#working 2-4 hours a day on this oral presentation due Tuesday

[simulation-machine]

Me, somebody with untreated ADHD who abuses caffeine as a way of coping: Wait, what the hell do you mean it's easier and less stressful to work on a project a couple of hours a day as opposed to rushing at the last second to get it done???

[northeastern-sampike]

5 Tips to Survive Finals Season

Happy December everyone! The winter is coming, which means the air is full of holiday cheer and the utter panic and chaos that finals season brings! But can’t relate - I’m having a blast finishing up my co-op and getting ready for the holiday party at work.

Well, I’ll still have to face the wrath of finals in the spring, and I’ve definitely suffered through my fair share of finals throughout my college career, so here are 5 tips to keep you focused and help you study hard so you can sleigh your finals.

1. Plan your days in advance.

Have a planner? A bullet journal? A loose leaf piece of paper? Great. It’s time to plan out your schedule for then next few weeks. I recommend doing this right before the last week of classes. You’ll likely have some final projects that need to be finished before your classes end and then final exams on the horizon. Prioritize what needs to be done before classes end, then focus on your exams. Try to stick to this plan as best as you can. That way, you won’t be swamped with work down the line and have no time to dedicate to all your assignments and studying. Future you will be thankful.

2. Break it down!

With all the upcoming due dates and exams, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Break down large tasks into smaller chunks to keep your brain engaged and prevent burnout. Instead of planning something like:

Monday - Finish Bio Paper

Tuesday - Oral Presentation

Wednesday - Study Organic Chemistry

Try something like the following:

Monday - Write Methods section of Bio Paper, Rehearse Oral Presentation for 1 hr, Study Orgo Ch 1-3

Tuesday - Write Results section of Bio Paper, Rehearse Oral Presentation for 30 mins, Study Orgo Ch 4-6

Wednesday - Write Conclusion section of Bio Paper, Rehearse Oral Presentation in front of audience + get feedback, Study Orgo Ch 7-9

Each task is spread out over a few days, so you only have to do a small chunk at a time instead of writing a paper for hours on end. Your brain will see these tasks as much easier to tackle than the big picture all at once.

3. Remove distractions.

Be honest with yourself. You know what will distract you from your work. For example, I cannot work in my room, or I will procrastinate; I have to work in Snell, and I feel more energized with all the people studying around me. I also have to give my boyfriend my phone, and I don’t let him give it back to me until I finish all my work, or else I could waste hours on social media instead of studying. Having someone hold you accountable is really helpful, and in return, you can hold them accountable, keeping both of you on task.

4. Sleep well and eat well.

Students often wear pulling all nighters like a badge of honor, but getting 2 hours of sleep and only eating a pack of Doritos one day is not going to help you. You need to take care of your brain so it’s ready to soak in information and perform as best as it can when you have to take your exam. Aim for at least 6 hours of sleep per night. If you’re studying for 12 hours straight, and it’s 4 AM, you’ve reached the point that you won’t process any more information properly, and you won’t remember it in a few hours. Sleep builds the neural connections that form memory; it’s just as crucial as going over your notes.

Also, make sure you’re eating enough, and you’re eating healthy. Your brain will feel sharper, your body will feel much healthier and more alert, and you will be thankful.

5. Practice mindfulness.

I’ve had my fair share of mental breakdowns in Snell. Sometimes, work seems so overwhelming, daunting, and impossible that finals become your reality. You need a way to pull yourself out of the moment and remember that you and your life are so much more than a few measly exams. Yes, they’re important, but your mental health is your number one priority. I like to meditate. It doesn’t have to take long - just 5-10 mins, and there are a ton of great apps like Headspace that will do free guided meditations. It’ll help calm your mind and body and ground you a bit, so when you do have to go back to studying, you’ll come back with a clearer head and a better perspective.

For all those taking finals, best of luck! You’re going to kill it! If you guys have any questions or want any other advice, feel free to shoot me an ask!

[phgq]

SC defers oral arguments on ATA due to health precautions

#PHnews: SC defers oral arguments on ATA due to health precautions

MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) has suspended the continuation of the oral arguments scheduled Tuesday on the suits challenging the constitutionality of Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terror Act of 2020 (ATA).

In a notice sent to the parties, Clerk of Court Edgar Aricheta said the suspension of the arguments was due to health precautions, considering that some of the justices are on self-quarantine.

The oral arguments will resume on March 2.

Solicitor General Jose Calida, who will be arguing for the position of the government, is scheduled to present his case on what would be the third day of oral arguments.

During last Tuesday's oral arguments, seeking clarification from the petitioners, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said Section 4 and paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of the law are not unique insofar as it penalizes what may appear to be "preparatory" intended acts of terrorism.

In interpellating lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, he noted that even before the passage of the law, criminalizing “preparatory” acts is covered in some laws.

Among offenses that may be prosecuted, Peralta said, even in the preparatory stage include "proposals to commit a crime of rebellion, conspiracy to commit the crime of sedition and proposal and conspiracy to commit rebellion, treason, and coup d' etat".

Three of the five enumerations being questioned in Section 4 of the ATA define terrorism as being committed by persons who, among other things, engages in acts intended to cause death or serious bodily injury or endangers a person’s life, cause extensive damage or destruction to a government or public facility, public place or private property, or cause extensive interference with damage or destruction to critical infrastructure.

Peralta, along with Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier, in interpellating Diokno and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, also questioned the opposition on provisions in the ATA that allows detention of up to 24 days.

Lazaro-Javier pointed out that the provision under the Revised Penal Code on the deadline that an individual must be brought to judicial authorities after his arrest has changed throughout the years from “as soon as possible” to one hour to six hours to one day to up to anywhere from 12 to 36 hours depending on the gravity of the offense.

She said the provision affected by the ATA, Article 125 of the Revised Penal Code which penalizes undue delay in the delivery of arrested persons, may be considered “a work of progress” and jested whether the petitioners would expect the deadlines “will stay like that forever.”

Peralta, meanwhile, said the original deadlines on the period of detention were drafted when the population of the country was still very small compared to the present.

Peralta also added that “the experience is that cases are filed hastily because of this restrictive (period)”. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "SC defers oral arguments on ATA due to health precautions." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1131454 (accessed February 22, 2021 at 10:36PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "SC defers oral arguments on ATA due to health precautions." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1131454 (archived).

[umichenginabroad]

¿Aprendiendo…Portugues?

After a long weekend away from my new home, I got a taste of my real home! Coming to Argentina was my first time in South America and the rest of my family had never been either so they came to visit! My mom, dad, and sister came to Buenos Aires last Friday while I was away and explored the city until I came back.

Unfortunately for them the entire weekend consisted of pouring rain and they had to deal with the blackout too! My dad was upset since every picture I sent seemed to have beautiful blue skies and when they came it was a torrential downpour (so now I like to joke that I bring the blue skies with me). We came back on a Monday night from Salta and Tuesday and Wednesday we’re both sunny with clear skies!

They went to a lot of the museums around the city which I haven’t seen (because $$$) and tried to do as many indoor activities as they could. That was tough since a lot of my favorite parts of the city are outdoors (the parks and markets).

Nevertheless, on Tuesday afternoon I met up with them and took them to the colorful streets in La Boca and told them a little about the history and how immigrants would come to shore there.

