A good school is more akin to a family than a factory
If the third in this series of blog posts was about listening then this, the fourth, shifts towards dialogue and the essence of trust, on which dialogue thrives.
The Brazilian educator and philosopher, Paulo Freire, said that ‘Without dialogue there is no communication, and without communication there can be no true education.’ Founding itself upon love, humility, and faith, dialogue becomes a horizontal relationship of which mutual trust between the dialoguers is a logical sequence. False love, false humility, and feeble faith in others cannot create trust. Trust is contingent on the evidence which one party provides the others of his true concrete intentions; it cannot exist if that party’s words do not coincide with their actions.
For Megan Tschannen-Moran (2014), ‘Trust matters because we cannot single-handedly either create or sustain many of the things we care about most’ (p.17). She cites philosopher Annette Baier (1994):
Trust… is reliance on others’ competence and willingness to look after, rather than harm, things one cares about which are entrusted to their care.
Baier, 1994, p. 128
Tschannen-Moran considers trust to be a pressing issue for schools, for ‘They foster our ideals of respect, tolerance and democracy, as well as the vision of equity in our society’ (p.17). She warns that despite clear evidence of the dividends of a culture of trust, organisational dynamics often complicate things because the power differences imposed by hierarchical relationships add complexity to interpersonal reactions.
My doctoral research (shared throughout this series on communal leadership and social justice in our schools) explores issues around the building of trust and realignment of the power imbalance that favours school. Bryk and Schneider’s (2002) work on trust conceptualises trust in schools as being formed around the specific roles that people play in this setting, with the growth of trust depending on the degree to which people have shared understandings of their role obligations. Warren and Mapp’s (2011) work around community organising in the US offers valuable insight into a collective process that starts with listening and conversation at the ground level; it does not start with a set agenda and it responds to local context: ‘If unilateral power involves power “over”, relational power emphasises power “with” others, or building the power to accomplish common aims’ (p.27). The flexibility in design of my research to date has allowed for concentrated listening and conversation at the ground level, with no set agenda, grounded in the reality and context of the case study school. I seek to explore teacher and parent dialogue, as a necessary pre-cursor to the formulation of a model that recognises and supports the ideal that sees both parental involvement in school and parental engagement in their child’s learning, through effective home-school partnership working, a joint enterprise, underpinned by shared agency.
According to Bryk and Schneider’s conceptualisation of trust, we typically use four key elements to discern the intentions of others in schools: respect, competence, integrity, and personal regard for others. Respect involves a basic regard for the dignity and worth of others. Competence is the ability to carry out the formal responsibilities of the role. Integrity is demonstrated by carrying through with actions that are consistent with stated beliefs. Personal regard involves demonstration of intentions and behaviours that go beyond the formal requirements of the role. All in all, a genuine sense of listening to what each person has to say marks the basis for meaningful social interaction.
I have been involved in leading on the Achievement for All (AFA) project in an AFA pilot school and latterly as the head teacher of a school that adopted the AFA structured conversation model. We made a promise of two 30 minute conversations a year for the family of every student in school; student led.
The structured conversation, introduced and advocated by Achievement for All, incorporates approaches of active listening, solution orientated psychology and problem solving within a clear four stage framework (explore, focus, plan, review), ‘as a means to understand the parents’ hopes and concerns for their child and to engage them in a collaborative relationship that would support their child’s greater progress and achievement’ (Day, 2013, p.36). The success of the mediation process – open dialogue approach, as a means to understand the parents’ hopes and concerns for their child and to engage is clearly evident through national evaluation evidence based findings. Parents reported feeling more included in the process of their children’s education, more empowered, and have sensed a change in the dynamic of their interactions with school staff.
My research through focus group and semi-structured interviews in school, found that the structured conversation concept left teachers, following a “longer conversation” with parents, understanding the child better, with the model well received by parents, it being “more relaxed than a snatched ten minutes”. Beyond the child themselves, the structured conversation also opened up a view on the wider family context, “their history and their situations at home”. This, one teacher claimed, leaves parents feeling “more valued”. On the contrary, the traditional 10 minute time slot only really ever allows the teacher time to speak, to report on the child. No sooner have both parties relaxed into it then the ten minutes is up.
The value of positive relationship building, through face-to-face communication has been wholeheartedly lauded by teachers. After all, “We are all in it together and going down the same path”. Trust must be built, through open and honest communication, with parents and teachers as “equal partners”.
I reproduce here comments posted by one teacher and one parent in response to the first blog in this series, both talking on their experience of structured conversations.
Following watching this video [Brené Brown TED Talk, The Power of Vulnerability], as a school, we began to use ‘Structured Conversations’ as a way to work alongside parents. We looked at the way we operated ‘parents evenings’ as a whole and changed it around. Instead of feeding back to a parent, we sat with them and discussed how we could work together as a team around the child. The role switched and teachers asked parents what they thought might work.
At first, as a teacher, this felt unnatural and I certainly felt vulnerable, I can also openly admit to feeling a little defensive, expecting parents to criticise what I had been doing, as opposed to collaborating on the best way to work as a team for the child. This wasn’t what happened at all. Little things like sitting alongside the parent, offering them a drink, and structuring questions as a more open ended ‘chat’ seemed to relax the parents and allowed for a more natural, equal conversation. I fully believe that parents know their child the best so why aren’t we utilising this knowledge? The result of the conversations was that parents appeared to feel more a ‘part’ of their child’s education and therefore did more at home with their child such as reading and home projects etc. They also began to approach me more, asking what they could do to fill gaps in their child’s learning, therefore driving up that ever important data.
Hi All, I as a parent within the school mentioned above, can second what Sam is saying about structured conversations. I sat in on a structured conversation with my son and his teacher, my son at the time was at the end of year 5, what came out of the conversation was that my son kept repeating ‘but I can’t do maths’. We as parents said ‘you can’t do maths yet! But if you work at anything you can always overcome what you want to’, or something along those lines, and at home tried to encourage him to do his maths homework and even had a go as well. A year later, although no structured conversations were held at the end of the year, my son’s report said that he had progressed in maths and had overcome the difficulties he had had with maths. I can only say I feel that if myself, my son and his teacher hadn’t had that structured conversation then I am sure my son would have kept on struggling with maths. Now he is going into secondary school knowing that actually he can work out most maths equations/questions and that he has a positive attitude to learning maths whereas before he just shut down and said he couldn’t do it.
I would add to Jackie’s comment one of my golden memories of a structured conversation outcome. During the course of one conversation, Jackie’s son shared his aspiration to become a computer games designer. A couple of weeks later I vacated my office as teacher ushered in Jackie’s son plus two interested friends so that they could hold a Skype conversation arranged by the teacher with a friend he had attended university with. A friend who is now working as a computer games designer!
Bandura (1997) says that ‘Teachers with high self-efficacy and schools with a strong sense of collective efficacy are more likely to extend support to parents and seek them out as partners in a student’s education’. I say that needs to be worked on and given equal status to everything else any one school pursues by way of professional development. We would do well to spend more time in our schools exploring the concepts of trust, vulnerability and power.
Time to listen, reflect and change?
Trust is not a medium but a human virtue, cultivated through speech, conversation, commitments, and action.
Solomon & Flores 2001
Baier, A. C. (1994) Moral prejudices. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Bandura, A. (1997) Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
Bryk, A. S. and Schneider, B. (2002) Trust in Schools: A core resource for improvement. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Day, S. (2013) “Terms of engagement” not “hard to reach parents”, Educational Psychology in Practice: theory, research and practice in educational psychology, 29 (1): 36-53.
Freire, P. (1972) Pedagogy of the oppressed, Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Solomon, R.C., and Flores, F. (2001) Building trust in business, politics, relationships, and life. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Tschannen-Moran, M. (2014) Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Warren, M. R. and Mapp, K. L. (2011) A Match on Dry Grass: Community Organising as a Catalyst for School Reform, Oxford: OUP.


Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques)
Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) Sky Charts and Coordinates
This is a simplified sky chart, showing where Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) is now with respect to the brightest stars and constellations.
More advanced sky charts are available on TheSkyLive for this object: 1) the Online Planetarium which is interactive and allows to select dates and additional objects to visualize; and 2) the Live Position and Data Tracker which provides the highest precision position data and features deep sky imagery from the Digitized Sky Survey.
Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) Rise and Set Times
Today's Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) rise, transit and set times from Greenwich, United Kingdom [change]. All times are relative to the local timezone Europe/London.
Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) Orbit Diagram
This 3d orbit diagram is a feature of our 3D Solar System Simulator and shows the orbit of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) with respect of the Sun and the orbits of the major planets. The position of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) and the planets along their orbits in this diagram accurately represents the current configuration of the objects in the Solar System. This is an experimental feature and it requires a WebGL enabled browser. Please provide us feedback!
Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) Ephemeris
The following table lists the ephemerides of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) computed for the past and next 7 days, with a 24 hours interval. Click on each row of the table to locate Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) in our Online Planetarium at the chosen date.
|2018 Aug 11||07h 17m 52s||+35° 42’ 56”||18.70||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 12||07h 19m 18s||+35° 50’ 08”||18.71||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 13||07h 20m 45s||+35° 57’ 20”||18.72||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 14||07h 22m 12s||+36° 04’ 33”||18.73||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 15||07h 23m 38s||+36° 11’ 45”||18.74||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 16||07h 25m 03s||+36° 18’ 59”||18.75||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 17||07h 26m 27s||+36° 26’ 12”||18.76||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 18||07h 27m 52s||+36° 33’ 26”||18.77||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 19||07h 29m 17s||+36° 40’ 41”||18.78||Auriga|
|2018 Aug 20||07h 30m 42s||+36° 47’ 57”||18.79||Lynx|
|2018 Aug 21||07h 32m 06s||+36° 55’ 13”||18.80||Lynx|
|2018 Aug 22||07h 33m 29s||+37° 02’ 30”||18.81||Lynx|
|2018 Aug 23||07h 34m 51s||+37° 09’ 47”||18.82||Lynx|
|2018 Aug 24||07h 36m 15s||+37° 17’ 08”||18.82||Lynx|
Distance of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) from Earth
The following chart shows the distance of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) from Earth as a function of time. Distance data is measured in Astronomical Units and sampled with a 2 days interval.
The reported distances might be inaccurate around the times of closest approach for objects passing extremely close to Earth. The value of the distance of C/2017 K6 (Jacques) is also available as a real time updated value in the Live Position and Data Tracker.
Light Curve of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques)
The following chart is the predicted light curve (visual magnitude as a function of time) of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques), according to the most recent ephemerides data. Magnitude data is sampled with a 2 days interval and there might be inaccuracies for objects changing brightness very rapidly during the course of a few days. For comets there could be large discrepancies between the observed and predicted brightness because of their highly dynamic behaviour.
Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) Orbital Elements
The following table lists the orbital elements of Comet C/2017 K6 (Jacques) at epoch 19 November 2017 00:00 UTC (JD: 2458077.5). Source: JPL Small-Body Database
|Perihelion distance||q||2.00275796 AU
|Date of perihelion transit||Tp||2018-Jan-03 03:19:51
|Next perihelion transit||38914-Sep-09 09:41
|Argument of perihelion||peri||303.83906951351°|
|Longitude of the ascending node||node||85.054907609884°|
|Closest approach to Earth*||2017-Dec-17|
|Distance of closest approach*||1.82153708 AU
* NOTE: values for the closest approach are computed for the time interval between 2013-Jan-01 and 2075-Dec-31, with a sampling interval of 1 day.


Community hopes to cut down tree plan (Park La Brea News/Beverly Press)
A story about Metro’s plans to eventually remove about 135 trees along Wilshire Boulevard as part of the construction of the first phase of the Purple Line Extension. Here’s our post about the plan that includes this key detail: Metro also plans to plant two trees for every one that is removed. Still, some community members in the Miracle Mile aren’t happy, pointing to many years of effort to beautify Wilshire Boulevard and unhappy that adult trees may be replaced with younger, smaller ones.
The bridge once carried Pacific Electric streetcars over the intersection of Huntington and Mission. City of Los Angeles officials don’t think the 80-year-old structure is very distinctive architecturally; others think otherwise. My three cents: to my eyes the bridge doesn’t look much different than other highway-type bridges.
Will women every feel completely safe on transit? (The Atlantic Cities)
Very interesting post that seems to conclude the answer to the question in the headline is ‘no’ — at least not until society does a better job of decreasing instances of sexism. It’s also worth noting that women tend to ride transit more than men. Excerpt:
Women who aren’t bound to the bus by economic necessity cite reliability and convenience as reasons they choose to stick with their cars. That’s more or less what men say. But women, regardless of income, tend to have an additional factor: safety. In a 2007 survey, 63 percent of New York City subway riders said they’d been harassed on a train, and 10 percent reported having been assaulted. It seems safe to assume that most of those riders were women. Among those who merely witnessed harassment or assault on public transit, 93 percent reported that the victim was female.
It’s no wonder there’s a gender gap when it comes to transit riders’ concerns. But there’s also a gender-class gap, between the women who can simply refuse to ride because of those concerns and those who have to get on the bus anyway. “Women tend to be more fearful in public environments like the bus stop than when they’re on the bus or on the train,” says Loukaitou-Sideris. This makes sense: on the bus there are often other travelers, but at the bus stop you might be alone. Even then there are exceptions; late at night, a woman might find herself on the train with only one other passenger she doesn’t trust, just the two of them in an enclosed space.
The writer lives in our area and says that while she is willing to ride Metro during the day, she’s much less apt to take the agency’s transit at night when there are far fewer riders on many routes and a greater chance of her being isolated with other riders she doesn’t trust. Your thoughts, women riders?
In response to recent criticism over its recent claim that transit ridership in the U.S. is at the highest since 1956, the American Public Transportation Assn. has put out a subsequent release. Much of the criticism centered on the fact that a far greater percentage of Americans used transit in 1956 than currently. Excerpt from the release:
On March 10, 2014 the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reported that public transportation use in the United States in 2013 rose to 10.7 billion trips – the highest number in 57 years. APTA and its predecessor organizations have collected ridership information since 1917. The highest U.S. public transit ridership number in history was 23.5 billion trips in 1946, a decade when many Americans did not own a car. The ownership of cars en masse came later and led to suburbs designed for car use and subsequent sprawl.
This ridership increase isn’t a one-year blip on the radar. If you look at the 18 year period from 1995-2013, public transportation ridership grew 37.2 percent, almost double the amount of the population growth at 20.3 percent. This is a long-term trend that shows that more and more Americans are using public transportation. APTA has used the 1995 number because after that year, ridership increased due to the passage of the landmark ISTEA legislation and other surface transportation bills which increased funding for public transportation.
More recent shifts in trends point to the growing demand for public transportation. Our analysis shows that the 2005 gas price shock, when prices first went to $3 for a gallon of gasoline, combined with demographic shifts including the Millennials’ desire for travel options and the Baby Boomers’ return to urban areas, have established consistent travel behaviors that led to the highest public transportation ridership since 1956.
My three cents: both sides have a point. I’ve never found quite understood the point of comparing contemporary transit ridership to that in the 1950s, when there were far fewer Americans. On the other hand, I do think it’s worth noting that in recent times transit ridership has been healthy in many quarters and worthy of further investment.
From the Department of Reader Complaints….
I finally, and inevitably, received a complaint about the occasional postings of Bruce Springsteen videos — despite the fact that “Thunder Road” is at its core a song about the importance of mobility in escaping loser towns. In the spirit of diversity, today’s musical interlude is more transit specific….
Categories: Transportation Headlines


Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the most fascinating (and terrifying) industries to have skyrocketed in recent years – and it is only getting started with its growth. Not only have a ton of new AI-related organizations launched, the entire market for this type of technology is currently valued at $200 billion. That number is estimated to grow to a staggering $3.1 trillion over the next seven years, according to SingularityNET (AGI). They should know, because this company is currently working to bring AI into the blockchain era.
What is SingularityNET (AGI)?
These days, it seems like there is a cryptocurrency-based solution for every possible issue you can possibly imagine – from coins inspired by bacon to digital currencies based on Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin. There is even a Whoppercoin from Burger King in Russia.
So, of course that means there must be an AI-focused blockchain platform out there – and that’s SingularityNET (AGI). This cryptocurrency is working on a global, decentralized marketplace for AI (but not the scary kind, at least that’s what they say).
BLOG: How Humanity Can Build Benevolent Artificial Intelligence.
We don’t need to follow Hollywood’s depictions of killer robots. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Blockchain #Throwback #Future https://t.co/aZt89rkvGx pic.twitter.com/yqYgaffWBT
— SingularityNET (@singularity_net) February 24, 2018
This cryptocurrency only began trading about a month and a half ago, and it has already managed to put itself in the top 100 most valuable category – currently sitting in 94th place.
But it came onto the scene (behind the scenes) recently with a big, robotic media explosion. One of the biggest events in AI was the introduction of a humanoid robot called Sophia – who was famously granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia in October of 2017. It was the first robot to ever be granted citizenship by any country.
Two years ago @hansonrobotics unveiled @RealSophiaRobot at #SXSW So much has happened since then… https://t.co/XUVvW0TTXF #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Robotics #Blockchain #Technology #Throwback pic.twitter.com/Y5LAJDDuUX
— SingularityNET (@singularity_net) February 22, 2018
Well, Sophia was actually created in part by SingularityNET – alongside Alphabet Inc (Google’s parent company) and Hanson Robotics. It flew under the radar, but this company’s participation in such a pivotal AI moment is a huge deal.
How does SingularityNET work with artificial intelligence?
You see, according to the team behind the AGI coin, there are major problems with the modern AI market: there is no way for AI to communicate with each other to coordinate processing, too much is manually completed, there is no method of finding AI services (or verify the quality of one), an it is way too expensive to use.
This makes it too complicated and pricey for regular businesses to take advantage of the technology.
What is SingularityNET’s solution? It’s a protocol that wants to solve all these complications while making AI accessible to the whole planet. It is an AI-as-a-service (have you heard that term before?) on a permissionless platform than any regular person can utilize.
This is how they say their platform will fix everything:
It’s a very innovative and futuristic project, and it seems to be getting legitimized by the AI sector (for now, at least).
This blockchain-based AI project is growing wildly
Not only was this company involved with Sophia, they have been making other big moves with new partners recently. According to SingularityNET, they have gotten “dozens” of integration opportunities with reputable blockchain organizations, research institutes, multi-national companies and leading AI developers:
“Our presentation at the 2018 World Economic Forum in Davos expanded those opportunities to some of the most influential leaders and organizations in the world. So far, we’ve been proud to announce collaborations with many impactful initiatives, including Ocean Protocol, SGInnovate, and NR Capital.”
They also just inked a deal with Nexus – the world’s first 3D-Chain.
Like IOTA (MIOTA), this coin is a long way from being attached to a functioning platform where the service is widely-used. But, we can expect that this project will keep pushing forward – and we will certainly keep our eyes on this coin’s price path.
Disclaimer: This article should not be taken as, and is not intended to provide, investment advice. Please conduct your own thorough research before investing in any cryptocurrency.


