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People are 'less concerned' about drug problems, and that can be a good thing
Americans Less Concerned About Drugs Than Ever: Poll
Sixty-five percent of Americans say that drug problems in the U.S. are "extremely" or "very serious," according to a Gallup poll released Friday.
That's the lowest level of concern the firm has found since it first asked the question 16 years ago, and it comes at a time when the county is experiencing what many experts have described as an "epidemic" of opioid overdose deaths.
Gallup attributes the drop in concern about drug problems nationally to younger adults, "who have never known a time when drugs were among the most prominent issues on the national landscape," such as during the Reagan administration's "Just Say No" campaign. "They have also come of age at a time when Americans, particularly those in their age cohort, support legalizing marijuana."
I would say it also has something to do with the work of drug policy reformers, who have actively and constantly countered both the stereotypes and the propaganda of drug warriors.
And there's the reason that this lowering of concern, which I would also consider an increase in actual knowledge, is so good. It means that politicians and those who feed off the drug war trough now have a tougher time using "drug fear" to get what they want.
It used to be that all they had to do was say the word "drugs" and the Supreme Court, Congress, and the American people would bend over and relinquish rights, justice, and common sense. Perhaps that era has passed.
October 29th, 2016 by Pete | Permalink
42 comments to People are 'less concerned' about drug problems, and that can be a good thing
kaptinemo
I'd say that there were other concerns for those politicians as well, such as the economy. It is becoming clearer to more people that the DrugWar is as I've always called it: a 'rich man's hobby'. And a country that has to decide on whether to buy groceries or pay their premium on ObamaCare isn't rich, anymore.
Notice something, lately? How often do you hear the words 'disposable income' on the nightly news? They are hardly mentioned anymore in the LameStream Media, and for good reason, as it is virtually non-existent, save at the tippy-top of the economic pyramid.
And yet, from a national budget sense, that's the only thing maintaining the DrugWar, the mistaken belief – or illusion – that we as a nation can still afford it. The reality has never been plainer that can't. The fiscal chickens are coming home to roost, and they have razor sharp stainless steel beaks.
As predicted here so long ago, the economy is pulling the fiscal belt tighter to the point even the most demi-conscious, Pavlovian supporters of the DrugWar are dimly realizing that the money could go to better things…like the public support that so many are now on thanks to that same crappy economy.
As was said here long ago, 'When it gets personal, it gets done'. The waste of taxpayer dollars on prohibition when formerly-employed Joe Blow needs those dollars for his food stamps is getting awfully personal.
And given the obvious economic boost legal cannabis has given Colorado, passing legalization referenda that use that rationale is more likely, especially in States that are feeling that economic belt-tightening. This issue, which those in power have been able to avoid for so long, is being pushed forward into the public mind in ways that are unavoidable. Because there's only a couple of notches left on that belt before things get explosive.
JustOneHorse
And those iron chickens with razor sharp stainless steel beaks really do exist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfsMZKwqw3w
Servetus
Views of seriousness with regard to illegal drugs can be equated to hysteria. Mass hysteria is associated with a rise, a peak, and a decline. It's like tyranny, as tyranny never lasts. Tyrants die or get replaced, and revolutionaries are always hard at work undermining a tyrant's toxic mix of social and legal policies. With time and patience, the revolutionaries succeed.
An important point to note about hysteria is that it's episodic. Throughout history pathological hysterias have been correlated with social catastrophes, only to subside and break out again with the next catastrophe. Examples include that of well-poisoning hysterias that caused communities to scapegoat lepers and Jews and burn them at the stake. Well-poisoning hysterias occurred in 1321 following the Albigensian Crusade, and again in 1348 beginning with Europe's bubonic plague epidemic. (see David Nirnberg — Communities of Violence: Persecution of Minorities in the Middle Ages, 1998.) We have modern examples of alleged well poisonings here, along with issues about the use of well and spring water for marijuana production.
Many drug wars have existed throughout history, including those conducted by Roman men against women, and later by Christians operating under the Inquisitions who used prohibitions of local, ethnic, botanical substances to repress and enslave indigenous people in Central and South America. Anslinger's, Nixon's, and Reagan's drug wars are part of a long historical list of political devices consisting of dual purpose laws that tyrants find useful for repressing or eliminating certain groups of people. As drug hysterias come and go, we're seeing it go—for now. A better approach in the future would be to recognize mass hysteria at its outset and abort it before it causes further damage.
WalStMonky
A Conservative is a fellow who is standing athwart history yelling 'Stop!' — William F. Buckley, Jr.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?417277-4/washington-journal-john-hudak-marijuana-legalization-ballot-measures
8:30am Washington Journal Oct.31
On Fresh Air– NPR radio transcript not yet up.
https://www.brookings.edu/book/marijuana-a-short-history/
Transcript up now.
http://www.npr.org/2016/10/12/497586908/how-the-cannabis-catch-22-keeps-marijuana-classified-as-a-harmful-drug
To add concern to this Halloween season the American Chemical Society brings us Death by Gummy Bears, a public health warning featuring the chemistry education series: Reactions–This is Chemistry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNOycTzN-fg&feature=youtu.be
The LD-50 toxicity level for sugar is neatly explained (yes, it has one), making the standardized toxicology concept of LD-50 understandable to the lay public for other substances; for example, heroin.
What's interesting about death by sugar overdose is that Gummy Bears containing THC would likely prevent the average sugar junkie from OD'ing, as the individual would fall asleep before reaching the minimum sugar toxicity or LD-50, thus preventing further sugar intake, and death. The dosage feature would work for children as well, making THC infused Gummy Bears safer than a straight up fatal shot of sugar.
Adding THC to Gummy Bears is also more moral than adding aviation fuel to ethyl alcohol to denature it and make it undrinkable, a method that's resulted in 10,000+ deaths over the years. This means Kevin Sabet will need to focus his anti-drug propaganda on the dangers of Big Sucrose if he's going to increase concern among parents with further fear mongering about Gummy Bears. He might even consider prohibiting Halloween, as it's said Halloween candy can damage a kid's teeth and lead them to try harder stuff, such as dextrose.
Catholic priests will still be free to sexually abuse little boys if adults can legally purchase and consume cannabis. And despite residents having a toke in the privacy of their homes, the Church will still frighten its members into increasing their tithes, and the USCCB will still attempt to control and dominate all American women. No reefer decriminalization will impact the Catholic ministry, but it will drastically reduce the number of people being arrested and imprisoned for marijuana possession, free up law enforcement to pursue nasty pedophile priests, and relieve America's over-burdened judicial system.
http://tinyurl.com/NastyCatholicPedophilesAgainst
That is one powerful piece. If the members of a congregation wish to donate to influence an election, as private citizens, they have that right. A 'religion' is granted certain rights such as not paying taxes, in exchange for which they must keep to themselves. By interfering in an election, they have breached that social contract. If any 'religion' uses its members' money to influence an election, it should lose its status as a 'religion', including being taxed as a regular business.
Don'tCry
In 2015, Haslam lost his battle with cancer.
One month later, Kapalos quit her high profile media job.
In both his life and death, Haslam became the catalyst for Kapalos' documentary, "A Life of Its Own", — a film that provides clarity and understanding around medicinal cannabis — and something she describes as coinciding with a point in her life that she felt was an inevitable exit from media.
"I wanted to tell Dan's story — the whole story — and the bigger issues that existed within it," Kapalos said.
http://tinyurl.com/KapalosDocu
Pete, you have just regurgitated two articles in a row containing blatant propaganda about so-called "opioid overdose". To follow the links in these articles is to bear witness to the methodology of propaganda making. As I said recently, this behaviour confirms you are a propagandist (along with Tom Angel). You are a propagandist because you know it is not true. The longer I read DrugWarrant, the more it confirms to me that you and the majority of your readers are exactly like the "prohibs" you claim to despise. The "prohibs" have their drug taking (alcohol, tobacco and caffeine) protected by law and engage in oppression of others who are engaging in exactly the same behaviour, except with different substances. The cannabis lobby fights for the "legalisation" of THEIR drug (cannabis) using the same oppressive methods used by the "prohibs" (propaganda about opioids). This amounts to nothing less than oppression (some would say violence) of other drug takers by the cannabis legalisation lobby: exactly the same behaviour that the cannabis lobby spends its life complaining about being the victim of. Disgusting behaviour and depressingly unceasing.
Matt, don't forget to blame the commies for OD propaganda as well, FYI, "Severity of opiate intoxication to gender and age" by S. Shigeev, Department of Forensic Medicine Faculty of Medicine People's Friendship University of Russia, Moscow:
The paper presents the toxicological characteristics of 198 cases of acute parenteral heroin intoxication in the whole range of concentrations of their metabolites, which are encountered in practice. An attempt was made to estimate the risk of death within possible blood morphine concentrations in acute heroin intoxication, by taking into account gender- and age-related differences. The median lethal morphine concentration (LD50) has been found to greatly differ in males (0.78 microg/ml) and females (0.98 microg/ml) and in those aged under (0.39 microg/ml) and above (1.50 microg/ml) 25 years. At the age under 25 years, most victims show nearly the same response in the narrow range of concentrations (LD50 = 0.39 microg/ml; LD100 = 1.57 microg/ml); in persons above 25 years of age, there are great individual differences in their sensitivity to the concentration of a toxic substance (LD50 = 1.50 micro/ml; LD100 = 3.90 microg/ml).
Exactly right. To assert that the LD50 for morphine is 0.78 micrograms per millilitre is so absurd as to be beyond laughable. Terminally ill patients have blood morphine levels in the range of 0.5 to 3.
DC Reade
Matt, that LD50 estimate of .78 micrograms per milliliter is for an LD50, like it says. Not an "LD100."
An LD50 amount is the quantity required to constitute a lethal dose for 50% of a given species population. An LD50 amount is approximate, not exactly precise. But it's in the near vicinity. A closer approximation than Russian roulette.
Of course people who use opiates regularly, as with some terminal cancer patients, are usually able to sustain higher body loads of opiates. Regular users typically develop a physical tolerance, that's well-known. In fact, the fact of opiate tolerance is as indisputable as the phenomenon of lethal overdose from opioids, opiates, and opium. But even at that, the latitude provided by tolerance is not all that great.