Family pic in front of El Caminito

La Boca is the most touristy place I’ve been so I think they were surprised by the amount of souvenir shops and people speaking English there (according to my sister the Spanish has been a bit of a struggle). Many of the other places we’ve traveled have had a decent amount of English speakers, but South America does not have as many. So we walked the streets and stocked up on souvenirs.

As I’ve mentioned before, the weather in Buenos Aires is supposed to be winter, but their winter is like a fall day for me most of the time. This week after class on Wednesday we decided to go to an area behind the cultural center and hang out to play cards at some of the picnic tables.

Playing euchere

And yes, despite going to UMich for a year, I hadn’t learned how to play euchre until I came here! Along with euchere I learned hearts and we’ve played many different card games (I even taught some go fish!). Our thermodynamics midterm was on Thursday so we relaxed a bit before heading to our farewell snack and to study.

Our farewell Merienda was held at a restaurant called Dandy and we had a set menu to chose from as we gathered to say our goodbyes to those leaving the program. This week marked the end of the 4-week program people doing the intensive Spanish program. It’s honestly crazy that our time here is already 2/3 of the way over.

On the bright side, nice weather allowed my family to see the different parks and go on walking tours of the city, but the next day offered a new adventure that awaited us! Since Thursday was flag day, I traveled somewhere new with my family. We’ve always wanted to go to Rio de Janeiro and since we were so close we jumped at the chance.

We left very early on Thursday morning and arrived at our hotel in Rio midday. We were located right next to the Copacabana beach (which I never even realized was in Rio until arriving) and enjoyed a few hours on the beach.

*Insert the Copacabana song*

As I packed for winter, I was not ready for the nice weather that Rio brought, and I’m talking high 70’s and low 80’s. I welcomed it with open arms because who knows if I’ll have the chance to go to the beach at all this summer when I get home.

On Friday we went to the Maracaná soccer stadium for a half day tour. Maracaná stadium is very large and has had many great soccer players pass through it and play there like Pele, Marta, and more. They even had footprints (or handprints for goalies) of some of the great players and they had the original ball and net from Pele’s 1000th goal. It was also the location of the opening and closing ceremonies during the last summer olympics.

Sitting in the players’ bench and the field

Copa America is happening currently which is the a soccer tournament for South America and a few other countries which Brazil is currently hosting. Unfortunately we weren’t able to catch a game but that did mean that lots of fans were in Rio.

The second half of the day consisted of walking around the city a little bit and seeing the famous Selarón steps. These steps were built as a tribute to the Brazilian people by Jorge Selarón, a Chilean, who was a globe trotter and the steps consist of tiles from over 60 different countries around the world.

The steps continue for many flights of stairs and they were very crowded with many tourists getting pictures (including me). It’s an artsy spot!

That night for dinner we wanted to try Brazilian Barbeque since it was supposed to be a big deal here. We walked down a few blocks and found a restaurant across from the beach that offered it.

The meat was good and I was a fan (but I think I like Argentina’s steak better!)

Chile was about to play in Copa America so the restaurants slowly became more and more packed. Even a band came to play and pump up the fans so we even know a bit of their chant!

The next day brought the classic tour to see two of Rio’s infamous attractions—Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf mountain. We started at Christ the Redeemer in the morning and were blessed with blue skies aside from the clouds passing by every now and then which sometimes engulfed him, but soon passed. The drive to the top was bumpy and curvy, but brought us to the top in good time. Once we got to the visitors center we had to transfer vans since only certain vans were allowed to go all the way up the mountain.

Family picture in front of Christ

Finally, we climbed a few hundred steps to get to Christ himself since the escalators and elevators were broken from lightning striking the mountain so often , but the walk was easy enough and worth it!

The second half of the day consisted of getting to sugarloaf which was a ways over from Christ and to get there we had to take two trams to two different mountains. Sugarloaf got its name because back when they used to transport sugarcane in a container it would usually end up in a tall mound like the shape of the mountain.

The sugarloaf shape of the mountain and the view from the top

Rio is a city unlike any I’ve seen before due to how the mountains are incorporated into so much of its landscape and shape. They surround the city and different hills are surrounded. They take away the typical city feel at times and made me feel like I was on an island at times.

For the rest of the day we spent it on the beach and just relaxed since we had an early flight out in the wee hours of the morning. Rio was a beautiful place that I was very happy to visit (although I wish I had more time) and I’m estatic I was able to come with my family.

Now it’s time to return for my last few weeks in Buenos Aires which is very sad to think about. I’m ready to plan my last stretch of the city and make sure I see everything I want before saying goodbye.

Next weekend is Mendoza with friends though so I still have excitement overweighing the sadness. School is starting to wrap up as well so I now need to work on my final oral presentation and final essay for my culture and civilization class :(.

See ya later!

———

Larissa Wermers

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering in Buenos Aires, Argentina

[bloojayoolie]

