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eagle-eyez · 3 years

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NASA is starting preparations to launch a new mission to the stars... or to the asteroids, to be exact.

The mission - named Lucy - will for the first time explore Trojan asteroids that share an orbit with the planet Jupiter and are leftovers of our early solar system. These small asteroids form two 'swarms' of asteroids, with some at the front and others behind Jupiter while it orbits the Sun. These orbits are grouped around Lagrange Places, which are stable points of gravitational equilibrium.

"The Trojan Asteroids are leftovers from the early days of our solar system, effectively the fossils of planet formation," said scientist Hal Levison.

Currently, the spacecraft is in a cleanroom in NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, after arriving on Friday, 30 July. The spacecraft will be prepared, tested and fueled before it is launched.

Seven years in the making, this spacecraft will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It has a 23-day launch period that begins from 16 October.

The spacecraft has been designed and built by Lockheed Martin Space at its facility in Littleton, Colorado.

“It takes a lot of coordination and careful planning to get this spacecraft to its launch site, and I’m very proud of the team who worked so tirelessly through a global pandemic to get us to this moment,” said Rich Lipe, Lucy program manager at Lockheed Martin.

About the mission

Lucy is the 13th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program. This program first began in 1992, and it gives NASA scientists and engineers the chance to form teams and develop interesting planetary research missions. They all aim to expand our understanding of the solar system.

Psyche is another asteroid mission, part of the Discovery program, that NASA is working on. A spacecraft will travel to 16 Psyche, which is a giant, metal-rich asteroid.

The mission gets its name from the 3.2-million-year-old ape fossil found in 1974, in Ethiopia. It was the first Australopithecus afarensis skeleton ever found, though only about 40 percent of the skeleton is complete. Lucy was a hominid and her bones show evidence of her being a bipedal locomotion, or having the ability to walk upright.

The Lucy spacecraft will be no more than 14 metres long. It has massive solar panels that will power the spaceship as it flies out to Jupiter's orbit. Each panel is over seven metres in diameter. The much smaller spacecraft body will house all of the equipment, as well as the two-metre, high-strength antenna required for communication with Earth.

The spacecraft has a mission life of 12 years and during that time, it will travel to eight different asteroids — a Main Belt asteroid and seven Trojans.

The science objectives of the mission are as follow:

Surface Geology - Lucy will map the albedo, shape, crater spatial and size-frequency distributions, determine the nature of crustal structure and layering, and determine the relative ages of surface units.

Surface Color and Composition - Lucy will map the colour, composition and regolith properties of the surface of the Trojan asteroid and determine the distribution of minerals, ices, and organic species.

Interiors and Bulk Properties - Lucy will determine the masses and densities, and study sub-surface composition via excavation by craters, fractures, ejecta blankets and exposed bedding.

Satellites and Rings - Lucy will look for rings and satellites of the Trojan asteroids.

About the Trojan asteroids

These asteroids form two separate groups and exist both ahead of and behind Jupiter. They are divided into three groups - C-, P- and D-types.

According to NASA, the P- and D-type Trojans asteroids are similar to those found in the Kuiper Belt. The C-types are found mostly in the outer parts of the Main Belt of asteroids, between Mars and Jupiter.

These asteroids have an abundance of dark carbon compounds and are probably rich in water and other volatile substances.

This mission will give us our first view of the Trojan asteroids that are thought to be 'time capsules' from the birth of our solar system, some four billion years ago. They are supposed to be 'remnants of the primordial material that formed the outer planets.'

About Lucy's instruments

Lucy has four instruments that will allow it to carry out remote-sensing science. They are:

L’Ralph is Lucy's colour visible imager and an infrared imaging spectrometer.

LEISA will allow us to look for the absorption lines that serve as the fingerprints for different silicates, ices and organics that likely will be on the surface of the Trojan asteroids. MVIC will take color images of the Trojan asteroid targets, and help determine how active they are.

L’LORRI, the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager is the high spatial resolution visible imager. This camera will provide the most detailed images of the surface of the Trojans.

L’TES is the Thermal Emission Spectrometer. This infrared spectrometer will allow the Lucy team to learn much more about the properties of the Trojans such as their thermal inertia, how well the bodies retain heat, which teaches us about the composition and structure of the material on the surface of the asteroids.

Lucy's High Gain Antenna to determine the masses of the targets using the Doppler shift of the radio signal. It will use its terminal tracking camera (T2CAM) to take wide-field images of the asteroids to better constrain the asteroids shapes.

source https://www.firstpost.com/tech/science/nasa-begins-preparation-to-launch-its-lucy-mission-in-october-heres-all-you-need-to-know-9865981.html

#Technology

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littletonfootandankleclinic · 4 years

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Littleton Foot and Ankle Clinic

It's a nice sunny, but a little chilly, Tuesday at Littleton Foot and Ankle Clinic. We’re gearing up for the holiday weekend ahead of us and hope everyone stays safe during it! Today we are discussing Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy:

What Is Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy?

Diabetic neuropathy is nerve damage caused by diabetes. When it affects the arms, hands, legs and feet, it is known as diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is different from peripheral arterial disease (poor circulation), which affects the blood vessels rather than the nerves.

Three different groups of nerves can be affected by diabetic neuropathy:

Sensory nerves, which enable people to feel pain, temperature and other sensations

Motor nerves, which control the muscles and give them their strength and tone

Autonomic nerves, which allow the body to perform certain involuntary functions, such as sweating

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy does not emerge overnight. Instead, it usually develops slowly and worsens over time. Some patients have this condition long before they are diagnosed with diabetes. Having diabetes for several years may increase the likelihood of having diabetic neuropathy. The loss of sensation and other problems associated with nerve damage make a patient prone to developing skin ulcers (open sores) that can become infected and may not heal. This serious complication of diabetes can lead to loss of a foot, a leg or even a life.

Causes

The nerve damage that characterizes diabetic peripheral neuropathy is more common in patients with poorly managed diabetes. However, even patients living with diabetes who have excellent blood sugar (glucose) control can develop diabetic neuropathy. There are several theories as to why this occurs, including the possibilities that high blood glucose or constricted blood vessels produce damage to the nerves.

As diabetic peripheral neuropathy progresses, various nerves are affected. These damaged nerves can cause problems that encourage development of ulcers. For example:

Deformities (such as bunions or hammertoes) resulting from motor neuropathy may cause shoes to rub against toes, creating a sore. The numbness caused by sensory neuropathy can make the patient unaware that this is happening.

Because of numbness, a patient may not realize that s/he has stepped on a small object and cut the skin.

Cracked skin caused by autonomic neuropathy, combined with sensory neuropathy’s numbness and problems associated with motor neuropathy, can lead to developing a sore.

Motor Neuropathy (Deformity) + Ill-Fitting Shoes + Sensory Neuropathy (numbness) = Ulcers (sores)

Symptoms

Depending on the type(s) of nerves involved, one or more symptoms may be present in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

For sensory neuropathy:

Numbness or tingling in the feet

Pain or discomfort in the feet or legs, including prickly, sharp pain or burning feet

For motor neuropathy:

Muscle weakness and loss of muscle tone in the feet and lower legs

Loss of balance

Changes in foot shape that can lead to areas of increased pressure

For autonomic neuropathy:

Dry feet

Cracked skin

Diagnosis

To diagnose diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the foot and ankle surgeon will obtain the patient’s history of symptoms and will perform simple in-office tests on the feet and legs. This evaluation may include assessment of the patient’s reflexes, ability to feel light touch and ability to feel vibration. In some cases, additional neurologic tests may be ordered.

