GRIEF: COPING WITH REMINDERS AFTER A LOSS
Grief doesn’t magically end after a certain point after a loved one’s death
Often brings back the pain and of loss even years after but here is some helpful tip for coping and healing
When a loved one dies, but you may be faced with grief over your loss again and again sometimes even years after the feelings of grief may return on your loved one’s anniversary death or on your loved one’s or other special days throughout the year anniversary reaction, it isn’t necessarily a setback in the grieving process it’s a reflection that a loved one’s life was important to continue down the path towards healing what to expect and how to cope with the reminder of the loss.
Friday, January 28, 2011
GRIEF COMES WITH MANY EMOTIONS
GRIEF COMES WITH MANY EMOTIONS
There aren’t any “should” with respect with how grief is felt or expressed. It’s common for people who have lost a spouse or someone close to feel sad, angry, helpless, guilty, anxious, lonely and frightened. It is also common to experience a sense of shock or numbness, especially if the death was sudden and unexpected. All of these feelings are normal.
Generally speaking, common emotions of grief are:
Shock
At first, it may be difficult to accept that your loved one has died. Some survivors cry, but others are too numb. They’re in shock. Shock acts as defense against the painful feelings associated with loss. Shock is nature’s way of helping us through what otherwise seems unbearable.
Disorganization
As shock lessens, feelings of uncertainty, confusion and disorganization often set in. All of the activities associated with everyday life may seem unimportant given the major loss you’ve experienced. A person’s normal routine is now forever changed.
Volatile emotions
Anger, bitterness, hostility and resentment are common emotions experienced by a grieving person. These feelings may come on suddenly and without explanation. These types of feelings, while uncomfortable, are no cause for shame. It’s best to just accept your emotions and express them in healthy ways.
Guilt
Feeling of guilt and anger may occur at the same time. Some people may feel guilty because of their angry feelings. Others feel guilty about something that was said or done that is now regretted. Still others may experience guilt if they believe they could have done something to prevent the deceased person’s illness or death. Such nagging thought often begin with “if only” of “what if.”
When working through your feeling of guilt be open to confiding these thoughts and feelings with a trusted friend or relative. If individuals find themselves feeling guilty and angry for long periods and can’t seem to move on, it’s important to consult with a professional.
Loss and loneliness
This is often the most painful of emotions and involves acknowledging the significance of the loss. Many people will feel depressed and will withdraw from activities they enjoyed.
Some people find it useful to seek the help of a professional counselor or a support group to help them through this difficult time.
Relief and recovery
Feelings of relief and a sense that the worst is overcome with the realization that life will go on and that you’ll be alright. It is important to realize that feeling relief in no way diminishes the loss you have experienced. It simply marks the beginning of recovery.
There aren’t any “should” with respect with how grief is felt or expressed. It’s common for people who have lost a spouse or someone close to feel sad, angry, helpless, guilty, anxious, lonely and frightened. It is also common to experience a sense of shock or numbness, especially if the death was sudden and unexpected. All of these feelings are normal.
Generally speaking, common emotions of grief are:
Shock
At first, it may be difficult to accept that your loved one has died. Some survivors cry, but others are too numb. They’re in shock. Shock acts as defense against the painful feelings associated with loss. Shock is nature’s way of helping us through what otherwise seems unbearable.
Disorganization
As shock lessens, feelings of uncertainty, confusion and disorganization often set in. All of the activities associated with everyday life may seem unimportant given the major loss you’ve experienced. A person’s normal routine is now forever changed.
Volatile emotions
Anger, bitterness, hostility and resentment are common emotions experienced by a grieving person. These feelings may come on suddenly and without explanation. These types of feelings, while uncomfortable, are no cause for shame. It’s best to just accept your emotions and express them in healthy ways.
Guilt
Feeling of guilt and anger may occur at the same time. Some people may feel guilty because of their angry feelings. Others feel guilty about something that was said or done that is now regretted. Still others may experience guilt if they believe they could have done something to prevent the deceased person’s illness or death. Such nagging thought often begin with “if only” of “what if.”
When working through your feeling of guilt be open to confiding these thoughts and feelings with a trusted friend or relative. If individuals find themselves feeling guilty and angry for long periods and can’t seem to move on, it’s important to consult with a professional.
Loss and loneliness
This is often the most painful of emotions and involves acknowledging the significance of the loss. Many people will feel depressed and will withdraw from activities they enjoyed.
Some people find it useful to seek the help of a professional counselor or a support group to help them through this difficult time.
Relief and recovery
Feelings of relief and a sense that the worst is overcome with the realization that life will go on and that you’ll be alright. It is important to realize that feeling relief in no way diminishes the loss you have experienced. It simply marks the beginning of recovery.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
SYMBOLS/MYTHS/LEGENDS-LEPRECHAUN
SYMBOLS/MYTHS/LEGENDS
LEPRECHAUN
A leprechaun n Irish folklore was, a little sprite, or goblin.
The name leprechaun may have derived from the Irish leath brogan or shoemaker, though its origins lay lie in laucharma’s Irish for pygmy.
These apparently aged, diminutive men are frequently to be found in an intoxicated state, caused by home-brew poteen. However they never become so drunk that the hand which holds the hammer becomes unsteady and their shoemaker’s work affected.
Leprechauns have also become self-appointed guardians of ancient treasure, burying it in crocks or pots.
If caught by a mortal, he will promise great wealth if allowed to go free. He carries two leather pouches. In one there is a silver shilling, a magical coin that returns to the purse each time it is paid out. In the other he carries a gold coin which he uses to try and bribe his way out of difficult situations. This coin usually turns to leaves or ashes once the leprechaun has parted with it.
