Couple questions alternative healing groups activities on Haida Gwaii
By Rob SmithAPTN InvestigatesSome people on Haida Gwaii think Earth People’s United (EPU) is a cult.Others disagree.Laura Duthiel said peer pressure and shaming, combined with hallucinogenic drug use, were key components of how leader Erik Gonzales controlled her when she was a member. She ingested drugs that paralyzed her for what she estimates to be eight hours. It was for her a “coma-like state.”For her it had nothing to do with healing.Tom Greene’s concern began at a public meeting in the town of Skidegate when he asked about a youth exchange to Guatemala. He had just recently heard of violence in that country on the news. When he raised the issue he was assured by employees of the Nygstle Society, a cultural healing organization, that the youth were safe.Green claims he was shocked afterward when a man warned him he was taking on the cult.Haida youth have travelled to EPU’s Deer Mountain Center located on 1,700 acres of land northeast of Yreka in Northern California. Youth have also been to EPU’s compound on the shores of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. You can see them on EPU’s self-produced videos on YouTube.Seven years ago Raven Ann Potschka was one of those youth. She confirmed to APTN Investigates the types of drugs used in Gonzales’ ceremonies. These include peyote, ayahuasca, amanita, and psilocybin. Potschka calls them medicine.“We are doing things as a family, a spiritual family we are doing these ceremonies together for support and we are also all learning together for me I benefited greatly,” she added.However Tom Greene told us about a story a young woman told him. She told him that when she was in Guatemala she lost her memory for two or three days. She told Greene she suspects it’s because of the drugs she ingested.When APTN Investigates contacted the woman and repeated the story Greene told us and asked for an interview.“I didn’t want anyone to know about that,” she said and hung up.Potschka says a scenario like that makes her uncomfortable, but she says she has never seen anyone have a negative reaction during the ceremonies.“Whenever we go out of country we have Elders with us. I feel it’s a super safe environment,” said Potschka.Haida leader Guujaaw wouldn’t comment on the youth’s memory loss. The former president of the Haida Nation believes that the drugs are valuable medicine. He admits he does ceremonies but not with Gonzalez. He says that compared to alcohol and cocaine these drugs are relatively “benign.”Dutheil disagrees.She says amanita is poisonous and it took her months to recover after suffering what she terms an overdose.The local RCMP are also concerned. Last fall they took the unusual step of placing a warning in the local newspaper.It read in part: “The Masset RCMP is urging the public to think critically about the use of these so-called ‘healing’ or ‘spiritual’ drugs. Not only are some of these substances illegal in Canada but it has been reported that they can produce negative long-term side effects.”Local doctors were also alarmed by the rise in “spiritual” drug use. Quoted in a CBC report, Dr. Harvey Thommasen said, “people aren’t being told what they are taking.”The doctor was particularly concerned by the use of amanita in ceremonies. It’s a local mushroom he called a deadly poison.Haida Elder Fred Russ says amanita was used by medicine men in the old days, but those healers worked with the substance all their life. They knew how to mix it and only used it one-on-one for specific reasons. Never in large groups.The other group being discussed in Haida Gwaii is Psychology of Vision. Despite its name, the two founders Lency and Chuck Spezzano are not psychologists.In fact, Charles Spezzano was fined in 2004 for acting like a psychologist while not being licensed by the state of Hawaii.Chuck Spezzano told APTN Investigates that because he works internationally he doesn’t need to be licensed. He said he is not a psychologist and calls himself “a coach.”But he says the work he does is indeed psychology.Dutheil says the POV sessions were a horrible experience for her.Potschka agrees. She said what POV offers is “deep group therapy sessions.” And when she attended, the community members were not told what they were getting into.Duthiel says she witnessed people crying and throwing up in the sessions she attended.“Your personal boundaries, they are breaking that down and they are exposing you are pretty much giving yourself over,” she said.But, despite that, she kept on going to the sessions.“Like an addiction, you gotta go. And just never ending you almost got dependent on it. You begin to realize you don’t have any other friends, just the friends that were in that group,” she added. “You leave your family behind to go be with this other family.”But Dutheil says it was never made clear what exactly was done. Explanations were vague.“It never was explained to us what that really means. They want to call it whatever they want to call and make us believe we are advancing is some way. But you’re in a controlled environment and you are being controlled,” she said.APTN Investigates asked Charles Spezzano to explain one of the many type of healing methods POV uses. It’s called an “original mind download.”“It’s a blessing. And if you’ve ever received a blessing where you can feel it, that’s what a download is meant to be,” he replied.How does that help a person looking for healing, we asked.“Basically it provides some wholeness. Where there was a split mind or conflict or something like that, it brings peace,” he said.We asked him how one becomes qualified to do a download.“Well, first of all, you experience it and then you learn how to pass it on,” Spezzano replied.The Spezzano’s are shocked that they are being accused of being a cult and that the work they are doing is dangerous. Chuck Spezzano claims more than 40 years’ experience. Lency Spezzano claims they are a great help to First Nations. She says that wherever POV goes, there is a cultural renaissance in the community.They help people, insists Charles.What they do not do is disempower people in order to take their money, he added.rsmith@aptn.ca