Treatment

First and foremost, treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy centers on control of the patient’s blood sugar level. In addition, various options are used to treat the painful symptoms.

Medications are available to help relieve specific symptoms, such as tingling or burning. Sometimes a combination of different medications is used.

In some cases, the patient may also undergo physical therapy to help reduce balance problems or other symptoms.

Prevention

The patient plays a vital role in minimizing the risk of developing diabetic peripheral neuropathy and in preventing its possible consequences. Some important preventive measures include:

Keep blood sugar levels under control.

Wear well-fitting shoes to avoid getting sores.

Inspect your feet every day. If you notice any cuts, redness, blisters or swelling, see your foot and ankle surgeon right away. This can prevent problems from becoming worse.

Visit your foot and ankle surgeon on a regular basis for an examination to help prevent the foot complications of diabetes.

Have periodic visits with your primary care physician or endocrinologist. The foot and ankle surgeon works together with these and other providers to prevent and treat complications from diabetes.

As always, if you are experiencing any symptoms or anything of concern, please don’t hesitate to give our office a call! We would be more than happy to help! If you are from outside of Colorado, please give your PCP or local Podiatrist a call. If you have questions, we’re happy to help. Also, if you need us to check out you for an ankle fracture, bunions, custom orthotics, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, or any foot and ankle pain give us a call at (303) 933-5048 or visit our website at https://www.littletonfootandankleclinic.comAt Littleton Foot and Ankle Clinic, we treat your feet.

#LittletonFootandAnkleClinic #Podiatrist #FootDoctor #Littleton #Denver #LittletonPodiatrist #PodiatristLittleton #DenverPodiatrist #PodiatristDenver #LittletonFootDoctor #DenverFootDoctor

#Littletonfootandankleclinic #podiatrist #footdoctor #littleton #denver #littletonpodiatrist #podiatristlittleton #denverpodiatrist #littletonfootdoctor #denverfootdoctor

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back-and-totheleft · 4 years

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Fans get up close

It's not every day that moviegoers get to be up-close and personal with legendary film director and screenwriter Oliver Stone. Stone, the driving force behind such blockbusters as “Platoon,” “JFK” and “Born on the Fourth of July,” covered a range of topics during a visit to the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Littleton March 6. He discussed the success and turmoil surrounding two of his most talked-about movies, “Natural Born Killers” and “U-Turn,” which an audience of approximately 75 people had the chance to watch back-to-back. Stone was the centerpiece of a panel discussion with Alamo general manager Walter Chaw and Matt Zoller Seitz, editor-in-chief of RogerEbert.com and author of “The Oliver Stone Experience,” a book that takes readers through the life and career of Stone. The book is due out in September. Following are a few snippets of the conversations with the Academy Award-winning director. On 'Natural Born Killers' and its reception Stone referred to the 1994 tale of murder and mayhem as a “very controversial” commentary on the media in the early 1990s and the growing tendency of cable news networks to latch onto the most gruesome crimes and report on them endlessly. The movie, starring Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis as a pair of psychotic lovers on a killing spree, was the subject of numerous product-liability lawsuits, and the makers were “accused of being an accessory to murder,” Stone said. “(Author) John Grisham started (the) whole thing with a buddy in Louisiana whose friends were killed,” and said the movie “incited young people” to commit violent acts. But there were also elements of the film that, under closer examination, reveal a “sensitive and delicate romance that is actually tender to us at this point,” Chaw said. “The love story is very genuine,” Chaw said. Stone agreed, saying “these two people, Mickey and Mallory, are the best people in the movie, which may turn some people off. It's hard to accept that.” On the initial dismissal by critics of 'U-Turn' Stone described “U-Turn” as a film noir and a “meditation on small-town America” exploring secrets that are “kind of shocking to us.” “It's about the dark side of our nature: the love, the greed and all of those things, sex and lust, money,” Stone said. Starring Sean Penn as a hot-shot Californian marooned in the middle of a desert town, the story takes twists and turns that leave the viewer guessing, although there are hints throughout the movie as to what's really going on. The low-budget movie had an ensemble cast, including Jennifer Lopez, Nick Nolte, Billy Bob Thornton, Jon Voight, Joaquin Phoenix and Claire Danes, but was “rejected by critics roundly,” the director said. It came at a time when Stone says he was exhausted from making 10 films in a 10-year span. “U-Turn” has developed a cult following since being released in 1997. “It was forgotten. I think it was people like you that started talking about it. And Walter,” Stone said to Seitz. On what audiences have come to expect from his movies With films like “Salvador,” “World Trade Center,” “Nixon,” “Any Given Sunday” and a documentary series called “Untold History,” Stone has “continued to challenge himself, to evolve, and to surprise us. And he never goes quite the way you think he's going to go,” Seitz said. Audiences are exposed to an “intoxicated, sensual, at times even nightmarish feeling that you don't get from other major American filmmakers,” the critic said. “You do not go to an Oliver Stone to be reassured (or) to have conventional wisdom repeated to you,” Seitz said. “You go to an Oliver Stone film to be shaken up, to be challenged, to laugh sometimes in a way that you feel 'should I be laughing at this?', and to feel a sense of being transported.” On the upcoming film 'Snowden' and meeting with the whistleblower “I'm really not at liberty to say too much, but I'll just say we went over there early and he… answered questions, because that's his nature,” Stone said of Edward Snowden, who was granted asylum by Russia after fleeing authorities in the United States. Stone said Snowden is “smart, articulate, he cares very much.” He participates regularly in forums, discussions and lectures, and has a presence on social media. Snowden often works most of the night because of the time difference. Many of his colleagues remain in the United States. Stone said Snowden is “in good spirits,” exhibits “no sign of depression,” and has “broadened his sense of humor,” but the former Central Intelligence Agency employee remains guarded. “Snowden” is scheduled for release in September. On recent film releases People who work in Hollywood often aren't big viewers of movies or TV. “Oliver is not one of those people,” Seitz said. His first question when meeting friends is often “what have you seen?” He recently recommended “Man from U.N.C.L.E.” to Seitz, who also enjoyed it. Stone said “you might boo me for this” before professing his love for “Zoolander 2” starring Ben Stiller (the audience at Alamo laughed). Stone described it as “witty. It's very well written.” “Will Farrell has never been better as the incarnation of all evil, and I say this seriously,” Stone said. “You see evil in my movies, but when you see this movie, you see evil.” He also detested the CGI blockbuster “Pacific Rim,” then in the next breath praised “Battleship,” Seitz said, recalling a conversation a few years ago.

-Chris Michlewicz, “Fans get up close with filmmaking legend Oliver Stone,” Littleton Independent, March 14 2016 [x]

#oliver stone #alamo drafthouse #matt zoller seitz #snowden #u turn #Natural Born Killers #zoolander 2 #battleship #the man from UNCLE

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medicalcodingjob · 7 years

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Urgent Care Center Medical Assistant/Coordinator Emerson Hospital - Littleton, MA - with patients, families and urgent care staff, on the phone and in person Knowledge of medical billing systems, medical coding, and third party payer requirements as well as the ability to process financial transactions Knowledge of office and laboratory procedures Accurately read and write medical terminology Strong aptitude for detail with excellent critical thinking, multitasking, problem solving, and organizational skills Work in a high-pressure environment independently or as part of a team...Job Number: 10063256 Category: Medical Assistant Location: Emerson Urgent Care Littleton Facility, Littleton, MA Department: Emerson Urgent Care Littleton Workshift: Day Eve shift Job Type: Full Time Hours: 8:00 AM-8:00 PM (M-F) 9:00-5:00 (S-S) * Job Summary: Reports to the Practice Manager and works under the direct supervision of the Physician(s), the Urgent Care Center Medical Assistant/Coordinator provides patient care by assisting with the implementation of care plans and following...