The leprechaun ‘family’ appears split into two distinct groups – leprechaun and cluricaun. Although the leprechaun has been described as Ireland’s national fairy, this name was originally only used in the north Leinster area. Variants include lurcahmain, lurican, lurgadhan.
The legends of Ireland are rife with mentions of the charming, impish Lepechaun. If you are curious about the lore and history of your ancestral home, you may be interested in learning more about the leprechaun and his origins in the myths, folklore, and verse of the Emerald Isle.
The leprechaun is traditionally viewed as a mischievous little creature, who spends his days crafting shoes and storing his profits in the proverbial pot of gold. Legend has it that you can find the pot o’ gold if you listen closely for the hammering sounds the tiny fairy makes as he does his work.
Catching a leprechaun is hard work. They are inclined to resist contact with human beings, according to legend, and they are crafty. The leprechaun will share his secrets with you if you are lucky enough to find him. According to the tales of old, a leprechaun will lead you to his pot of gold and bestow his riches upon you, if you are clever enough to meet him.
The classic leprechaun of Irish folklore stands a mere 24 inches in height, and he will have a glint of mischief in his sparkling eyes. He will greet you with a bright, happy expression that may mask some element of trickery. Leprechauns enjoy their own prankish nature, and they will relish playing tricks to fool the people who seek them out.
Your leprechaun may have an appetite for fine malt whiskey and tobacco from a pipe. They are also rumored to be able to drink you under the table, despite their diminutive size! These pleasure seeking fairy creatures carry many secrets, and they will take pains to protect their treasure from prying eyes.
There are no female leprechauns. These elfin beings have inhabited the Emerald Isle for thousands of years, before the Druids practiced their Pagan faith in Ireland. In order to capture one of these elusive fairies, you must maintain eye contact with him. He cannot flee as long as you stare at one another. However, if you turn away from him, he will seize his chance and disappear.
Beware of the many hidden powers of the leprechaun. He may have the ability to hypnotize you, and his power will allow his to escape. Keep watch for his bright red coat, and his distinctive, pointed cap. He will be a sharp dresser, with many rows of decorative buttons upon his cloak.
The legend of the leprechaun is one of Ireland’s most charming tales. There are many symbols of Ireland, and the little limp who cobbles shoes and hides his riches in a pot of gold is just one example of the Irish story-telling tradition.
If you enjoy Irish symbols and folklore, you will find other examples on today’s Irish jewelry designs, which echo the tales of the Irish people. Shamrocks and Claddagh symbols all tell a story of centuries past, and they are a fine way to celebrate the gifts of story and verse that are a hallmark of the Irish people.
LEPRECHAUN
A leprechaun n Irish folklore was, a little sprite, or goblin.
The name leprechaun may have derived from the Irish leath brogan or shoemaker, though its origins lay lie in laucharma’s Irish for pygmy.
These apparently aged, diminutive men are frequently to be found in an intoxicated state, caused by home-brew poteen. However they never become so drunk that the hand which holds the hammer becomes unsteady and their shoemaker’s work affected.
Leprechauns have also become self-appointed guardians of ancient treasure, burying it in crocks or pots.
If caught by a mortal, he will promise great wealth if allowed to go free. He carries two leather pouches. In one there is a silver shilling, a magical coin that returns to the purse each time it is paid out. In the other he carries a gold coin which he uses to try and bribe his way out of difficult situations. This coin usually turns to leaves or ashes once the leprechaun has parted with it.
The leprechaun ‘family’ appears split into two distinct groups – leprechaun and cluricaun. Although the leprechaun has been described as Ireland’s national fairy, this name was originally only used in the north Leinster area. Variants include lurcahmain, lurican, lurgadhan.
The legends of Ireland are rife with mentions of the charming, impish Lepechaun. If you are curious about the lore and history of your ancestral home, you may be interested in learning more about the leprechaun and his origins in the myths, folklore, and verse of the Emerald Isle.
The leprechaun is traditionally viewed as a mischievous little creature, who spends his days crafting shoes and storing his profits in the proverbial pot of gold. Legend has it that you can find the pot o’ gold if you listen closely for the hammering sounds the tiny fairy makes as he does his work.
Catching a leprechaun is hard work. They are inclined to resist contact with human beings, according to legend, and they are crafty. The leprechaun will share his secrets with you if you are lucky enough to find him. According to the tales of old, a leprechaun will lead you to his pot of gold and bestow his riches upon you, if you are clever enough to meet him.
The classic leprechaun of Irish folklore stands a mere 24 inches in height, and he will have a glint of mischief in his sparkling eyes. He will greet you with a bright, happy expression that may mask some element of trickery. Leprechauns enjoy their own prankish nature, and they will relish playing tricks to fool the people who seek them out.
Your leprechaun may have an appetite for fine malt whiskey and tobacco from a pipe. They are also rumored to be able to drink you under the table, despite their diminutive size! These pleasure seeking fairy creatures carry many secrets, and they will take pains to protect their treasure from prying eyes.
There are no female leprechauns. These elfin beings have inhabited the Emerald Isle for thousands of years, before the Druids practiced their Pagan faith in Ireland. In order to capture one of these elusive fairies, you must maintain eye contact with him. He cannot flee as long as you stare at one another. However, if you turn away from him, he will seize his chance and disappear.
Beware of the many hidden powers of the leprechaun. He may have the ability to hypnotize you, and his power will allow his to escape. Keep watch for his bright red coat, and his distinctive, pointed cap. He will be a sharp dresser, with many rows of decorative buttons upon his cloak.
