Seedling Vigor: Why Is It Important? (Collins, Edmisten, Stewart, York, & Reisig)
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Seedling vigor (seedling size, health, and growth rate) is the product of several factors related to genetics and environmental influences, and can also be manipulated through management. Naturally, seed size and performance in warm and cool germination tests can be indicators of how vigorous seedlings might be. Soil temperatures at planting and soon thereafter can also greatly influence seedling vigor. Lastly, improvements in vigor can be achieved through adequate protection from early season pests such as thrips and occasionally the use of starter fertilizers (in a 2×2 placement).
As mentioned above, seed size can be one predictor of vigor as larger-seeded varieties tend to be more vigorous, which will be discussed later in this article. It is important to note however, that variety decisions should be based on factors such as lint yield and yield stability, fiber quality, technology packages etc., with seed size considered mostly in regard to how that seed should be managed at planting. As seen from variety trial results, yield potential appears to be independent from seed size, as long as acceptable stands are established….in other words, high yields can be achieved from both large and small-seeded varieties as long as plant stands are adequate or optimal. Smaller-seeded varieties can also be our highest-yielding varieties in some years, however extra care may sometimes be necessary to ensure vigorous seedling growth and acceptable stand establishment, including upwards adjustments in seeding rates, delaying planting until conditions are optimal, use of seed treatments and/or in-furrow insecticides, hill-dropping, etc. Observing cool germ test results is also a good standard practice that is commonly under-utilized. Although only warm germ test results are printed on the seed bag, a grower can easily retrieve cool germ results by recording the lot number and asking the local seed company representative for the cool germ test results for that lot number. As a general practice, it is a wise practice to record the following information for each bag of seed a grower purchases: lot number, cool germ test results, specific seed treatment and treatment location (if treated downstream), planting weather (soil temperatures, air temperatures, and rainfall from a few days prior to planting until full emergence), and save a small sample of seed (1 gallon or so). This information along with a sample of seed can significantly help growers in situations where poor stands are observed.
With regard to cool germination, below is a quote from a publication written by Dr. Sandy Stewart who conducted some research observing the effects and interaction of seed size and cool germination during 2005-2006 in Louisiana:
“The results suggests that the perceived negative effects of a low cool germination value can be overcome by a larger seed size, presumably due to greater stored energy reserves for emergence within the seed. Similarly, results suggest that the perceived negative effects of a small seed could be overcome by a high cool germination value in stand establishment. The lack of interactions among the treatment factors suggests that these findings should be consistent across varieties as well as environmental conditions. Growers do appear to be justified in seeking larger seed lots or higher cool germination lots for planting. However, the results from this study indicate that the combination of a small seed and a low cool germination is more detrimental to stand establishment than either factor alone. Smaller seeded lots should be handled with care, but may tolerate more challenging conditions than previously thought as long as the cool germination is high. Similarly, a low cool germination lot may emerge satisfactorily in challenging conditions as long as it also has a large seed size.”
His findings suggests that cool germ test results may be more important for smaller seed than larger seed, but both large and small seed can achieve acceptable stands if cool germ test results are adequate/optimal, or when planting in favorable environmental conditions or both.
So how do you quantify seed size, and how do you know if it is large or smaller seeded? Seed size is printed on the bag as seeds per lb. The higher the number, the smaller the seed. There is no designation for large versus small seed, therefore seed size is only relative when comparing one variety to another variety or comparing lot numbers. Assuming cool germ test results are similar and favorable for all varieties in a comparison, seed size can be one (of many) predictors of vigor. The graph below illustrates a relatively high correlation between seed size (as printed on the bag) and seedling vigor in five locations of the 2015 On-Farm Cotton Variety Trials. Note: seed quality and planting conditions were very favorable for these trials in 2015.
So how do certain varieties compare to one another with regard to seedling vigor? The graph below illustrates vigor (fresh weights of 10 seedlings per plot at the 2-3 leaf stage) of all varieties in the same five locations of the 2015 On-Farm Cotton Variety Trials.
It is important to note that all varieties in these trials resulted in optimal stands and acceptable vigor, and vigor did not appear to translate into higher yields. Planting weather was optimal for these trials in 2015 and severe thrips pressure and herbicide injury was essentially non-existent in field observations. However, if these varieties were to be planted under adverse weather conditions, and encounter severe thrips pressure and herbicide injury, then perhaps some of the smaller seeded or lower vigor varieties would need extra care or attention during planting and soon thereafter to ensure acceptable growth, especially if cool germ test results were less than ideal.
So why is seedling vigor important? Over the years, seedling vigor has always been important in stand establishment, especially in the early part of our planting window when conditions can be relatively cool. However, when planting in excellent conditions, yes, growers may still notice small differences in high and low vigor seedlings, but these differences often disappear later in the season and may not translate into differences in yield. But if the truth be told, this was more common back when we still had aldicarb and glyphosate resistance was not an issue.
In modern times, there are two major factors that can interact to elevate the value of vigorous seedling growth. These factors are the loss of aldicarb, and thus increased challenges in controlling thrips, and the increased reliance on residual herbicides for managing glyphosate-resistant weeds.
Injury from thrips is exacerbated by any factor that slows seedling growth. Reduced growth rates of seedlings allow thrips to feed on developing terminal leaves for a longer period of time and also prolong the time between seedling emergence and the 4-5 leaf stage (point at which seedlings are generally safe from thrips) which intensifies the adverse effects on yield and maturity. With the loss of aldicarb, there is a greater need to promote rapid seedling growth to minimize these losses, through planting high-vigor seed and planting in warm, moist soils when conditions following planting are expected to favor vigorous growth. This is especially important in modern times as many of our thrips control products may expire before seedling reach the thrips “safe stage” if growth is slowed too much. Secondly, as we all know, the success of modern weed control programs relies heavily on effective use of residual herbicides to prevent pigweed emergence. An occasional side effect of such is herbicide injury, which can also slow seedling growth and most commonly occurs when experiencing rainfall at cracking or when seedlings imbibe a high concentration of herbicide as they are trying to emerge. The effects of herbicide injury alone (i.e. in the absence of all other stresses) is generally minimal and seedlings can overcome that injury given a little time. However, the effects of herbicide injury can be exacerbated when seedling growth is slowed due to cool weather or if proactive thrips control measures are not taken.
Let’s be clear on something….the use of residual herbicides is as important now as it ever was. Weed control programs that are too lax (reduced rates or no residual herbicides) will result in poor weed control which will more than negate any improvements in seedling vigor or thrips control. In the current period of low cotton prices, some growers have expressed concern over the cost of some herbicides, especially when they have experienced severe injury in previous years. The effects that herbicides have on seedling vigor and thrips control can be overcome by timely management and are miniscule in comparison to the costs of dealing with weedy fields. Finally, it should be noted that herbicide injury can sometimes look very similar to thrips injury. Be sure you know if thrips are present before you manage what is actually an herbicide problem.
So what can we do?? Given the current challenges we face, the potential impact of planting high vigor seed in conditions favorable for rapid seedling growth is greater now than it has ever been. Therefore, as simple as it may seem, a little extra attention to warm and cool germination tests and avoiding planting during periods of cool, wet conditions can help alleviate many of these issues. The effects of both thrips and herbicide injury should be lessened to some degree when doing so. Secondly, if herbicide injury is observed, research across the belt has shown that a well-timed foliar spray of acephate when the first true leaf barely appears between the cotyledons (15-20 days after planting depending on growth rate) can remove the added stress from thrips and can prevent adverse effects on yield. It is important to note that the timeliness of this foliar spray is extremely important to the success of this approach. It is understandable that growers want to combine sprays when possible to reduce trips across the field. However, if the preemergence herbicide is working, thrips control will often be needed prior to time for the first postemergence herbicide application.
With regard to thrips management practices, many growers have had good success with an insecticidal seed treatment followed by a well-timed foliar spray to 1-leaf cotton. Recent cases of documented resistance to seed treatments across the belt, including North Carolina, have raised concerns of whether or not a seed treatment will suffice in controlling thrips. In 2016, growers should have the option to choose which seed treatment they prefer, whether the seed is treated by the manufacturer or downstream at local distribution outlets. As with any seed treatment, a well-timed foliar spray should be expected in most cases. It is important to note, that a higher rate of acephate or Radiant plus surfactant (Radiant rates of 1.5 oz/A or preferably higher, with better control expected at higher rates) may be necessary in controlling western flower thrips. In many cases, the presence of high numbers of western flower thrips is only realized once the foliar spray has failed and another application is needed.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in applying liquid Admire Pro (or like product) in-furrow in addition to a seed treatment. There has been a great deal of success with this approach, as data have illustrated prolonged control of thrips on occasion. However, as Dr. Reisig pointed out in the winter cotton meetings, growers may not expect a “one and done” approach to suffice in all cases in 2016. As seen in 2015, there will likely be several scenarios where a seed treatment plus Admire Pro in-furrow will require an additional foliar spray of acephate. Regardless, the success of this program relies heavily on achieving adequate coverage or direct contact of liquid insecticide with the seed as it is planted. There are several methods used to make liquid in-furrow applications of Admire Pro, however research in North Carolina has shown the greatest success with the 9.2 oz/A rate of Admire Pro at application/carrier volumes of 5 to 9 gallons per acre applied through an orifice which provides a direct stream of the insecticide contacting the seed as it is planted. With regard to seed covers, growers should evaluate seed/insecticide contact in their system and make necessary adjustments to ensure direct contact of insecticide to the seed.