#Medical Coding #Medical coding 2

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lawrencedienerthings · 4 years

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Greene: Denver pastor says he and the world changed during seven-week COVID coma 'I remember it hit me, this sense of disbelief.'

Colorado News

The Rev. Terrance “Big T” Hughes remembers his first thought last month upon waking from his coma.

He had no clue he was in the VA hospital in Aurora where a ventilator had kept him alive for seven weeks while COVID-19 ravaged his lungs, kidneys, and heart so ferociously that doctors expected he would not survive.

But even in the fog of semi-consciousness, he could tell much had changed.

“The TV was on, showing people standing in long food lines. When I realized what I was looking at, I remember thinking we’ve not seen lines like that in the U.S. during my lifetime. I remember it hit me, this sense of disbelief.”

Big T, 56, is a Denver pastor and civil rights leader, and also a friend whose grave case of COVID and improbable recovery I’ve been chronicling since March. It was tricky writing about him while he was unconscious, wondering if he would live to read the stories and whether they’d jibe with what he was experiencing.

Our first few conversations – via Facetime since he was transferred from the VA hospital to a rehabilitation center three weeks ago – rattled me. I would interrupt to marvel, “You’re eating!,” “You’re walking!”, “You’re all there!”

But friends’ and family’s disbelief is nothing compared to Big T’s own as he has tried to register what, during his two months of unconsciousness, his body and planet endured. Besides having to relearn how to breathe, speak and move, these weeks in rehab have been a process of making sense of events, both personal and global, that would have seemed incredible pre-COVID.

As he was released from rehab and returned home Wednesday afternoon, he shared some of his thoughts.

The Rev. Terrance “Big T” Hughes and his wife Rachel Hughes up on return home Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (Photo by Marie-Dominique Verdier)

First, he doesn’t know how he got the coronavirus. Before doctors induced his coma March 13 to put him on a ventilator, he knew there was a rumor he caught it while collecting signatures to petition onto the Democratic primary ballot for Colorado House District 7. He could, of course, just as easily have contracted it on an airplane seated behind a coughing passenger, or from a shopping cart or a quick hug with a friend. His wife, Rachel Hughes chose to fold his campaign shortly before his palliative care doctors told her they likely couldn’t resuscitate him if his heart failed, as they expected.

The statehouse candidate and co-pastor at Denver’s New Covenant Christian Church/Alpha Omega Ministries Disciples of Christ hadn’t been coughing or struggling to breathe, symptoms typical of COVID. Rather, he was admitted through the hospital’s emergency room because his heart was erratic, making even small exertions exhausting. That was March 9, when there were 17 presumptive positive COVID-19 cases in Colorado. Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency a day later.

“Tell people this virus isn’t always so obvious. People need to know that,” he says.

Big T does not know how March slipped into April. Holes riddle his memories and he has no recollection of moves on and off a ventilator, Facetime words of encouragement and prayer from Rachel, the yoyo-ing from consciousness to unconsciousness, from hope to dread and back again. He doesn’t recall delusions, caused by withdrawal from heavy sedatives: that he was being held hostage, that pears were growing out of the hospital room walls.

And then came late April, with the steadying his vital signs and strength enough to preach an impromptu Easter Sunday service to his nurses at the VA. With all the positive feedback, he figured he “was mentally all there.”

But it wasn’t until May 6, the day the VA released and transferred him to a rehabilitation center in Littleton, that he realized how long he’d been gone and how far he had yet to go.

When Big T arrived as the VA’s first COVID-19 patient, he says its intake staff and many of its doctors and nurses hadn’t started wearing face masks. Two months later, as dozens of friends and family and hundreds of VA employees lined up outside the hospital to celebrate his release, it came as a shock to see everyone – not just medical staff – covering their faces. It was a blow, as paramedics rolled him out the door, that Rachel leaned over his stretcher to embrace him, but wasn’t allowed to kiss him. And it confused him that so many loved ones had come to cheer him, yet stood back, keeping their distance.

“I’m a very hugging, touching person. It didn’t make sense that nobody rushed up to me like they usually would,” he says.

“And on the other hand, all those people, all those VA staff were overwhelming. I’m just Big T, an ordinary man who happened to get sick. I’m not a star. I’m not a celebrity. That’s not who I am. To have that kind of adulation was too much to handle. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”

More rested and alert at the rehab center, and in possession of the remote control and his smart phone, he has absorbed in days what it has taken the rest of us weeks and months to comprehend.

Imagine learning thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands globally have died of a pandemic that nearly killed you.

Pastor Terrance “Big T” Hughes (at center with stick) reunited with his family and co-pastor, Reginald C. Holmes, on Wednesday. (Photo by Marie-Dominique Verdier)

“I have some survivor’s guilt that I was two shakes from being dead. Ok, I was one shake from being dead, and there are people after me, people I know, who didn’t make it. I’m not any more worthy than anyone else,” he says.

Imagine learning that, while you were under, “the economy collapsed, joblessness skyrocketed and people are on the brink of social disorder.” It blows his mind that there has been no school or church services, and that “everybody’s been staying home working on their computers.”

“It’s all so wild and hard for me to fathom,” he says. “There’s not a facet of life that has not shifted.”

Imagine catching up on the lingo – what it means, for example, to socially distance, flatten the curve, and howl. And hearing about a shortage of toilet paper: “Toilet paper? Really? What?”

Imagine not being able to read one week, and the next reading about the semi-trailer full of bodies in New York. Imagine being quarantined in a room alone, able to see your wife, kids and grandkids only through the window.

Imagine hearing medical experts call for prolonged use of facemasks, then hearing the president and other refuseniks balk at the idea, and needing your own experience with the virus to be heard.

“As a pastor, we’re used to being with people who are dying, laying hands on them and loving them up as they transition. We’re used to offering closure and some support,” he says. “Trust me when I say you don’t want to die from this. You die by yourself. There is no last goodbye, no last hug.”

Imagine having spent your whole career and months of a political campaign calling for food security, health equity and a broader safety net for people of color, only to wake from a coma to see them standing in food lines and disproportionately infected and dying. Imagine learning in the middle of a crisis that your legislative campaign was cut short just when the solutions you had been championing are most needed.

“I ran for a reason and have a lot of unfinished business. The challenge now is to find different ways to get it done,” he says. “I am a changed man because of this and won’t be wasting my time.”

Imagine your family, friends and congregation spent months praying for you, as well as a whole hospital staff and community and strangers who read about you in Colorado, elsewhere in the U.S. and even abroad. Imagine your doctors saying you’re “blowing past all our measures, it’s unheard of, you ain’t supposed to be snapping back so quickly.” And that people are calling your recovery some kind of miracle.

“To me, there is no question that’s what happened in Pastor Hughes’s case,” says the Rev. Reginald C. Holmes, his co-pastor and friend. “This is a man who was so close to death, I considered starting to work on his eulogy.”

Dressed in a sweatsuit and sneakers Rachel had bought for his homecoming, Big T listened to gospel music Wednesday morning as he sat in his rehab room, packed and ready for her and Holmes to pick him up. He was thinking about the work ahead of him rebuilding his lung capacity and managing a tremor that persists in his right hand. But then he noticed the coils of oxygen tubing without which he wondered as recently as two weeks ago if he would ever be able to breath. He was incredulous, he told me, how far he has come.

