a card that hand receives one point.
Players can score points by “pegging” using the pegs on the cribbage board to track their progress. The game will continue until one of the players reaches 121 points, thus winning the game.
No matter your skill level, cribbage is a great game that’s sure to bring hours of enjoyment. It’s a classic game that’s easy to learn but has enough complexity to keep even experienced players coming back for more. With its unique scoring system and strategic elements, cribbage is a top card game for beginners.

domain: hobby


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© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.
Try again. Hypercalcemia in Addison's disease tends to be mild, unlike what we are seeing in Harley's case. So, while we can't rule it out yet, it shouldn't be at the top of the differential list. As for fungal disease, this needs to be assessed based on the prevalence of these diseases in your area.

domain: medical


The view from Henley Bridge. The finish is in the background and the boat tent area is in the middle ground. The floating pile driver in the foreground will soon be removed.
Tim Koch writes from Henley, Tuesday, 2 July,
As regular HTBS readers may remember, one of my annual rituals is to take part my club’s veterans’ (masters’) annual row from Hammersmith in West London to Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.
Two eights take three days to cover the fifty-six miles, arriving on the Monday before the start of Henley Royal Regatta (which runs from Wednesday to Sunday). Staying overnight in Henley, one of my great pleasures is to wonder around the regatta site on the Tuesday, the day before the start of ‘The Royal’. Here you encounter few people beyond the rowers, coaches, officials and journalists and the atmosphere is one of excitement and expectation – mingled with a little fear. It is particularly delightful to see the awe of those making their first visit to the world’s most famous regatta. However much you may read about or see pictures of Henley, nothing prepares you for seeing the real life setting. The only downside to mixing with athletes at the peak of their training is that it reminds me (were any reminder needed) of how old and unfit I am. I then resolve to start training again…… tomorrow.
Here are some pictures of Henley’s final preparations:
In front of the floating grandstand – checking out the opposition.
The Leander Club raft.
Trees in the Stewards’ Enclosure are forbidden to drop leaves during the Regatta.
Twenty-four hours later this mode of dress would not be acceptable in the Stewards’ Enclosure.
Inside one of the boat tents.
A team talk from the coach.
The view from the bow.
Coaches bicycles in the boat tent area.
Thoughts from the skiff – ‘Are they as good as we were….’.
© Photographs Tim Koch


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Atlanta Real Food is run by the Atlanta area chapter leaders of The Weston A. Price Foundation. Here you will find the latest news from local farmers, get information on how to properly prepare real foods, and stay up to date on local events.
SEE WHAT WE ARE COOKING TODAY
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Restart Your Resolutions ~ Benefits of Beef Tallow
Learn all about beef tallow: how to render it, why to use it, where to get it, and why it is better than hydrogenated oils
Wow, it is already the 25th of January! The first month of 2017 is almost gone. How are you doing with your New Year's resolution?
If it hasn't gone as well as you hoped, check out this short article on how to design a New Year's Resolution that lasts. It provides some insights based on the neuroscience of habit formation that might give you the motivation to give it another try.
One way of staying healthy is getting the nutritional benefits of grass-fed beef and cooking with beef tallow. This week's health article shares the benefits of using Beef Tallow in place of other solid cooking fats. The featured recipe for the week, Nomato Italian Beef Roast, calls for browning with beef tallow. We hope you like it!
If you are still not sure about Beef Tallow, don't just take our word for it. See the customer feedback section below as Deborah L. of Delaware describes her first experience with our tallow.
Congratulations to Britany S. from Narbeth, PA for winning the Barefoot Provisions' Whole30 prize pack!
"This was my first order from US Wellness Meats. I ordered the 5 gallon bucket of beef tallow on Tuesday and it arrived on Friday morning. I transferred all of the tallow to smaller containers for the fridge and freezer. Took a while, and had to do some taste testing along the way....couldn't resist once the lid was off. It has a delicious taste.! Nice clean well filtered tallow...love it!" (Also available in 1.7 lb small pail)
Your family and friends won't believe that this savory comfort food recipe does not have one single tomato in the sauce! Gabriella Schneider of Beyond the Bite shares this dish that she created for her family, but is versatile enough to be a part of any gathering where good, hearty, healthy food is served!
The late fall grasses of the upper Midwest release sugars after the first hard frost. These stockpiled grasses contain more energy than meets the eye.
Open water is a very unusual occurrence for NE Missouri in late January. The cattle seemed very content the weatherman has missed the heavy snow and bitter cold we normally see at this time of the year.
All orders must weigh at least 7 pounds in order to ship, to ensure everything stays frozen during transit.
$75 minimum purchase requirement, since we have built the cost of shipping into the price of each product.
You will never be charged extra for shipping.
There is a $7.50 handling fee upon checkout.
The South Carolina Chicken Bundles, BBQ Sauce, produce and cookbooks ship from separate locations, so they are not included in the 7 lb weight minimum. The shopping cart will keep track and remind you if your order is under the 7 lb limit.
Receive a $25 discount for every 40 pounds you order. This offer excludes items that ship separate such as the South Carolina Chicken, produce and fresh bundles.
This is our way of saying thank-you for purchasing in bulk!
This can be any combination of products totaling 40 pounds and does not have to be specific to any category. Each 40 pound interval will yield the discount - for example, order 80 pounds and we'll take $50 off!
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Confidentiality Guarantee: U.S. Wellness Meats does not sell, trade or give away any subscriber information. This isn't just an ethical commitment, it's also a legal one.

domain: food


RHINELANDER, WI (WTAQ) - Funnel clouds were spotted in Wisconsin’s Northwoods, as a cold front blew strong winds and thunderstorms across the region.
Funnel clouds were reported early Wednesday evening at Tomahawk, Rhinelander, and Wabeno. But there were no reports of any tornado touchdowns.
Small hail fell in areas throughout the northern half of Wisconsin. And strong winds hit virtually the entire state Wednesday afternoon and night.
Weston, just east of Wausau, had strongest gusts at 51 miles an hour. Some trees fell at Tomahawk, and at Stetsonville in Taylor County.
The Wisconsin Public Service Corporation was still restoring electric service Thursday morning where the most intense storms hit – like Tomahawk. Fewer than 100 customers were still out as of 7:30 a.m.
More scattered showers are expected in northern Wisconsin Thursday, with relatively cool highs in the 50’s and 60’s.
Forecasters say rain is possible through Saturday in much of the state – and the mercury will struggle to get past 60 on most days.