The college experience is a transformative one for every student. It is a journey filled with academic growth, personal development, and self-discovery too. You pursue your desired degree, you expand your knowledge, and hone your skills. And if you study in an international environment, you become more culturally sensitive and aware too. There are many factors that contribute to your personal growth. You meet new colleagues on campus, some of whom will become your friends for life. You engage in writing papers, as part of your academic pursuit. You study what your teachers recommend to you, and you read books too.
Even though these are some normal activities in the life of every student, we often underestimate the power books have. They are more than vessels of knowledge. They serve as windows to new worlds, new ideas, and perspectives. And they can indeed have a profound impact on your life as a student, shaping your entire college experience. Learn more about how books can do this.
College coursework includes extensive reading. You have to go to courses and read the recommended textbooks so that you get a better understanding of the course materials. Of course, you will have to read academic journals, research papers, or other supplementary reading too. But the recommended books are essential too, as they provide the foundational knowledge you need. On top of this, they serve as references for exams and essays you might have to write. You can be inspired by some of these books and want to expand your knowledge on a niche more. They can serve as quality personal narrative essay examples for students too, as EduBirdie experts point out online. This is a service of essay samples that recognizes the great benefits reading books has on the academic journey of every student.
Reading encourages critical thinking a lot. When reading, you will not always meet ideas you already agree on. Some of the perspectives presented in books will challenge your beliefs, will make you question assumptions, and will give you food for thought. These critical skills you will develop through reading are essential not only in academics but also in life. They help you make informed decisions and analyze the details you have at hand carefully.
Another set of skills reading books helps you improve is communication skills. When you read, you face new ideas, perspectives, and thoughts. You see how the author expressed their ideas, how they formulated the sentences, and what specific words they used. Well, reading helps you expand not only your knowledge but your vocabulary too. It helps you develop effective communication skills. It enhances comprehension and the ability to articulate ideas clearly. This is vital for academic discussions, writing essays, and participating in classroom debates.
Well, academic progress is essential to every student. However, reading books does not only help you with this. It also helps you grow personally. Beyond the classroom, books turn out to be a really valuable source of personal growth. Memories, self-help, or psychology books can provide you with some food for thought. They can also provide you with strategies for better time management, or for solving conflicts. They can help you discover your goals, your values, and your dreams. And the more aware you are of your inner world and thoughts, the happier your life will be. Books are instrumental in shaping your identity and aspirations.
Technology has enabled us to travel from country to country fast and easily. And today, you might find yourself studying in an international environment. Well, books open doors to new cultures, societies, and historical periods. Some of these you might not encounter otherwise, so taking a glimpse into how other cultures live and see life can open new horizons. And this makes you more culturally aware, to be more emphatic, and have a broader understanding of the world.
College time can turn out to be pretty stressful at times. Well, reading can be a form to alleviate this stress and relax after a full long day. It can help you escape the stress of everyday life and enter a new universe. Engaging with a compelling novel or story can provide a much-needed break from the pressure of academic life. And, of course, contribute to mental well-being.
College is an incredible experience for every student. It is a transformative journey where you learn more not only about the world and your chosen study subject but about yourself too. Books are part of this journey and they contribute tremendously to expanding your knowledge and vocabulary and honing your skills. So, do not hesitate to end your day and relax with an excellent book.
Bio lines: Cory Shilling is a content writer and blogger. He is passionate about writing, but about reading too. You can find him spending his evenings with a cup of tea and a book.


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The Chinese movies and TV dramas of these days are sick.
This has become a common sense now.
No matter how ridiculous the plot is, no matter how absurd the background is, as long as it’s a major IP in net literature, there would always be people willing to film it. And they would undoubtedly film them with some young hype-celebrities.
Actually you can find a lot of big-budget productions among them, but usually they ended up really bad.
Movies like Once Upon A Time and Legend of Ravaging Dynasties are almost provocation against the bottom line of the Chinese audience.
But right in such a morbid market, there is a woman striding against the storm.
Her novels are not really highly popular. And in fact they belong to serious literature. But famous directors keep recomposing her novels into movies and the movies usually became not only commercial triumphs but also creative masterpieces.
Most of the cases were that the movies got phenomenal and in return boasted the sales of the books.
The directors who came to her include Li’an, Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Feng Xiaogang and Zhang Aijia.
And the original book for the Feng Xiaogang movie was even a requirement from Feng himself right in the beginning.
That movie is the upcoming Youth.
And the name of that woman behind this movie is Yan Geling.
So far, there have been more than 10 Yan Geling books which were recomposed onto the big-screen.
The most famous one among them all may be The Flowers of War.
Before that, there were The Sent-Down Girl and Siao Yu.
The Sent-Down Girl was starred by Li Xiaolu. Siao Yu was starred by Liu Ruoying. And their bright careers both started from the roles they played in Yan's movies.
After that, there was Coming Home.
The astonishing acting skills that Gong Li and Chen Daoming showed in it were really marvelous.
The high frequency of having works recomposed into movies made Yan Geling quite unique among the serious writers.
If not for her, the Chinese movie industry would be in unbearable darkness.
The reason that all these major directors are so fond of Yan Geling is that her novels really have a signature touch.
Her words are not just words. They are words with images. And this makes them superbly suitable for recomposing into movies.
For example, these sentences are a description from Youth:
“Right at the moment that Ding Ding turned her head, her earphones dropped on the floor. Liu Feng eagerly bent down to pick them up for her, and when he tried to straight up again he suddenly felt a chill from the back of his neck. A drop of water sneaked in along the collar of his white polyester shirt.”
This is her style: sharp.
When she tells a story, she does not just use sentences. She uses scenes.
Her personal life experience contributed a lot in her writing.
Originally, she was a playwright.
In the 1980s, Yan Geling had published her own plays and some of them were even filmed.
Early in her twenties, she was already a playwright with some fame.
And as time went by, this sense of scenes became an intuition for her. It became ubiquitous in the words she wrote.
But she didn’t just wanted to be a playwright.
The role she set for herself was a novelist.
And her rich experience made this so natural.
She spent her childhood as a little girl in the community of the writers’ association.
She served in the army when she was a teenager.
After she turned 30 she set out on her journey to study in the USA and later became an outstanding icon among the overseas Chinese writers.
After that she married to Laurence, a US diplomatist, and traveled the world as the wife of an ambassador.
Now she is also a Hollywood scriptwriter.
Her novels are touching, and so are the movies that they became.
If you watch The Flowers of War, you’ll feel how exquisite and subtle the emotions in it are.
And interwoven among these emotions is the complexity of humanity.
What’s precious is that these are all real feelings, not some forged sentiments.
Yan Geling herself once said: “What I hate the most is forged sentiment.”
And that’s why she loves movies but does not like TV dramas at all.
She is trying to tell this country through her works: Our audience does have patience and what’s popular can also be serious at the same time.
It’s just that the kind of people who know how to hold all these elements together are really rare.
And too many other people are just fickle.