Being Alone, Cats, and Children: Mack Id 64211, 2 Yrs., 56 lbs. of Love & Sweetness Waiting for you, at Manhattan ACC The sweetest, smile on the wiggliest of frames, a super sweet, friendly boy who loves kids is given up for his parent's asthma:- TO BE KILLED – 6/4/2019 He wags his paw, he puts his head down, eyes all squinty as he wiggles his way towards you like there’s no tomorrow, and then….and then he steals a kiss. MACK adores people, and there’s no “if’s” “and’s” or “but’s” about that. We dare you not to fall hopelessly in love with this adorable boy with his big paws, happy face, and glorious smile. All the volunteers and staff have handed him their hearts, so have we. Why not you? The only reason he is even at the shelter is because his parent has asthma and is allergic to poor Mack. He has only good will in his heart, and hope that a family will love him forever this time. He adored two children who he happily played with for hours, and his resume is sterling – house and crate trained, well behaved alone, and so much more. Remember how we said he wiggles like there’s no tomorrow? Well, there is no tomorrow for Mack, because he is set to die on Tuesday in Manhattan, and only you can save his life. He asks only one favor – he would like to be your “only doggy child.” But when a boy has this much love to share, who needs another dog? Right. No one. So hurry and MESSAGE our page or email us at MustLoveDogsNYC@gmail.com if you can give Mack the life he continues to dream of, and believes will come true. MACK, ID# 64211, 2 Yrs. Old, 56.6 lbs, Unaltered Male Manhattan ACC, Large Mixed Breed, Gray / White Owner Surrender Reason: Allergies (person) Shelter Assessment Rating: New Hope Rescue Only AT RISK NOTE: Mack adores people. But Mack has displayed a concerning level of dog reactivity and barrier frustration at the care center. Mack would be best suited for placement with a new hope partner that can provide the necessary behavior modification. Medically, Mack seems healthy. INTAKE NOTE – DATE OF INTAKE, 5/28/2019: Upon intake, Mack had a loose body and approached me as I approached him. Mack remained loose bodied as I scanned for a microchip. Mack remained loose bodied during the intake and was not bothered as I collared him and placed a leash. Mack pulled hard on the leash as we walked and became tense when we approached his kennel. Mack remained tense as he was picked up and placed into his kennel. OWNER SURRENDER NOTES – BASIC INFORMATION: Mack is approximately a 2 year old male gray and white large mixed breed dog. Mack lived with previous owner for 7 months, and was surrendered because his owner has asthma. Mack previously lived with one adult and three children. He is friendly with strangers and will approach them and allows to be pet. Mack previously lived with 9 and 15 year old children. Mack is friendly, affectionate and playful with the children. Mack has not interacted with dogs. Mack has never interacted with cats. Mack is not bothered when his food or bowl is touched while he is eating. Mack is not bothered when a toy or treat is taken away. Mack has never bitten another animal or human. He is housetrained and has a medium energy level. Other Notes: Mack is not bothered by loud noises or fireworks. Mack struggles when being bathed and will try to run away. Mack has never had his nails trimmed. Mack is not bothered when being pushed off of furniture. Mack is not bothered when an unfamiliar approaches his owner or a family member. Mack has a medical issue – he has some hot spots that he licks. For a New Family to Know: Mack is a friendly, affectionate, playful, confident and energetic dog. When at home, Mack will follow you around and likes to be in the same room as you. Mack was kept mostly indoors and slept on the floor or on the owner's bed. Mack was fed Pedigree dry food twice a day. Mack is house trained and goes potty outdoors. Mack is well behaved when left home alone but may sometimes whine. Mack is crate trained and does well with the door closed over night. For exercise, Mack was taken out for walks twice a day. On the leash, Mack pulls lightly on the leash. Mack has never been walked off a leash. SHELTER ASSESMENT SUMMARIES - Date of assessment:: 5/29/2019 On Leash On Leash Comments: Unable to walk due to intensity of dog-reactivity. Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social Call over: Approaches readily Sociability comments: Body soft, jumping up Handling Soft handling: Seeks contact Exuberant handling: Seeks contact Handling comments: leaning in, exposing belly, wagging tail Arousal Jog: Follows (loose) Arousal comments: None Knock: Approaches (loose) Knock Comments: None Toy: No response Toy comments: None DOG TO DOG SUMMARY: A single dog residence is recommended for Mack. Mack should also be kept out of dog park environments. It is highly recommended that Mack be muzzled for outside walks or in hallways/residencies where there may be high amounts of dog traffic. Mack displayed a tense body when attempting to conduct a greeting to the female helper dog. The safety gate was not opened, as Mack then began to growl, lunge, and snap toward the other dog. A realistic prop dog was used to evaluate Mack's initial reaction to the handler walking it on leash from a distance. Mack is allowed to approach the prop dog- he initially freezes, drops low to he ground, and begins to stalk toward it from a distance. When it is walked closer to Mack, immediately he growls, pins the prop dog, and bites it's face and neck. He releases the prop dog and wanders off after this. A muzzled introduction will not be conducted to a live dog due to safety and stress level concern. INTAKE BEHAVIOR - Date of intake:: 5/28/2019 Summary:: Loose body, allowed handling ENERGY LEVEL:: Mack is reported to have a medium level of energy. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: Recommend no dog parks, Place with a New Hope partner. Recommendations comments:: Place with a New Hope partner: Due to the intensity of dog reactivity and aggression shown towards other dogs, the behavior department recommends Mack be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow Mack to acclimate comfortably to his new environment; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing Mack to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Mack presents with outside of the care centers. Single dog home/no dog parks: Mack has displayed highly concerning, offensive behavior toward other dogs and should be the only resident dog in a future home. Mack should be kept out of dog park environments. Potential challenges: : On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration Potential challenges comments:: On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: At the care center, Mack has displayed extreme reactivity towards other dogs by growling, barking, stalking, lunging, and snapping. Please see handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. MEDICAL EXAM NOTES 29/05/2019 per behavior, adding trazodone 300mg PO q12h while in shelter. 29/05/2019 [DVM Intake] DVM Intake Exam Estimated age:2y Microchip noted on Intake?982000410376105 Microchip Number (If Applicable): History :o surrender Subjective: Observed Behavior -very reactive with other dogs. with people, wags tail, head down, seeks petting, gives paw. Evidence of Cruelty seen -n Evidence of Trauma seen -n Objective T = P =80 R =wnl, some stertor BCS 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: clean teeth (front only seen) PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G:2 testes MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment: healthy Prognosis:good Plan:neuter SURGERY: Okay for surgery *** TO FOSTER OR ADOPT *** MACK IS RESCUE ONLY. You must fill out applications with New Hope Rescues to foster or adopt him. He cannot be reserved online at the ACC ARL, nor can he be direct adopted at the shelter. PLEASE HURRY AND MESSAGE OUR PAGE FOR ASSISTANCE! HOW TO RESERVE A “TO BE KILLED” DOG ONLINE (only for those who can get to the shelter IN PERSON to complete the adoption process, and only for the dogs on the list NOT marked New Hope Rescue Only). Follow our Step by Step directions below! *PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST USE A PC OR TABLET – PHONE RESERVES WILL NOT WORK! ** STEP 1: CLICK ON THIS RESERVE LINK: http://bit.ly/2ynocEZ Step 2: Go to the red menu button on the top right corner, click register and fill in your info. Step 3: Go to your email and verify account \ Step 4: Go back to the website, click the menu button and view available dogs Step 5: Scroll to the animal you are interested and click reserve STEP 6 ( MOST IMPORTANT STEP ): GO TO THE MENU AGAIN AND VIEW YOUR CART. THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOW BE IN YOUR CART! Step 7: Fill in your credit card info and complete transaction HOW TO FOSTER OR ADOPT IF YOU *CANNOT* GET TO THE SHELTER IN PERSON, OR IF THE DOG IS NEW HOPE RESCUE ONLY! You must live within 3 – 4 hours of NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Norther VA. Please PM our page for assistance. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a dog on the To Be Killed list, including those labelled Rescue Only. Hurry please, time is short, and the Rescues need time to process the applications.

[imonthemove]

How I Have Been Spending the Past Two Semesters

I have been at Guizhou Education University 贵州师范学院 for one whole school year now and in this time I have found a few ways to keep busy.  Below are the different activities I have filling my time with.  The other volunteer and I work on English Corner together and he also takes part in the Teachers' Book Club.  Typically, when there are activities that I spearhead I make sure they about equality with race, gender, or identity.  The other volunteer and I are both male, so I want to make sure the girls are getting strong "girl power" message across, so I believe it is invaluable to show women in charge and changing the world. I'm going to stop this forward right now and just let you see what I'm talking about. 

English Corner     |     Every Thursday     |     5:30 - 7:00     |     Average Attendance: 16 Students

English Corner is held weekly in the school's English library cafe.  The other volunteer and I host games such as Pictionary, charades, Clue, Taboo, and too many to list.  The students seem to enjoy the different activities.  We do hold a rather lengthy EC, but I feel that it for the best.  It allows us to plan for longer more complicated games and the students can practice their speaking, listening, creative thinking, and every other skill for an extra hour and a half every week.  Not every activity is a hit, but students seems to enjoy all our efforts.

Student Book Club     |     Every Wednesday     |     2:30 - 3:30     |     Average Attendance: 5 Students

Not many students attend, mainly due to the horrible timeslot, but the ones who do attend can learn about Western cultures in a whole new way.  I give the students fairy tales, myths, poetry, short stories, and other readings that aid in painting a more accurate view of Western societies.  We all read the selection together, identify any unknown words, and then share our ideas about the reading.

