Just Checking

Yep, it's still here...

Does Your Dryer Have Balls??

Drier balls on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Who knows if it works? These look badass!

Not Caving In

Episcopal Life Online - NEWS:

"The bishops gave five reasons for urging Executive Council to reject the pastoral scheme. First, they said, it would violate church law because it would call for a delegation of primatial authority not permissible under Canons and a compromise of autonomy not permissible under the Constitution.

Second, they said, it would fundamentally change the character of the process in which all Anglican churches were participating together.

Third, it would violate the church's founding principles following its liberation from colonialism and a life independent of the Church of England and fourth, it would sacrifice the emancipation of the laity for the exclusive leadership of high-ranking bishops.

Most important of all, they said, the proposal is spiritually unsound. 'The pastoral scheme encourages one of the worst tendencies of our Western culture, which is to break relationships when we find them difficult instead of doing the hard work necessary to repair them and be instruments of reconciliation,' the bishops said."

SW Radio Africa News Story - News story

SW Radio Africa News Story - News story

Nineteen Anglican Church wardens and members of the choir have been banned by a Harare court from attending services at the cathedral in the city. This follows an application by Harare Bishop Nolbert Kunonga who accused them of trying to disrupt his wedding anniversary at the weekend. Kunonga shot himself in the foot by ordering the closure of over 45 Anglican churches in Harare. The directive, which also saw the closure of St Mary’s cathedral in the city-centre, was meant to facilitate the celebration of his 33rd wedding anniversary at the city sports centre.

The decision however proved ill advised as hordes of parishioners boycotted the prayer meeting that had been lined up as an alternative to normal services in church. Some of those who attended made attempts to disrupt the celebrations as a show of disapproval for the Bishop whom they feel is trying to develop a cult status in the church. Harare based journalist Gift Phiri told Newsreel that Kunonga asserted in court papers that the group did not follow the laid out sermon and procession and that those in the choir refused to provide choral music. The court order states that those banned cannot attend services at the cathedral with effect from next Sunday. But the banned parishioners have said they will challenge the order.

Male Relatives...

Impact of Testing on Families

All states are required by law to offer early intervention programs for mentally retarded children from the time they are born. The sooner the diagnosis of mental retardation is made, the more the child can be helped. With mentally retarded infants, the treatment emphasis is on sensorimotor development, which can be stimulated by exercises and special types of play. It is required that special education programs be available for retarded children starting at three years of age. These programs concentrate on essential self-care, such as feeding, dressing, and toilet training. There is also specialized help available for language and communication difficulties and physical disabilities. As children grow older, training in daily living skills, as well as academic subjects, is offered.

Counseling and therapy are another important type of treatment for the mentally retarded. Retarded children are prone to behavioral problems caused by short attention span, low tolerance for frustration, and poor impulse control. Behavior therapy with a mental health professional can help combat negative behavior patterns and replace them with more functional ones. A counselor or therapist can also help retarded children cope with the low self-esteem that often results from the realization that they are different from other children, including siblings. Counseling can also be valuable for the family of a retarded child to help parents cope with painful feelings about the child's condition and with the extra time and patience needed for the care and education of a special-needs child. Siblings may need to talk about the pressures they face, such as accepting the extra time and attention their parents must devote to a retarded brother or sister. Sometimes parents have trouble bonding with an infant who is retarded and need professional help and reassurance to establish a close and loving relationship.

Current social and healthcare policies encourage keeping mentally retarded persons in their own homes or in informal group home settings rather than institutions. The variety of social and mental health services available to the mentally retarded, including pre-vocational and vocational training, are geared toward making this possible.

Depression and Self-Harm

Syndromes and disorders associated with mental retardation Greydanus Donald E, Pratt Helen D - Indian J Pediatr

All states are required by law to offer early intervention programs for mentally retarded children from the time they are born. The sooner the diagnosis of mental retardation is made, the more the child can be helped. With mentally retarded infants, the treatment emphasis is on sensorimotor development, which can be stimulated by exercises and special types of play. It is required that special education programs be available for retarded children starting at three years of age. These programs concentrate on essential self-care, such as feeding, dressing, and toilet training. There is also specialized help available for language and communication difficulties and physical disabilities. As children grow older, training in daily living skills, as well as academic subjects, is offered.