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Mohanlal’s Pulimurugan released during the Darasa weekend and has been doing well. The film is still running steady in theatres and the action adventure film is being dubbed in Telugu,Hindi and Tamil now. There are also plans to dub the movie in other international languages like Chinese,Vietnamese and English. The film stars Kamalini Mukherjee opposite Mohanlal and Jagapati Babu, Lal and Vinu play crucial roles.The film is directed by Vyshak.
Ramesh.P.Pillai of Abhishek Films has now announced that he had acquired the remake rights for all Indian languages for a huge price. Mulagupaadam Films Thomichan Mulakuapadam, the producers of Puli Murugan will join hands with Abhishek Films, and take the movie to all Indian languages.

domain: entertainment


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Olaf Scholz has described the statesman as a “bold reformer,” thanks to whom “democracy and freedom” prevailed in Europe
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised Mikhail Gorbachev for ensuring democracy in Europe. At 91 years old, Mikhail Gorbachev was the last Soviet Union leader.
Speaking on Wednesday, Scholz called Gorbachev a “Bold reformer” and a daring statesman.
“Remember that perestroika was the only way to make it possible for Russia to attempt democracy, and that freedom and democracy were made possible in Europe. Germany could then reunite, and the iron curtain fell.” the German chancellor said.
He added that it was thanks to Gorbachev that “democracy movements” prevailed in Central and Eastern Europe in the late 1980’s.
Scholz noted that his passing came at a time when “Russia was unable to implement democracy” as Russian President Vladimir Putin wages a “dreadful war against a neighboring country, Ukraine” and digs “There are new trenches across Europe”
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, meanwhile, offered his condolences to Gorbachev’s daughter, Irina Virganskaya.
“He is a great stateman. Germany appreciates his decisive contributions to German unity.” Steinmeier said.
He also thanked Gorbachev for his “Courage” that saw the bridging of East and West and noted the role his vision played in this process.
After claiming that Gorbachev suffered in the following years, the German president continued to say that Gorbachev’s dream was ever closer.
“Today the dream lies in ruins, destroyed through Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine,” Steinmeier concluded.
From 1985 to 1990 Gorbachev was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He went on to be the last and first president of the USSR. Following the 1991 country’s collapse, Gorbachev resigned.
As the USSR’s leader, Gorbachev initiated sweeping reforms, known as perestroika, aimed at liberalizing the economy and public life. His rule saw the fall of the Berlin Wall and an end to the Cold War. In 1990, he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

domain: news


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He/Him/His. A multidisciplinary composer, conductor, performer and educator, Seth Bedford creates musical experiences for orchestras, bands, chamber musicians and children. His work often explores themes of mutual understanding, internationality, and community.
A native of West Texas, Seth Bedford began his musical studies by playing cello in his school orchestra. He eventually picked up viola before attending the University of Texas at Austin from where he earned his BM in music composition while studying with Kevin Puts. While there, he also studied piano, harp, cello and voice. Since his days at UT Austin, His music has been performed by orchestras, chamber musicians, theater productions and cabaret artists in North and South America and Europe.
He's a former member of the viola section of and composer for the Chelsea Symphony (NYC) and former board member and violist for the Queer Urban Orchestra (NYC). He is also a former artistic director of the Blazing River Freedom Band (Cleveland) and serves currently as Head Director of the Odessa High School Orchestra (Odessa, TX).
In addition to his work as a composer, conductor and music educator, Seth is also active as a visual artist and fiction writer. He’s a long-time member of ASCAP and vintage hat enthusiast.


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Recognizing Love This Season- “Love Gives, Lust Takes”
February is known as the month of LOVE. Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not, we must admit that it does bring up thoughts and conversations on the subject of love. This Valentine’s Day season, we’d like to discuss not only love, but lust too, and how today’s normalization of lust actually perpetuates sex trafficking.
The normalization of lust, or rather—giving into lust—is seen almost everywhere. It is seen in today’s hook up culture, TV shows, movies, and popular music. For example, the TV sitcom “Friends” consistently normalizes pornography and sleeping with strangers. Pop and R&B music glamorizes the life of a pimp and objectifies women. In 2014, a study found that pornographic websites get more visitors each month than Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined! Sex was intended to be an intimate and personal act between two people. Why has our society accepted this invasive act of watching porn as a normal pastime? When we talk about ending sex trafficking, we need to be honest and realize that giving into lustful desires is part of the problem of demand. We can’t ignore this when about 88% of pornographic scenes have a form of physical aggression, and almost all the targets of aggression are female (94%).
One study found that traffickers show pornography to their sex trafficking victims in order to train them and desensitize them to the sex acts they will be forced to perform (2015, National Center on Sexual Exploitation). Porn creates a demand for people to always want a constant stream of new, increasingly violent content. In order to keep up with this demand, more women and children become exploited and trafficked.
But this isn’t only about porn, this is about our overly sexualized culture altogether. Generally speaking, our society celebrates free sex, praising the fact that sex doesn’t require a connection or commitment at all. Young adults are encouraged to do whatever they want with their bodies. Porn is joked about, yet porn often results in the need to purchase sex. The department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has recognized that pornography is an element that adds to the serious problem of sex trafficking.
Purchasing sex takes away a person’s dignity and leaves them nothing.
Watching porn takes away from a person’s privacy and gives them nothing.
Victims of sex trafficking are left with nothing while everything is taken from them.
In this season of love, ask yourself this question: Is this an act that is giving to somebody, or am I actually taking away from someone?
Here are some actions steps to GIVE LOVE this month:
- Recognize how the world defines love versus lust
- Do not support the porn industry; check out www.fightthenewdrug.org
- Support survivors of sex trafficking
- Purchase items made by survivors
- Donate a Freedom Bag to Every ONE Free https://everyonefree.org/donate-dev/
- Write a letter of encouragement to a survivor
- Watch “Nefarious” or “Liberated” by Exodus Cry https://exoduscry.com/oursolution/film/

domain: sociology


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The Corvallis Advocate: 8 Days a Week
January 27th, 2016
Crooked, Bombs Away Café, 2527 NW Monroe Ave. 9 p.m. Free
Crooked is here to strum sweetly in your ear.
Breath of Fresh Air: An Environmental Justice Showcase
April 20th, 2018
Kesey Square in downtown Eugene (corner of Willamette & Broadway)
Live music by Chiefed, Not Applikable, The Invisible Arts Project, Angel Worriar and more. Featuring inspirational speakers State Sen. James Manning, Slug Queen Mija Marie, Mark Anthony Molina, local NAACP youth Sasha Stewart and more. Art show includes photography by Mimi Nolledo and paintings by Cecilia Sanchez. All Ages Welcome.


