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Freedom Of Speech Quotes (297 quotes)

Posted on July 14, 2018 by Danzig

Until every soul is freely permitted to investigate every book, and creed, and dogma for itself, the world cannot be free. Mankind will be enslaved until there is mental grandeur enough to allow each man to have his thought and say. This earth will be a paradise when men can, upon all these questions differ, and yet grasp each other's hands as friends. It is amazing to me that a difference of opinion upon subjects that we know nothing with certainty about, should make us hate, persecute, and despise each other. Why a difference of opinion upon predestination, or the trinity, should make people imprison and burn each other seems beyond the comprehension of man; and yet in all countries where Christians have existed, they have destroyed each other to the exact extent of their power. Why should a believer in God hate an atheist? Surely the atheist has not injured God, and surely he is human, capable of joy and pain, and entitled to all the rights of man. Would it not be far better to treat this atheist, at least, as well as he treats us?

Christians tell me that they love their enemies, and yet all I ask isnot that they love their enemies, not that they love their friends even, but that they treat those who differ from them, with simple fairness.

We do not wish to be forgiven, but we wish Christians to so act that we will not have to forgive them. If all will admit that all have an equal right to think, then the question is forever solved; but as long as organized and powerful churches, pretending to hold the keys of heaven and hell, denounce every person as an outcast and criminal who thinks for himself and denies their authority, the world will be filled with hatred and suffering. To hate man and worship God seems to be the sum of all the creeds. Robert G. Ingersoll, Some Mistakes of Moses

Freedom Of Speech Quotes (297 quotes)

BIS show London – Blockchain Conference London | FinTech …

Posted on July 14, 2018 by Danzig

ICO Advisor, Tokenomist, Publisher, Writer, Entrepreneur, Fellow Royal Society Of Arts.

Founder of industry publication Blockchain News (acquired in 2017) , partner at ICO services collective CryptoAssets Design Group, director of education company Blockchain Partners (Oracle Partner) - Richard Kastelein is an award-winning publisher & entrepreneur. He sits on the advisory boards of a dozen Blockchain startups (ICOs) & has written over 1500 articles on Blockchain technology at Blockchain News & has also published on ICOs in Harvard Business Review & Venturebeat.

Kastelein holds and honourary Ph.D. and is Chair Professor at Jiangxi Ahead Institute of Software & Technology (Blockchain Faculty) in China.

Kastelein has spoken (keynotes & panels) on Blockchain in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Barcelona, Beijing, Brussels, Bucharest, Dubai, Eindhoven, Gdansk, Groningen, the Hague, Helsinki, Linz, London, Manchester, Minsk, Nairobi, Nanchang, Penang, Phuket, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Venice, Visakhapatnam & Zurich.

He's a Canadian (Dutch/Irish/English/Mtis) whose writing career has ranged from the Canadian Native Press (Arctic) to the Caribbean & Europe. He's written for Harvard Business Review, Wired, Venturebeat, The Guardian - and has been translated into Dutch, Greek, Polish, German & French.

A journalist by trade, an entrepreneur & adventurer at heart, Kastelein's professional career has ranged from political publishing to TV technology, boatbuilding to judging startups, skippering yachts to marketing & more as he's travelled for nearly 30 years as a Canadian expatriate living around the world. His favourite jobs were as St. Maarten's 1st restaurant reviewer & Sunsail Caribbean yacht delivery skipper.

He sailed around the world on small yachts & wrote a series of travel articles called, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Seas' travelling by hitching rides on yachts (1989) in travel & yachting publications. He currently lives in Haren, NL where he's raising three teenage daughters with his wife & sailing partner, Wieke Beenen.

Projects I have worked on (and working on) include:

RDC Record Foundation (Advisory Board) Koios AI - (Advisory Board) Peeke - (Advisory Board) DNATix (Advisory Board) Sharering (Advisory Board) Iolite Labs (Advisory Board) Genetic Immunity (Advisory Board for HIV Immunity project) Evident Proof (Advisory Board) Decentralized Pictures - (Core Team and Advisory Board) Unic Advertising Network (Advisory Board) Moms Avenue (Advisory Board) Ammbr (Advisory Board) Stack (Advisory Board) Mowjow (Advisory Board) Play2live (Advisory Board) Databroker Dao (Advisory Board) The Chimaera Project (Advisory Board) Conto.network (Advisory Board) Mainframe - (Consultant) Skycoin (Advisory Board) Metalicoin (Advisory Board) ICOBox (Partnership) Token Key (Partnership) New Alchemy (Partnership) Chaintrade (Advisory Board) - Finished Cashaa (Advisory Board) - Finished Blockmason (Advisory Board) - Finished Domraider (Advisory Board) - Finished Golden Fleece (Advisory Board) - Finished Wings - Consultant - Finished Exscudo (Advisory Board) - Finished Tokencard (Consultant) - Finished Humaniq (Interim Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) - Finished Decent (Advisory Board) - Finished Inchain - (Advisory Board) - Finished Chronobank - Consultant - Finished Bancor - Marketing - Finished Primalbase - Consultant Finished

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BIS show London - Blockchain Conference London | FinTech ...

Cryptocurrency News: What You Need to Know This Week

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

Cryptocurrency News
Cryptocurrencies traded sideways since our last report on cryptos. However, I noticed something interesting when playing around with Yahoo! Finance’s cryptocurrency screener: There are profitable pockets in this market.

Incidentally, Yahoo’s screener is far superior to the one on CoinMarketCap, so if you’re looking to compare digital assets, I highly recommend it.

But let's get back to my epiphany.

In the last month, at one point or another, most crypto assets on our favorites list saw double-digit increases. It’s true that each upswing was followed by a hard crash, but investors who rode the trend would have made a.

The post Cryptocurrency News: What You Need to Know This Week appeared first on Profit Confidential.

Continued here:
Cryptocurrency News: What You Need to Know This Week

Ecocriticism – Literary and Critical Theory – Oxford …

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

This section looks at some of the pioneering work in ecocriticism, as well as some of the most read work introducing the subject. Meeker 1972, presenting comedy and tragedy as ecological concepts, connects literary and environmental studies as a cohesive field of study. As an ethnologist and comparative literature scholar, Meeker helped to pioneer the critical discussion of ecocriticism in what he called literary ecologies. Following Meeker, Rueckert 1996 (first published 1978) actually coined the term ecocriticism, arguing for a way to find the grounds upon which the two communitiesthe human, the naturalcan coexist, cooperate, and flourish in the biosphere (p. 107). Love 1996 builds on the work of Meeker and Rueckert by essentially anticipating the explosion of and need for ecocriticism in just a few years. Ecocriticism as a literary and cultural theory significantly expanded in the 1990sparalleling other forms of literary and cultural theory, such as postcolonialism and critical race studieslargely due to the publication of Glotfelty and Fromm 1996 (cited under Collections of Essays), the first edited collection of essays and anthology to introduce a comprehensive critical outline of ecocriticism. Buell 1995, another critically dense and timely study, outlines the trajectory of American ecocriticism by way of Henry David Thoreau as a central figure. Kerridge and Sammells 1998 (cited under Collections of Essays), which expanded studies in race and class, as well as ecocritical history, followed both Glotfelty and Fromm 1996 and Buell 1995. Phillips 2003 offers a skeptical and refreshing critique of ecocriticism amid otherwise quite praiseworthybordering on mysticalcelebrations of nature in the scholarship of the 1990s. Garrard 2012 (first published 2004), along with Coupe 2000 (under Anthologies) and Armbruster and Wallace 2001 (under Nature Writing), serves as a political and theoretical turn in ecocriticism because it addresses more of the second wave concerns about animals, globality, and apocalypse. Clark 2011 is a contemporary overview that integrates a unified critical history of the waves, including nature writing, literary periods, theory, and activism, while it also provides sample readings that deploy specific ecocritical methods to literary texts. Garrard 2014 is the most recent overview volume, with many noteworthy ecocritical scholars; it serves as a somewhat updated version of Glotfelty and Fromm 1996. (See also Anthologies and Collections of Essays for some other notable overviews.)