Tr 17b Ev “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down.” So the Negro spiritual celebrates one of the best known stories in the Bible. The Israelites led by priests sounding the trumpet, marching round the walls of Jericho which finally, by God’s mighty power, crumbled to the ground.
The OT does indeed contain wonderful stories asnd episodes fo which this is one. Surely there is more than a grain of truth in it for the Israelites clearly did reach and conquer the promised land and they must have defeated the city of Jericho in order to make progress.
To understand the capture of Jericho we should go a few stages back to when Moses was alive. For Moses had already defeated two important kings – Sihon, king of the Ammorites and Og king of Bashan. Sihon’s capital was at Hesbon and his domains lay to the east of the Dead Sea. He refused peaceful passage to Moses and paid the price, for Moses and the Israelites attacked and defeated him and took all his lands. They caught him at an unlucky moment for he had recently expanded his kingdom in the war against the Moabites but had not had time to establish sure control. As for Og, king of Bashan, he was a larger than life character in every sense of the word. Renowned for his enormous bulk, he had a massive and specially constructed iron bedstead to lie on – the Daniel Lambert of Bashan. He also was attacked and defeated, the Israelites picking off the kings one by one. All of this is important because reports of the Israelites rapidly spread to surrounding Kingdoms and cities like Jericho. Here was an invader with fearsome and highly skilled troops who had already defeated mighty kings and nations. Moreover they were rumoured to have a supreme deity on their side who was invincible. No wonder foreigners were afraid, no wonder the morale of those in Jericho was low. There had been thorough preparations for the capture of the city. Spies had been sent and looked after by a woman of dubious morality called Rahab. Seeing which way the wind was blowing she helped the Israelites escape by a rope over the city wall. The time was ripe for invasion. The military tactics were unorthodox to say the least – marching round the wall blowing a trumpet for several days and then uttering a mighty shout. Or were they also unorthodox. For if fear was the name of the game there can hardly be any more effective tactics than these. The Israelites did not have conventional siege equipment but they did have skill and cunning and were convinced of the protection of almighty God, the commander of the Lord’s army. The inhabitants hearing the enemy, learning more about them, fearing them, their morale ground ever lower and lower. When finally all or part of the wall crumbled they were easy pray. Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and won it by the walls tumbling down. Walls, no doubt crumbled with decay and complacency collapsing aginst the new force of God’s people. We too erect walls round ourselves. Walls that insulate us from others, that seek to keep our assets and resources for ourselves and ourselves alone, walls that try to contain our thoughts so that we are not disturbed by ideas from God’s Holy Spirit. Walls of complacency and pride and selfishness, like Oscar Wilde’s famous story of the selfish giant who walled himself in a garden of perpetual winter so that no one else could enjoy it until at last seeing the error of his ways he let the spring in and the children and the birds and bees and the garden came full of love. God does not use conventional battery equipment to breach our walls. He uses the persistence of his presence, just like he used the persistence of the presence of the Israelites in that brief siege of Jericho. The trumpet of worship heralds his presence and love, the love shown to us by Christ, can melt down all that stands in the way of us and God. May we be open to the love in our lives and let the fresh air of his presence invade all that is cold and dark. May our surrender be not defeat but victory, victory that enters us into our promised land, the land where God and his love dwells for ever. Amen