I support decriminalization of all personal drugs possession. I support heroin maintenance clinics (for addicts only.) But don't condemn me for declining to support a commercial OTC market in a product as inherently risky and unsafe as the opioids.
The current success of cannabis legalization is the result of decades of sustained effort. If you want legalized opiates, organize and get your own movement. Don't go off on some passive-aggressive rant, whining about the fact that others aren't doing it for you.
But there's a distinction in drug sensitivity noted in the Russian paper based on age. If other stats say people burn out on heroin addiction in their 30's, and those who don't dry out die out, then we're looking at more subcategories that fall within particular age groups.
The variations in LD50 and LD100 based on age are presumably based on differences or changes in the human metabolism. These differences appear to be a real problem for heroin users. The elephant in the room appears to be that nearly everyone's metabolism differs in some ways (mine certainly does), and it varies with age. Another problem, or variable, rests on the likely chance heroin users are not educated in advance in the science of toxicology.
Other variables emerge in understanding usage, such as the fact that teenagers are neurologically wired for taking risks — an evolutionary adaptive response, but one with a nominal death toll that ultimately benefits the group as a whole with new knowledge of what is impossible.
Matthew Meyer
There are certainly strains of cannabis reform discourse that seek to demonize the "real drug users" in order to draw a distinction between cannabis and other psychoactive substances, and to suggest that law enforcement should "go after" some other group instead.
Most often, in my area, they point to methamphetamine, but heroin appears frequently, too.
So I agree there's a basis for Matt's perspective, but I disagree that Pete and his Couch are doing this in any significant way. If most current efforts are focused on cannabis, it's because of its popularity and because of the clear injustice of its prohibition.
I do think we who support reform are likely to find ourselves divided, after federal cannabis prohibition falls, about where else our efforts should be directed.
I support decriminalization of opiates, but I think the next big frontier of reform should be psychedelics.
DC Reade: This is what you have said:"…is as indisputable as the phenomenon of lethal overdose from opioids, opiates, and opium." Well its not true. You don't understand the situation or you have a motive for telling a falsehood. The statement you have made is totally unsupported by evidence. There is only evidence to prove that what you have said is incorrect. If I ask for evidence to back up the statement you have made, nothing will be provided, because there is no evidence. It (fatalities with an opioid component) is NOT 'overdose'. Tolerance plays no part in it. If a fatality is substance related, it is taking MULTIPLE drugs and becoming so sedated that airway obstruction results. Even a substantial "overdose" of (only) opiates does not result in this phenomenon (clinically proven).
It has nothing to do with passive-aggressive. The cannabis legalisation movement is furthering their own cause on the back of a lie. That is not good behaviour. They are engaging in the same behaviour that they are constantly complaining about being the victims of.
jean valjean
DrugwarRant is not "the cannabis legalisation movement"(how ever you define that). Should such a monolith exist however (and Kevin Sabet would say it does) would you please give us some citations and examples of how this "movement is furthering their own cause on the back of a lie."
JV, you cannot be serious. DrugWarrant (it's convener and majority of contributors) is/are obviously firmly slanted towards cannabis. To say otherwise is absurd. I think it is fair to say that DrugWarrant is part of the cannabis "legalisation" movement. Maybe lobby is the wrong word. Ever since I alerted Pete (and the readers) to the falsehood of fatal "heroin overdose" I have been treated with disdain, disinterest and internet bullying by one contributor in particular. The great majority of the readership is obviously not interested in the welfare of opioid users or the facts of the matter. An example? This exact article. This is what Tom Angel wrote (and Pete posted):
If you follow the link "many experts", you find an article commenting on the "…opioid painkiller and heroin epidemic…" A paragraph from it says:
"In 2014, nearly 19,000 Americans died from overdoses linked to opioid painkillers — sometimes opioids alone, other times involving drugs like alcohol and benzodiazepines (typically prescribed to relieve anxiety)."
Surprise, surprise, the same bullshit describing multi-drug deaths as "overdoses linked to opioid painkillers". And any brief investigation of the so-called "opioids alone" deaths (if they exist) will find low therapeutic morphine or opioid levels. So that JV, is the cannabis legalisation movement using a lie to further their cause.
Matt, this is just flim-flam from a closed mind. You haven't provided any evidence at all for you obsessive one-track argument. By the way, you never answered my repeated questions from a year or two ago about how Dr Harold Shipman was able to murder a large number of his patients with a massive overdose of pharmaceutical diamorphine. According to your theory none of his patients should have died. I call b.s.
We can all agree that the reasons for prohibition of cannabis were lies and half truths. Unfortunately, the lies told about other drugs are still accepted as truth, even though we know about the cannabis lies. Why is it that so many in the legalization movement fall for this? I posit that exposure to cannabis is so common that 'everyone knows' about the lies, whereas many people, including myself, have no experience with heroin, meth, crack, ketamine etc. and therefore have not yet come to the conclusion that the supporting 'reasons' are in fact also lies. Is this not exactly the opposite of what we have preached for years; that children will come to know the cannabis lies for what they are, and assume that what they have been told about other drugs are lies also? Let us all assume that everything we have been told by authority figures , everything that we are being told by them, and everything that we ever will be told by them about all entheogenic drugs are lies. Then we may be open to the truth.
primus, some of us have made a habit of consulting the medical literature on various substances from the outset.
Unlike the case with the unfounded assumptions of legislators, police, and the mass media, the medical literature is usually accurate on most points- especially in recent years. When there's controversy, it's a good idea to read all of the viewpoints. But quite often, there is no dispute.
It's as foolish to believe that all of the warnings about the risks and harms of drugs are lies as it is to swallow all of the claims unchallenged. Also considerably more reckless, if that viewpoint is taken as a guide for self-experimentation.
Of course, one should heed warnings regarding hazardous activities, however it does nobody any good to accept that the authorities' pronouncements on other drugs are any more accurate than their pronouncements on pot. That acceptance of prohibition propaganda by our members when it relates to unfamiliar drugs, is what I was discussing. I, like the majority of us, have not read very much of the medical literature so cannot comment. What I have read a lot of is journalistic hyperbole and ominous pronouncements of impending doom from opportunistic politicians. In all cases, the drug was unimportant; all 'drugs' are lumped together for the purpose of social engineering. These warnings of doom by the press and politicians are of no value in this discussion, but can't help but taint the thinking of all of us. We must be aware of these culturally cultivated biases and work to rid ourselves of them.
DC, you could do worse than listen to the wise words of Primus. Your words lead me to the crux of the issue. If authorities were really interested in "saving lives" they would communicate the reality: it is not opioid "overdose" that presents the problem, it is mixing drugs and airway obstruction. But they don't, because they are out to perpetuate the myth of fatal opioid "overdose". They are intentionally not communicating the truth. Because of their own self interest in the "drug war", they cannot and will not tell the truth. And if they tell the truth, people will realize they have spent a 100 years lying. Do you not realise the authorities lie about drugs other than alcohol, tobacco and caffeine? The two biggest lies: fatal "heroin overdose" and cannabis causing schizophrenia. The foundation for a mass and long lasting human rights abuse.
You're table-pounding, Matt. I challenge you to supply some well-grounded link or textual support for your contention that it's "clinically proven" that opiates and opioids present no risk of overdose unless they're mixed with other drugs.
It's your claim. Don't demand that I do your legwork to support it.
No DC you misunderstood, I demanded that you provide evidence of your claim. It is not up to me to provide evidence to back up a claim made by you. Anyway you won't be able to do it because the evidence doesn't exist. There is no evidence to support fatal "heroin overdose" when no other drugs are present. And no, the only time I pound the table is when I read a piece on DrugWarrant perpetuating the myth. I'm not making a claim, I am merely referring to a situation for which there is ample evidence. Now, the evidence: please look up- "Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of high doses of pharmaceutically prepared heroin, by intravenous or by inhalation route in opioid-dependent patients." "Overdoses" of 150% given to subjects that were also on methadone treatment. They barely flinched. Neither the researchers or subjects new the dose. Maximum IV dose given: 450mg. So thats a 150mg "overdose" given to a subject on a 300mg maintenance dose. And don't come back with the old chestnut of "they were tolerant" because opiate naive people are not the people typically involved in deaths in which heroin metabolites are found. Again, it is long-term tolerant users usually involved. They have either died of causes unrelated to substance use or have mixed drugs, become heavily sedated, suffered airway obstruction and suffocated. If you require anymore evidence don't hesitate to contact me via this site.
One Horse Jake
The best experimental evidence comes from Drs. Lawrence Kolb and A. G. Du Mez of the United States Public Health Service; in 1931 they demonstrated that it takes seven or eight milligrams of heroin per kilogram of body weight, injected directly into a vein, to kill non-addicted monkeys. On this basis, it would take 500 milligrams administered in a single injection to kill a non-addicted human adult.
Source: Lawrence Kolb and A. G. Du Mez, U.S. Public Health Reports, 46 (1931): 698
Matt, you're indulging in sophistry as if you're trying to win a prize for it.
You don't get to cherry-pick one study, interpret the findings to suit yourself, and slam the discussion shut. The fact that addicts in a methadone program were able to survive a relatively large dose of heroin is practically meaningless- methadone is favored in drug maintenance programs partly due to its heroin-blocking effect! (I seriously doubt that the phrase "they barely flinched" was found in the language of the report.)
And you're standing the evidence on its head when you start playing games like this: "don't come back with the old chestnut of "they were tolerant" because opiate naive people are not the people typically involved in deaths in which heroin metabolites are found."
"Opiate-naive people" are most certainly found within the population of lethal opioid overdose cases. Enough of them to falsify your insinuation. Which is false, in any case- no one is implying that tolerance confers total immunity from heroin overdose- only some additional protection, to an uncertain effect.
You don't get to rely on a couple of studies and rule all of the other evidence out of bounds, Matt. Especially when the studies you use to support your claim aren't saying what you imply they're saying.
