Publications from April to December 2011
V. Stangl, C. Kuhn, S. Hentschel, N. Jochmann, C. Jacob, V. Böhm, K. Fröhlich, L. Müller, C. Gericke, M. Lorenz: Lack of effects of tomato products on endothelial function in humans: Results of a randomised, placebo controlled cross-over study - Br. J. Nutr. 105 (2011) 263-267.
L. Müller, V. Böhm: Antioxidant activity of β-carotene compounds in different in vitro assays - Molecules 16 (2011) 1055-1069.
A. Mordente, B. Guantario, E. Meucci, A. Silvestrini, E. Lombardi, G. E. Martorana, B. Giardina, V. Böhm: Lycopene and cardiovascular diseases: An update - Curr. Med. Chem. 18 (2011) 1146-1163.
L. Müller, P. Goupy, K. Fröhlich, O. Dangles, C. Caris-Veyrat, V. Böhm: Comparative study on antioxidant activity of lycopene (Z)-isomers in different assays - J. Agric. Food Chem. 59 (2011) 4504-4511.
L. Müller, K. Fröhlich, V. Böhm: Comparative antioxidant activities of carotenoids measured by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), ABTS bleaching assay (αTEAC), DPPH assay and peroxyl radical scavenging assay - Food Chem. 129 (2011) 139-148.
R. E. Simone, M. Russo, A. Catalano, G. Monego, K. Fröhlich, V. Böhm, P. Palozza: lycopene inhibits NF-kB -mediated IL-8 expression and changes redox and PPARγ signalling in cigarette smoke-stimulated macrophages - PLoS ONE 6 (2011) 1-11.
Verónica García-Valverde, Inmaculada Navarro-González, Javier García-Alonso & María Jesús Periago. Antioxidant Bioactive Compounds in Selected Industrial Processing and Fresh Consumption Tomato Cultivars. Food Bioprocess Technol. DOI 10.1007/s11947-011-0687-3. Published online 22 September 2011.
F. J. García-Alonso, V. Jorge-Vidal,G. Ros & M. J. Periago. Effect of consumption of tomato juice enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the lipid profile, antioxidant biomarker status, and cardiovascular disease risk in healthy women. Eur J Nutr. DOI 10.1007/s00394-011-0225-0. Published online 14 July 2011.
A number of epidemiological studies have shown the protective potential of lycopene in relation to different illnesses, in particular to cardiovascular diseases. The responsible mechanisms are often not specifically examined, since lycopene is fat-soluble and many laboratory studies are only carried out with cell systems in aqueous solutions.
Therefore, different institutes in LYCOCARD have investigated both the stability of lycopene in cell systems and the suitability of non-aqueous transport systems for the transfer of lycopene into cell models. It was conspicuous that the low density proteins (LDL particles) and the bovine serum albumin protein were equally suitable as physiologically relevant systems for transporting lycopene into the adipocytes (fat cells). For these two transport systems, lycopene stability and uptake rates were comparable to tetrahydrofurane which is often used as solvent [Gourantan et al. 2008]. In a comparable way tetrahydrofurane and micelles (physiological system) were examined as transport systems, in order to carry lycopene into three different, physiologically relevant types of vascular cells (BAEC, THP-1, RAT-1). Compared to the THP-1-cells, the lycopene uptake was higher with both transport systems in BAEC and RAT-1 fibroblasts [Lorenz et al. 2009].
So far, the uptake of lycopene into different cells of the human organism by passive diffusion has generally been assumed. LYCOCARD investigations in human intestine cells and in mice showed that the scavenger receptor type BI (SR-BI), identified as a membrane transporter responsible for the uptake of cholesterol, is also involved in the transport of carotenoids, such as lycopene, into cells. An active transport mechanism for carotenoids could thus be proved [Moussa et al. 2008].
β-carotene-rich tomatoes inhibited HT-29-colon cancer cell growth more strongly than pure β-carotene. This result proves that tomatoes contain ingredients besides carotenoids which provide protective effects [Palozza et al. 2009]. This supports a preference of the natural complex food over the isolated food ingredient. In another cell experiment with human macro phages (THP-1), lycopene was able to prevent the oxidative stress released by a cholesterol oxidation product better than β-carotene [Palozza et al. 2010]. This result proves that the anti-oxidative effect of lycopene is stronger than that of β-carotene.
Analysis of factors affecting extraction and quantitative determination of lycopene content in raw tomatoes and tomato products showed that the test portion, the quantity of neutralising agents and the quantity of water for phase separation all have a major impact on the extraction [Periago et al. 2007]. With this work, this LYCOCARD partner has contributed extensively to the understanding of the analytic conditions present in the determination of lycopene content. Further investigations provided a folate content in raw tomatoes of 4-35 mg/100 g, which was dependant on sort, stage of maturity and year of harvest. Short heating phases (40 seconds, 98 °C) during the pasteurisation of tomato puree improved the extractability of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, whereas higher temperatures (108 °C, 128 °C) reduced the content. During the storage of tomato juice, folate content decreased independently of storage temperatures (8, 22, 37 °C). The decreases were higher in glass bottles than in Tetra Paks [Iniesta et al. 2009].
Homogenisation steps during the production of tomato puree had little influence on the contents of bioactive tomato compounds (carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamin C). While the carotenoids endured the pasteurisation (40 seconds, 98 °C) relatively unchanged, the contents of phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) were lowered by the heating. Single-step and two-step homogenisation improved the extractability of bioactive compounds and thus created tomato products with higher quality [Pérez Conesa et al. 2009].
The 12-month storage of tomato juice in glass bottles and in Tetra Paks at three temperatures (8, 22, 37 °C) showed a comparable stability for lycopene and phenolic compounds unaffected by its packing material. In contrast, the ascorbic acid content clearly decreased during the storage [Garcìa Alonso et al. 2009].
So far, the EU project LYCOCARD has gained important insights for science, industry and the consumer. Improved experimental conditions within cell experiments as well as new knowledge for the absorption of lycopene into cells have provided the base for ongoing mechanistic and human intervention studies. Investigations of the stability of bioactive tomato compounds and on the influence of processing and storage conditions enable the food industry and the consumer to manufacture and/or consume tomato products with higher contents of bioactive ingredients.
Accompanying the investigations described above, a literature search related to epidemiological studies and further studies dealing with tomatoes and cardiovascular health has been done within the fourth project year. Currently, LYCOCARD is collaborating with the Framingham Heart Study of Boston University, USA, to have the Framingham data re-evaluated in relation to lycopene uptake and the use of tomatoes/tomato products to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
This project provides information on the connection between the consumption of lycopene and/or tomato products and the risk of heart illnesses. In addition, nutritional information is to be evaluated five times within 20 years with regard to this context. The total aim of LYCOCARD is to show that high long-term consumption of lycopene is linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular illnesses. The connection between lycopene absorption and heart diseases is studied and, in addition, the link between the consumption of tomato products and heart diseases. Thus, the LYCOCARD network provides mechanistic data as well as results from intervention studies; it can both complete these data and strengthen their long-term importance.
• Garcìa-Alonso J, Bravo S, Casas J, Pérez-Conesa D, Jacob K, Periago MJ: Changes in antioxidant compounds during the shelf-life of commercial tomato juices in different packaging materials
J. Agric. Food Chem. 57 (2009) 6815-6822
• Gouranton E, El Yazidi C, Cardinault N, Amiot M J, Margotat A, Borel P, Landrier J-F: Purified low-density lipoprotein and bovine serum albumin efficiency to internalise lycopene into adipocytes
Food Chem. Toxicol. 46 (2008) 3832-3836
• Lorenz M, Stangl V, Jacob C, Daemen K, Böhm V, Fröhlich K, Simone R, Baumann G, Stangl K, Palozza P: Delivery of lycopene in physiologically relevant vascular cells
J. Food Lipids 16 (2009) 259-272
• Moussa M, Landrier, J-F, Reboul, E, Ghiringhelli O, Coméra C, Collet X, Fröhlich K, Böhm V, Borel P: Lycopene Absorption in Human Intestinal Cells and in Mice Involves Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I (SR-BI), but Not Niemann Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1)
J. Nutr. 138 (2008) 1432-1436
• Iniesta, M-D, Pérez-Conesa D, García-Alonso J, Ros G, Periago M J: Folate content in tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) as influence of cultivar, ripeness, year of harvest, pasteurization and storage temperatures
J. Agric. Food Chem. 57 (2009) 4739–4745
• Palozza P, Bellovno D, Simone R, Boninsegna A, Cellini F, Monastra G, Gaetani S: Effect of β-carotene-rich tomato lycopene β-cyclase (tlcy-b) on cell growth inhibition in HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells
Br. J. Nutr. 102 (2009) 207-214
• Palozza P, Simone R, Catalano A, Boninsegna, A, Böhm V, Fröhlich K, Mele M-C, Monego G, Ranelletti FO: Lycopene prevents 7-keto-cholesterol-induced oxidative stress, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human macrophages
J. Nutr. Biochem. 21/1 (2010) 34-46
• Pérez-Conesa D, García-Alonso J, García-Valverde V, Iniesta M-D, Ros G, Periago M J: Changes in bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity during homogenisation and thermal processing of tomato puree
Innov. Food Sci. Technol. 10 (2009) 179-188
• Periago M J, Rincón F, Jacob K, García-Alonso J, Ros G: Detection of Key Factors in the Extraction and Quantification of Lycopene from Tomato and Tomato Products
J. Agric. Food Chem. 55 (2007) 8825-8829