Grimm Brother fairy tales show aspects from different cultures and show the origins of many oral English phrases.  Works by Maya Angelou and Emily Dickinson are used to build their confidence and highlight their strengths.  American lore, such as Paul Bunyan and John Henry, are used to depict how America has its own culture, independent from other countries.

The story of John Henry has been voted a student favorite. Sure, the vocabulary was a bit tough at times, but they as pushed through and found it to be a rather inspirational story.  It is also my favorite reading so far.  This story paved way for us to talk about many different topics: diligence, man-vs-machine, and slavery; just to name a few.  It was an interesting reading that allowed the kids to learn about how America transitioned from being a country built by slaves to blacks and whites working towards equality.

The students who attend have told me that this is their favorite activity we hold.  I believe their words to be true, because since starting these meeting, the students have begun referring to these texts in their other courses and are seeing many different sides to Western culture.

Teacher Book Club     |     Every Tuesday     |     12:15 - 1:00     |     Average Attendance: 5 Teachers

The teachers' version of the book club is closer to the conventional concept, where people read independently and gather to discuss the chapter.  Many English teachers have received the book, but only a few actually attend the meetings.  From what I have gathered from all of the teachers, who have made a dent in the book, everybody is enjoying the reading.

For our first book, I selected my personal favorite, Kindred by Octavia Butler.  Her writing style easily holds anybody's interest and the vocabulary she used is at the perfect level for all of the teachers.  This story deals heavily with American slave culture.  Which allows the teachers to not only gain some understanding of American history, but also have a glimpse of the horrors that slaves had to endure.  Butler wrote this book in a way that has all the teachers feeling deeply connected to the characters and made them beg for more.

We are going to read Kathryn Stockett's The Help this summer and Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants next semester.  Showing different aspects of America.  The teachers voted for these two books from a list of thirteen titles. I'm hoping their meeting will continue once I leave the university next year.

Office Hours     |     Every Monday and Wednesday     |     4:00 - 5:00     |     Average Attendance: 7 Students

Office hours are held in -- wait for it -- my office, which is a used as a safe space for the kids to freely speak about any topics without having to fear unwanted students or cafe customers overhearing their ideas. Students are given the power to decide the topic for each meeting.  Somedays the topics are light and whimsical, such as technology, holidays, college life, and poop (okay, maybe not "whimsical").  Other days they will ask questions about hate groups, cults, teenage pregnancies, and homosexuality; and that's where the students really get to shine with their English-speaking abilities.  Students have been able to tell some heart-wrenching stories about some truly horrible things that have happened to them and their loved ones.

Oral English Class     |     7 Different Classes     |     1.5 Hours/Week     |     Average Class Size: 31 Students

This is the only truly mandatory thing I have to do on this campus.  I have a total of 215 students and I know most of their English names and maybe one or two Chinese names.  Luckily, my students are advanced enough that I can hold the course entirely in English.

My first semester was held much like a typical course.  The teacher teaches and the students studes (I know it's not a real word, but it's catchy so leave it alone).  I would teach the lessons in the book and have the students do a couple presentations.  The activities and content were basic and I feel that I could do everything the course required in Chinese.  Sure, the students could do it quicker in English than I could in Chinese, but I could still do it or have done it in college.

The spring semester was a bit different.  I could not take this course if it were held in Chinese.  I asked the students to really step it up a level. There were three presentations, eight homework assignments, and two final exams.  Students worked in groups to present the information from their assigned chapter.  They had to teach the book's dialogue, 10-20 new words from the unit, and assign homework. It was actually pretty simple, however, they decided to go above and beyond the call of duty by teaching the class through games and activates.  They had used my own teaching style to teach their lessons; I apparently taught them methodology my first semester without know it.

Their other presentations were about interviewing outside of China, which they found to be boring, and English speaking countries.  They found the latter to be difficult and extremely fun. I assigned partners and gave them a list of countries they could choose from.  There was a total of 36 countries, most of which are from Africa and Asia; they were all nations that list English as an official language.  They had never heard of some the countries before and they had to tell the class about the culture, food, and traditions.  Many students have informed me that they wish the time limit would have been much longer for that assignment, because they were generally interested in the other groups' topics.

Sorry for the very long post.  I honestly intended on just writing a paragraph or two.

[govsea]

Garissa livestock market in full swing

‘This is one of the biggest livestock market in East and Central Africa’, a team of GOVSEA researchers was told during a recent visit to Garissa’s livestock market. Veterinary officers and livestock traders described this January as a good market season. At times, there is so much livestock in the market that some of the trading has to occur outside the selling yard. By the time we had arrived at the market at 12:00 noon, most of the trading of that day had already been made. Animals had been given unique identity marks to ensure their traceability within the big mass of cattle in the market or to avoid confusion during transit. Lorries and trucks were busy loading livestock at one of the two loading rumps within the market in alternation as other trucks were on stand-by.

Earlier that day trucks with up to a thousand cattle had embarked on their journey to Nairobi, Thika and Mombasa, which are Garissa’s most important terminal markets. ‘Dispatch always occurs from Wednesday, the main market day, to Saturday, while Sunday to Tuesday makes part of the week when animals flow in from the border and other feeder markets to Garissa’, explained Mr. Nthimba, the market’s livestock officer.

Garissa livestock market: most of the cattle is sold by Wednesday midday

©  Ahmed M. Musa (2018)

Before livestock leaves Garissa market, county veterinary officials issue a movement permit, certifying that the animals were in good health. The permit assures a 24 hour free movement. Transporters must produce it to the police at any weighbridge, checkpoint, and when crossing county boundaries during transit to destined markets.  Most of the cattle we saw in the market were well fed. They are categorized as grade 2, weighting between 280 and 350 kg and costing between 300 and 400 USD. ‘The animals are healthy. You  can’t see their ribs and your hands form an arc when you hold the rump of the bull’, explained Abdiwahid, the head of the local Kenya Livestock Marketing Council (KLMC). When livestock prices in Garissa are high, traders at terminal markets complain because they have to sell under weighing scales where negotiations do not apply. However, drought effects both animals’ body condition and market demand. Consequently, the price of grade 2 stock sometimes increases to that of grade 1 due to low availability of stock in the sell-yard.

The drought of late 2016 had pushed animals out of Garissa County, with some crossing the border to southern Somalia. After the drought, the weather changed for the better in late 2017. Rains have been good lately and many of the stock that had temporarily moved towards the coastal areas and to southern Somalia are now returning to North-Eastern Kenya. They are responsible for the current boom of Garissa livestock market. ‘Volumes are now high and we issue permits daily for the dispatch of 1000 stock on average to terminal markets starting from Wednesday to Saturday’, livestock officer Mr. Nthimba told us.

Two cattle species are traded in Garissa; the white short horned Boran cattle dominant in North-Eastern Kenya, which is locally raised, and the brown-reddish ‘sahiwal’ species, which is mostly found in southern Somalia and trekked to Garissa. The latter is more resistant to drought and its large size fetches higher market prices. The livestock officer highlighted the relationship between market demand and fodder; ‘If you look around the market, only those animals that are not very healthy remain, because they don’t attract buyers. They will be taken for feeding and be brought back next Wednesday’. ‘Those traders who select animals in the yard are not doing business’, explains one of the trader we meet, ‘Where do I take the remaining weak stock?’, he asked. ‘I have to purchase fodder daily until the next market day, or give them away for a throw away price to avoid additional cost’.