Back in the seventies when I was first scripted for methadone I was told that if I took heroin on top of it, it would be like "washing my feet with my socks on," i.e. I wouldn't get a high [Brendon at Paddington DDU]. That wasn't quite true but there was certainly a dampening down of the opiate high associated with methadone use.
Jake, you can't reliably posit a 1:1 correspondence between monkeys and humans. The weight difference alone implies metabolic dissimilarities.
There's also something terribly idiosyncratic about the way that opiates and opioids produce lethal effects. They suppress the respiratory reflex. That isn't an entirely dose-dependent effect. The fact that some people are able to survive a very high dose amount on a given occasion does not clear them of the hazard of overdose. They kill reliably enough to be considered lethal drugs.
Matt asked for scientific evidence to support the possibility that it's possible for a human to overdose using just heroin. If you have anything better than what Lawrence Kolb and A. G. Du Mez presented back in 1931 then please get back to us with it.
I think we can safely assume that they killed far more than just one non-addicted monkey to reach the magic number of seven or eight milligrams of heroin per kilogram.
Is Matt sparked-out behind the couch again?
Your data is valid, Jake. My point is that as with most CNS drugs, opiate/opioid OD isn't strictly correlated to dose or blood level. Anything more than a low dose begins introducing an element of chance of respiratory suppression that can go terminal.
It isn't easy to study something like this, for some quite sensible ethical reasons, but anecdotal evidence of opiate ODs from smaller amounts than .5 grams is plentiful. A sample:
https://drugs-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1514046&postcount=16 (100mg levo-methadone)
https://drugs-forum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1660322&postcount=35 (Two MS Contin pills total only 30mg morphine, according to this data sheet: https://www.drugs.com/dosage/ms-contin.html )
Matt is correct that mixing opiates with any other CNS depressant potentiates the effect massively. Most ODs do involve a multiple drug combination, including most of the ones in the thread from which I extracted those posts: https://drugs-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1660322#post1660322
DC Reade, this conversation has followed a predictable course that unfortunately has been the norm for this subject on this site previously. Your methods in the main are three-fold. Firstly you attempt to discredit irrefutable evidence that an "overdose" of opioids when people have only opioids in their system is not dangerous. I doubt whether you even bother to read such evidence. Secondly, you fail to provide evidence of so-called fatal "heroin overdose". Your attempt to provide some sort of evidence in the form of two forum anecdotes is tragically laughable. Thirdly, you offer outright falsehoods such as your first paragraph. What utter rubbish. What is important is your motives. You are clearly intent on assisting the continuance of a human-rights abuse commonly referred to as the War on Drugs. Maybe you get paid to do it. I can only wonder.
Oh, I can find more anecdotes.
I've done enough research on opiate/opioid overdoses to know for certains that lethal consequences from ingestion occur even in the absence of other drugs or toxic contaminants. And while the conundrum that 1) lethal overdoses have been found to occur even with much lower quantities than those that are supposed to be necessary to produce death and that 2) it's possible for people to ingest very high levels of opiates/opioids without suffering the consequence of terminal respiratory depression is a medical mystery,it isn't "proof" of the harmlessness of opiate/opioid narcotics. It certainly isn't reassurance that there's no such thing as a lethal dose; it's at least as reasonable to assume that opioids and opiates interact with the human body in ways that can't be predicted with foolproof certainty- especially not with, shall we say, 100% accuracy over the course of 1000 or 10,000 different occasions of ingestion.
It's also the case that post-mortem toxicology reports do not do a reliable job of gauging blood levels for some drugs, and hence are not reliably able to judge the quantity of ingested material:
"…While postmortem redistribution may elevate drug concentrations in blood, some drugs continue to be metabolized after death. Enzymes, especially esterases, that do not require oxygen or consume energy, remain active and hydrolyze susceptible drugs, including cocaine, heroin and a heroin metabolite, 6-monoacetylmorphine. The net effect of the competing processes, redistribution and metabolism, on drug concentrations in postmortem specimens is unpredictable…"
http://what-when-how.com/forensic-sciences/interpretation-of-results/
Absolute malicious, unsubstantiated rubbish. And I bet you can sleep at night. Again and for the last time, the one thing you lack is evidence.
"…According to toxicological information, the toxic range for heroin is >0.08 mg/L, and the fatal range is 0.08–1.6 mg/L. These figures refer to non-drug tolerant individuals but will be used as the basis for classifying data in this study. One hundred and thirteen people (80%) had a heroin level in the fatal range. Another eight male cases (6%) had heroin levels above 1.6 mg/L. The mean total blood morphine was 0.29 mg/L. Thirty-five percent of the cases had a bile morphine level of greater than 40 mg/L. As discussed below, this implies "chronic usage." Most of this group (96%) also had heroin levels that were greater than 0.08 mg/L, within the fatal/toxic range, and 91% were male.
The toxicological screen showed that a high proportion (43%) had evidence of multiple drug use…"
i.e., 57% did not show evidence of multiple drug use.
Plenty more context, here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4519229/
I am saddened by this bickering. Can we not all agree that there is a tremendous amount of misinformation out there, propagated by the prohibitionists in the main, which is affecting the discussion? All of us, Matt and myself included, have believed misinformation and incorporated it into our thinking. We don't really know definitively which nuggets are true and which are false. Even those of us who are well educated on the subject of drugs, their effects and legal status, are prone to this error. When someone challenges our long-held beliefs, it is natural to resist. It is the challenger's responsibility to present information supporting the challenge, and try to persuade others of the validity of the challenge. It appears that Matt, Cj and others have failed to accomplish this persuasion. It is not my fault that you have done a poor job of presenting your arguments, it is yours. My job is to be a skeptic and seeker of truth. When you convince me of the truth of your position, I will happily change my mind and incorporate the new information into my thinking. Until then, try not to take this resistance personally. I am glad of your interest and information. Please try to understand why you meet resistance and work hard to overcome it. It's worth the effort. Once you convince us, we will become ardent ambassadors spreading your words and ideas for you.
Matt, you still owe us all a reply to my above post.
Here it is again:
Matt, do you still insist that there's no such thing as a lethal heroin dose?
… sound of crickets chirping ..
Matt, If you turn up here again, hurling personal abuse and claiming heroin has no fatal dose, I'll kindly remind you that you never responded to this post, and not once but twice. What's it to be, Matt?
Jake, "hurling personal abuse"? Now you know that's not true. Anything that challenges the belief system of DWR contributors is usually classified as personal abuse. I never said "…there's no such thing as a lethal heroin dose". It is possible to fatally overdose on water for instance. Again, it has been conclusively proven that heroin is safe in substantial overdose (150%). I doubt anyone here even read the study I provided the name of. It may be possible to die from the effects of morphine, but there is no evidence to even suggest it happens as a result of recreational heroin use. Unfortunately, it is pretty much a pointless exercise to discuss the issue here as none of the regulars or the convener are interested despite saying they are against the "drug war" in general. Lets face it, it is just cannabis self-interest here. If they were interested there would be none of the denial and argumentative behaviour when the subject is brought up. So no, Jake, no crickets, just the truth, which most people apparently can't handle.
Matt: I think you may be reading too much into this. I remarked in an earlier post that you have not made your case. That is a part of it. You are correct when you say that we are focused on cannabis prohibition. That is true. An old saying is that politics is the art of the possible. What is possible now, mainly as a result of a lot of work on our parts, is the legalization of cannabis. What is not possible at this time is the legalization of opioids. That fact is far more important than your frustration at not having your ideas readily accepted. Your frustration is more than matched by ours; Cannabis consumers far outnumber opioid users and the reasons for its prohibition are weaker than the reasons for opioid prohibition. The reputation of opioids is much worse mainly because it is linked with death. Cannabis is not, nor ever will be. It is actually impossible to die of a cannabis overdose. Your protestations that opioids are just as safe ring hollow when 'everyone knows' that opioids can be lethal. When something which is proven non-lethal is prohibited, it is much easier to persuade the public of the need of change. For opioids to be similarly viewed, cannabis must be legalized, and the public must see that the sky does not fall. Only then will they be willing to entertain the concept of total drug legalization, a concept shared by myself and many other DWR reader/writers. In the meantime, we all have a huge educational mountain to climb. It has taken my entire adult life (now 64) to overcome society's misconceptions about cannabis. Be prepared for it to take that long or more for opioids to be similarly accepted. One can, of course hope that it won't take as long, but it very well might. Be frustrated but work towards your goal. That is the only method that will work. That is what we Cannabis Crusaders have done for many years. Railing against and criticizing the limits of we who are working towards our goal will not assist you to reach yours. Keep Calm and Carry On.
"Anyway you won't be able to do it because the evidence doesn't exist. There is no evidence to support fatal "heroin overdose" when no other drugs are present. And no, the only time I pound the table is when I read a piece on DrugWarrant perpetuating the myth."
Those were your words, Matt.
More than half-way down this thread:
http://www.drugwarrant.com/2016/10/people-are-less-concerned-about-drug-problems-and-that-can-be-a-good-thing/
"You are clearly intent on assisting the continuance of a human-rights abuse commonly referred to as the War on Drugs. Maybe you get paid to do it. I can only wonder.
—Your reply, Matt, to DC Reader
"You have known for a long time that there is no such thing as (fatal) "heroin overdose" or "heroin-related overdose" yet you continue to be either obstinately gullible or an outright propagandist yourself."
-Your response, Matt, to Pete's post titled: Smart approaches to heroin problems talked about in mainstream media?
That's not the usual way we talk to each other on this couch, Matt. Maybe you should look for a different forum? One where they'll better appreciate your abusive mannerisms.
Servetus: Scientists are taking a closer look at microdosing: 15-JUL-2...
strayan: It's a good thing the kaptin forgets nothing.
Great Harry's Ghost!: primus, try
kaptinemo: It gets worse. Much worse; a month later, the usual prohib suspects ...
primus: GHG: I tried the link but it refused me. I am, apparently in the wrong cou...
WalStMonky: ...
Great Harry's Ghost!: oh my... that's quite the list! all that anti-humanity in one spot. I do ...
DdC: Let's explore New Zealand's 'medicinal cannabis scheme' https://www...
DdC: Endocannabinoid System Plays Key Role in Reducing Fear, Yale Study Finds ...
DdC: Part one Celebrate 710 With These Dabbing Essentials https://t.co/...