As a relationship coach and being in a relationship myself, I
realize that we all speak in different languages as it comes to love. The book Five Love Languages, written by Dr. Gary Chapman addresses these love languages in depth, I have included a very small snippet of what each love language means...
I believe it is important that we make an effort to speak in a way that our spouse can appreciate that we not only want our needs to be met, but we are making a conscious effort to meet their needs as well.
There are five love languages in which book by Dr. Gary Chapman addresses: Words of affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and
Words of affirmation:
This person likes to be praised and encouraged. They like to be told that you love them and that you think that they are beautiful, smart, amazing, “the best lover ever.” J
This person just wants to spend time with you. This isn’t just going to the movies, but focused attention with quality conversation, eye contact, and real listening.
These people are more focused on the thought behind the gift. These gifts are more visual symbols of love and can be simple, inexpensive, and even handmade.
Acts of Service:
These people like to be served. They like to be shown that you love them, so give them a massage, wash
their car, iron their clothes. This will speak volumes to them.
These people like to be touched. Hugging, Kissing, and being caressed…
People may have one that is prominent to their love language and some people may have a couple who speak to their love language.
To learn more about love languages and to take a test to find out what your love language is on Dr. Gary Chapman's website, go to: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/


Most travelers have a lot to be concerned about when planning a big trip, from booking flights to finding the right accommodations to even trying to pick up a few words of a new language. One thing all travelers think about prior to traveling is money. Between exchanging currency, wondering how much to bring and trying to keep money secure, there are a few solutions that make the issue of money less of a concern. Visa is there to help.
Most adults who handle money know the difference between a Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express card. Many people have at least one of these cards in their wallet, if not all four.
While each type of card has its benefits, some are more widely accepted than others. And in the case of a Visa card, travelers will be happy to know that it's one of the most accepted cards at institutions around the world. A Visa debit or credit card can be obtained at many banks, including Chase and Bank of America. In addition to debit and credit cards, Visa also offers gift cards and travel cards, which can be useful when traveling.
A Visa, or any card for that matter, is important to have while traveling because it's one way to keep your money secure. Traveler's checks aren't often accepted anymore, and carrying a lot of cash can be risky. A Visa can keep your money safe in a secured and monitored account, and if any problems arise while traveling, a call to your bank will take care of the issue.
That being said, some Visas are more ideal for travel than others. Travelers should consider all the options before deciding which card is right for them.
A Visa gift card is a Visa card preloaded with a cash balance. It's typically given as a gift. A Visa gift card works like a debit or credit card, in the sense that it's accepted at most places that take Visa. And there is protection if the card is lost or stolen. These cards cannot be reloaded, but they are good for small amounts of money that you want to keep secure. There is a caveat, though. Most Visa gift cards are not accepted in foreign countries.
According to the USA Visa website, a Visa TravelMoney card acts like a regular Visa but offers users the "security of travelers checks with the convenience of a Visa card." Pick up these cards at participating AAA locations across the country. Visa TravelMoney is accepted worldwide and has all the benefits of a regular card with extra perks for travelers:
Both Visa gift cards and Visa TravelMoney cards can be excellent choices for travelers. They are safer than traveling with cash. A Visa gift card might be a good choice for a short domestic trip, perhaps for a young traveler going somewhere for the first time or for a family that wants to stick to a very strict budget, since the card cannot be reloaded once it's filled. But for most other travel, the Visa TravelMoney card is a better choice. It is designed specifically for travel, is accepted abroad and offers additional travel-related benefits.
Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.


The federal government ratcheted up its risk estimates for Central Arizona Project shortages on Wednesday.
The odds of a shortage in water deliveries to Arizona and other Lower Colorado River Basin states in 2016 are now 33 percent, up from 21 percent as predicted in January, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said.
By 2017, the odds rise to 75 percent, compared to a January prediction of 54 percent.
The bureau raised the odds of shortages three days after Lake Mead on the Colorado River hit another record low level — the third time that’s happened since 2010.
Snowpack levels in the Colorado River’s Upper Basin are significantly lower now than in January, which reduces runoff into the river and into Lake Powell, which releases water to Lake Mead at the Nevada border. Water for the CAP canal system is stored in Lake Mead.
If there is a shortage next year, it would reduce total CAP deliveries 320,000 acre-feet, or 20 percent. Seventeen irrigation districts would get less water. There would be no water delivered to the state to recharge into the ground as a set-aside for future shortages. Cities and Indian tribes probably wouldn’t lose CAP water for at least five years.
The bureau will make a decision as to whether to declare a shortage for next year as early as August or as late as December.
The prospect of shortages highlights the state’s continuing vulnerability to droughts and overuse of Colorado River water compared to its supply.
“This isn’t a crisis for Arizona, but it’s really a signal that all users in the basin need to address the long-term imbalance between supply and demand,” said Chuck Cullom, CAP’s Colorado River program manager.
Less water in the river means less for electric power generation at Hoover Dam, less for the river environment and less for recreation, he noted.
Nevada and Mexico would also absorb cuts in water deliveries from the river if a shortage is declared, but the reductions would be far less than Arizona would suffer. California is exempt from any cuts in Colorado River deliveries unless the CAP loses its entire 1.5 million acre-foot supply, under the 1968 federal law that authorized CAP’s construction.
Cullom also expressed concern that the latest forecasts show increasing odds of more serious shortages in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
In 2019, for instance, the odds are 24 percent that the project would lose 400,000 acre-feet, or more than 25 percent of its supply, and 10 percent that the project would lose 480,000 acre feet.
By 2020, the odds rise to 14 percent that the project would lose 480,000 acre feet and that Lake Mead would drop below 1,025 feet in elevation. Then, the seven river-basin states would have to decide how the river would be managed when and if the lake dropped to the once-unthinkable level of 1,000 feet.
That’s the level at which cuts in CAP deliveries to cities and tribes could occur — cuts once considered unlikely until the 2030s.


British Motor tanker
|Completed||1940 - Sir James Laing & Sons, Sunderland|
|Owner||United Molasses Co Ltd, London|
|Date of attack||25 Aug 1940||Nationality: British|
|Fate||Sunk by U-48 (Hans Rudolf Rösing)|
|Position||58° 24'N, 11° 25'W - Grid AM 2583|
|Complement||36 (30 dead and 6 survivors).|
|Route||Aruba - Bermuda - Methil - London|
|Cargo||10,125 tons of diesel oil|
|History||Completed in April 1940 |
|Notes on event|
At 02.45 hours on 25 Aug 1940, U-48 attacked convoy HX-65A 90 miles east by north of Flannan Isles and hit the Athelcrest in station #13 and the Empire Merlin in station #15 with one torpedo each, claiming two ships totaling 14,000 grt sunk.
The Athelcrest (Master Llewellyn V.F. Evans) was struck on the port side between bunker and boiler room by one G7e torpedo and caught fire after an internal explosion with flames enveloping the poop, the main deck and bridge. The ship stopped at once and slowly settled by the stern until only 20 feet of her bow was visible over the water. 29 crew members and one gunner (the ship was armed with one 12pdr and one 4in gun) were lost. The master and five crew members managed to launch two lifeboats in the heavy swell, but suffered from oil and sulphur fumes from Empire Merlin. They were picked up after 4 hours by HMS Godetia (K 72) (LtCdr G.V. Legassick, RNR), which scuttled the wreck of the tanker with gunfire and later landed the survivors at Rosyth.
|On board||We have details of 31 people who were on board.|
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.


