Saturday, August 31, 2013

Sherlock Holmes Weekend Off

Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
We are taking this weekend off.  Now we know how upset everyone is about this so we are going to give you something to read until we come back.  We will be back on Monday, September, 2nd, 2013.  When we come back, we have a major surprise in store for everyone.  We do mean major.

In the mean time we have this exciting Sherlock Holmes mini ebook story for everyone.  It's only 16 pages long and is a great read.  The Adventure of the Empty House.  Free downloads are available from our SlideShare site.  To open the file below, left click the icon at the very bottom right hand corner at the file will open to full screen view.  To leave full screen view just hit your escape key on your keyboard.



See you all again on Monday.  Have a safe and happy weekend.
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Friday, August 30, 2013

The Fast and The Furious - Full Movie





This is the original movie of The Fast and The Furious.  1955 in black and white.  Classic movies here on Gloucester, Virginia Links and News.
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Governor McDonnell Announces New Partnership with Alaska to Strengthen Virginia’s Space Industry

English: The state seal of Virginia. Српски / ...
English: The state seal of Virginia. Српски / Srpski: Застава америчке савезне државе Вирџиније. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
RICHMOND - Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and Alaska Governor Sean Parnell jointly announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a formal operating relationship between the Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority (VCSFA) and the Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC).

            Speaking today about the announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “The Commonwealth’s partnership with Alaska will further this new era of commercial aerospace activity throughout the Commonwealth.  As the U.S. space program increases its reliance on the commercial sector, these types of partnerships will not only help keep America competitive in the space industry, but will help create much-needed jobs and economic development.  The successful launch of Orbital Science’s new Antares launch vehicle from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) this past April 21st as well as two upcoming September launches to the Moon and the International Space Station, position Virginia for continued growth in this vibrant space market.”

            The MOU defines the intent of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Alaska to initiate a collaborative and cooperative partnership for spaceport operations.  Future launch customers will realize business advantages as the partnership will promote efficiency between MARS and the Kodiak Launch Complex (KLC) designed to create commonality between the two spaceports that decreases costs and improves performance.

            “Alaska has been at the forefront of space launch for nearly 20 years,” Governor Parnell said.  “With this agreement, we will be creating opportunities for the commercial space industry to secure cost-effective and reliable launch operations from both the east and west coasts.  Both Alaska and Virginia will benefit with greater investment and job opportunities as leaders in the burgeoning commercial space industry.”

            The Virginia General Assembly created VCSFA to promote development of the aerospace industry, economic development, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education throughout the Commonwealth.  VCSFA owns and operates MARS, located on Wallops Island, Virginia.

            AAC was established by the State of Alaska to develop a high technology aerospace industry in the state.  Its core business area is space launch, and it developed, owns, and operates KLC, a state-of-the-industry spaceport on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
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Governor McDonnell Orders Full Inventory of All Existing Virginia School Buildings and Facilities

English: Governor of Virginia at CPAC in .
English: Governor of Virginia at CPAC in . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Directs Secretary of Education to Conclude Report by November 1st
Results Will Determine How Changes to Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Could Benefit Commonwealth; Will Help Virginia Leaders Advocate for Change to Law to Improve Virginia’s Aging School Buildings

RICHMOND- Governor Bob McDonnell has directed Virginia Secretary of Education Laura Fornash to put together a comprehensive inventory of all existing Virginia public school buildings, including those not currently being used for instruction. The governor has asked for the report in order to gain a more accurate picture of the current state of the Commonwealth’s educational infrastructure, and to demonstrate how a change to the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, to allow for its use in the renovation of older school buildings for continued service as public educational facilities, could benefit the Commonwealth specifically, and the nation in general.

In the letter the governor writes, “Earlier this week, I met with Mr. Goldman and his team to discuss this matter in greater detail.  We agreed that the elimination of the “prior use” rule to allow private investors to utilize the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit in the process of renovating aging school buildings for future use in the same capacity, would have a positive impact on Virginia’s students, teachers and parents in communities all across the state. We also agreed that we must continue to work to press federal lawmakers to make this change. In that effort, specific, concrete facts about the true impact of such a change would be extremely beneficial to our federal representatives as they lead this effort.

Therefore, today I am asking you to lead the Department of Education in a review of all existing school buildings, including buildings not currently being utilized, and create a detailed inventory of all building facilities owned or operated for public elementary and secondary education.  The report should include the age, location and current use of each facility and be compiled and submitted to me no later thanNovember 1, 2013.”

