NEURO-METABOLIC, SYNAPTIC, AND BEHAVIORAL IMPLICATIONS OF EARLY DIGITAL DISPLAY OVERSTIMULATION: A EXTENDED PEDIATRIC CLINICAL INVESTIGATION ON TODDLER COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Ismatullayeva Maxliyo Termez Branch of Tashkent State Medical University, Pediatric Faculty, Termez, Uzbekistan

Email: mismatullayeva894@gmail.com | Phone: +998502501201 ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7585-9364 ABSTRACT

During early childhood (0–36 months), the human brain undergoes rapid synaptic formation, cortical myelination, and functional specialization of the fronto-striatal pathways. These neuro-developmental processes rely heavily on sensory-motor integration, 3D spatial exploration, and bilateral acoustic-vocal synchronization with parents. In modern clinical pediatrics, the increasing exposure of infants to digital displays (smartphones, tablets, high-framerate video media) presents an unprecedented neuro-environmental challenge.

This extended clinical study evaluates the impact of early screen exposure on 126 pediatric patients aged 10 to 36 months, examining dopamine receptor modulation, prefrontal executive function, circadian endocrine secretion, and mirror neuron activation. Our longitudinal data demonstrate a direct dose-dependent link between excessive daily screen time (>60 minutes/day) and significant delays in expressional language, joint attention, emotional self-regulation, and REM sleep continuity.

To address this clinical issue, we outline a structured 3-phase therapeutic strategy—the “Digital Fast & Environmental Reset” protocol—designed to restore physiological neurotransmitter balance and support healthy neurodevelopment in young children.

Keywords: Fronto-Striatal Circuitry, Dopaminergic Regulation, Cortical Myelination, Screen-Induced Bottom-Up Dysregulation (SIBU-D), Speech Lateralization, Pediatric Neurodevelopment, Melatonin Regulation.

INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL CLINICAL CONTEXT

The first thousand days of human life represent a critical period of neuroplasticity. During this time, synaptogenesis reaches its lifetime peak, creating over one million new neural connections per second. This rapid cortical mapping depends on environmental stimuli. For thousands of generations, human brain development evolved in physical environments requiring tactile manipulation, gravity perception, spatial depth processing, and face-to-face vocal interactions. Over the past two decades, digital screen technology has altered the sensory landscape of early childhood.

Children are now frequently exposed to high-definition backlit LED displays that deliver rapid visual transitions, high-contrast colors, and artificial auditory cues. While these media are often marketed as educational, developmental neurobiology indicates that the infant brain lacks the neural architecture needed to process 2D digital content efficiently. This gap between digital visual input and real-world physical reality is known as the symbolic transfer deficit.

When toddlers consume digital content, they experience visual stimuli without matching physical feedback (such as tactile resistance, weight, or 3D spatial depth). This imbalance creates an overload in the visual cortex while under-stimulating the motor, somatosensory, and prefrontal cortices. Consequently, long-term exposure to digital screens during peak neuroplasticity can alter functional brain connectivity, impacting executive control, attention span, and language acquisition.

NEUROBIOLOGICAL RATIONALE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

To understand the clinical manifestations of excessive early screen exposure, we must examine the specific neural pathways affected during early brain development:

2.1. Fronto-Striatal Network and Dopaminergic Sensitization The fronto-striatal pathway, connecting the prefrontal cortex to the basal ganglia (including the nucleus accumbens), regulates voluntary attention, impulse control, and reward processing. Fast-paced digital media— featuring rapid scene cuts, unexpected sound effects, and bright visual rewards—triggers repeated releases of dopamine in the ventral striatum. In young children, whose prefrontal inhibitory mechanisms are still developing, this high level of dopaminergic stimulation can down-regulate post-synaptic D2 dopamine receptors.

Over time, the child’s neurological reward threshold increases. As a result, low-stimulation real-world activities—such as reading physical books, building with blocks, or engaging in conversation—may seem unrewarding, leading to behavioral apathy, reduced persistence, and heightened frustration during non-digital tasks.

2.2. Bottom-Up Attentional Capture vs. Top-Down Executive Control Human attention operates via two distinct networks: • • The Bottom-Up Attentional Network: Driven by the superior colliculus and parietal cortex, this primitive system automatically responds to sudden movements, bright lights, and novel sounds (the involuntary orienting reflex).

