Latest news with #Strathdee
Press and Journal
02-05-2025
- Press and Journal
Keith domestic abuser's campaign of violence laid bare in court
A Keith man's disturbing campaign of controlling and violent behaviour towards two girlfriends has been revealed in court. Mark Strathdee sat in silence in the dock of Elgin Sheriff Court as fiscal depute Victoria Silver spent more than 20 minutes narrating the case against him. The 24-year-old previously admitted two charges of domestic abuse, which were carried out between 2022 and 2024. Strathdee's first victim, whom he dated between 2022 and 2023, said he used an iPhone app to track her movements, and his abusive behaviour happened so often that it became the 'norm'. Even after he attacked her, he would blame the woman for causing his violent behaviour. When his second victim broke things off, he sneaked into her home late at night and left a three-page letter about how good their future could be – along with a request that she cook him dinner that evening. Ms Silver said Strathdee's controlling behaviour meant his first victim 'became extremely isolated from her family and friends'. 'She became so exhausted with his behaviour that she found it easier to spend all of her time with him to prevent any further abuse,' Ms Silver explained. Despite this, Starthdee would constantly accuse the woman of being unfaithful, calling her a 'slag' and 'slut'. On one occasion, he shouted and swore at her simply because a male friend sat next to her in a bar. That day would culminate with Strathdee attacking her in his home. 'She's told him she was leaving, to which he's grabbed her and slapped her face, telling her she was not going anywhere,' Ms Silver said. When she finally ended things in October 2023, Strathdee continued to hound her through phone calls and text messages, begging her for a second chance. While her parents were on holiday and she was home alone, he entered their property uninvited through an unlocked door. Ms Silver said: 'She was immediately frightened, describing that she could feel her heart racing. For about an hour, she's repeatedly asked him to leave, however he ignored this. 'She recalls being made to feel guilty by the accused all throughout the relationship. 'Even after being assaulted, the accused would blame her – that she was the reason he hit her – and she would find herself apologising and feeling like she was in the wrong. The woman 'knew the accused's behaviour was wrong, but that she did not know how to get away', Ms Silver added. Strathdee's next relationship would take place between May and September last year. But it would only take a week before his new partner spotted 'red flags' about his behaviour. Ms Silver said this included asking the woman if she would 'hurt' him, and if she was 'one of those birds'. 'And he had also already started questioning who she was speaking to,' she added. He would tell her not to speak to other men at a family wedding, and, following a night out with friends, she would return to her own home to find Strathdee at the top of the stairs, saying, 'Where the f*** have you been?' 'She felt that the accused was not worried, he just wanted to control where she was,' Ms Silver said. He went on to call her a slag, a 'typical Elgin bird', and that she should be embarrassed that she was a mother. Ms Silver said: 'The accused was being generally degrading whilst also screaming at the top of his voice that he had never been disrespected like this before.' His behaviour would lead to her messaging a former partner and a friend to ask for help. As with his previous partner, breaking things off did not end matters, and Strathdee would begin calling, leaving messages and entering their property without permission. 'After many messages and phone calls through the night, using various social media platforms, the accused has let himself into her house through the insecure patio doors,' Ms Silver said. 'He's gone into her bedroom and cuddled her, telling her they could make it work. [She] described she was in a state of fear.' He would enter her property a second time to leave gifts and a three-page letter, which included instructions on what to make him for dinner. Ms Silver said of it: 'She then woke the next morning to find flowers, chocolates for her kids, and a three-page letter talking about how amazing their future could be together – and advising that there was mince in the fridge asking for her to cook dinner for them that evening. 'The accused had again let himself in through the insecure patio doors without invitation.' The woman would report him to police in September last year, and tell them that Strathdee's campaign against her would include biting. Describing them as 'love bite' marks that Strathdee would leave on the woman's upper body, thighs and stomach, Ms Silver said: 'She said it was a regular occurrence that he would leave a mark or bruise on her body in some way by biting her.' Ahead of sentencing Strathdee, whose address was given as Land Street, Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov called for more reports to be provided to the court. Sentence had initially been deferred in March, when Strathdee admitted to the charges, for background reports from the social work department, and for a report on his eligibility for a restriction of liberty order, which could prevent him from leaving his home between certain hours of the day. This deferment, for a psychological report on Strathdee, will see him return to Elgin Sheriff Court once more in June. Consideration of non-harassment orders to protect both of his victims has been continued in the meantime.