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This book represents a celebration of landscape painting as seen through the eyes and hands of 14 artists who differ greatly in their choice of styles and media. While many books already exist on this subject, Landscapes allows artists to explain what motivates them, how they achieve their intentions, what techniques they employ, how they approach composition, and discusses and illustrates each artist's personal color palette and mixing approaches. Inviting page layouts, brilliant color reproductions, and the personalized sharing of ideas and approaches by professional artists make this book a worthwhile acquisition for students and experienced artists alike.
Betsy Hosegood. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications (800-451-1741), 1999. Illus., soft-cover, 176 pp., $29.95.
|Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback|
|Article Type:||Book Review|
|Date:||Sep 1, 2000|
|Previous Article:||American Impressionism.|
|Next Article:||More Than Painting: Exploring the Wonders of Art for Preschool and Kindergarten.|


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Watson, sensing that his colleague has relaxed, decides to continue, “I mentioned earlier that other researchers have investigated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in cervical discs because it is recognised that the annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) vary substantially in the content of the two main macromolecular components, collagen and aggrecan.”(1)
“What is aggrecan?” “Aggrecan is a large proteoglycan attached with approximately 100 GAG ‘side chains’,”(2) replies Watson; as a puzzled look is returned, Watson continues, “It is a protein that holds glycosaminoglycans. Aggrecan is a ‘tree trunk’ with many ‘branches’ that are glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). These ‘branches’ help give cartilage its cushioning and supportive properties.”
“That helps,” sighs Watson’s colleague.
Watson, who wants to capitalise on his colleague’s appreciation, continues. “So high concentrations of aggrecan provide the osmotic properties necessary for normal tissue function with the GAGs producing the swelling pressure – predominately of the NP – that counters compressive loads on the tissue.”
“Yes,” responds Watson’s colleague hesitantly. “So, does this mean the disc’s functional ability depends on a high GAG/aggrecan concentration being present?”(3, 4)
The Aggrecan and Collagen Tango
“Yes, and research demonstrates that aggrecan dominates the NP – around 50% in the NP and only 10–20 % in the AF, (3) whereas the distribution of collagen is the opposite with 20–30% in the NP and 70 % in the AF.”(5) confirms Watson. “Furthermore, analyses revealed significantly higher GAG content in the NP compared to the AF, and GAG concentrations were higher in the posterior than the anterior portion of the AF.”
Relevance to the Hypothesis
“So, is there anything here that supports your hypothesis?” enquires Watson’s sceptical colleague.
“Well, the authors speculated that the higher GAG content posteriorly correlated with zones of higher strain, perhaps indicating that the posterior aspect of the AF is subject to more tension.”(6) elaborates Watson, “and I am suggesting that an asymmetrical distribution of intradiscal pressure places strain on the AF, triggering a hypertonic response of the ipsilateral Inferior Obliquus Capitis, which in turn stresses all three upper (potential head pain referring) segments.”
Watson, mindful that his colleague is a little overwhelmed, is keen to clarify the body of research, “It is clear that scanning electron microscopy, the presence of GAGs and (increased) T2 values confirms viscosity exists, and demonstrates that the NP is a clearly defined (distinct from the AF) entity in the C2-3 intervertebral disc. Additionally, these characteristics are evident in the 4th and 5th decades. This body of research contradicts previous findings that the NP is ‘a deep core of undissectable fibrocartilaginous material.’(7, p. 620) and an earlier study,(8), where the infantile NP was found to be replaced by ‘fibrocartilage and dense fibrous tissue in the first half of the second decade.’(8, p. 1205) and in the adult disc leads ‘… up to obliteration of the disc.’ ”(8, p. 1205)
It’s Only a (Reasonable?) Hypothesis
“Well, that certainly changes my perspective of cervical discs, particularly ageing of intervertebral discs; I can see some logic in your hypothesis,” acknowledges Watson’s colleague.
“Yes, whilst I think my perspective is logical, following elementary manual therapy clinical reasoning principles, it is only a hypothesis – I stand to be corrected in the future.”
magnetic resonance imaging. A comparative biochemical, histologic, and radiologic study in cadaver spines. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1991;16(6):629-34.
- Haneder S, Apprich SR, Schmitt B, Michaely HJ, Schoenberg SO, Friedrich KM, et al. Assessment of glycosaminoglycan content in intervertebral discs using chemical exchange saturation transfer at 3.0 Tesla: preliminary results in patients with low-back pain. Eur Radiol. 2013;23(3):861-8.
- Urban JP, Winlove CP. Pathophysiology of the intervertebral disc and the challenges for MRI. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2007;25(2):419-32.
- Roughley P, Martens D, Rantakokko J, Alini M, Mwale F, Antoniou J. The involvement of aggrecan polymorphism in degeneration of human intervertebral disc and articular cartilage. Eur Cell Mater. 2006;11:1-7; discussion
- Theadom A, Parag V, Dowell T, McPherson K, Starkey N, Barker-Collo S, et al. Persistent problems 1 year after mild traumatic brain injury: a longitudinal population study in New Zealand. Br J Gen Pract. 2016;66(642):e16-23.
- Bostelmann R, Bostelmann T, Nasaca A, Steiger HJ, Zaucke F, Schleich C. Biochemical validity of imaging techniques (X-ray, MRI, and dGEMRIC) in degenerative disc disease of the human cervical spine-an in vivo study. Spine J. 2017;17(2):196-202.
- Mercer SR, Jull GA. Morphology of the cervical intervertebral disc: implications for McKenzie’s model of the disc derangement syndrome. Man Ther. 1996;1(2):76-81.
- Oda J, Tanaka H, Tsuzuki N. Intervertebral disc changes with aging of human cervical vertebra. From the neonate to the eighties. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1988;13(11):1205-11.