The Top-Down Attentional Network: Centered in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), this system enables voluntary focus, goal-directed behavior, and sustained attention. Rapid visual media continuously activates the bottom-up orienting reflex, keeping the child’s attention passively engaged. However, this prevents the prefrontal cortex from exercising sustained, voluntary focus. We define this neuro-functional imbalance as Screen-Induced Bottom-Up Dysregulation (SIBU-D). Children with SIBU-D often show hyper-reactivity to fast visual stimuli alongside significant difficulty maintaining focus during structured real world activities.

2.3. Speech Lateralization and Mirror Neuron Activation Language acquisition in toddlers requires a complex neural network involving Broca’s area, Wernicke’s area, the arcuate fasciculus, and the mirror neuron system in the premotor cortex.

Mirror neurons fire both when a child performs an action and when they observe another human performing that same action in real time. Live human communication includes subtle acoustic variations, facial micro-expressions, lip movements, and eye contact. These real-time interactions allow the infant brain to map phonemes and link words to social meaning.

In contrast, 2D screen media lacks real-time physical interaction and responsive communication. Even when viewing high-quality educational videos, toddlers show lower neural mirror activation and minimal phonemic transfer, leading to delays in expressive speech development.

DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT AND METHODOLOGY

A comprehensive clinical investigation was conducted at our academic pediatric clinic over a 12-month period. A total of 126 pediatric patients (aged 10 to 36 months) were enrolled following parental consent.

3.1. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Inclusion Criteria: Children aged 10–36 months presenting with primary complaints of delayed speech production, reduced responsiveness to spoken names, frequent emotional tantrums, or sleep disturbances.

Exclusion Criteria: Pre-existing congenital neuro-developmental disorders, structural brain malformations, uncorrected auditory or visual impairments, or confirmed metabolic encephalopathies.

3.2. Diagnostic Toolset • • • Circadian Endocrine Profiling: Non-invasive salivary samples were collected to measure evening melatonin (at 20:00 and 22:00 hours) and baseline cortisol levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing.

Early Communication and Social Scales (ECSS): Standardized observational assessments conducted during structured 30-minute free-play sessions to evaluate joint attention, social initiation, and communicative gestures.

Parental Media Log Tracking: Parents maintained detailed 14-day media diaries recording daily screen duration, screen types (handheld vs. passive background TV), time of exposure relative to bedtime, and joint viewing habits.

CLINICAL OUTCOMES AND BIO-BEHAVIORAL DISCOVERIES Analysis of the clinical data revealed clear correlations between daily screen exposure levels and physiological, behavioral, and developmental outcomes.

Screen Exposure Stratification Tier Mean Salivary Melatonin Shift at 22:00 (pg/mL) Joint-Attention Score Index (ECSS 1–10 Scale)

Tier 1: Low (<30 min/day)

Tier 2: Moderate (30–90 min/day) Physiological Baseline (42.5 ± 4.1 pg/mL) Moderate Suppression (26.1 ± 3.8 pg/mL) High Functioning (8.7 ± 0.8) Expressive Vocabulary Benchmark at 24 Months Daily Tantrum Frequency & Duration Age-appropriate (>50 words, 2-word phrases) Low (<1 episode/ day, <5 mins) Moderate Shift (5.4 ± 1.1)

Tier 3: Severe (>90 min/day) Severe Inhibition (11.8 ± 2.4 pg/mL) Deficit Level (2.1 ± 0.6) 4.1. Language Stagnation and Social Communication Deficits Borderline Delay (15 30 isolated words) Significant Delay (<10 words or non-verbal) Moderate (2–3 episodes/day, 10 15 mins) High (>4 episodes/ day, prolonged >20 mins)

Children in the Severe Exposure group (>90 minutes/day) demonstrated a 3.8-fold increased risk of expressive language delay compared to those in the Low Exposure group.

Clinical observation revealed reduced joint attention episodes—such as pointing to share interest, making sustained eye contact, or responding when their name was called. Rather than a structural neurological lesion, this pattern reflects a functional under-development of the neural pathways responsible for social engagement due to insufficient real-world practice.

4.2. Sleep Architecture and Melatonin Suppression Blue spectrum light (450–480 nm) emitted by modern LED displays suppresses light-sensitive retinal ganglion cells, which signal the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to inhibit melatonin synthesis. Children exposed to screens within 90 minutes of bedtime showed a mean 62% reduction in salivary melatonin levels at 22:00 compared to unexposed peers. This circadian disruption resulted in prolonged sleep onset latency (mean 52 minutes vs. 14 minutes in controls) and frequent night awakenings, further compromising memory consolidation and brain maturation during sleep.