Boran and ‘sahiwal’ cattle in a covered corral.

©  Philemon O. Ngasike (2018)

Cattle prices are determined by a number of factors, most importantly; demand in terminal markets, their species, grade and age. Terminal market demand in turn is affected by the availability of different livestock sourcing options. For example, some Nairobi based traders opt to source Maasai cattle from the Kenyan-Tanzanian border because of favorable exchange rates. But according to traders and brokers we talked to in Garissa ‘the taste of the meat from Northeastern cattle has always been superior and its demand incomparable’.

Although cattle represent the bulk of livestock trading in Garissa it is rarely consumed locally. Only 4 to 6 cattle are slaughtered for consumption in Garissa, as the local ethnic Somali population prefers goat and camel meat. According to the head of the Garissa abattoir, some 15 to 20 camels, 28 to 32 sheep, and 100 to 120 goats are slaughtered in Garissa on a daily basis. Somalis use donkeys for transporting small loads, but rarely consume them. Very few camels can be spotted within Garissa’s main livestock market. The camel market is driven by local consumption and the main camel market occurs every Tuesday at ‘Bangale’ in Tana River County, approximately 42km from Garissa livestock market.  

Dan who specializes in goat trading is in his early 30s. He lives in Madogo in Tana River close to Bangale. Every morning at 5 am he travels to Garissa market to take goats to the abattoir. According to him, Bangale started around 15 years ago as an informal bush market, but currently it has a marketing association with an organized structure. Population growth in Garissa and increasing demand for camel meat caused traders from surrounding Tana River and coastal region to trek camels to Garissa. But Bangale was the final stopover for camel treks, with tall trees for resting and suitable for the browsing ruminants. The only bridge that crosses Tana river and leads to Garissa County is narrow and busy. Aggressive traders from Garissa decided to look for camels at Bangale, and soon everyone decided to buy camel from Bangale on Tuesdays, hence today most of the camels slaughtered in Garissa’s abbatoir were purchase at Bangale market.

Livestock marketing has its seasonal rhythms. Most of the trading occurs between September and March, reaching its lowest volumes between spring and summer. Garissa cattle market also has a weekly rhythm. On Mondays and Tuesdays sellers bring their stock to the market, where they are corralled in different enclosures. Wednesdays, when we visit the market, is the main market day. Thursdays and Fridays the remaining cattle is sold as the market dries up towards the end of the week, only to be ‘filled up’ again the next week on Mondays and Tuesdays. Most selling takes place on Wednesday and dispatches dominate subsequent days. Anyone who opts to buy after Wednesday will be disadvantaged because only weak animals remain in the market.

'Off you go!’ Cattle on the loading ramp before their journey to terminal market.

©  Philemon O. Ngasike (2018)

While Garissa town hosts the main livestock market, five smaller feeder markets surround the town. Each of them sells different species of stock on different days and some operate on a daily basis. These livestock markets include Modogashe, Hullugo, Fafi, Masalani and Dadaab, which hosts one of the world’s largest refugee camps. Balambala is an additional market that is operational, but informal. Garissa County Government intends to improve infrastructure in most of these markets, a reaction to livestock traders’ protest to and critique towards government taxation of their livestock. Not all of the livestock from the region passes via Garissa market. For example, most of the animals traded in Masalani market flow towards the Kenyan Coast where other, competing markets exists, and where they are captured and treated in ranches for disease control purposes

The actual buying and selling of livestock is done by brokers. They facilitate all transactions and act as guarantors for either the buyer or the seller who are rarely physically present. Typically, traders in terminal markets ask brokers to look out for a particular quantity and quality of livestock, authorizing brokers to buy on their behalf. Unsurprisingly, brokers are livestock experts. In addition to being knowledgeable, their main capital is trust, a key feature of livestock trading, which operates primarily on the basis of oral contracts. An exception to this are the taxes collected by county governments who tax both livestock sales and trucks. The boundary between brokers and traders is blurred and mostly depends on one’s capital. When a trader suffers a major loss, he might start working as a broker, which requires less capital. Although a considerable number of women engage in trading small ruminants, few women act as livestock brokers within the official sell-yard.

This field report was written by Philemon O. Ngasike and GOVSEA coordinator Tobias Hagmann. Philemon is a PhD student at the University of Nairobi’s Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology. He studies livestock trading in the Garissa-Nairobi trade corridor.

[marlaalcott]

I'm going to make a post about OCD.

Let's start with some very very basic background story on my OCD. I have struggled with this illness for a long time. I can trace it back to as early as age 9/10. I have no recollection whether it existed beforehand, but even as a child I could recognize that I was doing things that didn't feel "normal" without rationalized/logical explanation. I felt overwhelming compulsions to carry out the actions.

In retrospect, the earliest symptoms that I can recall aligned with the period of my life that my brother was in a near fatal car accident (that's a whole other emotional post in itself). Irregular thoughts and actions for sure started at that point.

I don't know precisely what age this began, or if it existed before said car accident, but I also remember having hoarding tendencies for useless inanimate objects. I shared a bedroom with my brother, and in it we had these 2 dressers that were stacked on top of each other (we didn't have a lot of space). The open area/gap that existed between the dressers became a storage place for me. I used to put a lot of stuff in there. Most of it was useless crap. For example: I remember saving wrappers from Spice Girl bubblegum and lollipops.

There was also a time in my early teens that I used to save transit tickets. I legit was able to pick up any given transfer, look at the time and date, and remember exactly where I went and who I was with. They held sentiment and served as keepsakes.

Fast forward through my mid teenage years. I seemed to have fought off my illness for the most part during this period. By the time I met my life partner in my late teens, he described my outwardly strange actions as nothing more than "quirks". Yes. He agreed that some of the stuff I did seemed strange, but not outright crazy.

In my early 20's I had a full on OCD crash. The illness litterally consumed my entire existence. The 2 people who were closest to me watched and stood by as my sanity crumbled like the Roman Empire. I was lost. I was a shell of myself. It was rock bottom at that point in my life. My own personal hell. Something I would never wish on anyone. I strongly believe this was also the catalyst for the demise of my romantic relationship. My illness drove away the one person I loved more than anyone or anything in the world. And that fucking sucks. (More on that another day!).

Anyways. Let's fast forward to the present. I have tried my best to keep it under wraps the best that I can since way back then. It comes and goes varying severity, but luckily it hasn't been anything nearly as bad as back then. I battle it every waking moment of my existence.

Now let's speed up to the past few days. An incident took place Monday night/into Tuesday, that I'm not OK with. I entered into it willingly. Nothing "wrong" happened per se, but fuck if I felt anything but wrong afterwards. Here's some more back story to my current life and the situation at hand. I have spent the past year and a half living in denial of my still existent love for my ex. He broke up with me last May, and we have had nothing short of a rocky road since. We are 2 puzzle pieces that no longer fit together (there will be numerous posts on the topic of my heartache in the future). Not too long after we split, I had a sexual encounter that I consider non consensual. I refuse to classify it as r*pe due to the intense ramifications of that definition, but what took place was certainly not OK. To say the least. (Side note, that guy is a douchebag). I didn't handle the aftermath of that incident well. I made an effort to seek the help that I needed, but it fell through due to horrible management who denied my request to go to hospital emergency (because y'know. My 4 hour shift in a part time retail environment was the most important thing in the world!). Ugh.