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26 Oct 5 Friyays: October 26
Hey all! It’s Dr. Hinson back with my 5 Friyays for this week! Can you hardly believe it’s almost Halloween? I have no idea where this year went, but time rolls on. I think I’ve got a pretty eclectic mix this week, so let’s get to it!
Harry Potter Dance Remix
As a person who loves dance and Harry Potter, it would be hard to find something that gave me more joy this week than this video of a HS dance team performing at their schools homecoming. The video has gone viral and has over 5 million views, maybe that’s a combo Dr. Donnelly and I should consider adding to our content?
“There are a billion leadership books.”
Though I could not agree more with John Dickerson’s assessment, the crew on CBS This Morning spoke with General Stanley McChrystal about his new book “Leaders: Myth and Reality.” The General shares his insights on damaging leadership myths, and it looks like a fascinating read. Check out the interview below and watch this space for a review of the book!
The Healing Power of Art
A friend recently shared this article, outlining how a partnership between a group of Canadian physicians and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts aims to highlight the positive health benefits to artistic and cultural engagement. I know from my own research the positive impact engaging in creativity can have, and I’m delighted to see we’ll have more scientific research to back that up. So if you’re feeling a bit down with the change in seasons, why not check out an exhibit at your local museum?
A Chris Pine Inspired Friyay
One of my biggest celebrity crushes, Chris Pine, appeared on the Graham Norton show last week to discuss his latest film where he plays Scottish rebel and King, Robert Bruce. “Outlaw King” premiers on Netflix in November (and will probably reappear in my Friyays then), and while hearing Chris talk about the history of Robert, I was reminded of one of my favorite historical romance series. If you love romance and history, I have to recommend Monica McCarty’s Highland Guard series, which chronicles the course of Bruce’s rebellion and eventual defeat of the British. The history is fascinating and enthralling. Monica knows her stuff and has done the research to back it up!
Autumn with The Avett Brothers
One of my favorite bands has returned with a new song just in time for Fall. Their new song “Roses and Sacrifice” debuted on Seth Meyers last night and I’m already in love with it. They are headlining a fundraiser for hurricane relief in Greenville, NC in November. If you don’t already know them, and you love Appalachian harmonies, banjos, and joy, then these lads are for you.
Those are my Friyays for this week – Dr. Donnelly will be back next week to start November! Take care everybody!


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How about a tasty pasta meal that is economical to serve, comes together in 15 minutes, and bakes in the oven while you entertain guests? Chicken parmesan at home is easier than you think, and this recipe is a smarter way to enjoy it by using olive oil and pan frying instead of deep frying. Don’t give up favorite meals – just make them better.
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Amount: 6 servings
1½ cups Japanese-style Panko bread crumbs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2½ teaspoons wild harvest® Organic Italian Seasoning, divided
1½ teaspoons freshly ground wild harvest® Natural Sea Salt, divided
½ cup wild harvest® Organic Liquid Egg Whites
6 wild harvest® Natural Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 tablespoons wild harvest® Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 (28 ounce) can wild harvest® Organic Crushed Tomatoes with Basil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Serving Size 1/6 of recipe; Calories 380; Total Fat 13g; Saturated Fat 5g; Cholesterol 80mg; Sodium 880mg; Carbohydrates 22g; Fiber 3g; Protein 39g
Copyright © 2010 Supervalu, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