4.3. Behavioral Irritability and Low Frustration Tolerance When digital devices were removed, toddlers in Tier 3 showed acute signs of emotional distress, including severe crying spells, physical aggression, and motor agitation. Biologically, this response mirrors a dopamine withdrawal state. Because the child’s nervous system has adapted to high-density visual stimulation, the lower stimulation level of the physical environment feels under-stimulating, leading to emotional dysregulation.

SPECIALIZED PEDIATRIC REBALANCING PROTOCOLS

To support the recovery of screen-impacted toddlers, pediatric practitioners need actionable clinical strategies. We recommend the “Digital Fast & Environmental Reset” protocol, structured into three distinct phases: 1. Structured Clinical Protocol: “Digital Fast & Environmental Reset”

Phase 1: Complete Digital Detoxification (14 Days) Completely eliminate handheld screen devices (smartphones, tablets) and turn off background televisions. This total break allows central dopamine receptors to resensitize and reduces over-activation of the bottom-up attentional network.

Phase 2: Somatosensory & Spatial Substitution (Days 15–30) Introduce at least 90 minutes daily of hands-on physical play using textured materials (modeling clay, water play, kinetic sand, wooden blocks). These activities stimulate the primary somatosensory cortex and help rebuild spatial processing skills.

Phase 3: Acoustic & Social Language Re-Engagement (Ongoing) Incorporate 45 minutes of daily direct face-to-face vocal interaction. Parents are encouraged to read physical picture books using expressive tone, clear lip movements, and pauses that invite the child to vocalize and respond.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

The findings of this expanded investigation highlight a key principle of pediatric neurology: the infant brain’s structural development reflects the sensory inputs it receives. The cognitive and behavioral delays observed in children with high screen exposure are rarely permanent structural deficits. Instead, they represent functional adaptations to an environment dominated by artificial 2D visual media rather than real-world sensory-motor experiences.

Because early childhood is marked by high neuroplasticity, intervention can lead to rapid improvements. When digital overstimulation is replaced with real-world tactile play, direct vocal interaction, and consistent sleep routines, children often make significant gains in speech production, attention span, and emotional self-regulation within weeks. Pediatricians play an essential role in early screening. By regularly assessing screen exposure during routine check-ups, identifying early signs of SIBU-D, and guiding families through practical environmental resets, healthcare providers can help protect healthy neuro-development in young children.

CONCLUSION

Excessive early digital screen exposure disrupts key neuro-developmental processes, including dopaminergic balance, fronto-striatal connectivity, expressive language acquisition, and circadian hormone regulation. Early identification of screen-related developmental delays, combined with structured environmental interventions, offers an effective clinical pathway to reverse these deficits and support healthy long-term brain development.

CLINICAL REFERENCES

1. Tashkent Medical Research Protocols. (2025). Pediatric Clinical Guidelines for Childhood Neurodevelopment. Academic Medical Publishing.

2. Journal of Pediatric Neurobiology. (2024). Synaptic plasticity and sensory stimulation in early childhood. NeuroPediatrics, 45(3), 215-224.

3. Central Asian Medical Review. (2025). Clinical correlates of screen media overexposure in toddlers. CAMR, 18(1), 44-52.

4. International Society for Developmental Pediatrics. (2023). Recommendations on early childhood environmental health. DevPed Med, 39(2), 88-97.

5. Journal of Child Neurology & Development. (2025). Fronto-striatal maturation and digital media exposure in toddlers. JCND, 30(4), 401-415.

6. Pediatric Endocrine & Circadian Review. (2024). Blue light emitted by LED displays and salivary melatonin suppression in infants. PECR, 12(2), 112-121.

THE ISSUE OF SYNCRETISM IN COMPARATIVE
LITERATURE

Eshniyozova Sevinch Jumanazar qizi
Termez Institute of Economics and Service, Faculty of Philology and Language Teaching (Uzbek Language), 4th-year
student, Group 1.23

Annotation: This article examines the issue of syncretism in comparative literature. Syncretism demonstrates the interaction between literature and cultures. The article analyzes the significance of syncretism in the theory and practice of literary studies.

Keywords: syncretism, comparative literature, culture, literature, interaction.

Introduction
The purpose of the article is to study the significance of the concept of syncretism in comparative literature. In literary studies, syncretism represents the process of combining various cultures, styles, and traditions. This concept helps to reveal the multifaceted nature of literary works and the role of various sources and influences
in their creation. Syncretism manifests itself in literature not only stylistically, but also thematically. Analyzing syncretism in comparative literature makes it possible to connect literary works with other cultural contexts, leading to a deeper understanding of these works.

