Browse Autism

If you have a child with autism, you’re probably already aware that his body might have difficulty eliminating toxins and other harmful substances efficiently. He may have recurring viral infections or an abundance of heavy metals. There may be a lot of behavioral and mood issues, or perhaps an irregular bowel. He could have problems with food and environmental allergens, or maybe sound sensitivity.

There are so many theories and protocols about helping our children with autism. Some make sense. Some don’t. I had a parent ask me yesterday, “I want to know what I can do RIGHT NOW to help my son. I don’t have time to wait for a new doctor to see him or to wait for government help. The waiting lists are way too long!”

Some kids love bath time and enjoy splashing in the tub and playing with their favorite floating toys. But other children dread bathing. For these sensitive kids, the water is always either too hot or too cold, or frighteningly intense as it sprays out of the showerhead. They may be agitated by the sounds, smells, and lighting in the bathroom, and may be very particular about the texture of the towels. If your child balks at getting clean, here are some tips for making bath t

How often do you think about the weight of your hair? Probably never, but for children with sensory issues, the feel, weight, and movement of their own hair can be extremely distracting. If his hair is trimmed just a bit he may notice how different his head feels for days afterward! A haircut may cause him to have trouble focusing on tasks from schoolwork to eating a meal. What's more, a new hairstyle that involves the hair being moved in a new direction (for example, braids,

How would you decide whether your child's language development is on track? As communication is the basis of success in life and at work, emphasis should be given early on to assess the level of your child's control over his or her strength in managing language. This is especially true for special needs children who have either autism, asperger syndrome, learning disabilities, ADHD and down syndrome. Many may also have learning problems and intelligence that is below average.

With Father’s Day right around the corner, I found myself recently wondering what it means, for most men, to be a good father. Different men have different upbringings and different ideas about how to be a father, but does that make them better or worse than the next guy? Some men may “father” children, but if they’re not there for them either physically, emotionally, or financially, do they really deserve the coveted title of “Father”?r

My son’s grandparents are the first people he thinks of when he thinks of family. That warms my heart because I’ve made a pretty concerted effort at making sure we go and visit them at least once or twice a month. I want him to know them as long as we’re all around, because I don’t ever want to look back later on and say… If only…..

Bike riding is a great form of exercise and transportation, offering kids a sense of independence. Families can have a lot of fun together biking, too. but children with sensory issues often need extra help in learning to be comfortable bicycling. Part of their struggle with riding a two-wheeler is the difficulty of planning and quickly carrying out movements while on an unstable bike that they must control. 1. Choose the right bike. Encourage your child to start early riding

As you start looking at your child’s diet and what you can do to help your child’s body heal, you may decide to take gluten, casein, soy or even all three out of the daily menu. That can definitely be a step in the right direction, especially if your child suffers from gastrointestinal distress, skin disorders, allergies, sleep disturbances and/or behavioral problems.

Suffering from headaches, problem concentrating, anxiety? If you have adhd or learning disabilities, these feeling would most probably be magnified compared to those who doesn't have the same conditions. Changing the way you breathe might spell relief from those constant irritation and improve the quality of your life. The benefits of breathing well goes for both normal people and people with adhd and learning disabilities. When there is a perceived threat, our heart rate, b

Special needs children consists of those that fall under the categories of autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, down syndrome and others. These children have a myriad of conditions and developmental difficulties that prevents them from communicating and learning properly. The usage of apps for helping and teaching special needs children has been nothing short of a miracle. Together with devices like iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, they offer some form of solution in managing an

When we first started trying to get to the bottom of my son’s health issues, one of the things we were told by his specialist is that he had a “leaky gut”. Wikipedia describes a leaky gut as “intestinal or bowel hyperpermeability”. That just sounds painful, doesn’t it?

We’ve all heard about how children with autism are drawn to the Apple iPad because of its portability, ease of use and innovative touch-screen technology. Now, there’s another reason for children (and parents….and teachers) to be excited about the iPad. It’s called “Injini”.