The legend of the leprechaun is one of Ireland’s most charming tales. There are many symbols of Ireland, and the little limp who cobbles shoes and hides his riches in a pot of gold is just one example of the Irish story-telling tradition.
If you enjoy Irish symbols and folklore, you will find other examples on today’s Irish jewelry designs, which echo the tales of the Irish people. Shamrocks and Claddagh symbols all tell a story of centuries past, and they are a fine way to celebrate the gifts of story and verse that are a hallmark of the Irish people.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Ranger and Harley and Electra Meet Danger
RANGER AND HARLEY AND ELECTRA MEET DANGER
Harley and Electra jus arrived in Clyde, North Carolina. They wanted Ranger, the horse, to take them, somewhere. So, both dogs in a jog ran and ran up to where Ranger was out behind a wire fence. And somehow, Ranger was able to dunk underneath the wire fence without getting electrocuted.
Once, Ranger was out from underneath the wire fence, he leaned down to the ground. And he allowed Electra and Harley to jump onto her back.
Once, the two dogs on the spot were on top of Ranger’s back, he said to the two dogs on the spot, “What did you two dogs have in mind for today? How about if I take yhou two dogs on the spot for a walk down the road. And from there, you two dogs on the spot, can decided jus where you want to go on such a nice day as today.”
Harley said to Ranger, “Electra and I would like to jus take a ride down a couple streets down the winding mountain roads, here, in Clyde. On a day like today, so warm, we jus would like to get away from our Masters for once. Because ever since, we’ve been, here, at the log cabin in a jog, we’ve been a little cooped up in the front yard with all that fencing around us. The fence seems to make us, feel as though, we’re cramped inside the front yard.”
Ranger responded, “Okay, hold on tight, because when I gallop, I tend to move quite fast down the mountain roads.”
So, first, as Ranger got back up onto his feet, the two dogs on the spot, made sure they were holding tight onto Ranger’s back. Then, Ranger along with the two dogs on the spot, were on their way down the road.
But as they all reached the stop sign at the end of the road, a pit bull, which lives at a corner house, starting barking fiercely at the dogs. And sensing that the pit bull was about to leap at Harley and Electra, they tried to run away from that corner. But before the two dogs in a job, could get away from the pit bull, the pit bull kept barking and barking louder and lounder.
Being that Ranger was sensing that Harley and Electra were in danger, he said tok the two dogs on the spot, “C’mon and hop onto my back. We’ve got to get away from this dog, because he seems to be the dangerous type.”
But Harley and Electra jus wanted fight or flight. So, the two dogs started running after the pit bull. And the two dogs and the pit bull got into a fierce fight. Harley and Electra tried to lash at the pit bull. But the pit bull turned more fierce to them. And it started in a spark, to try to match the strength of the pit bull. But the pit bull opened its jaws wide. And started to knaw at both Harley and Electra.
In seeing that Harley and Electra were getting attacked by the pit bull, Ranger couldn’t allow them to fall at the mercy of the pit bull. So, Ranger leaped at the pit bull and knocked that dog down to the ground. As the pit bull, finally, turned helpless, Harley and Electra, finally, were able to get away from that fierce dog on the spot.
Harley and Electra, with whatever strength, they had left in them, they jumped onto Ranger. And Ranger, at a trot, took both Harley and Electra back to the log cabin.
As they arrived over at the log cabin on the spot, Ranger trotted up to the side door of the log cabin. And he kicked at the side door. It was a good thing that Larry heard Ranger at the door. Because he, quickly, walked and walked over to the side door. And in seeing Ranger at the side door, Larry was able to see that Harley and Electra jus slid off of Ranger’s back. And the two dogs on the spot, were lying on the grass, gasping for breath.
Larry walked outside and in seeing the two dogs on the spot, lying on the grass out of breath, called Flo outside in a slide. Once, they both arrived outside in a slide, they, quickly, picked up Harley and Electra into their arms with a lot of charm. And they both put the dogs into the back part of the jeep. And upon Larry and Flo jumping and jumping into the jeep, they were off to the nearest vet to havae both Harley and Electra checked out in a slide.
Not much time later, as they arrived over at the vet, Larry and Flo hopped out of the jeep in a beat. And carefully, they each took one of the dogs into their arms. And both Larry and Flo walked into the vet’s office. And let the vet know that they have an emergency on their hands.
So, the vet took their two dogs right away. And the vet allowed Larry and Flo to walk inside the vet’s office. And especially, because both Harley and Electra were bad condition at this time in a slide.
Harley and Electra, finally, survived their wounds. And Larry and Flo took the two dogs on the spot, back to the log cabin. And once, they arrived back at the log cabin, they spent the rest of the day into the night, watching after the dogs on the spot. And they took turns taking care of their dogs on the spot, because the two dogs had to be watched very carefully.
By the next day, both Harley and Electra were alright. But Larry and Flo made the two dogs on the spot, have about a weeks’ rest to recover, fully, from the attack from the pit bull down at the corner. But the best thing about the whole thing, is that both Harley and Electra survived and were alright in a matter of days.
Harley and Electra jus arrived in Clyde, North Carolina. They wanted Ranger, the horse, to take them, somewhere. So, both dogs in a jog ran and ran up to where Ranger was out behind a wire fence. And somehow, Ranger was able to dunk underneath the wire fence without getting electrocuted.
Once, Ranger was out from underneath the wire fence, he leaned down to the ground. And he allowed Electra and Harley to jump onto her back.
Once, the two dogs on the spot were on top of Ranger’s back, he said to the two dogs on the spot, “What did you two dogs have in mind for today? How about if I take yhou two dogs on the spot for a walk down the road. And from there, you two dogs on the spot, can decided jus where you want to go on such a nice day as today.”