Counseling and therapy are another important type of treatment for the mentally retarded. Retarded children are prone to behavioral problems caused by short attention span, low tolerance for frustration, and poor impulse control. Behavior therapy with a mental health professional can help combat negative behavior patterns and replace them with more functional ones. A counselor or therapist can also help retarded children cope with the low self-esteem that often results from the realization that they are different from other children, including siblings. Counseling can also be valuable for the family of a retarded child to help parents cope with painful feelings about the child's condition and with the extra time and patience needed for the care and education of a special-needs child. Siblings may need to talk about the pressures they face, such as accepting the extra time and attention their parents must devote to a retarded brother or sister. Sometimes parents have trouble bonding with an infant who is retarded and need professional help and reassurance to establish a close and loving relationship.

Current social and healthcare policies encourage keeping mentally retarded persons in their own homes or in informal group home settings rather than institutions. The variety of social and mental health services available to the mentally retarded, including pre-vocational and vocational training, are geared toward making this possible.

Counseling and going forward

Mental Retardation - Definition, Description, Demographics, Causes and symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis, Prevention, Parental concern

All states are required by law to offer early intervention programs for mentally retarded children from the time they are born. The sooner the diagnosis of mental retardation is made, the more the child can be helped. With mentally retarded infants, the treatment emphasis is on sensorimotor development, which can be stimulated by exercises and special types of play. It is required that special education programs be available for retarded children starting at three years of age. These programs concentrate on essential self-care, such as feeding, dressing, and toilet training. There is also specialized help available for language and communication difficulties and physical disabilities. As children grow older, training in daily living skills, as well as academic subjects, is offered.

Counseling and therapy are another important type of treatment for the mentally retarded. Retarded children are prone to behavioral problems caused by short attention span, low tolerance for frustration, and poor impulse control. Behavior therapy with a mental health professional can help combat negative behavior patterns and replace them with more functional ones. A counselor or therapist can also help retarded children cope with the low self-esteem that often results from the realization that they are different from other children, including siblings. Counseling can also be valuable for the family of a retarded child to help parents cope with painful feelings about the child's condition and with the extra time and patience needed for the care and education of a special-needs child. Siblings may need to talk about the pressures they face, such as accepting the extra time and attention their parents must devote to a retarded brother or sister. Sometimes parents have trouble bonding with an infant who is retarded and need professional help and reassurance to establish a close and loving relationship.

Current social and healthcare policies encourage keeping mentally retarded persons in their own homes or in informal group home settings rather than institutions. The variety of social and mental health services available to the mentally retarded, including pre-vocational and vocational training, are geared toward making this possible.

gathering information

Virginia Commission on Youth - Mental Retardation

The diagnostic evaluation for psychiatric disorders is principally the same for patients with mental retardation, child and adult, as it is in the general population (Szymanski & King, 1999). It is important to recognize, however, that the psychiatric diagnostic assessment of children with mental retardation must be comprehensive and consider biological, psychological, and social contexts, rather than being merely a “medication evaluation” focused only on the choice of drug to suppress a disruptive behavior. Furthermore, any additional mental health diagnosis should be formal and specific, rather than a nonspecific description of “behavior disorder” or “challenging behavior.” It is important that the child’s assessment and resulting diagnosis demonstrate that he is ill, rather than merely “bad” or “noncompliant.”
Research indicates that lack of services can exacerbate the problems of children with mental retardation, as it may allow for an increase in the severity of the disability or learning delays (The Arc, 1999). Furthermore, the lack of services may also lead to greater dependence, isolation, and a decrease in self-esteem and productivity. Consequently, providers and policy makers must make every effort to identify these children and provide them with necessary services to ensure that they become productive members of society.

Onslow Anglicans, Wellington, New Zealand

Onslow Anglicans, Wellington, New Zealand

Lord,
it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.
The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives
rest in you.
The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys,
new possibilities.
In your name we pray.
Amen. NZPB p.184

Frankly, My Dears, I Don't Give A Damn

Bears Playoffs 2007 | Chicago Tribune news | Bears

'Choose Life' license plates coming to Illinois | Chicago Tribune

'Choose Life' license plates coming to Illinois | Chicago Tribune

This is BULLSHIT. Where's my "Choose Choice" license plate?

Archeogenetics in Britain

So this means General Jack O'Neill, formerly of SG-1, is releated to a couple of British journo hacks, too?