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How the release of Avengers: Endgame and The Last Day of Regret could not be more timely! Posted on May 6, 2019 May 6, 2019 by Matt Jo Click to purchase The Last day of Regret (Spoilers for the movie below, but not the book) The Last Day of Regret is now available. I read a blog recently that discussed the timing of launching a book. It more or less said that if possible, connecting your book to something timely in our culture will help sell it. In the process of writing this book, a year ago this time, my superintendent at the private christian school I work at gave me a date. He said in April of 2018, “If you plan on writing your book and publishing it, I would like it by May 2, 2019.” I had my endgame, I needed to have a physical book in the hands of 150+ staff at our end of the year teacher appreciation luncheon for the 2018/2019 school year. Everything I’ve done, all the decisions I have made, all the money my family has invested, all the time I gave and my editor and publisher gave, came down to this due date. Fast forward to today, I’ve spent a year trying to hit this target using an industry that is a moving target. Could I get my book self published, printed and delivered to the school before May 2? Yes, that happened five days ago. A book I imagined five and a half years ago finally made its way into the hands of people I trust and now will be placed in the hands of the world and I feel vulnerable. I’ve opened my heart to judgement and ridicule but what I pray for is understanding and healing. What does my book have to do with Avengers: Endgame? Everything, I watched the movie two Saturdays ago and in the middle of the movie I had my moment. The event to connect my book to is a movie that is about how to deal with death. (Spoilers below, character names are removed accept the ending quote) We all knew that someone or some characters had to die or sacrifice themselves. We knew at the end of Infinity War that Thanos’ snap had to be undone in some way. We just didn’t know how. What was unexpected though was that the first third of the movie was about the ramifications of losing loved ones. Not just in the immediate aftermath of the snap heard round the universe, but twenty three days after and then five years later. The purpose of this was so that we could feel the weight of the loss our protagonists felt. Some lost their family, all lost friends and only one was positioned to live life normally. He secluded himself from the group to protect the family that managed to survive the apocalypse. He dealt with tragedy by protecting his own. Another character stayed at head quarters to try and keep a sense of purpose to the original goal of the Avengers. To watch over the world and look for signs of life or trouble. Even thought there was nothing left to really protect, this character held onto routine to get through the pain. Another character, the one who lost his family, went on a killing spree taking out any and every gang or mafia he could find. He was dealing with death by seeking vengeance. If his family was dead then the evil in the world was going to feel his revenge. We had another character who was most equipped with handling loss because he lost 70 years of his life being frozen in time. He lost everyone already and had been coping with acceptance throughout this series. In this movie he was coping by hosting grief recovery groups. He was doing his part by walking with other people in their pain. One character moved on, made a life for himself, and played the hero. He finally embraced his two sides and found peace. He accepted his new reality after tragedy. One isolated himself, abdicated his responsibility and drank himself through the day. He gained a significant amount of weight and dealt with pain by ignoring that anything happened. This person ran away from his problems. Then comes the twist, there is a chance they can bring everyone that disappeared from the snap back, but the one catch was that the character who still had his family wanted to make sure nothing changed during the five year gap. He had a daughter who was born in that five years and he didn’t want to lose what he had gained. The other big cost was who would need to make a sacrifice. The heroes didn’t know that someone would have to die to get the soul stone. That scene was tragic but the one who chose to make the sacrifice saved the one who lost his family and hoped he could find them again. This sacrifice, juxtaposed to Infinity War, was chosen and freely given. This person was looking for their purpose and found it in that moment. Finally it all came back to the one option that was predicted in Infinity War. It was supposedly one in 14 million possible scenarios. The character who survived the aftermath of the snap, with a wife and five year old child, realized what he needed to do. He had to take the weight of the repercussions of handling a power he could not control. But he did it, he did the impossible, sacrificed himself so that Thanos and his army were the ones that vanished. The man who hadn’t lost anything, in fact gave up everything for everyone else. “Whatever it takes,” was the mantra. The connection between the movie and my book is this: we all respond to death in different ways but the only place we can go is to a place of acceptance. Even if we could go back and change time, you still have to accept death, no matter how untimely it might be. Those who die, want you to live a better life. Those who survive need to live in a way that honors those who have died. Thank you Marvel for reminding me my part in this story. I’m a survivor and my sister would want me to be better without her not worse because she is gone. Here is the final quote from our fallen hero we have grown to love and see him move from self absorbed to laying down his life. Here is what is said in a recording to his wife and daughter. Quote from Avengers: Endgame “Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn’t always roll that way. Maybe this time. I’m hoping if you play this back, it’s in celebration. I hope families are reunited, I hope we get it back, and something like a normal version of the planet has been restored. If there ever was such a thing. God, what a world. Universe, now. If you told me ten years ago that we weren’t alone, let alone, you know, to this extent, I mean, I wouldn’t have been surprised. But come on, you know? That epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play. And, for better or worse, that’s the reality Morgan’s going to have to find a way to grow up in. So I found the time and I recorded a little greeting, in the case of an untimely death. On my part. I mean, not that, death at any time isn’t untimely. This time travel thing that we’re going to try and pull off tomorrow, it’s got me scratching my head about the survivability of it. Then again, that’s the hero gig. Part of the journey is the end. I’ve made this journey before. Everything’s going to work out exactly the way it’s supposed to. I love you three thousand.” Tony Stark (To his daughter) Six things I learned about death and grief from Tony Stark: We all wish for a happily ever after, but not all get one. There is a reality we have to accept, that there is pain and suffering because evil people do evil things. We have to teach our children how to grow up in this harsh truth. Death is never timely. Part of the journey is the end…death is inevitable. Everything’s going to work out exactly the way it’s supposed to…try everything and at the end of the day once you have exhausted all resources know that you cannot control what is not in your control. Tell those you love, that you love them and tell them often because you don’t know when your last day is. Thank you Stan Lee for your art! Posted in CultureTagged death, endgame, Faith, God, love you 3000, quotes, the last day of regret, tony stark A Third Passover? Jesus never had an abortion!

Post production is my favorite aspect of storytelling, and I’ve been fortunate enough to work as an editor and animator since 2012. I have experience working in digital media as well as working in feature length film as an assistant editor and on a variety of other types of video projects including: Broadcast B-Roll Feature length film (assistant editor using AVID Media Composer and DaVinci Resolve) Video White Papers

« Sex and the 'Sixties | Main | Thomas Nagel, Mind and Cosmos: Overview » A Whore's Epitaph One stone sufficeth (lo what death can do) Her that in life was not content with two. John Hoskyns (1566-1638) (Epigrams and Epitaphs, Faber & Faber, 1977, p. 18) Posted by Bill Vallicella on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 at 10:58 AM in Maxims, Mottoes, Epitaphs, etc., Sex, Love, Lust | Permalink

Home / Science & Technology / Computers & the Internet / Social Media and South Korean National Security Social Media and South Korean National Security Social Media and South Korean National Security quantity SKU: 9780786496877 Categories: Asian & Asian American Studies, Computers & the Internet, Interdisciplinary Studies, International Studies, Journalism, Science & Technology, Social Sciences Tags: social media, South Korea South Korea offers a timely illustration of the relationship between social media and national security. Following the country’s democratization in the 1990s and the explosion of communication technology since the millennium, citizens have joined the discussion of national interests and ideological conflicts, involving anti–Americanism, reunification and North Korea’s provocations. South Korean media have influenced an ideological divide that distinguishes between young and old, haves and have-nots, security and nationalism, and pro and anti–North Korean sentiments. The author describes the trade-offs between security and civil liberties and how narratives advanced through social media differ from those reported by traditional news outlets. Yongho Kim is the director of the Yonsei Institute for North Korean Studies and a professor in the Political Science and International Studies Department at Yonsei University. Yongho Kim 1. Civil Liberty and National Security: A Theoretical Review 19 2. The National Assembly in the Debate Between Civil Rights and National Security 32 3. The Courts and National Security: Legal Judgments Regarding Civil Rights and National Security 44 4. The Media and National Security 78 5. Social Media and National Security 96 6. Case Studies on Media Coverage and Influence 110 Conclusion 184 Computers & the Internet You're viewing: Social Media and South Korean National Security $29.95

Home Perspectives Black Monday: The Political and Economic Dimensions of Sudan’s Urban Riots Black Monday: The Political and Economic Dimensions of Sudan’s Urban Riots Khalid Mustafa Medani The sudden death of John Garang de Mabior, the long-time leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) recently named first vice president of Sudan, unleashed a torrent of anger and protest in Khartoum. Suspecting that the July 30 helicopter crash that killed Garang and 13 others was not an accident, thousands of young men and women took to the streets of the Sudanese capital, setting fire to scores of businesses and numerous government offices and public facilities. In the ensuing three days of rioting, which spread to the southern city of Juba, as many as 130 people were killed and thousands more were injured. The Khartoum government, SPLM lieutenants and Garang’s widow Rebecca insisted that the crash was accidental and appealed, somewhat in vain, for calm before the disturbances finally fizzled out. Garang’s August 6 funeral in Juba was quiet, but the rioting has laid bare structural tensions that persist as the Khartoum government and the SPLM seek to consolidate a permanent peace on the north-south front of Africa’s longest-running civil war. Like the war itself, the unrest on what Sudanese term "black Monday" has been widely depicted as driven by ethnic or religious hostility between the "Arab" Muslim north and the "African" Christian and animist south. But while Garang’s death was the immediate spark, the three days of riots were not a spontaneous protest against "Arab" northerners by southern Sudanese "Africans." Rather, the riots were ultimately a reflection of economic and political grievances long harbored by a wide range of poor and marginalized Sudanese — southerners and others — living in and around Khartoum’s urban fringe. The disturbances, like Sudan’s civil war, are best understood as the outcome of frustration resulting from years of neglect and political repression of the periphery by the central government. Ethnic and Racial Enmities The riots began in the commercial districts of al-Suq al-Arabi and al-Suq al-Markazi in downtown Khartoum. They then quickly spread throughout the metropolitan area to the neighborhoods on the city’s perimeter that are home to an estimated four million persons displaced during the north-south war’s latest (and, it is hoped, last) phase from 1983-2005. Few areas of Khartoum were spared. In the middle- and upper-class neighborhoods of Khartoum North (Bahri) and Riyadh, affluent residents could only watch as a number of homes were looted and burned. Hardest hit, however, were working-class neighborhoods like Hajj Yusuf, al-Kalakla, al-Maamura and Dar al-Salam, where the vast majority of the deaths and injuries occurred. On the surface, the assaults and looting throughout greater Khartoum did take on an ethnic and racial dimension. In areas near the displaced persons camps, and in the generally ethnically heterogeneous working-class neighborhoods in Omdurman, some southern youth clearly targeted lighter-skinned "Arab" residents. These residents belong to branches of the Jaaliyyin, the Arabized ethnic groups from the central and northern regions of Sudan who are perceived by many to have monopolized control of successive regimes in Khartoum. While the rioters burned and looted the homes and commercial establishments of these groups, many purposely spared the "darker"-skinned residents and shopowners. (Many "Arab" Sudanese are in fact just as "dark" as non-Arab southerners; the difference lies in claimed lineage, not in skin color per se.) In Hajj Yusuf, as well as in the middle-class districts of Bahri, home of the traditional "Arab" quarters, ethnic and racial enmities have indeed emerged. Many local residents have closed up their stores, boarded up their homes and asked neighbors to keep a look out for suspicious "southern"-looking individuals in the neighborhood. Even more disturbing, there are have been several counter-attacks on southerners by residents of Hajj Yusuf and al-Maamura in the "spirit of self-defense," and a number of Arab areas have set up neighborhood watch committees. The government-held garrison towns of Juba and Renk in the Upper Nile province witnessed ethnic violence against Arab merchants, referred to by some southerners with the pejorative term "Jallaba." In Renk, non-Muslim southern rioters entered and destroyed local mosques, while in Juba over 250 Arab merchants saw their stores burned and looted. The northern Arab merchants had to seek the refuge of government security forces after fleeing their homes. The attacks against "Jallaba" in the south were a result of a long history of commercial competition and exploitation (including the involvement of some Arab merchants in selling southerners as slaves). Clouded Vision of Pluralism As many Sudanese note, the irony is that just prior to Garang’s demise there was an emerging new acceptance among both northern and southern Sudanese that a "New Sudan" based on ethnic and racial tolerance and political pluralism was both possible and desirable. Garang himself would be the inspiration for such a "New Sudan." By the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by the Khartoum regime and the SPLM in Naivasha, Kenya on January 9, 2005, the veteran rebel commander Garang was to be sworn in as first vice president to Sudanese President Gen. Omar al-Bashir exactly six months later. Garang was indeed included in the government on July 9, inaugurating a six-year "interim period" that is supposed to culminate in national elections in 2009 and a referendum on self-determination for the south in 2011. The CPA also made Garang president of a new South Sudan Government that is to have extensive autonomy and mediate between Khartoum and the southern provinces. Khartoum and the South Sudan Government are to split oil revenues 50-50 in the interim period. Initial anxiety that the CPA will now collapse was ameliorated on August 4, when Bashir named Salwa Kiir Mayardit, Garang’s deputy in the SPLM, to the first vice presidency and the presidency of the south. But Salwa Kiir may be less committed to the vision of a "New Sudan" than was his late predecessor. The greater danger after Garang’s death is that, if the CPA is not implemented speedily, the fallout from the August 1-3 riots could easily derail hopes of spreading that vision at the popular level. Following the riots, many residents of Arab descent talk openly of a "unified" and Arabized Sudan with closer ties to Egypt, while southerners are more than ever convinced that the "lack of respect" paid to Garang indicates that there are two Sudans and that the South must be "liberated" and fully independent of the north. Southerners cite the initial bulletin of the Sudanese news agency that Garang was not dead, as well as delays in declaring a period of official mourning and organizing a formal investigation into the crash, as evidence for the "lack of respect." Regardless of whether these complaints are justified, they express very real sentiments of southerners vis-a-vis Khartoum. As Rebecca Garang eloquently put it, the ethnic and racial violence in what had been one of the region’s most peaceful capital cities is a wakeup call to Sudanese. The message is clear: without the implementation of the CPA and the transition to genuine democracy, the riots could cement the positions of hardliners on both sides of the Sudan question. Socio-Economic Roots Despite the riots’ undoubted ethnic dimension, they also reflected deep anger at the very difficult social and economic conditions facing the most marginal communities in the capital. Rising social inequality, coupled with an inflation rate of over 40 percent and the paucity of social and health services, has fed a groundswell of resentment among millions of Sudanese living on the urban fringe. While there are no official figures as of yet, property damage is estimated in the millions of dollars. These estimates include the cost of the destruction by arson of several car dealerships belonging to Sudan’s most prominent business families, as well as grocery stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, gold stores, and vegetable and meat market stalls. As the general secretary of the Khartoum Merchant Association, Muhammad al-Atiyya, put it: "The trading sector suffered the most and paid the highest price for Garang’s death." The protesters themselves did not loot the commercial establishments; the robberies seem to have been committed by criminal opportunists who followed in the protests’ wake. The socio-economic roots of the riots are also evident in the evolution of the protests in Khartoum, as well as in southern towns with mixed northern-southern communities. While the protests and banditry began in the center of Khartoum, they quickly spread to several displaced persons camps outside of Khartoum proper. Residents of the largest camps of Angola and Mandela entered the nearby working-class districts and open markets of Omdurman, burning police stations, hospitals and local government offices. Carrying matches and cans filled with gasoline, southern youths (both men and women) then broke into and burned down numerous homes. A multitude of others followed in the wake of the first group looting homes and offices and carrying off what they could. Despite reports to the contrary, the residents of Angola and Mandela are not exclusively southern Sudanese — and the rioters were not exclusively southern either. Their ranks included a large contingent from the war-torn western province of Darfur as well as the Nuba Mountains region in the east. Not coincidentally, in recent years these regions have endured the greatest suffering and displacement as a result of the wars pursued by the regime. The riots are therefore best understood as a spur-of-the-moment, albeit short-lived uprising by southerners, Nuba and Darfurians living in the capital against the regime. This is clearly evident in the fact that the initial protesters did not loot property but only sought to demonstrate their anger and opposition. The protesters’ chants did not attack northerners in general, but instead focused on the ruling Islamist National Congress Party: "The National Congress is traitorous!" For their part, in order to deflect criticism, the government has alternatively described the riots as a spontaneous outpouring of "grief and hysteria" or a result of an organized fifth column led by the "enemies of peace." In reality, they were rooted in grievances shared by communities in peripheral regions to the south, west and east of the capital: decades of economic neglect, forcible imposition of rigid interpretations of Islamic law and the stifling of independent civil society institutions and political freedoms. "Consolidation" In particular, the groundswell of anger comes in reaction to the Islamist-backed regime’s economic polices of the last 16 years. These policies of "consolidation," designed in the 1990s by Hassan Turabi, once the primary Islamist ideologue behind the regime but now an opposition figure, effectively brought the entire economic and political system under an Islamist monopoly. For almost two decades, the Islamists purged rivals from government, military and civil service posts, monopolized a host of financial institutions, limited credit access to members of the National Islamic Front, and controlled the majority of export and import licenses and commercial enterprises. These policies have long been a source of much public dissatisfaction, not only in the south and Darfur, but also among disenfranchised Sudanese in Khartoum. Anger at the government is rooted in a sense that the unjust "consolidation" has proceeded apace, while educational and job opportunities, health, housing and transportation for the majority of the population have been left to stagnate. While many rioters exploited these grievances to loot and destroy private property, the majority belonging to Khartoum’s working class were moved to attack commercial and business enterprises out of anger, and the fact that they saw, in John Garang, the hope of achieving some level of economic and social justice after years of increasing pauperization. The fact that the National Congress is to have, in accordance with the CPA, as much as 52 percent representation in the interim government, to the exclusion of other parties and civil society organizations (with the exception of the SPLM), will remain a bone of contention. In the aftermath of the riots, while state officials belatedly called for all Sudanese to guard against communal discord and chaos (fitna), it was left to long-repressed civil society and volunteer organizations to fill the gap. Such groups, ranging from religious organizations to professional syndicates and labor unions, not only immediately called for harmony but also began to do the actual work of delivering food and services to communities devastated by the riots. They have also convened inter-faith and inter-ethnic working groups to guard against the pending threats to the hard-won Naivasha peace agreement. These organizations have demanded not only that owners of destroyed and damaged property be compensated, as the government has promised, but also that the livelihoods of Khartoum’s poorer strata be secured. In a conciliatory move, the Sudanese Red Crescent has begun delivering relief supplies to the Angola and Mandela displaced person camps. On The Margins Many Sudanese, rather than blame intractable north-south tensions for the riots, have placed the blame squarely on the regime. As a resident of Hajj Yusuf, one of the most ransacked neighborhoods, put it: "It is really the fault of the government. The authorities should have expected that there would be this kind of reaction to the death of Garang, but there was an inexplicable security vacuum nevertheless." Another commented: "The security forces were very late in preparing a contingency plan to secure the capital despite the fact that they had information about Garang’s death [before the protesters did]. The government should have anticipated that this would happen, especially since our ‘Sudanese brothers’ saw in Garang the beginning of a new chapter in their history in this country." Garang was well-known for advancing the thesis that a new Sudan will have to include the "marginalized." The riots in Khartoum have proven that his diagnosis of Sudan’s political problems was accurate. "Black Monday" and the succeeding events have certainly highlighted the fragility of the peace on the north-south front and underscored the weakness of a deal that excludes rebels in Darfur and parts of the east. But the disturbances also point to the perils of focusing too much on the mechanisms of power-sharing and autonomy — and too little on the quotidian burdens of the marginalized men and women whom those mechanisms are supposed to serve. Previous articleKing Fahd and Saudi Friendship with the United States Next articleAre the Taliban in Afghanistan Learning from the Iraqi Resistance? Khalid Mustafa Medani is an associate professor of political science and Islamic studies at McGill University and an editor of Middle East Report. He contributed this article from Khartoum. He is featured on Media Monitors Network (MMN) with the courtesy of Middle East Report Online .

Home Perspectives Closed Bridges Policy Closed Bridges Policy Daoud Kuttab The new Jordan River Bridge that has been built with Japanese money is impressive in its structure. Towering so high the new bride along with a short stretch of a four-lane highway is scheduled to be completed by March 15th. The contractors seem on time but it is unlikely that any Japanese or Jordanian official will be cutting the ribbon of the new structure any time soon. The bridge built at a level much higher than the existing landscape looks like overkill. The trickle of water that flows underneath clearly give the impression that the major purpose of the bridge is not simply to cross what is left of the waters of the Jordan River but to indicate the Japanese support for the need for heavy usage of people and goods between Palestine in the West of the Jordan River and the Kingdom of Jordan to the East. No dignitaries will be making the trip to inaugurate the new crossing point because the number of people crossing it has dwindled faster than the trickles of water flowing under the huge bridge. The bridge has three names/ Israelis refer to it as Allenby Bridge (in reference to the British Officer) who came across it in the beginning of the century thus ending 400 years of Turkish rule and replacing it with British colonial rule. The Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan, which came to being in the middle of 20th century, gave the bridge the name of its longest living ruler King Hussein. The Palestinian Authority which became partially in control of the bridge as a result of the Oslo Agreements calls it the Karameh crossing in reference to the battle between Palestinian fedayeen and the Israeli army which tried to invade their encampment in the east bank in the late 60s. Regardless of the name, the opening of the bridge for the movement of people back and forth was part of the policy of the then Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan. Dayan’s open bridge policy was aimed at leaving a release valve for Palestinians so that they will not explode from the pressure cooker of the Israeli occupation. To be sure the open bridges policy was no picnic. Humiliating Israeli policy, which included strip searches, x-rays of shoes and men’s headdress and going through every piece of clothing, made the short trip (especially in the summer) a hell of an experience. The formerly short 90-minute trip from Amman to Jerusalem became an all day affair. The procedures eased and the strip searches were cancelled once the Palestinian Authority with its flag and police came to be the juniors to the Israelis who continued to have overall control of the crossing point. For better or worse, the bridge was never closed (except for holidays). Those leaving for a visit, to work abroad or to study always knew they could go and come back. Summer and holiday visitors from Jordan also knew they could visit and return. The bridge stayed open despite wars (1973 & 1982), internal crisis, Intifada, shootings; killings. Never was the bridge closed to the public. Sure political activists were often barred travel, but for every day Palestinians, there was never a time when they couldn’t make the trip, or were afraid that if they crossed from one direction to the other, that they will be trapped. The recent months have witnessed the most dramatic change on the Jordan River crossing since 1967. First it became difficult to cross because Jericho was a closed area. Taxi drivers found alternative ways to circumvent the Israeli checkposts. So the Israeli army dug trenches around Jericho so that cars couldn’t enter. But people continued finding ways, including traveling by foot to make it to Jericho and from there to the bridge and freedom. Now came the new regulation, the bridge itself was closed to traffic, except for special cases. Special permits are now needed to make the trip to Jordan. VIP permits to members of the Palestinian Authority have been revoked. Haj Ismael, a taxi driver who has been working the bridge route on the Jordanian side, confirms that never in 34 years has the situation been this bad. There is a drop of more than 80% of passengers, he said to me Monday. The result, not only has reduced the number of travelers but it has even affected business in Jordan. Business people interviewed on the new internet radio Ammannet (www. ammannet.net) blamed the major drop in the business over the Id Al Adha holiday to the absence of the visitors who normally come to see relatives over the holidays. Moshe Dayan’s open bridges policy was aimed at delaying the inevitable by giving Palestinians a release valve. The present closed bridges policy means either that the Israeli leadership is willing to take its chances with a major explosion, or they expect a radical solution soon in which they will forever give up control over the Jordan River crossing even despite the eight million dollars the Japanese laid out to make it a major crossing for people and goods. Let us hope and pray that the latter is the case, otherwise, may God help all of us once the explosion takes place. Daoud Kuttab is a journalist who covered both intifadas and Director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University in Jerusalem. Like this ? Vote for it to win in MMN Contest Previous articleVampire Killers Next articleTruth and Reconciliation Daoud Kuttab, a leading Palestinian activist and commentator, is a regular contributor to AMIN, The Jordan Times and Media Monitors Network (MMN).

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Patient Care » Inpatient Care » Adult Inpatient Psychiatry » Our approach to treatment planning involves working together with patients to develop recommendations for every aspect of treatment during their stay in our facility, including individual and group psychotherapy, psychosocial activities, and medications. Treatment plans also include recommendations for patients to continue to manage illness after they are discharged from the hospital. We are located on the 9th floor of the University of Michigan Hospital. Our newly renovated 25-bed unit offers private and semi-private rooms, a reading library, access to internet terminals and exercise facilities, and all-day dining room access. Several community rooms have flat-screen televisions and comfortable seating. An attached Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit allows patients who need more support to be cared for in an environment separate from the general unit. Patients cared for in this area still have access to the same amenities and resources available to all patients. In addition, the extensive clinical resources of the U-M Hospital and Health System are available to provide for the specific needs of each patient. Directions, Parking, and Floor Map Treatment team In our interdisciplinary approach to patient care, treatment teams guide each individual through the inpatient stay. Teams are focused on creating a healthy, safe, and productive environment so that patients can focus on getting well. Upon admission, patients are assigned to a treatment team, which isled by a U-M faculty attending psychiatrist and also includes a resident physician or nurse practitioner, primary care nurses and patient care workers (PCWs), a social worker, and several activity therapists. A clinical pharmacist often joins the team as well to assist with medication-related decisions and education. We believe the patient is the most important member of the treatment team, and we encourage all patients to actively participate in treatment planning from the time of their admission through discharge and beyond. Early in a patient’s time on “9C,” as our unit is called, the treatment team will present and discuss a formal copy of the treatment plan with the patient. This plan serves as a guide for the patient and the team, and is informally and formally updated frequently. We are proud to be involved in training and mentoring the next generation of mental health professionals. Our unit is regarded as one of the state’s premiere educational sites. Under the close supervision of our staff, medical trainees may work with a patient’s care team as part of their training. Daily life and routines Establishing a regular daily routine can greatly contribute to a patient’s return to health. Daily life on the unit follows a structure that includes group and individual therapeutic activities, nutrition, and rest. Daily activity schedules are provided to patients each morning. Routines also consider each patient’s unique therapeutic needs and allow for visiting and other communication with family and friends. Eating regular and balanced meals is an important part of achieving and maintaining wellness. Because connecting with others during meals is also important, patients eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together in the dining room. Our unit participates in the “room service” model that has been implemented throughout U-M Hospital, with the exception of adhering to the meal times below. Approximate meal times: Patients on restricted diets may ask loved ones to bring additional food from home. Patients are welcome to use the kitchen facilities throughout the day to obtain beverages and simple snacks, or to heat food in the microwave. Personal belongings and internet access Patients may bring some personal articles from home, such as most toiletries and their own clothing. Other items are not permitted in the hospital. Although patients may not bring their own computers or other devices that can access the internet, computer terminals are available on the unit for their use. While it may seem like the list of prohibited items is quite restrictive, please understand that these policies have been put in place to create the safest therapeutic environment possible and are based on the results of extensive research. No smoking policy The U-M Health System prohibits smoking in any hospital building or anywhere on hospital property, including the outside grounds. We understand that our non-smoking policy may be stressful for some patients, and we can prescribe nicotine patches, gum, inhalers, and/or lozenges to help alleviate the urge to smoke during their stay. A washer and dryer are available for patient use from 8:00 am until 11:00 pm. Laundry detergent is provided. There is no charge for using the laundry, and the staff is available to assist as needed.

HNF4A gene URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/hnf4a/ hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha The HNF4A gene provides instructions for making a protein called hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 alpha (HNF-4α). This protein plays an important role in the function of certain tissues and organs in the body. The HNF-4α protein acts as a transcription factor, which means it attaches (binds) to specific regions of DNA and helps control the activity of particular genes. The HNF-4α protein controls genes that are especially important for development and function of beta cells in the pancreas. Beta cells produce and release (secrete) the hormone insulin. Insulin helps regulate blood sugar levels by controlling how much sugar (in the form of glucose) is passed from the bloodstream into cells to be used as energy. The HNF-4α protein also controls genes involved in normal liver functions. The structure of the HNF-4α protein includes several important regions. One of the regions, called the dimerization domain, is critical for protein interactions. This region allows molecules of HNF-4α to interact with each other, creating a two-protein unit (dimer) that functions as a transcription factor. Another region, known as the DNA binding domain, binds to specific areas of DNA, allowing the dimer to control gene activity. Maturity-onset diabetes of the young Mutations in the HNF4A gene cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), which is a group of conditions characterized by abnormally high blood sugar levels. MODY usually begins before age 30. HNF4A gene mutations cause a type called HNF4A-MODY (also known as MODY1). Often babies with this condition are heavier than average when they are born, and they may have unusually low blood sugar levels. Symptoms of high blood sugar, which usually begin in childhood or early adulthood, include frequent urination (polyuria), excessive thirst (polydipsia), fatigue, blurred vision, weight loss, and recurrent skin infections. Over time, uncontrolled high blood sugar can lead to eye and kidney problems. HNF4A gene mutations result in production of an altered HNF-4α protein that is unable to function normally. Some changes prevent the HNF-4α protein from forming dimers; others prevent the attachment of additional proteins that aid in transcription; still others prevent the transcription factor from attaching to DNA to control gene activity. These changes interrupt transcription, altering gene activity in cells. As a result, beta cell development and function are impaired. The cells are less able than normal to produce insulin in response to sugar in the blood, which means blood sugar cannot be controlled. Elevated blood sugar results in the signs and symptoms of MODY. Congenital hyperinsulinism MedlinePlus Genetics provides information about Congenital hyperinsulinism HEPATOCYTE NUCLEAR FACTOR 4-ALPHA HNF4-ALPHA NR2A1 Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 2, Group A, Member 1 TCF14 TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR 14, HEPATIC NUCLEAR FACTOR Tests of HNF4A Rha GB, Wu G, Chi YI. Probing the effect of MODY mutations near the co-activator-binding pocket of HNF4alpha. Biosci Rep. 2011 Oct;31(5):411-9. doi: 10.1042/BSR20110013. Citation on PubMed Singh P, Tung SP, Han EH, Lee IK, Chi YI. Dimerization defective MODY mutations of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha. Mutat Res. 2019 Mar;814:1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2019.01.002. Epub 2019 Jan 9. Citation on PubMed Yamagata K. Roles of HNF1alpha and HNF4alpha in pancreatic beta-cells: lessons from a monogenic form of diabetes (MODY). Vitam Horm. 2014;95:407-23. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800174-5.00016-8. Citation on PubMed The HNF4A gene is found on chromosome 20.