Let us know what you like about Geek by taking our survey. Stay on target I love The Legend of Zelda. Link to the Past and Link Between Worlds are two of my favorite games, and Breath of the Wild was a masterpiece for a launch game. Part of the reason is because Link’s sword is so cool. The Master Sword is one of the long-running elements of the series, and while most games have different Links and Zeldas spanning across different timelines, they almost all have the same Master Sword. It’s the Sword of Evil’s Bane, kept sleeping in the Lost Woods for ages until it’s needed.It’s also a pretty rad letter opener from ThinkGeek. Yes, of course I have a life-size Master Sword because I attend comic book conventions and don’t bat an eye at spending $40 on stupid things, but it’s not really legal to carry around or keep at my desk. And that’s why this $19.99 letter opener is so great.The Legend of Zelda Master Sword Letter Opener is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a metal letter opener shaped like the Master Sword, based on the Twilight Princess design with the royal blue pommel, the dark teal wrap on the grip, the gold accent on the hilt, and the slightly flared section of the blade near the hilt bearing the Triforce logo.Its metal, but not steel or even particularly sharp. It’s a letter opener, and all you need is the very slight blade edge and a good point to cut open envelopes. It feels like a zinc alloy common for metal collectibles this size, but with a nice chrome finish on the blade.The Master Sword needs a place to sleep until it’s needed, and that’s why it comes with a gray resin pedestal with a dark gray Triforce symbol on it. It looks like the pedestal for the Master Sword in Ocarina of Time. It’s simple, but looks good.This is a fun letter opener/desk prop that lets you show off how much you like Zelda, cut open envelopes, and possibly dispel magic barriers. You can order it from ThinkGeek.
Geek Pick: Shure MV88+ Is An Excellent, On the Go Microphone KitGeek Pick: Amazon Smart Plug Puts Alexa in Your Walls 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WSVN) — Two credit card scammers from Miami were stopped by police in Gainesville.Officers said Yasmany Veloz and Lizuan Miranda were pulled over Tuesday for “following too closely” on Interstate 75.Officials searched their rental car and found a laptop, gas pump skimmer and 91 fake credit cards.Both alleged scammers were booked with various charges including scheming to defraud and obtain property and trafficking in counterfeit credit cards.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
In a letter to the council from Yamada: “One of the hiccups we have encountered in this loan process is just how specialized the business of a bowling alley is. Coupled with the fact that we are classified as a startup, and the equipment is specialized.” Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享Charlotte Yamada has been working to reopen the Kenai Bowling Alley since it closed in late 2015. During the session the council unanimously passed a motion authorizing City Manager Paul Ostrander to renegotiate the terms of the bowling alley. The council made no finalized decision, but plans to continue working with Yamada. Yamada updated the Kenai City Council on Wednesday: “It really is looking to be a very good turnout for the community, and a good business to be serving the entire community. It is really just what our community needs.” 
The council held an executive session following their meeting on Wednesday to discuss a request for renegotiation of terms regarding the sale of the bowling alley. Yamada: “It taking a long time to get this process done. It is a very specific business we are trying to get back up and on its feet. That in itself is what we are fighting against.” 
Map of BograA local activist of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was hacked to death by miscreants at Batiabhanga Dakkhinpara village in Gabtali upazila of Bogra on Monday night, reports UNB.The deceased was identified as Tozammel Hossain, 45, son of late Osman Mollah of Durgahata village in the upazila and an activist of local unit of BNP.Locals said some miscreants swooped on Tozammel around 7:30pm and chopped him indiscriminately while he was returning home after attending the marriage ceremony of his cousin at Dakkhinpara, leaving him critically injured.He succumbed to his injuries on the way to Shaheed Ziaur Ramhan Medical College Hospital.Gabtali police station officer-in-charge Khairul Basar said they recovered the body and sent it to the hospital morgue.He also said they were trying to arrest those involved in the killing.