If Big T had his way, he would have headed straight home to, as he says, “Kiss my wife, hug my wife, then kiss my wife again.”

Friends and family welcome home the Rev. Terrance “Big T” Hughes on May 27, 2020. (Photo by Marie-Dominique Verdier)

But Rachel had other plans, organizing a parade of cars to escort him in the last few blocks in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood. Once at their townhome, he stopped on the front walk, surrounded by friends and family and fellow clergy members, thanking them for their prayers and praising God for granting them.

“Can you believe it?” one of the Hughes’s friends said to their neighbor.

“Can’t believe it,” the neighbor answered.

“Praise be. Hallelujah,” the friend said.

They watched Big T nod to Rachel. It was time. He was tired. But he was home.

from https://ift.tt/3gvUTEk https://ift.tt/2X6sZqA

#Straight News

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alliciabellweb · 5 years

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Unity Through Plants

Like people, passions, and wildlife, plants connect us across borders.

Despite natural and human-devised boundaries, plants landed in our gardens thanks to botanists, horticulturists, gardeners, and wildlife.

Not all plants find success on their journey. Although they can be adaptable, they do have their limits. It’s up to us to recognize and respect their boundaries.

We can’t force plants to live with us against their will, so we find the companions that match our boundless imaginations.

In Colorado on the Garden Blogger’s Fling, I saw a familiar face: claret cup cactus, native to the Southwest and Colorado’s state cactus. That doesn’t mean you won’t find it elsewhere, since gardeners are clever.

Plant combinations we admire may not exist at our local nurseries (or thrive in our gardens) but we can adapt designs for our own compatible residents.

Techniques have boundaries, too, depending on climate, but we all devise observation points.

But where some plants are welcome, they can become invasive in other locations, like bee-loved red-horned poppy (Glaucium corniculatum), if indeed this is it!

As the Fling bus headed into the Centerra mixed use, master-planned community in Loveland, Colorado, my first thought was, “This is like Mueller!” Mueller’s a Central Austin “suburbitat” where humanity, habitat, and conservation unite.

But we’re at Centerra and the High Plains Environmental Center, an urban environmental park that’s home to wildlife and people. Not only did Centerra’s developer Tom Hoyt plan conservation-sensitive yards and homes, he included 76 acres of habitat.

From what I could see on a quick tour, the residential area is committed to rainfall collection and control via berms and swales. Deep-rooted grasses cover berms and front yards, while drought hardy perennials feed pollinators.

Like Mueller, High Plains planted a food forest, designed native plant demonstration areas, and a community garden. And a whole lot more, believe me. This is the future of new urban development.

To connect habitat, horticulture, and community education, Denver Botanic Gardens: Chatfield Farms in Littleton spreads across 700 gorgeous acres.

Thanks to Denver Botanic’s vision, this once-working farm is still working, including a CSA.

A native tallgrass prairie, designed by Lauren and Scott Ogden, harbors wildlife. Beyond, lavender fields test best varieties as an economic crop. I saw both ‘Munstead’ and ‘Grosso’ which we can grow, but there were many others.

Natural and hardscape trails reveal designs to try at home.

In fact, along this bridge rail, they’ve hung containers of colorful annuals. Recently on CTG, Houston Extension Horticulturist Skip Richter described how he dangles buckets of pollinator-plants on his fences in his small vegetable garden.

At the old farmhouse, gardens demonstrate reduced-lawn design with easy-care perennials.

Denver Botanic Gardens: York Street thoughtfully educates on many levels, from design and horticultural interest to drought design awareness.

For every age group, they invite exploration, social interaction, knowledge, and play.

Along with demonstrating diverse plant habitats, they alert us to serious threats, including Emerald ash borer that’s wiping out native and exotic ash trees. This insect has now crossed borders, including Texas, so educate yourself.

Much of what you see at Denver Botanic started with Senior Curator and Director of Outreach Panayoti Kelaidis, world-wide collector, educator, and energetically gregarious guy. After welcoming us to DBG (and cleaning up after lunch!), he greeted us at his own front door, joined by fellow gardener and neighbor drafted as a very helpful docent for the day.

Through all his adventures, Panayoti cast his visionary eye onto his own garden, a botanical expedition of waterwise partners that honor his respect for resources, habitat, and beauty.

Co-author of Steppes: The Plants and Ecology of the World’s Semi-Arid Regions (with Michael Bone, Mike Kintgen, Dan Johnson and Larry Vickerman), he exemplifies his mission on home ground.

Since he loves every plant, however it’s arranged, flowery perennials and annual wildflowers neighbor with succulents embraced by bordering trees.

Panayoti can build things, too, like this dramatic rock garden that segues into a sunken pond and terrestrial rock collections.

Subscribe to his personable blog, Prairiebreak, to keep up with his botanical adventures at home and from afar!

We can be plant pioneers, too, even with containers. This week on CTG, certified professional horticulturist and author Leslie Halleck primes us for plant propagation indoors and out with tips from Plant Parenting.

Watch now!

Thanks for stopping by! See you next week, Linda

Unity Through Plants syndicated from https://yeuhoavn.wordpress.com/

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granitenorthtv-blog · 5 years

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NCH|LRH battle erupts

As tension and temperaments flare over recent news of litigation between North Country Healthcare and Littleton Regional Healthcare, the future of health services in the North Country of NH remains uncertain. Both parties have sued each other over the February news of LRH's intent to depart the NCH group of Critical Access Hospitals in Grafton and Coos counties.

On Wednesday, GNTV received an internal memo from Gail Clark, Director of Development, Marketing & Community Relations at Littleton Regional Healthcare. Clark often sends us press releases that help inform the public of the events and activities. They often include news of events occurring at the Hospital and within their organization. The internal memo was addressed to LRH staff . It was a response to the recent article placed in the Littleton Courier. The focus was in regards to the recent litigation between the healthcare organizations.