Time carried on, and I fought through each passing day with mounting hurt and emotional trauma that stemmed from the devastation of the loss of a marriage (essentially), and then the non consensual scenario. Somehow I've made it through the last year running from all of this fuckery.

Yesterday a snippet of the buried trauma came creeping back in. I turned to 4 of my close friends for consoling. It was needed. I gained 4 different insights to try and put the situation into perspective. At the end of the day the most important questions were "Why do I feel guilty?" "Why do I have so much anxiety?" "Why do I feel "icky/dirty"?" The shitty thing is that I couldn't answer any of these questions with any amount of definitive clarity.

I have learned a few things though: I am NOT ready for sexual relations with any new human beings. As it turns out, I value sex as more of a sacred and spiritual connectiveness act than I previously thought I did. My heart and body still metaphorically belong to someone else (even though in reality they are MINE). I also believe that I need to be in love and part of an established relationship before I can consider engaging in any sexual acts. I need a foundation.

I didn't get any sleep Monday night. (Half an hour in and out consciousness if I'm lucky). But fuck if my OCD didn't kick my ass. My primary struggles are "contamination" oriented, coupled with magical thinking (I'll make a separate post with a more in depth definition of magical thinking). When those 2 are combined, you get me as a result! And God damn it is hell on earth.

Here's what happened. And I don't expect anyone to understand any of this (unless you have OCD as well).

I came home and headed straight into my room (as I usually do) to remove my boots and socks. My dogs came to greet me and tried to give me kisses, but I denied said kisses because I didn't want "oral sex germs" on my babies. I headed into the shower, got out, and then continued to commence my usual after shower routine. Here's where shit started to hit the fan. I grabbed a cotton pad and sprayed my toner onto it to wipe my face, and BAM. Magical thinking contamination OCD brain kicked in! I thought to myself "I haven't brushed my teeth yet. The inside of my mouth is still contaminated. What if the cotton pad spread those still existent germs onto my clean face?". I tried to ignore my irrational concerns and carried on. I applied moisturizer and the rest of my face products, put hair product in my hair, deodorant on the pits, I peed, then I exited the bathroom and got dressed. When I was done all that I acquired my toothbrush and brought it back into the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I finished brushing, I broke down. I used hand soap to rewash my entire face, but I couldn't shake the feelings that my face was contaminated. So back into the shower I went! 2 showers. 2 FUCKING SHOWERS. FML. And when I got out the second time, I had a hard time believing that I even brushed my teeth to begin with (yay magical thinking brain for being able to convince myself of untruths!). I got through it all and went out to see a friend, but when I got home my anxiety was still fucked and I felt unsafe in my bed.

I got lots of MUCH NEEDED sleep, but I still felt "scared" of my bedding when I woke up. That fear did not diminish with the sleep. Remember how I said I took off my boots when I got home? Yeah. My "dirty" clothes touched my bedding. *Gasp*

I was supposed to see a couple of close friends today, but she had to cancel. So I succumbed to my OCD! I full spiraled. Like I did years ago. I legitimately felt my brain unraveling into that same insanity. I recognized this place. I have been there before. And my biggest fear is falling right off the rails again.

After I was cancelled on, I didn't know what to do with myself or my day. I was also emotionally worked up and anxious, because I had just looked at my exes Facebook page (this is a form of self harm for me. Seeing his public flirtations with his new love interest, is more than I can handle at this time in my life). So into the wash half of my bedding goes! And then I hopped back into the shower, sat down, and cried under the running hot water while asking higher powers to help me. All in all I have rewashed bedding that was already cleaned not even a week ago along with some clothing (clothing that included what I wore into the hotel Monday night), and showered twice. Totally unnecessary, but fuck. At least I feel calmer.

I think my OCD is coming back into play as a control mechanism. My ex is building a new life for himself along with a new partner, and it's my mind's way of easing itself. Everything is falling apart (hopefully to eventually come back together), and my illness is resurfacing in attempts to regain some kind of power. (I'm scared of my toothbrush btw).

I believe suppressed feelings of my non consensual sexual encounter from last year also resurfaced yesterday. Disclaimer: This incident was with someone I know and trust. It wasn't "wrong", but it felt wrong for me. I am NOT someone who can do the whole NSA/FWB thing. I learned about myself!

The guy I was with even made a few comments along the way of being concerned about my fragility. Turns out, he was right! I guess he knows aspects of myself better than I even do. :(

Today was a huge OCD failure. I NEED a psychiatrist referral. I don't want to go back to my dark place.

[supplementhoundblog]

10 Best SAM-e Supplements – Reviewed & Ranked for 2017

Last Updated: Tuesday, April 25, 2017

If you’re looking for the best SAM-e supplements to buy this year, then you’ve come to the right place. 

You can also get more info by jumping to our SAM-e Supplements Guide.

Top 10 SAM-e Supplements

#1 Doctor’s Best SAM-e 400 More Info #2 Nature Made SAM-e Complete More Info #3 Now Foods SAM-e More Info #4 Jarrow Formulas SAM-e More Info #5 Source Naturals Double Strength SAM-e More Info #6 Natrol SAM-e More Info #7 Pure Encapsulations – SAM-e More Info #8 We Like Vitamins Best Value SAM-e More Info #9 Mental Refreshment Nutrition SAM-e More Info #10 Piping Rock Health Products SAM-e More Info

SAM-e Supplements Guide

Since 1999, many Americans have tried using a supplement commonly known by its acronym, SAMe. It was introduced as a prescription drug in Italy in 1979 and made the circuit through Europe before coming to America just before the end of the twentieth century.

This orally ingested supplement has gained popularity over the past few decades for its seeming abilities to reduce symptoms common among those who are diagnosed with liver diseases, osteoarthritis, depression, and multiple other diseases and disorders. While more high-quality scientific studies are required in order to more fully comprehend what SAMe does and how it might benefit or harm certain people, it appears to be relatively safe for many people to take.

As always, a doctor should be consulted before a new supplement is added to a dietary and medication regimen. SAMe does seem to negatively interact with some medications, including MAOI antidepressants.

What is SAMe?

S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (also referred to by the acronym SAMe) is a synthetic form of the naturally-occurring chemical found in the human body as a result of the amino acid methionine interacting with an energy-carrying molecule called adenosine triphosphate. Additionally, methionine is found in certain foods, such as cheese, pork, and fish. Methionine has been shown to help in developing stronger nails and hair.

Depression and impaired liver functions are reported in those with abnormal levels of methionine made naturally in their bodies. SAMe has been used to treat these conditions as well as osteoarthritis since it works as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. This also makes it potentially helpful for treating other types of autoimmune disorders (such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which causes symptoms like liver impairment, inflammation, and depression to manifest) and thyroid diseases like hypothyroidism.

