"Those who are creating the modern composition authentically are naturally only of importance when they are dead because by that time the modern composition having become past is classified and the description of it is classical." --Gertrude Stein "One hundred years from now everyone in this anthology will be dead. According to Stein that means Alt Lit will finally be considered 'classic.'" --Christopher Higgs Featuring work by Sam Pink (1.), Chelsea Martin (2.), Megan Boyle (3.), Beach Sloth (4.), Diana Salier (5.), Guillaume Morissette (6.), Jordan Castro (7.), Gabby Bess (8.), Alexander J Allison (9.), Janey Smith (10.), Michael Heald (11.), Juliet Escoria (12.), Jereme Dean (13.), Noah Cicero (14.), Mike Bushnell (15.), Tara Wray (16.), Spencer Madsen (17.), Laura Marie Marciano (18.), Jackson Nieuwland (19.), Carolyn DeCarlo (20.), Heiko Julien (21.), Stephen Tully Dierks (22.), Lucy Tiven (23.), Timothy Willis Sanders (24.), Ana Carrete (25.), Chris Dankland (26.), Oscar Schwartz (27.), Steve Roggenbuck (28.), Luna Miguel (29.), Crispin Best (30.), Lucy K Shaw (31.), Andrew Duncan Worthington (32.), Frank Hinton (33.), Sarah Jean Alexander (34.), Willis Plummer (35.), Keegan Crawford (36.), Richard Chiem (37.), Tao Lin (38.), Mira Gonzalez (39.), and Scott McClanahan (40.) Also included--"Poetry and the Image Macro" by Michael Hessel-Miel and an Afterword by Christopher Higgs.

During the last 25 years, life expectancy at age 50 in the United States has been rising, but at a slower pace than in many other high-income countries, such as Japan and Australia. This difference is particularly notable given that the United States spends more on health care than any other nation. Concerned about this divergence, the National Institute on Aging asked the National Research Council to examine evidence on its possible causes. According to Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries, the nation's history of heavy smoking is a major reason why lifespans in the United States fall short of those in many other high-income nations. Evidence suggests that current obesity levels play a substantial part as well. The book reports that lack of universal access to health care in the U.S. also has increased mortality and reduced life expectancy, though this is a less significant factor for those over age 65 because of Medicare access. For the main causes of death at older ages-cancer and cardiovascular disease-available indicators do not suggest that the U.S. health care system is failing to prevent deaths that would be averted elsewhere. In fact, cancer detection and survival appear to be better in the U.S. than in most other high-income nations, and survival rates following a heart attack also are favorable. Explaining Divergent Levels of Longevity in High-Income Countries identifies many gaps in research. For instance, while lung cancer deaths are a reliable marker of the damage from smoking, no clear-cut marker exists for obesity, physical inactivity, social integration, or other risks considered in this book. Moreover, evaluation of these risk factors is based on observational studies, which-unlike randomized controlled trials-are subject to many biases.

The death of a child is a special sorrow. No matter the circumstances, a child's death is a life-altering experience. Except for the child who dies suddenly and without forewarning, physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel usually play a central role in the lives of children who die and their families. At best, these professionals will exemplify "medicine with a heart." At worst, families' encounters with the health care system will leave them with enduring painful memories, anger, and regrets. When Children Die examines what we know about the needs of these children and their families, the extent to which such needs areâ€"and are notâ€"being met, and what can be done to provide more competent, compassionate, and consistent care. The book offers recommendations for involving child patients in treatment decisions, communicating with parents, strengthening the organization and delivery of services, developing support programs for bereaved families, improving public and private insurance, training health professionals, and more. It argues that taking these steps will improve the care of children who survive as well as those who do notâ€"and will likewise help all families who suffer with their seriously ill or injured child. Featuring illustrative case histories, the book discusses patterns of childhood death and explores the basic elements of physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical care for children and families experiencing a child's life-threatening illness or injury.

When the end of life makes its inevitable appearance, people should be able to expect reliable, humane, and effective caregiving. Yet too many dying people suffer unnecessarily. While an "overtreated" dying is feared, untreated pain or emotional abandonment are equally frightening. Approaching Death reflects a wide-ranging effort to understand what we know about care at the end of life, what we have yet to learn, and what we know but do not adequately apply. It seeks to build understanding of what constitutes good care for the dying and offers recommendations to decisionmakers that address specific barriers to achieving good care. This volume offers a profile of when, where, and how Americans die. It examines the dimensions of caring at the end of life: Determining diagnosis and prognosis and communicating these to patient and family. Establishing clinical and personal goals. Matching physical, psychological, spiritual, and practical care strategies to the patient's values and circumstances. Approaching Death considers the dying experience in hospitals, nursing homes, and other settings and the role of interdisciplinary teams and managed care. It offers perspectives on quality measurement and improvement, the role of practice guidelines, cost concerns, and legal issues such as assisted suicide. The book proposes how health professionals can become better prepared to care well for those who are dying and to understand that these are not patients for whom "nothing can be done."

40 Thingsis intended to provide parents with a concise and powerful resource to help educate and inform theirchildren (kindergarten to young adult teens and even college age young adults)on a number of what I as a father consider to be the most important spiritual/biblical truths on a number of vital topics, (i.e., life, marriage, truth, the law, the purpose of government, and salvation.") 40 Thingsis primarily intended to combat/refute the predominant and most popular teachings and philosophies of secular humanism, post-modernism, moral relativism and universalism so pervasive today in our society (sadly even in many Christian circles) and to empower/encourage the next generation to think and act biblically. I am also hoping that the same parents who purchase the book for their kids will also purchase it for any unsaved, skeptical or backslidden family/friends to lead them to the truth of the Gospel. The book has already received rave reviews and endorsements from many Christian leaders and public figures such as Ray Comfort (who wrote the Foreword), R.C. Sproul Jr., Dr. Michael Milton, E. Ray Moore, Dr. Ted Baehr, Steve Deace, and J.C. Watts. "

Revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide with translations in 29 languages. After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or previous experience in the field, she found herself working in palliative care. During the time she spent tending to those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog post, outlining the most common regrets that the people she had cared for had expressed. The post gained so much momentum that it was viewed by more than three million readers worldwide in its first year. At the request of many, Bronnie subsequently wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, to share her story. Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse life. By applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for everyone, if we make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide, with translations in 29 languages, Bronnie expresses how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a courageous, life-changing book that will leave you feeling more compassionate and inspired to live the life you are truly here to live.

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.