In turn, on Thursday, we received a statement from James Patry, Systems Director, Marketing at Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin. The statement from North Country Healthcare outlined their position on the subject. In the opening lines, Patry states "We welcome the intervention of the New Hampshire State Attorney General on Littleton Regional Hospital’s (LRH) intention to withdraw affiliation with North Country Healthcare (NCH)." Review of documents While speaking briefly today with Tara Giles, the Littleton Courier reporter that penned the article LRH's split from NCH prompts litigation that LRH called into question, she stated that the two lawsuits have just under 1000 pages combined of documentation outlining how each party feels the other is in the wrong. With no immediate solution in the near future, access to certain services not currently available at the remaining NCH group of hospitals remains unclear. Currently, users of each hospital have access to the network of services provided under the single healthcare system implemented under the NCH umbrella. If the removal of LRH from NCH also means the removal of critical services from the affiliation, the ease of access to these services for patients at the remaining NCH locations remains in flux. Listed below are the the statements from each entity we were asked to publish. We welcome your feedback in the comments section below. Littleton Regional Healthcare May 8, 2019 Dear LRH Team, Littleton Regional Healthcare is disappointed in the misleading statements made in a recent press release issued by North Country Healthcare and reported in the media (“LRH’s split from NCHC prompts litigation,” Littleton Courier, May 8, 2019). We believe the press release misrepresents important aspects of LRH’s contractual right to withdraw from NCH. North Country Healthcare was formed as a result of an Affiliation Agreement among Littleton Regional Healthcare, Androscoggin Valley Hospital in Berlin, Weeks Medical Center in Lancaster, and Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook, following an extensive negotiation process and a review by the New Hampshire Director of Charitable Trusts. Affiliation Agreement The Affiliation Agreement includes a contractual right for any of the four hospitals to withdraw from the affiliation, without any need to give cause or to justify its decision to withdraw. However, that withdrawal right can be exercised only during the 90-day period following the third anniversary of the affiliation; that is, between April 1 and June 30 of this year. Failure to provide notice during this limited 90-day period would result in permanent affiliation. During the negotiations leading up to the affiliation, each of the four hospitals insisted on the right to withdraw without a showing of cause. This issue was fully aired and discussed in public meetings held in connection with the approval of the affiliation. In the words of NCH’s legal counsel at the time, the participating hospitals insisted on the right to withdraw without cause because requiring a showing of cause “would very likely lead to prolonged disputes with a hospital which had expressed its desire not to be part of the Affiliation.” LRH Review After a careful review by our Board of Trustees about the effectiveness of the Affiliation to date, and of LRH’s future strategic opportunities, our Board determined that the interests of the greater Littleton community would best be served by LRH’s withdrawal from the affiliation. Following the February 18 vote of LRH’s Board to withdraw, LRH provided NCH with “pre-notice” of our intent to give a formal withdrawal notice after April 1. Immediately, LRH was met with repeated threats of litigation. In accordance with the Affiliation Agreement, on April 4, LRH gave formal notice to NCH and the other hospitals of our decision to withdraw. Unfortunately, NCH and the three Coos County hospitals have refused to accept LRH’s decision to exercise its contractual right to withdraw. All attempts by LRH management and Trustees to work with NCH on an orderly withdrawal plan not only were refused, but were met with threats of litigation. LRH was left with no choice but to ask the court simply to enforce our clear contractual right to withdraw. Sadly, NCH and the other hospitals responded by suing not only LRH, but also individual members of LRH’s management and Board of Trustees. LRH does not believe the position of NCH and the other hospitals is well founded. Out of respect for the ongoing court process, LRH will not comment further on the details of the pending litigation. However, contrary to the impressions that NCH attempted to create in its press release, LRH is confident that we have acted responsibly and in accordance with our rights, using the process to which each hospital previously agreed in the Affiliation Agreement. North Country Healthcare Statement from North Country Healthcare – May, 2019 We welcome the intervention of the New Hampshire State Attorney General on Littleton Regional Hospital’s (LRH) intention to withdraw affiliation with North Country Healthcare (NCH). The process to create NCH was open and public, and any proposed changes to its structure should also be transparent, intentional and public. We will participate fully and honor the results of an open and public process. Our Hospitals worked cooperatively for two years to hold community forums, create a business plan, and get approval from the New Hampshire State Attorney General to affiliate in 2016. Notice Served In late February 2019, Littleton Regional Hospital (LRH) served notice of their intention to withdraw from their affiliation with North Country Healthcare and took legal actions in order to accelerate that withdrawal to pursue “new opportunities.” This violated our Affiliation Agreement (to which all NCH members are legally bound). Our Agreement clearly states that an accelerated or alternative withdrawal process is not allowed. The terms of the Agreement were specifically designed so all parties would follow a fair and equitable negotiation process that would allow enough time to smoothly unwind the integration that has taken place over the last several years. For that reason, NCH is disappointed that LRH has taken their dispute to the courts and chose not to follow the agreed-upon departure guidelines. These guidelines include a 4-month period for review and negotiation. After they approached us with their intention to leave, we recommended holding a meeting of the LRH and NCH Boards in the interest of resolving this issue with open and transparent communication. LRH opted not to participate, and then filed suit. Suit / Counter-suit In light of that LRH lawsuit, North County Healthcare filed a counter-suit in Coös County Court against Littleton Regional Hospital for failing to live up to our affiliation agreement, negotiating in bad faith, and taking unilateral actions that go against the spirit of collaboration of our Affiliates in providing improved, efficiently-delivered healthcare to the citizens of the North Country. The Affiliation of Androscoggin Valley Hospital, Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital, Weeks Medical Center and LRH began in 2014 under the premise that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and by working together, we could improve the delivery of healthcare to the North Country – and we have. All Hospitals worked cooperatively for two years to hold community forums, create a business plan, and obtain approval from the New Hampshire State Attorney General to affiliate in 2016. In early 2018, NCH was pleased to add North Country Home Health and Hospice to the affiliation, and provide even more resources to our integrated healthcare system. Dispute resolution NCH will continue to work towards dispute resolution, and we hope to engage LRH in transparent and productive discussions, towards the goal of continued collaborative healthcare in the North Country. We continue to respect and value LRH’s leadership within the Affiliation, and their substantial contributions to the health of the region’s communities. Every day, our employees and medical staff strive to serve families across the North Country. We are proud of what we are accomplishing, and we care deeply about the communities we serve. That is what drives us. The actions of LRH will not deter us from our Mission: to assure consistent, high quality, accessible, and integrated healthcare across the communities we serve. To that end, we will continue to work with the State of New Hampshire to advocate for the communities that rely on NCH and the valuable integrated healthcare solution it offers. No matter where this path leads, we will use that vision to guide us. Read the full article

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cksmart-world · 6 years

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The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

by Christopher Smart

March 26, 2019

POTHOLES, BEER WARS & MOSES IN A BUSINESS SUIT

Here is a poll question the staff here at Smart Bomb has scientifically formulated: Which would you prefer, a big beautiful theater that is too expensive to attend, or streets that are not falling apart? If you chose the latter, you are on the wrong side of history. Salt Lakers oft complain of lousy streets pocked with wheel-smashing chuckholes, as though ISIS fighters were launching mortars. Entire Mini Coopers have disappeared. As the Deseret News recently observed: “Maintenance of existing infrastructure sometimes gets lost as a priority when municipal resources are caught up in growth.” Well, not exactly. In the capital city, street maintenance was mostly ignored for eight, long years by Mayor Ralph “We-Don't-Need-Cars” Becker. The City Council tried and tried to fund roads but Bicycling Becker shifted the money elsewhere. You wouldn't know it, but for the past three years Mayor Jackie Biskupski and the council have been playing catch-up. But fixing thousands of miles of long-ignored Salt Lake City streets is like bailing Missouri River flood waters with a “We Love Ralph” coffee mug. Too bad no one was ever elected mayor by pledging to fix the streets — way too boring. How about a big, beautiful Broadway-style theater instead. That's the ticket.

Beer Boycott

Uh-oh, looks like Smart Bomb's old friend Bob Jensen, who owns and operates Red Rock Brewery, is in the cross-hairs of his fellow beer lovers after telling our teetotaling legislators that 4.8 percent beer could render folks wobbly after a couple of pints. Voila, our Mormonslature pulled the plug on a proposal to raise the alcohol content in Utah beer from 3.2 to 4.8 percent. Did you know that beer can destroy your brain? That's right, Wilson, but don't tell the band. Salt Lake Tribune ace Kathy Stephenson documented the angry boycott of Red Rock brews by owners of bars and pubs, who have been dreaming of the day they could pull a draught of “real beer” for thirsty patrons. Man, are they pissed. It all started when large breweries declared they would stop making 3.2 percent in favor of the more popular 4.8 percent recipe. Utah lawmakers struck a Solomon-like compromise by designating a 4.0 percent alcohol limit on beer — a brew that is practically impossible to find. Surprise: we're in a total mess. And Bob is left high and dry. Taxes, health care and education are one thing. But beer, now that's serious business — brain cells be damned.