The idea of this competition is to compare all runners on a level playing field. The Crichton Parkrun will be used and the runner with the best performance throughout the year will be presented with a trophy. The age grading system used to calculate this prize rather than fastest time allows ladies to be compared to men and more senior runners to be compared to the younger runners...who will come out on top?


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For those raised in the conservative Mennonite culture big families are a given. There were nineteen children in my dad's family (sixteen biological, three adopted) and, while that is the extreme, it would be very unusual for a married couple not to have any children. In a culture where blessing is practically synonymous with children, a childless home would likely produce some whispers and infertility a very unpleasant matter.
Indeed, who will contend for the childless?
If you think that democratic institutions, in the hands of young people raised in a culture that values youth, will continue to provide for the elderly who have no familial connection to them then someday you'll have a rude awakening. If anything the elderly are seen as a political obstacle in our modern times, a waste of limited resources when we have Google to provide our answers, and many of these youthful ignorant social engineers—rather than contend with a bunch of has-beens they don't care to know—would delight in giving you a push to an early grave.
In ancient times, perhaps for the reason that there would be nobody to care for you in old age without children, there was a social stigma attached to being childless. In the case of Saul's daughter Michal, who was critical of her husband David's celebration antics, and her childlessness is expressed (2 Samuel 6:20-23) as if being a punishment. We are never told if that was simply a result of her relationship with her husband or not, but either way she did not produce an heir to David's throne—which would be a serious setback to say the least.
There are patterns in Scripture and one of those patterns being that those most notably childless early on are often the most greatly blessed later. The most notable of those couples with a deferred blessing is Abraham and Sarah. They were elderly and had remained childless. We are told "she was not able to concieve" (Genesis 11:30) yet Abraham was promised to be "the father of my nations" (Genesis 17:4) and this seemed plain ridiculous given the advanced age of the couple. But, they were blessed by God, Sarah did bear Issac and was childless no more.
In other words, she promised her son would be a man dedicated to God.
The account goes on to say that Eli, the priest, who was watching her pray yet couldn't hear her words, thought she was drunk and tells her to put away her wine. But she responds that this isn't the case, that she is simply deeply in anguish, to which the priest tells her: "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." (1 Samuel 1:17 NIV) This answer seems to have consoled Hannah who we are told began to eat again and would later become pregnant, bear a son Samuel—a name which basically means "heard by God" and he would, as a result of her commitment, become a great prophet.
There are many who would love to have children and cannot. This is one of those terrible ironies given the numbers of abortions and abused or neglected children in the world. We will never know, at least on this side of eternity, why some who long to be mothers and fathers are denied the blessing of children. However, we do see that those who suffer this despite their righteousness will be rewarded in the end and therefore should always put their hope in God who will make all things good for those who love and obey Him.
Who Are Joachim and Anna?
These two, mentioned at the conclusion of each liturgy, "the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna," despite being mostly forgotten in the religious tradition I was born into, have one of those great stories.
Joachim was from the tribe of Judah and a descendant of King David. His wife, Anna, was from the tribe of Levi, the same as the High Priest Aaron and the daughter of the priest Matthan. They had lived fifty years, as a married couple, and were unable to have children despite their devotion to God.
Joachim had faithfully, since his teenage years, given two-thirds of his income, one third to the poor and another third to the Temple, and were financially blessed for this. However, their childlessness finally became a cause of harassment. The High Priest, Issachar, confronted Joachim and told him, "You are not worthy to offer sacrifice with those childless hands." And, with that pronouncement, he was pushed back by others, who had children.
Rejected and despairing in this disgrace, Joachim studied and found that, indeed, every righteous man in Israel had been blessed with children. He and his wife left with Jerusalem with profound sadness because of this. They began to pray for a miracle, like that which happened for Abraham and Sarah, him going into the mountains with his flocks and Anna returning home. Then the archangel Gabriel visited them both, promising them "a daughter most blessed, by whom all the nations of the earth will be blessed, and through whom will come the salvation of the world." The picture is of them meeting again, at the city gates, upon hearing this.
Their daughter, Mary, the mother of Jesus our Lord, was specially dedicated to God and, like Hannah's son Samuel, was brought up at the Temple at the age of three to be raised with other girls there. Their righteousness was finally rewarded having waited those many years. Their story is one that is a good reminder to those who have been faithful yet have not been blessed like others. They are the grandparents of our Lord and Savior.
Anyhow, by coincidence, the conception of Mary is celebrated today, December 9th, which is something I didn't know when I began writing this blog.