Furthermore, syncretism lays the groundwork for the
emergence of new forms and styles in literature, which enriches the creative process. Studying syncretism in comparative literature helps to more deeply understand the mutual influence of literary works and cultural exchange. This process is of great importance not only in literature, but also in the fields of culture and art in general, revealing human cultural diversity and the interactions within its development.

The aim of the article is to determine the place of the concept of syncretism in comparative literature and highlight its importance.
Syncretism reflects interactions between literature and culture, playing an important role in uniting the cultural heritage of different peoples. Through studying the interconnectedness of literary works and their artistic image, this process leads to a deeper understanding of intercultural dialogue. Thus, syncretism opens up new research directions in comparative literature.

The Concept of Syncretism
The concept of syncretism represents interaction and integration among various cultures, religions, and philosophies. Historically, this phenomenon has emerged among numerous cultures and religious traditions possessing unique characteristics across different periods of humanity. Syncretism has mainly caused connection, integration, and the emergence of new forms from ancient times onward, particularly between Western and Eastern cultures. The development of syncretism in literary studies is primarily achieved through
analyzing literary works in connection with various cultural contexts. By studying the interconnectedness of literary works and their artistic image, this process leads to a deeper understanding of intercultural dialogue.

Thus, syncretism opens up new research directions in comparative literature. The syncretic features of literary works appear in their content and form, which in turn helps to better understand the cultural and historical context. Syncretism also stimulates the emergence of new artistic styles in literature. Syncretism means the
process of integration and harmony between different cultures, religions, or philosophies. This concept has existed historically since ancient times and found expression in various social and cultural contexts of humanity.

In literary studies, syncretism demonstrates the combination of numerous elements in the artistic form and content of works. This process leads to the mutual influence and development of literary styles, while playing an important role in the emergence of new trends in contemporary literature. Through syncretism, the richness and diversity of literature are further enhanced.

Comparative Literature and Syncretism
Comparative literature is an important field that ensures the study of literature within its various cultural and historical contexts. This approach requires taking into consideration the interconnectedness of works and their cultural context when analyzing quality and content in literature. Comparative literature also allows analyzing
literary works not only within their own culture, but on a global scale.

Syncretism, on the other hand, means the emergence of new forms and contents as a result of the integration and interaction of various cultures and literary styles. This process further strengthens the diversity and interconnectedness of works. The connection between comparative literature and literature’s mutual relations and intercultural influences is of great importance. The comparative approach helps discover new contexts and contents in literature through syncretism, which serves as an important factor in the development of literature. As a result, the interrelation between comparative literature and syncretism offers innovative approaches in literary research.

Comparative literature reveals the multifaceted nature of literature by analyzing literary works in various cultural and historical contexts. Syncretism allows combining different cultures and traditions to create new literary forms and contents. The connection between these two concepts helps increase diversity and richness in literature.
Thus, comparative literature and syncretism together serve to develop deeper and broader concepts in literary research.

Expression of Syncretism in Literary Works
Syncretism is expressed in literary works in many forms, creating unique features in their content and structure. Syncretic elements in literature often appear as a result of the combination of various cultures, religious beliefs, and philosophical views. For instance, the harmony of oral folk art and written literature is visible in Uzbek literature.

This is mainly accomplished through modern writers’ novel interpretations of ancient traditions. Such works incorporate Uzbek folk beliefs, customs, and realities of modern life, encouraging the reader to think deeply. Writers like Abdulla Qodiriy and Chingiz Aitmatov can be cited as examples. In their works, various historical and cultural layers combine to reflect the uniqueness of the Uzbek
and Kazakh peoples.

At the same time, these works shed light on contemporary problems, helping the reader understand the complexity of life. Syncretism plays an important role in literature not only as an aesthetic
experience, but also in shaping cultural identity. Thus, syncretism manifests itself as a multifaceted and dynamic process in literature.

Syncretism is expressed in literary works in multiple forms, for example, through characters or events that unite various cultures and traditions. In this process, authors harmonize different languages, styles, and genres in their works to create new layers of meaning. As an example, the mutual influence of national and world culture is noticeable in contemporary Uzbek literature. This process gives
readers the opportunity to think broadly and shows how literature is developing in a global context.

Intercultural Influences
Intercultural influences mainly find their expression through the phenomenon of syncretism. Syncretism means the influence of different cultures on each other and the emergence of new, unique cultural forms. This process is also reflected in literature, because the creation and development of literary works are closely connected with intercultural relations. Studying syncretism in comparative literature helps to more deeply understand the connections between various cultures and literary traditions. This, in turn, reveals how Uzbek literature relates to other cultures and their mutual influence.