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The blunders that let evil nurse free to kill on NHS ward: How Filipino psychopath who poisoned 22 patients used forged qualifications to get job in UK hospital
- Victorino Chua, 49, killed two patients and poisoned more at NHS hospital
- Police believe ‘psychopath’ used forged qualifications to register as nurse
- Calls for a public inquiry and a review of how foreign nurses are recruited
- Detectives fear Chua may have claimed lives of other patients both here and in the Philippines
- Pictures and video by Jamie Wiseman
Training: Killer nurse Victorino Chua in the Phillippines
Pressure was growing last night for an inquiry into vetting failures that allowed a nurse to kill two patients and poison scores more in an NHS hospital.
Victorino Chua, a 49-year-old father of two, attacked the very people he was supposed to be caring for. At the height of his poisoning spree, police even considered shutting down Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport.
Police believe the ‘narcissistic psychopath’ from the Philippines used forged qualifications to register as a nurse here. They even suspect that someone might have sat his nursing exam for him in his homeland.
Ahead of Chua’s sentencing today there were calls for a public inquiry and a review of how foreign nurses are recruited.
It can also be revealed that:
- Chua graduated from a nursing college now shut down amid concerns about its poor standards and finances;
- Lax vetting – including acceptance of photocopied documents – allowed him to register as a nurse in the UK;
- No checks were made with his employers at the Philippines hospital which he left after being accused of theft;
- Detectives fear Chua may have claimed the lives of other patients both here and in the Philippines;
- The trade in fake nursing qualifications that can be bought for as little as £43;
- Occupational therapists at Stepping Hill Hospital failed to raise concerns about Chua’s deteriorating mental state in the run-up to the poisonings;
- Victims of the poisonings are in line for millions of pounds in compensation payments from Chua’s NHS hospital trust;
- Chua, who became a British citizen in 2008, could use human rights laws to avoid deportation.
Last night, the recently retired prosecutor who helped bring Chua to justice said he believes there could be hundreds of nurses using fake qualifications in UK hospitals.
Nazir Afzal told BBC North West: ‘In all my 24 years as a prosecutor, I have never escalated concerns to another government department except in this case. I do not know whether there were hundreds or thousands or dozens.
‘What I do know is the opportunities were there for them to lie about their qualifications, to obtain them fraudulently, and to cover up their disciplinary matters. It must be, for all patients, extremely worrying and desperately concerning.’
Kath Murray, 57, a civil servant who has suffered years of health problems as a result of being given a drip contaminated with insulin by Chua, described herself as a ‘living victim’ of the poisoner.
Verdicts: Nurse Victorino Chua has been found guilty by a jury at Manchester Crown Court of murdering and poisoning hospital patients at Stepping Hill Hospital
‘How could they let someone like that work in a hospital, as a nurse?’ she demanded yesterday. ‘He was meant to be caring for people, yet he had all that anger inside him.’
Stephen Jones, a clinical negligence specialist at law firm Slater and Gordon which is representing several of those affected, said patients and their families could be entitled to significant damages from Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. Chua injected insulin into saline bags and ampoules while working on two wards at Stepping Hill Hospital in June and July 2011.
These were then unwittingly used by other nurses on the ward – leading to a series of insulin overdoses to mainly elderly victims.
Two patients, Tracey Arden, 44 and Derek Weaver, 83, suffered agonising deaths and a third, Grant Misell, 41, was left brain damaged as the insulin overdoses starved the victims’ brains of oxygen.
Deception: Victorino Chua in the stock room where he put back medicine he had injected with insulin at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, which killed two and injured 20 more
Defence: Hospital bosses have denied they could have done anything to stop Chua because they dealt with medicines in the same way other hospitals do
CALLS TO CURB THE RUSH OF FOREIGN RECRUITS
Demands for an inquiry into foreign nurse recruitment intensified last night in the aftermath of the Chua scandal.
Hospitals have spent £1million in three years hiring nurses from 16 countries including the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Lithuania, Greece, Poland, Sweden, Italy, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The NHS is now so dependent on foreign nurses that half of hospital trusts have staged recruitment drives overseas since 2012 and there are 23,000 Filipino nurses on the UK register.
Freedom of Information responses also reveal that managers are so desperate to fill vacancies that they are failing to test the nurses’ English properly. Instead, they rely on the judgement of recruitment agencies. The former chief prosecutor in the North West, Nazir Afzal, told BBC North West that during the Chua investigation his team wrote to Home Office and Health Department officials and nursing regulators raising their concerns about potentially fraudulent qualifications. He said: ‘The concerns related to the robustness... of the qualification and training regime that they had in the Philippines at that time.’
Katherine Murphy of the Patients Association said: ‘If we do employ nurses from other countries, we must ensure that they are fully qualified and competent to carry out their duties and that they are competent enough in English to effectively communicate.’
One of Chua’s victims, Kath Murray, 57, backed calls for an inquiry into foreign recruitment.
Chua was convicted at Manchester Crown Court yesterday of two murders, 22 counts of attempted grievous bodily harm, one count of grievous bodily harm, seven attempts of administering poison and one count of administering poison.
Det Supt Simon Barraclough, who led the investigation, said: ‘I have no confidence in the qualifications he has provided via the Professional Regulation Commission (which verifies the qualifications of nurses).’
Stepping Hill accepted Chua without exhaustive checks into his background in 2009 – seven years after he arrived in the UK. Publicly available documents held at the Regional Trial Court of Manila show that in 2000 Chua was accused of stealing 1,070 Philippines pesos, equivalent to about £18, from the city’s Metropolitan Hospital, where he worked.
For 18 months, the case hung over Chua before the allegations of ‘qualified theft’ were dismissed on February 7 2002.
Two weeks later, on February 21, Chua flew to London, via Amsterdam, to start a new life in the UK.
There’s a devil inside me, killer nurse confessed
Victorino Chua penned what he called a ‘bitter nurse confession’ in which he spelt out ‘how an angel can turn into an evil person’.
In the extraordinary document released yesterday, he wrote: ‘They thought I’m a nice person but there is a devil in me.’
Over 13 rambling pages, the Filipino killer nurse said he might explode at any time, adding: ‘If I will be pushed, they gonna be sorry.’
Dependant on painkillers, sleeping tablets and antidepressants, Chua also wrote he sometimes felt like killing himself, but feared he would ‘go straight to hell no questions asked’.
The document was found in a kitchen drawer at his home in Stockport after he was arrested in January 2012.
Jurors were told how in hard-to-follow, broken English, written in scrawling capital letters, he recounts the story of his life, beginning: ‘My name is Victorino Domingo Chua.’
In the document, the father of two said he was writing ‘in case something happen to me (so) my family can continue my case or can tell somebody to look at it and work out how an angel turn to an evil person’.
He added: ‘The bitter nurse confession. Got lots to tell but I just take it to my grave. My family will make history here in England.’
In a later addition to the document, dated December 2010, Chua described how he could control the number of painkillers he took for back and knee pain when he was at home – but at work he ‘can’t help it to take more than the limit’.
He added: ‘I’m just telling them I’m fine and alright just to shut there mouth.
‘Still inside of me I can feel the anger that any time it will explode ... just still hanging on ... can still control it but if I will be pushed they gonna be sorry.’
Earlier he wrote how he was avoiding going drinking with friends, adding: ‘They thought I’m a nice person but there (is) a devil in me.’
Drug addict and fantasist who tricked his way into the UK: Killer nurse haunted by father’s death fled Philippines after answering newspaper advert to work in UK care home