Buell, Lawrence. The Environmental Imagination: Thoreau, Nature Writing, and the Formation of American Culture. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995.

E-mail Citation

Looks back at the history of American nature writing through literary analysiswith Thoreaus Walden as a reference pointto establish a history of environmental perception and imagination. It examines how humanistic thought, particularly through literary nonfiction, can imagine a more ecocentric or green way of living. (See also Nature Writing.)

Clark, Timothy. The Cambridge Introduction to Literature and the Environment. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2011.

E-mail Citation

Provides updated introductory material to previous studies. It offers an excellent range of topics, and despite serving as an introduction, it employs incisive analysis of previously overlooked issues in introductory books on ecocriticism, such as posthumanism, violence, and animal studies. It is one of the best contemporary overviews.

Garrard, Greg. Ecocriticism. New York: Routledge, 2012.

E-mail Citation

Examines a wide range of literary and cultural works. Two notable strengths: (1) it acknowledges the political dimension of ecocriticism; and (2) it explores a range of issues, from animal studies and definitions of wilderness and nature, to postapocalyptic narratives. It is available as an inexpensive paperback. Originally published in 2004.

Garrard, Greg, ed. The Oxford Handbook of Ecocriticism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.

E-mail Citation

One of the most ambitious collections to date, with thirty-four chapters, this book is aimed at both general readers and students, but it also revisits the previous twenty years of ecocriticism to offer contemporary readings from the most prominent names in the field. It is an essential work for ecocritics.

Love, Glen. Revaluating Nature: Toward an Ecological Criticism. In The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary Ecology. Edited by Cheryll Glotfelty and Harold Fromm, 225240. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1996.

E-mail Citation

Argues that literary studies must engage with the environmental crisis rather than remaining unresponsive. This essay advocates for revaluing a nature-focused literature away from an ego-consciousness to an eco-consciousness (p. 232). Originally published in 1990. See also Loves Practical Ecocriticism: Literature, Biology, and the Environment (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2003).

Meeker, Joseph. The Comedy of Survival: Studies in Literary Ecology. New York: Scribners, 1972.

E-mail Citation

One of the founding works of ecocriticism. It spans many centurieslooking at Dante, Shakespeare, and Petrarch, as well as E.O. Wilsonand analyzes comedy and tragedy as two literary forms that reflect forces greater than that of humans. The comedy of survival is at its core an ecological concept.

Phillips, Dana. The Truth of Ecology: Nature, Culture, and Literature in America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.

DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195137699.001.0001E-mail Citation

One of the more prominent critiques of ecocritical theory, this book challenges neo-Romantic themes explored by ecocritics, many of which Phillips argues support the use of mimesis as a standard way to read environments, instead of looking at more pragmatic approaches.

Rueckert, William. Literature and Ecology: An Experiment in Ecocriticism. In The Ecocriticism Reader: Landmarks in Literary Ecology. Edited by Cheryll Glotfelty and Harold Fromm, 105123. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1996.

E-mail Citation

Notable primarily because it was the first publication to use the term ecocriticism as an environmentally minded literary analysis that discovers something about the ecology of literature (p. 71). Originally published in 1978.

Ecocriticism - Literary and Critical Theory - Oxford ...

John McAfee Says There is a War on Cryptocurrencies …

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

On the latest episode of John McAfee Says, the tech activist and internet security expert declared that there is an ongoing war against cryptocurrencies.

He aired this revelation in a video posted on his Twitter on May 27. According to McAfee, powerful forces are trying to derail the progress of the cryptocurrency revolution. McAfee began by unequivocally stating the reality of the ongoing fight:

Whether you know it as a war [against crypto] or not, it is, in fact, a war.

He listed the government, banks, credit card companies, and the SEC as some of the enemy combatants. These institutions have banded together to quell the relentless march of progress represented by the crypto renaissance.

McAfees warnings may have merit as many banks and credit card companies have recently startedwithdrawing support for cryptocurrency payments. While governments and regulatory bodies like the SEC are also trying to abscond with cryptos as securities.

He then urged all fellow crypto believers to take action, saying:

What can we do? Take action. Write your Congressman; it sounds silly [but] while they are still in power, make them work. Go into your bank and demand that they allow crypto transactions. If they say no, ask them to recommend a bank that will. Demand the credit card companies to allow crypto payments.

According to McAfee, change will only come when crypto enthusiasts become proactive and take matters into their own hands. He urged them to write the SEC, strongly calling on the Commission to not classify cryptocurrencies as securities.

We are not a security; we are coins, we are currency. They are frightened of us, he said.

In a related development, Team McAfee recently published the Declaration of Currency Independence. The 849-word document is a pledge of solidarity to the core ethos of the cryptocurrency movement.

The text bears some similarities with the 1776 United States Declaration of Independence. Both documents even begin with the now famous when in the course of human events opening phrase.

One recurring theme within the document is Value and how the current fiat monetary system has fundamentally manipulated the maintenance of the integrity of value. As a result, the declaration states that cryptocurrency is the only way to restore the concept of value to what it should be.

It reads:

Where value was once proven by the strength of the State at the end of a barrel, humans have developed, demonstrated, and proliferated a technology capable of proving value through the expenditure of electricity via the irrevocable proof of math. Such a concept has never been accomplished prior to the initiation of the Bitcoin blockchain.

Team McAfee under the leadership of John McAfee himself is requesting for readership and signing of the document. The declaration is available in 14 languages including English, Spanish, French, and Dutch.

Do you believe that there is a deliberate attempt to stifle the growth and adoption of cryptocurrencies? Keep the conversation going in the comment section below.

Image courtesy of Twitter @officialmcafee, Shutterstock

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John McAfee Says There is a War on Cryptocurrencies ...

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer Information

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

Pleural mesothelioma is the most common type of asbestos-related cancer. Though its an aggressive illness, ongoing advancements in chemotherapy, surgery and clinical trials are extending patients' lives years beyond their life expectancy.

Free Mesothelioma Guide

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer that develops in the pleura, a thin layer of tissue surrounding the lungs.

Inhaling microscopic asbestos fibers is the primary cause of mesothelioma. Once these fibers enter the lungs, they can become lodged in the pleura, accumulating and causing cellular damage that can lead to cancer. This process often takes decades. Mesothelioma may not develop until 20-50 years after asbestos exposure.

Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is the most common of the four types of mesothelioma. It accounts for nearly 75 percent of all cases diagnosed annually in the U.S., and the majority of cases are traced to occupational exposure to asbestos. Factory workers, shipyard workers, mechanics and construction workers have the highest risk of developing the disease.