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Gain tips for dealing with the legal and other challenges associated with disasters like Hurricane Harvey, including employee issues, force majeure, business continuity planning, recovery efforts, and maintaining good customer and public relations. more »
Session 1: HB 40/245 Between a Gas Rock and a Hard Place - Listen to a discussion about the effect of HB 40 on the enforcement of setbacks, noise, and other gas drilling and fire code regulations as it relates to Chapter 245 and residential subdivision development.
Session 2: Regulations of Really Nimby (Dangerous) Land Uses - Analyze the recent Texas Supreme Court decision regarding nuisance (Crosstex North Texas Pipeline v. Gardiner) and its effect on prosecuting future nuisance cases.
Session 3: Fair Housing and Inclusive Communities - Explore controversies, hot topics, and recent developments in Fair Housing litigation, regulation, and initiatives.
Session 4: Navigating the Muddied Waters of Environmental Investigations in Land Use - Learn tips, tricks, and strategies for identifying and evaluating environmental concerns in property development. more »
Session 1: Bracing for Impacts: A Practical Guide to Preparing for Disasters - Law firms are not immune to disasters – severe weather, work place violence, medical emergencies. What is a lawyer’s ethical duty to prepare for disasters, and how can they go about it efficiently?
Session 2: Post-Disaster Regulation - Consider forward-looking planning and regulatory approaches to recovery and new building after a disaster—from the legal, planning, and engineering perspectives—with a particular emphasis on minimizing private and public sector legal challenges.
Session 3: Ethics and Natural Disaster - A review of ethical issues arising from a natural disaster from an attorney whose been there, done that, and declined the T-shirt. more »
Corporates and industrials (C&I) are now major purchasers of green energy. According to Bloomberg, C&Is and wind companies signed 20 deals in 2015 with a total of 2.3 GW. By August 2016, 9 deals for 630 MW had been signed—with many more reported to be under negotiation. Explore the future of C&Is as a major class of buyer. Will the trend continue? What could stop it? What’s the prognosis for utility-scale solar C&I deals? What new markets (geographically) are C&Is interested in? What are the key contractual and financial terms that C&Is and developers have to resolve to get to a deal and to get projects financed and built? more »
Session 1: Wanted: Dead or Alive? An Update on the Status of EPA's Clean Power Plan - The validity and merits of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan have been the focus of contentious debate—with a number of significant governmental and private entities seeking to uphold the Plan and others seeking to kill it. In February 2016, the Supreme Court, surprisingly to many, stayed the implementation of the plan and the DC Circuit Court heard oral arguments this fall. Since then, there’s been an election. What now? This presentation offers a prognosis for the Clean Power Plan.
Session 2: Siting Insights: Looking Back and Looking Ahead at Key Environmental Developments - 2016 was a remarkable year with many significant developments involving the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies that directly impact renewable energy development activities. Review these developments and take stock of what they mean for project siting decisions going forward. Hear insights into what those developments tell us about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's approach to its statutory mandates and what we can expect to see in the year to come. more »
Energy and water are precious, global resources, and they are interconnected. Gain perspective on the global nexus of energy and water to outline trends while identifying technical and policy options that might mitigate the challenges. more »
Using a series of hypotheticals, explore a number of ethical issues that are especially pertinent to water law practitioners—including who is the client, the duty to disclose, and conflicts—with lessons on how clients and their counsel can minimize ethical, as well as legal, risks. more »
Environmental laws and regulations range from the deeply technical to more prosaic record-keeping requirements. Many companies have substantial teams of environmental compliance specialists that combine deep legal and technical understanding without being lawyers. Hear where the General Counsel and outside counsel fit into this compliance and enforcement world. more »
Session 1: Texas Legislative and Regulatory Update - Listen to highlights of the 85th Legislative Session and recent judicial and administrative decisions affecting the Texas gas and electric industries.
Session 2: Federal Energy Policy and Regulation Update - Gain insight on how the new FERC chairman and commissioners will redirect the future of electric power and natural gas regulation.
Session 3: Dodd-Frank: President Trump’s Agenda Changes Everything, Or Does It? - President Trump is using all the tools in his Presidential Toolbox—Presidential Appointments, Executive Orders, CRA Rejection of Obama-Era Final Rules, Federal Budget Approval Process, Tax Proposals, Legislative Agenda, the Bully Pulpit, Foreign Policy Initiatives, Bilateral Trade Treaty Negotiations, and, of course, his Twitter Account!—to alter much of the regulatory landscape established by his predecessor. Early on, there was talk of repealing the Dodd-Frank Act, but where are we now? Listen to a discussion about what is likely to change, what is likely to remain, and how the gas and power industries will be affected. more »
Energy projects involve a myriad of complex issues, ranging from state vs. federal regulatory control, to landowner impacts, to broad policy issues (climate change, “leave it in the ground,” etc). The scale of active opposition has been magnified by increased funding from multiple sources, coupled with an unprecedented number of major projects. Consider how to build energy projects in the face of widening political divisions at the federal, state and local levels. more »


Capacity Scaling and Optimal Operation of Wireless Networks
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How much information can be transferred over a wireless network and what is the optimal strategy for the operation of such network? This thesis tries to answer some of these questions from an information theoretic approach. A model of wireless network is formulated to capture the main features of the wireless medium as well as topology of the network. The performance metrics are throughput and transport capacity. The throughput is the summation of all reliable communication rates for all source-destination pairs in the network. The transport capacity is a sum rate where each rate is weighted by the distance over which it is transported. Based on the network model, we study the scaling laws for the performance measures as the number of users in the network grows. First, we analyze the performance of multihop wireless network under different criteria for successful reception of packets at the receiver. Then, we consider the problem of information transfer without arbitrary assumptions on the operation of the network. We observe that there is a dichotomy between the cases of relatively high signal attenuation and low attenuation. Moreover, a fundamental relationship between the performance metrics and the total transmitted power of users is discovered. As a result, the optimality of multihop is demonstrated for some scenarios in high attenuation regime, and better strategies than multihop are proposed for the operation in the low attenuation regime. Then, we study the performance of a special class of networks, random networks, where the traffic is uniformly distributed inside the networks. For this special class, the upperbounds on the throughput are presented for both low and high attenuation cases. To achieve the presented upperbounds, a hierarchical cooperation scheme is analyzed and optimized by choosing the number of hierarchical stages and the corresponding cluster sizes that maximize the total throughput. In addition, to apply the hierarchical cooperation scheme to random networks, a clustering algorithm is developed, which divides the whole network into quadrilateral clusters, each with exactly the number of nodes required.
Cite this version of the work
Javad Ghaderi Dehkordi (2008). Capacity Scaling and Optimal Operation of Wireless Networks. UWSpace. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/3825


The Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita, Kansas, is a living memorial to what life was like between 1865 and 1880 off the historic Chisholm Trail. The museum’s permanent collection includes over 10,000 artifacts, textiles, furnishings, art pieces, and tools. In addition, an archival collection of photographs, letters, and documents is used for historical research to ensure the authenticity of the museum’s displays and programs. The museum educates guests on the history of an Old West settlement, which became a cattle town and, subsequently, a city of agriculture and manufacturing.
There are 54 buildings in Old Cowtown, 27 of which are historical and have been brought to the property from other locations throughout Kansas to be preserved by the museum. The site is split into a business district, which includes Main Street, and a residential district, which includes several historical residential homes. A 5-acre period farm and outbuildings are also located within the museum’s 23 acres. Live animals on the farm include milk cows, sheep, goats, and chickens.
The centerpiece of the farm is the Smith House, an 1884 example of National Folk-style architecture. The Buffalo Hunter and Trader Area includes several historical log cabins and demonstrates the history of hunting and trading, the area’s first economic activities. Among the historical buildings is the City Eagle Print Shop, a wood-frame building with glass display windows and a false front that is representative of the iconic architecture of the late 1800s. Prior to serving as a print shop at the museum, the building was a grocery store, and later a jewelry repair shop. A front-gabled frame building, O’Hara’s Barbershop, was originally built in the 1880s as the home of the Wichita Township Hall. At the museum, it serves as a barbershop and teaches of the history of the small shops where men could get a shave and a haircut, and travelers and cowboys could have a bath.
The museum’s jail building is an example of 19th century horizontal plank construction. The small building was purchased by the museum in 1952 for one dollar. The Blood Family Homestead educates guests on the history of Gilman Blood and his descendants, who operated the Blood Orchard in Wichita for over four generations. The “hall and parlor” home is indicative of late 19th century home construction and is filled with artifacts that represent the way it would have looked when Gilman Blood lived there. Costumed interpreters bring the site’s history to life and daily activities take place throughout the museum. Blacksmiths and printers demonstrate their crafts, “gunfights” occur on Main Street in front of the saloon, and wagon rides tour guests aboard horse-drawn carriages.
The Chisholm Trail was a post-Civil War cattle-driving route that brought stock from ranches in Texas to the railroads in Kansas. Jesse Chisholm, for whom the trail was named, established a trading post at what would soon become Wichita. The town incorporated as a city in 1870. Eventually, new cattle-trails to the east and new rail lines would render cattle driving along the Chisholm Trail obsolete, but Wichita continued to thrive as settlers moved to the area in search of opportunity. The Old Cowtown Museum has been acquiring the historical artifacts and buildings in its collection for more than 50 years. While some historical structures were donated as far back as 1949, others were acquired in the 2000s. Old Cowtown Museum is supported by Historic Wichita Cowtown, Inc., a non-profit advisory board that works in partnership with the City of Wichita.
Ongoing Programs and Education
The museum offers both self-guided and guided tours. Costumed interpreters work throughout the museum to interact with guests and answer questions. The History Immersion Experience is a special guided tour in which guests learn about settler’s life through the eyes of three entrepreneurs from the late 1800s. School groups may join a guided tour or make use of the facility for self-guided activities. For example, teachers may use the one-room schoolhouse to lead a classroom as they would have done in the 1800s, with slates and chalk. Old Sedgewick County Fair Education Day takes place each October and allows students to spend time in areas of the museum that are of the most interest to them. A variety of programming is available for scout groups of all ages to earn history badges. Old West Photography works in partnership with the museum to take portraits of visitors in period costumes.
1865 W Museum Blvd, Wichita, KS 67203, Phone: 316-350-3323
More: Best resorts in Kansas, Places to Visit in Kansas, Things to Do in Kansas, wedding venues in Kansas, Things to Do in Lawrence, Wichita breakfast, Kansas vacation, Best lakes in Kansas, Things to Do in Manhattan KS