Researchers have found that most autistic children, especially those with late onset autism (emergence of autism symptoms only after or around three years of age) respond well when gluten and casein are strictly eliminated from their diet. Gluten is a protein found in everyday food that contains wheat, oats, rye, and barley. Where else another protein compound called casein are commonly found in dairy milk products such as yogurt, cheese, ice cream and others. Furthermore, m

Are you thinking about going gluten-free or have you already made the leap? If your child has autism, you might see tremendous gains once gluten is removed from his diet. Gluten can be an insidious little critter that can wreak havoc on your child’s inflamed, overworked and underperforming gut. If you decide to go for it (and I highly recommend going gluten, casei AND soy-free by the way), then there are a few things you should keep in mind that should make the transition a little easier:

I have parents ask me all the time about this elusive “window” for autism recovery. You know what I mean, right? We’ve been told in the past through the media and various sources (mostly well-intentioned, I believe) that you must get an autism diagnosis and begin treatment immediately, because there is only a small window of time for helping your child recover and lead a “normal” life.

There's something up with a child you know. He's clumsy, picky, always on the move, or flopped in a chair like a wet noodle. He's impulsive, intense, and quirky. Maybe he has a learning disability, ADHD, or autism, or maybe not, but his behavior and responses to everyday sensations are puzzling. Why does he withdraw or act out? Why are transitions so difficult? Can he really hear the fluorescent lights that he claims are distracting him? It's very likely that this child you'r

Why In The World Would You Defend Andrew Wakefield? By Susan Lynn Perry @ The Mother Cub Show This is not the first time I’ve been accused of being crazy. And I’m certain it won’t be the last. That question was actually put to me a few days ago. A person, who shall for now remain name-less, questioned me exactly like that (with a bit of ridiculous arrogance, if you ask me). “Why in the world would you defend Andy Wakefield?”

Is there really such a thing as autism independence? Many parents wonder what the future will hold for their child with autism. Will my child ever be able to drive a car, or live on his own, or be able to hold down a job?

Everyone knows that one of the telltale signs of autism is an inability to communicate effectively with others. A lot of our kids have trouble processing incoming information in a timely manner which results in frustration for them and us. Can you imagine what that must be like?

Bring on the Visuals! For an individual who thrives on order and routine, our world is a scary place! Humans interact at record breaking speeds; everything we do is high speed, instant and ever changing. Even our homes and classrooms tend to be quickly moving people from one activity to the next, changing schedules and living in the moment. It is a sign of our times and right or wrong, it is what it is. As non – autistic people we need our Blackberrys, our calendars, and our day planners to stay organized. Many of us could probably benefit from having a personal secretary!

Time now to turn our attention to the USA where the arguments surround one particular vaccine additive - thimerosal - rather than the vaccines themselves. This mercury based product has been used as a preservative in many vaccines since the 1930s - before being removed from many of them at the beginning of this century. Thus it was in the Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus vaccine (DPT) vaccine routinely given children from two months of age, although it was not used in the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine.

Neurofeedback is the rising star in the treatment of autism, yet relatively few have even heard of it. It is a form of biofeedback; in this case, it is biofeedback of brainwaves. In biofeedback, an electronic device is used to help a person learn to better control a body process. Biofeedback devices do not do anything to a person other than provide information about how the body is regulating the body process that has been targeted.rn In neurofeedback, three electrodes are pl

Autism Spectrum Alte ative Program ASAP is an equine facilitated sensory integration program for individuals on the autism spectrum or with other physical, mental, emotional or behavior challenges. ASAP is an equine facilitated sensory integration program for individuals on the autism spectrum or with other physical, mental, emotional or behavior challenges. Our mission is to demonstrate the effectiveness of our equine facilitated programs in meeting the social and emotional needs of individuals on the spectrum in a positive and sensitive manner.

Joseph and Rose Kennedy’s third child and first daughter was born in Bostonin 1918, just two months before the end of World War I, while an epidemic of Spanish flu was raging. Inundated with flu patients, the attending doctor, Dr Good, arrived late and, although it was not a difficult birth, the midwife held the child back until he arrived (as she had been trained to do): ostensibly to ensure a 'modern delivery' but in reality more likely to ensure that he received his fee.

Depending on who you listen to, most of you know that your child should be eating between five and nine servings of vegetables every single day. But how in the world can that happen if you have a child resisting anything that looks like it came from Mother Earth?