SAMe works by donating a methyl group during a chemical reaction, which causes it to be converted to the amino acid S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH), which is used in metabolic pathways and as an intermediary in the synthesis of adenosine and cysteine.

Benefits of SAMe Supplements

SAMe supplements have been shown to benefit those who are diagnosed with depression, liver diseases, and osteoarthritis. Studies are beginning to look more critically at how SAMe interacts with those who have severe migraines, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and those who are attempting to quit smoking.

40 human subject studies show that SAMe trials positively impacted those with depression. SAMe appears to work quickly, while antidepressants can take days or even weeks to kick in. However, scientists do not yet know exactly how SAMe works. It could potentially change levels of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the nervous system), which get slowed by chemical imbalances inherent in those with depression. It has been shown to affect the neurotransmitter dopamine. It can also help the body maintain appropriately balanced levels of glutathione, an antioxidant that protects the body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals taken in through the inhalation of oxygen.

SAMe has been studied in comparison with NSAIDs taken by osteoarthritis patients. While NSAIDs and SAMe both treat pain and inflammation symptoms, SAMe appears to have fewer side-effects as evidenced in some studies, but further studies are needed to determine if SAMe is truly more effective at treating multiple, complex osteoarthritis symptoms.

Are There any Side Effects?

First and foremost, it is imperative that anyone interested in taking a supplement speaks with their doctor to find out if it is the right supplement for them and, if so, what dosage they should take. SAMe is currently up-for-debate as a method to treat some diseases and disorders. For example, many doctors disagree over whether SAMe should be used to treat Parkinson’s patients. Since more high-quality studies need to be conducted before a verdict can be reached, it is important to note the side-effects that are generally reported by those who take SAMe supplements.

It is not really known is SAMe is safe or dangerous for women who are pregnant, lactating, or looking to become pregnant. Small dosages might be okay for women who are pregnant, but there is not enough evidence to show that larger dosages would also be safe to take if pregnant or looking to become pregnant. It is also unknown just how safe SAMe supplements are for children.

SAMe is generally considered to be safe for most people, although there is concern that it might worsen symptoms of mania in those with bipolar disorder. Those with bipolar disorder are usually encouraged to not take SAMe due to these negative side-effects. SAMe supplements are also seemingly unsafe for those diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (which is caused by hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) enzyme deficiency), as it might make some of the syndrome’s symptoms even worse. Additionally, since SAMe supplements seem to impact the Central Nervous System (CNS), it is advisable that anyone having surgery stop taking SAMe supplements at least two weeks prior to their operation date.

How to Take SAMe Supplements

SAMe should always be taken prior to ingesting any food. Drinking water with SAMe is encouraged if symptoms like heartburn or nausea occur, and SAMe should be taken earlier in the day since it is a stimulant and can contribute to sleep disruption and even potentially insomnia if taken in the evening or at night.

SAMe is usually taken in daily dosages ranging between 400 mg on the low end and 1,600 mg on the high end. Lower dosages (which range from 400 to 800 mg) should ideally be taken once per day, about half an hour prior to a full meal. Anyone who plans on taking higher dosages should consider splitting them up, taking the first dosage half an hour before eating breakfast and taking the second dosage about half an hour before consuming their lunch.

SAMe may not be safe to take with antidepressants (specifically MAOIs) but might be okay to take with some SSRIs (like Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac), and those who are taking other medications at the same time should consult with their doctor to see if it is safe to take those medications in conjunction with SAMe. SAMe that is marketed toward adult humans should only be taken by adult humans. Do not attempt to give SAMe to people under the age of 18 or to animals. (There are SAMe supplements specifically designed for pets.)

What to Look for in a Good SAMe Supplement

It is imperative that individuals looking into taking SAMe supplements know what to look for in a high-quality SAMe supplement. One of the most important things to look for is SAMe supplements that have an enteric coating. Enteric coating protects SAMe from stomach acid destruction as it passes through the small intestine and stomach. SAMe should be released after it passes through the stomach, but food blocks the absorption of SAMe, so make sure to take enteric coated SAMe prior to eating anything.

There are many brands of SAMe supplements available on the market, so it is important to be aware of which brands are more reputable and reliable with their products. Some brands use talc as one of their ingredients, and talc should ideally be avoided. Talc is a carcinogen containing asbestos fibers (asbestos can become lethal if it gets into the lungs, where it will incubate, causing a person to drown in their own lung fluid), and it is not considered food grade by the FDA. However, it is still present in many supplements.

Good SAMe supplements should also be soy-free. Soy (sometimes presented as soybean oil) is an allergen that causes negative side-effects like indigestion. Also, 90% of soy products grown in the United States are sprayed with a deadly herbicide called Roundup and tend to be genetically-modified since they are mass-produced in order to be affordably priced.

The post 10 Best SAM-e Supplements – Reviewed & Ranked for 2017 appeared first on Supplement Hound - Supplement Reviews for 2016.

from Supplement Hound – Supplement Reviews for 2016 http://supplementhound.com/best-sam-e-supplements/

[bloojayoolie]