In 1965, researchers conducted an experiment on rats exploring the health effects of sugar and fat. The rats were divided into two groups: one group of rats was a fed diet containing 75% fat and no sugar, while the other group was fed a diet containing 15% fat and 60% sucrose. The results of this experiment led the researchers to believe that rats fed sucrose, a simple carbohydrate, developed thiamine deficiency, often leading to cardiovascular disease, while more complex carbohydrates helped create gut bacteria that synthesized thiamine (Nutritional Reviews, 1965). Based on internal documents, the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) has discounted evidence linking sucrose consumption to cardiovascular disease.
This research prompted funding, among the SRF, to understand the relationship between sugar and any metabolic effects related to chronic disease beyond its caloric effects. The foundation (which has organizational ties to the Sugar Association, the International Sugar Research Foundation [ISRF], and ISRF's successor, and the World Sugar Research Organization) led a group of researchers, referred to as Project 259, to study the effect of sugar on gut bacteria in 1967. The researchers observed a positive association between rodent sugar-rich diets and triglyceride levels, which contributed to higher urinary concentrations of beta-glucoronidase, a well-established marker of bladder cancer (Paigen, Peterson and Paigen, 2017). Albeit, the Sugar Association has consistently denied that sucrose has any metabolic effects related to chronic disease.
In 2016, the Sugar Association issued a press release criticizing findings from a study published in Cancer Research using multiple mouse models that suggested that dietary sugar induces increased tumor growth and metastasis when compared to a nonsugar starch diet. The Sugar Association stated that no credible link between ingested sugars and cancer has been established. In contrast, evidence suggests that that the sugar industry terminated funding of an animal study that was finding unfavorable results with respect to the association between dietary sugars and cancer, with possible translational importance to humans (Sugar Association, 2016).
Researchers have discovered internal documents that suggest the sugar industry muffled research indicating a significant relationship between sugar and adverse health effects including, heart disease and cancer (Kearns, Apollonio & Glantz, 2017). And this isn't the first time the sugar industry has been caught in the act. Researchers uncovered evidence suggesting the sugar industry systematically misrepresented research linking sugar to cancer, obesity, and heart disease (Kearns, Schmidt and Glantz, 2016).
In response to the study, the sugar industry released a statement, saying: “The article we are discussing is not actually a study, but a perspective: a collection of speculations and assumptions about events that happened nearly five decades ago, conducted by a group of researchers and funded by individuals and organizations that are known critics of the sugar industry” (Foley, 2017).
Basu, T. (2017). Researchers Publish Bombshell Report That Suggests Sugar Industry Conspiracy. [online] The Daily Beast. Available at: https://www.thedailybeast.com/researchers-publish-bombshell-report-that-suggests-sugar-industry-conspiracy?source=twitter&via=desktop [Accessed 3 Dec. 2017].
Foley, K. (2017). An investigation suggests Big Sugar hid evidence of sucrose’s health effects. [online] Quartz. Available at: https://qz.com/1134313/sugar-health-effects-50-years-ago-the-sugar-industry-hid-evidence-from-the-public/ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2017].
Kearns, C., Apollonio, D. and Glantz, S. (2017). Sugar industry sponsorship of germ-free rodent studies linking sucrose to hyperlipidemia and cancer: An historical analysis of internal documents. PLOS Biology, 15(11), p.e2003460. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2003460
Kearns, C., Schmidt, L. and Glantz, S. (2016). Sugar Industry and Coronary Heart Disease Research. JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(11), p.1680. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.5394
Nutritional Reviews. (1965). Dietary fats and intestinal thiamine synthesis in rats. Nutrition Reviews, 23(11), pp.334-336. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.1965.tb02053.x
Paigen, K., Peterson, J. and Paigen, B. (2017). Role of Urinary β-Glucuronidase in Human Bladder Cancer. [online] Cancer Research. Available at: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/44/8/3620.long [Accessed 3 Dec. 2017].
The Sugar Association. (2017). The Sugar Association Response to University of Texas MD Animal Study Linking Sugar to Cancer - The Sugar Association. [online] Available at: https://www.sugar.org/the-sugar-association-response-university-of-texas-md-animal-study-linking-sugar-to-cancer/ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2017].
The Awareness domain contains research, news, information, observations, and ideas at the level of self in an effort to intellectualize health concepts.
The Lifestyle domain builds off intellectual concepts and offers practical applications.
Taking care of yourself is at the core of the other domains because the others depend on your health and wellness.


Leo Timmers was born in Belgium in 1970. After studying advertising and graphic design he worked for 10 years as a freelance children’s book illustrator.In 2000 he wrote his first picture book called ‘Happy with me’ which he also illustrated. He received a Bookfeather award for the illustrations. From then on Leo wrote most of his books himself which where awarded many times. He won the annual Children’s and Youth Jury Award five times and in 2012 his book ‘Bang’ was awarded the prestigious Bookpeacock award for best illustrated book of the year. His books have been translated in more than 25 languages.
Recently Leo is very involved with animation as a first TV- series based on his work is currently in production ( Ziggy & the Zootram), and a second show is in development. (Deep sea Doctor Derek). He supervises all stages, like scriptwriting, design, modeling and direction.


No matter at what age our children come forward with their truth about their gender identity, once we start affirming them and supporting a social transition, we eventually must have conversations with extended family. I have dedicated a whole chapter around this in Beyond Pronouns, focusing mainly on the need to let the child take the lead, the parent’s experience coming out to service providers, and especially how to protect the transgender person from microaggressions and outright transphobia.
Since writing the book, I have had some excellent conversations with grandparents of trans children about their experiences. It was pretty enlightening to hear their point of view. There is a unique quality of love felt by a grandparent, but it is love just the same. So let’s look at the nuance outside the binary of being a perfectly affirming grandparent and a transphobic one.
Many self-aware grandparents understand their place in the pecking order of decision-making with children in the family. Many a mother-in-law over history has been told to keep her opinions to herself. Because of that, grandparents have said to me that they feel lost and have no control when they are told about their grandchild dealing with gender dysphoria. I could relate to that loss of power as a parent myself. Still, at least I was in the doctor’s office and making therapy appointments and had some sense of participation and immediacy in the process. In contrast, grandparents often hear about it after the fact.
No room for grace
One grandmother told me she struggled with being told by her daughter how she was to feel when she learned that her grandchild was a trans girl. She was only to feel happy about the transition, not ask questions, and there was absolutely no room for occasional mistakes with chosen names or pronouns. Further, her daughter threatened to remove access to the grandchild if grandma couldn’t be completely affirming immediately. While I fully understand the want and need to protect transgender children from harm, this description didn’t sound very fair when I consider how I made my own mistakes early on in my son’s transition, and I am a fierce ally and advocate. Sometimes grandparents need to be seen for their humanity and given some grace.
No access to support
While extended family can easily read my book, the subtitle says specifically it’s for parents of trans children and most of the support groups out there are also focused on parents, even though we welcome all caregivers. Grandparents may not realize they are welcome to access those supports. Add to that the reality that grandparents come from a generation where gender diversity was never discussed or taught in schools. So they are coming at this completely in the dark. Further, they were mostly raised not to discuss this type of topic in polite company, and if the child has chosen to be stealth, they won’t be able to discuss the transition with friends. It is difficult to process a major life change alone.
Again, protecting trans children from painful rhetoric and microaggressions is very important. We also need to consider the perspective of grandparents who love their grandchildren and need more education and opportunities to practice using a chosen name and correct pronouns. That might look like sharing resources like an Understanding Gender webinar with the grandparent or going coffee alone as adults and having an open, loving conversation about the new terminology.
One last word for grandparents, I understand having a heart full of love and also feeling fear about something you don’t understand. Please learn as much as you can on your own from reputable sources such as Trevor Project, and be patient with your children as everyone is processing a significant change that can be stressful for everyone involved. You’ve got this. Just keep leading with love.
Download the ebook Defining Transgender here to stay in touch through my newsletter and don’t forget to grab your copy of Beyond Pronouns: The Essential Guide for Parents of Trans Children.


Close your eyes. Forget the darkness around you and watch the bright red color within your eyelids. Look intently into that violet-red color. Meditate on it, and imagine it is becoming bigger and bigger. Behold around you a dimly shining sea of violet light. You are a wave of light, a ripple of peace floating on the surface of the sea. Now watch carefully. You, the little wave, are tossing on an ocean of light. Your tiny life is part of the all-pervading Life. As your meditation deepens, you, a little shallow wave of peace, are becoming the deep, wide ocean of peace. Meditate on the thought, “I am a wave of peace.” Feel the vastness just beneath your consciousness. The wave should feel the sustaining life of the vast ocean beneath it.