Going on the Gluten-free, Casein-free Diet (otherwise known as GFCF) can have tremendous benefits for children on the autism spectrum. In fact, many physicians agree that by removing potential inflammatory ingredients from a child’s diet (especially a child on the spectrum), you have a much better chance of taming the immune system and solving some of the physical riddles that often come along with the diagnosis of autism. If you’ve been thinking about making the switch to GFCF in your child’s diet, you may be wondering about some of the following questions:

There are literally hundreds if not thousands of alternative therapies that can help in a wide range of different ways. In this article we are going to look at music therapy and autism. We will firstly give brief information on what autism is and also what music therapy is. We will then consider the ways in which music therapy can help those who suffer from autism. What is Autism?rn rnAutism is a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. There is

It is estimated that an average of 1 in 110 children in the United States have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The challenge for many people is to get their questions answered: 1) What exactly is Autism?rn2) How do you treat Autism?rn3) What are the symptoms of Autism?rn4) What resources are available to families to help them?rn5) How can we cope with Autism and the overwhelming stress on families. But where should you go for help? Everybody has their own ideas about the "best p

Autism is part of a group of developmental disorders referred to as autism spectrum disorders or ASD. While the number of ASD cases is increasing, there remains a lot to be learned about ASD and its causes. This lack of understanding as contributed to a number of myths regarding ASD. Parents can cause autism. While the exact cause of ASD is not known, it is clear that parenting style and behavior do not cause ASD. Recent studies suggest that genetics, metabolic and neurologic

Medical record review requires the minutest attention to detail and should be carried out only by skilled medical review professionals. Select the right medical review firm to enjoy all benefits. Any kind of selection is to be done with great care if you are to enjoy all the benefits of your choice. This is especially true with regard to choosing services. You look for outside help when you feel that your in-house staff is not up to it or don’t have the time to do the tasks

Asperger's is a form of autism that is becoming more widely recognized and understood as a condition for both children and adults, but an area still posing many questions is the issue of Asperger's in girls. Gender is a hot topic of debate, not just in Asperger's but all forms of Autism Spectrum Disorders, because there appears to be such a divide between males and females when it comes to developing the conditions. A study in England in 2009 showed that 1.8% of males showed

Imagine...after months of waiting and anticipation the moment has finally arrived! Your beautiful baby enters the world and life is the fullest it has ever been! As the nurse gently places your newbo in your arms she slips a book into your hands. “This is your child’s manual,” she explains, “Be sure to read it as soon as possible. Oh, and pay close attention to the section regarding special needs.” A crazy scenario, I know but, at times I wish that I had had that manual!

I’ve been threatening for some time now to do a whole show about poop. Yes, that’s right, poop. It’s a subject I’ve become rather familiar with – ever since my son got diagnosed with autism. And I know there are a lot of other spectrum parents out there who have reluctantly been promoted to poop experts too. In fact, there are websites, speakers, books and even seminars devoted to it. I’m not kidding. I mean, poop is a big part of everyone’s life whether you want to acknowledge it or not. It’s just one of those things we all do. We eat; we poop. End of story, right?

Life at home with a child with autism is rarely easy. Changes in routine, unexpected visitors, difficulties with food, toileting and dressing can be disruptive to the whole family. Visits to the doctor or the dentist are incredibly challenging. Parents too often forego visiting friends and family because the stress of breaking the routine of a child with autism and bringing that child into unfamiliar territory is just too much to bear. Parents cringe at the thought of public meltdowns and/or self injurious behavior in a place where people are very quick to judge.

The rising numbers of children with autism could be a warning. Genetically, these children may be especially sensitive to some of the tens of thousands of pollutants in our environment. rn According to Discover magazine, autism researchers have begun paying attention to the digestive and immune disturbances that accompany the personality aberrations of autism. Autism is probably connected to genetics. That’s “genetics,” not “a gene.” And autism is probably connected

There's something up with a child you know. She is clumsy, picky, always on the move, or perpetually flopped in a chair like a wet noodle. He is impulsive, intense, and quirky. Maybe this child has a learning disability, ADHD, or autism, or maybe not. Why are everyday sensations so distressing to him? Can she really "hear" the fluorescent lights that she claims are distracting her? It's very likely that this child you're concerned about has sensory processing disorder, also k