The picture can only be hopelessly ironic, for the billions of atoms that have come together over a billion years to create Life, when the realization dawns upon that their combined whole (human being) has got no idea what to do with his Life.
The answer to this universal question should be an equally universal one. What is it?
The answer— and, in a sense, the tragedy of life— is that we seek to understand the goal and not the man. We set up a goal which demands of us certain things: and we do these things. We adjust to the demands of a concept which CANNOT be valid. When you were young, let us say that you wanted to be a fireman. I feel reasonably safe in saying that you no longer want to be a fireman. Why? Because your perspective has changed. It’s not the fireman who has changed, but you. Every man is the sum total of his reactions to experience. As your experiences differ and multiply, you become a different man, and hence your perspective changes. This goes on and on. Every reaction is a learning process; every significant experience alters your perspective.
So it would seem foolish, would it not, to adjust our lives to the demands of a goal we see from a different angle every day? How could we ever hope to accomplish anything other than galloping neurosis?
The answer, then, must not deal with goals at all, or not with tangible goals, anyway.
A man must choose a path which will let his ABILITIES function at maximum efficiency toward the gratification of his DESIRES. In doing this, he is fulfilling a need (giving himself identity by functioning in a set pattern toward a set goal), he avoids frustrating his potential (choosing a path which puts no limit on his self-development), and he avoids the terror of seeing his goal wilt or lose its charm as he draws closer to it (rather than bending himself to meet the demands of that which he seeks, he has bent his goal to conform to his own abilities and desires).
In short, he has not dedicated his life to reaching a predefined goal, but he has rather chosen a way of life he KNOWS he will enjoy. The goal is absolutely secondary: it is the functioning toward the goal which is important.
Let’s assume that you think you have a choice of eight paths to follow (all predefined paths, of course). And let’s assume that you can’t see any real purpose in any of the eight. THEN— and here is the essence of all I’ve said— you MUST FIND A NINTH PATH.
It is important that we understand the obstacles that we face and not run from them.
- Acknowledge that all emotions come from within. It is not outside forces that make us feel something, it is what we tell ourselves that create our feelings.
- Find someone you respect, and use them to stay honest. This isn’t an exercise of comparison, but a pragmatic way to learn from your heroes.
- Recognize their is life after failure. No failure, no growth. To grow without failure requires extremely driven individual. Neither success nor failure, nothing should stop you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness, and all other qualities that maketh a man.
- Read purposefully, and apply your knowledge. Books are the training weights of the mind. Exemplify that through them you have learned to think better, to be a more discriminating and reflective person, and ultimately spark action and facilitate wiser decisions.
- Challenge yourself to be brutally honest. A consciousness of wrongdoing is first step to salvation. Play the first part of prosecutor, then of judge and finally of pleader in mitigation.
- Reflect on what you spend the most time on. The value of attentiveness varies in proportion to its object; better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve.
- Remind yourself: you weren’t meant to procrastinate. You weren’t born to feel ‘nice’, but to do things and experience them. The plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees are going about their individual tasks. So should you.
- Put the phone away and be present. Nothing, to my way of thinking, is a better proof of a well ordered mind than a man’s ability to stop just where he is and pass some time in his own company. We are not living in an age of distractions, but rather an age where we are failing to teach and embrace mindful motives. When you are working, be ruthlessly present.
- Time is our most precious resource. To regret, even more so to die with regret, is the most horrible human emotion. Therefore, our self-respect, work ethic, generosity, self-awareness, attention and grown are evermore important.
The way we lead our lives and do our work must embody the principles that we practice. Less comparing, criticizing, and consuming; more creating, learning and living.
Destructive emotions result from error in judgement, and a person of “moral and intellectual perfection” would not suffer from such emotions.
What I learnt from my favorite anime character:
- Persevere against all odds, because you must, you can, and you shall.
- Bring happiness everywhere you go.
- Always try to go to the next level.
- Push others to new levels of greatness.
- Stand-up for those that need your abilities.
Ends up me being always happy, and finding positives in every situation.
People only buy something if they believe it will solve a problem. Therefore, if you want to sell more stuff than there are problems, you have to encourage people to believe there are problems where there are none.
The problem with most people today is, they believe that they are as smart as their smartphones
The incessant hunger and subsequent gratification of monkey-see-monkey-do-like approval and admiration on social media has got most people so addicted that in the face of most minimal of disapproval or criticism, a kind of self-defense module powered by ego, rage, diversion and mood-swings gets triggered, and transports the self into a shell, wherein no scope of logical arguments exists.
Is it worth a tear, is it worth an hour,
To think of things that are well outworn;
Of fruitless husk and fugitive flower,
The dream foregone and the deed foreborne?
Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for the lost faith in ourselves.
Freedom aggravates at least as much as it alleviates frustration. Freedom of choice places the whole blame of failure on the shoulders of the individual. And as freedom encourages a multiplicity of attempts, it unavoidably multiplies failure and frustration. Freedom alleviates frustration by making available the palliatives of action, movement, change and protest.
Unless a man has the talents to make something of himself, freedom is an irksome burden.
The Western colonizing powers offer the native the gift of individual freedom and independence. They try to teach him self-reliance. What it actually amounts to is individual isolation. It means cutting off an immature and poorly furnished individual from a corporate whole and releasing him to the freedom of his own impotence.
A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people’s business.
This minding of other people’s business expresses itself in gossip, snooping and meddling, and also in feverish interest in communal, national and racial affairs. In running away from ourselves we either fall on our neighbor’s shoulder or fly at his throat.
The less satisfaction we derive from being ourselves, the greater is our desire to be like others. We are therefore more ready to imitate those who are different from us than those nearly like us, and those we admire than those we despise. The desire to belong is partly a desire to lose oneself.
Imitation is often a shortcut to a solution. We copy when we lack the inclination, the ability or the time to work out an independent solution. People in a hurry will imitate more readily than people at leisure.
When our individual interests and prospects do not seem worth living for, we are in desperate need of something apart from us to live for. All forms of dedication, devotion, loyalty and self-surrender are in essence a desperate clinging to something which might give worth and meaning to our futile, spoiled lives. Hence the embracing of a substitute will necessarily be passionate and extreme. We can have qualified confidence in ourselves, but the faith we have in our nation, religion, race or holy cause has to be extravagant and uncompromising. A substitute embraced in moderation cannot supplant and efface the self we want to forget. We cannot be sure that we have something worth living for unless we are ready to die for it. The readiness to die is evidence to ourselves and others that what we had to take as a substitute for an irrevocably missed or spoiled first choice is indeed the best there ever was.
The burning conviction that we have a holy duty toward others is often a way of attaching our drowning selves to a passing raft. What looks like giving a hand is often a holding on for dear life. Take away our holy duties and you leave our lives puny and meaningless. There is no doubt that in exchanging a self-centered for a selfless life we gain enormously in self-esteem. The vanity of the selfless, even those who practice utmost humility, is boundless.
Not one of our contemporary movements was so outspoken in its antagonism toward the family as was early Christianity. Jesus minced no words: “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.”
The permanent misfits are those who because of a lack of talent or some irreparable defect in body or mind cannot do the one thing for which their whole being craves. No achievement, however spectacular, in other fields can give them a sense of fulfillment. Whatever they undertake becomes a passionate pursuit; but they never arrive, never pause. They demonstrate the fact that we can never have enough of that which we really do not want, and that we run fastest and farthest when we run from ourselves.
The permanent misfits can find salvation only in a complete separation from the self; and they usually find it by losing themselves in the compact collectivity of a mass movement. By renouncing individual will, judgement and ambition, and dedicating all their powers to the service of an eternal cause, they are at last lifted of the endless treadmill which can never lead them to fulfillment.
Those who fail in everyday affairs show a tendency to reach out for the impossible. It is a device to camouflage their shortcomings. For when we fail in attempting the impossible, the blame is solely ours; but when we fail in attempting the impossible, we are justified in attributing it to the magnitude of the task. There is less risk in being discredited when trying the impossible than when trying the possible. It is thus that failure in everyday affairs often breeds an extravagant audacity.
The readiness for self-sacrifice is contingent on an imperviousness to the realities of life. He who is free to draw conclusions from his individual experience and observation is not usually hospitable to the idea of martyrdom. For self-sacrifice is an unreasonable act. It cannot be the end-product of a process of probing and deliberating. All active mass movements strive, therefore, to interpose a fact-proof screen between the faithful and the realities of the world. They do this by claiming that the ultimate and absolute truth is already embodied in their doctrine and there is no truth or certitude outside it. The facts on which the true believer bases his conclusions must not be derived from his experience or observation but from holy writ.
So tenaciously should we cling to the world revealed by the Gospel, that were I to see all the Angels of Heaven coming down to me to tell me something different, not only would I not be tempted to doubt a single syllable, but I would shut my eyes and stop my ears, for they would not deserve to be either seen or heard.
To rely on the evidence of senses and of reason is heresy and treason. It is startling to realize how much unbelief is necessary to make belief possible. Strength of faith manifests itself not in moving mountains but in not seeing mountains to move.
It is obvious, therefore, that in order to be effective a doctrine must not be understood, but rather has to be believed in. We can be absolutely certain only about things we do not understand. A doctrine that is understood is shorn of its strength. Once we understand a thing, it is as if it had originated in us. And, clearly, those who are asked to renounce the self and sacrifice it cannot see eternal certitude in anything which originates in that self. The fact that they understand a thing fully impairs its validity and certitude in their eyes. The devout are always urged to seek the absolute truth with their hearts and not their minds.
If a doctrine is not unintelligible, it has to be vague; and if neither unintelligible nor vague, it has to unverifiable. One has to get in to heaven or distant future to determine the truth of an effective doctrine. When some part of doctrine is relatively simple, there is a tendency among the faithful to complicate and obscure it. Simple words are made pregnant with meaning and made to look like symbols in a secret message. Thus there is an illiterate air about the most literate of true believer. He seems to use words as if he were ignorant of their true meaning. Hence, too, his taste for quibbling, hair-splitting and scholastic tortuousness.
The fanatic is convinced that the cause he holds on to is monolithic and eternal. Still, his sense of security is derived from his passionate attachment and not the excellence of his cause. The fanatic is not really a stickler to principle. He embraces a cause not primarily because of its justness and holiness but because of his desperate need for something to hold on to.
The fanatic cannot be weaned away from his cause by an appeal to his reason or moral sense. He fears compromise and cannot be persuaded to qualify the certitude or righteousness of his holy cause. But he finds no difficulty in swinging suddenly and wildly from one holy cause to another. He cannot be convinced but only converted. His passionate attachment is more vital than the quality of the cause to which he is attached.
There is perhaps no surer way of inflicting ourselves with virulent hatred toward a person than by doing him a grave injustice. That others have a just grievance against us is a more potent reason for hating them than that we have a just grievance against them. We do not make people humble and meek when we show them their guilt and cause them to be ashamed of themselves. We are more likely to stir their arrogance and rouse in them a reckless aggressiveness.
“When Vanity kissed Vanity, a hundred happy Junes ago, he pondered o’er her breathlessly, and, that all men might ever know, he rhymed her eyes with life and death: “Thru Time I’ll save my love!” he said. . . yet Beauty vanished with his breath, and, with her lovers, she was dead. . .
-Ever his wit and not her eyes, ever his art and not her hair: “Who’d learn a trick in rhyme, be wise and pause before his sonnet there”. . . So all my words, however true, might sing you to a thousandth June, and no one ever know that you were Beauty for an afternoon.”
Nothing is Impossible, but most of it is Unbelievable.
- Never lose hope until its over.
- Never celebrate too early.
- Never leave your you place before the battle is over.
The only thing more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack is finding a needle in a needlestack.
The reality of the moment is so palpable and powerful that it holds imagination in a tight orbit from which it never fully escapes. It occurs because we fail to recognize that our future selves won’t see the world the way we see it now.
Anything one needs to market heavily is necessarily either an inferior product or an evil one.
What Mother Nature does is rigorous until proven otherwise; what humans and science do is flawed until proven otherwise.
Keeping one’s distance from an ignorant person is equivalent to keeping company with a wise man/ People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas there are.
In political systems, a good mechanism is one that helps remove the bad guy; it’s not about what to do or who to put in. For the bad guy can cause more harm than the collective actions of good ones.
It is completely wrong to use the calculus of benefits without including the probability of failure.
To understand the future, you do not need technoautistic jargon, obsession with “killer apps”, these sort of things. You just need the following: some respect for the past, some curiosity about the historical record, a hunger for the wisdom of the elders, and a grasp of the notion of “heuristics”, the often unwritten rules of thumb so determining of survival.
Our perceptions are not the result of a physiological process by which our eyes somehow transmit an image of the world into our brains, but rather, they are the result of psychological process that combines what our eyes see with what we already think, feel, know, want, and believe, and then uses this combination of sensory information and preexisting knowledge to construct the perception of reality.
Once upon a time there was a bearded God who made a small, flat earth, pasted it in the very middle of sky so that human beings would be at the center of everything. Then physics came along and complicated the picture with big bangs, quarks, branes, and superstrings, and the payoff for all that critical analysis is that now, several hundred years later, most people have no idea where they are.
Our desire to control is so powerful, and the feeling of being in control so rewarding, that people often act as they can control the uncontrollable. For example, people bet more money on games of chance when their opponents seem incompetent than themselves – as though they believed they could control the random drawing of cards from a deck and thus take advantage of a weak opponent.
We just can’t make the best of a fate until it is inescapably, inevitably, and irrevocably ours.
Although the word fact seems to suggest a sort of unquestionable irrefutability, facts are actually nothing more than conjectures that have met a certain standard of proof.
If we set that standard high enough, then nothing ever can be proved. If we set the standard low enough, then all things are true and equally so. Because nihilism and postmodernism are both such unsatisfying philosophies, we tend to set our standard of proof somewhere in the middle. No one can say precisely where that standard should be set, but wherever we set it, we must keep it in the same place.