Hadith 15: Good manners in speech
Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu ‘anhu, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said:
“Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day either speak good or be silent. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his neighbour. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his guest.”
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
This hadith contains the rulings concerning the tongue and the behaviour of Muslims towards others. It also emphasises that we are responsible for what we say.
Imam Haithami points out that this hadith is very similar in meaning to Hadith 13 that says: “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” He says that everyone is a neighbour to someone else. Therefore if this hadith is properly practiced and applied, then there will be a strong bond and love within the society or community.
The responsibility of the Muslim regarding what he says is mentioned in the Qur’an:
“Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him ready to record it”
[Surah Qaf (50): ayat 18].
There are also other hadiths which state that the Muslim should be careful about what he says. His words can either, if they are pleasing to Allah, raise him to a higher level; or if his words displease Allah, they may cause him to be thrown into the Hellfire – as stated in a hadith recorded by Imam al-Bukhari. This shows that what we say can have a direct effect on whether it will benefit us or not.
One hadith (which illustrates the example of a bad consequence resulting from what a person says) states that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said that a pious man from Bani Israel use to see his fellow man always committing sins. On day the pious man swore to the sinner: “By Allah, He will never forgive you.” Allah was displeased with what the pious man said because only Allah knows what is our destiny, whether someone will end up in Paradise or Hell. Because of this, when the two men died, the pious man was punished and put into Hell and the sinner was forgiven by Allah. [Sunan Abu Daud]
What we can learn here is that either we say something beneficial and good or else we should keep silent.
There are many Islamic guidelines which help us to say good things and to refrain from saying bad things, or things which displeases Allah subhana wa ta’ala. When we talk to others, whether it is relatives, friends, neighbours, etc., we should select the best terms/words and say them in a nice way. We should ensure that what we say is clear and easily understood. If we are not careful and we do not choose the right words, what we say may be misinterpreted and may lead to conflicts.
As a listener, we have to listen positively and interpret what we hear in a good way. We should not ‘over interpret’ what we hear; we should not try to ‘read between the lines’. Thus, as a speaker we say things in a positive manner and as a listener we interpret things in a positive manner. By doing so Islam encourages us to minimise disputes and conflicts.
If we find ourselves in the middle of a dispute between two people, e.g. between relatives, we should not take sides. We should try to help and reconcile the differences; try to resolve the problems and end the dispute.
If we are being consulted by someone and asked for our advice, we should try our best to give good advice. What we say should help the person and not add to his confusion or doubt. If we do not have enough knowledge and we cannot provide proper advice, then we should keep silent.
Even if we have information which, as a result, may add to the person’s confusion, we should keep it to ourselves.
We should keep away as best as we can from unnecessary or non-beneficial talk. People can talk or chat for hours but a lot of what is said is unimportant or trivial and does not benefit anyone. It wastes our time and this continuous talking may even lead us into areas where we might say something which displeases Allah subhana wa ta’ala.
When it comes to saying good things, there are many examples available: dzikrullah (remembrance of Allah), reciting the Qur’an, du’a, giving advice, etc. These are all things which are pleasing to Allah.
When we meet people who are sick, sad, feeling down, in a low frame of mind, etc., we should say things that will make these people feel better, have patience in facing their calamity, be positive, be strong, etc. This is known as al-muasah – to say good things of encouragement to help those facing problems; to not make them panic. The scholars have defined sabr (patience) as ‘to refrain from panicking’ – to refrain from being out of control – and to refrain the tongue from complaining.
Complaining, e.g. simply saying that the weather is hot, will lead us to impatience; it can affect our attitude and hence our work. If we want to lament we should lament only with Allah. If we do it with Allah it is munajah – it will turn into ibadah. If we do it with others it will be complaining (tashakki) – we will be violating the ibadah itself, which is sabr. So we should learn to minimise and ultimately eliminate the act of complaining.
We should refrain from saying bad things or things which may be untrue. When we hear some news, we shouldn’t simply repeat it or spread it without first verifying if the news is true. This could lead to us spreading lies or rumours. We must refrain from:
- spreading rumours, especially those that will cause harm to the community.
- slandering, back-biting, etc.
- sarcasm and making fun of others – this is one of the most common social ills today. It is a sin to make fun of others.
Sometimes we may encounter a situation which involves fitnah or al-fitan. We have to be careful of what we say. There are people who will take advantage of the situation and they may say things which may worsen the situation. When there is fitnah, people are in a panic and might believe anything. That’s why we have to be careful of what we say because it may add to the people’s fears and problems. What we should do is to help by saying positive things that will give the people hope; to uplift them and motivate them to face the problems; and not to make it worse.
The second part of this hadith stresses on being courteous and generous to our neighbours and guests. This is stated in the Qur’an – Surah An-Nisa'(4): ayat 36: “…do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hand possess.”
In one hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said: “Jibril kept advising me concerning the neighbour to the point that I thought that he would inherit from his neighbour.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. In another hadith [also recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim], it is stated: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his neighbour.”
Another hadith records the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, as saying that the person who does not have complete faith (iman) is the one from whose affairs the neighbour is not safe. Al-Bukhari and Muslim also records another hadith which states that when you cook stew, you should add a little bit more water and give some to your neighbours. This sharing of food between neighbours can strengthen the relationships between them. We should be nice to our neighbours and share our food even if they are not Muslims.
We should be patient with our neighbour even if he causes annoyance to us. In a hadith, the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said that there are three types of people whom Allah loves. One of them is a person who has a neighbour who causes him harm or annoyance but he remains patient and tolerates the neighbour.
The ‘guest’ mentioned in the last part of the hadith is generally interpreted as a travelling visitor who has come to stay for a short while. One hadith states: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be generous to his guest. His special gift (to the guest) is one day and night. He (the guest) is to be entertained for three days. Whatever is beyond that is an act of charity. It is not lawful for a guest to stay with his host to the extent that he makes things difficult for him (the host).” [Al-Bukhari]. Thus, the visitor should not take advantage of a generous host.
Regarding this ruling, the majority of the scholars are of the opinion that hosting, in general, is recommended (mustahab) and not obligatory (wajib), even though it is a great and noble act. According to many scholars, the recommended act of hosting does not extend to evildoers or heretics. But some great scholars of today say that we should entertain even evildoers. This is because if we are good Muslims, when we host them and be good to them, we might influence them and cause them to change and become better people. But we should be very cautious if we were to host these sorts of people – we should only do so if we know there will not be any harm that may be inflicted on us.
Hosting evildoers would be following a general principle of Fiqh which allows us to tolerate a minor harm (e.g. allowing an evildoer to stay with us) in order to attain a major benefit (e.g. influencing him into becoming a good Muslim).
This hadith teaches us the proper manners pertaining to speech and entertaining guests. Following the advice given by the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, will lead to a more peaceful life and harmonious Islamic society in this life, and attaining the pleasure of Allah in the Hereafter.
Dr. Jamal Ahmed Badi


With an ancient highway running from ‘Ulku Idam’, the place where taxes being collected, ( Ukkadam) to Walayar through a deep forest, kings, queens, soldiers and merchants from various places in India and abroad must have journeyed through it on chariots, horses and mules to reach the west coast. Since robbery was also rampant those days, the traders had to hide their valuables at certain spots on the highway and communicated their whereabouts among themselves in riddles, which could be understood only to them.
And a folksong related to such riddles, is still narrated by the peoplof Ettimadai, a village near the ancient highway Rajakesari Peruvazhi.
“Aaalaa Marathula Ambu, Velaamarathula Villu, Angundu Panam, Ingille, Ingundu Panam, Angille (Roughly translated – The arrow is in the banyan tree, the bow is in the babul tree. The money is there, but not here, the money is here but not there)”
“Though the meaning of the song cannot be interpreted exactly, it is still recited by some elders of our village to say how the merchants confused the highway robbers and prevented them from stealing their valuables” informs Anbarasu, a shepherd-turned- businessman at Ettimadai.
Pointing at the three hills Sorimalai, Thimilmalai and Attamalai in Ettimadai, Anbarasu says:
“Look, you can have a clear view of Rajakesari Peruvazhi between those mountains”
Interacting with K.R. Babu, a poet and historian of Coimbatore at Rajakesari Peruvazhi on Friday, Anbarasu informed:
“I have been to the forests of Ettimadai ever since I was a boy, as I used to take my goats for grazing on the hills. Though elders in our family would say that there existed an ancient highway, I came to know its name as ‘Rajakesari Peruvazhi’ only after I read an article in 2002 by eminent archeologist late Karunanandham in Kalaikathir, an exclusive magazine for science in Tamil”
Anbarasu used to read books while grazing goats near the highway. But, it was a coincidence that he discovered the highway’s name as ‘Rajakesari Peruvazhi’ while reading the magazine at the same Rajakesari Peruvazhi!
“If you go deep into the forest and reach the spot Thekkanthittu between Thimilmalai and Attamalai, you can come across the highway’s name inscribed on a large rock in Vattezhuththu. You can also notice a Venba (A conventional Tamil poem) inscribed on the rock in praise of the Chola king, who strengthened the highway. The inscription, which dates back to 10th century A.D, is still safe, as it is far away from human reach” adds Anbarasu.
Pointing at the ancient highway, which runs between the long stretches of cacti along its sides, poet K.R.Babu averred:
“It is pleasant to imagine the chariot travels of kings and queens through Rajakesari Peruvazhi over 1000 years. It brings to mind the scenes from historical novels by celebrated Tamil writers like Kalki and Sandilyan”
Link to my article in The New Indian Express : http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/3633910


Since joining QPS in 2020, Dan has been expanding continuous learning and development opportunities that impact the company’s bottom line. A workplace learning professional with over 20 years of experience, he enjoys helping others realize potential and experience success.
Dan has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in management and leadership. He is the author of the book "I Am CXO, Now What? A Job Description for Living a Life of Purpose and Meaning." Westbow Press, 2017.
Dan and his wife Denise have two grown children and reside in Oconomowoc, WI.


2023 KCRWF Americanism
Essay Contest Winners
Evy Krombein is an incoming high school sophomore living in Kootenai County. When she’s not writing novels or essays, you can find her reading one of her favorite books (which include The Sinking City by Christine Cohen and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas), or cuddling her cats, Snickerdoodle and Cocoa.
My name is Amanda and I am going into 10th grade at Lakeland High School. I am going on my third year in a leadership position in my Student Council. I am a two sport athlete participating on both the high school swim team and tennis team. As the daughter of a retired law enforcement officer, I am grateful for all of the freedom that the state of Idaho provides for its citizens. I believe it’s important for my generation, as the future leaders of America, to pay attention to what is going on in our country and actively participate in government. I’m grateful to be selected as a winner in the 2023 Kootenai County Republican Women Federated Americanism Essay Contest!