August Opportunity – Register for Diploma in Climate Medicine Introducing the Diploma in Climate Medicine from CU School of Medicine Register Now, Courses Begin Fall 2022 Building on the success of its Physician Fellowship in Climate & Health, the University of Colorado School of Medicine is pleased to announce a new professional development program for health care providers of all specialties. The Diploma in Climate Medicine from the CU School of Medicine offers professional distinction for expertise and leadership on this growing health crisis. The Diploma in Climate Medicine is for the clinician concerned with the impacts of climate change on the health of our families, patients, and society. In this program, you will receive the hands-on training and professional credentials necessary to be a credible, knowledgeable, and influential voice in advancing smart, patient-centric policy in climate and health. Leadership opportunities on behalf of communities, health care systems, academic institutions, NGOs, governments, and policymakers are coming. This program will give you the background and skills to be an effective change agent.

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Activity › Discussion › Environment › environment › Reply To: environment Tejasri Deforestation has become one of the major problems in the current situation. The trees are being cut to satisfy the needs of the greedy people. It is adjustable in limits but the trees are being cut in numerous amounts. If this continues, there will be a day you were not even a single tree is found. So, it is very important to protect them as it is the part of the life. We have no rights to cut them. So, it is our responsibility to save them and use them in limits. Let us know look into some of the methods to prevent deforestation. •Afforestation:- The major and important method to prevent deforestation is afforestation. It is very important to plan the saplings in order to maintain the balanced ecosystem. Monster take the average station as a challenge and must plant at least 3 to 4 saplings. This prevents deforestation in a good way. •Limit the usage:- Limiting the usage helps to prevent deforestation. This can help to reduce the use of the things which are obtained From the trees such as wood, plywood, fuel etc. That is, one must reduce the usage of the goods provided by the trees. In this way the use of the resources provided by the trees are reduced and it helps to prevent deforestation. It is not one’s problem but it is the whole world’s problem. So, it is very important to take a step forward to prevent deforestation and must bring awareness among the people who are wasting the goods obtained from the trees.

Cédric O State secretary for digital affairs https://www.economie.gouv.fr/ @cedric_o https://fr.linkedin.com/in/cedric-o Cédric O is a confounder of En Marche (political movement launched by Emmanuel Macron), and was the treasurer of the Presidential campaign. He was also an advisor to the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister for two years and a half. He notably initiated the Tech For Good and Choose France summits, two events promoting France towards international investors. Cédric O recently tackled the issues of artificial intelligence (facial recognition, digital liberties, GAFAs, environmental impact of the Digital sector, job creations and the role of women within the Tech ecosystem).

Re: Flabbergasted # Posted by Thomas Williams on July 19, 2016, 6:45 pm, in reply to "Flabbergasted #" User logged in as UKAT5478 I'd like to know if they would supply the owner of the vehicle. If they did refuse, what grounds could they use? 'We don't trust you enough to sell you parts for your own car' would make for an interesting exchange of views. As for where it is going, who knows? It would be interesting to know if this is an MB policy or just an individual dealer's over-zealous attitude. Flabbergasted # - Mark Tranter July 14, 2016, 3:50 pm Re: Flabbergasted # - jJohn Hancock July 19, 2016, 10:04 am Re: Flabbergasted # - Thomas Williams July 19, 2016, 6:45 pm Re: Flabbergasted # - Michael Whitworth July 19, 2016, 10:35 pm Re: Flabbergasted # - Andy Broomhead July 19, 2016, 10:59 pm Re: Flabbergasted # - Keith Simpson July 20, 2016, 8:40 am Re: Flabbergasted # - Rob Nicholson August 7, 2016, 10:16 pm Re: From the horses mouth - Rob Nicholson August 11, 2016, 11:24 am Re: Flabbergasted # - Joe McGeoghan August 16, 2016, 3:28 pm « Back to index | View thread » Discussion Title Discussion Text / Replies Please Log in. URL of your image Website link title Website link URL Copyright © uk autotalk

It's Show Time Like it or not, controversial republican Donald Trump was democratically elected as the President of the USA and although he was democratically elected out after a short term, it seems he is here to stay for the long term. Believe what you will. Dare to question. It's Showtime 1

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The facts about the new Fire District 6 station July 3, 2019 by Methow Valley News By Paul Sisson The Okanogan County Fire District 6 commissioners are currently working with an architect to develop a design for a new district fire station in Winthrop that will meet the needs of the firefighters and district for the least cost. In Ross Darling’s June 19 My Turn piece, he discusses the most recent design the commissioners considered. His article contains a great deal of misinformation. Below, I’ll correct the worst of his mistakes. The station design is still in the planning stage. The commissioners have not identified a date for a levy vote. A levy amount has not been determined yet. To date, the district has spent about $500,000 for a building site, engineering fees, and architect fees. The district has always cited many reasons for why a new station is needed. Adequate vehicle space is just one of them. Every feature in the proposed new station has a purpose and fulfills a significant need. These needs are identified and discussed in a needs assessment that is on the district website, okanogancountyfd6.com. It is well written and doesn’t take long to read. It was adopted unanimously by the commissioners at their Feb. 11 meeting to serve as a guide for planning the new station. I highly recommend reading it for anyone who is interested in or concerned about the design of the new station. A kitchen and dining area will provide nourishment and rehabilitation for firefighters after calls and a place to eat when on extended standby at the station (e.g., during wildfires). Together with a dorm room, it will provide the capacity for around-the-clock staffing. The meeting room will be used weekly for group training. Training is essential for firefighter safety and competence and is a regulatory requirement. The meeting room will serve as an emergency operations center when needed. It will also serve as a small-group meeting space for the public and other agencies. The second-floor multi-purpose room will be used for a variety of indoor, all-weather hands-on training and practice both in the room itself and in the adjoining bays, (for example, multi-story-building firefighting and rescue training using ladders, ropes, stairwells and hoses). It will also be used for after-call physical and mental warm-down and decompression, physical fitness training, and storage. Practical space The 11-by-16-foot library will be a common use area for all firefighters. It will have maintenance manuals, training materials and records. It will provide a quiet place for study and testing. It will have computers and internet service for online training courses. And, for volunteers who are telecommuters, it can serve as a quiet work place which places them already at the station if a call comes in. The office space consists of one room with space for three desks and another separate room. It serves the same functions for the same staff as at the current Winthrop station. The reason we don’t have firefighters staying overnight now is because there aren’t facilities to do so. According to Chief Acord, if the new station had sleeping and eating quarters, it could be staffed around the clock by paid staff and volunteers during periods of high risk and perhaps also on weekdays during normal conditions. Chief Acord has pointed out that the new station should have a sprinkler system in any event because of the cost and critical function of the building and its contents. The Twisp Public Works Building is 5,808 square feet and cost $960,000. It is a fine public works building, but it is not a main fire station and is far less expensive to build. Different building types can have very different building costs even for similar sized buildings. For example, the new Twisp Civic Building will be 8,632 square feet. and, as of February 2018, has a projected cost of $3,168,000. The new station will significantly benefit all areas served by District 6 including Lost River and Gold Creek. The new station will be a better training facility and will be used by all district personnel. Better training facilities will result in more frequent and thorough training and better firefighters which benefits every part of the district. A facility which provides better access to and organization of equipment and periodic 24-hour station staffing will result in better response times which also benefits every area served by the district. And, a facility which better protects the health and safety of firefighters will help prevent firefighter injuries and health problems which, in turn, will help keep firefighters available for duty. It will also help with retention and recruitment. Having more firefighters and keeping them available for duty is also a benefit to every part of the District. Lastly, with respect to the Lost River and Gold Creek areas, the Winthrop station responds to the same calls as the Mazama station 96% of the time and to the same calls as the Carlton station 72% of the time. Paul Sisson lives in Winthrop. Filed Under: My Turn Tagged With: My Turn

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Respectful, Engaged and Active Learners (REAL) All students are expected to be REAL at Mitchell High. We help students try to achieve this through explicit teaching of behaviours across various settings within the school. Whether it is in the classroom, the library, the playground or the hall students at Mitchell should strive to be REAL. Students and they are encouraged and rewarded to behave in the ways in which they have been taught. The school will continue to the implementation of PBL lessons in roll call each fortnight. Term 1 has seen a focus on three specific areas to date, these being: Uniform Requirements The Importance of a Diary Being Respectful The uniform requirements lesson reinforced the school's expectations with regards to uniform and the sanctions for not following the guidelines. Mitchell High School takes its uniform policy seriously and expect all students to do the same. The school diary lesson addressed the importance of using a diary in terms of improved organisation, recording activities happening at school and listing homework and assessment task activities. There is also a section for students to copy their timetable to help ensure they are in the correct place at the right time. Diaries have been provided by the school for students to use as one avenue to help them to be real, engaged and active Learners in all subject areas. Students can also receive vivo points for having and using their diaries. More recently, students engaged in a lesson about respect. Respect is showing high regard for one's self, others and their property. The lesson focused on how respect should be shown in the classroom, playground and other areas of school and community life. Students discussed the benefits of working together to make Mitchell High School a respectful place for all to encourage positive relationships and classroom environments that allow for engagement with learning so students can develop their skills. It is important for students to be conscious of being respectful at all times and to realise that how they behave and what they say is how the world will see them.

Lewis County, in the north-eastern part of the State, is bounded north by Clark County, east by the Mississippi River, which separates it from Illinois, south by Marion and Shelby, and west by Knox County, and contains 320,560 acres. Population in 1840, 6,040; in 1850, 6,578; in 1860, 12,286; in 1870, 15,114, of whom 13,933 were white and 1,181 colored; 7,849 male and 7,265 female; 14,146 native (8,020 born in Missouri,) and 968 foreign. It is probable that the first white settler of this county was a Frenchman, named Lesseur, who built a hut on the banks of the Mississippi, at the present site of La Grange, which he occupied during the summer and fall months, while he trafficked with the Indians; but the first permanent settlement was made by John Bozarth, who came from Kentucky in the spring of 1819, and planted 20 acres of corn. In November of the same year, he brought his family of 18 persons, including his slaves. Mr. R. Bozarth, (a son of John Bozarth,) now living in the county, gives the subjoined description: "We came to this county-then a part of Marion-in the fall of 1819, and put up a log cabin, which having no chimney, only a hearth in the middle of the room, required an open roof for the egress of the smoke. When the day's work was over, we laid down to sleep around the family hearth-stone-the entire family of 18 occupying the only room. Our food was boiled corn and honey, the latter procured from 'bee trees,' which we made a business of hunting, and when found we carried off the spoils in a sassafras log, which we had dug out like a canoe; hitching our horse to this awkward contrivance, we drew our honey home. Our bread was made from meal obtained by pounding corn in a mortar, and our clothes were of buckskin which we tanned ourselves. On Sunday we donned our best suits and went to call on our nearest neighbors, who lived 20 miles away, a comfortable distance for visiting in those days. I remember that we all had chills, but nobody died, until a doctor came to the country." The early settlers of this county, as well as those adjacent, took an active part in the Black Hawk War, and there are several persons still living who can give many interesting incidents of those trying times. R. Bozarth, Jeremiah Taylor, G. Blackwell and the Durkee family yet living in this county, remember when the red men made annual visits to the Wyaconda Bottoms, where they encamped in the "sugar season," utilizing the sap of the maple trees, even now so plentiful there. The county was organized in 1832, and was named for Meriwether Lewis, of the famous Clarke and Lewis expedition, these two adventurous explorers being the first white men to cross the western part of the continent. The first sheriff appointed was C. B. Tate; he was not of the required age, but as no one "told on him," he kept the office. Gov. Dunklin was a Democrat and Mr. Tate, a Whig; such things occasionally happen among politicians. During the Civil War, although no battle was fought in Lewis County, several atrocious deeds were committed by marauding parties, which thrilled the community with horror, and left lasting sorrow in many homes. The murder of Mallory and Flannigan by the militia of this county, was deplored and denounced by the reasonable and good men of both parties. This county has a river front of 25 miles, along which is a rich alluvial bottom, varying in width from a few feet to several miles. Nearly all the river bluffs, composed of disintegrated limestone, and facing east and south, are peculiarly adapted to the culture of the grape, and many fine and profitable vineyards are now to be seen upon them. The surface is undulating and diversified, about half of the county being well timbered with forests or groves, distributed along the water courses and separated by beautiful upland prairies. The principal streams are the Wyaconda and its largest branch, Sugar Creek, which, with their tributaries, drain the north-eastern part, while North Fabius and Middle Fabius traverse the center of the county; Grassy, Troublesome and South Fabius Creeks in the south-west, and Durgen's Creek in the south-east, all flow from the north-west toward the south-east, debouching into the Mississippi River. The bottom lands along these streams are very rich, and yield immense returns to the husbandman. After leaving the immediate vicinity of the streams, the country breaks into a beautiful rolling prairie, excellent for pasturage. The timber of the bottom lands is chiefly maple, ash, hickory, elm and sassafras, while on the uplands grow oak, hickory, ash, walnut and cherry. Fruits adapted to the climate grow well, both on the uplands and the river bluffs. Nearly all the timber land produces fine tobacco. The bottoms and prairies are well adapted to all the vegetables and cereals common to this climate. The Agricultural Productions are wheat, corn, oats, buckwheat, rye, hemp and the grasses. Apples, peaches, grapes, apricots, plums, cherries, and the smaller fruits, bear abundantly, especially the three first mentioned. Much attention is given to the culture of the vine, and in 1873 100,000 pounds of grapes were raised in Union Township, most of which were shipped. About 10,000 gallons of wine were manufactured in the county the same year. There are indications of coal in the central part of the county, and the coal measures probably underlie the latest limestone formations. An abundance of limestone, of excellent quality, exists, which is largely used in building, and stands well the frosts of winter. Much of the stone used in the piers of the Quincy bridge was taken from the quarries of La Grange. The Manufacturing Interests are principally centered at La Grange and Canton, under which heads they are noticed. Valuation of the county per census of 1870, $13,206,000.* The Mississippi Valley & Western Rail Road has 23 miles, and the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Rail Road, 27 miles of track in the county. The Exports are corn, wheat, hay, fruits, wine and live stock. The Educational Interests are as thriving as are those of any county of the same population in the State. In addition to a thorough public school system, with ample school-houses and efficient teachers, there are 3 colleges in the county: the Christian University, at Canton; La Grange College, at the city of that name, and Monticello Seminary, at the county seat. All of these institutions have a full corps of professors, and annually graduate large classes of well-trained scholars. Lewis County Places in 1875 Benjamin, a post-office 7 miles north east of Monticello. Bunker Hill, a post-office 8 miles north north west of Monticello. Canton, 13 miles east of Monticello, on the west bank of the Mississippi River, 175 miles above St. Louis, and on the Mississippi Valley & Western Rail Road 18 miles north of Quincy, was settled in 1827 by Messrs. Sinclair, Hawkins, Pritchard, Bozarth and Myers. It contains 1 newspaper-the Canton Press, J. W. Barrett & Son, editors; 7 mills-2 of these being planing-mills and 1 a merchant flouring-mill; 4 lumber yards, 1 pork-packing house, 2 cigar and tobacco factories, 1 tobacco warehouse, 3 wagon makers, 1 cabinet maker, 2 furniture and 2 saddle and harness shops, 1 carriage manufactory, 2 banks, 15 stores, 1 commission house, 2 hotels, and other establishments usual to towns of its size. Besides the public schools, the Christian church has a college at Canton, the building valued at $50,000. There are 7 churches-1 Baptist, 1 Christian, 2 Methodist, 1 Catholic, 1 Lutheran, 1 Congregational. Population, about 2,400. Deer Ridge, a post-office 13 miles north west of Monticello. Durgen's Creek, on Mississippi Valley & Western Rail Road, 3 miles north of La Grange. Durham, on the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Rail Road, 15 miles from Quincy, and 13 miles south south east of Monticello, has 1 general store. Gilead, situated on the west bank of North Fabius, 12 miles west south west of La Grange, has 1 general store. Hardin, on Mississippi Valley & Western Rail Road, 5 miles north of Canton. La Belle, 14 miles west of Monticello, and 32 miles from Quincy, on the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Rail Road, is a thriving little town, containing 5 stores. La Grange, 10 miles from Quincy, on the Mississippi Valley & Western Rail Road, and 14 miles south east of the county seat, is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, about 6 miles from the southern boundary line of the county. The town is both beautifully and healthfully located on the bluffs, which rise at this point from 60 to 80 feet above the river. The first settlement in the county was made here. The Lewis County Agricultural Society own 30 acres of handsomely improved ground near La Grange. The Association offers liberal premiums, and the fairs are largely attended from adjoining counties. This town has many natural advantages as a manufacturing place, its means of transportation by river and railroad opening a market for all its productions. A rolling-mill, for the manufacture of railroad iron, is in course of construction, which, when completed, will have a capacity of 25,000 tons per annum, and will give employment to between 400 and 500 hands. The buildings are brick covered with slate, and with machinery, will cost over $300,000. There are 2 tobacco factories, which employ 550 hands; 5 cooper and 2 plow and wagon shops, 2 pork-packing houses, 1 planing-mill, 1 merchant flouring-mill, 2 banks, 2 hotels, 16 stores, 12 churches-1 Baptist, 2 Methodist, 2 Presbyterian, Lutheran, Christian, German Methodist, Congregational, Catholic, colored Baptist and Methodist, aggregate value, $30,000. The Baptists have a college at this place, which, with the public schools, affords good educational facilities. Population, about 2,000. Lewiston, on the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Rail Road, 26 miles from Quincy and 6 miles south west of Monticello, is a growing place. Population, about 100. Maywood, on the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Rail Road, 11 miles west of Quincy, contains 1 store. MONTICELLO, the county seat, located on the north bank of North Fabius River, 13 miles west of Canton and 6 miles north east of Lewiston, its nearest railroad station, has 1 bank, 4 churches-Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist and Christian; 8 stores, 1 saddle and 1 harness shop, and 3 hotels. Steffersville, a post-office 18 miles south west of Monticello. Tolona, a station on the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Rail Road, 22 miles north west of Quincy. Williamstown, 12 mile north north west of Monticello, has 1 hotel, 5 stores, and 1 wagon shop. *Assessed valuation in 1873, $4,225,879. Taxation, $1.00 per $100. Bonded debt, $60,000. This page was last updated Saturday, 22-Aug-2015 00:28:12 EDT.

Three P’s to Reduce Fraudulent Payments: How Focusing on People, Process and Payments Improves Business Operations 3 Min Read 6.26.2017 By Wa’il Ashshowwaf Oftentimes when consumers think about the last time they went out to eat or grab a drink at a bar, there’s a good chance that a smartphone was involved with the process. Whether it was finding a place, reserving a table, ordering food or finding friends, one thing is for certain—smartphones and digital technology solutions today are top of mind for both consumers and businesses of all sizes. As restaurants and the broader hospitality industry continue welcoming mobile solutions as an essential asset to their business, it’s not hard to see the reason behind the new-found love for mobile solutions—they help deliver benefits that people truly desire. Notably, these include increased speed of service, enhanced convenience and cost savings that result from reducing the amount of time and money spent processing transactions. While it’s exciting to get caught up in new technology and the nearly-limitless world of mobile apps, we must first talk about the dreaded “F” word—fraud. The unfortunate reality is that every owner of a restaurant, bar and club today has to deal with fraudulent payments. For some it’s an occasional nuisance; for others it’s a source of significant losses. The good news is technology is helping to crack down on fraud and mobile solutions are a key tool for reducing the likelihood of fraudulent activity, provided you have a solid grasp on your people, process and payments. To gain the largest ROI, business owners need to ensure that their technology solution enhances and promotes quality customer interaction. Not only is quality customer service good karma, it’s a key factor in driving revenue in the restaurant and hospitality industry. According to research, nearly nine out of ten U.S. consumers say they would pay more for a superior customer experience. Incorporating mobile solutions into your business can make a positive impact on operational tasks like taking payments, controlling inventory, managing seating, etc. Saving time on routine tasks that can be used for more face time with guests can create a better experience that helps ensure your customer returns to your establishment again. For employees, mobile solutions empower staff and builds confidence and satisfaction in their job expectations. As restaurants and bars incorporate mobile solutions, it’s vital to create a culture of security and emphasize the importance of discreet passwords and secure handling of authorization swipe cards that allow access to the point of sale (POS) systems and others. In short, enhanced security means greater customer service, which helps to reinforce customer confidence in your mobile solution. By leveraging mobility, owners will have more time to streamline business operations and enhance the overall customer experience. As owners update their POS systems to include a mobile payment solution, it’s important that your staff clearly understand the impacts on existing processes and business operations. Following old, manual processes, such as allowing staff to manually enter credit card information, can lead to human error and can greatly increase the likelihood of fraud. With more than 15 million U.S. customers in 2016 victimized by credit card fraud and the threat ever increasing year over year, it’s a necessity that a new technology solution provides improved security. On the back end, some mobile payment solutions offer pre-authorization, which allows your establishment to debit funds with a temporary “hold” that lasts up to 48 hours, thus helping to further reduce fraudulent charges. The biggest advantage of pre-authorizations is the ability to make sure that the person has enough funds on their card before settling the final authorization. Mobile payment solutions also provide a more cost effective EMV alternative to restauranteurs by reducing chargebacks due to the vast additional sources of information that a mobile payment solution collects on the user vs. the typical signed receipt alone. Enhanced security is just one of the benefits of incorporating a mobile payment solution into your restaurant or bar. It’s also important to look for enhanced fraud protection and compatibility with smart-chip cards, such as Europay, MasterCard and Visa, that are now being used nationwide and globally. Another advantage is that accepting payments with a secure payment app poses less of a security threat, because the credit card information is protected through a PCI-compliant payment processor. For restaurant owners, by ensuring that your payment processors and POS are PCI-compliant, you can streamline and protect all your reports in one place, (i.e. cloud-based labor and sales reporting, digital receipts, inventory management and more). Additionally, it’s a good practice to be informed about the latest industry trends so you know the right questions to ask. For example, when implementing a mobile payment solution, ask if payment data transmission is encrypted and if the data is secure through tokenization. The point to drive home is that insecure technology can mean poor customer service, higher levels of legal liability and overall monetary losses. As new technology emerges on to the digital market, it’s important that business owners looking to integrate mobile technology are aware of the latest innovations. By focusing on making sales more efficient and improving the customer experience, mobile solutions can help owners improve their businesses in profound ways. By following the tips above, establishments can work to reduce fraudulent charges and make adopting mobile technology a more secure, easier and functional experience. Wa’il Ashshowwaf @rooam Wa’il Ashshowwaf is a Partner and Business Director at Rooam, a socially integrated, cashless mobile payment app that allows users to pay for a night out, explore events and find friends. He has had a diverse professional career across a range of industries and geographies including roles at Pepsi, Walt Disney World and HSBC.

[ARCHIVED] Amgen Tour of California Offers 2017 Start Stage to City of Modesto Community & Economic Development staff announced in August that AEG Tour officials have offered the City of Modesto a start stage in the 2017 Amgen Tour of California. Staff will make a presentation and submit a Letter of Intent to the City Council on September 13th. John Sanders, North Modesto Kiwanian and past member of the Local Organizing Committee shared the following, “I’m very excited to hear that Modesto has been offered the opportunity to host a stage start for the 2017 Amgen Tour of California. Modesto is home to many enthusiastic bicyclists and fans, which was evident in seeing our downtown sidewalks packed six to eight people deep, waiting for the start of the event. I look forward to Modesto hosting the 2017 Start Stage!” The City of Modesto has always valued the relationship with AEG, promoter of the Amgen Tour of California. The City was host to the race in the past, once with a start stage and three times hosting finish stages between 2008 and 2011. Apart from the community enthusiasm and benefits to residents, race enthusiasts, etc., the economic impact of hosting is substantial. The tour draws hundreds of visitors, fills hotels, restaurants, and increases business for service industries of all sorts. The Tour of California is one of the world’s premier bicycle races. The next Amgen Tour of California will be held in May, 2017.