Harley said to Ranger, “Electra and I would like to jus take a ride down a couple streets down the winding mountain roads, here, in Clyde. On a day like today, so warm, we jus would like to get away from our Masters for once. Because ever since, we’ve been, here, at the log cabin in a jog, we’ve been a little cooped up in the front yard with all that fencing around us. The fence seems to make us, feel as though, we’re cramped inside the front yard.”
Ranger responded, “Okay, hold on tight, because when I gallop, I tend to move quite fast down the mountain roads.”
So, first, as Ranger got back up onto his feet, the two dogs on the spot, made sure they were holding tight onto Ranger’s back. Then, Ranger along with the two dogs on the spot, were on their way down the road.
But as they all reached the stop sign at the end of the road, a pit bull, which lives at a corner house, starting barking fiercely at the dogs. And sensing that the pit bull was about to leap at Harley and Electra, they tried to run away from that corner. But before the two dogs in a job, could get away from the pit bull, the pit bull kept barking and barking louder and lounder.
Being that Ranger was sensing that Harley and Electra were in danger, he said tok the two dogs on the spot, “C’mon and hop onto my back. We’ve got to get away from this dog, because he seems to be the dangerous type.”
But Harley and Electra jus wanted fight or flight. So, the two dogs started running after the pit bull. And the two dogs and the pit bull got into a fierce fight. Harley and Electra tried to lash at the pit bull. But the pit bull turned more fierce to them. And it started in a spark, to try to match the strength of the pit bull. But the pit bull opened its jaws wide. And started to knaw at both Harley and Electra.
In seeing that Harley and Electra were getting attacked by the pit bull, Ranger couldn’t allow them to fall at the mercy of the pit bull. So, Ranger leaped at the pit bull and knocked that dog down to the ground. As the pit bull, finally, turned helpless, Harley and Electra, finally, were able to get away from that fierce dog on the spot.
Harley and Electra, with whatever strength, they had left in them, they jumped onto Ranger. And Ranger, at a trot, took both Harley and Electra back to the log cabin.
As they arrived over at the log cabin on the spot, Ranger trotted up to the side door of the log cabin. And he kicked at the side door. It was a good thing that Larry heard Ranger at the door. Because he, quickly, walked and walked over to the side door. And in seeing Ranger at the side door, Larry was able to see that Harley and Electra jus slid off of Ranger’s back. And the two dogs on the spot, were lying on the grass, gasping for breath.
Larry walked outside and in seeing the two dogs on the spot, lying on the grass out of breath, called Flo outside in a slide. Once, they both arrived outside in a slide, they, quickly, picked up Harley and Electra into their arms with a lot of charm. And they both put the dogs into the back part of the jeep. And upon Larry and Flo jumping and jumping into the jeep, they were off to the nearest vet to havae both Harley and Electra checked out in a slide.
Not much time later, as they arrived over at the vet, Larry and Flo hopped out of the jeep in a beat. And carefully, they each took one of the dogs into their arms. And both Larry and Flo walked into the vet’s office. And let the vet know that they have an emergency on their hands.
So, the vet took their two dogs right away. And the vet allowed Larry and Flo to walk inside the vet’s office. And especially, because both Harley and Electra were bad condition at this time in a slide.
Harley and Electra, finally, survived their wounds. And Larry and Flo took the two dogs on the spot, back to the log cabin. And once, they arrived back at the log cabin, they spent the rest of the day into the night, watching after the dogs on the spot. And they took turns taking care of their dogs on the spot, because the two dogs had to be watched very carefully.
By the next day, both Harley and Electra were alright. But Larry and Flo made the two dogs on the spot, have about a weeks’ rest to recover, fully, from the attack from the pit bull down at the corner. But the best thing about the whole thing, is that both Harley and Electra survived and were alright in a matter of days.
Friday, January 7, 2011
GOOD LUCK NOT LETTING THE BEDBUGS BITE
GOOD LUCK NOT LETTING THE BEDBUGS BITE
For anyone hoping there’s a quick, easy treatment in the near future, take note of the hesitation in Coby Schal’s response.
Schal is an N.C. State University urban etomologist-the academic title for a guy who studies cockroaches, and of late, bedbugs- and he gets asked all the time whether a miracle might soon hit the market to stem growing infestations of the blood-sucking insets.
Pause.
Long, scary pause.
“I wish I had a short-term answer to that,” he says. Another pause. “But I don’t.”
Oh, agony and woe.
And the pessimism along leading bug scientists is nothing compared to the downer from exterminators, who now rank bedbugs among their worst and most prevalent problems.
Donnie Shelton, owner of Triangle Pest Control in Raleigh, said his bedbug business has increased 400-fold-just this year.
Tools of the trade
He bought a dog, named Scout, who is specially trained to sniff out bedbug infestations. Next month Shelton will offer what he believes is the area’s first heat-based eradication system, which uses industrial heaters to roast the bugs dead in their tracks.
Pesticides, he says, are increasingly ineffective.
“They become more resistant every single day,” Shelton says, “They’re insane. You can’t do anything with them. Everything in the arsenal isn’t working.”
Overuse of pesticides has likely contributed to the bedbugs’ resurgence, and that exact process is one of the mysteries Schal’s team at NCSU is trying to figure out.
Defeating pesticides
Until only recently, bedbugs seemed to be a scourge of the past, but their comeback has been a triumph of selective resilience that would be a marvel if it wasn’t so creepy.
“Bedbugs just drive people mad,” Shelton says, “The thought of an insect coming out and biting you when you’re sleeping-it makes people crazy.”
Infestations have hit area motels, NCSU and Wake Forest University dorm rooms, a home for the elderly in downtown Raleigh, and untold numbers of private residences.