You are invited to attend
a book signing for author Lisa Solis DeLong:
November 19, 2011 at 4:00pm
295 E. Colorado Blvd,
Pasadena, CA 91101
Please join Lisa for this special event and invite a friend!
If you already have a copy of BLOOD Brothers,
buy one for a friend – this book makes a great gift!
We hope to see you there!
For more information or to rsvp, please email author
Lisa Solis DeLong
Can’t make the event? Get it at www.tatepublishing.com or Amazon


Student of the first class of the Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainability Science, Carla Pimentel launched her guide book “Jardins Terapêuticos em Instituições de Saúde: benefícios, características e implementação”. The launch was part of the inauguration of the Brazilian Institute of Therapeutic Gardens (IBJT), in Rio de Janeiro, which aims to disseminate knowledge about the use of green spaces and their great potential to promote benefits for health and well-being.
While studying the Professional Master’s Degree in Sustainability Science, Carla developed her dissertation entitled Therapeutic Gardens as a global trend that, in turn, guided the creation of the IBJT. The latest studies and inexhaustible research on the subject led the author to define a niche in a deeper way, generating the possibility of creating her guide book, which will serve as a reference for architects, landscape designers, health professionals and for anyone interested in design a garden with a focus on well-being.
Jardins terapêuticos em instituições de saúde: benefícios, características e implementação
Author: Carla Pimentel
Edition: Gondola label from Lacre publishing house
E-book sold on the main online sales platforms
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The Casino Chronicles reveals the secrets of these triumphs and the strategies employed by those who dare to challenge the odds. Yet, the world of gambling is not without its share of tragedy. Behind the bright lights and the thrill of the game, there are tales of devastating losses and shattered dreams. The Casino Chronicles explores the stories of those who found themselves on the wrong side of fortune, unraveling the emotions and the lessons learned in the face of adversity. It’s a reminder that even in the world of gambling, where luck plays a significant role, the human element remains at the core. But beyond the tales of triumph and tragedy, there are also moments of pure entertainment and sheer spectacle. The Casino Chronicles takes you behind the scenes of extravagant shows and performances that captivate audiences night after night.
From breathtaking acrobatics to mesmerizing magic acts, the world of the casino is a stage where the extraordinary becomes the norm. In conclusion, The Casino Chronicles is a glimpse into a world where chance and destiny collide. It’s a collection of stories that showcase the heights of human audacity, the depths of despair, and the extraordinary moments that unfold within the realm of the casino. Whether it’s tales of triumph, tragedy, or pure entertainment, The Casino Chronicles invites you to experience the exhilaration, drama, and unforgettable stories that await at the tables.Spinning Fortunes: Exploring the Slot World Slot machines have been captivating players for decades, offering an exhilarating combination of luck, entertainment, and the possibility of spinning your way to a fortune. Whether you’ve visited a land-based casino or tried your luck at an online gambling platform, the allure of the slot world is undeniable.
In this article, we delve into the fascinating realm of slots, exploring their evolution, features, and the thrill they bring to millions of players worldwide. The history of slot machines 프리카지노 dates back to the late 19th century when the first mechanical slot machine was invented by Charles Fey. Since then, these humble machines have undergone significant transformations. Today, we find an array of slot games with vibrant graphics, immersive themes, and captivating soundtracks. The spinning reels, adorned with colorful symbols, create an enchanting experience that keeps players coming back for more. One of the remarkable aspects of slot machines is their accessibility. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned gambler, you can enjoy slots with ease. The rules are simple: insert your wager, spin the reels, and hope for a winning combination. The excitement lies in the anticipation as the reels come to a stop, revealing whether fortune is on your side.


I want to tell you about a series of books to which I have just been introduced by my friend Eric.
The series is called Emperor and tells the story, via four novels, of the life of Julius Caesar.
From young boy to Consul of Rome and beyond with Rome, Spain, Gaul, Britain and Greece as a backdrop. The books are filled with adventure, pirates, political intrigue, a little romance and lots of action both on land and at sea. The books are also peppered with other famous characters such as Pompey, Cicero, Mark Antony and so on.
When I was at school I had no interest in history, the curriculum seemed to be obsessed with dates and dry facts. On this date Caesar fought this battle, on that date Caesar became Consul…… bleugh !!!
If only my tutors could have enlivened the classes with stories such as these.
Since starting to read these books I have been prompted to research the backgrounds of many of the characters. In part to determine the reality but also to understand a bit more about the times. Thank you Mr Iggulden for peeking my curiosity.
Also, having travelled around in Europe, many of the places mentioned in the books are places that I have visited. This gives more substance to the books and to a degree fills in gaps that I didn’t know existed in my travels.
The author Conn Iggulden, goes to great lengths in the back of the books, to explain when he has played fast and loose with history for the purposes of maintaining narrative flow. He is the first to point out that it is nigh on impossible to cover everything that Caesar achieved and so there is some telescoping of events.
I only started the first book (The Gates of Rome) some two weeks ago but I am now racing towards the end of the fourth (The Gods of War). The pace in these books never lets up and I am already mentally applying the brakes because I don’t want the story to end but, at the same time, I want to see what happens. All this despite knowing the historical ending.
Thank you Eric, for introducing me to Emperor.


Our minds are like the branches of a tree, they fuel our every move, action and potential. Our bodies are like the trunk of a tree providing stability and strength. Some times our branches do break and that can effect the nourishment they provide to the tree itself. In some cases our branches do mend and grow back and other times they do not and we learn how to adapt and find the inner strength to keep going and live with the outcome. It sometimes can be a daily struggle until the Fog lifts and the storm comes to an end.


It wasn’t just the beginning of ‘lockdown’; it was the moment when marketing as we know it changed forever and a new era began.
Introducing our major thought leadership book, Positive Provocation: the next stage of marketing.
Positive Provocation is the next stage of marketing. It demands attention, focus and analysis from the business and brand owner community.
In this book authors from Wavemaker UK unveil seven provocations that can help you drive growth in what’s set to be a turbulent decade.
Our Positive Provocations are unflinching, challenge conventional marketing practice and will show you a better way to grow.