How Money Works: The Federal Reserve, Interest Rates, Inflation and Deflation – Interview with David Stein Are you wondering how the Federal Reserve interest rates impact your life? Probably not... But you should. Interest rates impact everything that you do related to money. This week we are discussing how the Federal Reserve's actions effect interest rates, inflation and deflation. We discuss why they manipulate interest rates, how this can effect your money, and what the Federal Reserve fears most (hint, its not ghosts). http://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/traffic.libsyn.com/moneytreeinvesting/MTI267_David_Stein.mp3 How Many Works: How the Federal Reserve Impacts Investors Authored by: David Stein We often hear how the Federal Reserve just cut interest rates and perhaps the stock market rallied because it did so. Who is the Federal Reserve, what does it mean that they cut interest rates, and how does it impact you as an individual investor? What Central Banks Do The Federal Reserve is the U.S. central bank. It is also called “the Fed” for short. The Fed was created in 1913 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act into law. Most countries and regions have central banks. Examples include the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank. The purpose of central banks is to ensure stability in the financial system. That means making sure there is not too much inflation, which measures the rise in prices over time. Financial stability also means the economy is growing, but not too quickly since a rapidly expanding economy can lead to inflation. The Dual Mandate The U.S. Congress has given the Federal Reserve two primary objectives: ensure stable prices and full employment. The primary way the Federal Reserve seeks to accomplish this dual mandate is through its monetary policy, which are actions the Fed takes to influence interest rates. For example, as part of its monetary policy, the Fed sets a target for very-short-term interest rates such as the interest rate it pays on deposits commercial banks hold at the Federal Reserve. Another short-term interest rate target is the Federal Funds rate, which is the interest rate that banks charge to lend money to each other overnight. When the financial media says the Federal Reserve cut interest rates they are referring to the central bank lowering the Federal Funds target rate as well as the interest rate the Fed pays on deposits held at the central bank, which are known as reserves. How the Fed Influences Longer-term Interest Rates While the Federal Reserve typically only directly controls short-term interest rates, its actions can also influence longer-term rates. A long-term interest rate can be decomposed into a series of short-term rates. For example, you could choose to borrow money for five years or you could take out a loan for one year and then refinance it every year for 5 years. Or if you could find a lender, you could take out a loan and refinance it every month for five years. There are even some businesses that borrow money for one day and refinance the loan every single day. Because borrowers and lenders have the flexibility to choose their time frame for lending and borrowing, the level of long-term interest rates is directly influenced by households’ and businesses’ expectations for short-term interest rates. The biggest driver of those expectations is what central banks are doing with regards to monetary policy. Is the Federal Reserve lowering short-term interest rates and communicating that it will continue to do so? Or is the Fed increasing short-term rates? The short-term interest rate along with expectations for future short-term rates influences longer-term rates, which in turn influences how much households and businesses want to borrow. Lower interest rates encourage more borrowing while higher interest rates encourage less. How the Federal Reserve Chooses the Level of Short-term Interest Rates Currently, short-term interest rates are about 1.5% in the U.S. while in other countries short-term rates are close to zero. Central banks set short-term interest rates at a level that approximates what is known as the neutral rate of interest. This is an unobservable interest rate or a theoretical rate. Central banks believe this neutral rate of interest is low enough to encourage businesses to borrow money to invest in new projects including hiring more workers. It is also the interest rate that motivates households to borrow to buy a new home or buy a car, which can keep construction and manufacturing workers employed. In other words, the neutral rate of interest is the rate of interest that ensures everyone that wants a job can get a job and that the economy continues to expand, but not at a pace that leads to too much inflation. The Federal Reserve sets a target for short-term rates that it believes matches the unobservable neutral rate of interest, which is the rate the Fed believes will ensure financial stability. Additional Interest Rate Drivers There are two other factors that influence the level of interest rates. The first is inflation expectations. When lending money, if investors and banks believe inflation will be higher in the future then they will want additional compensation in the form of higher interest rates to protect them against that loss of purchasing power. In addition, if investors and banks are uncertain regarding future central bank actions or future inflation then they will want a higher interest rate to compensate for that uncertainty. That additional compensation is called a term premium. These three factors: future short-term interest rate expectations, inflation expectations, and the term premium are the theoretical basis for the level of interest rates. Of course, the actual level of interest rates is set in the market based on the willingness of banks and investors to lend and the willingness of households and businesses to borrow. How the Federal Reserve Impact Investors Actions by Federal Reserve and other central banks can influence interest rates as individuals adjust their expectations based on what central banks say and do. In turn, fluctuating interest rates impact the prices and returns of numerous asset classes including bonds, stocks, and real estate. Extended periods of low interest rates like we have seen in the past decade mean investors earn less on their conservative investments such as savings accounts, bank certificates of deposits, and short-term bonds. Those low interest rates push individuals saving for retirement to save more while motivating retirees to spend less or find other ways to generate additional income. Given the significant influence the Federal Reserve and other central banks have over interest rates, financial markets and the economy it is important that as individual investors we stay aware of what central banks are doing. Today's Guest: David Stein David Stein helps individuals become more confident investors via audio, video and books. For the past five years, he has hosted the weekly personal finance podcast Money For the Rest of Us. The show has more than 250 episodes and over 10 million downloads. David's upcoming book, Money For the Rest of Us: 10 Questions to Master Successful Investing will be published by McGraw-Hill in October 2019. Previously, David was Chief Investment Strategist and Chief Portfolio Strategist at Fund Evaluation Group, LLC, a $70 billion institutional investment advisory firm, where he co-headed the 21-person research group. David's former institutional clients include The Texas A&M University System, the University of Puget Sound, and the Sierra Club Foundation. David's Online Presence: moneyfortherestofus.com Book References: Money For the Rest of Us: 10 Questions to Master Successful Investing by David Stein Tim Picciott | The Liberty Advisor

Cyberattacks Almost Double From 2021 to 2022 in US and UK Finds SEON ByFrancis Bignell Analysing how companies across the financial services and fintech sectors are dealing with the growing avenues of fraud following the new ways of accessing, buying, and exchanging money online, SEON, the cybersecurity organisation, has published a report titled, ‘Global Banking Fraud Index: The Cost of Fraud to Banks & Organizations’. The new report, which was drafted by SEON’s product evangelist, Gergo Varga assessed how fraud is impacting banks, organisations and individuals across the United States, and the United Kingdom. Using data from S&P Global, LexisNexis, Guidehouse, Identity Fraud Research Center, KPMG and Action Fraud, the report paints a picture of the cost of fraud to financial institutions in 2022. Through this research, SEON revealed that the total cost of fraud has steadily increased over the last three years in the US. In the UK, banking fraud has shown similar growth, with this type of attack happening 66 per cent more in 2021 than in 2020. As part of its efforts to help mitigate the effects of online fraud, SEON’s report concluded with several relevant pieces of fraud prevention best practices that individuals and companies should follow. Speaking on the report, Varga commented: “Fraud continues to be an expensive issue, especially within the banking and financial services sector. Every $1 lost to fraud costs businesses in the US around $3.60 to address, for US financial services specifically, that figure is closer to $4. Considering growing economic pressures, it’s now paramount that businesses do all they can to avoid incurring these costs before they happen. “Alongside documenting some of the most significant increases in different forms of fraud, the new report highlights the general direction that fraud is trending in within the United States, and the United Kingdom. As the report explains, the pandemic has clearly pushed consumers and fraudsters towards digital transactions, which has, in turn, resulted in a major surge in mobile fraud that must be recognised by businesses and consumers alike.” The new report is available on SEON’s website. The document forms part of the company’s comprehensive, and growing content portfolio, which contains articles, case studies and guides that cover a myriad of topics within the world of online fraud prevention and cybersecurity. The company is now actively working on several additional reports, which will further breakdown the threat of online fraud in 2022. Francis Bignell Francis is a junior journalist with a BA in Classical Civilization, he has a specialist interest in North and South America. Stori Becomes Mexico’s Latest Fintech Unicorn Following Massive Funding Round RBI Gives Green Light to Cashfree Payments’ Cross-Border Payments Platform By Francis Bignell Mar 20, 2023 Trefis Call Traders Target Retailer Despite Results Miss Mar 20, 2023 Laura McCandless

Art, Writing, Recovery MoodyOops—The Emotional Mess Blog The Mess ENCOURAGEMENT, grief, MOTIVATIONAL, RECOVERY When You’re In Pain, The Pain Is All There Is March 17, 2021 Allison Divine Photo by Külli Kittus on Unsplash This is how to save a life. Pain. It’s completely mind-consuming. At least that’s the case with excruciating pain, like childbirth, earaches, and toothaches. Those are just the examples that come to my head immediately, and there’s a reason for that. I have an earache, and it’s been so bad I haven’t been able to think about anything else. A hurricane could be going on outside, but my ear hurts and if the house blows away, I will somehow get another one. Maybe a hurricane is an extreme example, but you know what I mean. But pain isn’t always physical. Emotional pain has the tendency to do the exact same thing, yet we don’t give enough credit to its power until a devastating consequence, like suicide, forces us to look at it for a minute or two. Any longer than that and we’d be caught in the trap ourselves, and I’ve seen it happen. In the town next to me lived a young man, we’ll call him Johnathon. I didn’t know him. Johnathon was twenty years old. Hardly old enough to make life and death decisions, but he was a police officer and a volunteer fire fighter. It seemed as if he had it together. I don’t know why he killed himself. My guess is that the pain inside of him became overwhelming and he made a sudden decision he couldn’t take back. I theorize a lot of suicides are like that. In one moment, it was just too much, but you make a spontaneous decision to act in the one moment. The next moment for might not have been as bad for Johnathon, but he didn’t get to it. It’s sad when anyone takes their own life, but this story gets even worse. Eight months later Johnathon’s mother laid across his grave and took her own life. Now there’s a pain I can understand. I cried all day for her when I heard the news. I didn’t know this mother. I didn’t know her son. But I knew her pain and I knew why she’d make the choice she did. I thought about it many times myself. In the very beginning, when I lost my 16 year old, I made my wishes known. “I don’t want to be here anymore.” I was already dead in my mind. No beauty was left on the earth. I couldn’t find anything worth waking up for in the morning. My baby was gone. Nothing I could do would ever bring him back. Life had lost all joy and I knew the rest of it would be filled with unbearable pain. But when I said the words aloud, I wasn’t alone in the room, even though it felt that way to me. My other son, Nic, was in the room with me. So was my daughter Tiffany, and my best friend, Martha. They didn’t try to talk me into staying. No one pointed out how beautiful life can be. No one said the heartbreak will one day pass. That would have been a lie anyway, and everyone knew it. What happened is that Nic said, “You go, I go.” And Tiff said, “You go, I go.” Then Martha said, “You go, I go.” They all meant it. All three of them tied their lives to mine forcing me to make the only choice I could. I had to stay. To say I was angry is an understatement. I was furious, but I knew it for what it was. It was love. The only thing in the world able to break through the pain of loss is love. My daughter told me a few minutes ago that my grandbaby, who is five years old, has a hole in her ear which is going to require surgery to correct. She’s gone through a lot of ear infections and had tubes placed in her ears. The hole, I believe, came from one of those tubes coming out when it shouldn’t have. Or something like that. Anyway, I’m sitting here with a double ear infection and my heart hurts for little Cori, because I remember all the times she grabbed her ears when things were too loud, and asked us not to shout. We tend to be a boisterous family and the decibels increase with the laughter. We did try to tone it down for her, but because I have these aching ears, my heart hurts even more for my sweet little grand girl. Because I get it, even though I never did before. Understanding the pain of others is important if you care at all about helping them. Empathy is often gained through experience. It’s one thing to be sympathetic to someone’s hurt, but to actually share in their hurt you must first know what it is, what it feels like. We can walk through this world blind to the brokenness of others, refusing to see what it would take to help them, because we don’t want any of their pain to jump on us. A lot of people choose to get by this way, never really connecting on a deeper level with anyone. It’s no kind of life. I’ve said before it’s a tremendous risk to love others, but the alternative is you don’t live a life worth living. If you stay in the shallows forever, chances are you won’t drown, but you also won’t be able to keep anyone else from it. You are called on by your humanity and by love itself to enter the empty and cold spaces with other people, to trudge through the darkness with them, to give them a hand to hold on the way out. Showing love in the hard moments can bring someone back from the brink of death and cause them to make the decision to try life once more. I have no regrets over making the choice to live. I have the most blessed and wonderful life, but everything could’ve ended for me the same way it has ended for countless others—choosing death instead of pain. Part of me wishes I would’ve known the mom who killed herself over her grief. I think maybe I could’ve said something to help her. Or just been around for her when she needed a friend—let her cry out her pain with me. The more selfish part of me sits here in relief because I didn’t know her. I cried for her all day when I found out what she’d done. Imagine how hard it would’ve been if I’d have known her and she still chose to die? That’s what it’s like to acknowledge your humanity. Knowing you aren’t enough, knowing you don’t want to, but doing it anyway because who knows if you’ve been born for such a time as this (that comes from the book of Esther). Life is a dilemma, and pain has a way of taking over. People sometimes get to the point where it seems the only way out of the pain is just to end it all. Choosing to get involved is a risk born of love. It doesn’t always end well, but it’s worth it to take the chance. Helping other people is a way to find the value and beauty in your own life—a way to focus on something besides the pain. You never know when it will be your turn to say, “You go, I go.” I challenge you to love someone else enough to be there for that. Maybe even your own. Here are some resources to help if you or a loved one are considering suicide: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ Tagged grief, hope, love, pain, suicide A Non-Political Look at Life And how precious it is. Photo by Jung Ho Park on Unsplash The thing about life (and this isn’t a political argument) is that it’s precious—all of it. Understanding that every single person is not precious to someone, and that’s one of the greatest tragedies of our existence, I still stand by my statement. All life IS precious, and it’s because of love, and it’s a deep, shameful mark on our society when we don’t have enough of the emotion to REALIZE how extraordinarily special life is. I’ve often wondered, and surely I’m not alone in this, why some people live to be in their nineties and beyond and others die before any promise of life here on earth can be fulfilled. I wonder also why some people seemingly beat death just to find it lurking around a different corner. Nothing seems fair on this earth, because nothing really is. Maybe, that’s why it’s so easy for some humans to refuse to recognize the absolute joy and beauty of just being alive, and the privilege of being able to share that life with someone else. Somehow something hard and cold slipped into our hearts and did more apparent destruction to those who cannot seem to bring themselves to give in to love than those who can. What I have learned–and it’s no secret, we all get there sooner or later–is that it’s a risk to love others. Heartbreak and pain are the price you pay for love; death is the price you pay for life. Some people have just drawn the conclusion that it isn’t worth it to strive for either—love or life. But those people are wrong. Love and life are all we have that’s worth anything. I think about the mothers and fathers who’ve waited for what seems like a lifetime of bad choices and endless sorrow for a chance at normalcy, a chance to bring an infant into the world—a little person to love unconditionally and who will love them back the same way, at least until they reach puberty and learn mom and dad are actually the cause of all the evil in the world. Especially those who seem hard on the outside because life in its unfairness has knocked them off their feet over and over! Those are the ones who make my heart hurt the most. I know them like I know myself. After all, we share an agenda and a façade. Anyway, I think about them, and what it’s like to finally allow yourself to hope and believe a dream could come true just to have it destroyed when she miscarries. Life was precious, and now it’s gone. Sorrow this deep can’t be explained and there’s no way to make it better. Plans were made that can’t be fulfilled. Clothes were bought which won’t be worn. The child will not learn to play catch or fish or ever go to school, because that life is no more. Love means there is a huge and devastating price to pay, and payment will be taken out in grief and sorrow. Losing an infant is hard. Losing a parent is also unbearable, yet most of us eventually do it. We can’t cheat death and we can’t beat it. It’s easy to shake our fists at God and rail against the unfairness of it all, but even as we do that, we know our time is coming. We all die. It’s the price we pay to live. And people say stupid things to you too, when you experience a loss. Things that don’t help at all. “God did not need another angel, and by the way, He didn’t get one either.” That’s what I wanted to tell people when Mikey died. The last thing my sixteen-year-old could be accused of is being an angel. On the other hand, that’s exactly the last thing he WAS accused of, and it was as far from the truth as anything I believe I’ve ever heard. But his story is a story for a different day. He’d be the first one to roll his eyes and prove them wrong anyway, like he did a thousand times on earth. No, God didn’t need Mikey. Death isn’t something that happens when God “needs” a person to be with Him. God doesn’t need any of us. Death is a flaw in the great plan. It was an unintended consequence of the beautiful design. I could go into all the reasons, including free will and how perfect love doesn’t exist without it, but I don’t have a million days to convince anyone of the magnitude of God’s love, nor do I understand it all anyway. Here’s what I do know, and see if you can get what I mean to say. I know it in my heart, but I’m not sure I can convey it, even though I really want everyone to understand this. When I walk outside on a rainy day, I usually don’t like it. Rain is depressing, cold, and gray. I like the sunshine, blue skies, green trees, and blooming flowers. I know the rain is necessary for those flowers to grow, and for everything to be boldly green and blue and beautiful. But a funny thing happens when it rains—it helps me remember why I love the sunshine and appreciate its goodness and warmth. If it weren’t for the rain, I wouldn’t appreciate the sunshine. It’s a simple analogy—maybe a little too simple—but I will go a step further. My first baby died inside of me. Just stopped moving, and there were a million reasons for it, but to me there was only one thing. Hope was gone and I didn’t know how to bring it back. Truth be told, I couldn’t. I don’t dictate life and death and have no control over them. Later, and I mean a LONG TIME later, that helped me with acceptance. When I got pregnant again, not one movement was ever unnoticed or discounted. When Nic kicked, my heart lifted in joy and relief. And when he was born, even though he was very sick at the time, I found my hope again. It wasn’t hope in Nic. It was hope that there was still goodness in the world, that God was in control, and that love and life were still precious. Because of my first baby, I made sure to watch every breath my other kids breathed. I sat down with them and played when there were dishes in the sink. We laughed together, learned together, played together, and cried together. I tried to teach them the things I know about life and how to love people, because they were precious to me. Because of my loss, my life with them was so much bigger than it could’ve been. If it weren’t for death, I wouldn’t know how precious life is. I realize everyone is different, and we don’t all see things the same way. But I believe every life is precious, and valuable. Every person has just as much worth as the next person, whether they are rich or homeless, drunk or sober, young or old, sick or healthy. I said in the beginning this wasn’t political, and it isn’t. I’m not talking about race or political lean, but I will say that one of the hardest things for me to comprehend is how people call out the color of a person’s skin as a determining factor in their value. No matter which part of the color wheel you land on, this isn’t the way God intended it to be. If He valued one over another, He would’ve made us different inside too. Whatever your heartbreak is, I wish life could be different, but it just isn’t. We’re all going to have to go through hell to get to Heaven. We will all have to know sorrow to experience joy. And we have to hate death to really love life. Don’t let your sorrow cheat you out of giving all you have to give and loving other people with everything in you. The only thing that makes this life worth living is the love we give to others and it’s a gift that will remain long after we have breathed our final breath on this earth. Tagged death, God, grief, life, life lessons, recovery grief, MOTIVATIONAL, RECOVERY Live Your Life or Plan Your Death March 2, 2020 October 12, 2022 Allison Divine About depression and a pet cricket named Elvis Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash When I was a kid, I had a pet cricket named Elvis. Mama said you can’t really have a cricket for a pet. The truth is, I never saw him once, but Elvis sang to me every night, so I reckon he decided to keep me instead of the other way around. On a normal summer, a cricket chirping in your bedroom would be downright annoying and might even make you want to jump off a bridge if you couldn’t figure out where he was, so you could step on his head. I’m sorry to say I’ve stomped on quite a few crickets in my life, plus a whole lot of other bugs I won’t name here, for fear of offending some bug-loving, revenge-taking, article-reading slight acquaintance of mine. I tend to hang with a different kind of crowd, but I know you need to watch what you say and do sometimes. The deep end is a whole lot closer for some people than it is for others, if you know what I mean. The summer Elvis sang to me was a different kind of summer than most. Mama’d run that old ceiling fan, swearing the whole time that she hated it. It was how we kept cool though. Never bothered me. I liked the noise of it. When the fan was on, the curtains in my room would billow inward and create a little tent on my bed. I liked to sit in it, and it was from there that I ran a library for the neighborhood kids. I had plenty of books, and I figured it might do some of them at least a little bit of good if they’d read one or two of them. It sure couldn’t do them any harm. If I didn’t have my little library, I doubt I’d have talked to another kid all summer long. I rarely stepped out of my room. Most of my waking moments were consumed with writing poems about killing myself and trying to build a new nose out of orthodontic wax. I hated my nose. I was never sure where the jokes started, but they started in my own family. My nose got made fun of a lot. Mama said I had “Daddy’s nose,” and the boys would all snicker because I guess Daddy’s nose was supposed to be obnoxiously big or something. It looked like a regular nose to me, but I fell in with the jokes because I knew I was supposed to. I compared my nose to one of my brother’s and we always argued about whose was the biggest. It’s all I could see when I looked in the mirror. A nose without a face, just sort of floating there. The one time I experimented with acid, I looked in the mirror and my green bulbous nose was pulsating and growing. I never touched the stuff again. My nose isn’t the reason I was preoccupied with planning my own death though. I’m not sure why I was sad. I just was. I think I was born that way. It’s taken me a lifetime and unimaginable grief to find joy. Nothing in this world makes any sense. I don’t expect it’s supposed to. After Samuel died, I was caught up in fantasies about dying again. Samuel was my baby boy. He died when an intrauterine blood transfusion failed due to doctor error. The grief was unbearable. I stopped writing poetry after that. Occasionally, one comes to me, but not often. Some spaces can’t be filled with words. I remember sitting on the tractor with Johnny while he baled hay and wondering what it would be like to fall under its wheels. Other times I’d be driving down the road and press the accelerator hard, ready to ram the car into something, but then I’d ease off and live instead. Later, after I found Mikey dead, there didn’t seem to be a reason to stay on this earth. I was just done. He was only 16 years old. A mother should never have to bury her baby. Mikey made three for me. It was too much grief for my heart to process. For months, hiding in a coat pocket in my closet was a bottle of pills, ready for me to take myself out of this world. Mama knew the state of mind I was in, so she went tearing through my house, emptying bottles. She didn’t realize she got rid of my depression medicine. She never found the ones in the closet. My other kids made it impossible for me to leave, but I carried those pills around with me for a long time before I got enough courage to pour them out. When I finally got around to cutting myself, I don’t think I had intentions to die. I think I just needed to hurt myself. I needed to be punished for not being perfect, for failing, for everything. It’s a twisted way of thinking, but everything I was doing at the time was a direct attack against my own life. Too much drink and too many bad choices led to a meltdown. Recovery for me started on my knees. I have a lot of things I wish I could say to the young girl back in that room letting Elvis sing to her–things about her nose and how precious life is. I’d tell her to enjoy every single moment and to dance and sing every day like it’s her last one on earth. You never know when death will come around. But I know she’s figured it all out for herself. I also know she’s alive and well, and finally made her way out of the darkness. I don’t know exactly when it was that I started planning my life instead of my death. My nose is the same as it’s always been—just a nose, not too bad. It’s certainly not noteworthy. I’m proud I have Daddy’s nose, but I hardly ever notice it. If a cricket were to come sing to me in my bedroom now, I’d smile as I remembered my little friend, Elvis, from days gone by. For a minute, I’m sure I’d enjoy the song. Then I’d search him out and stomp his little head, because you can’t really have a cricket for a pet. They’re annoying and might make you want to jump off a bridge or something, and I’ve got a life to live. Tagged cricket, death, depression, elvis, grief, joy, life, recovery, sorrow grief, RECOVERY Six Simple Truths About Grief February 11, 2020 February 11, 2020 Allison Divine Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash I talk a lot about grief and recovery. I probably always will. My son was 16 when I found him dead on the couch one October morning. You can’t go through that unscathed. You don’t ever get to a place where you stop talking about it. https://medium.com/the-emotional-mess-2/i-found-your-body-426643165555 Love always comes with the risk of loss. Death happens just like life does. It’s inescapable. I’m not the only one who grieves. I’m constantly learning things that I want to share, hoping it may help someone else. Here are six simple truths I’ve picked up along the way. 1. It’s deeply personal. People get caught up in thinking that because I’ve lost a child, I should be an expert on grief—especially since I seem to have survived it. I can’t count the number of times someone has minimized their own grief in a conversation to me, as if acknowledging the extent of their own pain somehow makes it seem as if they aren’t aware of mine. They use phrases like, “But it’s nothing like losing a child…” Mikey, photo by A Bridges You’re right. It’s not. Your grief is your grief, just like mine is mine. It’s not “lesser than,” it’s just different. We all go through things in our own way. Sorrow is personal and indescribable. The bereavement you feel is unique to you. You don’t have to throw me a bone in the midst of your crippling loss. I already know how I feel. I don’t need your reminder that you know too. I’d like for you to give me the chance to be there for you. 2. Sometimes being there is all you can do. I don’t have a collection of magic words to say because I’ve been through hell and back. The truth is, I’ve been through hell, and I’m not back. I’m never coming back. I carry hell with me every day. Let me explain the loss of a child to you: “When someone asks me when my son died—it was yesterday, it was a thousand years ago, it’s right this minute, it’s tomorrow. He will never stop dying. When a person who experiences such profound sorrow says, ‘You never get over it, you just learn to live with it,’ think about this. They never stop dying. We have to live every second of every day with that.” It’s an every day for the rest of my life kind of thing. I can’t always summon up the courage to tell you that grief never really ends. All I can really do is be with you in your sorrow, hold your hand, wash your dishes, and take out your trash. I can listen when you tell me the same story over and over again, because I know there won’t be any new stories to tell. I can hold you when you realize you will never have another opportunity to take a picture or say, “I love you.” 3. There’s just no answer for some things. God laid it all out in the Bible for us, so it shouldn’t come as any big surprise. Ecclesiastes says that there’s a time to be born and a time to die. Hebrews tells us that we are appointed once to die. Psalms 139:16 says that “all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” God knows when our time to die is. We don’t. It hurts like hell to look at the world and realize some people live to be 100 but you have to bury your 16 year old. Or your husband. Or your best friend. Or your sister. It doesn’t seem fair or natural. That’s because it isn’t. 4. Death isn’t natural. That’s why if feels so off when you grieve for someone. How many times have you thought, “This can’t be real?” Sure, God knew how it would all play out from the beginning, because He made us and He gave us the free will we would use to self-destruct. He knew, but man made the choices. I don’t have to remind you of what happened in the Garden. It’s LITERALLY the oldest story in the world. You know it by heart. If you don’t, you can find it at the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 3. We’re still making those choices every day. I remember the second I realized that Adam and Eve didn’t pay the ultimate penalty for bringing death upon all mankind. You can disagree if you want to. Picture this: they threw immortality away for the frailty of humanity. They were looking to be gods and the consequences were dire. Immediately, they knew they messed up. They realized they were naked—out in the open where they were vulnerable to attack from every kind of enemy, targets for pain, fear, and death. All of these were new to them. They had no protection other than their Creator. What did God do? Immediately He covered them in animal skins, so they weren’t naked anymore. He covered their sin and their shame. There were consequences to their actions, but He covered them, physically and symbolically. It was a picture and a promise of the Lamb that would be slain to cover the sins that created death. 12 SURPRISING THINGS GRIEF WILL TEACH YOU THAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO KNOW 5. All hope lies in Jesus Christ. What I know about grief—what I REALLY know about grief—is that I couldn’t face one moment of it if not for the fact that God sent Jesus to redeem our lives. I put my hope in this because it’s all I CAN do. If I didn’t know there was something beyond this life, I couldn’t go on. I remember in the early days of horror when I was still very crazy. I went running down the dirt road, screaming at God, “Where were You? I did EVERYTHING I thought You wanted me to do and You still took my son!” I’d wrestled with my faith since Mikey died. How could a loving God allow death at all? How could God even exist? I said I didn’t believe. I was looking toward the sky and screaming when it hit me. “I’m screaming at God. I’m screaming at God because I know He’s there.” I learned that grief is not enough to take away the love of God. God has been with me from the beginning. He has been the constant of my life ALL my life. I didn’t lose faith in Him. I was just mad at Him because I didn’t understand. I still don’t understand. What I know is that I don’t have to know WHY anymore. God always provides everything I need to get me through, even when I can’t see it. He’s there, even when I think I don’t believe. 6. The death of someone you love feels like the worse thing you’ll ever go through because it is. It can leave you confused, lonely, cold, and empty. The light at the end of the tunnel is an eternity where there is no fear of loss or death. It doesn’t exist. There will be no more tears. It’s a promise from God to those who believe in Him. I won’t have to visit a cold stone to talk to my child. God has prepared a place. Hope to see you there. Side Effects of Tremendous Loss Tagged faith, God, grief, hope, recovery1 Comment January 15, 2020 January 15, 2020 Allison Divine Grief sucks. Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash I’m going to go over a little bit of what happens when you have to say goodbye forever to someone you love. First, a bit of context. Shock. I lost my kid. Well, I didn’t exactly lose him. Horror. I know where he is. I hardly ever go there. There’s something disturbing about standing on a bit of cold ground while your flesh and blood decomposes beneath your feet. Unrelenting Pain. Even more devastating is the crushing sensation in my chest when I drive up to the cemetery. It doesn’t just happen in that moment though. It comes unbidden in unsuspecting scenarios for the rest of your life. I mean, you know the holidays will be hard. That’s expected. And birthdays. Dates of departure are devastating, but you know those days are coming and can kind of half-ass prepare for them. It’s those other days, days when things are good. You’re happy and laughing and…. Guilt. How the hell could you possibly laugh when your child is dead? What kind of monster are you, anyway? Thoughts like these come to your mind and even though you know they’re irrational, you think them anyway and you can’t help it. And it hurts so bad. Worse, you know it always will. The lump that you keep choking back in your throat is always going to be there. You’re never not going to cry when you hear the song that YOU chose for the funeral because it was a favorite. Hopelessness. You can’t fix this. The very idea of that is overwhelming. You feel helpless because you ARE helpless. Looking down the road at life you wonder if you even want to go on at all. Several times you decide that you don’t. Sometimes you can count on one hand the reasons to stay. I’ve been there. A few years ago, a young man in the town next to mine committed suicide. It wasn’t long after that his mom laid across his grave and did the same. Heartache. I spent an entire day grieving for her, even though I didn’t know her. Or maybe I was grieving for me. I knew what drove her to it. I live it every day. Isolation. When it’s your kid who dies, you separate yourself from other mothers. The ones who have never lost a child. They don’t know. You don’t want them to ever know. You can pick out your worst enemy on earth, and you won’t wish this on them. This grief is something you hold close. But you DO want to talk about your loss. You want to talk about WHO you lost. It doesn’t take you long to realize that people are tired of hearing it. They’re also AFRAID to hear it. It’s as if the whole world thinks that talking about death means it will come to call. Maybe it does. Cold Loneliness. I always hear the gravel fly from under my truck tires on that final stretch to the stone. I remember walking that road a hundred times. I also remember always ending at the cemetery and not being able to walk back. Someone always had to come get me. Numbness. How can everything be so intense when I’m so numb? It’s like standing under a tree hearing a leaf fall without being able to move to try to catch it. Photo by Keenan Constance on Unsplash Reality can’t be real when you bury your baby. Insanity. Looking back, I realize I’m lucky. I walked through the woods so many times with a gun in my hand. Utterly crazy. Hunters would come down from their stands and lead me out. They didn’t seem to mind that I interrupted their hunting. I don’t know for sure. We never talked. I only talked to Mikey. One day I stumbled upon a skunk. I was carrying a .22 rifle that day. No matter how crazy a person gets, you always know you don’t want to smell like a skunk. I realized it was either him or me. He fell over like a cartoon character. I walked around him, probably giving him more space than he needed. It felt good to kill something. Then I found the couch. It wasn’t hidden very well. I would have done a better job of it myself. Something like that, you don’t leave to chance. We called those woods the “forty.” It was forty acres of good hunting land. Full of deer, squirrels, and mosquitoes. Apparently, it had the occasional skunk as well. The first thing I saw when I came through the pine sapling thicket into the clearing was that couch. It had been in my living room just a month before when I found my son on it, face down and stiff. Already starting the rigor process. I unloaded my gun on the couch. Killed it dead, the way it killed my son. My thought process wasn’t lining up with reality. After I shot it, I laid on it and cried myself to sleep. That’s how they found me later. The couch was burned and buried after that. I never saw it again. It’s a good thing. I would have killed it again. Disbelief. You should never have to find your child’s body. It should never be cold and stiff. Your child should not die. It’s a travesty. It’s an injustice. It’s the worst thing that can ever happen to a Mama. I feel all of this again as I pull up to the cemetery. Tinnitus. My ears have been ringing since the day the keening started. The doctors call it tinnitus. I know it’s the echo of my own voice screaming for the life of my child. Another side effect of a morphine overdose I didn’t take. Flashbacks. Call it PTSD or call it whatever. I have flashbacks. Who wouldn’t? Not as many as before, but they still come. Usually when I’m driving, which is inconvenient at best and life-altering at worst. I don’t drive to the cemetery much. Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash It triggers me. I doubt it will ever go away. Terror has a strong grip on me. I wake up at night with my heart pounding and all I can do is call out to Jesus. No one else can help. I’m afraid when my kids are out of my sight and I’m afraid when they’re with me. He died on my watch. My watch is scarier now. I will never not check to see if my kids and grandkids are breathing. I always think about it. All night long. Insecurity. As a Mom, you think there’s an instinctive way that you’ll know when your kids are in danger. It’s hard to wrap your mind around the fact that instincts can fail you. I didn’t know. You don’t always know. I question my ability to be a parent and keep my children safe. I question my grandchildren’s safety when they’re with me. Children can die. The headstone in front of me is proof of that. Side Effects. I’ve only gone over a few of them. I wish that life and death were an easier process, or maybe I don’t. What makes it so hard is also what makes it worth it. Love comes with a potentially high price tag. We don’t know how things are going to turn out. It would be less risky to never take a chance—refuse to love—but life wouldn’t be worth living. It would be a simple choice to never have children or truly love another human being because of the chance you may have to bury them one day. To make that choice is to choose to live without the greatest gift of your life. Even knowing what can happen, I will always choose to love. It’s hard to say it, and hard to know it, but it’s infinitely worth the pain. Tagged death, grief, life, life lessons, recovery, side effects1 Comment The Day I Chose to Live August 19, 2019 August 19, 2019 Allison Divine The day I chose to live was easily the worst day of my life. I guess it happens like that sometimes. Finding my son dead was a horrific experience that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Mr. Main (my husband) says that people don’t even like to hear or talk about losing a child, because they’re afraid if they do then it might happen to them as well. As if talking about it is inviting the devil in! So I don’t say much about that part of my grief. I keep the horror to myself most of the time. Most things that happen in this world have a definable reason. Maybe the only thing that we can never get a full understanding of is death. One thing you do grasp rather quickly is the absolute FINALITY of it. And it’s that knowledge which forces you to confront your own mortality, whether you’re prepared for it or not. Then, at some point in the consideration of death and all that it means, you realize something that you may have never thought of before. You, as an individual who lives and breathes on this earth, have control of your own life. You can choose whether you can live with the loss or die yourself, alleviating all of your mortal suffering. Losing Mikey was a deal breaker for me. I was finished. I looked at the world and what it held for me. I looked at my life as it was and knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was not willing to be on this earth anymore. I had spent most of my life grieving anyway, and I was sad before that, as if somewhere in my innermost being I knew what was coming. My entire childhood was spent longing for an elusive place that I called “Happiness.” I knew I couldn’t find it and thought somehow that if I did, all things would be made right. I wrote songs and poems from a very young age about death and suicide, even though I wasn’t consciously contemplating either one. It was a part of me from the beginning, this grief that I carried in my heart, like a foreshadowing of things to come. So, when tragedy after tragedy struck, I wasn’t even surprised. It was as if I expected it. Like that was my life, and I better learn how to live with it. And I did okay with it, to a point. I won’t pretend that at any time I came to an understanding of death or even life. I didn’t know why I always seemed to be a target. I thought I must be receiving punishment from God for my sins or someone else’s. The human mind is incapable of providing a rationale for death. It just is. We are broken people living in a broken world where we have no control of things as small as the actions of others or as big as death. We are only humans after all. We were forced out of the garden so that we could not eat from the tree of life, even though we could finally understand the existence of evil and how it seeks to destroy both the guilty and the innocent. How unfathomably unfair! So, I looked at my future, and I could not accept what I was seeing. Life without my son was incomprehensible to me. I had already buried so many people—2 babies, my father, my precious aunt. How much could a heart take before it shattered completely, and for that matter, how much could a mind take before it did the same? Now God was asking this of me, to live my entire life without my child, and I said, “No.” I woke up from a necessary drug-induced sleep and said the words aloud—to myself more than anyone else. Just to have them out there. Whether I said it to state my intention or my certainty, I don’t know. I just said it. “I don’t want to be here anymore.” And I knew I had made the decision to end my life. To not face the future without my son. It was over, and I was okay with that. I didn’t have to deal with death or life anymore. I was done. I was done. But I didn’t consider the other people in the room. Of course, I didn’t! I was alone, locked inside myself with my pain and the loss that I knew there was no escaping. When I said the words, I wasn’t talking to anyone but myself. And maybe God. But Nic heard me. Nic was my first son to take a breath as a living person in this world. I had a son before him, but he died before he was born. And when Mikey was 8 years old, I buried my second son, Samuel. Now three sons were gone, and Nic was in the room with me when I realized that I had reached the point of no return. So was my daughter, Tiffany. And my best friend, Martha. And when I said, “I don’t want to be here anymore,” without hesitation, Nic said, “You go, I go.” Silence roared in my ears and all other noise stopped at that moment. I was in shock. There was nothing else in my life but that statement, and the realization that he meant every word of it. Then Tiff said, “You go, I go,” and Martha said, “You go, I go.” And I became angrier than I had ever been in my life. Angrier than the angry of losing my babies, and my father. Angrier than I was at God for taking them. Angry, because in that moment, everything changed. I was ready to die. I had no desire to stay. But I had no choice. Not then, not now, not ever. And it hurts, but not near as much as it did that day, the worst day of my life. That day, I chose to live. It would be a long, long time before I chose to have a life. That day I was only capable of making one choice. There is only one thing that trumps grief. Only one thing that’s bigger than the worst loss. One thing that is undeniably monumentally ENOUGH, even in the face of the most insurmountable tragedy ever to befall a Mama—the loss of her child. That one thing is LOVE. The day I chose to live, I chose their lives over my own. Knowing that I would never smile again until I drew my last breath on earth, the time God set aside for me to die, I CHOSE LOVE. To choose love, I was forced to choose life. I chose to keep my remaining two babies alive on this earth for as long as it was humanly possible for me to do so. My selfishness was not bigger than my love for my two children and my friend. I was forced to make the choice to stay on this earth for them. Regrets? NO. Not even one. Amazingly, life went on, and I did smile again. And I learned that even though happiness is temporary, joy is eternal. I learned to walk this road that God placed me on one step at a time. For more of what I learned from grief, click here: https://moodyoops.com/12-surprising-things-that-grief-will-teach-you-that-you-actually-need-to-know/ Now, I look at the faces of those I love more than my own life and more than my own death, and I know I made the right choice. And now my family has grown much larger than the three people it had suddenly become! There have been more losses, but also more births. It has also grown in other natural ways, by adding children and adults through marriage and through deep and abiding friendship. No one can replace Mikey, nor anyone else who is lost to me, but no one needs to. Mikey had his own space in my heart, and it’s still occupied. He didn’t leave me forever. I will touch his face again. But here on earth, I get to watch my grandbabies laugh and play. I get to teach them about life, and sadly, about death. Sometimes it’s a bittersweet joy and sometimes it’s a full-on beautiful, boundless joy that doesn’t exist because of my decision but despite my having to make it. And I enjoy more fully the moments that I have with all the ones I love, and those who love me back—especially the ones who love me enough to be willing to sacrifice their own lives if I cannot be in them. When I wake now, sometimes I can’t help but to think about what I would have missed if I did not choose to live. When I look at my life, it is full of joy—and sadness too. One does not exist without the other. You can’t truly know the joy of life without experiencing the pain of death. I don’t know what my childhood would have been like if I had known joy instead of the darkness of sorrow and depression. If I pass down anything to my children, I hope it’s not the despair that I was born with. I hope it will be a legacy of life. I hope I will have taught them to love as fully and deeply as possible for every single moment that God allows us. I pray that they will know always that He has a plan that ultimately leads to infinite joy. There’s no time to be searching for a place called “Happiness.” Life is way too short for that. Happiness is a lie anyway. In this world, it’s fleeting and superficial. Joy, however, can be had now (even amid grief) and experienced eternally. If you are going to strive for anything, strive to find joy. If you are going to choose anything worthwhile, let it be life. Choose Life. As for me, I am forever grateful for the lessons learned and blessings received because of the day I chose to live. Tagged death, grief, joy, life, loss, suicide July 18, 2019 October 3, 2019 Allison Divine (With One Bonus Lesson at the End) Joy and grief grow in the same garden. My first introduction to death was at the tender age of 18. This was before I knew the first thing about living, so I sure didn’t know how to process the fact that people could just stop doing it. Especially important people, like my Daddy. He was bigger than life to me, and his life seemed way more important to me than mine. I threw myself face down on the floor and began my first attempt to barter with God. Apparently, God wasn’t interested in reversing the process and taking me in Daddy’s place because I’m still here, and writing about it after all these years. God has a way of giving us just what we need to survive at the time, and sometimes scarcely more than that. Somehow, I managed to get up off the floor and scrape together just enough of whatever it is that it takes to survive. I had to make a lot of hard decisions that I wasn’t ready for back then. It was like going from zero to sixty—I grew up fast. I didn’t have much choice. The tragedies in my life have continued. I have not only buried my father; I have also buried three sons. Two of them were infants, one was almost 17 years old. I am forever changed. Some days I find the courage to talk about it and some days I don’t. It would be easy to wallow on the hard days, but today I choose to honor life by talking about what grief has taught me, in the hopes that it will help someone else when they go through the darkness. PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THINGS. This seems like a no-brainer. I can’t elaborate too much on the obvious, but if I have learned anything it’s to put the people you love and your relationships above material possessions and the pursuit of them. The Bible, in Mark 8:36, asks, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Don’t sell out your family for money or recognition. Don’t trade your time with them for anything that seems glittery and beautiful. You can’t get the moments that you lost back again. You can’t even get the moments that you spent back again, but at least you have the memories of those. Let your memories be full of laughter and joy when you can, but also go through the hard stuff with the ones you love. The darkest night spent with someone you care for is better than the brightest morning alone with your things. 2. WE ARE NOT IMMORTAL. Surprise! Life here on this earth does not last forever. We die. Our forever is not going to be spent here in these bodies, doing this stuff. There’s really no need to save the best for last! Don’t keep your ideas to yourself. Use them! Get out your best dishes, wear your best clothes. Have dessert first if you feel like it (I don’t recommend this all the time though. It’s not that great for your waistline). 3. TAKE YOUR MOMENTS WHEN YOU CAN GET THEM. Embrace the precious times of your life. You don’t know what the future holds! The Bible talks about this too (a very wise book), when it says in James 4:13 “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.” Love on your family. Stare at your children. Watch them breathe. Take a moment to revel in their smiles. Say all those words you’ve been holding back. Just in case this is all you will ever have; make it the best moment it can possibly be! 4. IT’S OKAY TO LIVE AGAIN. You are not betraying anyone by going on with your life. Continuing to breathe is not a curse, and you have no reason to feel guilty for it. God has appointed each of us a time to be born and a time to die (Yep, that’s from the Bible too). If you are reading this, it wasn’t your time to die. It’s hard and it hurts and it’s unfair and all of that. But it’s the truth. Oh, and you aren’t God. It wasn’t your choice. You can let go of that now. Keep breathing. Keep going. Keep trying. Make it a great life! Do you know what the absolute best thing is that you can do for the ones who have stopped living? For you to keep on living, and to lead a victorious life. 5. LAUGHTER REALLY IS GOOD FOR HEALING. Don’t feel guilty for finding enjoyment in your life. Let the joy come back. It doesn’t mean there isn’t still heartbreak. It doesn’t mean you have forgotten. Joy and pain can inhabit the same house. Let them. 6. GOD KNOWS YOU’RE MAD AT HIM. He can take it. This is His world. Nothing happens without His knowledge and permission. It’s a hard pill to swallow. Everyone dies–also hard to get down, especially when that someone is your child or parent, spouse or sibling. Or grandparent. You are insignificant to God because He allowed it to happen to you. It also is not a small thing that He gave His Son to die, knowing that He would ultimately beat death. I mean, that was the point. He kicked death’s ass so I could see my kids again someday. Yeah, I was mad at Him for a long time. Sometimes I still am. Then, I remember the cross, and I get through. I know where my hope is. 7. WE AREN’T MEANT TO DO THIS ALONE. Don’t isolate and expect to get through it all on your own. There’s no need in it. If you don’t have friends or family who will walk through your grief with you, find a recovery group. There are moments when you need to shout, cry, fall apart, and vent. You might just want to share some funny old memories. Maybe you don’t know what to do with your anger and unforgiveness. That’s what these groups are for. People are better than things and substances for helping you to get through. They need you too. 8. LIFE IS A MIRACLE. Do you know why you are still here? Neither do I. It’s a miracle. Treat each breath as the gift that it is. Embrace the fact that you are alive and go dance in the rain. 9. ALL WE LEAVE BEHIND IS WHAT WE GIVE TO OTHERS. No accomplishment, no amount of money, no possession will matter after you are gone. When people think of you, let it be because they remember what an impact for good you made on their lives. Stand up for what is right. Fight for those who can’t fight for themselves. Love everyone the same. Don’t discriminate because of color, social status, or wealth. Give everything you can give to other people. You can’t take one thing with you where you’re going anyway (no matter which direction that is). 10. IT’S OKAY TO CRY. You can grieve for as long as you need to grieve. I believe that there are some losses that you will always grieve for on this earth. The loss of a child is one of those. If you need to cry, don’t let anyone tell you that you should be “over it.” Your grief is your grief. Feel it and live your life anyway. 11. YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND YOUR LIFE TRYING TO MAKE THEIRS MEAN SOMETHING. Their life was not in vain, and neither was their death. It has already taught you so much! You have precious memories to hold forever. Their lives already had meaning, and they always will. Don’t spend your whole life setting up foundations in their name, donating to causes in their name, furiously trying to immortalize them. Let them rest in peace. You don’t have to make their life mean something. The best thing that you can do to honor them is to make your own life mean something! Work on that. Take responsibility for you. Get better so you can help other people. 12. THE NEXT “YOU” WILL BE DIFFERENT. This journey that you are walking through grief will change you. That’s okay. You might think that you were meant to be that other person who was never touched by loss. Things would have turned out another way. Perhaps you can make a case for that, but I doubt it. Life, death, and God did not steal anything from you. Remember that everyone’s time is appointed to them! That means that you are meant to be the person touched by loss. The question is “why”? Use the things you have learned to help other people. Sure, you are different, but you’re not lesser than. You have a world of experience now that was very hard-earned. Don’t let it go to waste. Use it for good. When the opportunity comes, take it. Bonus: SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SWIM THROUGH THE RIVER There are times in your life when you need medication to get you through the hard stuff. There’s no shame in taking it when you do. Other times we try to self-medicate by using all kinds of things–alcohol, narcotics, sex, food, distractions–just about anything you can think of that we believe will take our minds off the hurt. They all work for a little while. The problem is, when you step back from all you have done to numb the pain or forget the hurt, it’s still there. Not only do you find the loss and grief is still right where you left it, but you have often piled a load of guilt and remorse on top of it through behaviors and addictions that you wish you could change. It’s hard to turn your life around when you find yourself in a situation like that, but it can be done. You have to make the decision to embrace the joy and faith that are still in your life and turn around and swim through the river. Sometimes that’s the only way to survive, and then you can turn around and help others across too. These are some of the surprising things that grief will teach you that you actually need to know. Somewhere down the road, you will have the chance to share them with someone else in a way that helps their heart. Doing it will help your own. just a doll that looks like Samuel… RIP Samuel Allen Dowden, born dead, July 17th, 1998 Happy 21st Here’s a link to this post in Medium if you’d like to pop over and see it! There are lots of other things to read from other writers as well that I think you would enjoy and benefit from: https://medium.com/@allisondivinebridges/12-surprising-things-grief-will-teach-you-that-you-actually-need-to-know-2f62f64430fe?sk=c59e4995417409aa533fb3ae5dd2a05d Tagged death, God, grief, hope, joy, laughter, life, live, miracle, people, recovery The Way It All Unfolds Relationship Advice From A Relationship Loser Pink Hair and Pajama Bottoms MoodyOops What are you looking for? Select Category ART AND DESIGN BUSINESS OWNER ENCOURAGEMENT ENTRE SUCCESS grief HUMOR MOTIVATIONAL RECOVERY Check out the new items in our shop! Dismiss