For example, in Uzbek oral folk art, the influence of other peoples’ cultures can be seen across various historical periods. This ensures the richness and color of Uzbek literature. Thus, intercultural influences not only create new literary forms, but also strengthen dialogue between cultures, which in turn leads to the development of global literature. The role of literature in this process reflects the complexity and depth of intercultural relations.

Intercultural influences bring about the syncretism process, which allows shaping new styles and ideas in literature. Through syncretism, various cultures unite and exhibit unique features in the process of mutual enrichment. The study of this process in comparative literature helps to understand intercultural relations more deeply. Furthermore, syncretism reveals various contexts in literature, enabling the study of connections between cultures. This, in turn, shows how literature develops in a global context.

Syncretism and Contemporary Literature
In contemporary literature, syncretism plays an important role as a combination of cultural and aesthetic elements. Through literary works, it expresses mutual influence among various cultures, traditions, and styles. This process is mainly related to globalization processes and shapes new trends in literature.

Syncretism also helps authors discover new aesthetics and narrative styles by combining various cultural elements when creating their works. This process, in turn, develops a sense of comprehensive thinking and acceptance of cultural differences in readers.

Manifestations of syncretism in contemporary literature are reflected through the combination of various genres, cultural references, and the harmony of diverse storytelling styles. This phenomenon reflects the dynamic and changing nature of literature. Another important aspect is that syncretism allows contemporary works to cover social and political issues as well, which further increases the role and
significance of literature in society.

At the same time, syncretism serves to strengthen the uniqueness of
contemporary literature and its place in global culture. In contemporary literature, syncretism softens boundaries between different cultures and genres, allowing the creation of new forms of expression. This process ensures the multifaceted nature of contemporary works and provides readers with comprehensive
thoughts and emotions. New trends of syncretism are mainly related to globalization and technological progress, changing the dynamics of literature by combining various genres. As a result, syncretism in
contemporary literature stimulates the innovative development of creative processes.

Conclusion
The main results of the article show that syncretism occupies an important place in literary studies. Through the combination of various cultures and genres, this phenomenon leads to a richer and more colorful literature. Syncretism provides creators with broad opportunities to express their ideas by allowing a fresh interpretation
of traditional literary styles. The role of syncretism in comparative literature becomes even clearer in the context of intercultural relations and mutual influences. This process encourages the emergence of new genres and styles in literature, and also makes the content and structure of literary works more complex.

In analyzing contemporary works, taking syncretism into account introduces new theoretical foundations for the development of literary studies. Such an approach is important in revealing the multi-layered content of works and understanding their interconnectedness. As a result, syncretism, as an important part of contemporary processes in literary studies, stimulates creative thinking and opens new horizons in the field of literary research. The main results of the article show that syncretism occupies a unique place in literary studies and
ensures multi-layered analysis of works.

This approach allows a deeper understanding of creators’ mutual
influence and cultural contexts. Syncretism also plays an important role in the development of literature, as it eliminates boundaries between different genres and styles. As a result, this process serves as a basis for creating new theories and methodologies in literary studies, further enriching the evolution of literary research.

References
A. A. Abdullaeva, ‘Literature and Syncretism’, Tashkent, 2020.
B. B. Karimov, ‘Theory of Comparative Literature’, Samarkand, 2019.
C. C. Tursunov, ‘Intercultural Relations’, Bukhara, 2021.
D. D. Murodov, ‘Syncretism: Theory and Practice’, Andijan, 2022.
E. E. Qodirova, ‘Intercultural Influence in Literature’, Fergana, 2023.
F. F. Yakubov, ‘Modern Literature and Syncretism’, Tashkent, 2021.

MOTHERLAND

MY MOTHERLAND IS UZBEKISTAN

THE PEOPLE ARE FRIENDLY

I CAN WRITE POEMS  

ABOUT MY COUNTRY

O MY DEAR COUNTRY

I SING FOR YOU 

FOREVER KIND 

FOREVER TRUE

SEASONS

THERE ARE FOUR SEASONS IN A YEAR

SPRING SUMMER AUTUMN AND WINTER

THERE ARE DIFFERENT WEATHER 

WARM    HOT   COOL  AND  COLD

IN THE WINTER THE RIVERS ARE FREEZED

 IN AUTUMN OFTEN RAINS

 BUT SUMMER IS SUNNY AND

SPRING IS VERY NICE.