Joel F. Lubar, Margaret N. Shouse
Reduced seizure incidence coupled with voluntary motor inhibition accompanied conditioned increases in the sensorimotor rhythm(SMR), a 12–14 Hz rhythm appearing over rolandic cortex. Although SMR biofeedback training has been successfully applied to various forms of epilepsy in humans, its potential use in decreasing hyperactivity has been limited to a few cases in which a seizure history was also a significant feature. The present study represents a first attempt to explore the technique's applicability to the problem of hyperkinesis independent of the epilepsy issue. The results of several months of EEG biofeedback training in a hyperkinetic child tend to corroborate and extend previous findings. Feedback presentations for SMR were contingent on the production of 12–14-Hz activity in the absence of 4–7-Hz slow-wave activity. A substantial increase in SMR occurred with progressive SMR training and was associated with enhanced motor inhibition, as gauged by laboratory measures of muscular tone(chin EMG) and by a global behavioral assessment in the classroom. Opposite trends in motor inhibition occurred when the training procedure was reversed and feedback presentations were contingent on the production of 4–7 Hz in the absence of 12–14-Hz activity. Although the preliminary nature of these results is stressed, the subject population has recently been increased to establish the validity and generality of the findings and will include the use of SMR biofeedback training after medication has been withdrawn. This research was a segment of the junior author's dissertation research.
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Evaluation of neurofeedback in ADHD: The long and winding road. Biological Psychology, 95, 108–115.Arns, M., Heinrich, H., & Strehl, U. (2014).
Neurofeedback in ADHD: A single-blind randomized controlled trial. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 20, 481–491. Bakhshayesh, A. R., Hansch, S., Wyschkon, A., Rezai, M. J., & Esser, G. (2011).
Parietal foci for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Targets for LORETA neurofeedback with outcomes. Biofeedback Magazine: Special issue on QEEG and Treatment Approaches for ADHD, June 2014. Cannon, R. L. (in press).
LORETA neurofeedback in the precuneus: Operant conditioning in basic mechanisms of self-regulation. Clinical EEG and Neuroscience,Cannon, R. L., Baldwin, D., Diloreto, D., Phillips, S., Shaw, T. L., & Levy, J. J. (2014).
EEG biofeedback training and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder in an elementary school setting. Journal of Neurotherapy, 4, 5–27.Carmody, D. P., Radvanski, D. C., Wadhwani, S., Sabo, J. J., & Vergara, L. (2001).
Progress in efficacy studies of EEG biofeedback for ADHD. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Toronto, Canada. deBeus, R. (2006).
Neurofeedback with children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. In R. Coben & J. R. Evans (Eds.), Neurofeedback and neuromodulation techniques and applications (pp. 127–152). London, England: Academic Press.deBeus, R., & Kaiser, D. A. (2011).
Controlled evaluation of a neurofeedback training of slow cortical potentials in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 3, 35. Drechsler, R., Straub, M., Doehnert, M., Heinrich, H., Steinhausen, H., & Brandeis, D. C. (2007).
Neurofeedback for the treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD: A randomized and controlled clinical trial using parental reports. BMC Psychiatry, 12, 107.Duric, N. S., Assmus, J., Gundersen, D. I., & Elgen, I. B. (2012).
Neurofeedback treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: A comparison with methylphenidate. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 28(1), 1–12. Fuchs, T., Birbaumer, N., Lutzenberger, W., Gruzelier, J. H., & Kaiser, J. (2003).
Long term effects after feedback of slow cortical potentials and of theta-beta-amplitudes in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). International Journal of Bioelectromagnetism, 10(4), 209–232. Gani, C., Birbaumer, N., & Strehl, U. (2008).
Is neurofeedback an efficacious treatment for ADHD? A randomized controlled clinical trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50(7), 780–789.Gevensleben, H., Holl, B., Albrecht, B., Vogel, C., Schlamp, D, Kratz, O., … Heinrich, H.(2009a).
Distinct EEG effects related to neurofeedback training in children with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 74, 149–157. Gevensleben, H., Holl, B., Albrecht, B., Schlamp, D., Kratz, O., Studer, P., … Heinrich, H. (2009b).
Neurofeedback training in children with ADHD: 6-Month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 19, 715–724.Gevensleben, H., Holl, B., Albrecht, B., Schlamp, D., Kratz, O., Studer, P., & Heinrich H. (2010).
European Guidelines Group: European guidelines on managing adverse effects of medication for ADHD. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20(1), 17–37. Graham, J., Banaschewski, T., Buitelaar, J., Coghill, D., Danckaerts, M, Dittman, R. W., … Taylor, E. (2011).
Efficacy and safety of immediate release methylphenidate treatment for preschoolers with ADHD. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 45, 1284–1293. Greenhill, L., Kollins, S., Abikoff, H., McCraken, J., Riddle, M., Swanson, J., … Cooper, T.(2006).
What is neurofeedback: An update. Journal of Neurotherapy, 15, 305–336. Hammond, D. C. (2011).
Training of slow cortical potentials in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Evidence for positive behavioral and neurophysiological effects. Biological Psychiatry, 55(7), 772–775. Heinrich, H., Gevensleben, H., Freisleder, F. J., Moll, G. H., & Rothenberger, A. (2004).
Nonpharmacological treatments for ADHD: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Attention Disorders, 18(4), 275–82.Hodgson, K., Hutchinson, A. D., & Denson, L. (2012).
Specific effects of neurofeedback on impulsivity in ADHD. Kindheit und Entwicklung, 18, 95–104. Holtmann, M., Grasmann, D., Cionek-Szpak, E., Hager, V., Panzer, N., Beyer, A., & Stadler, C. (2009).
3-year follow-up of the NIMH MTA study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 46(8), 989–1002.Jensen, P. S., Arnold, L. E., Swanson, J. M., Vitiello B., Abikoff, H. B., Greenhill, L. L., …Hur, K. (2007).
Neurofeedback for children with ADHD: A comparison of SCP and Theta/Beta protocols. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 32, 73–88.Leins U., Goth G., Hinterberger T., Klinger, C., Rumpf, N., & Strehl, U. (2007).
Effect of neurofeedback training on the neural substrates of selective attention in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Neuroscience Letters, 394, 216–221. Levesque, J., Beauregard, M., & Mensour, B. (2006).
EEG & behavioral changes in a hyperkinetic child concurrent with training of the sensorimotor rhythm (SMR): A preliminary report. Biofeedback & Self-Regulation, 3, 293–306. Lubar, J. F., & Shouse, M. N. (1976).
Neurofeedback and standard pharmacological intervention in ADHD: A randomized controlled trial with six-month follow-up. Biological Psychology, 94(1), 12–21.Meisel, V., Servera, M., Garcia-Banda, G., Cardo, E., & Moreno, I. (2013).
Electroencephalographic biofeedback (neurotherapy) as a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Rationale and empirical foundation. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 14, 55–82. Monastra, V. J. (2005).
The effects of stimulant therapy, EEG biofeedback, and parenting style on the primary symptoms of attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 27, 231–249. Monastra, V. J., Monastra, D. M., & George, S. (2002).
National Institute of Mental Health Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD follow-up: 24-month outcomes of treatment strategies for attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatrics, 113, 754–761.MTA Cooperative Group. (2004a).
National Institute of Mental Health multimodal treatment study of ADHD follow-up: Changes in effectiveness and growth after the end of treatment. Pediatrics, 113, 762–169. MTA Cooperative Group. (2004b).
The MTA at 8 years: Prospective follow-up of children treated for combined-type ADHD in a multisite study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 48(5), 484–500.Molina, B. S., Hinshaw, S. P., Swanson, J. M., Arnold, L. E., Vitiello B., Jensen, P. S., … MTA Cooperative Group. (2009).
National trends in the office-based treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with antipsychotics. Archives of General Psychiatry, 69(12), 1247–56.Olfson, M., Blanco, C., Liu, S. M., Wang, S., & Correll, C. U. (2012).
National trends in the mental health care of children, adolescents, and adults by office-based physicians. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(1), 81–90. Olfson, M., Blanco, C., Wang, S., Laje, G., & Correll, C. U. (2014).
Ending the evidentiary & insurance reimbursement bias against neurofeedback to treat ADHD: It will take clinician action in addition to the compelling science. Journal of Neurotherapy, 17, 93–105. Pigott, H. E., Bodenhamer-Davis, E., Davis, R. E., & Harbin, H. (2013).
Evidence-Based Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Interventions PracticeWise. (2012).
The preschool attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder treatment study (PATS) 6-year follow-up. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(3), 264–278. Riddle, M., Yershova, K., Lazzaretto, D., Paykina, N., Yenokyan, G., Greenhill, L., … Posner, K. (2013).
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A.D.H.D. experts re-evaluate study’s zeal for drugs. The New York Times. Retrieved from Schwarz, A. (2013, December 29).
Neurofeedback and basic learning theory: Implications for research and practice. Journal of Neurotherapy, 15, 292–304.Sherlin, L. H., Arns, M., Lubar, J., Heinrich, H., Kerson, C., Strehl, U., & Sterman, M. B.(2011).
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Nonpharmacological interventions for ADHD: Systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of dietary and psychological treatments. American Journal of Psychiatry, 170(3), 275–289.Sonuga-Barke, E. J., Brandeis, D., Cortese, S., Daley, D., Ferrin, M., Holtmann, M., … & Sergeant, J. (2013).
Neurofeedback and cognitive attention training for children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in schools. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 35, 18–27. Steiner, N. J., Frenette, E. C., Rene, K. M., Brennan, R. T., & Perrin, E. C. (2014a).
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Neurofeedback in children with ADHD: Specific event related potential findings of a randomized controlled trial. Clinical Neurophysiology, 122, 942–950. Wangler, S., Gevensleben, H., Albrecht, B., Studer, P., Rothenberger, A., Moll, G. H., &Heinrich, H. (2011).


Autumn of Avatar – Book 3 + Finale Recap
Well, fellow Benders, it’s finally here: the end of our Autumn of the Avatar. We’ve reached the conclusion of Book 3: Fire, seen Sozin’s Comet rocket across the sky, and the return of many familiar faces as the final battle played out.
We’re joined by Kate Sánchez of But Why Tho? to help bring it all home. In this big Book 3 finale, we’ve got:
- Kat and Nadia’s impressions of the finale
- The generational trauma of this 100-year war
- Redemption vs. atonement
- And somehow, the Earth King not getting eaten by Bosco
All this, the series MVP vote, and more in our thrilling conclusion to the season of Avatar: The Last Airbender. As always, we appreciate your support and Patronage which lets you get content like this. And a special thanks from us to you, for going with us on this seasonal journey through such a special show.


The Balrog burner is a wood-fired burner based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings trilogy, one of the most popular and influential works of the 20th century when it comes to fantastic literature. The Balrog is a powerful fictional monster featured in this trilogy. These beings are described as tall and menacing, and can shroud themselves in fire, darkness and shadow. What better basis for a beautiful burner? The adventurous aspect of Lord of the Rings and the mediaeval style always appeal to the imagination, and were a great source of inspiration for the design. And what makes the Balrog burner so unique is that it shares that same magnificence found in the film. It has been created with a true eye for detail. An awe-inspiring eye-catcher!


From Girl Next Door to Next Female JT Foxx
9 Things that make JT Foxx #1:
- JT genuinely wants everyone to succeed and reach their full potential as he is powered by his students' success.
- He focuses on potential and often believe more in others than they do themselves.
- With his "leave no man behind" attitude, JT always over-delivers on value.
- His word is his honour and loyalty means everything to him.
- JT has unequaled experience and knowledge in a broad spectrum of industries.
- JT is a master strategist and always 8 steps ahead.
- He is relatable as he knows what it's like to have nothing and start from the bottom.
- Everything he teaches, he implements in his own businesses on a daily basis.
- He'd much rather be honest than popular.
HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK AT MY LIFE SINCE BECOMING PART OF THE JT FOXX FAMILY
JT Foxx calling me "The Next Female JT Foxx"
JT Foxx endorsing me
The JT Foxx Organization's first Mega Speaker event and my first time on stage speaking in front of 1000 people
Starting my journey as International Radio Host and hosting my own show about 'Authenticity'
Receiving the Radio W.O.R.K.S. World International Speaker Award in London as International Radio Host
Invited to share the stage with JT Foxx at the National Achievers Congress in South Africa
Personally receiving a signed copy of Robert Kiyosaki's new book after speaking on the same stage at the National Achievers Congress in South Africa
Two page feature in Wealth Ladder Magazine
Invited to a personal tour of the Nelson Mandela Foundation with George Ross: The Apprentice Judge, Donald Trump's former right-hand man and JT Foxx's current right-hand man
Interviewing George Ross
Writing and publishing my first book 'Authentic ME' with foreword by JT Foxx
Launching my book "Authentic ME" at the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) in London
Nominated to receive an Authors Award at the BAFTA in London
A FEW OTHERS I'VE MET, DONE BUSINESS WITH OR SHARED THE STAGE WITH
- Learn and implement as much and as fast as you can.
- Surround yourself with like-minded people who will push you to grow.
- Invest in yourself and in your future at every opportunity you get.
- Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities and seize them.
- Have a mindset of adding value instead of taking.
- You only fail if you learn nothing.


Title 'The problem of interpretation...': authorial and institutional intentions in and around Kiss me deadly.
Author Richard Maltby
Issue Issue 10, 2000.
This essay re-examines the critical location of Kiss me deadly, arguing that its strategies of incoherence, contradiction and allusion result in large part from the circumstances of its production and exhibition. The essay discusses the history of the movie’s encounters with the Production Code Administration, the Legion of Decency and the Kefauver Senate Subcommittee investigating juvenile delinquency. By considering the cultural status of the paperback book industry in general, and the works of Mickey Spillane in particular, the essay also explores the limits and possibilities for the adaptation and exploitation of a Spillane novel in the mid-1950s.


Ever since early childhood, Nichole's life has been intertwined with dogs. For the longest time, she simply felt her connection with dogs was simply normal; something everyone possessed. However, once she started working with rescue dogs and pets she realized her connection and understanding of dogs was unique and special. Her respect for dogs, coupled with her insights into their behaviours and motivations, revealed ways in which she could help dogs properly socialize, overcome challenges, and find balance in their lives. These basic elements that created happy and healthy dogs are the same elements that create happy and healthy human beings. Nichole has taken the lessons and observations learned from her work with dogs and authored her first book: What Would Dogs Do?: Lessons for Humanity from our Best Friend.
Nichole has lived throughout Canada and currently resides on the East Coast with her husband, their two sons, their four dogs, and their six cats. Her heavy immersion into the dog world occurred over the years she ran a boarding kennel on the West Coast of Canada and was partnered to foster and rehabilitate hundreds of dogs for the local Humane Society. Prior to her operating the kennel, she worked for years in business while raising a family, including several adopted pets.
In addition to her involvement in animal rescue, Nichole is a recent vegan, a long time environmentalist, and advocate for women's rights.
For years, Nichole worked with an incredible variety of dogs to both care for and rehabilitate. She observed many ways in which dogs are similar to human beings and how, all too often, dogs are able to handle and overcome challenges even better than humanity does. Nichole's observations are compiled in her first book - What Would Dogs Do? - available now on Amazon, in paperback and for Kindle.