Men Accused of Stealing Eagles Lyrics Claim Case Is Non-Existent Martin Kielty Martin Kielty Published: September 11, 2022 Redferns, Getty Images Three men accused of stealing and attempting to sell Eagles lyrics handwritten by Don Henley described the case as “non-existent” in a new legal filing. In July, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi, book trader Glenn Horowitz and rock auctioneer Edward Kosinski were each charged with illegally obtaining then trying to trade over 100 pages of notes that included words for Eagles tracks “Hotel California” and “Life in the Fast Lane.” Those and other individual charges could carry prison sentences of more than four years. The pages were said to have been stolen in the ‘70s by an author, who is reported to have sold them to Horowitz in 2005. Together with Inciardi and Kosinski, he’s alleged to have tried to sell them to Henley before sending them to an auction house in 2016. At that point they were seized by the New York D.A.’s office, leading to the charges being laid six years later. Lawyer Antonia Apps’ new filing (via Rolling Stone) cited four reasons the proceedings should be ended. Firstly, she argued, the statute of limitations had expired in May 2021. Secondly, there had been an “unreasonable delay” in filing charges after the papers had been seized. Thirdly, the official valuation of the papers at $1 million was wrong as a result of “improper expert testimony.’ FInally, a “legal insufficiency” existed in that Kosinski had been unaware that the papers were stolen. The filing named Ed Sanders as the previously unidentified biographer, and argued that Henley had until recently offered “no proof to corroborate” that they’d actually been stolen. “If the People’s view is that Mr. Sanders is not a thief, the Court should dismiss the Indictment in its entirety, because the gravamen of the crime of criminal possession of stolen property is that the property being possessed was in fact stolen.” In any case, another argument ran, Henley’s failure to file an action to recover the property by 2015 – three years after the alleged theft and also three years after he’d purchased some of the papers himself – meant that “the Eagles’ rights to the lyrics were extinguished” at that point. Apps also addressed the raid on Kosinski’s property in 2019, describing the action as “strong-arm tactics” and claiming officers had confiscated more material than the scope of their search warrant allowed “in a manner that cannot be reconciled with acting in good faith.” She added: “Their bad faith is demonstrated by the sheer volume of the materials taken and the fact that many of the items seized were obviously unrelated to the case based on their labels.“ A hearing is set to take place at the New York Supreme Court on Oct. 14. The Best (and Worst) Song From Every Eagles Album Which ones go the distance? Next: Eagles Albums Ranked Worst to Best Source: Men Accused of Stealing Eagles Lyrics Claim Case Is Non-Existent Filed Under: Don Henley, eagles Eagles Announce More 2023 ‘Hotel California’ Tour Dates New York Judge Hears Arguments Related to Stolen Eagles Lyrics Eagles Extend ‘Hotel California’ Tour With Five More Dates Rock Hall Curator Allegedly Tried to Sell Stolen Eagles Lyrics Eagles Add Six Canadian Dates to ‘Hotel California’ Tour A Night at the Theater Drag Show: Everything You Need to Know 10 Songs Eagles Haven’t Played on the ‘Hotel California’ Tour Yet Don Henley’s 10 Best Country Collaborations Eagles Planned How to Play Shows with Sick or Angry Members

« ‘Survivor’ Hall of Famer Cirie Fields’ Top Three Tribal Councils ‘Survivor’ Hall of Famer Parvati Shallow’s Top Tribal Councils » ‘Survivor’ Hall of Famer Kim Spradlin’s Top Tribal Councils 2013 'Survivor' Hall of Famer Kim Spradlin (CBS) The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is proud to have 2013 inductee Kim Spradlin as a part of the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Kim (along with Host Jeff Probst and other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate her three favorite Tribal Councils. Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote. Note: All of the nominations were requested at the same time, so some Tribal Councils may be nominated more than once. Kim Spradlin’s “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations… “Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 13 Tribal Council: Erik R. giving his idol to Natalie on “Fans vs. Favorites”…um, oh my, I know everyone balks, but it seems like he could have easily won the rest of the immunity challenges and the game if he’d just sat tight with his idol. Hard lesson learned, I guess. “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” – Episode 10 Tribal Council: Parvati with her two idols in “Heroes vs. Villains”…this was so amazing to me. Not only that she played them both, but neither one for herself – this move changed the game. “Survivor: Fiji” – Episode 14 Final Four Tribal Council: Dreamz going back on the truck-for-immunity deal he made with Yau-Man. A crazy moment where you find yourself being appalled at Dreamz, but really it is a game and everyone lies like crazy so I guess that was really Yau’s own fault. Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations. Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes. Tags: kim spradlin, survivor, survivor hall of fame This entry was posted on December 7, 2014 at 1:47 pm and is filed under RealityTV, survivor, TV News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Finally a Light at the End of the Tunnel for Faraday? Moss And Fog February 25, 2022 0 Comments Originally unveiled over five years ago, the Faraday Future concept car was an exciting vision for what electric cars could be. Then reality and unsteady finances followed, and the company went through various stages of bankruptcy and new ownership. The company refused to die, however, and it’s back with a factory, new leadership, and a production-spec version of its product, the Faraday Future FF91. The sleek and futuristic design showcases a number of innovations, yet they seem less advanced than they did five years ago. Since then, a number of new EVs have entered the market, like Lucid, Rivian, and others, raising the bar for what an electric car can and should be. Regardless, the FF91 offers sleek design, a stretched wheelbase, and a plethora of high-tech features that promise an effortless and enjoyable commute. With a range of over 350 miles, and 1,050 horsepower, the FF91 will be fast, long-range, and sought after when it goes on sale in late 2022. CategoriesAutomotive, Design, EV, Future, Product Design, Technology, Uncategorized Tagselectric cars 2022, ev 2022, Faraday EV, Faraday Future, FF91, future EV 6 Fascinating Things About Ukraine Is Distance Learning the Future of Education?

INTERVIEW: The ‘Guenther Steiner effect’ Unless you’re Alpine, it was hard not to be impressed by Haas at last month’s United States Grand Prix. From a cool photoshoot in a saloon bar to Stars and Stripes on the livery, Haas was embracing America. But then, that was perhaps a little easier to do as it announced its major new title sponsor – Dallas-based MoneyGram – ahead of the race weekend. For all the broader reasons that Formula 1 is attractive to sponsors right now, Haas can definitely lean on ‘the Guenther Steiner effect.’ The team principal doesn’t particularly like the limelight, but he’s also willing to embrace it, to such an extent that t-shirts featuring his face and iconic expletive-ridden quotes were handed out at a team BBQ the same day the new title deal was made public. It’s a deal Haas had been working on for some time, but it’s not quite the sign of the American boom you might think it is. In fact, according to Steiner himself, it might just be the precursor. “I wouldn’t say (there was a lot of interest from America), because I think MoneyGram is a little bit ahead of the wave,” Steiner tells RACER. “I think there is more to come from the U.S., and hopefully MoneyGram opened the door to other people. “Interest has risen in F1 – you get all the fans, but the corporates, they don’t react instantly. It’s like ‘OK, it’s interesting, but let’s see if it sticks, let’s see where it goes, and let’s see who else does it first’ so they have somebody to compare with. “I know Oracle is on the Red Bull car, but that’s a different dimension of things. Oracle is an American company, but they are really big. I think MoneyGram is the company, an American company that thought F1 could help us grow our global business to do more. F1 is growing so they looked into it and they were like ‘Wow, this is actually a big sport’ and then they got interested and in the end they joined us as a partner, which is great.” Before I go any further, I know what you’re thinking. Rich Energy, Uralkali – Haas hasn’t exactly had a great track record when it comes to its title partnerships. It does feel like MoneyGram is a different agreement though, and one that Steiner feels is a reflection of the team’s commercial growth. “I don’t even think about [past sponsors],” he says. “We have done our due diligence, I have got a much stronger team around me now to work with these people and get to these deals. “The deal was done with very tough negotiations and that shows that it will work. They know what they are doing, they know what they want to get out of it, and that makes me confident that they want to do this. They have got a clear target what they want to achieve out of this program, they are not doing it because they woke up one morning and would like to do it – it’s a publicly-traded company and they need to deliver. After treading water for a few seasons, Haas is looking forward to riding some positive momentum into 2023. Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images “They will make it work for them and we need to work with them to achieve their goal. I’m not worried about whether it will work or not. If it doesn’t work or not, we’ll cross that bridge should we get to it, but at the moment I’m not intimidated that we should get into a problem with this.” That commercial growth has prompted Haas to bring in a new marketing director, and in many ways take advantage of the split with Uralkali earlier this year. That was a deal of convenience to keep the team running after the COVID-19 pandemic, but now it’s riding the wave of interest in F1 in a budget cap era. “It’s all work, but that is part of my job, of the team’s job now, to do it,” he says. “We’ve made a big step over the last two years – when we were where we were, we got a lot better in certain things. We got better at finding sponsors. You see now the sponsors on the car… I think we did a big step. “(The Uralkali split) gave us a break. We just realized we need to do something and we started with a new marketing director in January and he is doing a good job, but we didn’t start to recruit him in January, we started last year. “It’s the same for everybody; you work and you do things and all of a sudden they come together. And you say ‘how did you do it?’ ‘Oh we started over a year ago working on this and now it comes together’. It always shows that you need to keep on doing what you think is the right thing to do. Never say ‘Oh, this doesn’t work now’ – no, it works.” While Haas’s focus over the last few years has been on survival, the team has always had Gene Haas to keep the wheels turning while the team worked to make commercial sense. That doesn’t mean the team owner told Steiner to find more sponsorship, either, but in a year when a number of multi-million dollar deals have been concluded, the team principal admits it puts him in a position to continue the team’s growth. “We know where we need to get to,” Steiner says. “He gives us all the backing that we need but he tells you clearly ‘this is what we need to achieve as a company’ and how we achieve it he leaves… ‘that’s your problem, not my one’. “This puts you in a situation where we say ‘we did what the investor is trying to achieve’. We need to have an F1 team which is commercially viable, that nobody has to subsidize it. Any company has to achieve that. That’s a very fair target, and if I don’t like it then I can choose to go as well. This is part of why I like it here – you’re given a target, nobody interferes with how you achieve it as long as you do it, and then he gives you all the backing you want.” It couldn’t be a more dramatically different picture from two years ago, when Haas took on Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher and accepted it was set for a tough year as the rookies learned their craft. That was out of necessity due to commercial considerations, but now all decisions on the second driver for 2023 – as already evidenced by the re-signing of Kevin Magnussen – are taken without financial thoughts. “It’s a fantastic place to be,” Steiner agrees. “It’s a good place to be – we just need to make the right (driver) decision, which is now the issue…” Tags: formula 1guenther steinerhaas f1insights & analysis THROUGH THE VISOR: ‘One of the races I’m most proud of’ – Hamilton recalls his incredible comeback win in Brazil Data File: Third-Generation, FD-Chassis Mazda RX-7 | Articles Lewis Hamilton shows off revised helmet design for F1 2023 | F1 VistaJet and Scuderia Ferrari | Partnership

Home » Archives for 11/07/2022 How to Play Roullete Roullete is a game of skill where players place chips on numbered spots on a wheel and try to predict which number will land on that spot. Players can either play alone or as a team. The rules of the game are simple: the best way to win is to make the best decision based on the odds. The history of roulette is a long one. It is believed that the game originated in France. The word roulette means ‘little wheel’ in French. Blaise Pascal, a famous mathematician and inventor, was trying to develop a perpetual motion devise when he came up with the idea. He combined aspects of two other games, the English wheel game Roly Poly and the Italian game Even-Odd. Probability of winning Before you decide to place a bet in a roulette game, you should know the probability of winning. This is a simple formula that will tell you how likely it is that you will win by dividing the number of ways you can win by the number of ways you can lose. The roulette wheel has 38 slots, so if you have enough money, you can double your bets after a loss and increase your odds of winning. But remember that this method cannot guarantee you a win. Outside bets for beginners If you are a beginner and do not want to spend much money on the bet, the easiest way to play is with outside bets. These types of bets are safer to place, since you are placing your chips on the whole category of numbers, rather than specific numbers. Alternatives to inside bets Inside bets involve placing your chips on one or more numbers. You can either bet on one lucky number or spread them out among several numbers. While inside bets can increase your odds, they also carry a higher risk and payoff.