Fantastic card! I love this trend of little images all over the card - it always looks so fun and happy!
I love the way it turned out. Cute party hats and candles, with just the right amount of paint splatters/speckles/droplets.
Very cute and cheerful and I love that! The splatters and Washi tape are great details that make a world of difference, too. Love your colors.
Adorable, the "stamp your own cardstock" look is really fun!
I love this card you made!!! Very fun and pretty!
J.B. this is worth a celebration! Adorable, right down to the last candle!


text:
Trustees Emeriti
The mission of the New Hampshire Historical Society is to educate a diverse public about the significance of New Hampshire's past and its relationship to our lives today. In support of this mission, the Society collects, preserves, and interprets materials pertaining to New Hampshire history.
The Society's collections form the basis for research by all who are interested in New Hampshire history. They are used by scholars, local historians, educators, museum curators, librarians, genealogists, collectors, the media, tourists, and the general public. The collections provide the substance for the Society's exhibitions, publications, and school and public programs, designed to create engaging and enjoyable learning experiences for a wide range of audiences.
The New Hampshire Historical Society is an independent, nonprofit membership organization, founded in 1823 as the fifth such statewide historical society in the United States. Following the New England model for a statewide historical organization, the Society is a private corporation, not a government agency. The Society began to collect written materials immediately upon its founding; began to collect artifacts in 1825; began to exhibit its artifact collections in 1831; purchased its first building in 1869; hired its first staff member in the late 1870s; inducted its first female member in 1880; opened its present purpose-built headquarters building in 1911; began to publish its journal, Historical New Hampshire, in 1944; elected its first woman trustee in 1955; began its school programs in 1964; provided an online catalog of its library holdings in 1999; began to make its museum collections digitally available online in 2013; and launched the New Hampshire History Network (NHHN), a digital gateway that provides centralized access to New Hampshire's history and historical collections through partnerships with local historical societies and other collecting institutions in 2015. In 2017, the Society began a major new initiative, called "The Democracy Project: Revitalizing History and Civics Education in New Hampshire Schools," to help address the growing knowledge gap in the areas of history and civics.
The Society is governed by a 22-member board of trustees and managed by a professional staff of 14 full-time and 11 part-time employees, assisted by 60 volunteers.
The Society has saved and preserved the most extensive collection of archives, objects, books, and research resources related to New Hampshire history that can be found anywhere, and hundreds of additional items are acquired each year. The collections include 35,000 museum objects, 50,000 printed volumes, 2 million pages of manuscripts, 800,000 pages of newspapers, 250,000 photographic images, 5,000 broadsides, 3,000 maps, and thousands of ephemera items. Ranging in date from pre-contact to the present day, the Society's holdings reflect broadly the state's economic, political, social, and cultural history.
The Society's headquarters building at 30 Park Street in Concord is home to the research library, exhibitions, and school and public programs. This 1911 landmark building, funded by Edward and Julia Tuck, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A mid-19th-century building at 6 Eagle Square, named the Hamel Center after major benefactors to the Society, housed the Society's museum exhibition galleries from 1995 to 2014 and is now used for collections and administrative management and office rental space.
The New Hampshire Historical Society provides a variety of learning experiences for children and adults. Offerings include school programs and guided tours of exhibitions at the Society in Concord, artifact-based traveling programs, history courses, lectures, and workshops. In 2017, the Society launched a major new initiative, called "The Democracy Project: Revitalizing History and Civics Education in New Hampshire Schools," to help address the growing knowledge gap in the areas of history and civics.
The Society's award-winning publications include the semi-annual Historical New Hampshire, the only statewide journal devoted to New Hampshire history, occasional books, exhibition catalogs, and printed and electronic newsletters with information on the Society's collections, programs, and activities.
The Society offers on-site, traveling, and online exhibitions on a variety of topics. Iconic objects of New Hampshire history, including the original eagle from the New Hampshire State House, a rare Revolutionary War flag, portraits of Daniel Webster and Franklin Pierce, and White Mountain art are on permanent display.
The Society's website and online collections catalog provide broad access to information on library, archival, and museum collections.
In 2015 the New Hampshire Historical Society launched the New Hampshire History Network (NHHN), a digital gateway that provides centralized access to New Hampshire's history and historical collections through partnerships with local historical societies and other collecting institutions.
The New Hampshire Historical Society is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
The New Hampshire Historical Society is an independent, nonprofit membership organization. The Society is a registered 501c3 nonprofit; Taxpayer Identification Number 02-0233250.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Stepping Up is a 3 module leadership development programme designed specifically for middle leaders and members of staff aspiring to middle leadership. The programme focuses on building a deep understanding about leadership and seeks to support delegates in developing the essential competencies, behaviours and attitudes required to lead a team/subject area within an effective school.
Andy Hind Andy Hind is a Senior Consultant with Enhancing Learning Ltd.


text:
Tag Team Diplomacy
March 12, 1953 — The Advertiser
The Mossadegh Project | June 24, 2020
An editorial on Britain, Iran and Egypt in The Advertiser (Adelaide, South Australia). The newspaper folded the following year.
IN STEP ON MIDDLE EAST
At present, prospects of solving the chief political and military problems of the Middle East seem far from encouraging. Premier Mossadeq is said to be ready to reject the latest British proposals for a settlement on the Persian oil dispute. His Foreign Secretary is alleging British intrigue in Iraq. [Hossein Fatemi]
General Naguib, attacking the British Administration over recent Sudanese episodes, claims that these have weakened Egyptian faith in the new agreement on the Sudan. [Premier Mohamed Naguib of Egypt] Simultaneously, there are reports that next week Egypt will demand Britain's evacuation of the Suez Canal zone within six months.
In view of the obstinacy, self-seeking and short sightedness so often displayed in the Middle Eastern countries, Britain sometimes appears to be tackling a well-nigh hopeless task in trying to satisfy national aspirations there.
Happily, the evidences of intransigence in certain States have recently been offset by welcome proofs that Britain and the United States are now closer than ever before to agreement on Middle East plans.
Washington's outlook on the problems of this region, formerly distorted by a belief that Britain was bent on exploiting the weaknesses and the natural resources of semi-colonial States, is becoming more detached and realistic. Even now, many Americans view Britain as a grasping Imperialist Power. But the problems with which Britain has grappled for years are being studied at closer range and by some US leaders they are now better understood.
Britain has encouraged, rather than resented, US interest in the Middle East. Among the products of this growing accord are the agreement on proposals concerning the Suez Canal, and the endorsement of the latest offer on Persian oil as "reasonable." In the long run, this co-ordination of views should carry decisive weight.
SAFER AT HOME: U.S. Implores Shah To Stay In Iran (Feb. 1953)
The Revolt In Persia | The Advertiser, August 21, 1953
"If British paratroops move into Persia..." | Douglas Wilkie (May 16, 1951)
Mossadegh On the Spot | The Washington Evening Star, Jan. 14, 1953


Although two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D-GE) remains the basis for many ecotoxicoproteomic analyses, newer non-gel-based methods are beginning to be applied to overcome throughput and coverage limitations of 2D-GE. The overall objective of our research was to apply a comprehensive, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based proteomic approach to identify and quantify differentially expressed hepatic proteins from female fathead minnows exposed to fadrozole, a potent inhibitor of estrogen synthesis. Female fathead minnows were exposed to 0 (control), 0.04, and 1.0 μg of fadrozole/L of water for 4 days, and proteomic analysis was performed. Proteins were extracted and digested, and proteolytic peptides were separated via high-resolution one- or two-dimensional (1-D or 2-D) ultrapressure liquid chromatography (UPLC) and analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. Mass spectra were searched against the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) ray-finned fish ( Actinopterygii ) database, resulting in identification of 782 unique proteins by single-dimension UPLC. When multidimensional LC analysis (2-D) was performed, an average increase of 1.9× in the number of identified proteins was observed. Differentially expressed proteins in fadrozole exposures were consistent with changes in liver function, including a decline in concentrations of vitellogenin as well as other proteins associated with endocrine function and cholesterol synthesis. Overall, these results demonstrate that a gel-free, label-free proteomic analysis method can successfully be utilized to determine differentially expressed proteins in small fish species after toxicant exposure.