For Victorino ‘Vic’ Chua a nursing career in England was a ticket out of poverty. He had been earning just £3 a day as a nurse when he answered a newspaper advert to work in a UK care home.
Chua set his sights on working in Britain after learning of Tony Blair’s plan – announced in 2000 – to recruit thousands of overseas nurses.
But it now seems clear that he should never have been working for the NHS. An original transcript of his nursing qualifications suggest that his exam marks may have been tampered with.
Scroll down for video
Victorino Chua (pictured left during his
Born Victorino Domingo Chua (pictured far right) on October 30, 1965, he was one of six children born to Juanita, now 65, and his father a department store manager of mixed Filipino/Chinese descent
Playing the family man: Chua and his wife Marianne. They married in 1996 in the Philippines and she followed him to Britain when he came here in 2002
POLICE PRAISE DAILY MAIL FOR ALERTING THEM TO SUSPECT CREDENTIALS
A police chief praised the Daily Mail last night for alerting them to Victorino Chua’s suspect qualifications and the trade in academic records in the Philippines.
Following a major investigation into his background, the Mail also handed over a court file concerning claims that he stole from a hospital in the late 1990s.
Since the Scotland Yard phone hacking scandal and Leveson Inquiry into press standards, a number of chief constables have effectively banned their officers from informal contact with reporters.
But Detective Superintendent Simon Barraclough, who led the Stepping Hill Hospital murders inquiry, said: ‘I would like to thank the Daily Mail for providing Greater Manchester Police with vital background information about Chua at a very early stage of our inquiry into him.
‘Recognising the importance of the case, and the wider issues of patient safety, Mail journalist Stephen Wright passed on concerns about Chua’s bona fides and the trade in nursing qualifications in the Philippines.
‘The information he passed on was invaluable. This is an example of how the media and the police can work together for the public good.’
There are also strong suspicions that another individual may have sat some of his exams in Manila. Police in Manchester think the man who sat the exam, in the name of Chua, did not even look like the killer.
The Mail can also reveal that when Chua applied to work in the NHS, only ‘cursory’ checks were carried out by regulators at the Nursing and Midwifery Council which accepted photocopied documents.
Checks were not carried out on his CV, which contained lies, and there are concerns he forged several references.
Born Victorino Domingo Chua on October 30, 1965, he was one of six children born to Juanita, now 65, and his father, a department store manager of mixed Filipino/Chinese descent – who died suddenly of a heart attack aged 49 in 1985. Despite a difficult upbringing, he did well enough at school to be eligible to take a degree.
At the Chua family’s single-storey home of breeze-blocks and a corrugated iron roof in Caloocan City, north of the capital Manila, his mother gave us a copy of her favourite picture of him posing with a skeleton at nursing college, as well as more recent images of him, his wife Marianne and two young daughters in the UK.
She remembers little about his education, saying: ‘Because I married and had my first child very young – I was just 14 – I didn’t take any interest in my children’s education. We were like peers. My in-laws brought up Vic.
Chua's mother Juanita pictured in the Philippines at the family home and family shop
Chua (pictured left at his father's funeral and right as a child) was tormented by his father’s unexpected death.
His sister Joanne, 47,
She went on: ‘My husband was a womaniser. He had six children with me, five with his first mistress, two with his second mistress, and one with his third mistress.’
Chua was tormented by his father’s unexpected death – which may explain his rage against anyone who crossed him. His sister Joanne, 47, said: ‘Vic was very close to his father. They used to sleep on the same sleeping mat as each other.’
In the year that his father died Chua enrolled on a four-year BSc in Nursing degree at Manila’s Metropolitan Hospital School of Nursing. Records show that he struggled with the course and in the crucial third year he was thrown out and moved to the privately run Galang nursing school, one of the worst in Manila, to finish his degree.
He was awarded a BSc in nursing in October 1989 from Galang. After supposedly graduating he worked at the Galang Medical Centre, part of the same complex as the college.
So many people died at the 70-bed facility that it was nicknamed the ‘Galang Memorial Hospital’. Now shut down, it could be where Chua whet his appetite for murder. Records of dead patients have long since been destroyed.
For Victorino ‘Vic’ Chua, pictured fourth from left with his siblings, a nursing career in England was a ticket out of poverty
He had been earning just £3 a day as a nurse when he answered a newspaper advert to work in a UK care home. He is pictured here with his mother at his school graduation
After a couple of years, he somehow landed a job back at the Metropolitan Hospital. He married Marianne in a civil ceremony in 1996 and lived next to the Chua family home. Joanne was reluctant to talk about why her brother was sacked at the Metropolitan Hospital over a theft allegation in the late 1990s.
He was accused of stealing 1070 pesos, equivalent to about £18. The case hung over Chua before it was quietly dismissed in 2002. This gave Chua the green light to move to Britain. He flew to London on February 21, 2002, via Amsterdam and paid a fixer £2,000 to ensure he had the right visas.
Before he worked at Stepping Hill, Chua worked at a number of private nursing homes, most notably Newlands in Stockport
His family in Manila showed us a reference allegedly from Newlands, dated December 20, 2005, recommending Chua to other prospective employers. But it is feared Chua stole drugs from Newlands, now under new ownership, during his time there – almost certainly for personal use.
Chua enrolled on a four-year BSc in Nursing degree at Manila’s Metropolitan Hospital School of Nursing. Records show that he struggled with the course and was thrown out and moved to the privately-run Galang nursing school, one of the worst in Manila, to finish his degree. His certificate is pictured above
There are also strong suspicions that another individual may have sat some of his exams in Manila
An original transcript of his nursing qualifications suggest that his exam marks may have been tampered with
The Nursing and Midwifery Council was responsible for him becoming a registered nurse in the UK in 2003 but it did not carry out any proper checks to verify his qualifications. Officials accepted him as a registered nurse after Chua presented photocopies of his nursing qualifications, as well as proof of education, training and identity.
Jackie Smith, chief executive of the NMC, said: ‘That was the process at the time 12 years ago. It is the responsibility of employers to do the appropriate employment reference checks.’ Newlands recommended him to the NMC after helping him through a period of ‘supervised practice’ for foreign qualified nurses. Chua left Newlands in 2007, becoming an NHS ‘bank nurse’ – or temp – until securing a staff post at Stepping Hill in 2009.
Chua married his wife Marianne in a civil ceremony in 1996 and lived next to the Chua family home
CHILLING ECHOES OF SHIPMAN
Chilling similarities exist between Victorino Chua and Harold ‘Dr Death’ Shipman (pictured right), Britain’s most prolific serial killer.
In 2000 Shipman was convicted of murdering 15 people but an inquiry later found that he killed 215 of his patients using the drug Diamorphine over 20 years.
His mother, with whom he was particularly close, died of cancer when he was 17. Chua’s father, whom he idolised, died aged 49 when he was 19.
Shipman was a former drug addict with a previous conviction for stealing prescription painkillers for his own use. But he was allowed to continue his medical career. Chua is believed to have stolen huge quantities of painkillers from various hospitals and nursing homes he worked at, including Stepping Hill.
Both killers suffered from depression and did not take kindly to being criticised or to people in authority. In a further coincidence, the same coroner, John Pollard, dealt with both the Chua and Shipman cases.
Shipman’s undoing was forging a will of one of his murdered patients, while Chua was caught after falsifying medical records while police were investigating the murders. ‘It does have some resonance with Shipman,’ said a source close to the Stepping Hill prosecution. ‘They enjoyed the power of ending someone’s life and knowing that was going to happen.’
Stepping Hill accepted him without exhaustive checks. Once there, it was not long before he became a deeply unpopular member of staff. But repeated warnings about his conduct and behaviour were ignored.
One concerned an elderly woman with breathing problems. She received inappropriate treatment from Chua, who rubbed cream into her buttocks while treating her late at night. She complained to the hospital authorities, but it was not dealt with properly.