Austin County Moving Leads There are numerous ways to generate more moving leads. One of them is to use press releases. When you write a press release, you can outline new services or special discounts for repeat customers or referrals. You can also distribute press releases through other means. While this tactic may seem like overkill, it will help you to get more moving leads. It is also effective if you plan on offering your services locally. It will make your business stand out from the competition. SEO for Austin County Movers Another way to generate moving leads is to give back to your community. By offering free moving services to the community, you will be able to get the word out about your services. You can also post pictures of your moving trucks on social media, if possible. Getting referrals from previous customers is a great way to generate a steady stream of moving leads. These people have already experienced your services and will be more likely to use your service again. Google Ads PPC Austin County Moving Companies Paying for search engine placement will increase your website traffic. This tactic can increase your closing rate, since most people are looking for local moving companies. You can also create a profile for your website. This will increase your ranking in Google and will also help you improve your SEO performance. Lastly, you can use paid research tools to improve your SEO performance. They will provide you with a list of prospects who are looking for moving services in their area. Austin County Facebook Marketing for Movers Another tactic that will help you generate more moving leads is to partner with local suppliers. These suppliers can refer you to other moving companies and provide you with a steady flow of moving leads. These types of alliances will be mutually beneficial, and will help you to get more business. This is an extremely effective mover marketing strategy. Just make sure that you have a good postcard! Once you’ve created a strong postcard, you’ll be surprised at the results! It’s important to create a website that will appeal to people looking for a moving company. The first step is creating a landing page that highlights your services. The next step is to create an online form with your contact information. It’s very important to create a landing page for your website. When a prospective client submits a form, your website will display your contact details. Then, they’ll contact you. Austin County Website Design for Movers Lastly, you can partner with other small businesses. Many small businesses are not aware of the fact that they can benefit from co-marketing opportunities. By partnering with other companies, you’ll be able to access more moving leads and gain more customers. Using a social networking website, like Facebook, will give your business a more personalized feel. This will make it more appealing to your target market. And the more people you reach, the more leads you’ll get. You can also make use of Today’s Local Media. If you’re looking for moving leads, this can help you get more customers. The average person will have to move more than once in a year, which means they need to hire a moving company that can handle their needs. By using local media, you can find more moving leads. This will increase your sales and profit margins. This will help you get more clients. Buy Moving Leads near Austin County One way to get more moving leads is to advertise. The best way to do this is to buy advertising. A moving lead is an advertisement that contains a company’s name, phone number, and address. This is a great way to promote a moving company’s brand. If you’re a moving company, you should consider using mailers. They’ll make your moving business more visible to your target market. Realtors are a great source of moving leads. Because realtors know more people, they’ll have more clients. To get more moving leads, reach out to your local realtors and show them that you’re a reputable and professional moving company. A successful mover will also make your agent feel good about your services. It’s a good idea to give your real estate agents a copy of the sales report for them to distribute to their clients.

Dir. Douglas Trumbull. 1983, 106 mins. 70mm. Douglas Trumbull’s science-fiction thriller about a device that can record thoughts and dreams features stunning visual effects to portray telepathic experiences, cutting between widescreen and standard size. It also features the last performance by Natalie Wood, who died during the making of the film. Brainstorm has not been shown in 70mm in New York for more than 20 years. Tickets: $12 ($9 for senior citizens and students / free for members at the Film Lover level and above). Order tickets online. (Members may contact [email protected] with any questions regarding online reservations.) All tickets include same-day admission to the Museum (see gallery hours). View the Museum’s ticketing policy here. For more information on membership and to join online, visit our membership page.

With Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan. Cronenberg enhances this film’s sexual themes by casting porn queen Chambers as a modern-day vampire who spreads a plague through Montreal. Centering on a young woman whose plastic surgery infects her with a taste for blood, this film is both a commentary on the dangers of biotechnology and a political allegory about the dangers of repression.

Who tied my shoelaces together? Chris Murphy Entrepreneur Law, Small Business Law April 24, 2020 April 24, 2020 4 Minutes It’s been over a month since I received the first notice that courts were suspending activity. Since then, I have watched my otherwise busy law practice slow tremendously. While the unexpected breather has been nice (and expensive), I am ready to get back at it. While I can stand, the current restrictions, and the ones I expect to stay in place into the foreseeable future, have me stumbling forward. It’s like I sat down on a bench for a breather and someone tied my shoes together. Planning failure? Having started my business after the Great Recession, in 2010, I’ve always been mindful about diversification and what I’d do in down times. None of my contingency plans or what-if’s involved a scenario where the courts were reduced to a crawl. For me to do my job, I have to have the courts. Slowing them down was like delivering a paralytic to the central nervous system of my law practice. As an owner and employer, this has been a tough fact to accept. On some level I feel as though I failed. I should have seen this coming. I should have had alternatives available and sailed through this pandemic effortlessly. The experience has been tough and alienating. No matter how alone I may feel, I know I’m not. As I look out my third floor window to the corner of State and Main the only businesses that have any business are the pharmacy, the restaurants, and the construction workers providing Uptown Westerville with a facelift. But as this pandemic has stretched on, even the number of patrons at the pharmacy and restaurants have slowed. Short of making PPE or being a grocery store, I think it would be near impossible to go through this experience without feeling some sort of financial impact. Frustration and Anxiety It’s scary. I’d be lying to say I didn’t have a little bit of frustration and anxiety about it. I think that’s normal. Businesses across the country are desperate for the economy to open back up. Some are targeting the anger and frustration at our elected officials. Claiming deprivation of rights, making accusations of being subjected to a military state, and worse. As a lawyer, I think these arguments fail and find this vein of dialogue to be unproductive. This is not to say I am happy about our situation. I hate it. However, I would not want to trade places with my elected officials right now. The worst of the financial problems is yet to be truly realized as tax revenue for the past month has dropped while dollars for aid has increased, exponentially. The stimulus was supposed to tide us over until the end of July. We’ll find out if it was enough. For myself, I’m trying to stay out of the melee. Thus far, I’ve been very pleased with how DeWine has handled everything. He has consistently shown himself to be a smooth leader. His decisions are thoughtful and based in logic. He communicates information regularly and clearly. While I hate the situation, I don’t think he could have played this any better. Temper Expectations While I think we are all excited to get back out there, business owners and entrepreneurs need to take stock of expectations. We aren’t returning to normal, not anytime soon. Social distancing, lowered capacity, and consciousness of new risk have changed behavior patterns. A great deal of Americans, close to 13%, are unemployed. This impacts consumer confidence and decision making tremendously. Many have had to go without for the first time. For myself, I know my own spending has gone down. Mostly in discretionary and variable expenses, but my mind’s eye is currently focused on cutting back and saving, not spending. And I don’t think I’m unique in this mindset. I was listening to a podcast and one of the hosts was talking about how much her day-to-day has changed. She can no longer go out to get coffee on her way to work. As a result, for the first time, she bought a coffee maker and learned to make her own. Coffee wasn’t the only discretionary expense she planned to cut. She was spending $200-300 a month on training sessions and gym memberships. During the stay-at-home, she’s been working out with apps and fitness videos on YouTube. She shared the savings has been informative about her old lifestyle and spending habits. For now, she doesn’t intend to go back to her old ways. There is no going back, not immediately, not until we have a vaccine. Until then, I do not see the economy firing on all cylinders. The world has been made aware of humanity’s relative fragility. The lasting changes are still unknown. No different than 9/11 changed the way we travel, gather intelligence, and took us to two wars, the lasting effects of the Coronavirus are still unknown. I’ve already heard from a number of employers that the success of working from home may result in a change to the office environment. Not all of the change will be bad, it will just be… different. For any business, I think now is the time to lighten your load from unnecessary expenditures. Look at expenses in terms of necessity, value, and your goals. If it isn’t needed or it isn’t a value, get rid of it. The businesses that are going to do best are those that remain agile and adapt to customers and clients. Be mindful. I’ve sat through… I don’t know how many calls where what I’m hearing is emotion and frustration. That isn’t a necessarily a bad thing. You gotta get it out. I encourage a good purge from time to time. However, make sure you aren’t pulling the trigger on a major decision while purging anger and frustration. Some of the worst decisions are made when folks are emotional or frustrated. Write down your goal. Measure your major decisions against that goal. Does this decision get you closer? If not, put it down and think more about it. Previous Post Focusing on stimulus is placing the cart, squarely before the horse. Next Post Estate Planning Apprehensions

The Letter from the Cloud (2022) Episode 9 Category: The Letter from the Cloud (2022) The Letter from the Cloud (2022) Episode 9 with english subtitles. Stay tuned with us for watching the latest episodes of The Letter from the Cloud (2022)! on Myasiantv. The Letter from the Cloud (2022) full episodes The Letter from the Cloud (2022) Episode 26

female superhero Hot Wheels character cars are inspired from female superheroes Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Hot Wheels, well-known manufacturer of die-cast toy cars is honoring women’s history month in their own style. The brand has released four new 1/64 scale die-cast toy cars which are inspired by female superheroes of the big… Sunil Chandel March 18, 2016 March 18, 2016 AUTOS, ENTERTAINMENT Hot Wheels character cars are inspired from female superheroesRead more

Events for: Friday, November 26, 2021

The Story of Jonah “The Lord threw a great wind onto the sea, and such a great storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break apart. The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his god.” (Jonah 1:4-5) Talk about being at the wrong place at the wrong time! These poor, innocent sailors on the ship with the runaway prophet Jonah were definitely afraid. Fear is defined by the dictionary as “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.” The sailors confronted Jonah as he was singled out as the one to blame for their peril, and once again, they were overcome by fear. “Then the men were seized by a great fear and said to him, “What is this you’ve done?” The men knew he was fleeing from the Lord’s presence because he had told them.” (Jonah 1:10) We can identify with the sailors; we understand what it means to be afraid. This is a feeling, an emotion that is common to all, and we can readily share our experiences. In this experience, they were afraid of the situation – the threatening storm. They were afraid of the man and the position he had placed them all into. They were afraid of his god, who controlled the wind and waves. Fear is something that overwhelms and often paralyzes us. However, there is another kind of fear. According to Proverbs 1:7, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Continuing in Jonah chapter 1, “The men were seized by great fear of the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.” (verse 16) Fear of the Lord refers to a deep reverence and awe for the Lord. It involves keeping His commands, walking in His ways, loving and worshiping Him with all of one’s heart. The one who fears the Lord obeys. Wait a minute! In this story who is the “believer” and who’s the “unbeliever”? We can’t clearly say that the sailors were changed or “converted” to worship the one, true God that day, but they truly acted appropriately in thanksgiving. They recognized the power and authority of God, and they were the men of action. They demonstrated true fear of God. Janice Ramsey

Home » Archive » Uncategorized » Orange County’s COVID-19 Metrics Remain Flat Posted inOC Orange County’s COVID-19 Metrics Remain Flat Orange County’s COVID-19 hospitalizations remained flat compared with last week, but 21 more deaths were logged over the past few months, according to data released Thursday by the Orange County Health Care Agency. There were 187 patients hospitalized with the virus on Feb. 23, and that number was up and down through the week but was at 177 as of Wednesday. The number of patients in intensive care remained at 19 during that same period. The 21 additional fatalities, increased the death toll to 7,957. Seven of the fatalities occurred in February, increasing the death toll for last month to 24. Eleven of the fatalities happened in January, increasing its death toll to 115. Two of the fatalities occurred in December, raising its death toll to 151. December is the first month with triple-digit deaths since the summer wave of infections. On two of the dates that month, 10 people died, marking the first time there were days of double-digit deaths since last February until Thursday’s tally showed that 10 people died with the virus on Jan. 12. Of those hospitalized in the county, 61.9% are unvaccinated or partly vaccinated. The ICU patients are 62.8% partly vaccinated or unvaccinated. The number of residents fully vaccinated increased from 2,368,035 to 2,368,412. The number of residents who have received at least one dose is 226,100. The number of booster shots administered increased from 1,450,247 to 1,451,431. The number of children up to 4 years old who have received at least one dose inched up from 18,736 to 18,828 with 11,997 fully vaccinated. Just 6.4% of the county’s population in the age group is fully vaccinated. For 5- to 11-year-old children, 97,545 are fully vaccinated, about 36.8% of the age group. In the 12-to-17 age group, 69.7% are fully vaccinated. The test positivity rate rose from 7.7% to 8.1% and increased from 7.5% to 8.5% in the health equity quartile, which measures the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The positivity rate for those fully vaccinated with a booster, which was 5.5 on Feb. 12, increased to 5.9 on Feb. 19. For those vaccinated with no booster, the rate went from 4 to 3.7. For those not vaccinated the rate went from 13.3 to 12.7. The daily case rate per 100,000 went from 5.9 to 5.8 on a seven-day average with a seven-day lag, and from 6.2 to 6 in the adjusted daily case rate per 100,000 on a seven-day average with a seven-day lag. The county logged 1,314 new cases of COVID-19, increasing the total since the start of the pandemic to 712,571. The OCHCA reports COVID-19 data every Thursday. Tagged: County's, COVID-19, Flat, Metrics, Orange, remain

Dominique St Croix Penthouse Pet of the Month, April 1986 Dominique St Croix bio August 26, 1963 (age 59) Dominique St Croix is a French Penthouse model, actress. She was born on August 26, 1963 in Paris, France. She was chosen as Penthouse Pet of the Month in April 1986. Dominique was 22 years old when she became a Penthouse Pet. Dominique St Croix's measurements are 35-24-35. She was born as Brenda Damon. She is known for "Centerfolds from Hell" (1992), "Stay Tuned for Murder" (1988) and "Recruits" (1986). She was photographed by Hank Londoner. Dominique St Croix measurements Dominique St Croix details Zodiac: Virgo Dominique St Croix on Penthouse Gold Dominique St Croix nude Michelle Walker Dallas Roddy

To us, there is nothing better than walking in the door afer a long day at the office or running errands to see that smiling toothless grin hanging above the mantle. To us, the littlest things make the biggest impact. This is exactly why we are no longer setling for delivering digital files as […]

One of my favourite things to do in Venice is to get lost in the city and explore endless snapping opportunities. Traveling across Myanmar on a low budget is possible. Myanmar people are extremely friendly and they will always use the opportunity to talk with strangers. Follow my 10 Simple Backpacking Travel Hacks that open door to any country in the world. In some places, spring waking up mode in nature takes a little bit longer than in others. This is certainly a case of Tatras National Park, where springtime hits these parts of land sometimes as late as the end of May. Welcome to Home of N4NOMAD PHOTOGRAPHY Ever thought of traveling? Let me share my travel stories with you. Click on the images to find out more. Backpacking travel guide on how to travel alone like a nomad to off beaten track destinations in Myanmar (Burma) and around the world. Follow my 10 Simple Backpacking Travel Hacks to open the door to any country in the world. <a href="https://n4nomad.com/">https://n4nomad.com/</a>

Report of the Committee on Law and Legislation: January 1963 Robert F. Koretz, NAA committee The only significant statutory developments involving labor arbitration that came to the Committee’s attention were those in NewYork. They are discussed in Section I of the Report. The survey of…

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The Gulf's True Weakness Is Its Water-Supply Resources March 16, 2020 Topic: Security Region: Middle East Blog Brand: Lebanon Watch Tags: Gulf StatesWaterNational SecuritySaudi ArabiaIran If desalination plants were destroyed, then key Gulf countries might be without fresh water in a matter of days due to inadequate storage. by Geoffrey Kemp Lydia Grossman Water is a vital strategic resource in the Middle East. Assuring its security requires the same vigilance that has been applied to protect oil. The growing populations of the region and the parallel increase in economic activity has dramatically increased the demand for fresh water. But access to fresh water is increasingly costly, especially for those countries that have few natural water sources, including underground aquifers, rivers, and lakes. There are no permanent lakes or rivers in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Yemen, and Qatar. Consequently, Gulf states are almost totally dependent on desalination plants to produce fresh water. In September 2019, crippling attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities hammered home the region’s exposure to potential strikes on essential infrastructure, including desalination plants and storage facilities, which are susceptible to a number of threats. These include oil spillage and pollution, terrorist attacks, missile, air and cyber-attacks, and sabotage of power stations that are essential to the operation of desalination plants. To appreciate the vulnerability of fresh water supplies for the security of key U.S. allies in the Gulf and large numbers of U.S. forces based in the region, it is useful to review the current capacities of Gulf countries to produce and store fresh water. Many countries, including Iran, have invested heavily in expensive, offshore desalination plants. The fresh water produced by desalination accounts for 86 percent of the freshwater resources available to Oman, 60 percent of what is available to Kuwait, and between 40–50 percent of the resources used by Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar. The number of desalination plants is quite staggering. The UAE has seventy plants, Iran has sixty and Saudi Arabia thirty-one. These countries are expanding the number of plants to keep up with demand. In Iran, twenty-five new desalination plants are currently under construction. Upon completion in 2022, Iran’s desalination capacity will reach half a million cubic meters of fresh water per day. In 2018, Oman opened the Barka 4 desalination plant which produces seventy-four million gallons of fresh water a day, increasing Oman’s national water capacity by twenty percent. The Bahraini government has recently upgraded its four desalination plants and continues to seek foreign investment to keep up with the country’s growing domestic water needs. Equally important is the infrastructure needed to store desalinated water. Much of the water produced by desalination plants in the UAE is never used because of a lack of storage facilities. “Desalination plants continue producing the same amount per hour, twenty-four hours a day,” according to Mohamed Daoud of the state-run Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi. “So what do we do with the excess water right now? We dump it in the Gulf.” If desalination plants were destroyed, then key Gulf countries might be without fresh water in a matter of days due to inadequate storage. The reserve capacity of the water supplies is far less than reserves for oil, which can be safely stored deep underground. For this reason, most Gulf countries are investing heavily in improving water reserve capacity that will provide more than a few days or weeks supply in the event of a crisis. Saudi Arabia’s daily water consumption currently exceeds its storage capacity. Saudi authorities are constructing multiple reservoirs to mitigate the consequences of a loss of desalination and manage periodic surges in demand for fresh water. Qatar launched a similar initiative to build nine reservoirs at various sites throughout the country. Authorities introduced the Water Security Mega Reservoirs Project to extend Qatar’s strategic water supply reserves from two to seven days. Such enterprises are expensive, and while they are considered essential for national security and economic growth, the cost of sustaining and protecting fresh water will continue to rise until such time that breakthroughs in the technology and economics of desalination become available. Geoffrey Kemp is the director of Regional Strategic Programs at the Center for the National Interest. Lydia Grossman is a research intern with the Center's Climate, Security & Middle East program.

Dr Amanda Neitzel Amanda is an assistant research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Research and Reform in Education (CRRE). She has expertise on school-based health interventions, literacy, meta-analysis, data management, and quantitative research design. While at the CRRE, she has worked on evaluations of school-based vision programmes with an emphasis on issues of implementation. She has also conducted multiple systematic reviews, including reviews of elementary literacy as well as educational programmes for struggling readers. Prior to pursuing her PhD, Amanda was an elementary school teacher in a traditional public school and also served in the Peace Corps. Dr Amanda Neitzel's Training & Resources

How to improve climate and nature-related disclosure , Climate Change, financial risks, Natural Capital Factory, News, Reporting and Disclosure, Sector Groups In the framework of the Spanish National Environmental Congress (Conama), on the 20th of January, CDSB in partnership with the Natural Capital Factory -Spanish regional platform of the Natural Capital Coalition– will deliver an online workshop aimed at addressing the challenges faced by companies and finance sector in providing investors with climate and environmental information. As the potential risks associated with climate change and environmental degradation are better understood, companies are expected to provide information in their reporting on how they are responding to these risks and opportunities. This online webinar aims at helping companies to provide a sufficient level of climate and environmental information necessary to inform investor decision-making and make capital allocations which ultimately support the transition to a low-carbon climate-resilient economy. Despite several developments emerging including the TCFD recommendations, evidence from the market suggests that companies are still reporting climate-related information that lacks the necessary quality, cohesiveness, and comparability for decision-usefulness. In terms of natural capital disclosure, despite the fact that businesses and their investors have already been exposed to its financial impacts, it is still in its nascence, but relevant work has begun to be developed in the framework of the Informal Working Group (IWG) of the new Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD). Members of the IWF are building on lessons learned from the TCFD and in collaboration with the corporate sector, they are defining reporting frameworks that help them align their financial capital with the nature commitments set out in the Post 2020 Biodiversity CBD framework, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. The online workshop will take place on the 20th of January, from 10:00 to 12:00 pm (CET), in which we´ll address the challenges faced by companies and finance sector in providing investors with climate and environmental information. Workshop participants will: Deepen their understanding of how to improve the quality, comparability and coherence of climate and environmental disclosures to aid decision-usefulness. Learn about tools to support alignment with TCFD recommendations and effective climate-related financial disclosure. Improve their climate and environmental reporting under EU NFRD and explore challenges and trends within existing reporting. Enhance their knowledge on water-related information mainstreaming and financial impacts. Understand what good practice on climate and environmental reporting looks like through case studies. Have a brief overview about the work that is being developed by the IWG of the new TNFD. The online workshop will take place on 20th January 2021, from 10:00 to 12:00 h (CET), in which we´ll address the challenges faced by companies and finance sector in providing investors with climate and environmental information. The official language of this event will be English. We inform you that CDSB and Ecoacsa (through the Natural Capital Factory) will keep your personal details secure and use the information you provide consistently with applicable privacy and data protection laws and the terms of our Privacy Policy. We will only use your contact details to manage communications related to this workshop. CDSB Privacy Policy. Natural Capital Factory Privacy Policy. This workshop will be recorded. When registering to the webinar you agree with this and organisers’ private policies. For further information or enquiries, please contact [email protected] and/or Paz Ferrer (Natural Capital Factory) [email protected] SummaryPresentation

Home / Yachts / San LiMi San LiMi Built/RefitYEAR 2018/19 San LiMi (2018/19) IVO MIŠE - CAPTAIN Ivo was born into a family with a long maritime tradition. His love for the see started when he was a toddler and Ivo has been working professionally on ships and yachts for over 18 years. Ivo has navigated all over the Mediterranean, mostly on the Adriatic, and he can offer guests real local knowledge. In his career in the yachting industry, he has made his way through the ranks to being a skipper and has commanded vessels (both charter and private) from 18 to 33 meters in length. For the last 2 years, he has been the captain of the sailing yacht San Limi. When he is not working, he loves to spend time with his children and grandchildren, read, fish, and go for walks with his wife. His special love is preparing a traditional Dalmatian dish called a "peka" and making barbecues. Ivo is dedicated to providing a happy and safe working environment and making the guests’ experience onboard special and memorable. JOSIP MIOČ - CHEF Josip was born in Metković, Croatia. When he was young he was a passionate football player. During his football career, he qualified as a chef and soon started to work summer seasons on the Dalmatian cost as a chef. During the winter, he was upgrading his knowledge in the capital of Croatia, Zagreb. He particularly enjoyed running an advent street-food stall during the Christmas market in Metković. In 2018, Josip decided to join the yachting world as a chef and since then he has worked on sailing and motor yachts. In his spare time, he is passionate about working out, running, music, and playing football. He loves traveling as it widens his experience and knowledge of different types of world cuisines. IVANA RAMADŽA - STEWARDESS Ivana was born and raised in Split, Croatia. From childhood, she has been in love with education, adventure, travel, and dancing. While she was studying tourism and economics at Split University she started to work as a fitness and dance instructor. A few years later her sense of adventure led her into the yachting world. After getting a master's degree in Tourism she worked for a few years as a branch office manager in an outdoor travel specialist in Croatia, but her love for the sea and travel led her back to the yachting world. With her hands-on mentality and long-term experience in different customer-oriented industries, she will welcome guests with a smile, giving her best to provide excellent levels of service and make their stay on board unforgettable. When she is not working she is traveling, reading, learning languages (Spanish and German), dancing, and indulging her love of lifelong learning. IVAN KOMADINA - ENGINEER Although he is the youngest crew member, Ivan already has a few years of experience as an engineer on board boats. After he finished his high school education as a Ship Engineering Technician, he boarded a merchant navy ship as a cadet engineer for one year. After his apprenticeship, he worked for a few years on different bulk carrier ships. After he had gained some experience as an engineer, he decided to try it out as a sole engineer on yachts. In his spare time, he loves playing basketball, watching documentaries and riding motorcycles. TONI STOJANAC - DECKHAND Toni has lived in the Split area his whole life. Since 2014, he started solo-skippering on sailing yachts. After getting his maritime master's degree in 2015, he served as a deck-cadet on cargo ships for two years. This deckhand job position is the first step towards achieving his dream of becoming a yacht captain. When he is not working, he is sailing racing, cooking, enjoying different outdoor activities and scuba diving. 8.20 Metres Pref. Pick-up: Split, Croatia Other Pick-up: Dubrovnik, Croatia Refit: 2018/19 Salon Stereo: - Kosher: No Ice Maker: - Internet Access: - Nude: No Dinghy size: - Snorkel Gear: No Tube: No Fishing Gear: No

How Do You Get the Art Museum in Animal Crossing? Henry Nelson The Art Museum in Animal Crossing is a great place to view and appreciate art. It can be found in the back of the museum, and it is a great place to spend some time admiring the work of various artists. There are many different pieces of artwork that can be found in the Art Museum, ranging from classic paintings to modern sculptures. The museum also has a wide variety of interactive exhibits, where visitors can get creative and make their own works of art. The best way to get to the Art Museum in Animal Crossing is by visiting Blathers’ Tent at the back of your town. Blathers will offer you access to the museum once you have donated at least 60 items that he has requested. Once you have done this, he will open up the museum for you, and it will become accessible from then on. You can also invite friends over to your island and visit the Art Museum together if they have already unlocked it. Once inside the Art Museum, visitors will find an impressive collection of artwork from various genres and styles. There are several rooms with various pieces of art, including sculptures, prints, photographs, paintings, drawings, and more. The museum also has an interactive section where players can design their own works of art using tools provided by the game itself. This is a great way for players to express their creativity and share their creations with others online or even hang them up in their home! The Art Museum also offers special events from time-to-time such as painting contests or photography workshops which make for interesting ways to explore new avenues in digital art. Visitors can even get special rewards if they participate in these events! Visiting the Art Museum in Animal Crossing is a great way to appreciate artwork while having fun exploring new creative avenues within video games. With its wide array of exhibits as well as interactive activities, it’s definitely worth checking out if you haven’t already done so! Conclusion: In order to get access to the Art Museum in Animal Crossing you must donate at least 60 items that Blathers has requested at his tent located at the back of your town. Once inside there is an impressive collection of artwork from various genres and styles as well as interactive activities such as painting contests or photography workshops which make for interesting ways to explore new avenues in digital art! How Do I Market My Digital Art? How Do I Move My Digital Art?

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Birthday 2023 Happy birthday for March! We hope you like this year’s birthday card and 2023 update. If you haven’t already received yours, they should be with you very soon. In the update we’ve covered some of the latest findings from the study – all made possible thanks to your continuing participation. If you’d like to find out more about the information in the booklet, including the research we’ve featured, please click on the links below. You can download a PDF version of the booklet from our Resources section. Study member stories Believe in your dreams (subscription required) Lekfuangfu, W. N., & Odermatt, R. (2022). All I have to do is dream? The role of aspirations in intergenerational mobility and well-being. European Economic Review, 148, 104193. Caring for parents Chanfreau, J., & Goisis, A. (2022). Patterns of help and care by adult only children and children with siblings. Ageing & Society, 1-24. Menopause and work Bryson, A., Conti, G., Hardy, R., Peycheva, D., & Sullivan, A. (2022). The consequences of early menopause and menopause symptoms for labour market participation. Social Science & Medicine, 293, 114676. Homeworking and wellbeing Wels, J., Wielgoszewska, B., Moltrecht, B., Booth, C., Green, M. J., Hamilton, O. K., … & Ploubidis, G. (2022). Home working and its association with social and mental wellbeing at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from seven UK longitudinal population surveys. medRxiv, 2022-10. Thank you for being part of this important study, and we hope you have a lovely birthday!

Brilliant. Leave a Comment / Affiliate Marketing / By Jereme Amberson Having the proper mindset, moving outside your comfort zone, developing and maintaining healthy relationships, and staying focused have been key drivers of success for thousands of years. “Do not say a little in many words but a great deal in few.” — Pythagoras Success is earned, one step at a time. One of the most invaluable skills a person can have is being able to clearly express what they want. Sometimes the hardest part of finding success is gathering the courage to get started. As long as you’re learning, you’ll never really fail.