Moses In a Business Suit

Who said, “The Lord moves in mysterious ways.” The staff here at Smart Bomb was unable to find the original source, although there is anecdotal evidence that it could be true. It comes up again after a CNN exclusive on LDS President Russell M. Nelson and his revelations from the Lord. (We're not making this up.) “When the messages come during the dark of night, Russell M. Nelson reaches for his lighted pen and takes dictation from the Lord.” The messages have "increased exponentially," his wife, Wendy Nelson, told CNN, since the 94-year-old took the helm of the church last year. There are so many revelations that Nelson must keep track of them on a yellow, legal pad. Most newsworthy among them is his pronouncement that the word “Mormon” never be used again — including for the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir — the MoTabs. Nelson told CNN the nickname “Mormon” offends God and represents "a major victory for Satan." And lordy, you don't want to mess with Satan. In the CNN piece, Mormon expert Kathleen Flake calls Nelson, “Moses in a business suit.” Think Charlton Heston getting fitted at Mr. Mac's before parting the Red Sea. Would that be the sandals or the oxfords, sir?

What's Up With New Zealand

One week after a mass shooting in New Zealand took the lives of 50 muslim worshipers, the country outlawed all semi-automatic weapons. What? Why did they do that? Following the country's first mass shooting, the parliament, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, said, “No more.” At a memorial service, Arden wore a black headscarf and quoted the Quran. Donald Trump, where are you? Of course, we would never do such things here in the good ol' USA. Coincidentally, this is the 20-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. And in the past week, two survivors of the Parkland high school massacre, unable to cope with the trauma, committed suicide. Apparently, the Kiwis aren't looking to us as an example — or maybe they are in a backassward kinda way. Sixty Seven percent of Americans favor stricter gun laws, according to a new poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Clearly, they have nothing to fear from the NRA. But our representatives in Utah and Washington know better — power grows from the barrel of a gun, or possibly NRA political targeting. As Bill O'Reilly said of our epidemic of mass shootings: “That's the price of freedom.” Somebody tell the Kiwis.

Post Script

No Collusion, you treasonous bastards. So says President Donald Trump. Armed with a brand new bludgeon, Our Dear Leader is on the war path. What happens when you don't kill a cornered raccoon? Democrats are about to find out. In the meantime, it's best to forget the firing of Jim Comey, the Moscow high rise, Wikileaks, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, Stormy Daniels, the emoluments clause and might as well forget the next two years, too.

Well, that's it for another historic week here at Smart Bomb, where the staff will be seeking refuge in a bomb shelter with lots of Red Rock beer, hoping to destroy as many brain cells as possible. OK, Wilson, can you and the band take us on out with something fitting for the mess we find ourselves in:

I went home with the waitress, the way I always do / How was I to know, she was with the Russians, too? / I was gambling down in Washington, I took a little risk / Send lawyers, guns and money, dad, get me out of this...

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ezatluba · 6 years

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‘Get ready for an influx of sadness’: Why veterinarians dread the holidays

Beth Teitell

DECEMBER 29, 2018

The story about pets and the holidays is supposed to be a happy one. A bulldog tolerating plush antlers on the Christmas card. A toddler running to greet her new kitten. Rescue hounds enjoying treats and a photo session with Santa.

But there’s another story, one that’s discussed rarely, if at all: the holiday-related spike in pet euthanasia.

Veterinarians at Angell Animal Medical Center see it, and so do those at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University, and in private practice all around Massachusetts.

“We all say, ‘The end of the year is coming, get ready for an influx of sadness,’ ” said Suzy Pence, a vet with Back Bay Veterinary Clinic.

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Euthanasia procedures can rise by as much as 50 percent during the holiday season, according to Dani McVety, a veterinarian who cofounded Lap of Love, a nationwide veterinary network dedicated to end-of-life care.

Some families with very sick pets are waiting for college kids to come home to say goodbye. Others are traveling and afraid their pet will go into a final decline in their absence, robbing them of the opportunity to be present when a beloved family member leaves this world.

There are also reasons that a lot of people “don’t want to look at, like finances,” said Christine Maxfield, a Holden-based veterinarian who runs In-Home Euthanasia.

With holiday bills mounting, sometimes a strapped owner can’t afford one more treatment for a sick animal, she said. In other cases, owners have family coming, and “don’t want the judgments of, ‘Why is your pet soiling all over the house?’ ”

Although many people think there is one right moment to say goodbye to a pet, that often isn’t the case, said Jeremy Gransky, a veterinarian who founded At Home Veterinary in Natick. “Most of the animals we end up euthanizing are pets that have been in decline for a while.”

In Lincoln, Sarah Rapaport and her family euthanized PJ, their 16½-year-old miniature dachshund, ahead of a family trip to Los Angeles.

A bossy, alpha dog who long ruled over the household’s cats and humans, PJ had a heart murmur that had become so debilitating that Rapaport’s 8-year-old son, Fox, would run to her bed every morning fearing she had died overnight.

Concerned about her son’s anxiety, and fearing PJ wouldn’t survive at home while the family was away, Rapaport had PJ euthanized in her fluffy bed in early December.

“PJ lived well past the life expectancy for the breed,” her jaunty obituary read. “This despite having illicitly consumed copious amounts of Chinese food . . . and medically lethal quantities of chocolate.”

No matter how lovingly the decision is made, it can be very hard, said Lynda Warwick, a therapist in Littleton with a speciality in pet loss.

“I’m sure there are people who do it for the sake of convenience, or who just don’t want to risk the dog dying on Christmas,” she said, “but the pet owners I have seen have really struggled with knowing how to balance the best interest of a pet with their other obligations.”

“Euthanasia guilt is often what brings people into counseling,” she said.

But Heidi Medas, the owner of Smokey Chestnut Farm, a nonprofit animal rescue in Norton, was at peace with her decision to euthanize two sick horses, one with increasingly severe seizures, the other with arthritis and escalating heart issues.

She did it on Thanksgiving Eve a few years back, a day she chose because she had a break from work that would allow her time to reflect and be thankful for all the horses had given her.

“I don’t like to be with people after something like that,” she said. “I like to be alone.”

In some cases, owners don’t euthanize their pets before the holidays but try to have them hold on until right after, said Eric Richman, a clinical social worker at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center.

“The holidays can be a hard time, particularly for the elderly,” he said. “Sometimes they have no one left but their companion animal, and the pet brings back lots of memories — of when their kids were little and gathered around, or their husband was alive.”

Deborah Foulkes, a retired medical researcher with the Framingham Heart Study, doesn’t want to prolong her Smudgie’s life if it means her ailing Shih Tzu will be in pain, but she doesn’t want to lose her right now, either.

“I want to have one more Christmas with her,” she said, crying.

Meanwhile, one veterinarian thinks the rise in holiday euthanasia may be related to the fact that frail pets go downhill during the season.

“It’s a stressful time of year for everyone, and animals are very susceptible to our stress,” said Betsy Johnson of Home Euthanasia for Pets in Lincoln. “I think it pushes older animals over the edge a little bit.”

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romancatholicreflections · 6 years

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6th January >> Sunday Homilies and Reflections for Roman Catholics on the Feast of The Epiphany of the Lord

-To be celebrated on 6th January 2019 –

The Epiphany of the Lord

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12 vs.1 After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. vs.2 “Where is the infant king of the Jews?” they asked. “We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.” vs.3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. vs.4 He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. vs.5 “At Bethlehem in Judaea,” they told him, “for this is what the prophet wrote: vs.6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judaea, you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.” vs.7 then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, vs.8 and sent them on to Bethlehem. “Go and find out all about the child,” he said “and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.” vs.9 Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward and halted over the place where the child was. vs.10 The sight of the star filled them with delight, vs.11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincenses and myrrh. vs.12 But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

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We have three sets of homily notes to choose from. Please click on the one required.