Treatments can be extensive and expensive, requiring repeat visits that can run costs to well over $1,000.
When bedbugs first started showing up in North Carolina four years ago, Shelton says, a pesticide that relied on the chemical compound pyrethroid worked well. That didn’t last. Exterminators then switched to another chemical, also a pyrethroid-based compound, and it, too, failed.
Schal says he has dunked bedbugs in pyrethroid-literally soaked them-and they live. “They just walk away,” he says.
As s result, he suspects the bugs that are now infesting the United States hitchhiked here from Africa or South America, where pyrethroid-based insecticides have been sprayed liberally to eradicate mosquitoes that carry malaria and so-called kissing bugs that transmit Chagas disease.
When poisons are usedover and over again, the vulnerable bugs die, while the hardy ones live and breed, creating a master race that is impervious to the toxins.
And since bedbugs are notorious travelers-they can hop on luggage, clothing, purses-they easily spread in a go-go world.
The big questions.
Schal’s group at NCSU has a $350,000 grant to use DNA sequencing to trace the origins of current bedbug populations in the United States. The information, he says, will clarify “where they came from and why they’re here and why we’re having problems now that we didn’t have two decades ago.”
The failure of pyrethroid-based insecticides has created a unique situation in the battle against bedbugs.
With cockroaches, which have also grown resistant to the pesticide, exterminators have other weapons. They can use baits to attract the insects. The baits, spiked with another poison the insects eat, kill the critters and other than come in contact with them.
But bedbugs are built to suck blood, not scrounge food particles. In addition, scientists don’t know exactly what draws bedbugs to humans, other than the prospect of a blood meal.
Stealthy, resourceful.
Answering that question is another goal of Schal and his team at NCSU, in hopes the knowledge may results in something that allures bedbugs from the nooks and crannies where they hide.
That would be a major advance, because it’s a sneaky breed. Bedbugs can go months without a meal, burrow deep into furniture and walls, and are creative in where they hide their progeny; eggs have been found in picture frames, behind baseboards, even along the threads of headboard bolts.
Pest experts note that such survival skills make it hard for trained exterminators to clear an infestation, let alone do-it-yourselvers. They particularly caution people from using pesticide “bombs,” which contain pyrethroid and are generally ineffective. Multiple bombs only put residents at risk, not the bugs.
Mike Valdvogel, another NCSU entomologist, says there are steps people can take to prevent infestations in the first place. He says people who travel should check their hotel rooms for tell-tale signs of bedbugs, notably brown stains along the seams of mattresses, and keep their luggage off the floors, beds and chairs.
Once they return home, he says, people should unpack in the bathtub, where they’re more likely to see a hitchhiking bug, and immediately wash and dry all their clothes. He also recommends sequestering the suitcase outside or in the garage.
And while Waldvogel urges diligence, he also says there’s no reason to panic.
“You can’t just stay at home and hunker down and watch TV and never invite anyone into your house,” he says.
Then again, that doesn’t sound quite so bad.
savery@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4882
For anyone hoping there’s a quick, easy treatment in the near future, take note of the hesitation in Coby Schal’s response.
Schal is an N.C. State University urban etomologist-the academic title for a guy who studies cockroaches, and of late, bedbugs- and he gets asked all the time whether a miracle might soon hit the market to stem growing infestations of the blood-sucking insets.
Pause.
Long, scary pause.
“I wish I had a short-term answer to that,” he says. Another pause. “But I don’t.”
Oh, agony and woe.
And the pessimism along leading bug scientists is nothing compared to the downer from exterminators, who now rank bedbugs among their worst and most prevalent problems.
Donnie Shelton, owner of Triangle Pest Control in Raleigh, said his bedbug business has increased 400-fold-just this year.
Tools of the trade
He bought a dog, named Scout, who is specially trained to sniff out bedbug infestations. Next month Shelton will offer what he believes is the area’s first heat-based eradication system, which uses industrial heaters to roast the bugs dead in their tracks.
Pesticides, he says, are increasingly ineffective.
“They become more resistant every single day,” Shelton says, “They’re insane. You can’t do anything with them. Everything in the arsenal isn’t working.”
Overuse of pesticides has likely contributed to the bedbugs’ resurgence, and that exact process is one of the mysteries Schal’s team at NCSU is trying to figure out.
Defeating pesticides
Until only recently, bedbugs seemed to be a scourge of the past, but their comeback has been a triumph of selective resilience that would be a marvel if it wasn’t so creepy.
“Bedbugs just drive people mad,” Shelton says, “The thought of an insect coming out and biting you when you’re sleeping-it makes people crazy.”
Infestations have hit area motels, NCSU and Wake Forest University dorm rooms, a home for the elderly in downtown Raleigh, and untold numbers of private residences.
Treatments can be extensive and expensive, requiring repeat visits that can run costs to well over $1,000.
When bedbugs first started showing up in North Carolina four years ago, Shelton says, a pesticide that relied on the chemical compound pyrethroid worked well. That didn’t last. Exterminators then switched to another chemical, also a pyrethroid-based compound, and it, too, failed.
Schal says he has dunked bedbugs in pyrethroid-literally soaked them-and they live. “They just walk away,” he says.
As s result, he suspects the bugs that are now infesting the United States hitchhiked here from Africa or South America, where pyrethroid-based insecticides have been sprayed liberally to eradicate mosquitoes that carry malaria and so-called kissing bugs that transmit Chagas disease.
When poisons are usedover and over again, the vulnerable bugs die, while the hardy ones live and breed, creating a master race that is impervious to the toxins.