1981 Donruss Golf Unopened Box 36 Packs BBCE Jack Nicklaus RC If other arrangements are not made, an Unpaid Item Dispute will be filed and the item will be relisted. Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution. This item is in the category "Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop\Sports Trading Cards\Sealed Trading Card Boxes". The seller is "9999rbush" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, Korea, South, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Africa, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Republic of, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, French Guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macau, Martinique, Maldives, Nicaragua, Oman, Peru, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Vietnam, Uruguay. Set: 1981 Donruss Golf Stars Manufacturer: Donruss Sport: Golf

NCG Review – Steins;Gate Elite (PS4, Switch, PC) February 19, 2019 stellar.ice Leave a comment Steins;Gate Elite is a remastered version of the original titled. Based on the original game, 80,000 lines of text and over 7,000 anime scenes were analyzed in order to piece together this Elite version of the game. I attempted picking up the original Steins;Gate visual novel, but struggled to make it through to the end. Can players find themselves making it to the end of the Elite version? If you are unfamiliar with the story, Okabe Rintaro AKA Hououin Kyouma is a mad scientist set to oppose “The Organization”. Most of this is part of his own self-created delusions, but his lab mems (lab members) Mayushii and Daru go along with his flow. After discovering the body of Makise Kurisu at a conference about time-travel, something strange happens to Okabe when he makes it back to the streets of Akihabara. After sending a text message to fellow lab mem, Daru, about Makise Kurisu’s death, Okabe finds himself alone on the streets of Akihabara. As the people come back, Okabe notices that his memories of the events at the Radio Kaikan building, where the conference took place, do not seem to match those around him. Instead, the Radio Kaikan building has been closed down because a satellite has crashed into it and Mayushii, who attended the even with him, has no recollection of being inside of the building. It isn’t until Okabe finds Makise Kurisu, alive and well, that he starts questioning what has happened. Events start to unfold after the re-appearance of a mysterious self-proclaimed time traveler (who no one remembers from 10 years prior), strange phenomena occurring with the use of the latest gadget “Phone Wave (name subject to change), and a living breathing Makise Kurisu. What has happened to Okabe Rintaro? This story has a very clever use of time travel theories and the butterfly effect. If you haven’t watched the series, you’ll find yourself wondering how the events unfold, diverge and reconnect together. Deviating for normal graphic novel story telling, Steins;Gate Elite incorporates anime into the overall game play. Rather than looking at a static figure and dialogue, you experience the scene as though watching an anime. This approach to visual novels makes the story so much more engaging! I struggled to stay awake while playing the previous game. The Elite version just feels more satisfying to play. My only gripe about this transition from static to moving is that the overall style of the original visual novel is removed. The hand-drawn representation and unique look is removed in the Elite version and comes off very bland. I would have liked to see the original style in-tact. This, of course, makes sense since scenes were taken from the anime itself. Graphic novels follow the same formula. You are presented with dialogue, and when the protagonist needs to make a choice, you choose between 2 or 3 responses. In turn, these responses determine which kind of ending you’ll get. Steins:Gate is unique in that, rather than a pop up of multiple responses, the outcome of your story is determined by how you respond to other characters via text message. This is a creative device since so much of the story is based around the usage of cellphones and text messaging. Choosing a response, or lack thereof, can set you down your ending path. Steins:Gate Elite uses a very similar mechanic to the original. However, the responses you will need to make will not align with the original game since new communications between characters have been added; this makes the game feel a bit newer and less like the original but still maintains the original story and pattern. Elite adds new animations and scenes for each character route. This will have you going back to see the variety of ways the story could end. I am aiming for a Mayuri route! Needing to check the cellphone is a bit more guided. When I first jumped into the original Steins;Gate I didn’t even look at messages because I didn’t realize you were supposed to! This takes away from the exploration aspect, but it also emphasizes the relevance of the communications, which wasn’t very clear in the original title. Pros: Steins;Gate is definitely one of my favorite series. I like all of the characters, and although the series is very harem, it’s not overly fan-servicey and sticks to the main plot. The exploration of time travel through these characters is unforgettable. Using animation for the story telling aspect is basically what I have wanted for every visual novel I have played. This is a win, hands down. The addition of new animations to unlock and different story routes are what brings you back to the game; you want to get all endings. The new animations are going to keep me hooked since I want to see scenes that were not in the anime. Cons: While I really like the animated story telling, the overall style of the series is lost. I felt the characters were really beautiful in the original title, but their overall design was lost in the transition. I guess some sacrifices needed to be made. I would rate Steins:Gate Elite a 9 out of 10. Sure, you know what you’re expecting, but the Elite version is a new approach to visual novels that I thoroughly enjoyed. featurefeaturedNintendo SwitchPCPlayStation 4ReviewSpike ChunsoftSteamSteins:Gate EliteSteins;GateSwitchvisual novel Previous PostNCG Review – Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight (PS4, PSVITA)Next PostNCG Review: The Caligula Effect: Overdose (Switch, PS4, PC)

‘Building alliances after Brexit’ forum in London on July 5, 2016 ‘Building alliances after Brexit’ forum in London on July 5, 20162016-07-082016-07-08https://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.pngNew Cold War: Know Betterhttps://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.png200px200px

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Japan’s new government cabinet, pictured on Aug 3, 2016, PM Shinzo Abe is at center of photo (Shizuo Kambayashi, Associated Press) Japan’s new government cabinet, pictured on Aug 3, 2016, PM Shinzo Abe is at center of photo (Shizuo Kambayashi, Associated Press)2016-08-032016-08-03https://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.pngNew Cold War: Know Betterhttps://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.png200px200px

U.S. gov’t threat against Syria issued on June 27, 2017 U.S. gov’t threat against Syria issued on June 27, 20172017-06-282017-06-28https://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.pngNew Cold War: Know Betterhttps://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.png200px200px

Fighters of Syrian Jabhat al-Nusra (AP photo in The Independent) Fighters of Syrian Jabhat al-Nusra (AP photo in The Independent)2016-05-102016-05-10https://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.pngNew Cold War: Know Betterhttps://newcoldwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-NCW-Logo-New.png200px200px

For everyone Strike support When thousands of students collectively walked out of classrooms to take part in the first School Strike 4 Climate back in 2019, teacher Jamiel Sabbagh began thinking of ways staff could support the activism of the young people they teach. “Most of us have wanted to show solidarity with students, and express strong opinions on the climate crisis, but not known how to,” says Jamiel, who works at Princes Hill Secondary College in Melbourne’s inner north. His colleague, Julie Anderson, agrees: “Pretty close to the whole school went out in the first strike. There were only a couple of kids left in each class. Our students have always been very proactive, and the staff have been a bit stuck, having to teach, and not sure what they could do to show our support.” In response, members of the Princes Hill SC sub-branch brainstormed ways to involve school staff in “visible acts of solidarity with students,” Jamiel says. Together, they formed School Staff for Climate Action. The group’s first action was to design a t-shirt, which all the staff wore on Earth Day. “The students loved it.” Jamiel, along with fellow sub-branch members Hamish McCoy and Andy Kemp, attended the AEU’s inner-city regional meeting, where they put forward a motion calling on the union to endorse the student strikes and spoke about their Earth Day action. Six AEU reps from nearby schools have since bought School Staff for Climate Action t-shirts for sub-branch members. Julie says wearing the shirt has been a great way of collaborating with other schools. “It’s important: being a bit of a united front. Our school is not the only one where students feel this way. As a VCE teacher, I can’t attend the protest during the school day. So, the best thing we can do is support them by wearing the t-shirt.” Princes Hill SC teachers (L–R) Bernie Dinneen (with his daughter), Jamiel Sabbagh, Julie Anderson and Anna Tilley According to welfare officer Jess Little, staff at Princes Hill SC have noticed a big increase in anxiety among students in recent years, both “generalised and very specifically” related to climate change. “It is often part of a discussion around motivation,” she says. “So, ‘What’s the point with engaging with school or doing well or aiming high when we’re all stuffed anyway?’, which is really hard to hear. And it’s hard to combat, too. It’s hypocritical to suggest that that’s not a valid concern.” Students at Princes Hill SC are “really passionate” about environmental issues, Jess says. “So many kids at this school are active about conservation, right down to what they eat and consume. They’re doing their best – but they can’t vote, so there’s a real sense of a lack of agency. They’re at the mercy of adults’ decisions and behaviour.” Jamiel agrees. “The majority of the population supports rapid and far-reaching change. Scientists say we need it to prevent an existential disaster. Students are aware of this,” he says. “There’s that Greta Thunberg quote: ‘Taking action gives you hope’. If you’re not involved in that action, what answer can you give that student?” Their experience is reflected in a recent Australian Psychology Society study, which revealed that four out of five students are anxious about climate change and the majority feel their fears and opinions are being ignored. However, says APS president Ros Knight, “they felt more hopeful when they were actively involved in pro-environmental behaviours, and supported by parents, teachers and peers.” Students understand the science behind climate change, Jess says. “So, when they see politicians denying those facts, it leaves them with a sense of: ‘Well, who are the adults I can trust?’ Seeing there are school staff who share their passion for the cause, and alarm at the problem, does actually build a sense of rapport.” She says the “huge take-up” of the t-shirts by staff – from the principal class all the way through – has built a strong sense of solidarity across the school. “Agency is the counter to anxiety, and that’s what we’re trying to engender in our students, too – that they can actually do something, and we will support them.” Princes Hill SC students (L–R) Anouk, Mia, Freya, Franka and Sam. Anouk, a Year 10 student at Princes Hill SC, says she has been happy to see her teachers wearing the t-shirt. “I think it’s really good that the teachers are doing that, even though they can’t technically support us to leave the school,” she says. “It gives us a lot of hope and a sense of how big and public this issue is – not just for students but for teachers as well.” Fellow Year 10 student Franka has also appreciated the gesture. “I think it’s great that the teachers are supporting us, not just in our education but in our life as well.” Her friend Mia agrees. “It’s really good that they are so invested.” Climate is a focus in almost every subject now, she adds. “We recently learnt about climate change in Humanities, which was great. We got to explore a whole lot of different aspects, like how educating girls can have an impact on climate change.” Classmate Sam says he’s glad to attend a school where staff have been so supportive of the strike. “At a lot of schools, teachers will tell students off for going, or for wearing school clothes at a rally, but at our school some teachers even go to the protest and they support us taking action.” Freya says Princes Hill SC students are encouraged to make the most of their democratic rights and responsibilities. “It’s not fair that we should be doing this; we’re not the government, and they should be doing better. But we live in a country where we are able to speak up and tell the government to do the right thing and kids have a voice. That’s so important.” “Agency is the counter to anxiety, and that’s what we’re trying to engender in our students, too.” AEU members Euan Morton and Stuart Bracecamp at the Student Strike 4 Climate rally in May, 2021. Thousands of students and their supporters descended on Treasury Gardens in Melbourne on 21 May, demanding the Morrison government abandon its gas-fired COVID-19 economic recovery plan in favour of renewable energy. AEU members attended the rally, alongside those from ANMF, HACSU, the NTEU and many more. At the rally, several fiercely passionate young people spoke to the crowd of thousands, before Deb James, head of the IEU and president of Trades Hall Council, stepped up to the mic to declare that: “Climate change is union business”. “Right now, we are in the frontline on the fight against climate change,” she said. “Looking at all these young faces, I’m so proud to be a teacher. At a time when political leaders are failing us, you – the students – are standing up and fighting for what is right.” Euan Morton, from Collingwood College, attended the rally with fellow AEU members. “As teachers, I think we have to show solidarity for the students taking action on climate change. I’ve seen students, parents and ex-students here as well – it’s such an important connector.” Stuart Bracecamp, from Brunswick North Primary, was among those who heard Jamiel speak at the AEU regional meeting and was inspired to get involved – wearing his School Staff for Climate Action t-shirt to the protest. “It’s so important to get anyone interested in climate change and creating a better future for the kids that we teach to stand up and have a voice.” Brunswick North PS is the first school to create a climate action officer within its union sub-branch, with Emma Beale putting up her hand for the role. “Climate is union business, and therefore it is union sub-branch business,” Emma says. “We have green teams that work to reduce the school’s environmental footprint, but we also need to mobilise members to take individual action on climate.” Last year, for the first time, Jamiel ran a climate anxiety workshop with 150 Year 8 students at Princes Hill SC. “We got students to create Post-it Notes about how they feel. Clearly there was anxiety and concerns, but students mainly wanted to know how to solve the issue.” He is encouraging staff to tell students that solutions are possible. “We are teaching the science and the severity of the climate crisis, and so what solutions do teachers present? The most obvious answer, when the government is literally doing the very opposite to what they need to be doing, is to protest and try to hold the government to account that way.” Jamiel says the School Staff for Climate Action group will keep looking for ways to work with fellow union members and to support students. “The community at large is feeling a lot of climate anxiety and one of the best outlets we’ve seen is the student strikes. So, ironically, it’s the students pointing to the solution, and I think that’s why there’s been such overwhelming support among staff – because we need mass protest on this issue.” Connect with School Staff 4 Climate Action on Facebook. 2040: documentary puts a positive spin on climate change A new documentary argues that education and collective action offer our best chance of tackling climate change. Bush kinder: building resilience after Black Saturday After Black Saturday, Bush kinder has turned around serious behavioural issues at Kinglake Ranges Children’s Centre. Direct environmental action: who will speak for the trees? A new documentary presents the formidable history of direct action in this country and celebrates a new generation of activists fighting to preserve Australia’s natural places. Getting smart with sustainability The winner of this year’s ResourceSmart School of the Year Award is creating the sustainability advocates of the future, involving its whole community.

Update: Evangelicals, Trump and the Election Two recent surveys have updated the voting intentions of White Protestant evangelicals. Pew Research (Sept. 30-Oct. 5) reports that President Donald Trump's margin over Joe Biden among registered voters within this group is a substantial 78% to 17%. A Washington Post/ABC News poll (Oct. 6-9) finds a similar margin, with Trump ahead of Biden among White Protestant evangelicals, 79% to 20%. Both of these levels of Trump support are similar to what he received in the 2016 election according to exit polls. But, as I have reviewed previously, any time we talk about evangelicals in America today, questions arise, making this a good time to update some key points in reference to this important but often misunderstood group. Who exactly are evangelicals? Baylor University historian Thomas Kidd, an authority on the history of evangelicalism, notes that the term evangelical has been in use in the United States at least since the early 1800s, although with widely different connotations and without a consensus as to who or what evangelicals are. As Dr. Kidd says in his book Who Is an Evangelical?, "The word evangelical itself is a source of confusion: Scholars, journalists and the public can't seem to decide what it means," noting that "trying to pin down evangelicals can be maddening." Dr. Kidd goes on to point out that "some Christians who seem to be evangelicals do not describe themselves as such. Others (especially Whites) who don't necessarily hold evangelical beliefs or regularly attend church nonetheless tell pollsters that they are evangelicals." Survey Researchers' Approach Survey researchers have tackled this challenge of reducing the confusion and identifying evangelicals in three basic ways over the years. The first uses individuals' specific beliefs, experiences and intimate religious connections as the criteria for inclusion as an evangelical. For example, Dr. Kidd defines evangelicals as those who self-identify as born again and Protestant, and who "cherish the Bible as the Word of God and who emphasize a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit." Barna Group, a well-known religious research organization, adds considerably more complexity, arguing that to be an evangelical, an individual needs to respond affirmatively to nine qualifying questions related to personal beliefs and practices. The second approach is to use an individual's denominational identity as a surrogate measure of being an evangelical. This is a challenging procedure given the huge number of Protestant denominations in the U.S. today. It requires probing Protestants to obtain their specific denominational identity, plus a post-survey process of classifying denominations into categories based on decisions about which denominations are, and are not, evangelical. Additionally, not all members of any one denomination are the same. The Southern Baptist denomination, for example, certainly has an overall evangelical thrust, but individual Southern Baptists can still range widely in their underlying beliefs and practices. The same goes for Presbyterians and other mainline denominations that tend to be theologically moderate but include those who are quite evangelical. Both of these research methods are cumbersome and difficult to use on an ongoing survey basis where space and time are at a premium. Pew Research, for example, uses the denominational approach in its huge Religious Landscape Study (last conducted in 2014) but not as part of its ongoing research. Most pollsters who actively want to include a measure of evangelicals in their research today thus opt for a third method -- approaching the question of "Who is an evangelical?" by asking people if that label does or does not fit their view of themselves. The most common such self-report question asks survey respondents if they identify as "born again, or evangelical." This is the question used most frequently by Gallup, and by both the Pew Research and Washington Post/ABC News surveys whose recent results I discussed above. This approach has the great advantage of being simple and to the point but still involves some ambiguity. We don't have in-depth knowledge of exactly why some people identify with the term "born again, or evangelical" and others do not, and it's possible that answers to the question today reflect cultural stereotypes along with self-assessments of personal religion. The Limits of Self-Reporting Responses to the binary question asking people if they identify as evangelical are clearly reflective of underlying religiosity. Some 61% of White Protestants in Gallup data from 2017 to 2019 who said yes to the "born again, or evangelical" question reported attending religious services every week or almost every week, compared with 25% of those who said they were not "born again, or evangelical." And 78% of White Protestants who identified as evangelical said religion was very important in their lives, compared with 33% of White Protestants who did not identify as evangelical. In other words, whatever else White Protestants' affirmative response to the evangelical question may reflect, it is strongly related to frequent church attendance and the personal importance of religion in one's daily life. Thus, I think it is fair to say that when we use the term evangelical in a political context today, we are basically talking about White Protestants who are very religious. The frequent use of the term evangelical in our cultural discourse could also be a factor in how people respond when asked if it applies to them. If we assume that the American population at large is aware of the common connection between evangelicals and conservative, Republican support for Trump, we can assume that this association could affect a respondent's willingness to self-label as evangelical. It may be that some Americans interpret a question asking if they identify as evangelical as one asking if they identify as belonging to a group of individuals who are conservative, Republican supporters of Trump. Those who see themselves fitting into the latter would say yes; those who don't would say no. Thus, the high correlation between White Protestant evangelical identity and support for Trump could reflect in part the assumption that those who accept the label evangelical are accepting a label connoting conservative political leanings. Why Do Evangelicals Support Trump? Then there is the ongoing question of why White Protestant evangelicals support Trump at the level they do (this is one of the most common questions I get). Of course, as I have shared, this is really a question focused on three groups: Why do Whites support Trump at a level significantly above that of non-Whites? Why do Whites who identify as Protestant support Trump at a level significantly above the level of non-Protestant Whites? And then, finally, why do those who are White and Protestant and who self-identify as evangelical support Trump at an even higher level? The answers to those questions are complicated and arise from the complex historical structure of the American political system across racial and religious groups. (For example, why do Black Americans overwhelmingly support the Democratic presidential candidate in election after election? Why do Jewish Americans strongly support Democratic presidential candidates? Why do a majority of Mormons support the Republican presidential candidate? And so on.) There are a number of important reasons as to why highly religious White Protestants who define themselves as evangelical have come to the point where they tilt strongly Republican in their political behavior. Many of these have been examined in research and books focused on matters ranging from cynical politics to the historical relationship between evangelicals and racism in America. The main point I would make here is that these structural patterns of association between evangelicalism and conservative politics were well in place before Trump came onto the presidential scene. Whites who identify as Protestant and as evangelical have long supported Republican candidates. Trump is simply the latest in this line. In short, the expected direction of the presidential vote of White Protestant evangelicals is Republican. The question of interest is what it would take to change this baked-in pattern. Most particularly, I am often asked about the possible defection of evangelicals from supporting Trump in this election due to the fact that his religious history and personal behavior is far from the typical candidate who appeals to religious voters. As we have seen, there has certainly been no such defection to date. Trump has helped shore up his evangelical support with special efforts to push policies and executive orders that resonate with rank-and-file evangelicals and their leaders -- policies related to abortion (including Trump's recent nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court), religious freedom, school choice and Israel. Trump also directly addresses evangelicals -- and in particular, evangelical leaders -- and asks for their vote, and a number of well-known evangelical leaders have responded by expressing public support for his presidency and his reelection bid. Trump has also attempted to define Biden as "against God" and as a potential foe of religious Americans should he be elected. Trump continues to have a lock on the vote of the substantial majority of White Protestant evangelicals in this presidential election. At the same time, unlike previous Democratic candidates, Biden is attempting to alter the Republican hegemony over the evangelical vote. Biden appointed evangelical Josh Dickson as his national faith engagement director, and Dickson is in turn promoting "Believers for Biden." Biden has emphasized his personal (Catholic) faith in many venues and speeches. Some 1,600 religious leaders, including many evangelicals, recently endorsed Biden's candidacy. But the data show that while Biden's efforts may have some impact on the Catholic vote, and perhaps may depress the turnout of evangelicals, structural factors and Trump's blandishments to White Protestant evangelicals apparently are holding the voting preferences of this group firmly in place. USA All Gallup Headlines Election 2020 Politics Polling Matters Religion Religion and Politics Religious Identity and the 2020 Presidential Election Americans' political predispositions vary significantly by their underlying religious identity, providing an important way to understand the 2020 election. Joe Biden and the Catholic Factor Biden is only the fourth Catholic major-party presidential nominee in U.S. history, but it's unclear if his religion will be a significant factor in the election. American Jews, Politics and Israel American Jews remain both strongly Democratic in their political orientation and highly supportive of Israel. Religion Takes Larger Role for Democrats This Year The Democratic National Convention emphasized Biden's personal faith, while Republicans continued to focus on activating their core evangelical base. Gallup https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/322052/update-evangelicals-trump-election.aspx

Illegal wildlife trade devastating Asia’s pangolins by Jeremy Hance on 15 October 2008 Jeremy Hance, mongabay.com Last week the IUCN changed the status of the Malayan and the Chinese pangolins from near-threatened to endangered. These notoriously shy and scaly mammals, resembling anteaters with armored plates, have become the victim of a booming illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia. Malayan pangolin (otherwise known as Sunda pangolin) are caught by smugglers largely in Malaysia and Indonesia then shipped to the black market in China where they are eaten or used for traditional medicine. Chinese pangolins were once the primary target of smugglers, but the smugglers have recently switched to the Malayan pangolin. This change occurred “simply because the Chinese pangolin populations are so low,” explains Norman Lim, one of the few biologists to have studied the Malayan pangolin. “There seems to be a shift from the trade in Chinese pangolin parts to Malayan pangolins (through land and sea routes); being a species in neighboring countries, the Malayan species is a substitute for the Chinese species.” Lim studied the Malayan pangolin in Singapore, where the species is still relatively common. Malayan pangolin. Photo by Norman Lim According to the organization TRAFFIC, which monitors wildlife trade, there have been approximately two dozen incidents of pangolin confiscations or smuggler arrests in the past year, making pangolins the most commonly confiscated mammals in seizures of illegally traded animals in Southeast Asia. According to the New Straits Times Press between 1998 and 2007, 30,000 pangolin specimens were confiscated by authorities in East Asia. No one knows how many pangolin specimens have actually been traded, but the number confiscated is certainly a small percentage of the total. Currently trading in pangolins is illegal in all nations, except Laos where Lim says the law remains “unclear”. Just last month 16 pangolins were seized and eight men arrested for smuggling in the Johor state of Malaysia. In June 281 kilograms (618 lbs.) of pangolin scales were confiscated in the Yunnan province of China. Pangolin scales are a popular herbal remedy in China, Vietnam, and Korea. The scales are believed to cure toxicosis, inflammation and rheumatic pain. They are also used to soothe aches and pains, and even as an aphrodisiac. Eating pangolin meat is believed to promote general health. In addition, some pangolins are stuffed and sold as a decoration. One of the major difficulties facing pangolin conservation is the dearth in knowledge about the species. “Unfortunately, because of the lack of detailed studies, we are not sure what are the roles of pangolins in their natural habitats,” Lim told Mongabay.com, adding that “of course, the most likely one is that they have a huge impact on the population of the ants and termites, which may then in turn affect the rate of nutrients recycling, etc.” In addition, there is very little information on pangolin populations; the IUCN has relied primarily on interviews with locals to determine the population of the species. They suspect that both the Malayan and the Chinese pangolin have declined by 50 percent in fifteen years. Lim says that while “most nocturnal animals suffer the same fact of being understudied…the elusive habits of the pangolins make wildlife research especially difficult.” If Asia’s pangolins are going to be protected effectively, more information is required according to Lim. “Until we can find out more about their birth rates, lifespan in the wild, rate of harvest, we can hardly make an educated guess about their long-term survival.” There are eight species of pangolin worldwide, four in East Asia and four in Africa. According to the IUCN the East Asian pangolins are facing greater threats with two species (the Malayan and Chinese) classified as endangered and the remaining two as near-threatened. The outlook for African pangolins is better: two species are classified as least concern and two as near-threatened. However, the populations of all eight species are in decline. Animals, Biodiversity, China’s Demand For Resources, Endangered Species, Environment, Featured, Forests, Green, Hunting, Mammals, Poaching, Rainforests, Wildlife, Wildlife Trade, Wildlife Trafficking

Hope Horn Gallery Exhibit Displays Works from Local Artist, Art Professor Sep 5, 2014 Copy Link The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery in Hyland Hall will exhibit works from the 45-year career of local artist and art professor Herbert Simon. The exhibit, “Object and Image: Sculptures and Prints by Herbert Simon 1960-2014,” will be on display in the Hope Horn Gallery from Monday, Sept. 8, until Friday, Oct. 10. The exhibit will also feature a presentation by Simon in Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall, at 5 p.m. Sept. 12, followed by a reception at the gallery from 6 to 8 p.m. “Throughout his career, Simon has produced both abstract and representational sculptures and prints using a variety of mediums and techniques,” said Darlene Miller-Lanning, Ph.D., director of the Hope Horn Gallery. “Object and Image is an overview of his works throughout the years.” Simon, who resides in Shavertown, has made an impact on art and culture in Northeast Pennsylvania. In addition to teaching sculpture at Wilkes University, where he is a professor emeritus, Simon has completed public sculpture commissions including “Aloft,” displayed at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, and “Two Modules,” displayed at Coal Street Park in Wilkes-Barre. Smaller models of these commissions will be on display at the exhibit. Miller-Lanning explained that Simon’s is often humorous, as the artist explores themes and variations in unusual ways. Many pieces include repeated and repositioned forms. Titles often contain puns and words with double-meanings. “Object and Image: Sculptures and Prints” is the first of several exhibits scheduled for display at The Hope Horn Gallery during the 2014-15 academic year. The Hope Horn Gallery in Hyland Hall (corner of Jefferson Avenue and Linden Street) will be open to the public from noon until 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. All exhibits at the gallery are free of charge. For additional information, call 570-941-4214.