1. Michel de Verteuil Lectio Divina Year B

2. Thomas O’Loughlin, Liturgical Resources for Year C (Mark

3. John Littleton, Journeying through the Year of Luke.

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Michel de Verteuil Lectio Divina, The Year of Mathew www.columba.ie

General Comments

In the Christmas story as told by St Luke, the Word made flesh manifests himself to the shepherds; in St Matthew’s version, he manifests himself to the wise men from the East. Although at first sight the two stories seem different, they are in fact basically alike – as you will discover when you meditate on each passage – since there is only one God and he has one way of relating with us.

For this feast, then, make the journey with the wise men, as you did with the shepherds on Christmas Day and on January 1st.

The story is told in clearly defined stages, and you will find that each of these stages will touch you in your meditation, so that you need not include the entire story in order to do a good meditation.

Verses 1 and 2 tell us of the journey from “the east” to Jerusalem, and the symbolism of the first searching which takes us some of the way, before we get lost and have to resort to a religious center.

In verses 3 to 9 we have the meeting between the wise men and Herod – very dramatic, and so true to experience. You can read these verses from the point of view of the wise men, so humble and open to learning from religious leaders, even though these have bad motives; or from the point of view of Herod, typical of ourselves when we are in a position of authority and privilege and become insecure at the mere thought of a new religious insight.

In verses 10 and 11 we have the touching story of all moments of grace – the joy of recognition, the sense of homecoming, the simplicity of the presence of God. The mention of the “treasures” is clearly meant to convey the arrival of other cultures doing homage to Jesus.

Verse 12 is very significant, indicating the new-found freedom of the believers.

Prayer Reflection

Lord, there comes a point in our lives when we finally discover what we want to give our whole lives to: * a cause like racial equality, community development, women’s rights; * a spirituality which combines union with God and social involvement; * the religious life or the priesthood; * contemplative prayer. We look back on the long journey that brought us to this point, from the time we knew in some vague way that we wanted to change our ways – like the wise men seeing a star as it rose and deciding to follow it. Then, as it always seems to happen on a spiritual journey, we lost sight of the star and drifted aimlessly for some years, until we realized that the only sensible thing to do was to get help.

So we went to our religious leaders, and though they were rather confused themselves, they put us back on the right track and the old enthusiasm returned. The last part of the journey went quickly: suddenly we knew that we had found what we had been looking for, and it was like coming home, so that we went into the house, fell on our knees and opened our treasures. Thank you, Lord, for guiding us every part of the way.

Lord, it is strange how we become attached to positions of privilege * as parents or teachers; * occupying a position in the Church; * accepted as one of the better educated members of our little circle. When people come forward who are from a different background, or who are asking new questions, we are pertubed, as Herod was when the wise men came to Jerusalem. We reflect on what to say, and may even give them good advice, but deep down our main concern is that we should continue to feel secure where we are. No wonder those whom we help do not come back to us but return to their country by a different way.

Lord, for many centuries now the Church has been European. We thank you that in our day people of other cultures are looking for Jesus because they have seen a star out in the east. Naturally, we are perturbed by all these foreigners, and so is the whole of Jerusalem, for they will bring changes to the whole Church, and we will lose our special status. So, though we give them the right instructions, we tell them that once they have discovered Jesus they must come back and tell us exactly what they have found. But you are guiding them, Lord, and when they come to Jesus they will open the treasures of their own cultures. Furthermore, you will reveal to them that there is no need to come back to us, and they will make their own way home.

Lord, we sometimes think that we must spend plenty of money to make Jesus more attractive, or that we must be very learned so that our preaching of him can draw many to him.

Jesus learning his trade

But wise men are looking for an infant king, and the Scriptures say that he will come from Bethlehem, the least among the leaders of Judah, because people are tired of great kings who dominate them. But if they go into a simple house and see the child Jesus with his mother Mary, even as they fall on their knees and do him homage they will feel comfortable to open their treasures and offer him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Lord, we look today for instant results and for the “quick fix” in all things, so that we end up looking for instant spiritual growth as well. But before we can see Jesus and fall on our knees and do him homage we have to make a long journey from the east. We have to follow a star, lose it and discover it again many times, until finally it halts over the place where he is.

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Thomas O’Loughlin, Liturgical Resources for Year C (Matthew) www.columba.ie

Homily Notes

1. This feast cannot escape the links with the colourful exotic figures in the crib and their gifts. However, the task of the preacher is to draw attention to those aspects of the mystery of the incarnation that Matthew wished to highlight by introducing the story of the eastern visitors into his infancy narrative.

2. In a nutshell, the infancy narratives in both Luke and Matthew should be seen as ‘identity cards’: they tell us about who Jesus is, before we hear anything about what he did. But they approach the question of identity using the forms of historical narrative rather than abstract theological categories. Once this is stated then each of the episodes within these narratives, such as the visit of the magi, must be seen as expressing various aspects of the mysterious identity of the Anointed One. So what does this story tell us about Jesus and our faith in him?

3. That Jesus was the one for whom Israel waited over the generations of promise was established by Matthew at the very beginning of his gospel in the genealogy. However, there was also a strand of messianic faith that the Christ would not only bring salvation to Israel, but to all ‘the nations’, the whole of humanity. We find this faith in the oracle in Zechariah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'” (8:23). Now with the arrival of these magi, representatives of the nations, this prophecy is fulfilled and one more aspect of the nature of Jesus is revealed. Jesus is the one who is awaited by all nations.

4. The message of the Christians is that God has sent us his Son in Jesus Christ; today we rejoice that this mystery of Godwith-us is not something that is confined to a select few, but something that is for all humanity.

5. Matthew is careful to show that while God reveals the Anointed One’s coming by a star, it is also something that comes through the magi’s own deep searching. In this Matthew’s gospel is very different from Luke’s gospel where the angel tells the shepherds who has come and what it means and what to do, and then they do it. In Matthew we have professional searchers who realise that there is a greater mystery beyond their present conditions and then set out to find it. They follow the evidence, they at first come to the wrong conclusion when they go to Herod’s court, and the truth only becomes dear when they find themselves in the presence of Jesus. The Christ, and his gospel, is thus seen as the fulfillment of human longings and of the human search for the truth – not as something imposed on humanity from outside that is destructive of human desires and creativity. Alas, we Christians often present the gospel in just such a negative way.

6. To celebrate this feast is to rejoice that God’s love has become available to us and that that love invites a response from us: to offer to Truth himself all our human talents.

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3. John Littleton, Journeying through the Year. www.columba.ie

Introduction to the Celebration

Today we recall the strange and exotic visitors who went to greet the infant Jesus. They remind us that in a myriad of ways the Christ beckons all of us to gather with him and offer thanks to the Father.

Gospel Reflection

For many Christians, the Feast of the Epiphany (which is also known as Little Christmas in Ireland) marks the end of the Christmas season. Yet the Epiphany is at the heart of the Christmas message. The word ‘epiphany’ means ‘manifestation’ or ‘showing’. Fundamentally, the Christian vocation is to show Jesus and his glory to the world. The Epiphany acknowledges that Jesus Christ, the newborn baby, is the Saviour of all people.