While the Commitment of Traders (COT) Report is not an exact timing indicator, it can aid in forex trading and provide a context for current and future market movements. There are potentially many ways to use the COT Report for analyzing a forex pair. Here is one COT Report forex strategy, along with basics of what the COT report is, and why it is worth paying attention to.
COT Report Basics for Forex Trading
Simply put, large traders and institutions must disclose their futures positions each Tuesday, which is called the “As of “date (currencies, or forex pairs, trade via futures market as well via the forex and cash markets). These positions are then revealed to the public each Friday, at 3:30 PM EST, in the COT report published by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
How these large traders and institutions are positioned gives insight into whether a trend is likely to continue or reverse. While the data only shows information on futures contracts, and not the transactions that occur in the forex market, the COT report is still a very good estimate of how other traders are positioned, and thus should be monitored by both currency futures traders and forex traders.
Before going into COT Report forex strategies I want to briefly outline a few of the key elements. The COT Report has quite a bit of data, yet there is really only a few pieces of information I care about: the net position of Commercials, the net positions of Large Speculators, and how these positions have changed over time.
Commercials are hedgers, businesses, producers, etc, who have large positions that are often offsetting another position or transaction. Commercials include importers or exporters who are hedging foreign currency exposure to control costs or normalize income. As a group, these are counter trend traders. They can afford to hold positions against large trends because their transactions are often a hedge, and thus do not expose them to a direct loss. Think of a gold producer. They know they will be producing gold, and will need to sell it. They therefore sell gold futures to lock in a price that they can sell their gold at. If the price of gold goes up, they missed out on making more on their gold, but they still get to sell their gold at the price they locked in. If the price of gold goes down, they still get to sell at the price they locked in. The commercials are largely engaged in this type of trading. They do want to get a good price for whatever it is they are doing, but they are not typically speculating (although some may) on what the price will do, they are simply locking in prices (for commodities or currencies) to run their business.
Large Speculators on the other hand are mostly hedge funds. Despite the name “hedge fund” these large speculators are rarely hedged, and therefore cannot sustain large losses or afford to trade against the trend. As a group Large Speculators are trend followers. Speculators are the people on the other side of the Commercial’s transactions.
Since Large Speculators are trend followers and much more sensitive to price movements (they are speculating and are therefore more likely to experience a direct loss of funds if a trade goes opposite to what they expect) than the Commercials, Large Speculators are the group of prime interest and the group on which our COT Report forex strategies are based.
Calculating the net position over time “by hand” is possible as the reports are released weekly by the CFTC, but that is ultimately unnecessary. Using a COT Report chart is one of the easiest ways to track the data for trading purposes.
COT Report data is chartable on barcharts.com. Select the futures contract you wish to view a chart of. The COT data is shown along the bottom of chart (we only care about the one that includes Large Spec., Small Spec, Comm Spec)
The following is an example of a Euro (FX) futures chart showing the COT Report data along the bottom. The frequency of the chart is “weekly continuation” and the period is 5 years.
In the chart above we can see the net positions of the Commercials (red) and Large Speculators (green). The chart shows that the speculators usually move with the price, and commercials against the price. When a line is below the “0” mark it means the net position is short, while above the “0” line means the net position is long.
One other thing to note is that a currency future is relative to the US dollar. Therefore, the Euro future will move with the EUR/USD. The Canadian dollar future will move with the CAD/USD, which is inverse to the USD/CAD forex pair most forex traders are used to. When the USD is the second currency in the pair, the future and the currency pair will move in unison. In currency pairs where the USD is first, the futures will move opposite the pair, such as the case with the CAD futures. Remember this when analyzing COT data and acting on it in the forex market.
By visually seeing the COT data in this way we can extract useful information, which then provides the basis for our COT Report forex strategy.
COT Report Forex Trading – Extreme Levels Can Indicate a Reversal
When speculators are accumulating a position it can be a confirmation that there is interest in the trend. If shorts are being accumulated as the price drops, or if long positions are being accumulated as the price rises, this can be a good sign the trend will continue. But speculators have a limit–they can’t purchase or sell indefinitely. They may run out of money, simply wish to take profit (or losses) or may no longer feel as much conviction to keep buying at higher prices or selling at lower prices. When speculators are tapped out, want out or don’t want to invest anymore, there is nowhere left for the price to go, but to reverse.
Therefore, the COT data can be used as a type of “overbought/oversold” indicator in terms of the health of the traders within the market. Each futures market will be a bit different, but critical COT levels will often repeat and indicate when speculators are overextended.
The Euro futures chart above shows that when speculators were 200,000 contracts short, or close to it, this generally resulted in a price reversal to the upside [over time these extreme levels may continue to push outwards. It is not a single level that is important (200,000 contracts, for example) but rather watching for new extremes, and then reversals in price and COT direction after those extremes start to show up].
This method is not recommended for a top or bottom picking strategy; it can be used to provide a context for other analysis and be used to confirm reversals in price though. Extreme levels can look easy to isolate in hindsight, but are not ideal timing indicators. That said, it is very useful for alerting traders when a reversal could be nearby. The COT data should not be acted on alone though; wait for price to confirm a potential reversal signal in the COT data (more on this later).
Let’s look at another example, and see how the COT data could have aided in making a trading decision.
The chart below shows Canadian dollar futures (D6), along with COT data. We can see that the Canadian dollar was in a long term decline versus the US dollar (futures contracts are traded against the USD, unless otherwise stated). In 2015, Large Specs had accumulated a short position close to -65,000 contracts. This only resulted in a minor bump up in price. In early 2016, the same short position resulted in a much larger up move. Of note is that this is when oil started to bounce, and the Canadian economy is heavily dependent on the price of oil. The rise in oil combined with an extreme reading on the Large Specs pointed to a move higher in the Canadian dollar.
Ultimately though, we want price action to help confirm our trades. While those COT levels in 2015 and 2016 were more extreme than what we had seen in the past, it would have been relatively hard to make a trade based on them…unless you were also looking at oil and making a determination that it was likely to turn higher, which would bolster the Canadian dollar in early 2016.
With a few data points behind us for reference, the next major opportunity to use the COT came in 2017. But first a bit of context. In 2016 the price shot up, and the up move has larger than the last swing to the downside (Sept ’15 to Jan ’16). That is a very positive price action signal. It indicates that the downtrend may be over. But we want more evidence, which is why I usually wait for a pullback before taking trade (with most of my strategies). Throughout out 2016 and into 2017 we have a very lengthy and slow-moving decline. It is a much weaker down move than the prior up move. That’s another positive sign (read Price Action Trading with Velocity and Magnitude).
Based on the price action, the stage is set. We have two compelling price action reasons to consider a long trade. In May, COT Large Spec short positions increase to well below the -65,000 point of interest. The position ultimately reaches -99,000 in late May. By mid-June that short position has decreased to below 90,000 and the position moves up toward zero every week after, showing that the Large Specs are quickly shifting their bias. Price is also rising during this time.
If we zero in on a daily chart we can see some possible trade locations. The first would been at the bottom of this weak descending channel. Remember, based on the price action we were expecting another move higher, and at this point the COT is at an extreme reading, confirming a move to the upside is likely coming.
The price consolidates at the bottom of the channel, and then breaks above that consolidation, providing the first possible entry into a long trade (note that at this point, the Large Specs were still increasing their short position). For those who have read my Forex Strategies Guide, this would be a Front-Running trade. The price then rallies to the top of the channel, and consolidates. At this point the Large Specs are starting to buy (short position is moving back toward zero). So price and COT are confirming a move up. The price breaks higher out of the consolidation and the descending channel, signaling another possible trade. Since that time, the Large Specs have become bullish, flipping from short to long. This has helped fuel the rally, which is why we want to anticipate what these guys will do, and we do that by knowing that a big reversal is often coming when these these Large Spec positions are near extremes.
The above chart is a futures chart though, not a forex chart. If you are trading the USD/CAD, the same analysis would apply, but it would be flipped upside down. Remember, we were expecting the CAD to increase in 2017, based on price action and COT data. If we expect the CAD to go up, what will the USD/CAD do? It will fall, because if the CAD goes up, the USD goes down. The same trades and setups are present on the USDCAD chart, except we would have been going short the USDCAD (which is equivalent to going long the CADUSD or CAD futures).
Trading With COT Extremes – Warnings
Have other pieces of evidence that help confirm a trade. It isn’t wise to just assume the price will reverse because the Large Specs are near a historically extreme level. Over time, these extreme levels tend to expand. In the CAD futures chart above, -99,000 was extreme. That may hold in the future as well, but several years down the road new extremes may be hit at 125,000 or 150,000. Positions can also stay near extreme levels for extended periods of time, without causing a price reversal. That is why we need other pieces of evidence. The extreme COT alerts us to a possible trade (or to avoid a trade) but it doesn’t SIGNAL a trade.
This article is focused on COT, and how it can be used as an additional piece of evidence for taking trades. The article did not discuss stop loss levels or profit targets (taking profits). These are elements of a trading strategy, and should be considered on each trade before placing it. COT data is not a strategy in and out of itself, rather it is just a tool that can be combined with a trading strategy and trading plan.
IF THE COT IS NOT NEAR AN EXTREME, I DO NOT CONSIDER IT IN MY TRADING DECISIONS. I wouldn’t over-use this indicator. If you get a valid trade signal based on your strategies, and the COT data isn’t near an extreme, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your trade signal. COT data is just an extra piece of data. If I get a valid trade signal, I take it. It’s just that occasionally COT may help in analyzing or confirming (or rejecting) trades. But as we can see from the CAD example, the COT data was only relevant (to how I trade) a few times over the last several years. It is still worth paying attention to, because when price action and extreme COT levels collide, it lets you know the likely direction of a major move.
When looking at COT data, start with at least a 10 year chart for picking out extreme levels. Prior extreme long and short Long Spec positions are areas of interest, but remember these tend to expand outward over time. Make a note of these extreme levels, and then watch for trade signals as the price nears or exceeds these levels. If you only look at extreme levels on a 1 or 2 year chart, you may be missing historically significant information. If we look at a CAD futures chart (with COT data) going back to 2007, we would see that 65,000 to 100,000 contract positions had been significant in the past as well.
COT Report Forex Trading – Conclusion
One way I like to use COT data on my chart is to look for extremes in Large Spec. positions. While it isn’t an exact timing indicator, if other conditions align and I get a valid trade setup, an extreme level on the COT can often mean a sharp and large price reversal. Since we know that extreme COT levels often cause the price to move in the opposite direction of the recent trend, we gain insight into what direction we want to be trading before the reversal actually occurs. As COT levels reach extremes, it can also warn us to avoid trading in that trend direction, as it may be ripe for a reversal.
Just because a COT reading is at or near an extreme doesn’t mean the price will have a massive reversal. Sometimes we have positions stay at extreme levels for long periods of time, and the price continues to move in the trend direction without any major price reversals. This is why we don’t use the COT in isolation. We want to combine this approach with other technical or fundamental approaches, and ideally with specific price action strategies (that confirm when the price reversal may be starting).
For other forex trading strategies, check out the Forex Trading Strategies Guide for Day and Swing Traders eBook, by Cory Mitchell. At over 300 pages, and including more than 20 strategies, it is more than an eBook…it’s a complete course on forex trading.
By Cory Mitchell, CMT
Some other articles you may enjoy:
High Probability Forex Engulfing Candle Trading Strategy – A trading strategy using engulfing candles as an entry point into a defined trend. Useful for noting the transition from pullback to trend. Provides an alternate entry method compared to the “traditional” approach.
ABC Forex Trading Strategy – (Video) – A simple but powerful price pattern seen in all markets; it gets you in in the direction of strong momentum.
How to Identify a Trend Change in Real-Time (video) – A look at how to monitor real-time changes in direction.