We know receiving a pleural mesothelioma diagnosis can be frightening and confusing, and our Patient Advocates are here to ease your burden. Take advantage of our resources to learn about the latest research and top doctors who can help you cope with this rare cancer.

The initial symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include chest pain, shortness of breath, slight fatigue and weight loss. Because these symptoms mirror those of less serious illnesses, such as pneumonia or the flu, doctors often misdiagnose the cancer in its early stages.

Unfortunately, many of the more serious symptoms, such as painful breathing, coughing blood and difficulty swallowing, arent noticeable until the cancer has reached its later stages, when treatment options are usually more limited.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms can include:

Other signs of mesothelioma can include certain benign asbestos-related diseases.

For example, studies show people with pleural plaques (areas of fibrous thickening on the lung's lining that can become calcified) are at an increased risk of developing pleural mesothelioma. Pleural thickening is another benign condition that sometimes develops before PM.

Asbestosis is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by scarring and inflammation in the lungs. Approximately 15 percent of people with asbestosis develop pleural mesothelioma.

It's important to discuss any exposure to asbestos with a physician as early as possible and seek out a specialist if your risk level is high. It can take months, and sometimes up to a year, to diagnose this rare cancer.

To ensure a definitive diagnosis, your doctor will first conduct a full medical and occupational history review. Then you will typically undergo multiple imaging tests such as X-rays, CT scans or PET scans.

The most important step of the diagnostic process is the biopsy, in which a surgeon collects samples of the tumor through a minor outpatient surgical procedure known as a thoracoscopy or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). A pathologist then analyzes the samples to determine what kind of disease or cancer is present.

Most doctors use the following staging system to describe the severity of pleural mesothelioma:

This stage is divided into two categories. During stage 1a, the cancer is localized to the outer layer of the pleura, which is closer to the chest wall. At stage 1b, the cancer is also located on the inner layer of the pleura, which is closer to the lung.

The cancer has spread to the lung tissue, diaphragm and linings of the chest cavity.

The cancer has advanced beyond the lining of the lungs and impacted other internal organs, lymph nodes near the main tumor, esophagus, trachea, fatty tissues and possibly other nearby areas.

The cancer is possibly on both sides of the chest cavity, inside distant lymph nodes and in other organs such as the brain, spine and prostate. At stage IV, pleural mesothelioma cancer cannot be treated with surgery because metastasis (the spread of the cancer) is too extensive.

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Conventional pleural mesothelioma treatment can involve surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or a combination of two or more of these, which is known as multimodal therapy. These treatment methods can be curative, reducing the cancer and extending life expectancy, or they can be palliative, which means they are performed to alleviate cancer-related pain.

In addition to these traditional methods of cancer treatment, researchers are developing emerging techniques to fight the cancer. Cancer centers specializing in PM host clinical trials to test new drugs, treatment methods and other medical advancements.

Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) and pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) are two surgeries that can potentially eliminate the cancer. The EPP removes the affected lung, parts of the chest lining, heart lining, nearby lymph nodes and part of the diaphragm. The P/D spares the affected lung but takes out the lining around it and tumors inside the chest cavity.

Younger, healthier patients fare best with surgery, but it's not effective for people with late-stage cancer or multiple tumors.

Chemotherapy involves treatment with a drug designed to kill cancer cells. It is usually administered by IV. Your physician will determine dosage and frequency based on your health, weight and cancer stage.

While the effects of chemotherapy are immediate, it has a poor success rate and causes discomfort during infusions.

Radiation therapy is commonly administered alongside chemotherapy and following surgery to kill any cancer cells the surgeon accidentally left behind. Radiation is most effective when used with other types of treatment, though it can provide some pain relief on its own.

Although emerging and experimental treatments can be risky because they have not yet proven effective, they can lead to improvements of traditional cancer therapies.

For example, in recent immunotherapy clinical trials, researchers boosted the immune systems of some pleural mesothelioma patients to significantly minimize cancer symptoms and tumor progression.

Many patients with PM also use integrative oncology or complementary and alternative treatments, such as massage and yoga, to relieve pain and other side effects of treatment. While these therapies cannot cure cancer, they can improve your quality of life and relieve stress.

Alternative therapies include:

Our Patient Advocates are available right now.

Danielle DiPietro Patient Advocate

Your choice of doctor and treatment center can have a tremendous impact on your experience with pleural mesothelioma.

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan for this disease. You need a personalized approach from a specialist who understands the intricacies of PM and is up to date on the most modern and effective treatment options. This kind of doctor can only be found at a specialty center.

Most of the top pleural mesothelioma specialists practice at cancer centers in major metropolitan areas. If you do not live near a cancer center, traveling to one is worth the time and expense because these are the doctors who can give you years beyond your initial prognosis.

A few notable mesothelioma doctors:

Dr. Hedy Kindler is the director of the mesothelioma program at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Dr. Abraham Lebenthal is a nationally renowned surgeon who specializes in treating mesothelioma at Bostons Brigham and Women's Hospital, which is a world leader in mesothelioma treatment.

Dr. Anne Tsao, director of the mesothelioma program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, is a national leader in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancers and pleural mesothelioma.

Dr. Robert Cameron, a renowned thoracic surgeon and pioneer in mesothelioma treatment, practices at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and the UCLA Medical Center.

Dr. J.F. Pingpank Jr. specializes in peritoneal mesothelioma at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which is ranked as one of the top 25 best hospitals for cancer care in the U.S.

Dr. Jacques Fontaine is a thoracic surgeon at the Mesothelioma Research and Treatment Center at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.

Our Doctor Match program will guide you to the right specialist based on your diagnosis and location. Our experienced Patient Advocates can provide a closer look at some of the nation's best pleural mesothelioma doctors and help match you with the right provider for your needs.

There are specialty cancer centers across the nation, and there may be one or two near where you live. When choosing a center, consider its doctors and location, your ability to travel and your preferred treatment method, as well as what you expect from your health care team.

Top cancer centers include:

Nearly 30 percent of PM patients are military veterans. As in the construction industry, the U.S. armed forces made extensive use of asbestos for much of the twentieth century. Members of the military, especially Navy sailors, have often been at risk of hazardous occupational exposure.

The Veterans Department at the Pleural Mesothelioma Center will provide you with a curated list of mesothelioma specialists and centers that cater to veterans and their families.

Get information about your legal options and find out if you qualify for financial assistance.

A prognosis is your doctors best estimate of how your cancer will affect your health and life expectancy. Prognosis is usually measured in terms such as "good," "favorable" or "poor."

Life expectancy is measured in months or years. The average life expectancy of patients with pleural mesothelioma is 1221 months after diagnosis, but that's not the case for everyone. Depending on certain factors, some patients may improve their initial prognosis and live years beyond their life expectancy.

While a patient cannot change factors such as age, cancer stage and cell type, they do have some control over their overall health, smoking habits, nutrition and level of exercise. Most important, a patient or caretaker can take the initiative in educating themselves about treatment options and seeking out the best health care professionals available.

Even an experienced oncologist can misdiagnose and incorrectly treat pleural mesothelioma. Finding an oncologist who specializes in malignant mesothelioma and has years of experience with this rare cancer will greatly improve your prognosis. Let our Patient Advocates find the best doctor for you.

Research shows the most favorable treatment results arise from a multimodal approach a combination of one or more traditional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Tell your doctor you are interested in exploring multimodal treatment.