And since bedbugs are notorious travelers-they can hop on luggage, clothing, purses-they easily spread in a go-go world.
The big questions.
Schal’s group at NCSU has a $350,000 grant to use DNA sequencing to trace the origins of current bedbug populations in the United States. The information, he says, will clarify “where they came from and why they’re here and why we’re having problems now that we didn’t have two decades ago.”
The failure of pyrethroid-based insecticides has created a unique situation in the battle against bedbugs.
With cockroaches, which have also grown resistant to the pesticide, exterminators have other weapons. They can use baits to attract the insects. The baits, spiked with another poison the insects eat, kill the critters and other than come in contact with them.
But bedbugs are built to suck blood, not scrounge food particles. In addition, scientists don’t know exactly what draws bedbugs to humans, other than the prospect of a blood meal.
Stealthy, resourceful.
Answering that question is another goal of Schal and his team at NCSU, in hopes the knowledge may results in something that allures bedbugs from the nooks and crannies where they hide.
That would be a major advance, because it’s a sneaky breed. Bedbugs can go months without a meal, burrow deep into furniture and walls, and are creative in where they hide their progeny; eggs have been found in picture frames, behind baseboards, even along the threads of headboard bolts.
Pest experts note that such survival skills make it hard for trained exterminators to clear an infestation, let alone do-it-yourselvers. They particularly caution people from using pesticide “bombs,” which contain pyrethroid and are generally ineffective. Multiple bombs only put residents at risk, not the bugs.
Mike Valdvogel, another NCSU entomologist, says there are steps people can take to prevent infestations in the first place. He says people who travel should check their hotel rooms for tell-tale signs of bedbugs, notably brown stains along the seams of mattresses, and keep their luggage off the floors, beds and chairs.
Once they return home, he says, people should unpack in the bathtub, where they’re more likely to see a hitchhiking bug, and immediately wash and dry all their clothes. He also recommends sequestering the suitcase outside or in the garage.
And while Waldvogel urges diligence, he also says there’s no reason to panic.
“You can’t just stay at home and hunker down and watch TV and never invite anyone into your house,” he says.
Then again, that doesn’t sound quite so bad.
savery@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4882
GOOD LUCK NOT LETTING THE BEDBUGS BITE
GOOD LUCK NOT LETTING THE BEDBUGS BITE
For anyone hoping there’s a quick, easy treatment in the near future, take note of the hesitation in Coby Schal’s response.
Schal is an N.C. State University urban etomologist-the academic title for a guy who studies cockroaches, and of late, bedbugs- and he gets asked all the time whether a miracle might soon hit the market to stem growing infestations of the blood-sucking insets.
Pause.
Long, scary pause.
“I wish I had a short-term answer to that,” he says. Another pause. “But I don’t.”
Oh, agony and woe.
And the pessimism along leading bug scientists is nothing compared to the downer from exterminators, who now rank bedbugs among their worst and most prevalent problems.
Donnie Shelton, owner of Triangle Pest Control in Raleigh, said his bedbug business has increased 400-fold-just this year.
Tools of the trade
He bought a dog, named Scout, who is specially trained to sniff out bedbug infestations. Next month Shelton will offer what he believes is the area’s first heat-based eradication system, which uses industrial heaters to roast the bugs dead in their tracks.
Pesticides, he says, are increasingly ineffective.
“They become more resistant every single day,” Shelton says, “They’re insane. You can’t do anything with them. Everything in the arsenal isn’t working.”
Overuse of pesticides has likely contributed to the bedbugs’ resurgence, and that exact process is one of the mysteries Schal’s team at NCSU is trying to figure out.
Defeating pesticides
Until only recently, bedbugs seemed to be a scourge of the past, but their comeback has been a triumph of selective resilience that would be a marvel if it wasn’t so creepy.
“Bedbugs just drive people mad,” Shelton says, “The thought of an insect coming out and biting you when you’re sleeping-it makes people crazy.”
Infestations have hit area motels, NCSU and Wake Forest University dorm rooms, a home for the elderly in downtown Raleigh, and untold numbers of private residences.
Treatments can be extensive and expensive, requiring repeat visits that can run costs to well over $1,000.
When bedbugs first started showing up in North Carolina four years ago, Shelton says, a pesticide that relied on the chemical compound pyrethroid worked well. That didn’t last. Exterminators then switched to another chemical, also a pyrethroid-based compound, and it, too, failed.
Schal says he has dunked bedbugs in pyrethroid-literally soaked them-and they live. “They just walk away,” he says.
As s result, he suspects the bugs that are now infesting the United States hitchhiked here from Africa or South America, where pyrethroid-based insecticides have been sprayed liberally to eradicate mosquitoes that carry malaria and so-called kissing bugs that transmit Chagas disease.
When poisons are usedover and over again, the vulnerable bugs die, while the hardy ones live and breed, creating a master race that is impervious to the toxins.
And since bedbugs are notorious travelers-they can hop on luggage, clothing, purses-they easily spread in a go-go world.
The big questions.
Schal’s group at NCSU has a $350,000 grant to use DNA sequencing to trace the origins of current bedbug populations in the United States. The information, he says, will clarify “where they came from and why they’re here and why we’re having problems now that we didn’t have two decades ago.”
The failure of pyrethroid-based insecticides has created a unique situation in the battle against bedbugs.
With cockroaches, which have also grown resistant to the pesticide, exterminators have other weapons. They can use baits to attract the insects. The baits, spiked with another poison the insects eat, kill the critters and other than come in contact with them.
But bedbugs are built to suck blood, not scrounge food particles. In addition, scientists don’t know exactly what draws bedbugs to humans, other than the prospect of a blood meal.