Volume 1 and 2 of this book “Police Investigation – Powers, Tactics and Techniques” together constitutes a single book. Volume 1 contains 1 to 14 chapters and Volume 2 has Chapter 15 to Chapter 25 with Annexures. This book will be regarded as a benchmark and best-practice model and would continue to be regarded as the ‘Bible’ for professional investigation in India. May the Indian Police conduct investigation in a better manner, the Advocate conduct the trial in an earnest way protecting his genuinely aggrieved client and the Judicial Officer deliver impartial justice in a fair manner without any prejudice or compulsion. After going through this book, may the Indian Police earn the appreciation of all citizens of India and the international community for achieving the status of world-class competency in protecting the citizens and their properties, bypassing the name and fame earned by even the London Bobbies. For the discerning investigating Police Officer, this book may not be an option, but rather a necessity – a vade mecum.


As a once young minister, I understand the importance of tapping into our inner strength and resilience to achieve our goals and overcome challenges. That's why I'm excited to introduce you to the concept of the Joseph anointing - a powerful gift that has helped countless people throughout history to succeed and thrive in the face of adversity. In this article, we'll explore what the Joseph anointing is, how it can help you achieve your goals, and practical ways to apply it in your own life. So, sit back, relax, and let's dive into this inspiring topic together.
What Is the Joseph Anointing?
In the Bible, Joseph was a figure known for his exceptional ability to interpret dreams and his unwavering faith in God. Many people believe that the "Joseph anointing" is a spiritual gift that enables individuals to prosper, succeed, and overcome adversity. But what exactly is the Joseph anointing, and how can we tap into this gift? In this article, we'll explore the origins and meaning of the Joseph anointing, its relevance today, and how we can apply its principles in our own lives.
The Origins of the Joseph Anointing
The story of Joseph can be found in the book of Genesis in the Bible. Joseph was the son of Jacob, and he was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Despite this setback, Joseph rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt, using his gift of dream interpretation to help Pharaoh navigate a severe famine. Joseph's faith in God and his ability to persevere through adversity have made him a beloved figure in the Bible.
Understanding the Joseph Anointing
The Joseph anointing is a spiritual gift that is believed to help individuals prosper and succeed. It is often associated with the ability to interpret dreams and receive visions from God. Those who possess the Joseph anointing are said to have a deep sense of purpose and direction in their lives, and they are able to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals with ease.
The Relevance of the Joseph Anointing Today
While the story of Joseph may be thousands of years old, the principles of the Joseph anointing are just as relevant today as they were in biblical times. In a world filled with uncertainty and adversity, the Joseph anointing can provide us with the faith and courage we need to succeed. By tapping into this gift, we can discover our true purpose and direction in life, and we can overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
How to Tap Into the Joseph Anointing
If you want to tap into the Joseph anointing, there are several steps you can take. First, you must have a deep and abiding faith in God. This faith will help you stay grounded and focused, even in the face of adversity. Second, you must be open to receiving visions and dreams from God. These visions can provide you with guidance and direction in your life. Finally, you must be willing to take action on the insights you receive. By putting your faith into action, you can achieve your goals and fulfill your purpose in life.
Applying the Principles of the Joseph Anointing in Your Life
There are several ways to apply the principles of the Joseph anointing in your life. One way is to seek guidance from God through prayer and meditation. By spending time in quiet contemplation, you can open yourself up to receiving insights and visions from God. Another way is to stay focused on your goals and trust in God's plan for your life. Even when things get tough, remember that God has a plan for you, and that he will see you through any difficulty.
I hope that this article has inspired you to tap into the Joseph anointing and discover the power that lies within you. By trusting in God's plan for your life, seeking guidance through prayer and meditation, and staying focused on your goals, you can achieve success and overcome any obstacle that comes your way. Remember, the Joseph anointing is not just a concept from biblical times - it is a timeless gift that can help us navigate uncertainty, achieve our dreams, and live a purposeful life. So, go forth with confidence, knowing that you have the strength and resilience to achieve all that you desire.


Macbeth dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake. A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia. Forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler. The bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of madness and death. - Wikipedia
Duncan – King of Scotland
Malcolm – Duncan's elder son
Donalbain – Duncan's younger son
Macbeth – a general in the army of King Duncan; originally Thane of Glamis, then Thane of Cawdor, and later King of Scotland
Lady Macbeth – Macbeth's wife, and later Queen of Scotland
Banquo – Macbeth's friend and a general in the army of King Duncan
Fleance – Banquo's son
Macduff – Thane of Fife
Lady Macduff – Macduff's wife
Ross, Lennox, Angus, Menteith, Caithness – Scottish Thanes
Siward – general of the English forces
Young Siward – Siward's son
Seyton – Macbeth's armourer
Hecate – Queen of the witches
Captain – in the Scottish army
Three Murderers – employed by Macbeth
Two Murderers – attack Lady Macduff
Porter – gatekeeper at Macbeth's home
Doctor – Lady Macbeth's doctor
Doctor – at the English court
Gentlewoman – Lady Macbeth's caretaker
Lord – opposed to Macbeth
First Apparition – armed head
Second Apparition – bloody child
Third Apparition – crowned child
Attendants, Messengers, Servants, Soldiers
Excerpts of some of the more famous phrases
and those relating to Cambodia
And oftentimes, to win us to our harm,The instruments of darkness tell us truths
To beguile the time,
Look like the time; bear welcome in your eye,
Your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower,But be the serpent under't.
False face must hide what the false heart doth know.
I have no spur
To prick the sides of my intent, but only
Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself
And falls on the other.
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out, had I so sworn as you
Have done to this.
the sleeping and the dead
Are but as pictures: 'tis the eye of childhoodThat fears a painted devil
There's daggers in men's smiles: the near in blood,
The nearer bloody.
But I remember now
I am in this earthly world; where to do harm
Is often laudable, to do good sometimeAccounted dangerous folly:
O nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant bloody-scepter'd,When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again
Alas, poor country!
Almost afraid to know itself. It cannot
Be call'd our mother, but our grave; where nothing,
But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile;
Where sighs and groans and shrieks that rend the air
Are made, not mark'd; where violent sorrow seems
A modern ecstasy; the dead man's knell
Is there scarce ask'd for who; and good men's lives
Expire before the flowers in their caps,
Dying or ere they sicken.
Foul whisperings are abroad: unnatural deeds
Do breed unnatural troubles: infected minds
To their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets:
More needs she the divine than the physician.
Those he commands move only in command,
Nothing in love: now does he feel his title
Hang loose about him, like a giant's robe
Upon a dwarfish thief.
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,


A US study has found that nurse-to-patient ratios not only improved patient outcomes – they did so at little financial cost to the health system.
The study, led by Dr Karen Lasater RN PHD, found that hospitals with better staffing levels recouped the added costs of staffing by having significantly lower lengths of admissions and lengths of stay.
The study analysed readmissions, mortality rates and lengths of stay for patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, pneumonia, stroke, or sepsis at 306 American hospitals.
After accounting for differences in patient status and acuity, the researchers found a cost difference $18,848 per patient for those in hospitals with proper staffing ratios, versus a cost of $18,671 per patient at those without them. This presented an insignificant cost difference between the two cohorts.
However, hospitals without staffing ratios exhibited notably higher rates of patient mortality and readmissions. They also had lengthier hospital stays on average.
In particular, patients admitted for sepsis had a 2% greater mortality rate at understaffed hospitals compared to those who attended hospitals with safe ratios
The costs of readmissions and hospital stays thus counteracted any financial benefit derived from cutting staff.
University of Pennsylvania’s Aaron Glickman lauded the results of the study, indicating it as a reason to mandate nurse-to-patient ratios in hospitals.
“Prior literature made the quality case for better nursing clear. This study bolsters the economic case,” Glickman said.
“When hospitals invest in their nurses, patients benefit, with no net increase in costs. That’s a powerful value proposition.”


George Orwell (real name Eric Arthur Blair) was a British author and journalist born on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, India. He is best known for his works of fiction, including "Animal Farm" and "Nineteen Eighty-Four," which are widely regarded as literary classics and have had a significant impact on modern political thought. Orwell's writings often explored themes of social injustice, totalitarianism, and the abuse of power. His experiences as a police officer in colonial Burma, a soldier in the Spanish Civil War, and a journalist in England and Europe during World War II provided him with firsthand exposure to the oppressive regimes and social inequality that he would later critique in his writing. "Animal Farm," published in 1945, is a political allegory that satirizes the events leading up to the Russian Revolution and the early years of the Soviet Union. "Nineteen Eighty-Four," published in 1949, is a dystopian novel that depicts a totalitarian society where individual freedom is suppressed and critical thought is punished. Orwell's works continue to be widely read and studied today and have had a significant impact on popular culture and political discourse. He is considered one of the most important writers of the 20th century and his name has become synonymous with critiques of authoritarianism and government surveillance.


I bet all book lovers out there can agree with me when I say that the book is always better than the movie. Because of course it is. The lack of detail isn’t what bothers me. But the redundant changes in the original plot are what set my teeth on edge. I just have one question. WHY?
The Shining is the first ever novel by Stephan King that I got the chance to read. I watched the movie a while back and it, without a doubt, gave me a good scare. The novel on the other end, despite being only words, was much more terrifying. Did I want to stick it inside the freezer at some point? (Reference from Friends) Yes I did!
Being a sucker for the horror genre, I had my doubts about whether a book could make me afraid of the dark. The Shining certainly did. It was exceptionally well written and the plot was perfectly paced. It neither ran too fast, like the movie. Nor was it slow or tedious. I absolutely loved how smoothly the story was told, making it easily believable. Stephan King provided the perfect amount of details and insight into the minds of the characters letting the readers know exactly what was happening. I look forward to reading more books by this brilliant author.