U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), along with a representative from the Department of Education, will present a check for $300,000 to five Baltimore City School on Jan. 14. The money is from a grant called Project Serv and is designed to help schools recover from traumatic events. Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings, Baltimore City Councilman Nick Mosby, and Dr. Gregory Thornton, CEO, Baltimore City Schools, are scheduled to give remarks.The ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. at Matthew A. Henson Elementary School, one of the five recipients. The other four are: Gilmor Elementary, Frederick Douglass High School, William Pinderhughes Elementary/Middle, and Harlem Park Elementary/Middle. Principals from each institution will be on hand.Last June Cardin, along with Councilman Nick Mosby and Marvin “Doc” L. Cheatham Sr., president of the Matthew A. Henson Neighborhood Association, and other participated in a community rountable that was broadcast on C-Span on what to do in the wake of the riots.
The DC Films are and have been wracked with problems. In terms of upcoming projects, few are more worrying than The Flash, which has gone through multiple directors and doesn’t even have a potential release date.Now it’s reported the script is getting a page-one rewrite, meaning that it’s getting almost entirely redone.Joby Harold, whose resume only has a few big-budget credits, including the upcoming Guy Ritchie, flick King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, has been tasked with doing the rewrite.Additionally, the film has already gone through two directors: Seth Grahame-Smith–most known for writing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies–and Rick Famuyiwa, who directed the 2015 indie hit Dope. Famuyiwa left the project in October over creative differences.Both the directors did drafts. Grahame-Smith wrote the original script and was attached to make his directorial debut with The Flash before departing, and Famuyiwa did a rewrite when he was brought on. He said he was excited to work on the project and bring his “voice, humor, and heart” to it. However, it’s been said Warner Bros. didn’t like the script or story, which supposedly had more edge.Warner Bros. executives are working on the new script while Ezra Miller, who’s going to star as Barry Allen, films Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2. They’re taking their time finding a replacement director.The only thing that has been consistent about The Flash has been the actors. Miller, who made cameos in Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is set to star as the scarlet speedster in Justice League. Famuyiwa brought on Kiersey Clemons to play Iris West and Billy Crudup to play Barry’s father, and those two actors are still attached.There was also the rumor Flash was going to be facing off against the Rogues, but with Famuyiwa gone, this’ll probably change.This isn’t the first time Warner Bros. has looked like they don’t know what they’re doing in regards to the DCEU. Both Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were grim messes with terrible scripts (or at least according to the ones we saw on the screen). The studio is jumping ahead with a ton of new additions to the universe–including Harley Quinn spin-off Gotham City Sirens–before getting a handle on what their franchise will look like. Seeing the studio scramble with The Flash doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence that it’s learned from its mistakes. Stay on target Top Movies and TV Panels to Keep on Your Radar for SDCC 2019’The Flash’ Season 5 Finale Recap: 2 Big Bads and 1 Pre-Crisis 
Growing a business sometimes requires thinking outside the box. Register Now » Free Webinar | Sept. 9: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook for Going Global 1 min read
According to an infographic by Cyber Security Degrees, 62 percent of Americans own at least one smart device. The most common of these is a smart TV, which nearly half of American adults own. These devices, like a smart watch or a connected car, can sync with the internet or your mobile device and make your life easier. However, they also come with plenty of risks. This infographic breaks down some of those dangers, which include: Malicious endpointsThe Mirai botnet attackThe Senrio devil’s ivy attackBy making yourself aware of these pitfalls, you can secure the devices that mean the most to you and make sure that others can’t take advantage. Check out the infographic to learn more about the dangers involved with the internet of things and how you can be safer.Source: CyberSecurityDegrees.com October 28, 2018
Tim Cook said six months ago Amazon Prime Video was coming to Apple TV sometime before the end of the year. And here it is: the long-awaited app is finally available on Apple TV and the iOS flavor was updated to support the iPhone X.The native tvOS versions is compatible with Apple TV 3rd generation devices or later. If the app isn’t visible yet, try searching for Amazon Prime Video on the Apple TV and it should pop-up.The release of the Apple TV app could signal Apple TV’s return to Amazon, as well. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said previously that the retailer would not sell the streaming device until it was compatible with Prime services.“We want our player, our Prime Video player, to be on the device, and we want it to be on the device with acceptable business terms,” said Bezos at Code Conference 2016. “And if you can’t, then we don’t want to sell it to our customers, because they’re going to be buying it thinking they can watch Prime Video and then they’re going to be disappointed. And they’re going to return it.”The Amazon Prime Video app was the lone missing streaming service from the Apple TV, where Netflix, Hulu and the rest had previously been available.Now if only Apple could fix the terrible Apple TV remote.Featured Image: smlp.co.uk/Flickr UNDER A CC BY-SA 2.0 LICENSE (IMAGE HAS BEEN MODIFIED)