When standard treatment isnt enough, you may want to consider clinical trials. Because of an increase in pleural mesothelioma diagnoses, more and more clinical trials are seeking patients. While clinical trials test experimental therapies and new drug combinations, all participants still receive the best standard-of-care treatment.

Moderate exercise and good nutrition are the foundation of physical fitness. The healthier your immune system is, the better your body will respond to pleural mesothelioma treatment. Healthy choices about diet and exercise may improve your prognosis and your state of mind.

Snehal Smart is the Pleural Mesothelioma Centers in-house medical doctor, serving as both an experienced Patient Advocate and an expert medical writer for the website. When she is not providing one-on-one assistance to patients, Dr. Snehal stays current on the latest medical research, reading peer-reviewed studies and interviewing oncologists to learn about advancements in diagnostic tools and cancer treatments.

Last Modified August 4, 2017

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Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cancer Information

Mesothelioma: Physical & Mental Effects of Asbestos Cancer

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

Once inside the body, asbestos has the potential to slowly damage DNA in ways that cause a cell to become cancerous. Once a cell turns cancerous, it replicates uncontrollably, resulting in a buildup of cells that slowly forms into a tumor.

Mesothelioma is unique in the way it grows. Most tumors form as a singular mass. But mesothelioma tumors more commonly develop as numerous small nodules on the lining of the lungs or abdomen.

The nodules eventually grow and merge, forming a sheath-like tumor often compared to a fruit rind. As the cancer progresses, the tumor envelopes vital organs and causes physical effects such as pain or difficulty breathing.

Tumors originating in the lung lining will first affect pulmonary health, while those developing in the abdominal lining will first affect the digestive system.

Physical signs of mesothelioma usually arise in later stages of development. It is rare for stage I or II mesothelioma to cause noticeable symptoms.

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Mesothelioma: Physical & Mental Effects of Asbestos Cancer

Latency Period of Malignant Mesothelioma Cancer

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

The long period of time between exposure and illness is one of the hallmarks of mesothelioma.

It is very rare to have a latency period of less than 15 years, while the longest is around 60 to 70 years. The latency period depends on a number of factors such as the duration and intensity of asbestos exposure, as well as the patients gender and the type of asbestos they were exposed to.

An overwhelming majority of people diagnosed with mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases are in their 60s or 70s. They were exposed to asbestos in the workplace as adults and it took decades for their cancer to develop. Those diagnoses come after common symptoms of the disease persistent cough and difficulty breathing become nagging or debilitating.

Studies show lower exposure levels and shorter durations of exposure can lead to longer latency periods. Conversely, individuals with high levels of exposure for long periods of time have significantly shorter latency periods.

For most illnesses, a latency period begins when an individual is exposed to a virus or another illness-inducing entity and ends when the person begins experiencing symptoms that lead to a diagnosis.

Recent studies conflict on what affects latency period and what is merely associated, but most research agrees that the duration and intensity of exposure have a direct impact.

Exposure to extremely high levels of asbestos can lead to a shorter mesothelioma latency period, even if the duration of exposure is only a few months. Because of this, individuals at risk of having the shortest latency periods include first responders.

The latency period ends when symptoms finally begin and a doctor can diagnose the patient.

Some paramedics, firefighters and police officers who worked immediately after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks and during Hurricane Katrina have already developed mesothelioma from short-term, high-level exposure.

One paramedic worked near the World Trade Center for several months after Sept. 11, 2001. Although she had no other known exposure to the toxic mineral, she died from the disease less than five years later.

As years pass, medical experts expect to see an elevated amount of these cases in first responders. Many of these new patients are expected to have abnormally short latency periods, putting them among the 1 percent of mesothelioma patients who receive a diagnosis within 15 years of initial exposure.

Like exposure to high levels of asbestos, exposure for longer periods of time can also shorten the expected latency period. Consequently, people with a history of heavy occupational exposure typically experience shorter-than-average latency periods. One study found it was shortest in insulation workers, who experienced an average latency period of slightly less than 30 years.

Shorter latency periods are observed among people exposed to crocidolite asbestos. For example, workers and residents of the crocidolite mining district of Western Australia exhibited substantially shorter latency periods compared to people exposed to other fibers.

More than 75 occupations put workers at risk of asbestos exposure. Of these occupations, certain ones exposed workers to high concentrations of asbestos. People with extensive exposure to asbestos whether through short-term, high-concentration exposure or long-term, moderate-concentration exposure may exhibit shorter latency periods.

Some of these high-risk occupations include jobs in:

Secondhand asbestos exposure happens when someone directly exposed to asbestos accidentally exposes others to asbestos fibers remaining on their body or their clothing.

People who work with asbestos may bring the toxic fibers home on a regular basis, posing a threat to household members. This results in low-level asbestos exposure that is associated with longer latency periods than direct, heavy exposure.

In 1995, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health told Congress the health effects of household asbestos contamination were real and serious. They reported on family members who developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, asbestosis and other lung conditions.

Get help connecting with the nation's top mesothelioma doctors and cancer centers.

Certain characteristics of mesothelioma are correlated with the diseases latency period. For example, the cancers location and a patients age and gender are associated with varying latency periods.

Some researchers estimate the latency period is longest for pleural mesothelioma about 30 to 50 years while latency period for peritoneal mesothelioma typically falls between 20 and 40 years.

However, research is relatively inconclusive. A 2011 study reported a statistically insignificant difference in latency periods. In the study of 238 mesothelioma cases, researchers found a latency period of 49 years for pleural mesothelioma and 46 years for peritoneal mesothelioma.

The study also reported that women have an average latency period of 53 years, five years longer than men. Other studies similarly found women have longer latency periods.

Researchers hypothesize this is a result of overall lower exposure levels in women. Historically, men have been exposed to asbestos while working in occupations such as construction, power generation and manufacturing. These jobs exposed workers to heavy concentrations of asbestos for long durations.

Conversely, women were most often exposed secondhand, such as when handling their husbands work clothes. These were lower exposure doses that lasted for shorter periods of time, which is associated with longer latency periods.

Some researchers suspect age at the time of exposure may impact latency, but there are no studies investigating the science behind the potential connection.

The immune system functions less optimally as people age. Theoretically, the older someone is at the time of exposure, the harder it could be for the body to eliminate asbestos fibers or control the damage they cause, potentially leading to shortened latency.

For example, the theory goes that someone heavily exposed in their 40s or 50s could potentially develop mesothelioma within two decades instead of the typical three to five. It is challenging to pinpoint age as a factor in asbestos disease latency because it usually takes decades for asbestos to cause damage that leads to a diagnosis.

Symptoms of mesothelioma such as shortness of breath, chest pain and fatigue may not appear until the cancer is in later stages. Because asbestos exposure occurred so long ago in most cases, many patients overlook it when considering possible causes of their illness. They may ignore chest pain or difficulty breathing and assume these common symptoms are caused by something minor. In some cases, this could delay an accurate diagnosis, allowing the disease more time to progress.

Aside from the long time it takes for asbestos to cause disease, delayed onset of symptoms significantly contributes to late-stage diagnosis. For example, mesothelioma often doesnt cause noticeable symptoms until stage 3. By then, the cancer has spread into the chest cavity and is more difficult to treat.