Our book "Animal Teachings from Hayley's Angels Methods
Watch Dr. Lefebvre's interview on Exist Kind 2012: Animal Teachings from Hayley's Angels
Dr. Lefebvre's goal and hope in writing this book (made of recycled paper and available as an kindle) is to open everyone’s heart and mind to improve our world and better the lives of all living creatures, one at a time. Her book guides us in making the best medical decisions for ourselves and for the animals on our paths, for maximum health and happiness, as well as for a peaceful transition into the next world.
For book purchase, you may visit www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com. Book is also available in Tucson, AZ at Antigone Books, Spirits Child and Central Pet; New Moon Haven in Catalina, AZ; High Noon Feed in Sonoita, AZ; in Green Valley, AZ at The Dog House and at the Book Shop in Green Valley Mall; in Amado, AZ at Central Pet and at the Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary's gift shop.
We can all have a positive impact on someone else’s life by bringing more joy, hope and healing than we ever thought possible.
Together, we can learn to care not only for the physical body, but also for the mind and the soul. Dr. Lefebvre hopes this book helps anyone who works in a close relationship with people or animals, inspires medical students and veterinary students in becoming great doctors, guides the medical community and all health care professionals in bettering the care for all patients, animals and humans, as well as guides all patients in better caring for themselves.
Why do we (animals and people) get sick? What are Animal Communication and Intuitive Medicine, and how much can they help you and your pet live better, with maximum health and happiness, as well as facilitate the transition into the Afterlife, with dignity and peace? Do we all, animals and humans, go to the same place?
Dr. Lefebvre wants to share with you her journey, the teachings of animals on her path, and suggest to everyone to open up to all the divine teachings that both people and animals on your path are offering you. Together, we can heal our planet and build a better and happier world. It is time to rediscover our own power and use it selflessly in a global effort to help the world rise to a new level of energy and consciousness. Dr. Lefebvre hopes this book can show the way to a better world.
French version: Released Summer 2012!
Spanish version: Release Spring 2014!
We are opening hearts, we are raising awareness, thank you for being a part of this important mission!Print your inspiring book poster now
BOOK REVIEWS: "Animal Teachings from Hayley's Angels Methods".
Could not put book down! I must admit I am not an avid reader. I read Animal Teachings in two days and could not put this book down. Highly recommend this book to animal lovers, people who care about other people, and all people in health care as well as health care providers. Book is written from the heart and experience. Animal Teachings has taught me many things and opened up my eyes! Looking forward to the next book! From Debbie, Spice's mom
The most inspiring book I have ever read! This book is very inspiring! It helps the reader to learn more about themselves and to understand animals in a beautiful way. I felt very good after reading this book, it helped me to realize that my dreams can come true. It increased my understanding of my dogs greatly as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to feel uplifted. From Kate Hinner, Tucson AZ
A Soul Searching Insightful Book! This book helped my husband and I to look at life from perspectives other than what we were used to. Dr. Lefebvre's gift is her ability to be so compassionate and in touch with not only her patients but also their parents and the life around us. Dr. Lefebvre's book encouraged us to think deeply about our own life and its impact on the planet. It gave me ideas on how to improve my interactions with my own patients and also the environment. A must-read for anyone who believes there is more out there. We can all become become better citizens of our planet with a little bit of this knowledge. Thank you Dr. Lefebvre. From Melanie Olson, DVM
Dear Joanne, thank you so much for helping us with Zoot and for the nice card. I saw your video and I have been reading your book, which is wonderful. Thank you for doing so much to make the world a better place. Shifting consciousness is very important and something I have been studying myself. However, it has been somewhat depressing and I have been feeling like the problems of this world are just too big for me to do anything about. However, my interaction with you and your book reminded me that even the little things count so I have decided to move toward vegetarianism by giving up beef and pork immediately and then eliminating chicken and seafood in time. I have also changed my dog's diet. Thank you for your personal story and your dedication. Thank you for letting your sweet soul radiate goodness out into the world. In the past 3.5 years we have lost a total of 5 pets, 2 parents and one friend and I have been starting to get very negative, but meeting you renewed my hope. Thank you so much for that, Melissa Mauzy
Dearest Joanne, thank you so very much for helping our Bridget to leave this world and enter heaven with such ease. We really struggled with trying to save her life and it was a blessing not to struggle with her trying to end it. I have read your book and if everyone felt like you do, no one would have to suffer when ready to leave this world. Thank God for people like you. It takes a thoughtful individual like you to help others in their time of greatest need. The Reece family
An excellent read and thought-provoking! A must-read for anyone who has pets and/or people they care about! After reading this book you will have a whole new perspective on caring for your animals and advocating for your family and friends when they are ill or in need of medical care. Read with an open mind and know that even if your own philosophies do not align with those of Dr. Lefebvre, you will come away with an improved understanding of your pets and their needs. From Pam Stabach, Veterinary Hospital Office Manager
Insight into helping your pet and yourself! Working in the veterinary field for years, I have walked out of many exam rooms, saying to myself 'I wish this "pet" could really tell me what's going on'. If you could find a way to communicate with your most beloved companion, wouldn't you want to? If your pet was ill and you needed assistance in finding what to do, and conventional medicine couldn't provide that, what would you do? Dr. Joanne Lefebvre, DVM has brought intuitive medicine to light, and is helping pets and people because of it. Although intuitive medicine has been around forever, it has sadly become forgotten by many in our modern society. Thanks to Dr. Lefebvre, everyone can now learn how to awaken their dormant intuition to reach maximum health and happiness, as well as how to express their full potential during their journey on Earth.
Dr. Lefebvre is using intuitive medicine in conjunction with conventional medicine to assist in finding the cause of a physical or emotional condition in animals. When combining the two approaches, your pet gets the best results. In this book, Dr. Lefebvre shares some of her communications and success stories during her journey of learning how intuitive medicine wants to use her. It's amazing to read some of these experiences and communications and to truly feel the connection. I highly recommend this book if you want insight into helping your pet and/or yourself, discovering who you and your pet truly are on a soul level, and learning to live your life while staying in tune with your life purpose at all times. From Lisa Schrope Certified and Registered Veterinary Technician
Thank goodness there was you! Joanne, I don't even know what to say that you probably haven't heard a thousand times already, so I'll just say what I'm feeling and what echoes the many letters you've received from others. I want to thank you so much for helping Maggie cross over. I can't even explain to you how happy I am that one phone call led me to you. This was difficult for us and you helped us with the process and gave us space to say goodbye and didn't make it feel rushed or uncomfortable. And as trivial as it might seem, it was special to me to see her leave looking so beautiful wrapped up in that pretty pink blanket. I told my husband if she had to leave with anyone, you were the one! Such a loving, kind spirit. What you do and who you are is a HUGE blessing in this world. I could feel that from you, but after I read your book I feel like it confirmed it. What a gift that you shared so much of yourself in your writing. It really gave me a lot to think about as well - not only in dealing with animals, but about life in general. I've been reading the peace exercise at the end of chapter 11. I'm hoping if I read it every morning it will sink in before long! Thank you so much, Christa
Healing the mind, body and soul of animals and of people Dr. Joanne Lefebvre's new book, "Animal Teachings," forever removed from my mind the false division between what, in our Western cultures, are referred to as the scientific and the spiritual domains. Not that she has not admirably distinguished herself in her difficult area of science, Veterinary Medicine; far from it. As an animal doctor, she draws on a vast compendium of solid, detailed, technical knowledge; but Dr. Lefebvre has more than the current science models operating when she strives to cure and care for the animals under her care: it's a deep, intuitive response to a dimension of knowing we simplistically refer to as the spiritual. Tell me another exceptional veterinarian who not only seeks deep, hidden communication with such creatures as whales, but has the professional courage to say so in a widely published book? In the end, this physician tells us what all the greatest physicians have, through time, always told us: scientific facts belong to the five physical senses and logical rationality; spiritual facts belong to another sense we call intuition and expand through a welcoming, open intelligence determined to heal the whole person, or the whole animal--not just their bodies. Joanne Lefebvre makes ample use of both. Listen deeply to the animals, Dr. Lefebvre counsels us, and you will accomplish things only formerly dreamed of. From Sammie Ann Wicks, Ph.D., Musicologist, Folklorist, Anthropologist, Americanist, and a grateful client with a grateful kitty


Pharma-sponsored drug and device trial studies are about 30% more likely to have results and conclusions that favour the sponsor, a new Cochrane Library review has found.
The review found that studies run by pharma companies routinely show greater efficacy and less harms. The authors outlined some common ways in which sponsors can influence study outcomes, including the framing of questions and selective reporting of favourable results. They pointed out that medical journals often do not effectively enforce the now-common requirement to disclose sponsors’ role in designing, conducting and publishing studies.
Cochrane’s review encompassed 75 papers including cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses that quantitatively compared primary research studies of drugs or medical devices sponsored by industry with studies with other sources of sponsorship.
The Cochrane review was authored by Andreas Lundh, Joel Lexchin, Barbara Mintzes, Jeppe B Schroll, and Lisa Bero; it was published on 16 February 2017. The Canberra Times covered the review in an excellent article featuring an interview with senior author Lisa Bero of the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney.