There was also evidence of Chua falsifying signatures and forging statements. Stepping Hill said concerns about Chua from staff were about ‘his interpersonal skills only latterly’ and were dealt with ‘in accordance with Trust Policy and procedures’. When he was arrested, police found he was addicted to pain killers. In his body were ‘industrial quantities’ of codeine. He also took large amounts of other drugs.
Police suspect he stole them from Stepping Hill. They also think he stole valuables from patients. His spiralling drug dependency and deteriorating mental state coincided with him needing counselling from therapists.
By now a British citizen, he was allowed to continue working at Stepping Hill even when suffering from Hepatitis B. In the months leading up to the murders, he was receiving emotional support from the occupational health team at Stepping Hill. Although he confided he was suffering from severe depression, the Stepping Hill occupational health team did not alert managers to any concerns about him.
They advised him to write down his frustrations, which Chua did in a rambling 13 page letter he called the ‘Bitter Nurse Confession’. In it, he described himself as a ‘Robin Hood guy’, who, while in the Philippines, would help the poor to get cheap medical care.
His wife and children now line in the south of England and did not attend the murder trial.
For just £43, I bought the bogus papers that ‘qualified’ me as a nurse: Reporter uncovers rampant trade in counterfeit certificates as questions are raised over killer nurse's credentials
From Stephen Wright and Jamie Wiseman in Manila for The Daily Mail
Nursing diplomas can be bought for as little as £43 in the Philippines, I can reveal today.
Doubts about Victorino Chua’s qualifications emerged after this newspaper alerted police to suspicions over his credentials back in 2012.
And I have found there is a rampant trade in bogus exam certificates in Manila – with fixers and forgers always on hand to fabricate any document.
Scroll down for video
Reporter Stephen Wright has uncovered a rampant trade in bogus exam certificates being sold in Manila. He managed to obtain all the documents he needed to work abroad for £43 - including a fake graduation photo
Stephen was also given a fake identification card by a fixer who advised him how to obtain work in the UK
He was also given a fake degree certificate (pictured) after visiting Recto Avenue in downtown Manila
The Mail’s revelations are a major embarrassment to ministers, hospital chiefs and officials at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which regulates nursing.
In March 2013, the council imposed a temporary recruitment freeze on foreign nurses amid fears that workers could have faked documents to get jobs here. Yet hundreds of nurses are still being recruited from the Philippines by NHS trusts, because of a massive shortfall of staff.
The ‘passport’ to a nursing job in the UK is provided by organised crime networks who employ some of the world’s best forgers.
On Recto Avenue in downtown Manila are stalls openly offering fake nursing degrees, education records, diploma pictures, police clearance to work overseas, passports, driving licences and birth and marriage certificates. Police turn a blind eye in return for bribes.
When Stephen visited Recto Avenue, dubbed ‘Xerox Alley’, a fixer for the forgers went through a list of documents required to become qualified - all of which were easily obtained
The fixer (pictured) even helpfully suggested which date he should graduate from Manila’s respected nursing college at Our Lady of Fatima University
When I visited Recto Avenue, dubbed ‘Xerox Alley’, a fixer for the forgers went through a list of documents I would require to become qualified, including a degree certificate, police clearance to work overseas and employment certificates and references.
All these were supplied for a total of £43. The fixer even helpfully suggested which date I should graduate from Manila’s respected nursing college at Our Lady of Fatima University.
Of course, the vast majority of Filipino nurses are qualified and have the correct credentials to work in the UK.
In this impoverished nation struggle to find the money to finish their degree courses and are tempted to buy their qualifications they need to obtain work in the UK where salaries are vastly higher
But many in this impoverished nation struggle to find the money to finish their degree courses and are tempted to buy their qualifications they need to obtain work in the UK where salaries are vastly higher.
In the run-up to yesterday’s court verdicts, NMC chief executive Jackie Smith told the Mail its vetting system was now ‘robust’ and that her staff insisted on seeing original education documents from prospective foreign nurses.
But a source close to the Stepping Hill case said: ‘Vetting of nurses in the Philippines is very, very poor. A lot is done on the word of the Philippines regulatory authorities.
‘They rely on stamped documents as proof of proper qualifications. This is why police can’t be certain that Chua’s qualifications are genuine.’
Another said: ‘We can’t be certain that the Philippines’ Professional Regulation Commission has exercised due diligence with regard to the NHS. Once you have a PRC stamp, you are more or less guaranteed a job in the UK.’
It was eerie. He'd silently appear at my bedside like something from a horror movie: How victim suffering from common holiday bug was subjected to poisoning ordeal by killer nurse
She was only in hospital to recover from a common holiday bug. But civil servant Kath Murray found herself at the mercy of a serial killer who prowled the ward by night and subjected her to a terrifying poisoning ordeal.
The mother-of-three remains haunted by the memory of the rogue nurse’s ice cold manner and lack of basic humanity.
‘All the other nurses would chat to you and show a caring side – it made being in hospital that little bit easier,’ she said.
Danger: Kathleen Murray, photographed in Stepping Hill hospital by her husband Mike. The spiked saline drip, which Victorino Chua had tampered with two days earlier, is pictured behind her
‘But Chua never said a word to me the whole time. His face was a mask – he might as well have been a robot. There was a sense of emptiness about him.
‘It was really eerie the way he would silently appear at my bedside. It’s chilling now to think what was going through his head.
‘The only thing I’m grateful for is that I didn’t give him any grief – if I’d caused a fuss at all, would I still be here today?’
Haunted: The mother-of-three, now 57, remains haunted by the memory of the rogue nurse’s ice cold manner and lack of basic humanity
Even worse have been the mental problems that have haunted the devoted grandmother and devout Roman Catholic and left her contemplating suicide.
‘I would wake up the night hallucinating that there was a nurse in an old-fashioned outfit holding an enormous syringe pointed at my neck standing at the end of our bed – like something out of a horror film.
‘I don’t know how my husband put up with it – we had a terrible time. Someone had tried to kill me – that’s a big thing to take in. I couldn’t even say it without crying – why would someone want to kill me?’
Now 57, Mrs Murray was on a package holiday to Greece with her husband Mike in June 2011 when she fell ill with labyrinthitis, an ear infection.
On her return, she was admitted to ward A3 of Stepping Hill Hospital, put on a saline drip to rehydrate her and given intravenous antibiotics.
But on the night of July 7 she suffered two terrifying hypoglycemic episodes – when her blood sugar fell dangerously.
Although he was not covering the ward that night, during a shift two days earlier Chua had contaminated its saline stores with minuscule amounts of insulin.
Now the drip that was meant to be restoring Mrs Murray to health was instead slowly poisoning her as she slept.
‘I woke up soaking wet through and shaking violently, moving all over the bed,’ she told the Daily Mail. ‘I was terrified. I didn’t know what a hypo was at that stage, I’m not diabetic. I just started shouting “Nurse, nurse, what’s happening to me?”.’
A female nurse came over, checked her blood sugar, said it was dangerously low and brought her a cup of glucose solution.
‘It was horrible, she practically had to force it down me,’ Mrs Murray said. ‘I also had a Mars bar by my bed and she virtually rammed that into my mouth.
‘For a long time I marvelled at what that nurse did, I thought she’d saved my life by instinct. I only found out much later that it was because so many patients had been going down with low blood sugar.’
Still suffering: Zubia Aslam, now 27 and by far the youngest of Chua’s victims, was admitted to ward A3 with a severe stomach bug on July 13, 2011 - the day after police were called in to investigate deaths on the ward
Indeed, only the night before, 44-year-old Tracey Arden had died on A3 after a sudden deterioration caused by an insulin overdose.
Mrs Murray dozed off, but awoke again a few hours later in exactly the same state.