This delayed onset of symptoms and late diagnosis is what most contributes to a poor mesothelioma prognosis for many people. Patients have the greatest chance at long-term survival when they are diagnosed in earlier stages of the disease and receive aggressive treatment aimed to put the cancer into remission. Treatments are more effective before cancer growth has spread, meaning an aggressive treatment plan has the greatest chance to work when administered early in the cancers development.

Seeking a second opinion from a mesothelioma specialist is highly recommended. These doctors have the most experience and use the latest treatment options to extend survival.

Some researchers believe the latency period of mesothelioma actually could be greater than the typically observed 20 to 50 years. They suggest that if people had naturally longer life spans, more cases of mesothelioma would develop if given the time.

In the past, an asbestos-exposed individual may have died of old age or unrelated health problems before the illness had sufficient time to develop.

However, people are now outliving the life expectancy of prior decades by about 10 years. In 1960, the average life expectancy was 69 years. The current life expectancy in the U.S. is around 78 years. From 1999 to 2008, 62 percent of new mesothelioma patients were 70 years or older.

As life expectancy continues to rise, researchers expect to observe correspondingly longer latency periods among mesothelioma patients.

What is Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

Mesothelioma, sometimes referred to as meso or mesothelioma cancer, is a form of cancermost often caused byasbestos, thataffects the smooth lining of the chest, lungs, heart, and abdomen. Thelayer of tissue surrounding these organsis made up of mesothelial cells, hence the name mesothelioma.

For more information on the risk factors associated with the development of mesothelioma, as well as the related risks of asbestos exposure, visit the Causes of Mesothelioma Page.

Mesothelioma forms a solid tumor that begins as a result of insult to the tissues caused by asbestos particles. These penetrate into the pleural cavity of the chest or into the abdomen. Mesothelioma most oftenforms in thepleural cavity of the chest or into the abdomen. The most common type of mesothelioma is pleural mesothelioma.

In its early stages, mesothelioma cancer is difficult to detect as it may start with a thickening of the pleural rind, or fluid which can be associated with many other conditions. This rind is normally thin and smooth in the non-diseased state. In time it begins to demonstrate progression forming a more pronounced irregular rind and nodules which coalesce into a crust that compresses and invades into adjacent structures compromising lung and cardiac function.

In the abdominal cavity it can invade into the liver and bowel rendering the patient inoperable. Peritoneal mesothelioma is often found coating the omentum described sometimes as a salt like sand like particles too numerous to count and impossible to remove without sacrificing the entire omentum. Involvement of the ovaries and fallopian tubes is not uncommon in women and often mesothelioma is confused with ovarian cancer. Once vital organs are involved or disease identified outside of the operative field, surgery is no longer an option and patients are referred to chemotherapy or clinical trials.

Figure E: Right pleural epithelial mesothelioma on chest wall and lung.Photo courtesy K. Brauch

For the vast majority of patients, as the tumor mass grows, once subtle symptoms will give way to weight loss, cough, respiratory infections, fatigue, shortness of breath, digestive and bowel problems and pain in the chest or abdomen, depending upon whether it is pleural or peritoneal. It may begin to weep fluid into the intracavitary space.In the chest cavitythis is called aneffusion and it fills the space where the lobes of the lung reside, next to the lining of the chest cavity, and often spreads into the area surrounding the heart creating symptoms similar to those observed in congestive heart failure. In peritoneal patients it is calledascites and it fills the abdomen bathing thevisceral organs with this malignant fluid.

Figure F: Epithelial mesothelioma on the diaphragm.

The symptoms of mesothelioma gradually become more noticeable, prompting the patient to seek a medical consultation.By this time the progression of the disease may already be too advancedas the tumor may have spread to the lymph nodes and/or begun to metastasize to remote organs of the body like the brain, spleen, liver or kidneys. Metastatic mesothelioma is considered late stage and incurable, given the current state of treatments. It is widely reported that only 10-20% of patients with pleural mesothelioma are diagnosed early enough for surgical intervention, the rest are referred on to palliative care.No such figures have been reported in peritoneal mesothelioma.

Want to learn more about mesothelioma and the link between asbestos and cancer? Contact the Meso Foundation for more information, news and support.

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What is Mesothelioma? Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation

Mesothelioma Prognosis, Life Expectancy, and Next Steps

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

A mesothelioma prognosis reflects how certain factors may impact your life expectancy and affect your chances of recovery. The average life expectancy for a person diagnosed with mesothelioma ranges from 12 to 21 months depending how advanced the disease is. Factors that affect prognosis include the cell type, stage, and location of thedisease.

More and more patients are living even longer because of better treatments and advances in research. The best way patients can take control of their prognosis is by seeking out an experienced mesothelioma specialist. Get in touch a member of our Patient Help Team to get connected with a mesotheliomaexpert.

Treatments That Can Improve YourPrognosis

Multimodal therapy: This type of therapy combines several types of treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation. Using more than one type of treatment typically kills more mesothelioma cells than one treatmentalone.

Surgery: Although not all patients are eligible, surgery offers the best chances of removing mesothelioma from the body. A study released in 2015 showed that patients who had pleurectomy with intraoperative radiation had a median survival time of 2 years and 4months.

Clinical trials: Recruiting clinical trials offer unique, experimental treatments when other options have been exhausted. Patients who have exhausted all of their treatment options can turn to clinical trials for moreoptions.

Mesothelioma survivors have outlived their prognoses by exploring all their treatment options. Multimodal treatments and clinical trials often offer the best chances for patients to beat their prognosis.

"When hope is in the equation, anything is possible."

Factors Affecting Your Prognosis

Certain factors determine your prognosis some of these you can control directly, while others require treatment from mesothelioma specialist.

Factors that arent under your control:

Factors that under your control:

Improving Your Prognosis

The prognosis for mesothelioma is shorter than many other types of cancer, but every patient can take concrete actions to help them live longer. Improving your prognosis begins with accepting what you can't change and knowing what you can change.

Get treatment from an experienced doctor: Mesothelioma is a very rare disease, and few oncologists are truly experienced treating the disease. Specialists experienced in treating patients with mesothelioma is a must if you wish to improve your prognosis. Seeking help from a mesothelioma specialist is the most important step you can take to improve your prognosis.

Seek a second opinion: Patients who take control of their diagnosis get the best treatment, and this is often accomplished by getting a second opinion. Not all doctors will perform the same procedures or offer the same treatments. Patients who get a second opinion may learn that a different doctor is more capable of treating them. Good doctors encourage their patients to seek second opinions.

Participate in clinical trials: Clinical trials play an essential role in the development of new treatments, some of which may lead to a cure in the future. Every traditional mesothelioma treatment started as a clinical trial. Participating in a clinical trial gives you to access new treatments and expands your options. Some survivors have a clinical trial to thank for their lives.

Live a healthy lifestyle: You can help improve your prognosis by eating healthy and getting plenty of exercise. The stronger your body is, the better it is equipped to fight the disease. A healthy immune system can also help you recover from side effects caused by major treatments, like surgery or chemotherapy, and improve your overall quality of life.

About Survival Rates

Survival rates are part of your prognosis, but it's important to remember that they are just numbers. Doctors use survival rate statistics to help determine the prognosis of their patients depending on the factors of their condition.

No matter the survival rates associated with your diagnosis, there are exceptions to the rule mesothelioma survivors have proven that it's possible to outlive a prognosis.