Playa del Carmen, Q.R. — A robbery in a residential subdivision of Playa del Carmen has left one man dead.Two armed men shot a man in his front yard in the residential community of Playa Azul. The man, who apparently had arrived home only moments before, was shot by two men reportedly driving a Nissan Versa.The shooting took place on Playa Varadero Street in the residential community of Playa Azul late Saturday night. Reports say the man, a 65-year-old engineer, had made a large cash withdraw of around 700,000 peso. The cash was in a briefcase he was carrying.Reports say the Nissan entered the street and shot the man at least three times before making off with his briefcase.After hearing gun fire, an onsite security guard arrived at the house but was threatened by the men in the Nissan. The men in the truck fled.The victim, Marion N, was rushed to hospital where he died at 3:30 a.m. Sunday. Police continue to investigate.Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
News | Proton Therapy | August 08, 2019 MD Anderson to Expand Proton Therapy Center The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center unveiled plans to expand its Proton Therapy Center during a… read more October 19, 2016 — A Yale Cancer Center team completed a multi-institutional analysis of treatment options for patients with newly diagnosed EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases to determine the best option for treatment. Stereotactic radiosurgery, in combination with targeted therapy using EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, resulted in the longest survival and best outcomes for patients.The findings were presented Sept. 26 at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) meeting in Boston.This study analyzed three current options by reviewing outcomes of 351 patients from six institutions with EGFR-mutant NSCLC who were treated with either stereotactic radiosurgery in conjunction with targeted therapy (100), whole brain radiotherapy in conjunction with targeted therapy (120), or targeted therapy alone followed by stereotactic radiosurgery or whole brain radiotherapy if salvage was required (131).The multi-institutional analysis demonstrated that the use of targeted therapy alone with deferral of radiotherapy resulted in inferior overall survival. Stereotactic radiosurgery in conjunction with targeted therapy resulted in the longest overall survival for patients.“Patients with advanced NSCLC that has newly spread to their brain have many treatment options today,” said Veronica Chiang, M.D., senior author on the study and an associate professor of neurosurgery and of therapeutic radiology at Yale School of Medicine. “Physicians need to feel confident that we know the best option and this study helps us to identify that. A randomized trial will be our next step.”For more information: www.astro.org FacebookTwitterLinkedInPrint分享 Related Content Catalyst PT image courtesy of C-RAD The MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center expansion is expected to be completed in 2023. Rendering courtesy of Stantec. Feature | August 05, 2019 | Dave Fornell, Editor Most Popular Radiology and Radiotherapy Topics in July 2019 August 5, 2019 — Here is the list of the most popular content on the Imaging Technology New (ITN) magazine website fr read more News | Radiation Therapy | August 15, 2019 First Patient Enrolled in World’s Largest Brain Cancer Clinical Trial Henry Ford Cancer Institute is first-in-the-world to enroll a glioblastoma patient in the GBM AGILE Trial (Adaptive… read more News | Brachytherapy Systems | August 14, 2019 Efficacy of Isoray’s Cesium Blu Showcased in Recent Studies August 14, 2019 — Isoray announced a trio of studies recently reported at scientific meetings and published in medica read more News | Proton Therapy | August 06, 2019 IBA Signs Contract to Install Proton Therapy Center in Kansas IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) recently signed a contract and received the first payment for a Proteus One solution… read more The top piece of content in July was a video interview explaining how Princess Margaret Cancer Center is using machine learning to create automated treatment plans. This was a hot topic at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) 2019 meeting in July. News | Radiation Therapy | August 02, 2019 Varian Showcases Cancer Care Systems and Software at AAPM 2019 Varian showcased systems and software from its cancer care portfolio, including the Identify Guidance System, at the… read more News | Patient Positioning Radiation Therapy | August 07, 2019 Qfix kVue One Proton Couch Top Validated by Mevion Medical Systems Qfix and Mevion Medical Systems announced that a special version of the kVue One Proton couch top is now both validated… read more News | Radiation Therapy | October 19, 2016 Stereotactic Radiosurgery Improves Survival for Advanced NSCLC Patients with Brain Metastases Multi-institutional analysis finds adding SRS to targeted therapy improves survival and overall outcomes compared to targeted therapy alone News | Radiation Therapy | August 16, 2019 Drug Accelerates Blood System’s Recovery After Radiation, Chemotherapy A drug developed by UCLA physician-scientists and chemists speeds up the regeneration of mouse and human blood stem… read more News | Radiation Oncology | July 31, 2019 Laura Dawson, M.D., FASTRO, Chosen as ASTRO President-elect The members of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) elected four new officers to ASTRO’s Board of… read more News | Patient Positioning Radiation Therapy | August 15, 2019 Mevion and C-RAD Release Integration for Improved Proton Therapy Treatment Quality Mevion Medical Systems and C-RAD announced the integration between the C-RAD Catalyst PT and the Mevion S250i proton… read more Following radiation, the bone marrow shows nearly complete loss of blood cells in mice (left). Mice treated with the PTP-sigma inhibitor displayed rapid recovery of blood cells (purple, right). Credit: UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center/Nature Communications