‘I was scared by now, I wanted Mike to come and take me home,’ she said. ‘Of course I didn’t know then what was happening, but I thought I was dying.’
With his wife lying in bed and barely able to move, Mr Murray took a photograph which clearly shows the drip connected to her arm which would prove a key piece of evidence.
During the following day, the mysterious drops in blood sugar were not repeated – but the following night, Chua’s shift saw him covering her bay himself.
That evening she had a third suspected attack – although Chua recorded it as a ‘hot flush’ and it didn’t form part of the prosecution case.
Verdicts: Nurse Victorino Chua was found guilty by a jury at Manchester Crown Court of murdering and poisoning hospital patients at Stepping Hill Hospital
However, it would be nearly a week before the continuing spate of hypos – followed by the discovery that an ampoule of saline had been contaminated with insulin – would trigger the police inquiry.
Chua would not become a suspect for a further six months, but Mrs Murray said: ‘It was obvious to me then he had no compassion – he was simply going through the motions.
‘But now I see it was so much worse than that – he had just tried to kill me, just as he had tried to kill so many other patients.’
Mrs Murray was safely discharged the next day. Now both she and her 56-year-old husband – who restores stained glass windows – are furious that warnings signs about Chua’s erratic behaviour and dubious qualifications were not picked up in time to save her and the other victims.
Initially, doctors suggested she may have a rare pancreatic tumour called an insulinoma which can cause similar symptoms in non-diabetic patients. Five months later that Mrs Murray was finally told this alarming diagnosis had been a red herring and that Chua had been responsible.
Murdered: Patients Tracey Arden, 44, and Derek Weaver, 83, were murdered by the nurse after they were given contaminated medication
But after being bedridden and off work for several weeks at their home in the Heaton Chapel area of Stockport, she developed shingles and facial paralysis diagnosed as Bell’s palsy.
In a cruel twist, she was even placed on ward A3 again after going in with an eye complaint. Then in January 2013, Mrs Murray received another bombshell – she had breast cancer. Mrs Murray was later informed by an oncologist that the tumours could have been detected as far back as 2011.
Attempt: Chua was cleared of murdering Arnold Lancaster, 81, who was suffering from cancer, but convicted of attempting to cause him grievous bodily harm with intent by poisoning
‘I was feeling so terrible anyway as a result of being poisoned that I didn’t notice the signs,’ she said. ‘If I hadn’t been given insulin, or if I’d been given a full medicaI after being poisoned, they might have caught the cancer sooner.’ She has yet to be given the all-clear.
Mrs Murray remains furious that Stepping Hill failed to act on concerns about Chua’s mental state and the qualifications he claimed to have secured.
‘How could they let someone like that work in a hospital, as a nurse? There were tell-tale signs that something was wrong from how he was behaving.
‘I’m a living victim and I’ve still only partially recovered. I hope to God that lessons have been learned.’
Seeing Chua give evidence in court, she felt shocked at his cold, emotionless manner. ‘To think that someone could make me feel that weak, then seeing him in court showing no remorse – it was horrible.’
The last victim of Chua’s poisoning spree was admitted after the hunt for the saboteur began, but was still given insulin because hospital bosses failed to realise how much medication he had tampered with. Zubia Aslam, now 27 and by far the youngest of Chua’s victims, was admitted to ward A3 with a severe stomach bug on July 13, 2011 – the day after police were called in.
However, while all stocks of ampoules – small, sealed containers – of saline had immediately been removed from the wards where Chua worked in response to the spate of hypoglaecemic attacks, saline bags remained in circulation.Yesterday she told of the trauma of being poisoned with sufficient insulin to have left her brain damaged if nurses hadn’t been on the look-out for the signs of low blood sugar after the spate of ‘hypos’. Miss Aslam recalled how she woke up ‘sweating, really, really wet, my whole body was wet’.
Anthony Smith (left) was admitted for alcohol detox but deteriorated and became 'unresponsive' when put on a drip. Meanwhile, Doreen Brace, 87, (right) from Buxton, Derbyshire, was given not one but two contaminated saline bags
Beryl Hope, 70 (left) was in hospital with cancer when she was targeted, while Beatrice Humphreys, 84 (right) fell very ill while being treated for minor illnesses and said herself: 'It just came on me while I was on the drip'
William Dickson, 82, a retired journalist (left) was put on a saline drip and his wife Jean said: 'All of a sudden Bill was gone, straight in front of my eyes.' Linda McDonagh, 59 (right) suddenly became unwell and lost consciousness after being given the drip
Joseph Eric McDonald (left) was poisoned while a day patient on the ward while Josephine Walsh, 69 (right) from Stockport, was improving when she was treated with a contaminated flush or drip and fell ill
‘I didn’t think I was going to make it,’ Miss Aslam told BBC 5 Live. ‘When I came around …I had lots of people around me, I didn’t know what was going on, next minute I know my family are there.’
The nurse who connected Miss Aslam to a saline drip to rehydrate her checked the bag for signs of tampering but failed to spot the tiny V-shaped cut where Chua had injected saline, his trial heard. It was so small it could only be detected in a laboratory.
Grant Misell, 41, was left in the sole care of Chua, who, during the night shift, administered a contaminated saline drip
After she was taken ill, the treatment room where medication was kept was belatedly sealed of. Tests on the saline bag given to Miss Aslam found it contained two syringes full of insulin – if it had run its course, she would have suffered irreversible brain damage. Miss Aslam, a former bank clerk from Glasgow and now a mother-of-one who continues to suffer health problems, is taking legal action against the trust which runs Stepping Hill. ‘I’d say I’ve lost faith in the NHS,’ she added. ‘When you’re in hospital you think you are safe.’
Tracey Arden was a working mother-of-two who, at 32, was diagnosed with severe multiple sclerosis which left her blind and unable to speak. She had to move into a care home in Stockport and became a regular patient at Stepping Hill as a result of complications from her illness, where staff remembered she was ‘always smiling’.
Her stay in 2011 was meant to be a routine after she developed pneumonia, and she seemed to be recovering well when her parents, Keith and June, visited her on the afternoon of July 7. But after they got home, ward staff rang to say she was ‘in a bad way’, and despite living just half-an-hour away she had died by the time they got there.
Derek Weaver, 83, was a self-taught electrician who in his youth worked as a projectionist at local cinemas and had later had a successful alarm business.
He and his wife Yvonne had no children. A widower he moved into a care home shortly before being admitted to Stepping Hill with breathlessness. He was poisoned on July 11, 2011, dying ten days later.
HOW DETECTIVES ACCUSED THE WRONG NURSE: REBECCA LEIGHTON VINDICATED BY CHUA'S CONVICTIONS
The verdicts yesterday represent vindication and exoneration for Rebecca Leighton, 31 (pictured)
The verdicts yesterday represent vindication and exoneration for Rebecca Leighton, 31.
The nurse spent six weeks in custody accused of being the insulin poisoner – her life and career wrecked because she fell under suspicion.
She was arrested in a dawn raid at the flat she shared with her boyfriend and held on suspicion of murder. It was a week after the alarm was first raised in July 2011.
Her fingerprints had been found on medication contaminated with insulin. As detectives held her for questioning, extracts emerged from her Facebook profile detailing how she coped with the stresses of her job by drinking and partying.
She was eventually charged with six counts of causing damage with intent to endanger life but, after 45 days behind bars – which she later described as a ‘living hell’ – she walked free in early September after police accepted the case against her was based on a fundamental misunderstanding.
As a nurse on the wards, she had every reason to handle bottles of medication – and the real poisoner was the last person who would leave his or her fingerprints behind.
However, she was later suspended from nursing for three months after admitting to police that she stole boxes of prescription-only drugs from the hospital.
Miss Leighton sued Manchester police for £100,000, saying she had been left unable to follow her chosen career as a result of the publicity following her arrest. The claim was settled, with Miss Leighton receiving £8,000 plus £45,000 legal costs.
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