It is not an enjoyable experience watching the Republican Party descend into the depths of propaganda and falsehood. Today`s disaffected Republicans once believed the GOP to be the party of principle. Any remaining claim to principle ended with Bush`s invasion of Iraq.
No informed person believed that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction or terrorist connections to al-Qaida and involvement in the September 11 attacks.
It is not possible that the President and Vice President of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the CIA and the National Security Adviser could have believed such rubbish.
Yet each one of them told the American people, the US Congress, the United Nations, and our allies that they did believe it.
Did US intelligence agencies actually convey totally false information to the highest government officials? If so, these agencies are the greatest threat to innocent people abroad and to the US government`s credibility.
Such incompetence is more dangerous than terrorism. The agencies should be immediately abolished.
Contrary to Bush administration propaganda, Saddam Hussein was precisely the type of secular Arab ruler who would feature large on Osama bin Laden`s hit list. Hussein brutally suppressed Islamic leaders, knocking off cleric after cleric, including Moqtada al-Sadr`s father, a grand ayatollah.
If Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction to give terrorists, the terrorists would have used them on Israel. The US is a derivative target because of our alliance with Israel against the Palestinians.
Bush and Rumsfeld claim that they believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Yet, it is certain that the Joint Chiefs and commanding generals did not believe the falsehood. No general, no matter how incompetent, would have concentrated his invasion army in a small area adjacent to an enemy armed with WMD, when one weapon could wipe out the entire US invasion force.
No one has been held accountable for the unjustified invasion of Iraq that has destroyed America`s standing in the world and has cost tens of thousands of Iraqi lives and thousands of American dead and wounded.
Don`t expect a demand for accountability from the public. A poll released August 20 by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland found that 54% of Americans continue to believe Iraq had WMD; 35% believe that Iraq was closely linked to al-Qaida, and 15% believe Iraq was involved in the September 11 attack.
The answer is that an independent media no longer exists in the US.
Formerly independent media are now submerged into corporate chains where focus on advertising revenues means zero tolerance for controversy. In the run-up to the US invasion of Iraq, the US media served as a propaganda arm for the Bush administration. The New York Times and Washington Post have since published mild apologies for neglecting their responsibilities, but the US media has been muzzled by the "you-are-with-us-or-against-us" mantra.
Anyone who tells the truth is in the "against-us" camp.
Having gotten away with one invasion based on deception, the Bush administration is eager to repeat the offense. Last week Undersecretary of State John Bolton used a Hudson Institute forum to repeat before a live C-SPAN TV audience the same lies—only this time it is Iran which has WMD:
"Today I`d like to speak about Iran, which has concealed a large-scale, covert nuclear weapons program for over 18 years, and which, therefore, is one of our most fundamental proliferation challenges. All of Iran`s WMD efforts—chemical weapons, biological weapons, nuclear weapons, and ballistic missiles—pose grave threats to international security." [Preventing Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons John R. Bolton, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Remarks to the Hudson Institute Washington, DC August 17, 2004]
The grave threat to international security is posed by the Bush administration`s relentless war propaganda. Does Bolton really believe that a nuclear weapons program, with all its extraordinary requirements, could be concealed for 18 years?
There is total failure of US diplomacy. Is the failure intentional? Does the Bush administration desire more war in the Middle East?
Every indicator reads yes. The US has struck an aggressive stance toward Iraq, Syria and Iran—the three Middle Eastern countries that are not ruled by American puppets on the American payroll.
Now that the Soviet Union is no longer a check on US intrusions in the Middle East, the Bush administration intends to complete the colonization under the cloak of bringing "democracy" to Islam.
This is the neoconservative agenda. The same neocons who control the Bush administration have put forward this plan in written and spoken form for all to read and hear.
They have informed us of their war intentions, and we are paying no attention.
If you favor the return of the draft and war without end, vote Republican.
COPYRIGHT CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.
Paul Craig Roberts is the author with Lawrence M. Stratton of The Tyranny of Good Intentions : How Prosecutors and Bureaucrats Are Trampling the Constitution in the Name of Justice


Hispanic students continue to fail in California schools, showing that all the money in the world cannot buy what nature has not given.
San Jose Mercury News August 9, 2013 by Sharon Noguchi
California STAR Tests: Students In Santa Clara, San Mateo And Santa Cruz Counties Drop In Proficiency
Reflecting a statewide trend, students in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties slipped this year in academic performance, while their schools also stalled in campaigns to narrow the gap between high- and low-achieving groups of students, according to standardized test scores released Thursday.
The score decline ends eight straight years of gains in achievement in math and English, as measured on California`s Standardized Testing and Reporting assessments, a battery of tests administered each spring.
But dissecting that figure reveals that 80 percent of Asian students tested proficient, but only 21 percent of Latino students did, the same as in the two previous years. Still, algebra proficiency among Latinos has increased dramatically over nine years ago, when it was only 8 percent.
The gap is nearly as wide in Santa Clara County reveal results for math in grades 2 to 7: Proficiency was 92 percent for Asians, 83 percent for whites, and 53 percent for Latinos. After narrowing last year, the white-Latino gap grew by a point. In 10th grade science, proficiency was 83 percent among Asians and 38 percent among Latinos, according to results culled by the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
A similar gap exists in San Mateo County.
Latino math scores are 30.7 percentage points lower than those of whites, compared with a 20 percentage-point gap statewide. And in science, the white-Latino gap is 38.6 percentage points in San Mateo County, versus 28.2 percent in the state.
What it tells us is that the achievement gap is insoluble, and further immigration by low achievers will do nothing for a State collapsing in on itself.
A further look at the graph for student scores shows a big fat F, achievement plateaued at 56% proficiency.