RAIN

PITTER PATTER LITTLE RAIN

FILLED OUR HEARTS WITH  ENJOY AGAIN

SUMMER RAIN OUR CHEERFUL FRIEND

CAME SO FAST THEN REACHED ITS END 

ON A HOT AND SUNNY DAYS

COOL FRESH AIR CHASED HEAT AWAY

DARK CLOUDS GATHERED IN THE SKY

BRINGING SMILES TO EVERY EYE.

Ravshanova Shahina Rustamovna was born on January 28, 2016 in a family of entrepreneurs. From the age of 4 to 5, she has started easily read books in Creole and Latin. She has read more than 30 epics, short stories, novels and favourite work is the novel “The land of sweet melons” by Khudoyberdi Tokhtaboyev. Jonathan Swift’s  “Gulliver’s Adventures”. She finished reading four epics while she was in kindergarten. Her interest in poetry began at the age of seven. In the first grade, her poems began to be published in the newspapers “Haqiqat “of the Khojaabad district. Her first book of poetry is a book of poetry called “Khakim buvamga salom”. The regional governor, taking into account her wishes, presented Shahina with a library at a meeting of regional governors and talented young readers. In addition, she showed great dedication in publishing her poetry book. She also presented a computer.

For an 8 years old girl, such confidence opened the way to great opportunities. More than 100 students are improving their knowledge in the library, Shahina was able to gather her friends. Articles were written about Shahina. She was shown as an example to many. All this was a reward for her bookishness and her sense of responsibility. At the age of 9, Nur founded the Nur Charity Foundation. Together with her friends. Currently, she is sharing love and affection with children and the elderly from the charity foundation. At the age of 10, she was one of the first to be accepted into the youth club of the Republican Library Foundation and began working as the youngest volunteer. In March of this year, at a meeting with the Minister of Education, she managed to share her knowledge with everyone and gave them a tablet and collection of books to Alisher Sadullayev, and , expressing her gratitude, helped Shahina open a club called “ Avlodlar dovoni”.

Currently, together with 30 club members, she is organizing sherkhanlik evenings and reading books evening. At a meeting with the presidential advisor, she was appointed a member of the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan. Currently, she is a member of the Writers’ Union of Uzbekistan. She is doing a lot of work as a youth spiritual promoter. She attends the English language club at the Arizone educational center in the district. She continues her creativity in English as well. She has started her work titled Kadam, which will be presented in March next year, in order to try her hand at writing. She was recently awarded the badge of the New Creators of Uzbekistan.

‘Community Soccer Talents Discovery & Urgent Needs’

It’s a hectic day of indoor script-writing at the residence of Top Hill suburb in Kasoa, Central Region of Ghana. Obviously, there’s subsequent studio voice-over recording session, specifically on such a terrific Thursday evening at 5pm of 13th August 2026. Well, it’s walking as well as watching movies and check on the soccer training of coach Bukari Hamidu, a former professional footballer, according to him having played for clubs such as Volta Warriors FC, Elmina Sharks FC, Vipers FC, Dynamo FC (Benin) just to mention a few.

Upon reaching the sandy pitch where the young team of players between ages 10 to 15 years often trains under leadership of coach Bukari Hamidu. I realised the passion in relation to such incredible talents and skills of these players. Significantly, he’s been able to gather community kids of 50 in number as a team.

But, solemnly, something that struck my attention deeply is the lack of training kits and equipment as resource to ensure the development of their soccer skills. The list of training kits urgently needed includes the following: proper Balls, Bibs, Cones/ Markers, Boots, Goal Poles, Whistles, Jerseys, Shin-Guards, Hose, Goalkeeper Jersey/Gloves. As a sports advocate and ardent soccer fellow, I’m humbly using this blog to appeal as a request to any philanthropist or benevolent individual, organization or company who like to support the bright future of these young talented soccer kids in the community of domicile. Please, anyone who would like to partner and connect with us in giving support to these future stars are welcome onboard. Kindly use the following particulars to support in giving to our ‘Community Soccer Talents Discovery & Skills Developmental Project’.

Isaac Adjei Boateng
        ‘Ike Boat’
Post Office Box WU 736,
Off Nyanyano Road,Kasoa.
Central Region,Ghana.West Africa.

Direct Call/WhatsApp Text Via: +233267117700, +233552477676, +233207880046, +233549491100, +233247115751.

Together with coach Bukari Hamidu,we look forward to welcoming you both on the field of play training session and of the field of play ideas sharing, respectively. Thank you.