The full letter is available here. Results of the review will be made public immediately upon completion.
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Have A Good Time - Biberone - Free Music of the day




Biberone with Have a Good Time.  Three versions of this song for you to play around with.  Free downloads are available on each track here.  The cosmic version is all instrumental.  Signed is a vocal version sung in English with obvious accents.  It's a fun, funky, jazz blues song.  Will get your feet moving and your hips swinging.  Enjoy.
Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz and Blues
Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz and Blues (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Drug Emergencies For ADHD Quadrupled in 6 Years

English: Adderall
English: Adderall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
By Dr. Mercola
According to a 2010 US government survey, 1 in 10 American children now has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—a 22 percent increase from 2003. ADHD makes it hard for children to pay attention and control impulsive behavior.
About two-thirds of the children diagnosed with ADHD are on some form of prescription medication, and according to data recently released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), ADHD drugs such as Ritalin, Vyvanse, Strattera, and Adderall (and their generic equivalents) were responsible for nearly 23,000 emergency room visits in 2011.
This is a more than 400 percent increase in ER visits due to adverse reactions to such drugs in a mere six years! According to the featured article in Forbes Magazine1:
“The population group studied was 18-34, but the rise was most dramatic among 18- to 25-year-olds, Federal officials say.
The report, which was published August 8th in The DAWN Report2, a SAMSA publication, also warned that heart and blood vessel damage has been linked with 'nonmedical' use of the stimulant drugs, based on a 2012 study reported in Brain and Behavior3.”
This, I think, should demand the attention of politicians like Senator Durbin, who claims to be oh-so-concerned about the dangers posed by supplements. But no, hypocritical to a fault, Durbin is nowhere to be found when the issue of dangerous drugs come to the fore.

Misuse of Behavior-Modification Drugs Is Rising Dramatically

The DAWN report highlights the growing trend of prescription drug abuse, and reveals that more than half of these youngsters—primarily college-aged—obtained the drug either from a friend or relative, free of charge. Seventeen percent purchased them from someone they knew.
Other reports also show a dramatic spike in ADHD drug abuse.
“Data from I.M.S. Health4 found that 48.4 million prescriptions for ADHD stimulants were written in 2011, a 39 percent jump from 2007. More importantly, close to 14,000 new monthly prescriptions were written for ADHD stimulants, up from 5.6 million in 2007,” the featured article states.
Far from being recognized for their potential health hazards, these kinds of stimulants have gained a reputation as “cognition enhancers” among students and young professionals seeking to gain an edge.
Unfortunately, it’s exceedingly easy to fake ADHD symptoms in order to secure a prescription, and as noted in a 2008 study published in the Journal of American College Health5:
“Of the study participants, 34 percent reported the illegal use of ADHD stimulants. Most illegal users reported using ADHD stimulants primarily in periods of high academic stress and found them to reduce fatigue while increasing reading comprehension, interest, cognition, and memory.
Furthermore, most had little information about the drug and found procurement to be both easy and stigmafree.”
Meanwhile, the potential side effects of ADHD drugs are actually quite serious. Certainly, no one should take them without being under a competent doctor’s care:
Permanent brain damageCardio toxicity, andliver damageCancer
Changes in personality, depression, and/orhallucinationsHeart attack and strokeSudden death andsuicide

In related news6, US health officials have launched a federal probe into the use of antipsychotic drugs on children in the Medicaid system. According to a study of data from 2004, kids using Medicaid were prescribed antipsychotic medications four times more often than those with private insurance. In 2008, more than 19,000 children under the age of five received Medicaid prescriptions for antipsychotics. Most shocking of all, the study also found that Medicaid prescriptions for antipsychotics were issued to children younger than one year old!
It’s exceedingly difficult to fathom a situation that would actually warrant giving a toddler an antipsychotic drug... After all, medications cannot address the underlying cause of aberrant behavior.