Thank you so much for completing the survey.
It will really help me focus on delivering exactly the content that my readers want.
If you are interested in receiving details about the new lawn and gardening content once it’s created, please add your email adress to the form below and I’ll send you a free preview.
The book I promised to point you to is called ‘Making a Lawn by Luke Joseph Doogue’.
It is a classic lawn/gardening book, originally published in 1912 and fascinating to read.
It is now available through the Gutenberg project and to can be accessed here in various file formats, including for kindle.
If you’re anything like me, once you get onto the Gutenberg project website, you might find it hard to leave. There are so many treats there.


Today I enjoyed being part of the Read Local booth at the Encinitas Holiday Street Fair! This was made possible by Publishers and Writers of San Diego (PWSD). I shared the booth with fellow local authors Sylvia Melena, Jennifer K. Crittenden, and Bill Vallely.
I had one regret today. I wished I had brought a chair. Authors, don’t make the same mistake I did! Bring a chair! Of course, I brought my signature Book Signing Brownies that I bring to every signing. That was an empty platter at the end of the event!
It was great to see familiar faces as well as new ones. The lively discussions with readers and science fiction fans kept everything vibrant. As a science fiction novelist, I love these opportunities to talk about my book, about science fiction in general, and about science as well. I relish hearing about others’ joy in reading and pondering the Universe. New readers, I am so grateful you stopped by! Thank you!
Working alongside fellow local authors continues to be a rewarding experience. No two book signings have been alike. My only regret has been that I wished I had more time to speak to each author individually! We are all at various stages in our careers. And no matter what stage that is, I learn something from every author.
If you are a writer, consider joining a local writer group in your city. You will have the ability to mingle with other writers, whether published or otherwise, and the lessons you learn are priceless. You may also learn about opportunities like this signing the you might not have otherwise! Better still, the new connections will enrich your life! Thank you, PWSD, for helping make this event possible.
Image Credit: J. Dianne Dotson at Encinitas Holiday Street Fair, November 18, 2018. By J. Dianne Dotson Copyright 2018.


For thousands of years the making of cloth, baskets and nets has been the work of a village. Shepherds provided the wool. Farmers and foragers gave us flax, cotton and silk, and the dyes for all the myriad colors. Then there was the washing and carding and spinning and dying and weaving. And finally, the cloth was made into clothing or bags or blankets.
It still takes a village. It takes a village to not only produce, but to remember and to dream.
Wild Moon Fiber Arts dreams of that village here in the high desert of Joshua Tree. And, more than dreaming, it is the goal to create it. We may be starting small and quiet, but the dream is big and the potential is real. Welcome to our journey.


Published on Friday, 12 September 2014 07:20
Moscow, August 2014—The Read Russia Prize’s organizational committee has announced the Read Russia Prize’s global shortlist of 17 translators and translations of Russian literature into other languages worldwide. The competition, open to works published between 2014 and 2012, received 112 nominations from 16 countries around the world: Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, China, France, Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Read Russia Prize was established in 2011 by the Institute of Translation in Moscow, a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering the development of the theory and practice of literary translation. The competition is conducted every two years with support from the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communication and the Boris N. Yeltsin Presidential Center. The prize is awarded to a translator or group of translators for outstanding translations of prose and poetry works from Russian into a foreign language and published by a foreign publisher during the previous two years.
The Read Russia Prize aims to popularize works of Russian literature; encourage foreign translators who translate Russian literature into other languages; encourage foreign publishers who publish translations of Russian literature, and strengthen and develop cultural ties between Russia and other countries. The shortlist of 2014 nominees include two titles published in the United States:
For 19th-century classic Russian literature:
1. Vera Bischitzky for her translation of Ivan Goncharov’s novel Oblomov (Germany);
2. Alejandro Ariel Gonzales for his translation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novella The Double (Argentina); and
3. Jorge Ferrer Diaz for his translation of Alexander Herzen’s work My Past and Thoughts (Spain).


5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence. By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it. When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
The truth is, we're all dying. In the words of the late Jim Morrison, "No one here gets out alive." It may be 50 years from now, it may be tomorrow. None of us know.
For those who are in Christ, death is not something we should fear. We should actually look forward to it! As the apostle Paul said, "To live is Christ and to die is gain." If we live, we have the privilege of helping lead people to eternal life. There is no greater way to spend our days. When we die, we receive the reward of our faith, to live in glory with Christ forever. With that in mind, we can make the most of each day, each moment, each opportunity to share the eternal life giving message of Jesus.
Live today in light of eternity.


DARthroplasty – brief history
In human medicine, the augmentation of the femoral head support by an extracapsular bone graft has been used for a very long time in the treatment of hip dysplasia. It was first described by König in 1891 and was the principal method of acetabular reconstruction during the first half of the 20 th century (1). Several techniques using this principle have been used. The main difference being the method used to stabilize the graft. This group of techniques are generally known by the term Shelf Acetabuloplasty, in the sense that the bone graft works as an extension of the true acetabulum. In recent decades the early diagnosis of the disease in humans permitting the correction by harnesses and by rotational osteotomies conferring hyaline cartilage coverage to the femoral head have reduced the number of shelf operations. Nevertheless, it is present in the armamentarium of many surgeons, being used mainly in late presentation cases (late childhood, adolescents and young adults) (1,2,3,4,5). It remains as one of the few alternatives in complex late presentation cases (1), as a rescue technique should the rotational osteotomies fail to correct the deficient coverage (6) and as probably one of the best options for severe late onset Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (7,8,9,10,11,12,13). In recent years it has been performed using minimally invasive methods (14).
In 1998 Barclay Slocum and Theresa Devine Slocum published the description and results of a shelf surgical technique for dogs that was named DARthroplasty (15). The name signifies Dorsal Acetabular Rim plasty. More than 300 hips were operated in their 6 year experience with the technique before publication (15). The technique is indicated, according to these authors, for dysplastic hips too far advanced (in the disease process) for triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) but not yet candidates for end-stage salvage procedures (15).
Since this publication very little has been written about the DARthroplasty. The data was never collected to clarify it’s definitive place in Veterinary Surgery.
Staheli LT, Chew DE. Slotted acetabular augmentation in childhood and adolescence.
J Pediatr Orthop. 1992 Sep-Oct;12(5):569-80.
Fawzy E, Mandellos G, De Steiger R, et al. Is there a place for shelf acetabuloplasty in the management of adult acetabular dysplasia? A survivorship study.
J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 2005; 87-B:1197-202.
Summers BN, Turner A, Wynn-Jones CH. The shelf operation in the management of late presentation of congenital hip dysplasia.
J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 1988;70-B: 63-8.
Courtois B, LeSaout J, Lefevre C, et al. The shelf operation for painful acetabular dysplasia in adults: a propos of continuous series of 230 cases.
Int Orthop 1987;11: 5-11 (in French).
Hirose S, Otsuka H, Morishima T, et al. Long-term outcomes of shelf acetabuloplasty for developmental dysplasia of the hip in adults: a minimum 20-year follow-up study.
J Orthop Sci (2011) 16:698–703
Su Y, Wang M, Chang W. Slotted Acetabular Augmentation in the Treatment of Painful Residual Dysplastic Hips in Adolescents and Young Adults.
J Formos Med Assoc | 2008 • Vol 107 • No 9: 720-727
Kruse RW, Guille JT, Bowen Jr. Shelf arthroplasty in patients who have had Legg-Calvé Perthes disease: a study of long-term results.
J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 1991;73-A:1338-47.
Wright D, Perry D, Daniel C, et al. Shelf acetabuloplasty for Perthes disease in patients older than eight years of age: an observational cohort study.
Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics B 2013; vol22 issue 2: 96-100
Domzalski M, Glutting J, Bowen R, et al. Lateral Acetabular Growth Stimulation Following a Labral Support Procedure in Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease.
J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2006 Jul 01;88(7):1458-1466
Daly K, Bruce C, Catterall A. Lateral shelf acetabuloplasty in Perthes’ disease – A review at the end of growth.
J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 1999;81-B:380-4.
Osman M, Martin D, Sherlock D. Outcome of late-onset Perthes’ disease using four different treatment modalities.
J Child Orthop (2009) 3:235–242
Oh C, Rodriguez A, Guille JT, et al. Labral Support Shelf Arthroplasty for the Early Stages of Severe Legg-Calvé Perthes Disease.
Am J Orthop. 2010;39(1):26-29.
Van Der Geest I, Kooijman M, Spruit M, et al. Shelf Acetabuloplasty for Perthe’s Disease: 12-Year Follow up.
Acta Orthopædica Belgica, Vol. 67 – 2 – 2001
Chiron P, Laffosse JM, Bonnevialle N. Shelf arthroplasty by minimal invasive surgery: technique and results of 76 cases.
Hip International / Vol. 17 no. 2 (suppl 5), 2007 / pp. S72-S82
Slocum B, Slocum T. D. DARthroplasty.
In: Bojrab, M. J., ed. Current Techniques in Small Animal Surgery, 4th Ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins 1998: 1168 – 1170