Encourage sensory kids, even preverbal or nonverbal ones, to work with To Do lists! Many people are able to organize their day and prioritize their activities without having to refer to a To Do list. Others enjoy the satisfaction of checking off each task on the list as they complete it. Kids with sensory issues often have difficulty with organization and should be encouraged to create and work with To Do lists for chores, homework, and appointments. Having visual evidence th

You are a grandparent! Nothing can compare with the boundless love that a grandparent feels for their grandchild. No longer limited by the need to juggle work, home, school and raising children into mature, self reliant adulthood, the gift of grandchildren is one of life’s greatest blessings. But life doesn’t always deliver it’s blessings in the package we expect. The diagnosis of autism is for many a jolt into a new world; one that many have not even heard of or at least have no knowledge.

People with Asperger’s Syndrome are often described, as having social skills deficits, reluctance to listen, difficulty understanding social give and take, and other core characteristics, is typically quite misunderstood and/or misdiagnosed in our country today. First recognized by Hans ...

Through all of the hustle and bustle of modern family day life, and especially if autism is part of your family dynamic, it pays to be reminded that we Mommy and Daddy Warriors need to remember to take care of ourselves along the way too. I was honored to interview self-help expert, David Riklan, several months ago, and decided that what he had to say was so important that I would run that episode again.

Check the label of any pain reliever on sale and you'll easily calculate what proportion to require. However, finding the right dose of cannabidiol Ointment CBD for pain relief isn't that straightforward. Enthusiasts swear by the properties of CBD to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, relieve anxiety, and promote sleep. However, there's no conclusive research on what proportion CBD an individual must absorb order to feel the advantages. The reason for this is often that the

Work has become tedious. The walls of your home seem to be closing in. You NEED a vacation. But the thought of traveling with your children, especially your child with autism, is less than enticing. Families need vacations: time to escape the regular chores, schedules and routines of home and family. Holidays mean a chance to break away from routine, a change of pace, new setting, food, people and activities; not exactly autism friendly! Traveling with children is always more challenging, but planning a vacation with a child with autism can seem downright daunting.

So much is still unknown about the causes of autism, and yet there are a wide range of suggested triggers and causes for this condition. Is it environmental or genetic? Does the modern vaccination program have a part to play? In this article, I discuss the major suggested causes and what this means to parents today.nnOne of the frustrations with autism is that almost all of the potential “causes” of this condition are present for all children, yet only some children (1 in

We like to think we are good observers our kids, but in the hustle and bustle of life, all of us sometimes overlook the underlying causes for their challenging behaviors. No matter how small a change may seem to us, it may be huge for our sensory children. If your instincts tell you that some recent change might be the cause of a new, problem behavior, listen to your gut! If you keep careful journal notes for just a few days to a week, you may well discover connections betwee

If your child has AD/HD, autism spectrum or learning disabilities you may have heard the term “Executive Functioning”. Parents come to me with many questions about executive function: What is it? Why is this a problem? How can we help our child get better at this executive stuff? nnExecutive functioning is an abstract concept, so let’s use an example to start the explanation. Think about a business you know well. Maybe it is your own, one you work for, or a company you

Autism is described as a developmental disorder impairing ones ability to communicate and also causes hypo or hyper-sensitivity which ultimately creates behavioral and social skill challenges. Is this like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, an indicator of where our health on the planet is ...

As part of the autism spectrum, Aspergers Syndrome is characterized by poor social skills, poor large motor coordination, deep interests in particular topics, and a habit of repetitive movement (e.g., flapping one's hands). Because so many people with autism or Aspergers have other family members on the autism spectrum, it is thought to have some kind of genetic component. People with Aspergers Syndrome also have struggles, such as learning how to read facial expressions and

The word “remediation” is very important in the work my colleagues and I do with families affected by autism and other neuro-developmental disabilities, but it is a word that is unfamiliar to many people. I thought I would take a moment this week to talk about what remediation means in general, ...