You may see mesothelioma survival rates as a 5-year percentage, or for a specific amount of years and months. Five year rates show the percentage of patients who survived 5 years after they were diagnosed, and specific years or months reflect how long a patient survived after they were diagnosed or received treatment.

According to the most recent statistics from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the current 5-year survival rates for mesothelioma are:

Your doctor may also relate your survival rate to the cancer stage and location of the mesothelioma. For example, stage 2 mesothelioma patients have a better prognosis than stage 4 patients, and patients with mesothelioma originating in the abdomen have a better prognosis than patients with pleural mesothelioma.

Survival rate statistics also are also specific to the cell type and location of mesothelioma. Depending on how far the cancer spreads, doctors may have limited options when removing it with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.

Earlystage mesothelioma hasnt spread as far as advancedstage mesothelioma, and is easier to remove. If you have a history of asbestos exposurethe only known cause of mesothelioma getting diagnosed as soon as possible may allow you more treatment options, and give you a better chance to improve your prognosis.

Understanding Your Prognosis

Your survival rate is based on statistics researchers gather from the experiences of patients in the past its not an exact prediction of your future. Doctors use such statistics to help explain how your diagnosis may affect your health, quality of life, and treatment options. To start improving your prognosis, seek treatment from a doctor who has experience with mesothelioma patients. He or she will confirm your diagnosis, and create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

Our Patient Help Team can have a conversation with you about your diagnosis, and can help connect you to experienced doctorsfor free. Speak with a member of our team and get started on improving your prognosis.

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Mesothelioma Prognosis, Life Expectancy, and Next Steps

Questions for Head of Department Interview | One Damn Thing

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

These are some questions that I have gleaned from the web. This page used to contain toe-curling answers that I worked out in my head from my first years of teaching. I had to remove them for my own self respect.

Openers that are supposed to be easy, but are actually hard!

Why St Bogwaldss school?

Why do you want to lead a history department?

Why are you the best person for this position?

What are the skills, experiences and attributes that make you the ideal candidate for this position?

How will we notice that youre head of department?

What do you think History contributes to the school ethos?

Management

How will you motivate your staff?

How will you improve the teaching and learning?

What would you do if a senior member of your team was falling down in some area of practice, or refusing to implement a department policy?

Exam performance

How could you improve our Value Added scores / raw grades at GCSE?

How could you improve take-up at GCSE?

Data

What are the formal ways in which you can find out about the performance of your department/faculty?

And the informal ways of doing this?

You might have seen school data they could ask you what it suggests to you.

How will you use pupil data to improve attainment?

What will you do with your findings from data?

What kinds of actions and interventions can data inform?

How would you deal with underachiving boys (esp D grade students at GCSE)

How would you use data like CAT, SAT, G + T internally produced info to raise achiev within the dept?

What one change would you introduce to improve results within the dept?

Teaching and Learning

What were the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson you taught in the morning or a recently taught lesson

Whats the role of pupil voice in improving teaching and learning in a department?

How would you improve teaching and learning in a history department?

How could ICT play a role in raising achievement in History?

How would you develop a team ethos within the History department?

Your future

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hard Questions that I should ask!

Themore experience I get, I find that successful candidates are those that can express ideas in terms of those set out below:

Key Stage 3

Key Stage Four

Look at the data for this years Yr11 are there any areas of knowledge or exam technique that can be re-addressed now so as to give them more chance in the finals?

Are there any groups in exam years that are struggling? What do you need to do to improve their understanding?

Planning schemes of work and integrating practice papers, knowledge tests and skills practice at GCSE level.

I have put some ads on this page because it is visited so often by those who dont need to look at the rest of the site. I hoping it will make some contribution to the hosting fees for the rest of the site.

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Questions for Head of Department Interview | One Damn Thing

Amendment V

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

The final phrases of the Fifth Amendment established the limitations on the principle of eminent domain. In the 20th century, the Fifth Amendment became most noted for its prohibition of forced self-incriminating testimony, and "I plead the Fifth" became a catchphrase for the amendment.

This application of the amendment is, however, uncontroversial and has not figured prominently in Supreme Court decisions. Much less clear is the meaning of the due process provision. A century ago, it was often argued that the Fifth Amendment prohibition against depriving an individual of liberty meant that the right to enter into contracts, which represents a liberty, is infringed when government regulations fix such things as minimum wages. This interpretation of due process has generally fallen out of favor.

Ratified in 1791

See Table of Amendments.

What Does the Sixth Amendment Mean? To Whom Does it Apply?, Gideon v. Wainwright, Landmark Supreme Court CasesHe thought that amendment was one of the most important amendments. Others disagreed with him, arguing that because many state constitutions had their own Bills of Rights, it would not be necessary to protect citizens from abuse at the hands of ...http://www.landmarkcases.org/gideon/sixth.html

ARTICLE VState, 99 Nev. 149, at 150, 659 P.2d 878 (1983), State v. Eighth Judicial Dist. Court, 100 Nev. 90, at 104, 677 P.2d 1044 (1984), dissenting opinion, Kelch v. Director, Dept of Prisons, 10 F.3d 684, at 686 (9th Cir. 1993), Wicker v. State, 111 Nev. http://www.nevada-history.org/article_5.html

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Amendment V

Atlas Shrugged Part III: Who Is John Galt? – Wikipedia

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Danzig

Atlas Shrugged Part III: Who Is John Galt? is a 2014 American science fiction drama film based on Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged. It is the third installment in the Atlas Shrugged film series and the sequel to the 2012 film Atlas Shrugged: Part II, continuing the story where its predecessor left off. The release, originally set for July 4, 2014,[4] occurred on September 12, 2014.[1] The film used a completely different cast and crew from the first two in the series. [5]

The owner of the 20th-century Motor Company has died and his children have taken over, with a new plan to operate the company: that everyone work as hard as he can, but that salaries be "based on need". A lab engineer named John Galt objects and announces, "I'll stop the motor of the world."

Twelve years later, the economy of the United States spirals downward. Shortages have grounded airlines and returned the railroads to dominance; over-regulation has led to financial disaster. Galt seems to be behind the disappearances of corporate executives and other experts. The latest disappearance is that of Dagny Taggart, the executive officer of the largest railroad company, Taggart Transcontinental. She had chased Galt in a private plane and crashed hers.

Dagny has reached Galt's Gulch, and Galt himself rescues her from the crashed plane. She meets several "disappeared" achievers, such as banker Midas Mulligan, who say they quit after coming to believe that government was enslaving them. On the outside, government develops a classified new weapon called "Project F" and nationalizes the railroads, including Taggart Transcontinental.

The public grows increasingly frustrated with the central planning, comes to view Galt as the solution, and holds rallies calling for him to reform the government. Thompson, the Head of State,[6] offers Galt a job in the government, but Galt rebuffs the offer. Later, the government tortures Galt using the power of "Project F". However, others from the gulch arrive to free him and they escape back to their refuge.

In an interview with Bill Frezza of Forbes, the producer John Aglialoro mentioned that the film would include a short dialogue between the heroine Dagny Taggart and a priest, a character which he said Rand struggled with and ultimately cut out of the original book.[8] This scene did not appear in the final cut.