Migration and Society
Advances in Research
Aims & Scope
Migration is at the heart of the transformation of societies and communities and touches the lives of people across the globe. Migration and Society is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal advancing debate about emergent trends in all types of migration. We invite work that situates migration in a wider historical and societal context, including attention to experiences and representations of migration, critical theoretical perspectives on migration, and the social, cultural, and legal embeddedness of migration. Global in its scope, we particularly encourage scholarship from and about the global South as well as the North.
The second issue of Migration and Society will include a combination of general articles and reflections in addition to a special themed section which is being guest edited by Dr Jelena Tosic and Dr Annika Lems. The contributions in the special themed section will shed light on different patterns of im/mobilities in, from and between Europe and Africa. By focusing on migrants' perspectives on their struggles to reach European shores and cross borders, their experience of being stuck in transit, their dreams and experiences of Europe as well as their decision to leave it behind, this section will explore the long-standing and unequal interconnectedness of Europe and Africa. The guest editors and authors will argue that rather than fortifying divisions, current patterns of im/mobilities are a testimony to the strong social, historical and political connections between the two continents and that current patterns of im/mobility cannot be understood beyond these long (postcolonial) histories of interrelationship. Through in-depth ethnographic case studies the individual papers will show the historical embeddedness of such trajectories- how they do not appear 'out of the blue', but have their own histories and follow their own temporal logic.
Migration and Society continues to invite and accept - on a rolling basis - full length articles, contributions for our People and Places section, reflections on teaching migration studies and submissions for our Creative Encounters section, in addition to book reviews and review essays.
For more information on our submissions process please follow: http://ojs.berghahnjournals.com/index.php/air-ms/about/submissions
Volume 1, 2018
Volume 2, 2019
African-European trajectories of im/mobility: Exploring entanglements of experiences, legacies and regimes of contemporary migration
Guest edited by Annika Lems and Jelena Tošic
Mette Louise Berg, Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh, Jo Waters
Jelena Tošic and Annika Lems
Migration as survival: Withheld stories and the limits of ethnographic know-ability
Moving-with-others: restoring viable relations in emigrant Gambia
"Looking for one’s life": Trapped mobilities and adventure in Morocco
The Long Homecoming: Ghanaian Migrant Businesses and Power in Veneto, Italy
“My visa application was denied, I decided to go anyway”: Interpreting, experiencing and contesting visa policies and the (im)mobility regime in Algeria
People and Places: Hostile environments
'Windrush generation’ and ‘hostile environment’: symbols and lived experiences in Caribbean migration to the U.K.
Huon Wardle and Laura Obermuller
Enforcing Apartheid? The Politics of ‘Intolerability’ in the Danish Migration and Integration Regimes
Julia Suárez Krabbe and Annika Lindberg
People and Places
‘Coaching’ Queer: Hospitality and the Categorical Imperative of LGBTQ Asylum Seeking in Lebanon and Turkey
'Refuge’ and history: a critical reading of a polemic
Jessie Blackbourn, Estella Carpi, Naluwembe Binaisa, Sandy F. Chang, Katja Swider, Magdalena Kubal-Czerwinska, Kristy Belton
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A Change of Direction - Vanessa
Hi Everyone! I'm taking a break from painting (except for fun and relaxation) because I've started a mad new hobby - writing mystery books! So, for a while I'll take a back seat here and just continue and a friend and ADMINISTRATOR for PAINT & PENCIL, rather than post up my art work.
I've published two books so far and a third will be available very soon, all on Amazon, paperback or eBook. They are set in Greece, with an Archaeologist hero who can't resist trying to solve mysteries that happen alarmingly often for such a serene island in the Cyclades!
This is the first in the Naxos Mysteries series. I hope you like it. Vanessa x


They don’t get me down. I love rain!
I looked for quotes about rain and found most of them quite dreary and had to stop reading. My choice for today is to see the rain as a source of life, refreshing, cooling, and cleansing. When the skies are gray our eyes get a bit of a break, the surrounding muscles can relax. Colors are more vivid when their hues are not washed out by bright sunlight. Something about falling rain causes me to be a little more reflective, to dream more deeply, live a bit more quietly. And, if you’re still looking for reasons to enjoy the rain there are rainbows!
Have a beautiful day wherever you are, whether rain or shine!


Life’s Ups & Downs
Nothing in life is static.
There are ups and downs.
One follows the others follows the other.
If you fear the downs – the ups become a THREAT.
An up becomes a predictor of a down.
If you fear failure you will fear success.
If you fear fatigue you will fear energy
If you fear sadness you will fear joy
If you fear rejection you will fear connection
You will flatline. You will stagnate
You WILL survive but not thrive.
Many things in life are beyond our control
But how we respond to them changes everything.


In Real Life...
Parenting can be pretty rough, but we rarely see that because most people only talk about the good stuff.
In this essay series, CATCH offers a look at what's happening In Real Life with stories from parents and others. We hope our readers will find comfort and support in their experiences.
In most cases, we are not posting the names of the authors of these essays because they include parts of their children's stories, and those are theirs to tell.
If you'd like to tell others what's going on In Real Life, we'd love to hear it and share it.
GBN Grad Shares What It's Like to Experience a Depressive Episode
Someone who is smiling, laughing and experiencing joy can still have depression. GBN '10 grad Erin B. Doppelt explains what depression is like "In Real Life" in her brave and personal essay. Read more.
An Anxious Parent, An Anxious Child, and the Value of Validation
What’s a mother to do when her own anxiety gets in the way of parenting her child with anxiety? In this post, one mom shares what she learned from her therapist and how it’s helping her manage the mix of emotions. It’s a helpful lesson on the value of validation and a reminder about what to do when we just want to fix everything. Read more.
The Work of Worrying Less
When you are the parent a child with mental illness, the fears are never-ending. In this essay, a mother gets real about her concerns and shares her plans to worry less. Read more.


Are you tired of being bored at home with nothing to do? Do you want to find some books that you’ll actually LOVE reading?
Good news — there are hundreds of really cool authors and middle-grade book series out there, and I’ve made the perfect starter list that you can get totally for FREE!
Meet Gracie Dix
Hi, I’m Gracie Dix! I’m seventeen-years-old, and for as long as I can remember I’ve loved reading books about fantasy, adventure, science fiction and more. So much so that I wrote my very own novel, Welcome To Superhero School, coming in early 2020!
In my new book series guide for middle-grade readers, you’ll find some of my favorite middle-grade authors and series that made me fall in love with reading, and I think they'll do the same for you! Ready to get started?


It is by the grace of God I am where I am, today. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to further my education at UNM and grow in the ways I have in the past four years!
"Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.'" - Luke 9:23-24


With verses in English
England, London, c.1870
Each panel 19.5 x 29cm
Oval unipartite panels, painted with black vitreous paint and yellow silver stain
The month of March is represented by a young man with a daffodil in his right hand, grasping a young tree with his left. Beneath him is the following verse.
‘Dear Solitude, the soul’s best friend / that man acquainted with himself doth make’
(From the poem ‘Dovedale: The Retirement’ by Charles Cotton (1630–1687))
The month of May is represented by a young falconer on horseback. The following verse appears with it.
‘It’s a royal sport! Than for an evening flight / A tiercel gentle, which I call, my masters’
(From the play ‘The Guardian’ by Philip Massinger (1586–1640))
The month of September is represented by a young farmer, who is reaping corn. Beneath him is the following verse.
‘Behind his back a scythe and by his side / Under his belt he bore a sickle circling wide’
(From the epic poem ‘The Faerie Queene’ by Edmund Spenser (1552/3–1599))


Crimes against Nature
Squatters, Poachers, Thieves, and the Hidden History of American Conservation
Utilizing case studies drawn from three of the United States’ earliest and most prominent conservation sites—the Adirondacks, Yellowstone National Park, and Arizona’s Grand Canyon—Crimes Against Nature reveals how nineteenth-century efforts to control nature became irretrievably entangled with attempts at controlling the behavior of rural Americans. Viewed from the perspective of the inhabitants of the American countryside, conservation represented the imposition of a new legal framework on the natural environment, one that transformed many previously acceptable practices into crimes: hunting became poaching, for example, the cutting of timber, theft, and the setting of fires, arson. These dramatic changes enmeshed, in turn, a diverse array of rural folk, from Abenaki, Shoshone, and Havasupai Indians to poor whites in New York, Montana, and elsewhere. Before Crimes Against Nature’s novel blend of social and environmental history, such individuals had been virtually invisible in the scholarship on the American relationship with nature, which had focused instead on what the environmental historian Richard Grove once termed the “pantheon of conservationist prophets”: celebrated figures such as George Perkins Marsh, John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, and Theodore Roosevelt, who collectively laid the political and intellectual groundwork of the conservation movement.
Read an excerpt from Crimes Against Nature: Download PDF
Excerpt courtesy University of California Press


It’s a terrible thing, I think, in life to wait until you’re ready. I have this feeling now that actually no one is ever ready to do anything. There is almost no such thing as ready. There is only now. And you may as well do it now. Generally speaking, now is as good a time as any.
Sometimes you need to remind yourself that you were the one who carried you through the heartache. You are the one who sits with the cold body on the shower floor, and picks it up. You are the one who feeds it, who clothes it, who tucks it into bed, and you should be proud of that. Having the strength to take care of yourself when everyone around you is trying to bleed you dry, that is the strongest thing in the universe.