This spy pic shared by one of our avid reader Prashant was clicked yesterday in Delhi while he was commuting with his wife on his Aviator. He says that the bike looked much bigger and the twin headlamp unit has DRLs. Upon asking the tester (who was more concerned about not allowing Prashant to click pictures) whether they were testing the new R15 for India – he replied in the affirmative.
MRF tyres and that ideal state in which Yamaha's domestic-market test mules are generally spotted in, is a confirmation that the motorcycle is indeed headed to our market. Also notice the omission of premium upside-down front forks and in place are the conventional units; clear signs of keeping costs under check.
The new R15 v3 produces a significantly higher 19.3 PS of peak power and 14.7 Nm of max torque. In terms of features it gets slipper clutch, broader tyres, bigger disc brake and continues with the very precise Deltabox frame. You can read all the big changes here. How much of it percolates to our market needs to be seen.
Expected launch: New Yamaha R15 V3 spied in India for the first time - Launch at Auto Expo 2018?
@Bapun Raz also put the image of 150cc suzuki intruder smaller version of 1800cc from same site bikeadvice.in actully i have tried but image fail to upload due to network issue.
Again spotted. This time with official paint schemes.
Recent reports says that the new Yamaha YZF-R15 V3.0 will be launched in the Indian market on January 8, 2018.
Yeah, since ABS gonna be compulsory in our country within coming months they could have included it. Atleast they could have made it optional.


Yishai Orian, the owner of an old Volkswagen beetle is about to become a father. His mechanic says that the car will not last long, while his wife complains that the car is unsuitable for a baby. Attempting to keep his beloved car, Yishai goes on a journey that begins with the previous owners of the beetle, continues to Jordan to renovate the old car, and ends with the birth of his first child.


As digital transformation continues to take hold, and with businesses moving ever more services and applications to the cloud, the need for organisations to examine the issues surrounding identity and access becomes increasingly imperative.
Businesses are moving to the cloud for a variety of reasons, including to reduce costs – infrastructure associated in particular – and to take advantage of the enhanced features offered by the proliferation of cloud products. They don't, therefore, want to counterbalance these benefits with costly IT work-arounds to meet identity and access requirements. Neither do they want to restrict access to these applications and thereby limit efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness. Identity issues should certainly not prevent a business from implementing a solution and again adversely impact business performance.
In addition, few businesses today don't have a mobile workforce. No matter how small the company, employees need the ability to work anywhere, at any time, from any device – and need to. Not only does this enhance productivity, denying the capability will have the opposite effect, and again impact competitivity.
If restricted on accessing applications via personal devices many employees resort to ad hoc arrangements, hard for IT to monitor and manage – and that can give rise to security risk.
Overall, ensuring the business' security must be the overriding priority – and in today's competitive economic environment – organisations need to meet all of the demands above while ensuring security is not compromised.
Where applications involve individual sign-in processes – and particularly when requiring separate identity stores – the IT department may have to provision access individually for each user. And where IT is involved with high levels of identity and access management, they have less time for provisioning the solutions and products that bring value to the organisation and help them keep on track with product development, customer service, and ultimately with profit and the bottom line. Time-consuming, individual access provision can also be a slow process and inhibit initial use, especially if triggered by manual request.
An organization will also have times when access requires to be granted external to an organization, and without revisiting existing identity protocols and management, IT staff may be unable to meet this request, and thereby limiting opportunities for interaction, communication and collaboration with customers, partners, and other third parties vital to ongoing business.
In fact, without effective and robust identity management a business loses faith in themselves and their ability to prevent violations of privacy, security and confidentiality – and in their ability to rectify breaches – and which would affect also compliance with regulatory requirements and be costly.
Crucially, organisations also need identity and access management solutions to support cloud-based and on-premise resources.
0333 920 6841, or email sales@cobweb.com.


Consuegra, F.; Bula, A.; Guillín, W.; Sánchez, J.; Duarte Forero, J. Instantaneous in-Cylinder Volume Considering Deformation and Clearance due to Lubricating Film in Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines. Energies 2019, 12, 1437.
Consuegra F, Bula A, Guillín W, Sánchez J, Duarte Forero J. Instantaneous in-Cylinder Volume Considering Deformation and Clearance due to Lubricating Film in Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines. Energies. 2019; 12(8):1437.
Consuegra, Franklin; Bula, Antonio; Guillín, Wilson; Sánchez, Jonathan; Duarte Forero, Jorge. 2019. "Instantaneous in-Cylinder Volume Considering Deformation and Clearance due to Lubricating Film in Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines." Energies 12, no. 8: 1437.


text:
Democrats win in impeachment inquiry
Posted on October 26, 2019 by PTI
File photo of Donald Trump
Washington: A judge ordered the Justice Department to give the House secret grand jury testimony from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, handing a victory to Democrats who want it for the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump.
In a ruling that also affirmed the legality of the impeachment inquiry itself, Chief US District Judge Beryl Howell ordered the department to turn over the materials by 30 October.
A Justice Department spokeswoman said it was reviewing the decision. The ruling comes as Democrats gather testimony about the Trump administration's efforts to get Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden and the Democrats. The Mueller materials could reveal previously hidden details to lawmakers about Trump's actions during the 2016 election and become part of the impeachment push. The material covered by Howell's order consists of redacted grand jury material mentioned in Mueller's report.
The Justice Department says that information is the only piece of the document that key lawmakers have not had access to. In a 75-page ruling accompanying the order, Howell slashed through many of the administration's arguments for withholding materials from Congress, including that there was need to keep the information secret even though the investigation had ended. While the Justice Department said it could not provide grand jury material under existing law, "DOJ is wrong," she wrote.
And though the White House and its Republican allies argued impeachment is illegitimate without a formal vote, she wrote: "A House resolution has never, in fact, been required." The judge also rejected the Justice Department's argument that impeachment does not qualify as a "judicial proceeding." That distinction matters because, though grand jury testimony is ordinarily secret, one exemption that allows it to be legally disclosed is in connection with a judicial proceeding.
"To the extent the House's role in the impeachment context is to investigate misconduct by the President and ascertain whether that conduct amounts to an impeachable offense warranting removal from office, the House performs a function somewhat akin to a grand jury," the judge wrote. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said he was pleased by the ruling.
'The court's thoughtful ruling recognizes that our impeachment inquiry fully comports with the Constitution and thoroughly rejects the spurious White House claims to the contrary," Nadler said in a statement. "This grand jury information that the Administration has tried to block the House from seeing will be critical to our work." Justice Department lawyers argued against providing the materials at a hearing earlier this month. They said House Democrats already had sufficient evidence from Mueller's investigation, including copies of summaries of FBI witness interviews.
WORLD donald trump, jerrold nadler, judge beryl hower, news today, newstoday, trump impeachment inuiry
7 of top-10 firms add Rs 76,998 cr in market capitalisation
Protect farmers: Palaniswami writes to Nirmala Sitharaman


text:
Roanoke cardiologist, VT professor murdered in Belize
by: WFXR Newsroom
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Officials with Carilion Clinic in Roanoke said a cardiologist was found murdered in Belize yesterday.
Dr. Gary Swank was the medical director of Carilion Clinic's Cardiac Catheterization Lab and an associate professor of internal medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.
Authorities tell the San Pedro Sun that Swank and his tour guide – both 53-years-old – were found shot to death Sunday morning while fly fishing in Belize. It also says the shooters pulled up in a boat next to Swank's, and that local police are still investigating.
"I think that he made a huge difference in my life," said Rhonda Saunders, a 10-year patient of Swank's. "He was a really, really nice guy. He did talk about his family."
Saunders described Swank as talented, thorough, and approachable. She says she had a 99% blockage in a blood vessel that he stinted to keep her alive.
"If he had not been the type of doctor that he was, I probably would not have seen him. Our meeting- first meeting was in the E.R.," she said. She adds that she's still coping with his untimely death.
"I was stunned, I was shocked, I had tears because I was so excited about seeing him at my next visit," she said.
Carilion has not released any information beyond this official statement.
Read the statement below:
"Today we learned the tragic news that Dr. Gary Swank, interventional cardiologist, medical director of Carilion Clinic's Cardiac Catheterization Lab and an associate professor of internal medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, was found murdered, along with his local tour guide, in Belize yesterday.
We are heartbroken at his loss. Dr. Swank was a well-respected and well-loved colleague who, each and every day, embodied the values that we hold dear. His absence leaves a void in our team and in our community. Our thoughts, prayers and attention are now focused on helping his family navigate this difficult time.
-CHRISTOPHER TURNBULL, DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
This is a developing story. Stay with 8News for updates.
More U.S. & World Stories
by Sutton Reekes / Jul 15, 2019
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The chart topping singer and rapper Post Malone is coming to Washington D.C. this fall on his latest tour, "Runaway Tour."
Malone's famous songs include Rockstar, Psycho and Sunflower which were all number one hits on the Billboard charts. Six of his songs have been in the top 10.
Doughnuts with filling syringes nixed from Minnesota fair
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Doughnuts with a side of syringes have been nixed from the Minnesota State Fair after the offering was roundly criticized.
Last month fair officials announced the new foods that would be available at this year's event, including doughnut holes that came with three syringes of do-it-yourself fillings — Bavarian cream, chocolate custard and lingonberry jam.
Daycare operator accused of sexually abusing children sentenced to 30 days in jail
by WCMH / Jul 15, 2019
GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) — A woman who was accused of sexually abusing three children she was supposed to be babysitting was sentenced to 30 days in jail after pleading guilty to several charges.
Kimberly Hignite pleaded guilty to several counts of endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor. Charges of gross sexual imposition were dropped.
Don't miss out on these country music concerts