The Poetry of Muhsin Ilyas Subasi
Biography of Muhsin Ilyas Subaşı
Poet, writer, historian, journalist, and educator
This prolific Turkish writer was born on July 25, 1942 in the village of Şarkışla in the Sivas province of Turkey.
He started his primary education in the village of Talıaltın, and completed it in the Şarkışla Elementary School (1956). He then graduated from the Kayseri Imam Hatip High School (1966) and the Kayseri Advanced Institute of Islam (1972).
Subaşı started his professional life as a journalist from 1966-1973, and then as a teacher in Malatya and Kayseri (1973-1995).
From 1995 onwards, he has devoted himself entirely to research and writing for his journalistic career. He was the Kayseri representative of the Anatolian Agency and the Turkish News Agency, and was the Chief of the Editorial Department at the Hakimiyet and Yeni Sabah newspapers (1966-1973). It was in these newspapers that Subaşı started his literary career by organizing their art pages.
His first published poem appeared in Islam Magazine in 1962. He became well-known after the publication of his first volume of poety, Vuslat Türküsü (Reunion Folksong). From 1965 on, his poems, essays, critiques and research writing have regularly appeared in publications such at Hareke (1965-1975), Türk Yurdu (1965-70), Hisar (1975-1980), Töre (1975-1980), Küçük Dergi (where he served as the Director from 1979-81 in Kayseri), Türk Edebiyatı (1980-2000) and Erciyes and Somuncu Baba Magazines. His articles on politics and current events have been published in the Yeni Devir, Türkiye and Zaman newspapers.
He won the Kayseri Artists Association Poetry Award in 1981 and the Kayseri Journalists Association Press Award for excellence in the field of research in 1984 and 1985.
He has also received the Press Award of the General Directorate of Press and Broadcasting, and in 2013 was honored with the ESKADER Literary Prize.
Many of his poems have been set to music, and translated into English, German and Arabic.
He also writes under the pen name of Selçuk Yurdagül.
Subaşı currently resides in the Central Anatolian city of Kayseri, where he devotes his time to research and writing and to his beloved family (wife Saadet Hanimefendi, 3 daughters and 5 grandchildren).
©2008-2014, Katharine Branning; All Rights Reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced in any form without written consent from the author.


This is the most detailed non-fiction book I’ve ever read, even down to every moment before Louis Zamperini’s plane crashed. Hillenbrand covers what each member of the flight crew was thinking and feeling right before the plane hit the water. The details make this a thick book and such a pulling read, like a vacuum.
Here are the highlights:
- Olympic runner joins the Air Force as a bomber
- His plane crashes, he and two other crew members survive and float on a raft for a long time
- Captivity as a POW, emotional and physical turmoil, and being pushed to the edge of what his body can take (thanks to The Bird)
- Redemption (best part of the book)
Along the way, Hillenbrand is invisible, as she should be, but is still able to inject humor where it’s needed.
Bravo, Hillenbrand. And bravo, Zamperini, for fighting through all of it.


Deepak Kumar Acharjee, editor of ‘The South Asian Times’, also a writer, has opened a novel “Shesh Mohonay” at the “Cover Opening Centre” of Bangla Academy in the book fair on Friday. After opening the cover of the novel, Deaapak Kumar Acharjee said that the Shesh Mohonay is a romantic novel written by Samiron Halder.
“It is well written and everyone will like it,” he said.
He said, several employees in different sectors are indulging themselves in writings besides their professional work to enrich the Bengali literature.
Mr. Acharjee is hoping that this novel, “Sesh Mohonay” will receive the best seller book in the Ekushe book fair.
In the novel, the author has beautifully portrayed teenage life where we first experience our first love. Painting a vivid picture of younger age, capturing the delicate beauty and awkward innocence of first love. We follow the journey of Mitali, whose world changes as a friendship blossoms into something deeper. The author portrays the joy and excitement of newfound love, the nervous butterflies in the stomach, the stolen glances across the classroom, and the shared secrets whispered under the moonlight.
However, the novel doesn't shy away from the bittersweet nature of teenage love. We witness the inevitable challenges, misunderstandings, and heartbreaks that come with navigating this new and complex emotion. Which is about learning to navigate the complexities of love, loss, and self-discovery.
The author also blends imagination with the harsh realities of society. Where the imagination meets reality, and how the hopeless love that was once heavenly becomes life’s biggest tragedy.
Overall, it is a heartwarming and relatable experience that will resonate with anyone who remembers the unique experience of teenage love. It's a reminder of the beauty and pain, the joy and tears, and the unforgettable experiences that shaped our lives in those formative years.
Among other, poet, writer, and entrepreneur Jashimuddin Joy, Publisher of the novel Md. Nazmul Islam, publisher of Morium Publishing House, attended the novel cover ceremony.


The Chosen Land
[This article is an excerpt from the book, Our Challenge: The Chosen Land, written by Rabbi Meir Kahane, in 1974.]
It is time for the Jew in Israel to throw away those negative attitudes that he retains from the Galut, the Exile. Chief among these is an unwillingness to look at bitter reality. We may not enjoy hearing it, but the truth is that for many years at least there will not be sincere de jure peace with the Arabs. It may affect the tender souls of the more spiritually intellectual among us, but one can never attain either peace or security by "compromise" with bitter enemies who have no intentions of compromising with you. Those in Judea, Samaria and Gaza who do sit down with you because they have no choice, do so only in the hope of getting rid of you as soon as possible. Our enemy, in the long run, is weariness. It is against this enemy that we must struggle. We must gird ourselves with tenacity and determination never to tire of what appears to be a never-ending struggle. For that is what it might very well become: a struggle for Jewish existence and a Jewish state that will never cease to be a struggle; a realization that between us and the Arabs stands a massive barrier that may never be reached; a determination by two peoples to live in a land that at least one will never compromise on. There will grow the weariness of having to send our children to the army without stop. There will grow the weariness of having to leave each year for reserve duty. There will grow the weariness of terrorist attacks on the borders or at the Lod airport or at the Tel-Aviv bus terminal. There will, perhaps, again grow the weariness — and the heartbreak — of victims of a new war of attribution. There will grow the weariness of all this, rising to a crescendo with the frustrating cry: "When will it finally end?"
Only the weak succumb to such frustrations; only the weak surrender to time. A strong and tenacious people know that there may never be an end to the struggle and the sacrifice. But they also look about them and see what their refusal to surrender has accomplished: a state, and today a big one, in much of our Eretz Yisroel; a Jewish state with nearly three million souls [now nearly seven million—ed] and many more to come; the creation of a new and proud Jew. None of these things would have come about had we listened to the intellectual precursors of our modern-day intellectuals and doves. In the name of "peace" there would be no Jewish state; in the name of "morality" there would be no free Jewish nation.
If we hope to survive in the literal sense of the word, let us not succumb to the siren call of easy answers and the tempting promise of "peace." Above all, let us, please, have no illusions. The Arabs intend to wipe us out; we must be strong enough to stop them. The Arabs who live with us in Eretz Yisrael, both those who have done so for twenty-five years and those for just five, do not love us and never will — and one cannot blame them. Let us not play games with them or with ourselves. We give them civil rights and political freedom, but what Jew will ever agree that they should become a majority? What Jew will ever agree to allow Arabs to come in on the same terms as Jews do today under the Law of Return? Israel was formed as a Jewish state. Arabs may have social, economic, and much political equality but, in the end, it is not their state. For the individual Arab we offer much, but for the Arab nation, Israel offers nothing. It is not an Arab state, it is a Jewish state. It came into being because Jews knew that for them there was no hope in a world that thirsted for their bodies and souls. It came into being under the realization that neither king nor Republican nor Marxist had the solution to the Jewish problem. That in the end it was the words of the rabbis that proved to be eternally true:
"It is a law, it is known that Esau hates Jacob."
And so, Eretz Yisrael, the land of the Jewish people, exists. It can never be anything but that and both we and the Arabs know it. Such a fact allows for few illusions over peace. Perhaps peace will come some day; I for one, doubt it. Until it doesn’t let us not listen to the delusions that float down to us daily from the ivory tower or from the self-hating Left.
Strength and tenacity – they and they alone assure Jewish survival.
[Barbara Ginsberg maintains a weekly mailing list of the writings of Rabbi Kahane ZT"L. If you would like to receive these weekly mailings, you can join the list by contacting her directly
[ Rabbi Meir Kahane's ZT"L | Published: July 19, 2020 (Orig. 1974) ]