GOP Revives Medicare Scare Tactics As Election Nears Kaiser Health News | By Julie Rovner Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images "Democrats call it 'Medicare-for-all' because it sounds good, but in reality, it actually ends Medicare in its current form," Speaker of the House Paul Ryan asserted in a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 8. Once again, Medicare is moving front and center in this fall's campaigns. Throughout the election season, Democrats have been criticizing Republicans over votes and lawsuits that would eliminate insurance protections for pre-existing conditions for consumers. But now Republicans are working to change the health care conversation with a tried-and-true technique used by both parties over the years: telling seniors their Medicare coverage may be in danger. It's not yet clear, however, whether these dependable voters are responding to the warning. Republicans charge that Democrats' support for expanding Medicare would threaten the viability of the program for the seniors who depend on it. "The Democrats' plan means that after a life of hard work and sacrifice, seniors would no longer be able to depend on the benefits they were promised," President Trump wrote in a guest column for USA Today on Oct. 10. "Under the Democrats' plan, today's Medicare would be forced to die." The column was filled with false and unsubstantiated claims, as NPR's Scott Horsley reported. In a speech to the National Press Club on Oct. 8, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said almost exactly the same thing. "Democrats call it 'Medicare-for-all' because it sounds good, but in reality, it actually ends Medicare in its current form," Ryan said. It's a sentiment being expressed by Republicans up and down the ballot. In New Jersey, where Republican Assemblyman Jay Webber is running for an open U.S. House seat, he enlisted his elderly father in one of his ads. After the candidate notes that his opponent is "interested" in Medicare-for-all, Webber's father, Jim Webber, says, "That would end Medicare as we know it." Fact-checkers have repeatedly challenged these claims. Health insurance analyst Linda Blumberg of the Urban Institute told PolitiFact that suggesting Medicare-for-all would disrupt current enrollees' coverage is a "horrible mischaracterization of the proposal." Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post's "Fact Checker" column noted that a leading proposal "in theory would expand benefits for seniors." And Democrats are far from united on the topic of expanding Medicare, but that is not preventing Republicans from suggesting that they are. In New Jersey, Webber's Democratic opponent, Mikie Sherrill, is actually not one of the many Democrats who have specifically endorsed the idea of "Medicare-for-all." The reason Republicans are pushing the Medicare issue this fall, says Harvard public health professor and polling expert Robert Blendon, is because "people over 60 are very high-turnout voters," particularly in nonpresidential election years like 2018. (Blendon works with NPR on polls conducted in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.) Issues involving Medicare and Social Security can motivate those older voters even more, says Blendon, "because they are so dependent on [those programs] for the rest of their lives. Retirees are very scared about outliving their benefits." Medicare is often a rallying cry for politicians from both parties during elections. In 1996, Democrats in general and President Bill Clinton in particular campaigned on the early GOP attempts to rein in Medicare spending. Republicans coined the term "Mediscare" to describe Democrats' attacks. But in the 2010 midterm contests, Republicans went on the attack. Just after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Republicans zoomed in on the billions of dollars in Medicare payment reductions imposed on health providers to help pay for the rest of the law, sparking protests against Democrats around the country. Later, after Republicans regained control of the House in that election, Ryan, then head of the House Budget Committee, opted to call for a repeal of everything in the ACA except the Medicare reductions the GOP had so strongly campaigned against in 2010. This year, the Democrats are hammering back, noting that both Trump and the GOP Congress have proposed more cuts to Medicare and that under Republican leadership, the insolvency date of the Medicare trust fund has gotten closer. "First they passed a tax bill that gave a huge windfall to corporations and the wealthy, despite warnings from nonpartisan scorekeepers that it would explode the deficit," said a statement from Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. "Then, before the ink was even dry the knives came out for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security." Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow has suggested that the administration will push for larger entitlement cuts in 2019. For his part, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in an interview with Bloomberg News, blamed higher deficit numbers on Medicare and other entitlement programs rather than the GOP's tax cuts from 2017. "We can't sustain the Medicare we have at the rate we're going, and that's the height of irresponsibility," he said. Despite the coordinated talking points, it is unclear whether this year's GOP attacks on Democrats over Medicare will work. That is not just because Democrats have ammunition to throw back, but also because seniors don't seem particularly threatened by the idea that expanding insurance to others could jeopardize their own coverage. In a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in September 2017, seniors were no more likely than younger respondents to say they thought health care costs, quality and availability would get worse if the U.S. instituted a national health plan. Fewer than a third of respondents overall, as well as those 65 and older, said they thought national health insurance would worsen their own coverage. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) In addition, pollster Geoff Garin, president of Hart Research, said in a conference call with reporters Oct. 15 that the attacks on "Medicare-for-all" are not showing up in polls yet. But he said he's skeptical of how much impact they could have. "The basic idea of expanded health care in America is generally pretty popular," he said. Still, Harvard's Blendon says he understands why Republicans are trying: "Seniors are critical for Republicans to maintain their majority." is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. Julie Rovner See stories by Julie Rovner

People Who Have Addictions Face Increasing Isolation Amid Pandemic The coronavirus pandemic has isolated many people, shut them off from friends, family and support. One group that may be especially vulnerable in isolation is those who contend with addictions, including alcohol. They may be alone, even suddenly unemployed and under stress. If they're in some kind of recovery program, they may depend on group meetings for support. We're joined now by Mark, a longtime member of Alcoholics Anonymous who's been helping to organize Zoom meetings with the members in his area. Mark, thank you so much for being with us. MARK: You're welcome, Scott. SIMON: Based on what you've learned through life, what are the challenges in a period like this for someone who has a drinking problem? MARK: Oh, boy, you know, isolation is like (laughter) - it's one of our original problems. Many of us, you know, in the latter days of our drinking drank alone in seclusion and hiding. And even prior to the drinking problem taking over our lives, you know, we are people that often are misfits. And and so isolation was a problem. And so now we're in this enforced isolation. And, you know, you do the math. It's not ideal. SIMON: These video meetings help? MARK: Oh, God, yes. The video meetings are just to us literally a godsend. The difference between us not meeting right now and us meeting on Zoom, which has been the preferred tool, is infinite. We probably would have some people really suffering and probably relapsing or at least being in extreme pain and emotional turmoil. And instead, we get to almost - we're almost keeping things as normal because when we're in a Zoom meeting, you know, we see each other's faces. I even, you know, saw a couple of ladies in a meeting, you know, with their tissues to their eyes, so I could see, you know, their emotion. And so people are still sharing from their hearts. They're still sharing about what's going on with them. SIMON: Without violating any anonymity, which is very important, can you tell us about some of the stories you've been hearing about challenges, what's running through people's minds? MARK: People are just - they're just not used to hanging around home. Sometimes, you can see a little bit of mayhem in the home where they really can't get away and be as private as they want to be. SIMON: Mark, I say this as a member of an Al-Anon family, the meetings aren't always enough for people. Are you worried that the longer this quarantine goes on, a lot of people in recovery just might be pushed over some kind of line? MARK: Yes. I think that, you know, there are going to be some bad stories, even - each one of them, you know, all has the possibility to become a good story, barring, you know, anybody passing away, which, of course, is going to happen. So, yeah, I'm worried about that. My biggest worry, Scott, is that because the doors aren't open, because people can't walk in a room that's on a list, you know, they can't, like, type in the address into their phone and show up at a meeting, we're missing some newcomers who would normally come in during this period of time. And, you know, they would be enveloped in the love of the program and hopefully stick around. And that happens on a regular basis. I'm talking about, you know, every week I see people come in who stick. And every week, I see people who come in who I never see again. So that's my biggest worry. SIMON: Mark, you sound to me like a very strong man. As you know, there are some people who are going to fall back during this period. I wonder what you might say to somebody listening now. MARK: Oh, well, always, always, always one day at a time. You know, if you're having a bad day, that's what it is. It's a bad day. When you're having a bad day, especially if you're one of us, it can feel like a bad life. It can't feel permanent. I do believe this advice is good for anyone, but just remember nothing is permanent. No matter how good or how bad it is, it's not permanent. And we've seen miracles that defy credibility in terms of people coming in and getting better. So just - if you're having a rough time, just keep coming. Make a phone call. You might reach out for help and end up helping that person, you know, more than they help you. That's the way our program works is, you know, recovery begins, they say, when one alcoholic talks to another about what's going on. So do that. Go to the Zoom meetings. Click on the link, get on there. You'll see some faces. You'll feel the connection that we feel in the rooms. You'll feel it over the phone. There is a power there. That's what I would say. SIMON: Mark is a member of AA. Mark, take care. You're inspiring. Thanks so much for speaking with us. MARK: Thank you, Scott. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Trump Falsely Claimed 'Total' Authority Over States — Now He's Backpedaling By Alana Wise President Trump addresses reporters in the White House Rose Garden during the daily coronavirus task force briefing on April 14. President Trump's authority to unilaterally reopen states' economies was flatly rejected among experts this week after he declared on Monday that he had "total" authority to govern when states would ease coronavirus restrictions. After receiving bipartisan blowback from his remarks, Trump on Tuesday attempted to backpedal his stance, saying that he would be coordinating with state governors to "authorize" the restart of their respective states' economies. "I will be speaking to all 50 governors very shortly," Trump said. "And I will then be authorizing each individual governor of each individual state to implement a reopening, very powerful reopening plan of their estate in a time in a manner which is most appropriate." But governors don't need Trump to authorize their moves to deal with the coronavirus, whether it's keeping schools and businesses largely closed — or saying it's safe to re-open them. "It's so plain and obvious it's not even debatable," Kathleen Bergin, a professor at Cornell Law School, told NPR's Brian Naylor. "Trump has no authority to ease social distancing, or to open schools or private businesses. These are matters for states to decide under their power to promote public health and welfare, a power guaranteed by the 10th Amendment to the Constitution." The president's latest remarks appear to be an effort to soften his position from a day earlier, in which Trump declared, "The president of the United States calls the shots" in terms of reopening the national economy amid the coronavirus' continued social and economic tear. "When somebody's the president of the United States, the authority is total," he added. But that's not so. Trump's claim of immutable power over states' economic rights launched a flurry of criticism, from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Coalitions of governors on both U.S. coasts on Monday agreed to coordinate when and how they would eventually ease their states' respective coronavirus restrictions. "Any plan to reopen society mustbe driven by data and experts, not opinion and politics," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said shortly before announcing the decision. Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming refuted Trump's claims in a tweet, noting, "The federal government does not have absolute power" and then quoted the 10th Amendment. The federal government does not have absolute power. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” United States Constitution, Amendment X — Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) April 13, 2020 Alana Wise is a politics reporter on the Washington desk at NPR. See stories by Alana Wise

The World Health Organization warns of very high risk posed by the omicron variant Published November 29, 2021 at 10:04 AM EST Joe Giddens - PA Images People step off a tram in Nottingham, England, the city where one of the two cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were identified last week. The World Health Organization is warning that the new omicron variant of the coronavirus poses a "very high" global risk because of the possibility that it spreads more easily and might resist vaccines and immunity in people who were infected with previous strains. In a technical brief issued Sunday, the WHO warned its 194 member states that the new variant's numerous mutations "may confer immune escape potential and possibly transmissibility advantage," and as a result "the likelihood of potential further spread of omicron at the global level is high." It says that the risk to vulnerable populations — especially in countries with low vaccination rates — could be "substantial." However, it cautions that there's still considerable uncertainty about the virus, including how easily it spreads, how dangerous it is, whether it can evade vaccines and immunity, how it responds to diagnostic tests and therapeutics, and even its specific symptoms. "The vaccines were designed, basically, to keep people out of hospital, and they've stood up and they've done that very well," Dr. Margaret Harris, a public health doctor and WHO spokesperson, told NPR's Morning Edition on Monday. "So we really need to know whether this particular version is going to change that picture." The omicron variant was first reported last week in South Africa, where infections attributed to the new strain have risen sharply in recent days. Since then, it has been found in more than a dozen countries, including Botswana, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Israel, Australia and Hong Kong. So far, there have been no reported deaths linked to the omicron variant. Meanwhile, many countries including the U.S. have reimposed some travel restrictions in an effort to stem the spread of the new variant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has yet to announce any omicron cases in the U.S., though the White House chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that he believes it's inevitable at some point. In response to omicron, the CDC on Monday strengthened and simplified its advice on who should get a COVID-19 vaccine booster. "Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot either when they are 6 months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or 2 months after their initial J&J vaccine," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in an statement. This replaces guidance that said people ages 18 and older but younger than 50 may receive a booster and others in certain at-risk categories or 50 and older should get a booster. The WHO on Sunday warned of possible "future surges of COVID-19, which could have severe consequences, depending on a number of factors including where surges may take place." The brief advises nations to enhance surveillance and sequencing efforts and accelerate COVID-19 vaccination coverage. It also advises renewed social distancing restrictions and contact tracing. "In anticipation of increased COVID-19 caseloads and associated pressure on the health system, ensure mitigation plans are in place to maintain essential health services and necessary health care resources are in place to respond to potential surges," it advises. Speaking on Monday, the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "Global health security is too important to be left to chance, or goodwill, or shifting geopolitical currents, or the vested interests of companies and shareholders." "Omicron demonstrates just why the world needs a new accord on pandemics," he said, noting that the new variant's emergence shows how "perilous and precarious" the current situation is.

Since 2011, SDSU has climbed 37 spots on U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of America’s Best Colleges. (Photo: Sandy Huffaker Jr.) This Month on NewsCenter Here are some of SDSU’s top NewsCenter stories from the past month. By Ryan Schuler Story Keywords: Academic Affairs, Athletics, Faculty Affairs, Sciences, Student Affairs, Alumni, Community, Faculty, Graduate Students, Staff, Students, Achievements & Distinctions, Areas of Excellence, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, LGBT, Research, Student Success, Sustainability, News September was a busy month on Montezuma Mesa. San Diego State University continued its ascent as a leading national university, was named a top school for supporting LGBT students, and was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll for the first time since 1995. SDSU Continues to Move up in U.S. News Rankings U.S. News & World Report released its annual rankings of America’s Best Colleges, listing SDSU at No. 74 among public universities and No. 146 overall among national universities. Since 2011, SDSU has climbed 37 spots on the annual list. Red, Black and Green Thanks to a concentrated effort from campus collaborators, SDSU recycled 98.6 percent of the boxes and plastic used to move incoming freshmen into the residence halls in August, continuing the university's commitment to sustainability. John Eger Named First Zahn Professor of Creativity A noted authority on global technology, innovation and communication, John Eger was named the first Zahn Professor of Creativity and Innovation at SDSU. In his new role, Eger will build on SDSU’s success of incorporating entrepreneurial initiatives into the curriculum. SDSU Named Top School for LGBT Students SDSU is among the best universities in the nation for supporting LGBT students. For the seventh consecutive year, the Campus Pride Index ranked SDSU on its top 30 list of LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities. SDSU Men’s Basketball Releases 2016-17 Schedule Basketball season is almost upon us. SDSU released its men’s basketball schedule for the 2016-17 campaign earlier this month. In their season opener, the Aztecs will face off against the University of San Diego on Nov. 11 at Viejas Arena. Improving Wildfire Evacuation Planning SDSU researchers will coordinate with county emergency services, Red Cross and 2-1-1 San Diego to develop a web-based decision tool to help make evacuations more efficient. The three-year project is funded by a nearly $450,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. San Diego ROTC Units Perform Snapdragon Stadium’s First Military Parade SDSU Again Named Fulbright HSI Leader SDSU President Emerita Sally Roush, 1947-2022 Inflation and the Economy: What to Expect in the Second Half of ’22 Terrible with Names Money Magazine’s Best Colleges for Value Ranks SDSU School of Public Health Draws a Top 20 Ranking My, How You’ve Grown: New Species of Bacteria is a Shapeshifter Extraordinaire Applications On Track to Set a New Record as SDSU Expands Student Support Initiatives Temporary Shift to Virtual Instruction Announced Black Resource Center Director Named

Visualizing The Best-Selling Video Game Consoles Of All Time Published by June 9, 2022 Category: News Links Leave your thoughts In 1972, the first-ever commercially available home video game console hit the market – the Magnavox Odyssey. Players of the Odyssey had a choice between two built-in games that were stored directly in the device, and would use a joystick and dials as a controller. But, as Visual Capitalist’s Carmen Ang details below, video game consoles have come a long way since then, and the console market has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry that’s expected to reach $72.67 billion in value by the end of 2022. This graphic by Enrique Mendoza uses data from VGChartz to show the market leaders in the industry, by highlighting the top-selling video consoles of all time, as of May 8, 2022. Nine Generations of Video Game Consoles Before diving into the top-selling consoles, it’s worth taking a step back to touch on the evolution of home consoles to show how they’ve changed over the years. We dug into the literature on the history of video game consoles, and found that most articles and blog posts on the topic cite nine different generations of devices. Here’s a breakdown of each generation, and some of their most noteworthy systems: 1972: Gen One, Where it Began Consoles in the first generation had pre-built games that were stored directly on the device. They include the Magnavox Odyssey and Atari’s Pong. 1976: Gen Two Emerges In this generation, games were sold separately, rather than programmed into the device. Consoles of this gen include the Fairchild Channel F and the Atari 2600. 1983: Gen Three, the “8-bit Generation” This era’s consoles typically had 8-bit processes which allowed for more advanced graphics for the time. A few notable consoles during this gen were ​​the Sega SG-1000 and the Nintendo Famicom, released outside Japan as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). 1987: Gen Four Elevates Handheld Gaming Home consoles were released with 16-bit systems, meaning that audio and graphics improved even more in this era. But an arguably bigger moment for this gen was the emergence of the Nintendo Game Boy. 1993: The 3D Start of Gen Five This generation saw the move away from pixels and towards 3D polygons. Some consoles like the Sony PlayStation started using CD-ROMs instead of cartridges, which stored more data at a cheaper cost and changed the industry. 1998: Gen Six and the Internet At the start of this generation, the three major players in the console space were Sony, Sega, and Nintendo. By the end, Sega would be replaced with Microsoft as it launched the Xbox and helped popularize online console gaming. 2005: HD Graphics and Motion Controls of Gen Seven On one side of the market, Microsoft and Sony were competing with high-definition graphics, faster processers, and different forms (Blu-rays or DVDs). But Nintendo’s motion-sensing Nintendo Wii arguably defined this generation, and the handheld Nintendo DS swept the market as well. 2012: Gen Eight’s Modern Consoles Consoles of this era started having increased connectivity and processing power, with full HD an expectation. It was also an extremely long generation, starting with Nintendo’s unsuccessful Wii U and ending with the ultra-successful Nintendo Switch, widely considered the first hybrid console with three different ways to play: TV mode, handheld mode, or tabletop mode. 2020: Gen Nine and Beyond So far, this generation has brought upgraded graphics (up to 8K resolution), larger games, and game-streaming capabilities. Devices in this gen include the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, which both use solid state drives to increase speed and performance, while Nintendo has yet to introduce a 9th generation device. The Best-Selling Game Consoles The best-selling video game console of all time is Sony’s PlayStation 2 (PS2). More than 157 million systems have been sold around the world since its launch in March 2000. Despite the fact the PS2’s been discontinued since 2013, no other gaming console has managed to top it—in fact, the next closest actively-sold consoles, the PS4 and Nintendo Switch, are each more than 40 million units behind. One major factor for the PS2’s success was its built-in DVD player. At the time, DVD players were very expensive, and in many places a PS2 was a cheaper and effective alternative. It was also one of the first devices to be “backward compatible,” meaning users could play most of their PS1 games on the PS2. This meant players didn’t have to buy a whole new library of games when they made the switch to a PS2, and Sony could tap into its existing customer base. But while Sony’s PS2 is the top-selling console on the list, Nintendo has more top-selling consoles on the list—almost half of the consoles on the list are manufactured by Nintendo (11), while only seven are made by Sony. What Will it Take to Out-Sell the PS2? As the PS4 has started taking a backseat to the PS5 in sales and promotion, the current most-likely contender for the best-selling console crown is the Nintendo Switch. Early in 2022, it was the fastest console to sell 100 million units. With lots of hype around the possibilities of AR and VR, it’ll be interesting to see what new features come with the next generation of gaming consoles. Will future devices ever beat the PS2’s record-breaking sales? Time will tell. But for now, the 22-year-old console continues to hold its well-earned spot at the top.

The Heights, Volume XVII, Number 5, 30 October 1936

Indianapolis Journal,Indianapolis, Marion County, 26 January 1884

K-12 education gets big wins in proposed FY 2023 budget Missouri schools and teachers would receive a number of boosts in the state spending plan approved last week by the legislature; a state budget that is one of the largest ever. The final total proposed to go to K-12 schools exceeds $10-billion. Representative Rusty Black (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications) “It is making an unprecedented investment in K-12 education in the State of Missouri and it is doing that in a couple different ways,” said House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage). The top Democrat on the budget committee, Peter Merideth (D-St. Louis), said, “[This budget proposal] is moving us back in the direction of showing that we as a state, we as a legislature, value K-12 education.” More than $21-million was included to boost base teacher pay by $13,000 a year, to $38,000. The plan is a state/local split, with districts covering 30-percent of the cost for that increase. Another $37-million would restart the Career Ladder program, which rewards experienced teachers for taking on extra responsibilities and professional development opportunities. Representative Ingrid Burnett (D-Kansas City), a former teacher, school counselor and principal, said she was glad to see the state resume funding career ladder, a program that she often took advantage of during her career. “I found it really helpful. It was part of our family budget. It was how we paid for things like the summer vacation or braces for the children,” said Burnett. Rusty Black (R-Chillicothe), who chairs the subcommittee on education appropriations and also worked as a teacher for 32 years, also appreciated the career ladder funding. Representative Ingrid Burnett (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications) “As somebody that received that once, I think there’s value in that for our students, not just teachers. Students get something out of those extra hours that are spent with them trying to make their lives better.” School bussing would also see an increase over the current fiscal year’s budget. “There’s an additional $214-million appropriated there and that is, again, an unprecedented level of funding in that regard,” said Smith. Merideth spoke for many Democrats in praising that increase. “Something that we’ve been funding at below 40-percent for the last number of years we’re finally funding at 100-percent. That’s another 200-plus million dollars going to our schools for their transportation costs,” said Merideth, who said this could lead to additional boosts in faculty pay. “The fact that we’re fully funding school transportation is going to give schools some flexibility to be able to provide the local match they need and to give raises elsewhere.” Black, who was an agriculture teacher throughout his career, was excited by proposed increases to match programs to benefit career technical schools. Local districts could upgrade equipment or facilities if they come up with 25-percent or 50-percent of the cost. Black said this would, “Help students with up-to-date equipment to [be able to] leave school and go into the workforce and see something that’s not 30, 40 years old in the shop at school, and get into a place and oh, it’s got a computer attached to it.” Burnett said she was glad to see this level of support proposed for Missouri K-12 education. She said past years, when less money was appropriated, were like when she was teaching and would be confronted by an angry parent. “If the administration doesn’t have your back, you can’t understand that until the administration doesn’t have your back … to help mediate the situation. To give you support on how to engage with the parent in a way that was not going to be escalating … when the administration is not getting that from the state, it’s the same. You just feel like you’re out there on an island.” Black and other lawmakers stressed that much of the funding in the spending plan comes from non-recurring sources, like federal stimulus and COVID response. Part of the challenge in appropriating that money is in finding targets that will give schools the best chance of long-term benefit, rather than supporting programs that might go unfunded in future years when those funding sources aren’t available. Representatives Peter Merideth (left, seated) and Cody Smith (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications) “We just hope the people at the local level making those decisions are doing a good job making those decisions, spending this money that we have one-time to help reduce future costs so that those long-term items maybe with their local budgets, they can do a good job with,” said Black. “One-time doesn’t automatically mean that it’s not going to be there next year, it’s just not making the guarantee to people that it’s going to be there. Honestly in my years of dealing with government before this, there is no guarantee. From year-to-year it’s a new budget and people making decisions at the local level, they know that too.” The Fiscal Year 2023 budget would also provide grants or reimbursements of up to $1,500 to parents and guardians to cover tutoring and other services meant to catch up K-12s students who fell behind due to the COVID pandemic, and would provide pay increases to providers of the Parents as Teachers and First Steps programs. That spending plan is now before Governor Mike Parson (R). If he approves it, it would take effect July 1. Author Mike LearPosted on May 12, 2022 May 19, 2022 Tags budget, Cody Smith, education, Fiscal Year 2023 budget, Ingrid Burnett, K-12 education, K-12 schools, Peter Merideth, Rusty Black Previous Previous post: VIDEO: House Democrats media conference Next Next post: VIDEOS: End of session media conferences

News » International Italian City Defies China, Opens Exhibit by Dissident Artist by Charlene Pele A provocative exhibit by dissident Chinese artist Badiucao opened Saturday in the industrial northern Italian city of Brescia despite pressure from the Chinese embassy in Rome to cancel it. A letter from the embassy included veiled economic threats, noting Italy's trade with China, in a bid to prevent the first solo exhibit by Badiucao — the pseudonym used by the artist whose work takes aim at China's policies and human rights record. Brescia Mayor Emilio Del Bono "responded with delicacy and firmness," said Elettra Stamboulis, curator of the exhibit at the city's Museum of Santa Giulia. "Of course we are always a little worried, not so much for the artist's safety, but because we know there are more creepy ways to silence dissident artists," she said. After a previous attempt to stage a solo show in Hong Kong in 2018 was canceled under pressure, Badiucao said he is "proud and happy" that the Brescia exhibit is finally open to the public. "Because my art is always focusing on human rights issues in China ... it makes me almost the type of No. 1 enemy,'' Badiucao said. "They hunt me down. They harass me, harass my families, threatening the people working with me constantly. So that is why, for me, it is really hard to actually having an exhibition in an established a gallery, a museum like this." The exhibition, which runs until Feb. 13, traces Badiucao's artistic career from its start to most recent works created in response to the health crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. A former assistant to the Berlin-based Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, Badiucau currently works in exile from Australia. The works range from oil paintings to installations and performance art. They include one that evokes a scandal involving tainted baby formula exported by China in 2018, another that recalls the Tiananmen Square massacre and yet another that represents the Umbrella Movement as part of the Hong Kong pro-democracy demonstrations quelled by China. During the exhibit's opening days, Badiucao will sit in a torture chair and read from a diary shared with him by a resident of Wuhan, the Chinese city where the coronavirus was first detected. "Anyone who tried to tell the truth or some story different from China's government's narrative would be punished, so I made a public call on Twitter to the residents of Wuhan and said I'd like to share the burden and risk with you, if you trust me you can send your information," Badiucao said. The diary, which will be read in Mandarin, contains 100 days of records. The artist kept his identity secret for many years, wearing masks during public appearances to protect his family members. The long-held secrecy drew comparisons to British graffiti artist Banksy, whose true identity remains shrouded in mystery. But Badiucao said any comparison misses key points. "If Banksy's identity gets revealed he is not or she is not going to be hunted by the UK's national security police, which in my case is totally different," he said. "But also, I am really mad at Banksy, because he never does any artwork that criticizes the Chinese government." Watch: President Biden Opposes Florida's Anti-Gay Legislation — 'Close to Sinful' Popular Stories in News

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NHREC January Board of Trustees Meeting HAMPTON, VA -- January 23, 2023 -- The New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC)Board of Trustees will meet on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 5:30 PM. The meeting will beheld at the NHREC Butler Farm Campus, 520 Butler Farm... The New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC) Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 5:30 PM. The meeting will be held at the NHREC Woodside Lane CTE Campus, Building A, 13400 Woodside Lane, Newport News, Virginia.The Board of Trustees... Public Notice of NHREC Board of Trustees Meeting – October 26, 2022 The New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC) Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 5:30. The meeting will be held at the NHREC Woodside Lane Campus, Building B, 13400 Woodside Lane, Newport News, VA. The Board of Trustees meeting agenda... Public Notice of NHREC Board of Trustees Meeting – August 24, 2022 The New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC) Board of Trustees will conduct its monthly meeting on Wednesday, August 24, 2022. The meeting will be held at the Butler Farm Media Room (520 Butler Farm Road, Hampton, Virginia 23666). The Board of Trustees meeting... Public Notice of NHREC Board of Trustees Meeting – May 24, 2022 The New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC) Board of Trustees will conduct its monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. The meeting will be held at the Woodside Lane Campus (Center for Autism/Newport Academy Building). The Board of Trustees meeting agenda... Public Notice of Rescheduling NHREC Board of Trustees Meeting – April 26, 2022 The New Horizons Regional Education Centers (NHREC) Board of Trustees Meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 23, 2022 has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 5:30 PM. The meeting will be conducted virtually via Zoom. The Board of Trustees...

The Associated Press wins 2020 Worth Bingham Prize for “Fruits of Labor” investigation Worth Bingham Prize for Investigative Journalism This combination of November 2020 photos shows the hands of five generations of women from a family that has worked on the same palm oil plantation since the early 1900s, ranging in age from 6 to 102. They each hold products made by iconic Western companies that source palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia. AP Photo Cambridge, Mass. – “Fruits of Labor,” an exhaustive two-year investigation into widespread abuses in the palm oil industry by Associated Press reporters Margie Mason and Robin McDowell, is the winner of the 2020 Worth Bingham Prize for Investigative Journalism. Presented annually by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, the award includes a $20,000 cash prize. Mason and McDowell provide an in-depth look at the dangerous conditions laborers face on large palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia. The reporters interviewed more than 130 current and former workers from eight countries at two dozen companies. They revealed an industry in which poor and vulnerable harvesters are regularly exposed to toxic agrochemicals and face serious hazards ranging from trafficking and rape to child labor and slavery. In their series, the reporters linked the palm oil fruits harvested by workers to the supply chains of some of the world’s largest food and cosmetic companies — manufacturers that use the crop to produce roughly half the consumer products available on supermarket shelves today. Mason and McDowell also showed how banks and other financial institutions support the industry with billions of dollars in funding, and exposed problems related to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, a global organization that certifies ethically sourced palm oil. A child carries palm kernels collected from the ground across a creek at a palm oil plantation in Sumatra, Indonesia, Monday, Nov. 13, 2017. AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara The reporters took special precautions to gain access to the plantations, meet with sources in secret and shield those who agreed to share their stories from retaliation. The journalists themselves were filmed, photographed and followed by plainclothes police as they did their work. Bingham judge Gabe Johnson said: “The reporting was done in dangerous conditions far from home and about complicated issues. It’s beautifully written, heartbreakingly sad, and has brilliant narrative juxtapositions. The reporters accomplished what I think is most commendable in journalism: They discovered injustice and wrote a story that compelled action.” Another judge Christopher Weaver added: “It’s an under-the-radar story; its success is born of the reporters’ diligent enterprise, not a discreet leak or a well-positioned response to a major news story. And, while some nonprofits and government officials might have harbored concerns about this industry for years, it took this rugged shoe-leather reporting to convert those worries to action by lifting the veil of obscurity. The reporters deserve credit for piercing the ‘easy tolerance’ that has protected this industry. And, along the way, they appear to have helped at least one source escape de facto slavery.” Following the publication of the AP’s series, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection banned imports from two of the world’s biggest palm oil producers — Malaysian-owned FGV Holdings and Sime Darby Plantation — and announced findings from their own investigation that echoed those of the AP. In addition, in a December letter, Democratic lawmakers from the House Ways and Means Committee urged the U.S. government to clamp down harder on palm oil imports. The stories also prompted complaints to the UK Home Office, questioning Sime Darby’s disclosure about its protection of human rights under the country’s Modern Slavery Act, and to the Malaysian stock exchange, regarding the companies’ commitments to sustainability. The Malaysian government, which has relied heavily on foreign migrant labor, has also announced plans to train and build a local workforce. Additionally, a number of Girl Scouts throughout the U.S. announced they will no longer sell cookies after learning that child labor had been traced to the bakeries’ palm oil supply chains. Bingham judge Erika Dilday noted: “Two things in particular stood out for me: The centrality of the voices of trafficked individuals and the following of the palm oil supply so that consumers will know what it is and what to look for, allowing them to take action if they are so inclined. The impact goes beyond the story not just for the subjects and potential perpetrators, but for the readers as well.” In addition to Mason and McDowell, a number of AP staff members in both Southeast Asia and the U.S. contributed to the reporting, including some who were not named due to the sensitivity of the topic. Team members who worked on the series include photographers Binsar Bakkara and Gemunu Amarasinghe, senior editor Kristin Gazlay, global investigations editor Ron Nixon and digital storytelling editor Raghu Vadarevu. Mason, a 2009 Nieman Fellow at Harvard, and McDowell were part of the AP team that produced another powerful supply chain story, “Seafood from Slaves,” which won the 2016 Pulitzer for Public Service and a number of other top investigative reporting awards. The seven journalists who judged the Bingham submissions this year are: Wall Street Journal reporter Christopher Weaver and Gabriel Johnson, a former Wall Street Journal video journalist, who together won the 2019 Bingham Prize for “Forsaken by the Indian Health Service,” an investigation by the Journal and PBS’s “Frontline” that included the documentary “Predator on the Reservation”; Erika Dilday, CEO and executive director at The Futuro Media Group and a 2021 Visiting Nieman Fellow who will start a new position as executive editor of American Documentary in May; Shaheen Pasha, co-founder/executive director of the Prison Journalism Project and a 2018 Visiting Nieman Fellow; Stuart Watson, an investigative reporter, host of the “ManListening” podcast and a 2008 Nieman Fellow; Matthew Dolan, investigations editor at the Detroit Free Press and a 2020 Nieman Fellow; and Andras Petho, co-founder of Direkt36, an investigative journalism center in Hungary, and a 2020 Nieman Fellow. The Worth Bingham Prize honors investigative reporting of stories of national significance where the public interest is being ill-served. Worth Bingham, who died at the age of 34, achieved prominence as an investigative journalist and was vice president and assistant to the publisher for the Louisville Courier-Journal. He was a 1954 Harvard University graduate. His family and friends created the annual prize in his memory in 1967. The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard educates leaders in journalism and elevates the standards of the profession through special programs that convene scholars and experts in all fields. More than 1,600 journalists from 99 countries have been awarded Nieman Fellowships since 1938. The foundation’s other initiatives include Nieman Reports, a website and print magazine that covers thought leadership in journalism; Nieman Lab, a website that reports on the future of news, innovation and best practices in the digital media age; and Nieman Storyboard, a website that showcases exceptional narrative journalism and explores the future of nonfiction storytelling.