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All week I was thinking about how I was going to make my brother, Ryan a lemon cake for his birthday. I also wanted to make it extra special and have his face on it. I found a recipe in the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook for the cake…and decided on skipping the lemon curd and used lemon pudding instead.
Casey totally hooked me up and helped me with the face part. Look at the stencil!
It seriously makes me laugh every time I look at it…the stencil is sitting in our kitchen still and I feel like I would be so sad if I threw it out. The image was adapted from a photograph, and it's likeness is spot on!
It started off with a lemon cake…all frosted and nice. Then a photo…some Photoshopping…and some slick Exacto skills from my husband. First there was some preliminary testing…which caused us to add skewers on all side of the stencils for support. Dusted the top with cocoa powder after covering the cake in Saran Wrap.
Filled in the parts that were left on to connect the stencil together…and tada! A few hours well spent, I'd say.
We were filled with sooo much excitement driving this cake to my parent's house. When you have something this funny, it's really hard to contain the joy. It was a hit! My brother loved it and so did my parents.
After we dug into it, Casey commented "Ryan is half the man he used to be." We got a good chuckle off that.
As for the cake…it was very tasty! The cake part wasn't as moist as I hoped, but I think it was due to my leaving it in the oven too long. The pudding inside turned out wonderful. I was nervous about taking a gamble, but it all worked out! The frosting was soooo good too. Another cake down! Hmmm what cake to bake next?
Grease and lightly flour three 9-by-2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottom with waxed paper.
To make the cake: In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with milk and lemon juice and zest, beating well after each addition. Divide batter among cake pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
Follow the direction on the box for Pie filling. Make sure you do this well in advance. Make sure you put an even amount of frosting on each layer. I kinda skimped on the first layer and was annoyed by it!
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar and juice, then the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, one cup at a time until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. (It took me less that 5 cups to get to this point). Use and store at room temperature.
When cake has cooled, spread the pudding evenly between layers and frost the outside of the cake with the buttercream frosting.
Makes 1 three-layer 9-inch cake.
can i fly you out here to do the bird's first birthday cake?
i'm thinking, if i can get you and hula-seventy-andrea out here to do all the fun party decor, i'd have one amazing first birthday party.
soooo, whaddya think? you doin' anything the first week o'may?
Yum, that looks fab (as usual). The stencil is a really great idea.
Not only does that look like the best cake ever, but the "half the man he used to be" comment made me laugh for quite awhile. You are amazing.
thank you for your comments everyone! they made my day!
OMG, I want to do a stencil like that!
yes! perhaps Ryan can get a cake with his head on it!
What flavor was the pudding that you used as the filling?


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The Boosted Rev is the safest e-scooter to buy (if you can afford it)
The Boosted Rev is the best e-scooter you can get.
Image: raymond wong / mashable
Mashable Choice highlights the best of everything we cover, have experienced first-hand and would recommend to others.
Boosted Rev
Big • thick wheels to tackle streets • Three types of brakes • Tops out at 24 mph • Up to 22-mile range
Heavy AF at 46 lbs • 3-4x more expensive than other consumer e-scooters
Boosted's first electric scooter is big, heavy, and very fast. But most importantly, it's the safest e-scooter we've ever ridden.
⚡ Mashable Score 4.25
😎 Cool Factor 4.0
📘Ease of Use 4.0
💪Performance 5.0
💵Bang for the Buck 4.0
You probably know Boosted for its popular electric longboards and skateboards. But did you know it's now branching off into e-scooters?
Announced in May, Boosted has started shipping its new Rev electric scooter, and — oh man — does it put all other consumer e-scooters to shame.
Like its electric longboards and skateboards, Boosted is quick to remind people that the Rev is not a toy, but a serious vehicle.
The Rev isn't a regular scooter with an electric motor and battery strapped to it. Everything, from the hefty frame to the fat wheels to dual motors were custom-designed to tackle the unpredictable streets and make riding safer.
SEE ALSO: The Boosted Mini is the best electric skateboard for everyone
I've ridden my fair share of e-scooters, from the likes of Lime and Bird and Bolt, and while they're undoubtedly convenient and fun for zipping around town, their biggest weakness is that they're not very safe to ride. A helmet is a must for riding an e-scooter, but it does nothing for actually making the scooter itself safer.
This is largely because most scooter-sharing systems use some variant of Xiaomi's Mi Electric Scooter, which is inexpensive to modify and deploy, but hardly the best when it comes to things like safety features such as stability and wheel traction.
The Rev, however, is arguably the safest e-scooter I've ever ridden and worth the $1,599 price if you intend for it to be your primary and daily mode of transportation. Note: The Rev I tested was a pre-production version and I didn't experience faults with the folding latch that other reviewers did.
Built like a tank
Compared to scooter rentals, the Boosted Rev is a tank; it's intentionally larger and bulkier for superior riding performance.
The frame is made of strong 6000-series aluminum and feels as high quality as Boosted's electric boards, if not more premium. I had my doubts about the bulky metal design, but came around to it as soon as I rode it down the first few rocky blocks in my neighborhood.
Really, Lime or Bird e-scooters seem wimpy next to the Rev. The handlebar is wider and less cramped, the platform deck is more spacious and lower to the ground for better stability, and the steering tube feels sturdier.
The center LCD screen shows speed, drive mode, and battery life.
There are a couple of features on the handlebar. In the center, there's an LCD screen for displaying the scooter's speed, battery life, and riding mode (three in total). A single button switches between the different settings and is also used to turn the 400-lumen headlight on and off.
There's a mechanical disc brake on the left handle.
The throttle wheel controls acceleration and electric braking.
The handlebar is also home to a throttle wheel on the right and a mechanical disc brake on the left. There's also a tiny bell on the left bar — something I completely missed until Boosted told me it was there.
A single latch folds the Rev up.
The Rev easily folds up for transport. But at 46 pounds, it's not an e-scooter you can carry around with one hand if your arms are weak. Just for comparison's sake, Xiaomi's Mi scooter weighs 27 pounds.
Boosted's industrial design might seem excessive to anyone looking at a dinky $500 e-scooter, but the company's CEO Jeff Russkaow told me the Rev will be able to endure years of punishing riding, whereas cheaper e-scooters are more likely to break down (wheels fall off, brakes fail, power drive weakens).
Glides right over bumpy roads
Thick wheels give the Rev better traction compared to other cheaper e-scooters.
Size aside, the Rev is an absolute joy to ride around on. Whereas a scooter rental always feels semi wobbly — like its wheels could fall off during top acceleration or the steering column could loosen — the Rev feels secure.
The lower deck provides more stability and the thicker wheels hug the ground better compared to cheaper e-scooters. These intentional designs are key to smoother riding, especially on busted streets and roads, where any crack or pothole could send you flying through the air (it happened to me earlier in the month while riding a Lime e-scooter in Portland).
A more stable riding experience is even more important when you're pushing the Rev's acceleration to its 24 mph max speed; Xiaomi's Mi e-scooter tops out at 15.5 mph.
The platform deck is large and low to the ground — great for stability.
When going that fast, you want an e-scooter that can grip the asphalt, and grip really well the Rev does. I never once felt like I wasn't in control while riding. Compare that to other flimsier e-scooters where I'm always bracing myself for a potential accident.
The Rev comes with three riding modes: 1, 2, and 3. Each mode has a capped speed suited for people with beginner, intermediate, and advanced riding experience. I mostly rode in mode 1 and topped out at upper 12-14 mile speed limit on New York City's traffic-filled streets. But on a clear and mostly pedestrian-free bike path in a park, I definitely dialed the speed up to 20 mph and higher a couple of times.
At no point did I ever feel like the Rev would ever spin out, even at 20 mph. How good of a balance you have will of course affect how much of a learning curve there will be, but for me, it handled like a beast.
Hi pretty @BoostedBoards Rev pic.twitter.com/TVtEV2l8NC
— Raymond Wong📱💾📼 (@raywongy) July 17, 2019
I even rode the scooter up and down short grassy hills (above) without any issues whatsoever thanks to its 25 percent grade hill climbing. In Portland, the puny Lime e-scooter I rented couldn't even get up a steep street.
Range anxiety is also something you don't have to worry with the Rev. Boosted advertises the Rev with as capable of going up to 22 miles. To put that into perspective, the Boosted Mini S has a 7-mile range, the Boosted Plus and Stealth electric longboards have a 14-mile range, and Xiaomi's Mi e-scooter has an 18.6-mile range.
In addition to the other two brakes, there's a manual stomp brake on the back wheel.
To me, the feature I love the most on the Rev is its three brakes. There's the mechanical disc brake on the handlebar that I mentioned, an electric regenerative brake activated by pulling to the right on the throttle wheel, and a manual stomp brake above the back wheel.
Though I said I felt in complete control of the Rev, the three brakes helped put my mind at ease. In the beginning, the regenerative electric brake slowed a little too abruptly so I tended to reach for the disc brake or stomp brake. After a few minutes of riding, the I quickly transitioned to braking with the throttle wheel. With three ways to brake, I always knew I had a way to stop the machine at any moment.
Bottom line: the Rev is really fun to ride (with a helmet of course). It also charges up quickly in three hours and connects via Bluetooth to the Boosted app to keep track of speed, range, and battery (all the things you can track with Boosted electric boards).
Quickly pays for itself
The LED is activated with a double-press on the Boosted button.
Many of my friends and colleagues were in sticker shock when I told them the Rev costs $1,599. And yes, it's a lot of money to spend on an electric scooter when compared to the many $500 (and under) e-scooters such as Xiaomi's Mi Electric Scooter that are available.
But the Rev's price tag really is no different compared to the same-priced Boosted Stealth electric longboard. You're paying more for better durability, performance, and safety.
The Rev is meant to be an alternative mode of transportation. I can see how it maybe makes less financial sense if, say, your commute to work involves taking a train and then e-scootering the last leg from the station.
However, if you're riding the Rev in place of the train or a car, the e-scooter pays itself off pretty quickly. For instance, if I lived in Manhattan instead of far out in Queens, I'd for sure get one of these babies to get around the city instead of forking up $127 per month for a 30-day unlimited MetroCard, which totals up to $1,547 a year. I'd save over $3,000 over the following two years (and countless more until the battery deteriorates).
A full payment for the Rev might be too expensive to pony up for all at once so consider Boosted's financing plans (though it comes with APR).
The Rev's not for everyone — especially the budget-strapped — but if you want the best and safest e-scooter, you gotta make the investment. Most great products don't come cheap.
UPDATE: July 22, 2019, 12:59 p.m. EDT: Clarified that we tested a pre-production Boosted Rev and didn't experience any design faults other reviewers did.
WATCH: The Boosted Mini S is the electric skateboard of your dreams
Topics: boosted, e-scooter, electric-scooters, Mashable Choice, Reviews, Tech, Transportation
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Art for Basil Sellers – Angels Dancing
By Mark Tronson - Press Service International
Photo - Angels Dancing - Tronson du Coudray's annual art work for Mr Basil Sellers AM
'Angels Dancing' is the latest annual art work for Mr Basil Sellers AM by Tronson du Coudray the missionary painter.
Basil Sellers is a highly recognised art collector and philanthropist and for many years Mark Tronson who paints under his ancestral French name 'Tronson du Coudray' has presented Mr Sellers an annual art work.
This annual art work is in honour of Basil Sellers support to Well-Being Australia's Art Ministry, Respite Ministry and the Basil Sellers Press Service International Young Writers ministry.
"Angels Dancing" features an imagery of the title - and celebrates the heavenlies delight in these grass roots ministries which Basil Sellers supports.
Previous Years Art Works
2013 - Young writers
2014 - Writer's Block
2015 - Young writers making a splash
2016 - Spilt ideas
2017 - Slicing through
2018 - Emerging young writers
2019 - Angels Dancing
Photo - Previous years' art works for Mr Basil Sellers
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Dr Mark Tronson's Press Service International in 2019 was awarded the Australasian Religious Press Association's premier award, The Gutenberg.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Dr Mark Tronson's Press Service International in 2019 was awarded the Australasian Religious Press Association's premier award, The Gutenberg. In September 2020 Summer Moore presented her commission portrait of Dr Mark Tronson holding the Gutenberg plaque. The above photo is the upper part from this portrait.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at: http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html