Stealthy, resourceful.
Answering that question is another goal of Schal and his team at NCSU, in hopes the knowledge may results in something that allures bedbugs from the nooks and crannies where they hide.
That would be a major advance, because it’s a sneaky breed. Bedbugs can go months without a meal, burrow deep into furniture and walls, and are creative in where they hide their progeny; eggs have been found in picture frames, behind baseboards, even along the threads of headboard bolts.
Pest experts note that such survival skills make it hard for trained exterminators to clear an infestation, let alone do-it-yourselvers. They particularly caution people from using pesticide “bombs,” which contain pyrethroid and are generally ineffective. Multiple bombs only put residents at risk, not the bugs.
Mike Valdvogel, another NCSU entomologist, says there are steps people can take to prevent infestations in the first place. He says people who travel should check their hotel rooms for tell-tale signs of bedbugs, notably brown stains along the seams of mattresses, and keep their luggage off the floors, beds and chairs.
Once they return home, he says, people should unpack in the bathtub, where they’re more likely to see a hitchhiking bug, and immediately wash and dry all their clothes. He also recommends sequestering the suitcase outside or in the garage.
And while Waldvogel urges diligence, he also says there’s no reason to panic.
“You can’t just stay at home and hunker down and watch TV and never invite anyone into your house,” he says.
Then again, that doesn’t sound quite so bad.
savery@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4882
For anyone hoping there’s a quick, easy treatment in the near future, take note of the hesitation in Coby Schal’s response.
Schal is an N.C. State University urban etomologist-the academic title for a guy who studies cockroaches, and of late, bedbugs- and he gets asked all the time whether a miracle might soon hit the market to stem growing infestations of the blood-sucking insets.
Pause.
Long, scary pause.
“I wish I had a short-term answer to that,” he says. Another pause. “But I don’t.”
Oh, agony and woe.
And the pessimism along leading bug scientists is nothing compared to the downer from exterminators, who now rank bedbugs among their worst and most prevalent problems.
Donnie Shelton, owner of Triangle Pest Control in Raleigh, said his bedbug business has increased 400-fold-just this year.
Tools of the trade
He bought a dog, named Scout, who is specially trained to sniff out bedbug infestations. Next month Shelton will offer what he believes is the area’s first heat-based eradication system, which uses industrial heaters to roast the bugs dead in their tracks.
Pesticides, he says, are increasingly ineffective.
“They become more resistant every single day,” Shelton says, “They’re insane. You can’t do anything with them. Everything in the arsenal isn’t working.”
Overuse of pesticides has likely contributed to the bedbugs’ resurgence, and that exact process is one of the mysteries Schal’s team at NCSU is trying to figure out.
Defeating pesticides
Until only recently, bedbugs seemed to be a scourge of the past, but their comeback has been a triumph of selective resilience that would be a marvel if it wasn’t so creepy.
“Bedbugs just drive people mad,” Shelton says, “The thought of an insect coming out and biting you when you’re sleeping-it makes people crazy.”
Infestations have hit area motels, NCSU and Wake Forest University dorm rooms, a home for the elderly in downtown Raleigh, and untold numbers of private residences.
Treatments can be extensive and expensive, requiring repeat visits that can run costs to well over $1,000.
When bedbugs first started showing up in North Carolina four years ago, Shelton says, a pesticide that relied on the chemical compound pyrethroid worked well. That didn’t last. Exterminators then switched to another chemical, also a pyrethroid-based compound, and it, too, failed.
Schal says he has dunked bedbugs in pyrethroid-literally soaked them-and they live. “They just walk away,” he says.
As s result, he suspects the bugs that are now infesting the United States hitchhiked here from Africa or South America, where pyrethroid-based insecticides have been sprayed liberally to eradicate mosquitoes that carry malaria and so-called kissing bugs that transmit Chagas disease.
When poisons are usedover and over again, the vulnerable bugs die, while the hardy ones live and breed, creating a master race that is impervious to the toxins.
And since bedbugs are notorious travelers-they can hop on luggage, clothing, purses-they easily spread in a go-go world.
The big questions.
Schal’s group at NCSU has a $350,000 grant to use DNA sequencing to trace the origins of current bedbug populations in the United States. The information, he says, will clarify “where they came from and why they’re here and why we’re having problems now that we didn’t have two decades ago.”
The failure of pyrethroid-based insecticides has created a unique situation in the battle against bedbugs.
With cockroaches, which have also grown resistant to the pesticide, exterminators have other weapons. They can use baits to attract the insects. The baits, spiked with another poison the insects eat, kill the critters and other than come in contact with them.
But bedbugs are built to suck blood, not scrounge food particles. In addition, scientists don’t know exactly what draws bedbugs to humans, other than the prospect of a blood meal.
Stealthy, resourceful.
Answering that question is another goal of Schal and his team at NCSU, in hopes the knowledge may results in something that allures bedbugs from the nooks and crannies where they hide.
That would be a major advance, because it’s a sneaky breed. Bedbugs can go months without a meal, burrow deep into furniture and walls, and are creative in where they hide their progeny; eggs have been found in picture frames, behind baseboards, even along the threads of headboard bolts.
Pest experts note that such survival skills make it hard for trained exterminators to clear an infestation, let alone do-it-yourselvers. They particularly caution people from using pesticide “bombs,” which contain pyrethroid and are generally ineffective. Multiple bombs only put residents at risk, not the bugs.
Mike Valdvogel, another NCSU entomologist, says there are steps people can take to prevent infestations in the first place. He says people who travel should check their hotel rooms for tell-tale signs of bedbugs, notably brown stains along the seams of mattresses, and keep their luggage off the floors, beds and chairs.