CBD’s Role in Inflammation
Adenosine is a chemical compound that plays a role in inhibiting the inflammatory actions of the body. Adenosine receptors in the heart also help to modulate blood flow. The graph below shows how cellular uptake of adenosine was decreased in cells that were pretreated with varying amounts of CBD and THC.
The 2006 study “Inhibition of an equilibrative nucleoside transporter by cannabidiol: a mechanism of cannabinoid immunosuppression” concluded that both molecules inhibit adenosine uptake. By inhibiting adenosine uptake, CBD (and, less potently, THC) could play a therapeutic role in pain and inflammation.
“These studies demonstrate that CBD has the ability to enhance adenosine signaling through inhibition of uptake and provide a non-cannabinoid receptor mechanism by which CBD can decrease inflammation.”
By helping to reduce excess inflammation, CBD could play a role in maintaining healthy immune function. This is an area of particular interest to athletes and all those seeking an alternative to anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals.
Inhibition of an equilibrative nucleoside transporter by cannabidiol: a mechanism of cannabinoid immunosuppression - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, May 2006, Volume 103, Number 20, Pages 7895–7900


Ved and Upnishads: Spirituality is the biggest science in the world and India is the mother of that science. Ved is to life as constitution is to any country, which when followed religiously can fill your life with enormous joy and satisfaction. There are four Vedas, namely, Rig ved, Sam Ved, Yajur Ved and Atharva Veda. Vedas are considered to be primary text of Indian culture. Scholars believe that existence of Vedas dates back to 1500 B.C. The contents of Vedas include hymns, incantations and rituals of ancient India. However, Upnishads are believed to be prolongations of the Vedas. The history of Upnishads can be traced back to 400 B.C.
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Bhagwat Gita: Bhagwat Gita is essence of Vedas and upnishads. But it is not limited to Hinduism only. If interpreted correctly it has huge amount of lessons for entire mankind as to how to exist in this world, how to attain materialistic success, how to get peace of mind and so on. It is in the form of philosophical dialogue version between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. The word “Bhagwat” means God and “Geeta” means song. Therefore, Bhagwat Gita means song of God. Bhagwat Gita is eternal reflection of spiritual wisdom from ancient India. The eminence and glory of this sacred text can be predicted by the fact that it has been translated into more than 20 languages. Western countries are deeply interested in this Holy book as they are seeking for their inner peace and calm.
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Ramayana: Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit tale of Hindu Mythology narrated and written by the sage Valmiki. It is story of Lord Ram, who sacrificed the Throne of Ayodhayaya in order to keep the promise of his father. He fell prey to a political trap in the family. But, he accepted his exile of fourteen years very gladly. During exile, his wife Godess Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, a ten headed monster king of Srilanka. Then, the entire story revolves round the freedom of Godess Sita. There is a significant mention of Lord Hanuman, who helped Rama in his battle against Ravana. Ramayana preaches us a lesson to concentrate on our duties and responsibilities, rather than crying for the rights only. This epic reminds us of ancient Indian culture, where a son can go for 14 years of tough exile just to keep the promise of his father. Ramayana is often referred to as Adikavyam (the first epic) and Valmiki as the Adikavi. It is because of the reason that all spiritual literature prior to Ramayana existed in the form of mantras, Ramayana was the first epic in which mantras has been converted into poetic form.
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Mahabharata: Mahabharata is one of the important epics of ancient India which was written by Vedvyas.It is more than 3000 years old. Mahabharata is portrait of the war of Kurukshetra and tale of destiny of Kauravas and Pandavas.Moreover, Mahabharata is the longest known epic in the world. It is all about details and description of 18 day long battle between Pandavas and Kauravas. It also includes the propagation of Lord Krishna being given to Arjun during the battle when he was in two minds and was not completely ready for the battle. The central philosophy of Mahabharat revolves around the actual execution of teachings of Vedas. Great thinkers and scholars believe that The Mahabharata is inclusive of economics, sociology, politics, chemistry, astronomy,art of war , spirituality and philosophy. History is a combination of old incidents along with preaches and teachings. This marks a demarcation line between the Vedas and Mahabharata. Mahabharata is history whereas Vedas are original and true forms of preaching.
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Purans: The word “Puran” means old and ancient. Puranas are post vedic literature including complete narration of the history of universe. It includes stories of genealogies of kings, Gods and sages. Broadly, there are 18 Puranas including Vishnu Puran, Narad Puran, Srimad Bhagwat puran, Garuda Puran, Padm Puran, Varah Puran, Brahma Puran, Brahmananda Puran, Brahma Vaivarta Puran, Markandey Puran, Bhavishye Puran, Vamana Puran, Matsya Puran, Kurma Puran, Linga Puran, Shiv Puran, Skanda Puran and Agni Puran. Each Puran depicts the divine story of a God or Hero. According to Swami Sivananda, Puranas have five distinctive characterstics, history, cosmology, secondary creation, geneology of kings and Manvantaras i.e the era of Manu’s rule which consisted of 71 celestial yugas. Puranas are just dissolution of high philosophy of Vedas. In order to make ordinary people understand the basics of Vedas, in the form of stories and tales which were otherwise difficult to understand.
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"It wasn’t going to be like last time. I’ve got Finn now. It wasn’t going to be like last time."
I’m sorry but I have to reblog this.
Look at his face. Night before last this guy was worried that he’d blown it with his girl. Thought he might have pushed her too far, too fast and he’d scared her off. He probably spent his Sunday chewing on his cuticles and nothing much else because he’s been so anxious. Probably needed to talk to his dad about it just to get the noise of it out of his head; and even though Gary assured him everything would be okay over endless cups of tea, Finn couldn’t help but still feel worried. He probably wanted to talk to Rae too, but didn’t want to make matters worse. Now it’s Monday morning and this face is just so pleased and grateful that everything is okay. That she still wants him. That he’s not going to have to face walking into to a place he doesn’t really want to be without her. Having her there is what’s going to help him get through it. There’s love in that face and in the way he slowly caresses her whole hand before sliding his fingers through hers, taking a firm hold and squeezing, reassuring himself that she’s still his. There’s joy in that face too, as she offers him her hand. His faith in what they have evidenced in how perfectly they fit together.


Former Pfizer sales rep Jamie Reidy's memoir "Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman," will form the basis for a fictionalized film about the pharmaceutical supply business, according to a report in the Hollywood trade publication Variety.
The book is a "witty exposé" of the pharmaceutical industry that reveals the questionable practices of drug reps, nurses, and physicians, according to the book's publisher, Andrews McMeel Publishing, based in Riverside, NJ. In the book, Reidy traces his ups and downs as a sales rep for giant drug manufacturer Pfizer, maker of some of the most widely prescribed and used drugs in existence, including Viagra.
The film version of the book will be set at a fictionalized company, according to Variety. Universal studios producers reportedly purchased the rights to the book for an amount in the "high-six figures."