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See what Seven Months of the CEO Pay Ratio Looks Like
After the initial rush of proxy season, CEO pay ratio disclosures continue to trickle in. We highlighted the fact that sector and staffing strategy, and the associated employee pay, significantly influence the reported ratio. We also suggested that comparisons across companies would continue to be difficult given latitude in acceptable calculations. In this week's Farient Brief, we revisit the pay ratio for new discoveries since May.
Since Farient's last CEO pay ratio brief in May, 93 companies in the S&P 500 have reported their ratio, bringing the total to 418 companies reporting. The overall median in the S&P 500 is 157.5:1, which is an increase of 5 since our last report. This new collection of disclosures was dominated by Consumer Discretionary companies with 25 and Information Technology companies, with 21 reporting. For proof points that sectors matter when evaluating extremes in pay ratio, one needs to look no further than companies releasing their pay ratio since April 15, which include The TJX Companies (ratio of 1,501:1), Electronic Arts (371:1) and Wal-Mart (1,188:1).
The previous seven months of the CEO Pay Ratio disclosures have been uneventful. Depending on industry/sector and median employee pay, we expect the ratio to be higher in Hospitality, Consumer Discretionary and other sectors that employ more part-time workers. It's still impossible to do a comparison across companies since there is no standardization of the methodologies and calculations used to determine the ratio. I do think that time will tell how valuable this disclosure is in the world of executive pay.
– Zanvi Patel, Partner, Farient Advisors LLC
Although early concern was voiced regarding companies becoming front page news for their extraordinary CEO pay ratio, more focus has been placed on median employee pay than the ratio itself. As we mentioned in our previous brief, business model has a significant impact on the magnitude of the ratio. Not surprisingly, sectors with the lowest median pay have the highest ratios. In the S&P 500, the Consumer Discretionary sector has the highest median ratio at 453.5:1 and the lowest median employee pay at $26,095. The Consumer Discretionary sector includes McDonald's, Mattel and Target, among others. This sector often represents companies with part-time and seasonal staff, which lowers their employee median pay. Consumer Staples ranks number 2 in median pay ratio and includes the second lowest employee pay group among sectors. This inverse relationship appears in the interactive graphic below.
Median Employee Pay vs. CEO Pay Ratio
There is no standard requirement for disclosing the CEO pay ratio, and companies have varied widely in their explanations. Where some have simply disclosed the ratio along with little to no explanation, others, particularly those with special circumstances, have chosen to explain their pay ratio in much more detail. Contingent, part-time and offshore employees which drive down median employee pay are often highlighted, as are one-time awards to the CEO. One example, Ralph Lauren Corporation, explained their 1,111:1 ratio referencing a one-time equity grant for their new CEO, who recently joined the company. The explanation stated that "without the one-time awards" their ratio would be 595:1, which they "expect to be more in-line with the estimated pay ratio in future years."
Finally, with over 80% of the S&P 500 reporting, we don't expect overall median ratios to change over the remainder of the year. But that doesn't mean that these disclosures should receive less attention or be ignored. With six more months to go and blue-chip companies including Apple, Walt Disney, Nike and Oracle waiting in the wings to disclose their CEO Pay ratios, we think there may be some surprises on the horizon. Stay tuned.
Explore the Farient Pay Ratio Tracker


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Universal Orlando settles property dispute, clears way for potential theme park expansion
in Theme Parks, Universal Orlando
Posted on April 12, 2018 July 3, 2020 by Cristina Sanza
Paving the way for possible theme park expansions, Universal Orlando acquired additional land along with deed restrictions that once blocked them from building a new park in the area.
Today, deeds were filed with Orange County transferring land from Georgia businessman Stan Thomas to SLRC Holdings LLC, Universal's subsidiary. Thomas' rights to the land were also formally assigned to Universal. Though Universal hasn't commented on plans for the land, they could now potentially use it to build a new park.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, records don't indicate how much Universal paid Thomas. Yesterday, Universal settled a lawsuit with Thomas concerning land purchased by the park in 2015 for $130 million. Thomas argued that he still owned the rights to enforce private deed restrictions, which included a ban on theme parks. After this new set of transactions, county records show Thomas retained some property in the area.
Photo credit: Adelaide Chen/Orlando Sentinel
In the image above, blue properties were acquired in 2015 and some of the red properties were acquired today. Grading plans have been filed for the area outlined in green.
At the moment, it's not clear what's in store for the property but it could be Nintendo-related. Universal Parks and Resorts and Nintendo entered an agreement to create theme park attractions in May 2015. The previously announced Super Nintendo World is slated to open at Universal Studios Japan in 2020.
Source: Orlando Sentinel
Tagged:expansion
Comments Off on Universal Orlando settles property dispute, clears way for potential theme park expansion
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