Associated Press
05-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ShelfLife, Alex Strathdee Launch ‘Before The Bestseller: Your Proven Path to Book Sales Without Wasting Time & Money'
- New guide helps nonfiction authors build an audience and achieve long-term success in book sales - SAN DIEGO, Calif., March 4, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — ShelfLife ( and author Alex Strathdee today announced the release of 'Before The Bestseller: Your Proven Path to Book Sales Without Wasting Time & Money' (ISBN: 979-8890792631), the ultimate playbook for nonfiction authors seeking to boost book sales, build an audience, and create a bestseller that never stops selling. This book pulls back the curtain on how the top authors of today such as James Clear of 'Atomic Habits' sold over 20 Million copies. This comprehensive guide reveals proven paths for launching and sustaining sales, whether authors are traditionally published, hybrid, or self-published while exposing the million-dollar scam operations running rampant in the publishing world. 'It's the perfect book for sales-hungry nonfiction authors: No BS. Insider tips. Industry secrets. And plenty of case studies to make it come alive,' says Dan Heath, author of 'Reset and Upstream,' and co-author of 'Switch and Made to Stick' (1,000,000+ books sold). In 'Before The Bestseller,' readers will discover actionable strategies, real-world examples, and marketing techniques that have helped countless authors find success. Whether a writer is penning their first book or seeking new ways to reinvigorate sales, Strathdee's new release offers a blueprint for consistent, long-term sales in the nonfiction realm. To learn more or purchase the book, visit: About the Author: Alex Strathdee is an accomplished nonfiction author and the founder of with a client roster that includes Reid Hoffman, Nir Eyal, Allan Dib, Lewis Howes, Michael Bungay Stanier and many other authors who have sold over a million copies of their book. For the first time ever, the curtain is being pulled back on how bestselling books are made. With a passion for empowering fellow writers, Strathdee's mission is to share industry knowledge that helps authors succeed in today's competitive publishing landscape. Learn more: MEDIA CONTACT: Alex Strathdee Phone: 571-225-9377 IMAGE LINK for media: Caption: 'Before The Bestseller' Book Cover NEWS SOURCE: ShelfLife Keywords: Books and Publishing, author Alex Strathdee, ShelfLife, Shelf Life, Before The Bestseller, nonfiction authors, publishers weekly, book sales, sell books, SAN DIEGO, Calif. Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P124459 AP-R15TBLLI
CBC
30-01-2025
- Health
- CBC
Researchers decry 'freeze on science' as confusion reigns over Trump administration medical funding
Canadian scientists say the uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's apparent pause on federal health spending could stall research on new drugs, vaccines, and treatments for cancer, dementia and more — including at labs in Canada. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) powers some of the best scientists around the world. Most of its $47-billion US budget last year funded research that the agency deemed could "enhance health, lengthen life, reduce illness and disability." That includes work being done by Canadian researchers, who received over $40 million US of funding last year. Now there's confusion. On Jan. 21, the Trump administration imposed a communication freeze until Feb. 1 for federal health officials. At the NIH, that meant key meetings that decide which scientific research to fund were cancelled, with no word on when they would be rescheduled. This week, an NIH webpage on grants and funding, a dashboard for researchers, announced unspecified changes that will affect "research project grants, fellowships and training grants" submitted on or after Jan. 25. Adding to the chaos: in a separate move, the administration also froze hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants, loans and aid Monday, before reversing course Wednesday. All this is leaving many scientists — including those in Canada — unsure of the future of their work. Canadian Steffanie Strathdee moved to the U.S. in 1998 and receives NIH funding for her HIV prevention research. She is awaiting word on a new grant submission for $12 million US and had a meeting scheduled with the NIH next week about it. "When I opened my computer and saw that NIH dollars were frozen, I was stunned," Strathdee said. Strathdee is a professor at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. The research involves following large groups of people who use drugs over time to study HIV and hepatitis C. Some of her work includes studies in Canada with people who use drugs to inform prevention and treatment in the U.S., Canada and beyond. Strathdee said most researchers she knows have already been affected by the temporary freezes on meetings, travel, communication and hiring at the NIH. "At the very best scenario, we're facing a significant funding delay, and that means that the livelihoods of my staff and my students, both in Canada and the U.S., are being affected." Future consequences? Researchers working at Canadian universities are also anxious about the lack of clarity. Nathan Spreng is the James McGill Professor in the department of neurology and neurosurgery at McGill University in Montreal, where he studies how the brain changes as we get older. The NIH has funded his research into loneliness, brain aging and Alzheimer's disease. Research like Spreng's, if underfunded, could delay the development of future treatments. "The consequences of this are just real human suffering," Spreng said. "There are a number of diseases and injuries that are not well treated at the moment. Absent this kind of funding, these people will just continue to suffer." NIH funding contributed to the development of all but two of 356 drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2010 and 2019, a 2023 article in JAMA Health Forum suggests. Spreng said that the main concern right now within the scientific community is about NIH study sections, expert-led panels who rank grant proposals for funding. "It's not going to be felt immediately," Spreng said. "It's going to take a number of years for a kind of cumulative impact to emerge, but across the board, what we'll see are fewer treatments, fewer innovations in medicine and the persistence of ill health." WATCH | Funding, but also information sharing, at stake if U.S. leaves WHO: What the U.S. leaving the WHO means for Canada 4 days ago Duration 4:28 Those working at the World Health Organization had been expecting the worst — but U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order still stung. Dr. Prabhat Jha, a professor of Global Health with the University of Toronto, outlines the financial impact of the U.S. leaving the WHO, and what it means for Canada and other countries contributing to the organization. Science community feeling a chill An exception, according to a memo first reported on Monday by Stat, a U.S.-based health and medical news site, allows people enrolled in clinical trials of potential medications to travel to the study sites. But ongoing confusion about impact on the wider NIH research funding continues. "It is really is putting a freeze on science," and the chill is being felt throughout the science community, said Jim Woodgett, a cancer researcher at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Toronto's Sinai Health and the Terry Fox Research Institute. "We don't know a lot about the details, and they seem to be changing every second," he said. "I think that uncertainty actually is adding to the crisis." Woodgett notes the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the main funder of medical research in this country, has a budget of about $1.4 billion. Since 2016, the Government of Canada invested $22 billion on science and research initiatives. For comparison, the NIH alone spends more than double that every year — over $47 billion US or $67 billion in Canadian dollars. Strathdee, the HIV scientist, said the uncertainty with U.S. funding opens the door for Canada to increase research funding and attract top American scientists — or bring Canadians back home. "This is an opportunity for not brain drain, but brain gain," Strathdee said. "I'm just one of many people that want to come back home and have never given up on my collaborations in Canada." A spokesperson for the federal minister of innovation, science and industry told CBC News that the government is watching the development on science and research funding in the U.S. closely. Strathdee, who currently commutes between San Diego and Toronto, is hedging her bets.