Etihad Airways is celebrating the 10 years of flying to Kerala with the introduction of additional flights to the south Indian state. A fourth daily non-stop service has been launched by the airline between Kozhikode and its Abu Dhabi hub offering onward connections to cities around the world.The extra capacity takes the total number of weekly services between Abu Dhabi and its three Kerala gateways of Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram to 63, which represents over 30% of Etihad Airways’ frequencies from across 11 Indian cities it serves.The current capacity includes four flights a day to Kozhikode; thrice-daily to Kochi and double daily to Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala flights are operated with a mix of Airbus 320 and A321 aircraft featuring up to 16 seats in Business Class and 158 in Economy. Additionally, Etihad’s strategic Indian partner, Jet Airways operates seven flights a week from Kochi to Abu Dhabi.Addressing media at a briefing in Thiruvananthapuram, Neerja Bhatia, VP- Indian Subcontinent, Etihad Airways, said, “Reaching a 10-year milestone is a fitting tribute to the support Etihad Airways has received from the state government of Kerala in making our operations a success.”Dr Venu Vasudevan, Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourism, said, “Kerala Tourism is delighted to learn of the extra flights launched by Etihad Airways, which adds more connectivity to Kerala. We congratulate Etihad Airways on a decade of flying to Kerala and look forward to conducting several joint initiatives to promote the many diverse destinations across our state.”
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Last season, the Arizona Cardinals surrendered an NFL-high 58 quarterback sacks.Now, some of those could be attributed to the quarterback not getting rid of the ball soon enough or a running back or tight end missing on an assignment, but ultimately the blame fell on the offensive line.Injuries and ineffectiveness forced the team to shuffle the lineup a considerable amount, but at the end of the day it often ended up being a case of replacing one struggling player with another. Grace expects Greinke trade to have emotional impact – / 37 Former Cardinals kicker Phil Dawson retires “Did a great job in the pass protection,” quarterback Carson Palmer added. Palmer, who completed 4-of-6 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, had enough time to consistently try and find receivers down the field.Of course, the run game was once again an issue. Running backs Stepfan Taylor and Alfonso Smith combined for 85 yards on 32 carries, which averages out to just 2.65 yards per tote.So, lest you think the offensive line has completely turned the corner, it may be worth a step or two back.Sendlein believes there is still work to be done and the veteran Brown admitted that they are “not where (they) need to be, technically, yet,” but there is certainly an air of optimism surrounding the line.It’s a far cry from where things were last season, where the struggles up front directly led to the offense’s inability to move the ball.“Offensive line really determines how good an offense is going to be,” Brown said. “The eye is definitely always on us because if we don’t give the quarterback time, then nobody else can get their job done and in the running game we have to open up holes.“Eye is always on us; we accept the challenge and we’ll go out there and do what we have to do.” Comments Share 
Top Stories The 5: Takeaways from the Coyotes’ introduction of Alex Meruelo Derrick Hall satisfied with D-backs’ buying and selling That is not the case this season.“This is the deepest line that I’ve ever been on since being in Arizona,” center Lyle Sendlein said. “This is going to be the hardest team to make for us that have been here in the past.”The starting line in Friday’s 17-0 win in Green Bay consisted of Levi Brown at left tackle, Jonathan Cooper at left guard, Sendlein at center, Paul Fanaika at right guard and Eric Winston at right tackle. Of those five, zero started the team’s final game of the 2012 season.Sure, injuries played a role, as both Brown and Sendlein were sidelined in 2012 and Daryn Colledge, who was a starter last season, missed Friday’s game with his own ailment. However, the amount of turnover the line has undergone serves to underscore how important improvement was deemed.Should that happen, the credit would belong to new head coach Bruce Arians who, along with first-year general manager Steve Keim, was tasked with fixing things up front.The early returns appear to be positive, as the Cardinals allowed just one quarterback sack in the preseason opener against Green Bay and rarely allowed much pressure.“Overall, for the first time out,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said Monday, “especially in the silent snap count situation, I thought we protected the quarterback very well.”