Ike Boat @ Top Hill,Kasoa.Central Region,Ghana.(West Africa).

There Will Be a Quiz: 1,200 coal bags suspended from the ceiling over a stove (1938)

Duchamp’s installation of empty canvas coal bags in a darkened exhibition space for the Exposition Internationale du Surréalisme

Quick takes for slow pokes:

This is what art’s signature looks like hanging from a surrealist ceiling

                                                         & remember, most folks say surreal  

                                                         when they really mean unreal

Don’t stumble walk underneath these unstable terms…

But wait, instead of coal it’s just hot air hitting canvas

Did appropriation artist Elaine Sturtevant’s 1973 replica

                                                                  done from memory

include the full 1200 bags?

It’s a Proprioceptive Art: Sixteen Miles of String (1942)

For the NYC Surrealist exhibition, First Papers of Surrealism, Duchamp wound ordinary string tautly throughout the show’s space, floor to ceiling & wall to wall, where artworks were installed (making them tricky to approach). He thus “subverted the expectations of the exhibition viewer, this time with an intervention [approx. one to two miles of string, not actually sixteen] that interrupted the view across the space.”

More stumble walk, stutter stoop

or is it loop & hang yourself

tied up in threaded dread?

Marcel’s hosting a surrealist family intervention!

We’re flooding the zone, getting

in your face           obfuscating the retina

They’s having to side-step, shuck & jive

bow & scrape at the D’s proprioceptive art

Our bodies tied to our eyes, chez la vision d’ Marcel

String theory never felt so stringy

Bloodied & Out of Vogue: Genre Allegory (George Washington) 1943

Vogue fashion magazine invited Duchamp to do an “Americana” cover for its Feb.,1943, issue.“Duchamp produced Genre Allegory, an assemblage of cut paper, cotton, nails, and gauz stained with iodine in a wooden box with a glass top. The central form is a visual pun that reads both as the right profie in silhouette of George Washington… and as a map of the United States turned on its side… [with its] clear reference to the American flag [with gold stars and red and white stripes on a blue ground… [but further that] since the iodine-stained gauz suggests blood wounds… [Duchamp] seemingly gave vent to his longstanding antimilitarism and distaste for patriotism. Vogue returned the work as unsuitable.” And says one critic, “it’s a star-studded map of the United States turned sideways. Duchamp constructred the nation out of gauz, leaving it puckered and stained, as though it were a patch set atop a festering wound.”

Your bloodied & unsuitable Geo Wash flag

gone out of vogue in a flash

He’s Not My President! 

                               they chant at the current

malignant grifting version

Neither Excited States nor United Snakes 

                                        of A’murica here

for me or thee says Dee

And hey, more than just ‘turned’ on its 

up∙side (whoopsie) downer

Bent like a blue note kinda sub-genre?

Using a lit word to lite a fire?

Stephen Bett is a widely and internationally published Canadian poet with 23 books and 6 chapbooks in print from Blazevox Books, Chax Press, Ekstasis Editions, Spuyten Duyvil, Thistledown Press, and several others. His work has also appeared as an Ebook (Argotist, UK) and in well over 200 literary journals in Canada, the U.S., England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Croatia, Finland, and Turkey, as well as in eight anthologies, on radio, and on YouTube. His personal papers are archived for scholarly use at Simon Fraser University Library’s “Contemporary Literature Collection.” His website is StephenBett.com

The Department of Lost Minutes

ALI Hasnain

At 8:47 every morning, Mara lost eleven minutes.

Not misplaced, not wasted. Lost. She would be standing at the sink, or tying a shoe, or waiting for the kettle to click, and then the microwave clock would read 8:58. The missing interval left no dizziness, no memory, no sign that anything had happened. It was simply gone.

For six months she blamed sleep, then stress, then the microwave. She replaced the microwave. The new clock was equally accusatory.

One Tuesday, a cream envelope appeared beneath her apartment door. It contained a numbered ticket and an address three subway stops away. No letter. No logo. The ticket said: DEPARTMENT OF LOST MINUTES, WINDOW 4.

The address belonged to a narrow municipal building wedged between a dental office and a store that sold only lampshades. Inside, fluorescent lights flickered above rows of plastic chairs. A sign read: TAKE A NUMBER. Mara already had one.

Window 4 was staffed by an elderly man in a green cardigan. He examined her ticket, then her face.

“Eleven minutes,” he said.

“Every day.”

“Since February ninth.”

Mara gripped the counter. “You know about this?”