I know that you loved your child very much and have done a lot of research into the causes and solutions for autism. If you have done some research, you probably are frustrated, isn’t it? After all, experts seem to disagree on the causes of autism and also the treatment methods. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was one source for all the health, social, behavioural and speech problems of your child? Then there is no need to waste time and money and you can relieve all th

Dyspraxia refers to children who have movement difficulties and means the poor performance of movement. The word is taken from the Greek dys - bad and ‘praxis’ - the learned ability to plan, organize and carry out sequences of coordinated movements in order to achieve an objective. In ...Dyspraxia refers to children who have movement difficulties and means the poor performance of movement. The word is taken from the Greek dys - bad and ‘praxis’ - the learned ability to plan, organize and carry out sequences of coordinated movements in order to achieve an objective.

If you are the type of person who usually drags yourself out from your bed and prepare for another eight hours job, do not feel about it. Most people do that, almost everyday. They have been counting days checking how close that weekends are just to get a better time to rest. The reasons for this are usually because of the hassles that they encounter, especially when their offices are miles away from their home. Business trips could also become tiring. That is why more people

A different tale this time: of mystery, child abuse, deprivation, political intrigue and murder all rolled into one. A tale of a young man who suddenly appeared in Nuremberg in 1828; walking painfully and clumsily - as if uncertain how to walk.

By Sam Vakninr Author of "Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited" Asperger's Disorder is often misdiagnosed as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), though evident as early as age 3 (while pathological narcissism cannot be safely diagnosed prior to early adolescence). In both cases, the patient is self-centered and engrossed in a narrow range of interests and activities. Social and occupational interactions are severely hampered and conversational skills (the give and

Autism rates are increasing in the United States and abroad. Costa Mesa California-based "Talk About Curing Autism" (TACA) researchers estimate that there are over one million cases of autism in the United States alone--1 in 150 children now have the disorder. According to the U.S. Department of Health, rates of autism continue to increase more than 20 percent a year.nnResearchers, pediatricians and parents are working relentlessly to find the cause of, and effective treatmen

Last month, I was honored to be invited to the iLs (Integrated Listening Systems) Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, where I had the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of doctors, therapists, educators, and other professionals. The one thing all of these people had in common was their genuine quest for more knowledge in how the brain can grow and heal through neuroplasticity and the use of the unique technology of iLs.

I’ve been learning more and more lately about how many of our children with autism are affected by a disruption in their sensory systems. A lot of our kids are simply overwhelmed a LOT of the time. Their bodies do not process their environmental cues the same way other people’s do, and so it’s often like a traffic jam going on inside their little bodies.

Parents who are conce ed about vaccines do have another choice. I have a Practitioners diploma in homeopathic medicine with the Hahnemann College of Homeopathy and Heilkunst. As part of my curriculum the subject of homeoprophylaxis (HP) was discussed. Homeoprophylaxis is the administration of homeopathic medicines to induce in the patient immunity against a particular disease. Natural immunity – based on principles of natural law, you can receive a protection against the flu

One of the biggest modern day struggles in the realm of autism is being understood and accepted by others. Children with autism in today's world can experience upsetting challenges and face unnecessary and violating conflicts with school, the public, and the law, all because their autism was not ...

My son’s autism diagnosis shook the foundations of my life. The future, my faith and even the present crumpled before me. Each day was a struggle to find any morsel of inner peace. Our son was somehow “broken;” not the perfect son for which we had hoped and prayed.

My last article on DSM-5 looked at the loss of one important diagnosis - that of Disintegrative Disorder. And yet reviewing the situation there is another aspect of major concern. And that, as you may have guessed, conce s the sensory differences. Why so? Let me explain.

One of the most important routine to establish, especially for kids with ADHD and autism spectrum disorders, is the bedtime routine. But why are these routines so important? If you have a child who is hard to manage at bedtime, or will not settle for bed, who is up and down all night long, or comes into your bed in the wee hours-- you are tired. And guess what? Your child is tired, too. And believe it or not, a tired child can look like a more hyper and active child, and the

My last article looked at the effects of the changes in the DSM one year on, focusing on the deletion of Asperger's syndrome but, of course, there was also another omission that attracted little attention; possibly because Asperger's syndrome took precedence. And yet that omission too is of great importance.

It's a funny old world. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) produced by the American Psychiatric Association (APS) is one of two main international sets of diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders: the other being the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), produced by the World Health Organization.