Viet Nam News
SƠN LA — Ethnic minority girls from remote mountainous areas in Sơn La Province are pushing themselves for marriage, despite being underage, in the hope of a better life.
Children as young as 13 still believe tying the knot will help them get out of poverty even though getting married so young could lead to a precarious future.
Many marry when they are between 13 and 16 years old even though the Law on Marriage and Family sets the minimum legal age at 18 for women and 20 for men.
As a result, many have ended up carrying the burden of being child brides, including interrupting in schooling, early pregnancy and social isolation. They have found themselves stuck at home, unemployed and poor.
Married before adulthood
Hờ Thị Chư is among such cases. The H’Mông girl was married with a boy at the same village in Vân Hồ District’s Lóng Luông Commune when she was 15. At the age of 18, she is now mother of two children, three years old and six-months old.
Life of post-marriage of the girl is full of difficulties. Chư is living with her parents-in-law in a cottage in the hillside in Co Lóng Village. There is nothing valuable in the cottage. In rainy season, all six members of the family usually stay hungry as there are no jobs available for them at fields.
Chư told a Vietnam News Agency correnpondent that she and her husband were both under the legal age for marriage, so they could not register for marriage certificate.
This means both their children don’t have birth certificates or health insurance cards.
“When they get ill, I take them to a healer in the village to get medicine,” she said.
Giàng Thị Gánh, another girl in Vân Hồ District’s Vân Hồ Commune is luckier. She dropped out of school to get married when she was 17. Her husband, Sồng A Giống, has graduated from high school and earned a living thanks to the family’s tea garden. Gánh is now staying at home, doing household work and taking care of the children.
She said early marriage was a traditional custom of H’Mông people in her village, who believed the ideal ages of a girl to get married were between 13 and 14.
Gánh said she was afraid that the boy would fall in love with another girl if she hesitated to tie the knot with him. Although the school representatives came to persuade her to keep her studying, she insisted on quitting her education to start a family.
Gánh now regrets the decision and says she wanted to go back to school one day.
According to the provincial Department of Population and Family Planning, Sơn La was among the provinces with highest numbers of early marriage in the country. In 2017, as many as 1,500 child marriages took place, accounting for 18.7 per cent of total marriages of the province.
Of that, Vân Hồ District had the highest rate of child marriage, accounting for 27.3 per cent of total child marriages in the province.
Efforts achieved little
The number of early marriages is showing little signs of slowing down, while functional agencies admit their efforts to protect young girls from being child brides have not been successful.
Hà Thị Liên, official who is in charge of population and family planning issues from Vân Hồ District’s Health Preventive Centre, said early marriage was a traditional practice of ethnic minorities as they believed it would help their children stabilise their life and have more people to work.
The number has a tendency to increase due to the shortage of reproductive knowledge of young people, leading to unwanted pregnancy, she said.
Chairman of Vân Hồ Commune’s People’s Committee Ngô Văn Dự said the committee had worked with other neighbouring communes to strengthen education on reproductive healthcare and early marriage to young people in Vân Hồ, Lóng Luông communes in Sơn La Province and Pa Cò and Hang Kia communes in Hòa Bình Province.
The four communes had set up a general convention for local H’Mông people, in which they commit not to conduct child marriage for their children.
However, Dự said, the convention brought no effectiveness as many local people are not aware of the consequences.
Head of the provincial Department of Population and Family Planning Trần Đình Thuận, said early marriage posed a challenge on improving population quality and was a barrier for development in communities.
Thuận said after the project was approved, the province has implemented measures to improve the situation.
After three years of implementation, 12 schools have been built at 35 communes and the model of intervention on early and inter-family marriage has been carried out.
The province hopes to reduce the rate of early and inter-family marriage to 18.5 per cent by 2020.
Thuận said education needs to be boosted in the future. Local authorities need to co-operate with heads or elderly persons of each village to put a stop to backward customs in their communities.
He also suggested that those who were in charge of managing and curbing early marriages take more responsibility.
Fines for violators needed to be increased, he said, adding that the current fines were not strict enough. — VNS


As part of the New Zealand curriculum the principle of coherence means that we should be aiming to create opportunities that make links for our students across our learning areas and as teachers work together to plan and implement cross curricula units.
By working in an interdisciplinary fashion we can open students eyes to a wider view, to look through many lenses and to foster innovation in our children (Thomas McDonagh Group, 2011). Innovation is important for our growth as a society and working together to find solutions helps to achieve this.
Next year as a result of our school’s curriculum review an outcome has been the creation of an enrichment program. This is an opportunity for our junior students (year 9 & 10) to choose interdisciplinary subjects that defy our traditional pigeon holes that have been our subject silos (where I have lived comfortably for the last fourteen years).
When I heard they were looking for volunteers to teach one of the courses I jumped from the launching pad of my comfort zone. It was perfect timing, full of fresh perspectives from the Mindlab, I was looking for a space where the true expression of these ideas could be given their wings. Within my subject area I was able to apply some of the teaching from the course; but what could be achieved with a blank slate, unhindered, unfettered and free to explore possibilities? One of the exciting chances offered by this enrichment program is delivering it with two colleagues from different departments, bringing to bear their experiences from Health & P.E, and English to add to my Science background.
As we start the planning for the course we bring three opinions, viewpoints and backgrounds together. After reading The logic of interdisciplinary studies (1997) by Mathison and Freeman where interdisciplinary, integrated, and integrative approaches to teaching are compared, I would suggest our approach to the “Drive” topic we are creating is an integrated approach rather than interdisciplinary.
Though both share higher order thinking skills, motivation and cognition, we are taking a guided approach rather than authoritative, and valuing inquiry rather than content coverage. An aspect of the integrative approach that will be a factor in our course is citizenship where we hope to use opportunities to discuss digital citizenship in terms of online feedback to others.
My initial understanding was that all these words meant the same thing and I would have thrown thematic units into the mix as well. However, they are all different and at the core of integrated units are the students, negotiating their learning, with teachers scaffolding and guiding them. By negotiating students gain ownership, are motivated and more enthusiastic about their learning. Some of the challenges highlighted by Fraser, Aitken & Whyte, in their book Connecting Curriculum, Linking Learning (2013) were;
- the messy process of inquiry.
- the challenge of trying something new and unknown.
- a lack of knowledge about integrated learning and how it should be applied.
Part of the planing for our Drive unit for 2018, focusing on reflection, feedback and self directed inquiry where students choose a new skill and plan their learning, we have used the metaphor of a journey.
My knowledge and understanding as well as my confidence that our planning will be more successful have increased as a result of the readings for this blog. It was perfect timing and has helped shape our thinking. Having two of us involved in the Mindlab course working on the development of our “Drive” unit has been beneficial because we are both on the same page. We are excited, problems look like opportunities and each challenge is a chance to try something new.
We believe the benefits will outweigh any disadvantages and we look forward to seeing if the positive outcomes of increased motivation, reflection, enhanced collaborative skills and critical thinking (Fraser, Aitken, Whyte, 2013) might be the result of our new course.
One of the student templates we are working on for our Drive unit for 2018.
Fraser, D., Aitken, V. and Whyte, B. (2013). Connecting curriculum, linking learning. Wellington: NZCER.
Mathison,S.. & Freeman, M.(1997). The logic of interdisciplinary studies. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, 1997. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/mathisonlogic12004.pdf:
Nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz. (2017). Coherence / Principles / Kia ora – NZ Curriculum Online. [online] Available at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Principles/Coherence [Accessed 18 Nov. 2017].
ThomasMcDonaghGroup. ( 2011, May 13). Interdisciplinarity and Innovation Education.. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDdNzftkIpA


Many commercial buildings have a rubber roof on the tops of the buildings. These are popular choices because these are the slopes that are generally found on most of the housing structures. Most of the roofs used for the commercial structures are flat. The challenge with this choice is how to guard the building against water damage. Unlike sloping surface, a flat roof does not have the support of gravity to direct the water away from the surface. This is the main motivation for choosing rubber as a surface coating. Over the time you will need to do some rubber roof repair to protect and extend the life of the surface. With 20 years of experience, Schrock Commercial Roofing has been conducting Rubber Roof Repair Billings Montana, and other neighborhood regions. For free estimates, you can call us at (406) 961-2990 which is going to be conducted onsite by one of our licensed repair professionals. An expert of our team will examine your roof thoroughly and identify all problem areas. We will then go to work quickly and efficiently to repair the problems and restore your roof to like-new quality!
The main cause which can create a lot of rubber roof issues is pounding water. During rainy season water starts to ponder all around the roof. Pondering water can create leaks and give an access to excessive growth of mold and mildews.
Another cause is UV rays of the sun which can create cracks in the rubber roof. These UV rays can cause rubber roof to break down much faster.
Moisture is one of the main factors which can create a lot of issues to your roof. It starts to get entrapped in the rubber roof creating a lot of issues in the future.
Inadequate Roof Drainage:
Having a roof which is inadequate when it comes to draining the water which is pondering on the roof can create a lot of issues. Since the water is not able to find a way to flow down the surface, the water starts to pond and leaks start to appear on different parts of your house.
To keep your roof healthy, cleaning the dirt under the membrane is a must. If not cleaned or maintained on regular basis, this accumulation will stop the flow of water again creating leaks. This dirt can also create a lot of airborne diseases which can affect the health of your loved ones.
Some of the benefits of rubber roof repairs offers:
- Development of a seam-free, waterproof membrane.
- Reinforcement of your building’s structure.
- Removal of entry points for dirt and water.
- Roof coating is capable of stretching and contracting with varying temperatures.
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- Provides high-performance weatherproofing.
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Whether your roofing issues are big or small, the Schrock Commercial Roofing team has the skill set and tools to correct them. We have a long line of happy customers, and it’s because we are fully honest and put our customers’ needs at the top of our priority list.


Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says there is no need to change global telecommunications rules to give governments more power to regulate the internet.
Senator Conroy is in Dubai this week attending the International Telecommunications Union's (ITU) world conference to lobby against proposed changes to International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs).
He is leading Australia's delegation to the conference where the ITRs, which serve as the binding global treaty that support how telecommunications networks operate between nations, will be reviewed.
One of the proposed changes is to extend the coverage of internet governance.
But Senator Conroy said there wasn't a case for change.
He said private sector US-based Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), with input from industry stakeholders, governments and the public, had played a significant role in the internet's success.
"Australia wants to make sure that any amendments to the ITRs do not undermine this model or fundamentally change the way the internet operates," he said in a statement on Monday.
"Australia does not believe a case has been made for change."
The US and the European Union are leading the fight against plans by Russia, along with some African, Asian and Middle Eastern nations, to expand the rules covering the internet.
Senator Conroy said the ITU should maintain its focus on developing telecommunications standards that deal with the operation of public networks and building capacity, while ICANN should keep oversight of the global domain name system.
"There appears to be little value in either organisation seeking to encroach on the responsibilities of the other," he said.
The minister is in Dubai on Monday and Tuesday and the conference is due to finish on December 14.
© AAP 2018


A rare Roman mosaic has been uncovered in during sewerage work on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
Only part of the mosaic, measuring 19 metres long and seven metres wide, has been excavated in the southern coastal city of Larnaca and officials believe that more is still buried.
"A preliminary estimation would suggest that scenes of the Labours of Hercules are depicted and that it is dated to the Roman Period," the antiquities department said in a statement.
It said this is evidence that Ancient Kition - on which modern Larnaca was built -- played an important role in establishing Roman culture in Cyprus.
"However, up to this day Roman remains found in the city are very few. Therefore, the mosaic floor that came to light provides important evidence for the development of the city during the Roman Period."
Cyprus was under the control of the Roman Empire from 31 BC until the 4th century AD.
Transport Minister Marios Demetriades, who visited the site in Larnaca, told reporters that the department of antiquities, which falls under his ministry, planned to move the mosaic to a museum.
Demetriades, who is also minister of works and communications, said the mosaic was important because "nothing similar has been discovered so far".
"The intention is to transfer it to a museum, to build a specific room (where it will be displayed)... because this is the best way to protect it," he said.
The eastern Mediterranean island is home to many antiquities and is rife with excavations, involving experts from several countries.
On Tuesday the antiquities department said a French-led team had uncovered near the city of Limassol buildings dating back more than 11,000 years in what is thought to be "the earliest manifestation of an agricultural and village way of life known to date, worldwide."
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2018


A five-storey block of flats collapsed into a raging river in China earlier this month as the region was beset by heavy flooding.
Footage of the July 8 incident in Chamdo Prefecture, in the eastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region, shows the rapidly flowing water washing away the building’s foundations.
Residents were evacuated prior to the building collapse with no casualties reported.
The block of flats was not the only victim of the river, with the video also showing an empty lorry falling in as part of the river bank subsided.
Floods and landslides in China’s central Hunan province have killed scores of people authorities said yesterday, according to Channel News Asia.
Two weeks of torrential rains forced 1.6 million people to flee, with at least 63 people killed by landslides, the deputy director of Hunan’s civil affairs department has said in a statement.
Some 53,000 homes have collapsed while nearly 350,000 others were damaged.
The civil affair department has put the damage bill at $5.6 billion.
In late June, a massive landslide buried a village in southwest Sichuan province, killing at least 10 and leaving 73 more missing.
Dramatic footage shows a wide-eyed man in mortal danger, trapped by fast-moving and rising floodwaters in a Yangshuo County garage in in the south of China.
Sections of the Heilongjiang River in Mohe County in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province were drilled and lined with explosives to break up the ice.
The charges were detonated in a planned effort to break up the ice in the hopes it will prevent a catastrophe in the region.
The most recent floods follow on from deadly flooding in mid-June last year which saw an estimated 32 million people across 26 provinces affected and large amounts of cropland destroyed.
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2018


Allergies are complicated by nature. They have much to teach us. In a previous article, I clarified the need to redefine allergies from an energetic standpoint to make them relevant to the work of acupuncturists.By energetic definition, an allergy is anything that disrupts a person's qi in some way. This is purposefully a very broad definition, which allows for more subtlety in detection and treatment. This definition also points to the necessity of using some sort of feedback mechanism (or divination method) to assess a person's allergies.
Feedback mechanisms are essential to all of the newer methods of allergy treatment I am aware of. One feedback mechanism we all know and practice is the use of the Chinese pulse, but it is difficult to get specific information about allergies this way. Applied kinesiology (muscle testing) is a common method used to gather information about allergies, but I have found it too limiting and not accurate enough for my satisfaction. Another method to consider is the Nogier pulse. There are a number of other methods available, but the important thing is that you use them and that you practice enough to get good at the method you prefer.
All of the newer allergy treatment methods, in my opinion, derive from the use of traditional Chinese medicine, utilize acupuncture points, and integrate the best of Western knowledge and experience about allergies, which to some extent is a very Western disorder. Allergies are becoming increasingly more common and severe as a direct result of environmental pollution, Western lifestyle choices, and toxic medical and dental practices. The very nature of allergies is such that each generation is more allergic than the last. It is part of our evolutionary process to become more sensitive beings in general. Allergies are a result of such sensitivities being played out in a toxic world in need of change.
Allergies (and the people who have them) are a calling to each of us who treat them to refine our methods. There is no need for us to practice Western medicine, but there is much to be gained from integrating the more precise and refined knowledge of anatomy Western science can give us. With a more precise understanding of the energetics of anatomy integrated into the highly effective and natural methods of TCM, we can refine our treatment and get better, quicker results. The key to treating allergies successfully is accuracy.
I think it is of the utmost importance to retain the energetic understanding of TCM, and to even risk expanding upon it to include a more specific knowledge of anatomy. It is also of utmost importance to remember that we are practicing in a holistic tradition, and not to neglect the spiritual aspects of healing.
Inherent in all spiritual traditions is the access of information through divination, intuition, and even altered states of consciousness in order to best help those we set about to heal. A practitioner who does not utilize feedback mechanisms, divination techniques, intuition, or a refined spiritual nature runs the risk of just acting out of ego. Certainly each of us has a reservoir of education and experience from which we draw in every treatment we do, but success with allergic clients often requires more of us.
In treating highly sensitive persons, especially those with severe allergies, an unrefined technique can be disastrous. Treatment can become just another trigger for reaction in this clientele. It is likely we will all be seeing more sensitive clients in the future.
Click here for previous articles by Heidi Hawkins, MAc, LAc.


Alcohol addiction affects many people all over the world; in the UK, many thousands suffer every day with this illness. The problem with alcohol addiction is that it is something that happens gradually over time, and many of those affected do not even realise they have a problem until someone else points it out.
Some choose to ignore the issue and think that just because they are drinking more than ever it does not really mean that they have an addiction. Some will only accept they have a problem when faced with an ultimatum from family members or when frightened by the onset of a medical problem.
Can Alcoholics Drink in Moderation?
Many alcoholics who have finally accepted that alcohol has become a serious problem in their lives may believe that they can cut down the amount they drink rather than give up totally. They may still be unwilling to kick the habit altogether and believe that they can drink in moderation. This often sounds like the most suitable solution to someone who wants to improve his or her situation but not entirely cut out the booze. However, does it work?
For most alcoholics, it is necessary to give up alcohol completely, so moderation will not work. The reason for this is that addiction affects the function of the brain. Those with alcohol addiction cannot control their consumption and, unfortunately, one drink will typically lead to another and then another and so on. Some addicts will find that they can control their drinking for a while, but the trouble is that they are always at risk of relapsing back to addiction if they continue to drink.
Give Sobriety a Chance
Sobriety is not just about giving up alcohol and being miserable without it. Recovery is about much more than that. The aim of recovery is to improve the lives of addicts by helping them to live without the substance to which they have become addicted. It is about helping them to learn how to live a full life of happiness without the need to drink alcohol whenever things get tough. Sobriety can be a new lease of life for recovering addicts and the only way to achieve real happiness is to make a complete break from alcohol.
Moderation Requires Real Willpower
An enormous amount of willpower will be required for an alcoholic to be able to drink in moderation. He or she will need to focus very hard on controlling his or her alcohol consumption, which can be draining. It is much easier to quit entirely so that alcohol becomes part of the past. By filling your life with other meaningful things, you will learn to forget about alcohol and will not need it.
There will always be an element of risk with a former alcoholic who tries to drink in moderation. Although some individuals do seem capable of living this way, the likelihood of relapse will always be present, possibly leading to large-scale destruction in your life. If your life has been blighted by alcohol in the past, surely it is better to make a clean break from it rather than leaving yourself open to the risk of such downfall again.
Moderation generally does not work for alcoholics; despite it seeming the best solution, statistics show it rarely works. If you have an addiction to alcohol, you can get help to quit by contacting Addiction Helper. We are here to provide free advice and information to those suffering from the weight of addiction.
We can put you in touch with treatment providers across the country and our expert advisors, therapists, and counsellors will provide you with support and addiction advice along the way. Call today for more information on how we can help you.