Being Alone, Cats, and Children: Mack Id 64211, 2 Yrs., 56 lbs. of Love & Sweetness Waiting for you, at Manhattan ACC The sweetest, smile on the wiggliest of frames, a super sweet, friendly boy who loves kids is given up for his parent's asthma:- TO BE KILLED – 6/4/2019 He wags his paw, he puts his head down, eyes all squinty as he wiggles his way towards you like there’s no tomorrow, and then….and then he steals a kiss. MACK adores people, and there’s no “if’s” “and’s” or “but’s” about that. We dare you not to fall hopelessly in love with this adorable boy with his big paws, happy face, and glorious smile. All the volunteers and staff have handed him their hearts, so have we. Why not you? The only reason he is even at the shelter is because his parent has asthma and is allergic to poor Mack. He has only good will in his heart, and hope that a family will love him forever this time. He adored two children who he happily played with for hours, and his resume is sterling – house and crate trained, well behaved alone, and so much more. Remember how we said he wiggles like there’s no tomorrow? Well, there is no tomorrow for Mack, because he is set to die on Tuesday in Manhattan, and only you can save his life. He asks only one favor – he would like to be your “only doggy child.” But when a boy has this much love to share, who needs another dog? Right. No one. So hurry and MESSAGE our page or email us at MustLoveDogsNYC@gmail.com if you can give Mack the life he continues to dream of, and believes will come true. MACK, ID# 64211, 2 Yrs. Old, 56.6 lbs, Unaltered Male Manhattan ACC, Large Mixed Breed, Gray / White Owner Surrender Reason: Allergies (person) Shelter Assessment Rating: New Hope Rescue Only AT RISK NOTE: Mack adores people. But Mack has displayed a concerning level of dog reactivity and barrier frustration at the care center. Mack would be best suited for placement with a new hope partner that can provide the necessary behavior modification. Medically, Mack seems healthy. INTAKE NOTE – DATE OF INTAKE, 5/28/2019: Upon intake, Mack had a loose body and approached me as I approached him. Mack remained loose bodied as I scanned for a microchip. Mack remained loose bodied during the intake and was not bothered as I collared him and placed a leash. Mack pulled hard on the leash as we walked and became tense when we approached his kennel. Mack remained tense as he was picked up and placed into his kennel. OWNER SURRENDER NOTES – BASIC INFORMATION: Mack is approximately a 2 year old male gray and white large mixed breed dog. Mack lived with previous owner for 7 months, and was surrendered because his owner has asthma. Mack previously lived with one adult and three children. He is friendly with strangers and will approach them and allows to be pet. Mack previously lived with 9 and 15 year old children. Mack is friendly, affectionate and playful with the children. Mack has not interacted with dogs. Mack has never interacted with cats. Mack is not bothered when his food or bowl is touched while he is eating. Mack is not bothered when a toy or treat is taken away. Mack has never bitten another animal or human. He is housetrained and has a medium energy level. Other Notes: Mack is not bothered by loud noises or fireworks. Mack struggles when being bathed and will try to run away. Mack has never had his nails trimmed. Mack is not bothered when being pushed off of furniture. Mack is not bothered when an unfamiliar approaches his owner or a family member. Mack has a medical issue – he has some hot spots that he licks. For a New Family to Know: Mack is a friendly, affectionate, playful, confident and energetic dog. When at home, Mack will follow you around and likes to be in the same room as you. Mack was kept mostly indoors and slept on the floor or on the owner's bed. Mack was fed Pedigree dry food twice a day. Mack is house trained and goes potty outdoors. Mack is well behaved when left home alone but may sometimes whine. Mack is crate trained and does well with the door closed over night. For exercise, Mack was taken out for walks twice a day. On the leash, Mack pulls lightly on the leash. Mack has never been walked off a leash. SHELTER ASSESMENT SUMMARIES - Date of assessment:: 5/29/2019 On Leash On Leash Comments: Unable to walk due to intensity of dog-reactivity. Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Highly social Call over: Approaches readily Sociability comments: Body soft, jumping up Handling Soft handling: Seeks contact Exuberant handling: Seeks contact Handling comments: leaning in, exposing belly, wagging tail Arousal Jog: Follows (loose) Arousal comments: None Knock: Approaches (loose) Knock Comments: None Toy: No response Toy comments: None DOG TO DOG SUMMARY: A single dog residence is recommended for Mack. Mack should also be kept out of dog park environments. It is highly recommended that Mack be muzzled for outside walks or in hallways/residencies where there may be high amounts of dog traffic. Mack displayed a tense body when attempting to conduct a greeting to the female helper dog. The safety gate was not opened, as Mack then began to growl, lunge, and snap toward the other dog. A realistic prop dog was used to evaluate Mack's initial reaction to the handler walking it on leash from a distance. Mack is allowed to approach the prop dog- he initially freezes, drops low to he ground, and begins to stalk toward it from a distance. When it is walked closer to Mack, immediately he growls, pins the prop dog, and bites it's face and neck. He releases the prop dog and wanders off after this. A muzzled introduction will not be conducted to a live dog due to safety and stress level concern. INTAKE BEHAVIOR - Date of intake:: 5/28/2019 Summary:: Loose body, allowed handling ENERGY LEVEL:: Mack is reported to have a medium level of energy. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: New Hope Only Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: Recommend no dog parks, Place with a New Hope partner. Recommendations comments:: Place with a New Hope partner: Due to the intensity of dog reactivity and aggression shown towards other dogs, the behavior department recommends Mack be placed with a New Hope placement partner who is able to provide an experienced foster home. A period of decompression is recommended to allow Mack to acclimate comfortably to his new environment; force-free, reward based training only is advised when introducing Mack to new and unfamiliar situations. Consultation with a professional trainer/behaviorist is highly recommended for guidance to safely manage/modify any behavior Mack presents with outside of the care centers. Single dog home/no dog parks: Mack has displayed highly concerning, offensive behavior toward other dogs and should be the only resident dog in a future home. Mack should be kept out of dog park environments. Potential challenges: : On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration Potential challenges comments:: On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: At the care center, Mack has displayed extreme reactivity towards other dogs by growling, barking, stalking, lunging, and snapping. Please see handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. MEDICAL EXAM NOTES 29/05/2019 per behavior, adding trazodone 300mg PO q12h while in shelter. 29/05/2019 [DVM Intake] DVM Intake Exam Estimated age:2y Microchip noted on Intake?982000410376105 Microchip Number (If Applicable): History :o surrender Subjective: Observed Behavior -very reactive with other dogs. with people, wags tail, head down, seeks petting, gives paw. Evidence of Cruelty seen -n Evidence of Trauma seen -n Objective T = P =80 R =wnl, some stertor BCS 5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: clean teeth (front only seen) PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G:2 testes MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment: healthy Prognosis:good Plan:neuter SURGERY: Okay for surgery *** TO FOSTER OR ADOPT *** MACK IS RESCUE ONLY. You must fill out applications with New Hope Rescues to foster or adopt him. He cannot be reserved online at the ACC ARL, nor can he be direct adopted at the shelter. PLEASE HURRY AND MESSAGE OUR PAGE FOR ASSISTANCE! HOW TO RESERVE A “TO BE KILLED” DOG ONLINE (only for those who can get to the shelter IN PERSON to complete the adoption process, and only for the dogs on the list NOT marked New Hope Rescue Only). Follow our Step by Step directions below! *PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST USE A PC OR TABLET – PHONE RESERVES WILL NOT WORK! ** STEP 1: CLICK ON THIS RESERVE LINK: http://bit.ly/2ynocEZ Step 2: Go to the red menu button on the top right corner, click register and fill in your info. Step 3: Go to your email and verify account \ Step 4: Go back to the website, click the menu button and view available dogs Step 5: Scroll to the animal you are interested and click reserve STEP 6 ( MOST IMPORTANT STEP ): GO TO THE MENU AGAIN AND VIEW YOUR CART. THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOW BE IN YOUR CART! Step 7: Fill in your credit card info and complete transaction HOW TO FOSTER OR ADOPT IF YOU *CANNOT* GET TO THE SHELTER IN PERSON, OR IF THE DOG IS NEW HOPE RESCUE ONLY! You must live within 3 – 4 hours of NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Norther VA. Please PM our page for assistance. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a dog on the To Be Killed list, including those labelled Rescue Only. Hurry please, time is short, and the Rescues need time to process the applications. Shelter contact information Phone number (212) 788-4000 Email adoption@nycacc.org Shelter Addresses: Brooklyn Shelter: 2336 Linden Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11208 Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St. New York, NY 10029 Staten Island Shelter: 3139 Veterans Road West Staten Island, NY 10309 *** NEW NYC ACC RATING SYSTEM *** Level 1 Dogs with Level 1 determinations are suitable for the majority of homes. These dogs are not displaying concerning behaviors in shelter, and the owner surrender profile (where available) is positive. Level 2 Dogs with Level 2 determinations will be suitable for adopters with some previous dog experience. They will have displayed behavior in the shelter (or have owner reported behavior) that requires some training, or is simply not suitable for an adopter with minimal experience. Level 3 Dogs with Level 3 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters, and the ACC strongly suggest that the adopter have prior experience with the challenges described and/or an understanding of the challenge and how to manage it safely in a home environment. In many cases, a trainer will be needed to manage and work on the behaviors safely in a home environment. New Hope Rescue Only Dog is not publicly adoptable. Prospective fosters or adopters need to fill out applications with New Hope Partner Rescues to save this dog.