A month prior to the release of Part I, Aglialoro suggested that Part III might be made into a musical.[9] In 2013 he promised to create "something closer to the book," and predicted that critics would pan the film.[10] In a YouTube promotional piece where organizers discussed the film, he asserted that it was vital for the team to have a director who is professional, collaborative, and knows Rand's work: "I don't care if I've got to fire five directors that's fine. We're going to get it right."[11]

The film was directed by J. James Manera, whose experience included directing a documentary in 2010 and a 1996 episode of the television show Nash Bridges.[12] The cinematographer was Gale Tattersall.

David Kelley, founder of The Atlas Society and an expert on the philosophical themes of Atlas Shrugged, consulted on the script, as he did for Parts I and II.[13]

As with the second part, a new set of actors was cast to play the major characters.[14] Former Congressman and Presidential candidate Ron Paul, and network commentators Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity, played themselves giving responses to John Galt's speech.[15]

The trade press reported that filming began in January 2014,[1] after the film posted on Facebook that its target start date was Autumn 2013.[16] The budget was partially funded by a Kickstarter campaign that raised $446,907 against a goal of $250,000.[17]

On July 9, 2014, a sneak preview was shown at the Anthem Film Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.[18]

The film opened on September 12, 2014 on 242 screens and grossed $461,179 during its opening weekend.[19] Total gross was $851,690 against a budget of $5,000,000.[3]

The film holds a 0% at review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 10 reviews for an average rating of 1.4/10.[20] On Metacritic, the film has a 9/100 rating based on 7 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".[21] Alan Scherstuhl of the Village Voice wrote: "Rand's parable is meant to showcase just how much our world needs the best of us, but this adaptation only does so accidentally by revealing what movies would be like if none of the best of us worked on them."[22]

Writing for the Austin Chronicle, Louis Black said "In 1949, when Warner Bros. filmed The Fountainhead, Rand threatened to burn down the studio if they compromised her novel. I'd like to think that if she were alive she'd be looking for lighter fluid for this one."[5]

Atlas Shrugged: Part III was nominated for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel at the 35th Golden Raspberry Awards.[23]

May 13, 2018 – The Ascension of the Lord

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Danzig

Brothers and sisters:May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelationresulting in knowledge of him.May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,what are the riches of gloryin his inheritance among the holy ones,and what is the surpassing greatness of his powerfor us who believe,in accord with the exercise of his great might,which he worked in Christ,raising him from the deadand seating him at his right hand in the heavens,far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,and every name that is namednot only in this age but also in the one to come.And he put all things beneath his feetand gave him as head over all things to the church,which is his body,the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

But grace was given to each of usaccording to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it says:He ascended on high and took prisoners captive;he gave gifts to men.What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descendedinto the lower regions of the earth?The one who descended is also the one who ascendedfar above all the heavens,that he might fill all things.

And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets,others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,for building up the body of Christ,until we all attain to the unity of faithand knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood,to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Brothers and sisters,I, a prisoner for the Lord,urge you to live in a manner worthy of the callingyou have received,with all humility and gentleness, with patience,bearing with one another through love,striving to preserve the unity of the Spiritthrough the bond of peace:one body and one Spirit,as you were also called to the one hope of your calling;one Lord, one faith, one baptism;one God and Father of all,who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of usaccording to the measure of Christ's gift.

May 13, 2018 - The Ascension of the Lord

Childless and Childfree Marriages and Divorce | Divorce Source

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Danzig

Most observers believe that many marital failures have what is termed masked breakdowns where the couple keeps up a front for the sake of the children.

Some 27 percent of divorces involve no children, but only 9 percent of marriages are childless. Childless marriages always appear more prone to breakdown, especially if failure results from of a lack of desire for children. This may reflect the temperament of childless couples and the unwillingness of a responsible couple to have children when they feel their marriage buckling. Absent children, however, there less need to stay together.

Couples without children divorce more often than couples that have at least one child, according to researchers, despite numerous studies that marital happiness nosedives in the first year or two after the birth of a child and sometimes never quite recoups.

The terms childless and childfree carry affective and in some cases, political connotations. Childless refers to people who have no children due to biological problems or genetics, waiting too long to have a child, a failed relationship, an illness preventing conception, unsuccessful fertility treatments, not finding a suitable partner, or not having the means to raise a child. People often cannot have the children they may once planned. Some childless individuals move forward with no children in their lives; others struggle along a path they had not anticipated. For the childless, infertility can be a source of great sorrow. Childfree refers to people who decided not to bear children. Their lives do not include procreation. Childhood influences, life satisfaction without kids, the lack of desire, enjoyment of ones freedom, environmental concerns, financial concerns all motivate some people to take a pass on parenthood. The fact remains, whatever the reason, being childfree is a good option for many. For the childfree, the absence of offspring is cause for joy.

Years ago, sociologist Paul H. Jacobson documented that divorce is more frequent among marriages without children: For couples without children, the divorce rate in 1948 was 15.3 per 1,000. Where one child was present, the estimate rate was 11.6 per 1,000. The figure thus continues to decrease, and in families with four or more children, it was 4.6. Altogether, the rate for couples with children was 8.8 per 1,000. In other words, the rate for childless couples was almost double the rate for families with children.

More recently, according to journalist Anneli Rufus, whose number crunching discovered that of the divorced couples in the United States, 66 percent are childless compared with 40 percent who have kids. Evidently, the absence of children leads to loneliness and weariness.

On the other hand, others say that marriages without children may be more satisfying to the spouses. Ive been tracking the childfree for over 10 years now, and see many, many happily married childfree couples out there, says Laura Carroll, who blogs at La Vie Childfree and is the author of Families of Two: Interviews with Happily Married Couples Without Children by Choice.

Couples without kids have more time, energy and money to spend on their careers, friends, each other and themselves. According to recent surveys, one for No Kidding!, an international social group for people without children, and one by Laura S. Scott, author of Two is Enough: A Couples Guide to Living Childless by Choice, couples often decide not to have kids because they want to put their relationship first.

This raises the question why more couples without children end up splitting.

People assume children are the glue that holds a marriage together, which really isnt true. Kids are huge stressors, says Scott. Despite that, there is a strong motive to stay together. The childfree dont have that motive so theres no reason to stay together if its not working.

Says Lori Buckley, a certified sex therapist, A lot of couples come into my office and the only reason they are working on the relationship is because of the children.

Absent children, divorce is often easier, legally and financially if not necessarily emotionally. The parties focus on the terms and conditions of property division; no custody issues, no family court, no Parental Alienation Syndrome. Some states even make it almost a breeze; in Tennessee, for example, couples with children meet higher standards to divorce than those without children. In Virginia, couples with children face a mandatory waiting period of about a year before they can get a divorce; those without children often have to wait about six months.

Not all the childfree are intentionally childfree couples, Scott discovered in her research after talking to hundreds of couples. Many are postponers who delay parenthood. Sometimes couples delay to the point that fertility problems arise. Then the question of When should we have kids? morphs into Should we have kids? Scott says, forcing couples to explore other ways to have a baby, such as adoption, surrogates or in vitro fertilization (IVF). That, she says, can be extremely stressful and can lead to a fracture that a couple cant get past. In fact, many infertility specialists recommend marital counseling.

If one partner desperately wants to try to have a child and one partner might not put as high a priority on it, that could be a deal breaker, she says. Often a couple hasnt discussed what point they stop trying how much money, how much time, how many procedures. Many women often feel like failures and feel less close to their partners; for many men, the fertility process can turn sex into anything other than pleasure. I hear from men who say, This isnt fun anymore. I feel like Im sperm on demand,' Scott says.