Once they return home, he says, people should unpack in the bathtub, where they’re more likely to see a hitchhiking bug, and immediately wash and dry all their clothes. He also recommends sequestering the suitcase outside or in the garage.
And while Waldvogel urges diligence, he also says there’s no reason to panic.
“You can’t just stay at home and hunker down and watch TV and never invite anyone into your house,” he says.
Then again, that doesn’t sound quite so bad.
savery@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4882
Monday, January 3, 2011
TRACY CHAPMAN
TRACY CHAPMAN
Tracy Chapman was born March 30th 1964. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
She is a singer and song writer. She also is a multi-platinum and Grammy Award winner.
Tracy and her family did not have much money. As she was growing up her family had noticed her love for music. She had gotten her first musical at the age of three. Her first instrument was an (UKULELE). By the time she was eight she had gotten a guitar, and she had started to write her own songs. She has credited the show (HEE HAW) for this.
Tracy attended EPISCOPALIN high school. After this she had attended college called (A BETTER CHANCE). Which later had gotten her the chance to attend a school in Connecticut called (WOOSTERSCHOOL). She also attended (TUFTS UNIVERSITY). While she was attending TUFTS she earned BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE. Both in anthropology and AFRICAN STUDIES.
In 2004 TUFTS UNIVERSITY had honored her with a Honorary Degree of Fine Arts. And was because of being an accomplished musician.
Chapman performs for different charities like:
A. MAKE POVERTY HISTORY
B. AIDS/LIFE CYCLE
AND SOME OTHERS. She is currently living in California at this time. She also enjoys:
A. GOING TO THE BEACH
B. EATING OUT WITH HER FRIENDS
C. WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS
D. AND ORGANIC FOOD
She also holds a strong belief on holding her personal life and performing life separately.
During her college years she would perform on the streets in HARVARD SQUARE and playing in:
A. CLUBS
B. AND COFFEE SHOPS
In 1987 she signed up with ELEKTRA RECORDS.
She released an album called (TRACY CHAPMAN) in 1988 after the release of the album she started touring. And had started to build up her own fans. Soon after this she had performed for (NELSON MANDELA’S) 70th birthday. Her album went well and this went to multi-platinum. She had also won three Grammy Awards. And, later getting an honor for best new artist.
Her 4th album became a huge success. And, had sold over 3 million copies.
She had started touring:
A. THE UNITED STATES
B. EUROPE
C. GERMANY
D. ITALY
E. FRANCE
F. Plus other cities as well
In November of 2008 Chapman did a 26 day solo tour of Europe and North American cities. She also had a back-up band and this consisted of:
A. JOHN GORE-GUITARS
B. PATRICK WARREN-KEYBOARDS
C. AND DAWN RICHARDSON-PERCUSSION
Tracy Chapman also sings the:
A. FOLK MUSIC
B. THE BLUES
C. ALTERNATIVE ROCK
D. POP
E. AND SOUL
Tracy plays the:
A. GUITAR
B. KEYBOARDS
C. ORGAN
D. And other music instruments as well
Her career started in 1988 and still continues to the present day.
Tracy Chapman was born March 30th 1964. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio.
She is a singer and song writer. She also is a multi-platinum and Grammy Award winner.
Tracy and her family did not have much money. As she was growing up her family had noticed her love for music. She had gotten her first musical at the age of three. Her first instrument was an (UKULELE). By the time she was eight she had gotten a guitar, and she had started to write her own songs. She has credited the show (HEE HAW) for this.
Tracy attended EPISCOPALIN high school. After this she had attended college called (A BETTER CHANCE). Which later had gotten her the chance to attend a school in Connecticut called (WOOSTERSCHOOL). She also attended (TUFTS UNIVERSITY). While she was attending TUFTS she earned BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE. Both in anthropology and AFRICAN STUDIES.
In 2004 TUFTS UNIVERSITY had honored her with a Honorary Degree of Fine Arts. And was because of being an accomplished musician.
Chapman performs for different charities like:
A. MAKE POVERTY HISTORY
B. AIDS/LIFE CYCLE
AND SOME OTHERS. She is currently living in California at this time. She also enjoys:
A. GOING TO THE BEACH
B. EATING OUT WITH HER FRIENDS
C. WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS
D. AND ORGANIC FOOD
She also holds a strong belief on holding her personal life and performing life separately.
During her college years she would perform on the streets in HARVARD SQUARE and playing in:
A. CLUBS
B. AND COFFEE SHOPS
In 1987 she signed up with ELEKTRA RECORDS.
She released an album called (TRACY CHAPMAN) in 1988 after the release of the album she started touring. And had started to build up her own fans. Soon after this she had performed for (NELSON MANDELA’S) 70th birthday. Her album went well and this went to multi-platinum. She had also won three Grammy Awards. And, later getting an honor for best new artist.
Her 4th album became a huge success. And, had sold over 3 million copies.
She had started touring:
A. THE UNITED STATES
B. EUROPE
C. GERMANY
D. ITALY
E. FRANCE
F. Plus other cities as well
In November of 2008 Chapman did a 26 day solo tour of Europe and North American cities. She also had a back-up band and this consisted of:
A. JOHN GORE-GUITARS
B. PATRICK WARREN-KEYBOARDS
C. AND DAWN RICHARDSON-PERCUSSION
Tracy Chapman also sings the:
A. FOLK MUSIC
B. THE BLUES
C. ALTERNATIVE ROCK
D. POP
E. AND SOUL
Tracy plays the:
A. GUITAR
B. KEYBOARDS
C. ORGAN
D. And other music instruments as well
Her career started in 1988 and still continues to the present day.
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