Ketamine’s Mechanism of Action
Ketamine operates by blocking the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor Ca2+ channel to reduce the presynaptic release of glutamate; however, the exact mode of action is not known. Some researchers speculate that increasing free glutamate in turn stimulates postsynaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, which then mediate fast, excitatory neurotransmission. Ketamine’s antidepressant actions might instead be the result of AMPA stimulation rather than only an NMDA receptor blockade. The rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine are associated with fast induction of synaptogenesis and the reversal of atrophy caused by chronic stress.(9) In other words, ketamine seems to actually rebuild synapses. The effectiveness of ketamine in treating pain has been tied to its effects on the NMDA receptor, the AMPA receptors, as well as on the m-opioid receptors; however, some researchers have also pointed to the restoration of balance in the glutamate/ γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) system.


The Publication Subsidy Scheme
The Academy's Publication Subsidy Scheme provides support of up to $3,000 for the publication of scholarly works of high quality in the humanities. The scheme is designed to assist humanities scholars based in Australia. Both independent scholars and those working within an institution are eligible to apply.
Applicants must consult the Rules of the Award before applying [Rules of the Award.pdf 132KB
]. Applications must include all of the following:
- A Cover Sheet, signed and dated by the applicant [Cover Sheet.doc 180KB]
- A completed Application Form [Application Form.doc 224KB]
- An assessment of the work by a recognised scholar in the field
- Correspondence from the publisher demonstrating support for the work
- A publisher’s reader’s report
Applications are assessed by the Academy's Awards Committee and rated according to academic merit and demonstrated need for a subsidy. Priority is given to works that require a subsidy for their viability as a publishing venture, or for the inclusion of essential items such as illustrations, photographs or maps. Applicants need to prove that they have limited access to funds to complete publication of the work, or that without the subsidy the work would go either unpublished or be published in a diminished capacity. Please note that a Publication Subsidy cannot be awarded to books that are published before the Awards Committee makes its decision.


Lutyens & Heywood In Context
A Talk by David Averill FRIAI
As part of our Tours, Talks & Afternoon Tea package, at this year’s Twin Trees Heywood Festival, David Averill delivered a wonderful talk, entitled ‘ Lutyens & Heywood In Context.’
In the idyllic setting of Ballinakill’s All Saints’ Church, David held the sell out audience captive, with a broad, in-depth knowledge of the great architect, his architectural brilliance; and how both are reflected and evident, in the wonderful Heywood Gardens, designed by Lutyens in 1906.
Being an architect, and a member of the Lutyens Trust, David’s insights and observances of Heywood, were truly fascinating, and everyone present, left with a vastly greater knowledge and appreciation of the great man, whose 150th Birthday we were there to remember – Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Before leaving us on the day, David very kindly presented the committee with illustrated books of his talk on Lutyens & Heywood. These beautifully produced booklets, were a wonderful gesture, and we sincerely thank David for his thoughtfulness and generosity.
Below we share with you a PDF version of the book by David Averill, with the option to download and keep a version too. Enjoy!


By Bernadette Keefe MD and Matthew Katz MD
The classic ‘triple aim’ for healthcare is a framework developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) that describes an approach to optimizing health system performance. IHI asserts that new designs must be developed to simultaneously pursue three dimensions which we call the ‘Triple Aim’:
- Improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction)
- Improving the health of populations, and
- Reducing the per capita cost of health care
Numerous publications suggest that the list be expanded to a ‘Quadruple Aim’ to include: Improving the Care of and Experience of The Provider (ie MDs/other HCPs).


Footprints in Spain is a book every Briton should read, given that most of us have been drawn to Spain for centuries.
From the Pyrenes to Gibraltar and La Coruña to Murica, the Iberian Peninsula has played host to many momentous events that have shaped the culture, history and psyche of both nations. Over time, Spain has made its mark on some of Britain’s best-loved thinkers, writers and royals, from Catherine of Lancaster to Laurie Lee and Benjamin Disraeli to George Orwell.
Intelligent, humane and enlightening, this book tells the story of great British lives in Spain over the years. In doing so, it vividly charts the tumultuous history of Spain, its people and its British visitors, touching on everything from monarchy to tauromachy, Don Carlos to Don Quixote. Writing with warmth, colour and a keen eye for an anecdote, Simon Courtauld gets to the heart of Spanish life and sheds new light on this eternally fascinating country.
Simon is the author of seven previous books including Spanish Hours. In addition to many years spent travelling in Spain, he has been legal correspondent of The Times, deputy editor of the Spectator and a regular contributor to the Telegraph.
If you’ve never visited Spain, the book will more than enlighten you what to expect and see.
It will also be a marvellous Christmas present to give to those whose love of travelling will induce them to add this book to their library and spread the good word around to ensure that this remarkable volume will gain the media coverage it deserves.


Immune responses in the eye are absolutely critical to eliminate pathogens that could damage ocular tissues and cause blindness. For example, immune suppressed AIDS patients often develop blinding cytomegalovirus infections of the retina. However, ocular immune responses can also pose a threat to vision if pathogen elimination destroys ocular cells that do not regenerate. This occurs in Herpes Simplex virus infections of the cornea. As a result, immune responses in the eye are tightly regulated to minimize inflammation. This phenomenon, termed ocular immune privilege is explored in the McKenna Laboratory. Our goal is to identify mechanisms that maintain immune privilege and can be targeted therapeutically to activate ocular immune responses to eliminate intraocular tumors, or inactivate ocular immune responses to minimize immunopathology.
McKenna, K.C. 2015. Splenectomy Restores Tumoricidal Activity to Promote Elimination of Intraocular Tumors. Oncoimmunol. 4:7, e1011516 July 2015
Miller, M.R., Mandel, J. B., Beatty, K.M, Harvey S. A. K., Rizzo, M. J., Previte, D. M., Thorne, S. H., McKenna, K.C. 2014. Splenectomy promotes indirect elimination of intraocular tumors by CD8+ T cells that is associated with IFNg- and Fas/FasL-dependent activation of intratumoral macrophages. Cancer Immunol. Res. 2(12); 1175-1185.
McKenna KC. Use of Aborted Fetal Tissue in Vaccines and Medical Research Obscures the Value of All Human Life. Linacre Q. 2018 Feb;85(1):13-17. Pubmed PMID: 29970932


In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is essential for businesses looking to maximize their online visibility and drive organic traffic. One invaluable resource in this pursuit is the Google SEO Jackyan Guide, a comprehensive roadmap that provides insights and strategies to navigate the complexities of search engine optimization. In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the Jackyan Guide, from its origins to its key principles and actionable tips for SEO success.
What is the Jackyan Guide?
The Google SEO Jackyan Guide is a classic written by Jacky An, a well-known authority in the SEO field. Drawing on years of experience and specialized knowledge, Jacky An has poured all that he | knows into a guide on every aspect of SEO (from getting pages optimized right through to ways to getting links in). The book is a valuable resource for marketers and business executives – in short, anyone who wants to improve their website’s Search Engine Rankings and get more traffic.
Key Principles of the Google SEO Jackyan Guide:
At the core of the Google SEO Jackyan Guide, there are several key principles. These principles form great guidelines for forming effective SEO strategies.
- Content Quality and Relevance: The guide suggests that it is essential to create high-quality, relevant content that meets the needs & interests of your target audience. Content invested with value and responsiveness to what users ask about is more likely to find favor with search engines, so you can rank highly pairs nicely.
- Keyword Research and Optimization: Correct keyword research is essential for working out the appropriate search terms and (literally) words for your target audience; the guide gives you insight into how this can be done. It also tells you how to tune your copy so that it will rank for these keywords.
- Technical Optimization: By ensuring that your website is technically optimized for search engines, you can guarantee SEO success. The guide covers topics such as web page speeds, mobile-friendliness, site architecture, and schema markup to help you improve your website’s visibility and performance.
- Backlink Building: Building a strong backlink profile is yet another key aspect of SEO, and the guide provides strategies for acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources. Backlinks serve as “votes of confidence” from other internet sites in the eyes of search engines, which serves to enhance your website’s credibility and authority.
- User Experience Optimization: User experience affects one’s ranking in search engine results pages, and this guide covers the optimization of your website for both a seamless and enjoyable user experience. Factors considered here include site navigation, page load times, and responsiveness across different devices. These are all crucial aspects of providing users with convenience – or even pleasure – when interacting online. They are also important points to keep in mind when improving your SEO performance.
Actionable Tips from the Google SEO Jackyan Guide:
In addition to outlining key principles, the Google SEO Jackyan Guide provides actionable tips and strategies for implementing effective SEO tactics:
- Regularly Update and Refresh Content: Keeping your content fresh and up-to-date is essential for maintaining relevance and attracting organic traffic. The guide recommends regularly auditing your content and updating it with new information or insights to ensure it remains valuable to your audience.
- Optimize for Featured Snippets and Rich Results: Targeting featured snippets and rich results can help your content stand out in search engine results pages. The guide provides tips for optimizing your content to appear as a featured snippet, such as providing concise answers to common questions and structuring your content for easy readability.
- Monitor and Analyze Performance: Tracking key metrics such as organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of your SEO efforts. The guide recommends using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.
- Stay Updated on Algorithm Changes: Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving, and staying abreast of these changes is critical for maintaining SEO success. The guide provides resources for staying updated on algorithm updates and adapting your strategies accordingly to stay ahead of the curve.
- Invest in Continuous Learning: SEO is a dynamic and ever-changing field, and the guide emphasizes the importance of investing in continuous learning and skill development. Whether through online courses, workshops, or industry conferences, staying informed about the latest trends and best practices is essential for staying competitive in the world of SEO.
The Google SEO Jackyan Guide is a comprehensive resource that offers invaluable insights and strategies for navigating the complexities of search engine optimization. From content creation to technical optimization and beyond, the guide covers all aspects of SEO and provides actionable tips for improving your website’s visibility and performance in search engine results. By following the principles outlined in the guide and implementing the recommended strategies, businesses can enhance their online presence and drive sustainable organic traffic growth. Whether you’re a seasoned SEO company, professional, or novice marketer, the Google SEO Jackyan Guide is an indispensable roadmap for achieving SEO success in today’s competitive digital landscape.