If couples cant agree, theyre more likely to split.

Fewer people believe children are essential to a happy marriage, according to a 2007 survey by the Pew Research Center. About 65 percent of us believed they were back in 1990, but just 41 percent of us believe that now. About 7 percent of Millennials those born in or after 1982 say they dont want kids and 19 percent arent sure. But if that 19 percent waits too long, they may be the next crop of infertile, and perhaps divorced, couples.

A lot of people dont have the kid conversation before they get married. They just assume parenthood, Scott says.

It is difficult to say definitely whether children actually contribute to marital breakdown; however, it is possible to make a tentative generalization based on the comments of many married parents. Almost without exception parents believe that children enhanced a strong marriage but probably dealt the deathblow to a floundering marriage. Children may make a good marriage better, but they make a bad one worse, or as novelist Peter de Vries said, The value of marriage is not that adults produce children but that children produce adults.

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Childless and Childfree Marriages and Divorce | Divorce Source

Home | Childfree Women UK & Ireland

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Danzig

We're a private website, meaning that your content here is only visible to other approved, logged-in members of our network. 'Content' encompasses anything you publishon our pages- for example, profileicon, profileanswers, forumposts, groupsyou create, eventsyou attend, etc.

Each of our profile questions requires an answer as part of the registration process in order for your membership to be approved. This is for the safety of all members.We can't force ID checks on everyone as that would exclude anyone who can't pay the fee, so making it mandatory for you to tell us a bit about yourself upon signupis our way of vetting applicants and deterring trolls. We need everyone to play ball for it to work, but we're not asking you to bare all - we just want to get a sense of who you are, and see genuine indicators that you identify as a happilychildfree womanand that this topic means something to you. You can amend and/or make any of your answers invisible at any time after your membership hasbeen approved.

We also require that you upload a profile iconsooner or later. This is again for the safety of all members as part of our 'human check' to deter spammers and imposters. Youriconcan either be a photo of you, or an image ofsomething meaningful to or representative of you -for example, your pets, your favourite flower, a holiday landscape, a piece of art you've made, etc. Profiles without an icon will not show up in Member Search results, so it's worth having one in order to get the most out of our service. A uniqueprofile iconalso has generaladvantages socially by making your profile appear more approachable and trustworthy to potential new friends, and aneye-catching image can serveas a conversationstarter when other members are reading your profile.

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Home | Childfree Women UK & Ireland

GamCare – the UK’s national organisation for gambling …

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Danzig

Is problem gambling affecting you, or those close to you?

GamCare is the leading national provider of information, advice, support and free treatment for anyone affected by problem gambling. Our expert services are confidential andnon-judgemental.

We apologise for any inconvenience, however our Chatrooms are temporarily unable to run due to a fault with our software.

One of the most common results of a gambling problem is debt, and yet debt is also used by many gamblers as a reason for their continued gambling. It plays a complex and contradictory role at the heart of the gambling experience for many of the people that we speak to. If debt has become a problem for you as a result of your gambling.

GamCare offers free, impartial and confidential advice and support about a gambling problem. Our advisers are available to talk from 8am to midnight every day of the year. Whether you are struggling with the effects of gambling issues of your own, or of someone close to you, we are here for you.

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GamCare - the UK's national organisation for gambling ...

GERM WARFARE – Carpet Cleaning and Upholstery Cleaning

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Danzig

SERVICING THE TREASURE VALLEY SINCE 2009

The team at Germ Warfare Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning LLC, formerly Georges Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, stands behind the companys founding principles of quality of service, integrity of character, devotion to customers, and trustworthiness. Germ Warfare is a locally owned, family-operated company with over 20 years of experience in the field! Under the name of Georges Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, the same people have been servicing the Treasure Valley since 2009. Our customers, both current and future, will continue to appreciate the expertise and excellent quality and care that they have come to love under Georges.

We utilize the extremely powerful HydraMaster 4.8 Salsa truck-mount system. This unit specializes in providing powerful, reliable cleaning by capitalizing upon the power produced by a V-8 engine! The Salsa system on our unit is the hottest blower heat exchanger on the market and produces working temperatures as high as 235F. What this means for customerswe are able to provide the deepest cleaning possible and extract efficiently, thoroughly, and effectively.

Those searching for amazing customer service and the absolute highest quality in cleaning should call

Germ Warfare Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning208-463-7722

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GERM WARFARE - Carpet Cleaning and Upholstery Cleaning

Cryptocurrency News: XRP Validators, Malta, and Practical Tokens

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Danzig

Cryptocurrency News & Market Summary
Investors finally saw some light at the end of the tunnel last week, with cryptos soaring across the board. No one quite knows what kicked off the rally—as it could have been any of the stories we discuss below—but the net result was positive.

Of course, prices won’t stay on this rocket ride forever. I expect to see a resurgence of volatility in short order, because the market is moving as a single unit. Everything is rising in tandem.

This tells me that investors are simply “buying the dip” rather than identifying which cryptos have enough real-world value to outlive the crash.

So if you want to know when.

The post Cryptocurrency News: XRP Validators, Malta, and Practical Tokens appeared first on Profit Confidential.

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Cryptocurrency News: XRP Validators, Malta, and Practical Tokens

Ron Paul, former presidential candidate, tweets racist and …

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Danzig

Ron Paul at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, Aug. 28, 2012. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

(JTA) Former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul tweeted and then deleted a racist and anti-Semitic cartoon that he said was meant to explain cultural Marxism.

The cartoon shows four caricatures of different ethnicities including a Jewish man with a hooked nose, a black man with exaggerated lips, an Asian man with slanted eyes and a man who looks like a Neanderthal punching a cartoon of Uncle Sam with a shared red fist emblazoned with a hammer and sickle. The four men are shouting Cultural Marxism.

The beginning of the tweet reads Are you stunned by what has become of American culture?

Are you confused as to how every moral principle could be turned on its head so quickly?

Well, its not an accident.

Youve probably heard of Cultural Marxism, but do you know what it means?

Though Paul deleted the image, it had already been saved by several social media users as a screenshot.

Paul, a former congressman from Texas, later tweeted and posted on Facebook the same rant against cultural Marxism but replaced the cartoon with the words Political Correctness overlaid with the no symbol, a red circle with a line through it.

Are you stunned by what has become of American culture?Are you confused as to how every moral principle could be

Posted by Ron Paul onMonday, July 2, 2018

The termCultural Marxism has become a racist dog whistle claiming that the flood of nonwhite immigrants into America and Europe is causing a cultural decline.

The racist cartoon was created by doctoring an anti-imperialism, pro-communism cartoon by superimposing the racist and anti-Semitic images.

Paul was roundly criticized on social media for the image. Some draw parallels between the image and Nazi propaganda, according to The Hill.

In 2011, reporters exposed racist newsletters that had been sent out in Ron Pauls name in the late 1980s and early 1990s, such asRon Pauls Political Report, Ron Pauls Freedom Report, theRon Paul Survival Reportand theRon Paul Investment Letter. The newsletters also had come to light during the 2008 campaign, when Paul said that he didnt actually write the newsletters and they did not represent his views, but because they carried his name he was morally responsible for their content.

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Ron Paul, former presidential candidate, tweets racist and ...

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