The day I was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, I at first thought of myself as an interesting person with something unique. I had always known there was something different about me. Now I finally knew why I always had the impulse to stem when I was excited, why I had such a hard time ...

I was always told that if you want to learn something you should 'ask an expert' and so when I set out to write a short booklet on anxiety in the late 1980s, I decided to begin my research by reading books and articles by or about people with ASD themselves.

The increase in anti social activities nowadays has resulted in growing concern for a reliable solution and to manage these activities. There are all sorts of legal amendments and other steps implemented to curb the menace of criminal activities but it is not just enough to provide a solution. There is now a need of a more rigid step towards dealing with the problem in a strategically manner. When we talk about a strategically planned manner, one of the best solutions that we

arly preparation and careful planning are among the six keys to helping a student with autism have a successful college career, according to Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D, whose remarks are featured in a new podcast published at Autism Hangout.nnIn an interview with Craig Evans, founder of Autism Hangout, Brown said preparation for post-high school education and research into appropriate colleges should begin as early as ninth grade rather than in junior or senior year. Developi

Having worked for three years on a one to one basis with several children with autism approximately since 2003, I was beginning to see a current theme in the way that those children communicated; very robotic, unnatural, scripted and disconnected. Communication is so important, it is a tool to connecting with other human beings, with this being distorted and weak it means that interactions are not strong and this affects quality of life in the short and long term. This was on

Aspergers autism aggression is a disorder which can make an individual very furious and aggressive with themselves or with other people. There is no studies or researches done for this Aspergers autism aggression, and just a few number of persons is affected by this kind of disorder. The primary and major cause of this autism disorder is, the individual becomes strange with an uncontrollable emotion and they change or alter to violent behavior when facing or dealing with ange

If you want to grow a successful business, you will need a variety of strategies as each approach has its benefits but also its limits; there are also many different components that need to be addressed in different ways. Utilizing a variety of avenues will maximize customer reach, increase profits and establish important, beneficial professional relationships. Attending a trade show can offer many benefits for your business and is something worth considering. Great Way to Fi

Today people generally try to be politically correct but, while a good thing in theory that can have some drawbacks, especially in relation to Autistic Spectrum Disorders as you will see. Thus nowadays it people commonly refer to ASD as a learning 'difference' or even a 'personality trait' but, although their good intentions cannot be faulted, both terms have flaws, with the latter in particular giving rise to some unintended (and unfortunate) consequences. However, before you jump to the conclusion that I am overstating the case, let me explain my reasoning.

When trying to figure out new ways to help your child stay strong and healthy during this busy time of year, think about breaking it down into baby steps. The great philosopher Hippocrates said it best when he said, “let food be thy medicine”. In other words, start with your child’s diet and consider each of the baby steps to be one forkful at a time - ultimately leading you to a healthier child and family.

. . . all such institutions are unnatural, undesirable and very liable to abuse. We should have as few of them as possible…’ Samuel Gridley Howe - American physician and philanthropist

There are several holistic ways to treat different ailments. Meditation, yoga and sound therapy are some of the natural forms of healing. Music therapy falls under the category of sound therapy. Since ages music has been a means to sooth the soul but now we know that it can heal our body and mind too. Children love all that is filled with joy and excitement. They can even be made happy by gifting those [johnny cash t shirts]. It is also increasingly used by the professionals

The last article assessed the impact of referring to ASD as a learning 'difference' or even a 'personality trait.' As I said then, I believe that both terms can potentially cause problems. That is particularly true in relation to abuse, making it far too easy for abusers to justify punishments and other mistreatments as the way to 'make the child conform', or simply to pass the resulting distressed behaviors as simply part of the child's autism.

Regrettably the past two decades have seen the rise of the autism wars. One such battlefront is linked to the idea that autism is triggered by some 'exte al force': an idea that has led many parents to buy into the idea that 'curing' autism would return to the child to 'normal' and one that has also encouraged numerous organizations to look for and/or advocate a cure.

Gives a brief introduction to autism, Asperger's, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, OCD, Tourette's syndrome etc - offers an oversight of each using visual media and/or links to relevant articles. Also includes information on useful therapies + a number of interesting movies & books.