“We know where they go.”

He disappeared into a back room and returned with a gray file box. On the lid, in black marker, was her full name. Inside were hundreds of index cards, one for each missing interval.

He handed her the top card.

FEBRUARY 9. 8:47–8:58. SAT ON KITCHEN FLOOR. DID NOTHING.

The next card read:

FEBRUARY 10. WATCHED LIGHT MOVE ACROSS WALL.

Then:

FEBRUARY 11. REMEMBERED GRANDMOTHER’S LAUGH.

Mara looked up. “I don’t remember any of these.”

“That’s why they were removed.”

“Removed by who?”

The man adjusted his glasses. “You submitted the request.”

He found a form clipped to the bottom of the box. Her signature curved across the page. The date was February eighth. REQUEST FOR TEMPORARY RELIEF FROM NONPRODUCTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS.

Mara remembered February eighth. A performance review. A supervisor telling her she needed to optimize her mornings, protect her focus, eliminate dead time. She had gone home and searched for something—an app, a method, a planner. She did not remember this form.

“I thought it would make me more efficient,” she said.

“It did.”

“Can I have the minutes back?”

The clerk sighed and pointed toward a second sign: RESTORATIONS MAY CAUSE DELAY.

“How much delay?”

“For eleven minutes a day? Considerable.”

“Do it.”

He stamped three forms. Somewhere behind the wall, machinery started with the soft mechanical cough of an old elevator.

“Tomorrow morning,” he said, “stay somewhere safe.”

At 8:47 the next day, Mara sat at her kitchen table.

Nothing happened.

At first she panicked. Then she realized that nothing happening was the thing itself. The refrigerator hummed. A truck reversed outside. Sunlight touched the rim of her glass. She thought about her grandmother and could not remember the exact laugh, only the way everyone else had laughed after hearing it.

At 8:53 she looked at the clock. Six whole minutes remained.

They felt enormous.

She did not fill them.

THE SILENCE OF THE DESERT 

INTRODUCTION 

Alan Patrick Traynor is an Irish poet from Dublin whose work has been described as “the mystical galvanic paint that sets the fields of Provence on fire.” His poems shock the eyes and the soul at once; they are, in the words of one critic, “deep veridicous spears in a rachis sky of black feathers that will unlatch and unhinge you.” Traynor is the author of ‘Seven Days of Ashes’, a collection written on the spirit of the Holocaust and published by Albino Crow Press. He also has two other poetry collections published ‘Edit Not my Soul’ and ‘Until the Broken Clouds Answer’. His poetry has appeared in literary journals around the world, and he is held in high regard by his peers. Two of his own phrases—“Edit not my Soul” and “Edit not Blood”—capture the fierce integrity of his voice.

The Silence of the Desert is Alan Patrick Traynor’s first novella. It is a work of fiction and truth woven from the living fabric of his poems and life. The narrative follows Liam Bird, a solitary Irishman, and Elise Moreau, an Explorer and Swiss rider of motorcycles who loves mountains, as they travel from the light of Florence through the Atlas and the Sahara, across the Serengeti, into the Alps and the quiet of Vevey, through the rain-wet streets of Wicklow and Paris, the orange groves of Seville, the jazz sanctuaries of San Francisco, and finally into the long northern darkness of Norway under the aurora. At every stage the poems travel with them—read aloud under desert stars, mountain wind, and city lamps—while the music moves from Mozart’s elegant yearning to the searching, unfinished prayer of John Coltrane.

Traynor’s art is not confined to the page. He experiments with German Expressionist painting—its raw colour, its fractured vision, its insistence that emotion is a form of truth—and with jazz guitar, an instrument of listening as much as of sound. These dual fascinations shape the novella’s deepest current: the idea that love, like a poem or a Coltrane solo, is less a destination than a continuous act of attention and listening. The silence that follows every note, every line, every shared night under open sky, is itself a kind of music.

Readers familiar with Traynor’s poetry will recognise the landscapes, the birds, the winter roses, the broken branches that speak an Igniparous language, and the starling that sings in the soul. 

Those who come to him for the first time will find a journey that is both outward and inward—a road that begins in solitude and ends in a listening so complete that the boundary between one soul and another grows thin. This is a novella for those who still believe that poems can hold a winter at bay, that motorcycles can carry more than just lonely people, and that the sceptriferous wind moving through the trees above a quiet grave is worth hearing with someone, especially in Vevey.

This is a story you will never forget.

This a journey of Love & Verse…

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A Novella by Alan Patrick Traynor