What Is ADHD, and What Causes It?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) involves a cluster of symptoms that include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviors. Often, children with the conditions may struggle in school and with relationships, and suffer from low self-esteem. The similar term attention deficit disorder (ADD) has largely been replaced with ADHD, as it describes two of the most common symptoms of the condition, inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. Most children display a combination of these two traits, along with the following symptoms7:
Frequent fidgeting or squirmingHas difficulty playing quietlyAlways seems on the go
Feels restless or often runs and climbs excessively, or leaves his or her seat in the classroom when not appropriateTalks excessively, interrupts often, and may blurt out answers to questions at inappropriate timesHas difficulty waiting his or her turn
Frequent daydreamingFrequently has problems organizing tasks or activitiesDifficulty following through on instructions and apparently not listening

As you can see, many of these “symptoms” could describe virtually any child, or most children, at one time or another. As such, those who display these symptoms at school but not at home or with friends are not considered to have ADHD. Ditto for children who display symptoms at home but not at school. Only children who struggle with inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors around the clock are deemed to have ADHD—although a 2010 study published in the Journal of Health Economics8determined that about 20 percent of children are likely to have been misdiagnosed...
The cause of ADHD remains elusive, and according to psychiatrist Leon Eisenberg, who was hailed as the “scientific father of ADHD,” the disorder is “a prime example of a fictitious disease.” Eisenberg made this confession in a 2012 interview with the German paper Der Spiegel, just seven months prior to his death9 at the age of 87.
Still, behavioral problems, just like emotional problems, do exist. The question is, why does it seem to affect so many these days?
One plausible theory places the blame, at least in part, on exposure to environmental toxins. For example, a 2006 study10 found that a mother's use of cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs during pregnancy could increase the risk for ADHD. The study also suggested that exposure to lead and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can cause ADHD symptoms. Pesticide exposure has also been linked with ADHD.
Unfortunately, few are focusing on basic nutrition, which I believe is a key factor. We know that the food choices of most children and adults today are incredibly poor, and how can you possibly expect a child to have normal behavior if he is fed refined grains, sugars, and processed foods loaded with chemicals and largely devoid of natural nutrients? Four dietary factors of particular concern are:
  • Too much sugar
  • Gluten sensitivity
  • Too few beneficial bacteria
  • Omega-3 deficiency

Too Much Sugar and Gluten Can Trigger ADHD Symptoms

The number of children being harmed, perhaps for life, by unnecessary drugging is truly heartbreaking. Especially when there are so many simple and safe, not to mention healthier, alternatives. Many are reluctant to adopt unproven strategies, but the great news is that many of these non-drug alternatives are indeed supported by science. Besides, why would you opt for a drug that issimilar to cocaine as the first-line of treatment for your child—or for yourself?!
The two most oft-cited dietary villains that can trigger ADHD symptoms are sugar and gluten. This automatically makes grains of all kinds a primary food to avoid, as most grains not only contain gluten, but also turn into sugar in your body. There is evidence11,12 suggesting that gluten sensitivity may be at the root of a number of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, is quite compelling. As stated in one 2011 study13:
“Celiac disease is markedly overrepresented among patients presenting with ADHD. A gluten-free diet significantly improved ADHD symptoms in patients with celiac disease in this study. The results further suggest that celiac disease should be included in the ADHD symptom checklist.”
Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley. In those with celiac disease, gluten triggers an immune reaction that damages the small intestine and prevents absorption of nutrients. People with gluten sensitivity, which may comprise 10 percent of the US population or more, experience many of the same symptoms that celiac disease causes, including headaches, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, gas and more.
Scientists now recognize the deep interconnectedness between your gut and your brain, and there’s little doubt that chronic inflammation in your body can wreak havoc on your brain function. Hence, reducing inflammation in your gut is imperative when addressing mental health issues,14 and it’s quite common for people to experience a wide variety of mental and emotional health improvements once they eliminate gluten from their diet.

Behavioral Problems Are Closely Linked to Poor Gut Health

The gut-brain connection is well recognized as a basic tenet of physiology and medicine, and there’s a wealth of evidence showing gastrointestinal involvement in a variety of neurological diseases, not just ADHD. Your gut and your brain are actually created out of the same type of tissue. During fetal development, one part turns into your central nervous system while the other develops into your enteric nervous system. These two systems are connected via the vagus nerve, the tenth cranial nerve that runs from your brain stem down to your abdomen. So in a very real sense you have two brains, one inside your skull and one in your gut, and each needs its own vital nourishment.
As explained by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a medical doctor with a postgraduate degree in neurology, toxicity in your gut can flow throughout your body and into your brain, where it can cause symptoms of autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, schizophrenia and other mental disorders.

 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/29/adhd-drug-emergencies.aspx  Link back to Mercola.com  for more on this topic plus a good video.
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Free Art Print - Au Grand Monge - Fancy Cat







Free art print of the day is this fancy cat print.  An old advertising piece.  It has no known copyrights so you are free to use it any way that you wish.  Just mouse over the print, right click, save as, done.  Enjoy.


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