During the Christmas season, we reflect on what it means to believe that the Word became flesh and lived among us. God has chosen to live among us, hh people, in the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord anc Saviour, who saves us from the justly deserved consequences of our sins. This is why we celebrate Christmas. All other activities associated with Christmas — for example, the exchange of gifts, the holidays from school and work. the visits to family and friends — are secondary. The real wonder of Christmas is not just that God becamc human in and through his Son, Jesus Christ, but thaT Christ, through his Church, continues to be present in our world.

God’s Word, Son and Revelation

Christmas and the Epiphany challenge us to renew our appreciation of the commitment God has made to us by becoming human. In the person and life of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, God has demonstrated beyond all doubt how much he loves us and shares his life with us. God shares his life with us especially through the Church and the sacraments. In the person and life of Jesus Christ, God has embraced human nature completely and he has become one with it. This is the mystery of Christmas and it remains true for all time and for all God’s people everywhere.

The Feast of the Epiphany invites us to consider once again the real meaning of Christmas and to respond accordingly. The wise men, in presenting Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, acknowledged him as Saviour of all people. The feast invites us to ask: what gift can we present to Jesus that acknowledges him as our Saviour?

Surely the most appropriate gift is striving to live a life that imitates his teaching and example. Therefore, the Epiphany is an ideal time to reflect on the practice of our Christian faith so that, during the coming year, we will ‘show’ the world the glory of the Saviour who has redeemed us from sin and who gives us life through his Church and the celebration of the sacraments.

For meditation: We saw his star as it rose andhave come to do the king homage. (Mathew 2:2)

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littletonfootandankleclinic · 4 years

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Littleton Foot And Ankle Clinic

Happy middle of the week Colorado, what an amazing weather change we have had here! We at Littleton Foot And Ankle Clinic, hope everyone is staying safe and warm! Today we are discussing Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy; as always, if you are experiencing any symptoms please don’t hesitate to reach out!

What Is Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy?

Three different groups of nerves can be affected by diabetic neuropathy:

Sensory nerves, which enable people to feel pain, temperature and other sensations

Motor nerves, which control the muscles and give them their strength and tone

Autonomic nerves, which allow the body to perform certain involuntary functions, such as sweating

Causes

As diabetic peripheral neuropathy progresses, various nerves are affected. These damaged nerves can cause problems that encourage development of ulcers. For example:

Because of numbness, a patient may not realize that s/he has stepped on a small object and cut the skin.

Cracked skin caused by autonomic neuropathy, combined with sensory neuropathy’s numbness and problems associated with motor neuropathy, can lead to developing a sore.

Motor Neuropathy (Deformity) + Ill-Fitting Shoes + Sensory Neuropathy (numbness) = Ulcers (sores)

Symptoms

Depending on the type(s) of nerves involved, one or more symptoms may be present in diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

For sensory neuropathy:

Numbness or tingling in the feet

Pain or discomfort in the feet or legs, including prickly, sharp pain or burning feet

For motor neuropathy:

Muscle weakness and loss of muscle tone in the feet and lower legs

Loss of balance

Changes in foot shape that can lead to areas of increased pressure

For autonomic neuropathy:

Dry feet

Cracked skin

Diagnosis

Treatment

First and foremost, treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy centers on control of the patient’s blood sugar level. In addition, various options are used to treat the painful symptoms.

Medications are available to help relieve specific symptoms, such as tingling or burning. Sometimes a combination of different medications is used.

In some cases, the patient may also undergo physical therapy to help reduce balance problems or other symptoms.

Prevention

The patient plays a vital role in minimizing the risk of developing diabetic peripheral neuropathy and in preventing its possible consequences. Some important preventive measures include:

Keep blood sugar levels under control.

Wear well-fitting shoes to avoid getting sores.

Inspect your feet every day. If you notice any cuts, redness, blisters or swelling, see your foot and ankle surgeon right away. This can prevent problems from becoming worse.

Visit your foot and ankle surgeon on a regular basis for an examination to help prevent the foot complications of diabetes.

Have periodic visits with your primary care physician or endocrinologist. The foot and ankle surgeon works together with these and other providers to prevent and treat complications from diabetes.

If you have questions, we’re happy to help. Also, if you need us to check out you for an ankle fracture, bunions, custom orthotics, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, or any foot and ankle pain give us a call at (303) 933-5048 or visit our website at https://www.littletonfootandankleclinic.comAt Littleton Foot and Ankle Clinic, we treat your feet.#LittletonFootandAnkleClinic #Podiatrist #FootDoctor #Littleton #Denver #LittletonPodiatrist #PodiatristLittleton #DenverPodiatrist #PodiatristDenver

#LittletonFootandankleclinic #Podiatrist #FootDoctor #Littleton #Denver #PodiatristDenver #PodiatristLittleton #DenverPodiatrist #LittletonPodiatrist #LittletonFootDoctor

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chefkonstantine · 4 years

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Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations straightforward and straightforward. Castlewood is a former census-designated place in southern Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. It has been part Colbat Sports of the city of Centennial because the metropolis’s incorporation in 2001.

Who are well known entrepreneurs?

The Most Successful Entrepreneurs In The World1 Jeff Bezos.

2 Bill Gates.

3 Larry Ellison. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wTNAokMw1Iwj1uDqEHETlWNYwx4wPlIR/view?usp=sharing

4 Sergey Brin.

5 Elon Musk.

6 Mark Zuckerberg.

7 Carlos Slim Helú

8 Vera Wang.

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Whether you’re in search of an enormous challenge, a better work-life steadiness, or a brand new sense of objective in your next function, one of these firms will definitely match the invoice. With a aggressive environment, sound transportation infrastructure, and low operational prices, Metro Denver is home to some of the country’s most successful and diverse firms.

For those most involved with entry to the mountains and extra affordable price of residing, Lakewood is the ticket! Sitting west of downtown just off sixth Ave, there isn’t a simpler place to live if you wish to swing house, hop within the already packed automobile, and be off into the Rockies.

It operated flights to six worldwide locations and over eighty destinations all through the US. The firm was included on February eight, 1994 and is a proud recipient of the Federal Aviation Administration’s 2015 Diamond Award for upkeep excellence.

Winter has discounted charges the vast majority of the time as a result of inclement weather. Summers are scorching and the excessive temperatures within the peak of July register above ninety°F (32.2°C) for a lot of days, a few of which even contact one hundred°F (37.eight°C). Annual precipitation is low to the tune of 14″ (355.6mm), with 70% occurring during the summer.

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Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Network of Care supplies pediatric healthcare at many locations throughout the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. Compassion is the world’s main authority in holistic child development by way of sponsorship.

Another Mile High mecca for tourists, drifters, drinkers, and cool youngsters is the ever hip area often known as LoDo. Unfortunately, the large variety of people roaming the streets of Denver’s transportation hub additionally means an intensive variety of crimes. In 2015, there were 1,575 offenses reported, with a crime density of three,588 per square mile.

They start with prenatal care and go throughout management growth for certified young adults. They take a protracted-time period approach to what they do and transcend Impact Opportunities Fund simple involvement in the lives of the children and families they serve. Cimarex Energy Co. is an organization engaged in hydrocarbon exploration.

Heather is a dealer/co-proprietor at RE/MAX of Cherry Creek here in Denver and just so happens to be the wife of the Founder/CEO of our company, Dave Bacon. We requested her to share some wisdom based on her 23+ years of actual property experience. First, we put our heads collectively and came up with the criteria for evaluation. As part of this webinar, we may also discuss enterprise continuity and resilience and how we can proceed to plan for residual threat in a changed world. You must have JavaScript enabled to get pleasure from a limited variety of articles over the following 30 days.