Dutch flag (Photo: Dutchgamer/Wikimedia Commons) - Credit: Dutch flag (Photo: Dutchgamer/Wikimedia Commons) dutch embassy Clingendael Thijs van der Plas Netherlands strengthens embassies as Brexit approaches As the Brexit approaches, the Netherlands is expanding the workforce at embassies in European countries in order to remain strongly present in Europe after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, a spokesperson for institute Clingendael confirmed to NU.nl. Thijs van der Plas, a top official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussed this strategy at a conference on the Brexit at Clingendael on Monday. The Netherlands will strengthen over 10 posts in Europe in preparation for the Brexit. The government already made 40 million euros per year available for strengthening diplomacy in response to the instability the Brexit brought with it. It was initially said that this money would mainly be used to strengthen Dutch embassies in North Africa, according to the newspaper. The advisory council for international affairs AIV, an independent body that advises the government on foreign policy, previously advised the government to allocate at least 70 million to 80 million euros per year for strengthening Dutch diplomacy abroad.

Dan Schindel ‘The Visit’ is an Inconsistent Documentary of Our First Contact With an Alien The Visit introduces itself via title card as “a simulation.” While its central scenario is fake, all of the people interviewed within the film are real and speaking from legitimate expertise — which the title cards also make sure to point out. It’s been a while since a movie made such a succinct statement on how a documentary can be considered a documentary while being “fake.” The scenario in question is first contact between humanity and an alien visitor. Officials from different organizations and think tanks concerned with extraterrestrial relations go over how governments and citizens might react to such an event. It’s surprising to discover how many people are involved in this field. There’s a lawyer who specializes in “space law and metalaw” and a theologian who acts as an ethics adviser to the French Space Agency, among other unusual professionals. The audience is placed in the POV of this visitor, with the doc’s experts addressing the camera as if they are speaking to a being from another world. That’s a mildly interesting conceit, but it’s haphazardly implemented. Sometimes a scientist will be speaking to the fourth wall, but other times two subjects will be arguing or debating one another. It’s annoyingly inconsistent, unless these characters are supposed to be disagreeing in front of the hypothetical visitor. That’s unlikely, since in these scenes they never acknowledge its “presence.” And then, of course, there are the many slow motion shots of normal human beings going about their business. It makes sense that the movie would want to break up the many sequences of interviewees lecturing the frame, but how is the alien seeing this, exactly? But more to the point, such shots are a bland way to wallpaper the dialogue. After a while, it almost becomes comical that apparently no one in this world can move at a normal speed. And although these scenes are meant to illustrate the behavior of “humanity,” they all seem to come from the same few European streets and exclusively showcase white people. That’s the real letdown about The Visit: its universalist aspirations fall flat. Despite the movie’s premise, it’s not truly about what might happen if an alien came to Earth. Rather, it uses the prompt of “how would you explain human beings to something that had never met one” as a meditation on our various foibles and follies as a species. This amounts to little more than a series of soliloquies about the senselessness of war and violence and injustice. We’ve heard it all before but often in better, more passionate ways. This review was originally published during the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2016. Tags:Michael MadsenSundance Film Festivalsundance-15 ‘The Other Dream Team’ Review ‘Misha and the Wolves’ Shares an Incredible Story About the Exploitation of an Incredible Story ‘A Glitch in the Matrix’ Turns Documentary on Its Head ‘Into Eternity: A Film for the Future’ Review LA-based writer about movies, TV, and other assorted culture stuff. Work collected at http://danschindel.com/

Norman Brook Replacing the UNOSDP with IOC Commission may strengthen SDP Sector There seems to be quite some concern in Sport for Development and Peace circles that UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced that the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) has closed. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan created the UNOSDP, appointing the first Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Adolf Ogi in February 2001. Wilfried Lemke was appointed as the 2nd Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Sport for

How To Save Money When Moving – 2023 Guide October 8, 2020 by Charles Goldner Moving is one of the biggest expenses that people go through in their lifetime. It can be both physically and mentally exhausting and if you’re one of those people who find moving to be costly and overwhelming, there are ways on how to save money while moving to a new place. Below are a few tips for saving money when moving: Source: consumerfinance.gov When looking to save when moving, you should consider making a budget and sticking to it. However, there are some things you should keep in mind when creating a budget that’ll help you save some money For example, the first thing you need to do when planning your budget iis to know exactly what you’re moving. This will help you stay within your budget. Once you have the information you need, you can set aside a time frame when you want to start making the budget. Make sure you have a few days to set this aside. Once you know this, you can figure out how much you’ll need to move from one place to the other. Once you have the budget figured out, and you know exactly how much money you’ll need to move, then, you can begin to get organized. This includes making a list of all of your belongings. This can include furniture, electronics, jewelry, clothing, and more. By doing this, you’ll be able to move without having to worry about being over budget. 2. Sell Excess Stuff Source: viralinfo.net If you’re planning to move out of your home but you don’t have enough for the move, then, you must be wondering how to sell excess things to save out-of-the-pocket money. There are many things that you might want to get rid of and the only way to get rid of these items is to sell them so that you can get back the money that you put into buying them. For example, you can sell excess things to secondhand stores. These stores usually offer great deals on things that are being thrown away by people who want to sell. As long as the items are still in good working condition, they will not hesitate to buy your stuff and in turn, you earn some money. Also, another best place to sell excess things is online. There are many websites online that offer services to help you get rid of the things that you no longer need while making some money. What’s good with selling excess stuff during a move isn’t just earning by selling them. But, you can also save some money on your potential shipping costs because of the reduced number of boxes to be transported to your new home. 3. Hire Professional Movers Source: lockout484.org There are many reasons why people hire professional movers to help them move, including saving money. Hence, if you want to keep some money in your pocket, here’s why you should get the services of a reliable moving company for your relocation. For instance, professional movers at Roadway Moving are much more likely to come to your home at the same time, so you don’t have to wait around until everyone else is gone. They’re also more likely to be insured than you’ll be, so that is another cost-saving factor. They offer free estimates on how much the move will cost you, too, so that is another good way to get a cheap estimate and save money. In addition, you can save money by hiring professional movers who will take care of packing and unpacking. If you do it yourself, it can be time consuming and confusing, and it can be really hard to make sure that everything is in the best possible condition when the movers arrive. With professional movers, they’re used to doing all these tasks, so they should be able to pack your belongings neatly and safely. You also won’t have to worry about the fact that you’ll have to leave some of your furniture behind if you move somewhere else, because most professional movers will do that for you as well. So, if you’re looking to save money on your move, then hire professional movers to help you. 4. Ask For Free Moving Boxes Source: ggcremovals.com.au Most people know that it’s a good idea to look for free moving boxes if you’re trying to save money when moving. However, sometimes, it can be very difficult to find a place that will let you take a few boxes for free. Luckily, there are some ways that you can try to get free boxes without having to pay for them. Here are three ways that you can use. First, you can ask at your local newspaper or Craigslist to see if they have boxes that are for donation. They might have some old boxes that can be used for your belongings. However, if you don’t find any in this way you can always rent boxes. Although you still have to spend some money when renting, it can be a money-saving option because rental fees for the moving boxes are less expensive than buying new ones. Second, you can also ask your friends who have recently moved to see if they can give you boxes that are free. Friends may not be able to give you the exact number that you expect but at least they can give you some which can be used for your packing needs. Third, you can visit your nearby grocery stores and ask whether you can have their old boxes. If they don’t give them for free, then, try to negotiate by offering to buy them at a reasonable price. 5. Use What You Have As Packing Materials Source: roguewolf.com.au If you’re looking to save money on your move, you don’t necessarily need to buy new packing materials for your stuff. Instead, you can look around your house and check what you can use to pack all your belongings safely and efficiently. For example, if you have unused blankets and sheets in your closet, you can use them to wrap fragile items. Because of this, it’s clear that you can always save when relocating. Realistically speaking, moving doesn’t need to be expensive if you follow the relocation tips mentioned above. However, the best way to save money during a move is by planning ahead what you need to do in order to make the move as smooth as possible. By doing so, you’ll get more savings and achieve a stress-free moving experience. 5 Money Management Habits That Help You Save More Money in… Key Ways To Save Money When Buying A Phone - 2023 Guide Save Money on School Printing Projects with Remanufactured… These 9 Basic Plumbing Tips Will Save You Money - 2023 Guide 6 Easy Ways to Save More Money in 2023 Best Business Relocation Tips to Save Time and Money in 2023 Categories Finance Tags Expenses, moving, packing, packing boxes, relocating, Save Money

AAO-HNSF 2017 We are proud to meet our valuable ear, nose and throat specialists from all over the world, as well as our colleagues between 10-13 September 2017 at the AAO-HNSF meeting held in Chicago.

Tropical Storm Claudette: Sudden Flooding Increases in Southeastern United States | Weather News Forecasters warned of life-threatening flash flooding in parts of the Deep South, particularly in central Alabama, as Tropical Depression Claudette swept through the coastal states on Sunday. Ten people, including nine children, were killed on Saturday in a crash involving two vehicles, according to Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock, who said the vehicles likely hydroplaned on wet roads. Butler County Sheriff Danny Bond said several people were also injured. The victims were not immediately identified. Meanwhile, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were killed when a tree fell on their home on Saturday just outside the city limits of Tuscaloosa, said Captain Marty Sellers of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crime Unit at The Tuscaloosa News. The sellers did not immediately identify the victims and a forensic doctor could not be reached early Sunday. The deaths came as torrential rains swept over much of northern Alabama and Georgia on Saturday night. Up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain was reported earlier from Claudette along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Debris covering the street in East Brewton, Alabama [Alicia Jossey via AP Photo] A tropical storm warning was in effect in North Carolina from Little River Inlet to the town of Duck on the Outer Banks. A tropical storm watch was issued from South Santee River, South Carolina, to Little River Inlet, forecasters said. Top winds remained near 30 mph (45 m / h). Forecasters from the National Hurricane Center predicted Claudette would strengthen again to tropical storm status on Monday over eastern North Carolina as she set out to sea in the Atlantic Ocean. Flash flood watches were released on Sunday for northern Georgia, most of South Carolina, the coast of North Carolina and parts of southeastern Alabama and Florida. Here are the Sunday key messages at 11:00 a.m. EDT for #Claudette. The system continues to produce heavy rains with possible flash floods over much of the southeastern United States. A few tornadoes are also possible today in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas. https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB pic.twitter.com/qwMv7aKL5T – National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) June 20, 2021 More than 20 people have been rescued by boat due to flooding in Northport, Alabama, WVUA-TV reported. The Tuscaloosa County emergency management agency tweeted that local Red Cross volunteers were on hand to help those affected. A shelter has been opened in Northport. Village Creek in Birmingham has passed the flood level at 13 feet (4 meters), the National Weather Service in Birmingham tweeted. The system was located approximately 25 miles (35 kilometers) west of Atlanta. It was moving east-northeast at 13 mph (20 km / h), the National Hurricane Center reported on Sunday morning. Claudette was declared sufficiently organized to qualify as a named tropical storm early Saturday morning, long after the storm’s center of circulation ran aground southwest of New Orleans. Pickup trucks pass each other on the flooded road from Cedar Lake to Biloxi, Mississippi [Rogelio V. Solis/AP Photo] Shortly after making landfall, an alleged storm-triggered tornado demolished or severely damaged at least 50 homes in a small town in Alabama, just north of the Florida border. Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson said an alleged tornado “pretty much leveled” a mobile home park, knocked over trees on houses and ripped off the roof of a high school gymnasium. Most of the damage was in or near the towns of Brewton and East Brewton, about 48 miles (77 kilometers) north of Pensacola, Florida. “It kind of affected everyone,” Jackson said. “But with these mobile homes built so close together, it can cost them a lot more than houses scattered around.” Tornadoes have also been reported in southwest Georgia. Storm damage was also felt in northern Florida, where winds – in some cases reaching 85 mph (137 km / h) – tipped an 18-wheeler truck onto its side. A flooded neighborhood is seen after Tropical Storm Claudette hit Slidell, Louisiana [Gerald Herbert/AP Photo] The storm also dumped torrential rains north of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana and along the Mississippi coast, inundating streets and, in some areas, pushing water into homes. The storm later inundated the Florida panhandle and, well inland, a large swath of Alabama. Forecasters said the system could still dump 2-4 inches (5-10 centimeters) of rain in the area, with isolated accumulations of 8 inches (20 centimeters) possible. Separately, Tropical Storm Dolores made landfall on the west coast of Mexico with near-hurricane force. By Sunday morning, it had dissipated over Mexico. Its remains had maximum sustained winds of 25 mph (35 km / h) and it was centered about 170 miles (275 kilometers) east of Mazatlan, Mexico. Heavy precipitation of up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) was expected in coastal southwest and western Mexico throughout the weekend. Forecasters warned of the potential for flash floods and mudslides. The era of US-Russian “resets” is over | Russia Apple’s iPad Air returns to record $ 539 on Amazon

School Establishes the Luci Baines Johnson and Ian J. Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing’s efforts to educate outstanding nurses and improve care for older adults will continue to grow, thanks to a gift from long-time UT supporters Luci Baines Johnson and Ian Turpin, to create the Luci Baines Johnson and Ian J. Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing. “It is our hope that the Luci Baines Johnson and Ian J. Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing will provide more nurses the special skills that they need to better serve a rapidly increasing number of seniors and their loved ones,” said Luci Baines Johnson. The goals for the new center include leading innovative community-based and clinical research that will benefit the health, independence and well-being of diverse aging adults and their caregivers; mentoring a new generation of nursing scholars and clinicians in gerontology; disseminating knowledge and strategies to promote well-being for older adults and their families; and advancing leadership that supports innovative, collaborative practice across care environments. Kavita Radhakrishnan, PhD, MSEE, RN, FAAN, associate professor, will serve as the new center’s inaugural director. “There is no greater satisfaction to us than to have a purpose driven life,” Johnson said. “We have seen the problem seniors face in preserving wellness and addressing illness. We know we may become part of the problem our children’s generation will face in addressing the health care needs for their elderly loved ones. “We want to be part of the solution,” she continued. “To have helped enhance the quality of life for those who have given us so much and to lighten the burden of our children is as satisfying a purpose as we could know.” Johnson and Turpin, who live in Austin, Texas, discovered that although this vibrant community is often thought of in terms of its youth, its greatest growth is occurring in its senior population. “We have long thought that our generation was going to sink the health care delivery system for our children’s generation,” she said. “We feel we need to do our part to address this critical concern in our lifetimes.” While their mothers were financially secure with children who were well connected with the health care delivery system, Johnson and Turpin determined that the senior population was underserved, with a need for knowledgeable providers in geriatrics/gerontology. “As we have aged, we have become increasingly aware that there is more of our lives in the rear-view mirrors than that which lies ahead,” Johnson added. “These factors and our life-long love of the UT Austin School of Nursing motivated us to make our gift to gerontological nursing now rather than later,” she concluded. “Never did we ever dream that there would be a center named after us. We are thrilled, deeply honored and more committed than ever to see the School of Nursing rise up to meet these crucial concerns.” News tags: Graduate Undergraduate

Botanic Healthcare appoints Dr Shiv as Director for Global Business Development Over the last 20 years, Dr Shiv has traveled to many countries for international natural product exhibitions Botanic Healthcare has appointed Dr H. N. Shivaprasad (Dr Shiv), Ph.D., as the Director for Global Business Development. Dr Shiv has a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Law Degree. He is also a well-known figure within the domestic and global nutraceutical industry, with many studies and patents under his belt. Over the last 20 years, Dr Shiv has traveled to many countries for international natural product exhibitions. In addition, he has published more than forty research papers and holds patents on various natural products. “We are delighted that Dr Shiv has joined our team, and he will now be responsible for expanding the clinically studied branded ingredients for Botanic Healthcare and promoting them around the globe,” said Mr. Gaurav and Mr. Madhu, Directors of Botanic Healthcare. “Dr Shiv has comprehensive technical knowledge and in-depth Nutraceutical industry insight on every level. We look forward to having his leadership and expertise take Botanic Healthcare’s global business to new heights.” He will now be responsible for expanding the clinically studied branded ingredients for Botanic Healthcare Botanic Healthcare is into identifying, developing, and manufacturing therapeutic natural ingredients, including organic extracts and clinically studied ingredients through extraction science. Challenging conventional wisdom through pioneering R&D and a customer-centric approach, we focus on innovating new active markers to meet healthcare and nutritional challenges by using eco-friendly technologies during our manufacturing processes. Botanic Healthcare

You are here: Home / News / World News / North Korea preparing to try 2 American tourists North Korea preparing to try 2 American tourists July 12, 2014 By Northwest Asian Weekly By Eric Talmadge TOKYO (AP) – North Korea said on June 30 it is preparing to try two Americans who entered the country as tourists for carrying out what it says were hostile acts against it. Investigations into Americans Matthew Todd Miller and Jeffrey Edward Fowle concluded that suspicions about their hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their testimonies, Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency said in a short report. KCNA said North Korea is making preparations to bring them before a court. It did not specify what the two did that was considered hostile or illegal, or what kind of punishment they might face. It also did not say when the trial would begin. Though a small number of U.S. citizens visit North Korea each year as tourists, the State Department strongly advises against it. Fowle arrived in the county on April 29. North Korea’s state media said in June that authorities were investigating him for committing acts inconsistent with the purpose of a tourist visit. Diplomatic sources said Fowle was detained for leaving a Bible in his hotel room. But a spokesman for Fowle’s family said the 56-year-old from Miamisburg, Ohio, was not on a mission for his church. His wife and three children, ages 9, 10, and 12, said they miss him very much and “are anxious for his return home,” according to a statement after his detention that was provided by a spokesman for the family. “It’s devastating,” Sergei Luzginov, a Fowle family friend who lives in North Port, Florida, said Monday. “We are praying for him. … He loves his kids and he was very protective of his family, and it’s going to be tough for them to survive without Jeff if he’s going to be sentenced for a long time.” Luzginov said he met the Fowle family in 2007 in Lebanon, Ohio’s Russian immigrant community. Both Luzginov and Fowle’s wife, Tatyana Fowle, 40, are Russian immigrants. Fowle works in a city streets department. Luzginov said Fowle’s family and friends are trying to be optimistic about the outcome of the case, “but at the same time, you know the track record that’s the (North) Korean government.” KCNA said Miller, 24, entered the country April 10 with a tourist visa, but tore it up at the airport and shouted that he wanted to seek asylum. A large number of Western tourists visited Pyongyang in April to run in the annual Pyongyang Marathon or attend related events. Miller came at that time, but tour organizers say he was not planning to join the marathon. North Korea has also been separately holding Korean American missionary Kenneth Bae since November 2012. He was convicted by a North Korean court and is serving 15 years of hard labor, also for what the North says were hostile acts against the state. Bae’s Seattle-area family has been trying desperately to have him freed. More information about him can be found at freekennow.com. The latest arrests present a conundrum for Washington, which has no diplomatic ties with the North and no embassy in Pyongyang. Instead, the Swedish Embassy takes responsibility for U.S. consular affairs in the North. State Department officials say they cannot release details about the cases because they need a privacy waiver to do so. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the United States was aware of the reports the Americans would be tried, but had no independent confirmation. She urged North Korea to release the pair on humanitarian grounds. “There’s no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad,” Psaki told reporters in Washington. She said Swedish diplomats visited Fowle on June 20 and Miller most recently on June 21. Despite the Americans having agreed to a privacy waiver, Psaki said the department would not describe the charges they are facing or provide other information on their cases. (end) Filed Under: World News Tagged With: 2014, Associated Press, Jeffrey Edward Fowle, Jen Psaki, KCNA, Kenneth Bae, Korean American, Korean Central News Agency, North Korean, North Port, Pyongyang Marathon, Sergei Luzginov, State Department, Swedish Embassy, Tatyana Fowle, United States, Vol 33 No 29 | July 12 - July 18

4 Ways To Teach Acoustic Guitar To Beginners – Mozart Project (2023) Can Acoustic Guitar Be Self Taught? How Long Does It Take To Self Teach Guitar? Guitar Lessons Learn Acoustic Guitar App Best Guitar Learning Apps For Beginners How To Play A Guitar For Beginners Step By Step Acoustic Guitars How Much Are Decent Acoustic Guitars? Basic Strumming Patterns Videos Assuming the reader would like to know how to teach beginners acoustic guitar, the following tips can be useful: 1. Start by teaching the basic chords. A chord is simply two or more notes played together. There are many different chords, and some are harder to play than others. But don’t worry, with a little practice, you’ll be able to play all of them. 2. Once your students have mastered the basic chords, you can move on to teaching them how to strum. Strumming is the most important part of playing guitar. It’s what gives the instrument its rhythm. 3. Once your students have mastered the basics of strumming, you can move on to teaching them more advanced techniques, such as finger-picking. Finger-picking is a great way to add more depth and complexity to the music. 4. Finally, once your students have mastered the basics, you can start teaching them more advanced concepts, such as music theory. Music theory is the study of how music works. It’s a complex subject, but it’s important for understanding how to create beautiful guitar music. You will be able to learn two simple chords and two basic strumming patterns. Having the basic skills you need to play your acoustic guitar will help you get off to a good start. It’s an enjoyable way to hone your skills and has many benefits. If you enjoy this lesson, you should consider downloading the free Ultimate Guitar Toolbox. In the course, we’ll learn two strumming patterns: one for each beat and the other for every quarter note or beat. While you’re learning the jam track, you can also progress to more difficult patterns. You may feel slightly sore right away, but over time, you will develop a few callouses and strength, and you will no longer feel pain. Can Acoustic Guitar Be Self Taught? There’s no reason to give up on learning guitar by yourself because doing so isn’t difficult if you follow the correct advice. It’s critical to remember that no matter how good your guitar teacher is, learning how to play the guitar can be difficult at first, whether you learn by yourself or by the teacher. In the long run, it can be advantageous to have an instructor teach you how to play the guitar. It is not uncommon for a good instructor to cost a lot of money. Learning how to play chords and listening to popular songs is an excellent way to broaden your knowledge. It is critical to learn how to play the guitar as well as the proper techniques if you want to become an experienced player. Playing the guitar will allow you to stretch and improve your skills while also learning a new one. It is common for learning players to spend a few hours per week going over the lesson progression, learning the fundamentals, scales, and techniques. As a result, this will provide you with a solid foundation, allowing you to squeeze in all of your other learning time when you have free time. (Video) Buying Your First Acoustic Guitar (5 Things You MUST Consider) | A Beginner's Guide How Long Does It Take To Self Teach Guitar? More Arbitrary Ratings of ProficiencyLevelHoursDaily Practice InvestmentBasic312.5156 days Beginning32510 The months1250 1.8 years2500 3.5 years5 rows are used in advanced notation. Guitar lessons can be a great way to improve your guitar playing skills. A good guitar teacher can teach you the proper techniques and help you develop your own style. Lessons can also be a great way to meet other guitarists and learn new songs. Learn Acoustic Guitar App There are a number of apps that can help you learn acoustic guitar. Acoustic Guitar Tutor is one such app. It is designed to help you learn the basics of acoustic guitar, including how to tune your guitar, how to play chords, and how to strum. The app also includes a number of video lessons and a built-in metronome to help you keep time. (Video) Beginner Guitar Lesson Starter Pack To be a self-taught guitarist, you have access to a plethora of apps, software, and websites, which makes it as simple as it can ever be. Beginning, intermediate, and advanced players will be able to tailor an all-in-one course to their specific interests and skill level. You can get started with a number of popular and renowned programs by using these resources. You should consider using Yousician, which teaches you how to play the guitar. This course has three types of lessons: lead, rhythm, and knowledge. You can tell if you’re playing your notes correctly with the program, which processes the sound of your guitar. Rocksmith, another popular program, allows you to play Guitar Hero on a real guitar. GuitarTricks.com’s Core Learning System allows you to create a series of courses based on the instrument you want to learn. JamPlay offers 6,500 lessons from over 90 instructors, including celebrities like Bumblefoot and Steve Stevens. You can learn to play a variety of instruments as well as the guitar with ArtistWorks. Acoustic guitars have acoustic guitars. Plus is a subscription-based learning platform. TrueFire provides 40,000 lessons per month with 140 instructors on staff. Roni Music’s Amazing Slow Downer does exactly what it claims to do: it slows down recorded music. The chord chart is calculated using the measure-by-measure method of chordify. Because it’s made by the same company that created Yousician (the makers of Guitar Tuna), it’s also an excellent choice for its ease of use. Dr. Steve Powell, a former teacher in New York City public schools, emphasizes the importance of applying your individual goals to your education. To engage students, it is best to select the resources that will work for you and the way you want to learn. Chris Sampson founded and directs the popular music program and songwriting professor at USC Thornton School of Music, in addition to leading the popular music department. As part of his daily practice, he uses EarMaster Pro every morning while playing the guitar. According to Sampson, all forms of music are self-taught. Best Guitar Learning Apps For Beginners From here, you can narrow down the best guitar learning apps to one. On iOS, you can use GarageBand. #aeplitube Songsterr is a guitar tab and Chords application. *br> The BandLab is a collection of sound libraries. Here are a few pointers for beginning to teach yourself how to play the guitar. Before purchasing a guitar, make sure you understand everything there is to know about it. If you want to practice consistently, you should do so every day without fail (even if it takes five minutes). Make a list of what you want to learn on guitar. You can change the angle at which you observe your technique by watching your own video. Before downloading an app, make sure it is of good quality. Are apps for guitar learning worth buying? There are numerous guitar learning apps available that you can use for free or for a fee. Most of them, on the other hand, are worthless. There are numerous online free guitar lessons that should be left alone. As a result, it is critical to be able to select the best apps from the worst. How can I learn to play guitar on my phone? The world-renowned guitar maker, Gibson Guitar, has created an Android app that will teach you how to play a real guitar. The Gibson Learn app is available for free on the Android Market, and it provides everything a beginner would need to start playing the guitar. Guitar lessons, whether for beginners or advanced students, can be found on the site. (Video) Beginner Strumming Patterns For Acoustic Guitar Pattern 3 - Beginner Guitar Lessons How To Play A Guitar For Beginners Step By Step There are a few things that you need to know before you can start playing the guitar. Firstly, you need to know how to hold the instrument. The guitar should be held so that the body is resting on your left thigh, and the neck is pointing upwards. The left hand should be placed on the neck behind the nut, and the right hand should be placed over the strings. When you are ready to start playing, gently place your fingers on the strings and pluck them. You can then start to strum the strings with your right hand. An acoustic guitar is a guitar that produces sound acoustically – by transmitting the vibration of the strings to the air – as opposed to relying on electronic amplification. The sound of an acoustic guitar is often considered to be warmer and more natural than that of an electric guitar. Acoustic guitars are commonly used in a wide variety of music genres, including country, folk, blues, and rock. The McPherson Carbon Series Touring With Black Hardware Acoustic-Electric Guitar is available for $2,699.00 from Guitar Center. Pre-order theRogue RA-090 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar at $29.99 each, or $129.99 as an add-on. This review of the R-090 Distressed Acoustic Guitar Sunburst will be available on Guitar Center’s website at http://www.guitarcenter.com/ra-090-Dreadnought-Acoustic-Guitar-Sunburst. A RF26CE OM/Folk Acoustic-Electric Guitar, which is one of Alvarez’s inventions. This product is named “Sunburst,” with the sticker display text “new,” and the price drop is $29.99, with the placeholder: https://static.guitarcenter.com/is/image/MMGS7RF26CE-OM-Folk-Acoustic-electric- Guitar-Sun Prices at Skusite: 51396278325157. This item contains a manufacturer’s brand name, brand name, brand image, brand display text, brand information, brand condition, brand price, drop price, price drop, price was price, brand condition, brand was price Mmmsrp is priced at 99.99, and price is 79.99. The first item is the Starter Acoustic Guitar Matte Natural in the package. LinkBlinkButton null, linkExtraExtraCloseCloseCloseExtraExtraordinary, extraDifficult, extraGoodDressed, extraSpecial, attrLinkExtraRealMintCase extraDifficult, extraSpecial, linkBlinkButton null The following is a list of the Recording King Dirty 30s 7 Single 0 RPS-7 Acoustic Guitars: brownsunglasses.sku.com, name: brownsunglasses.sku.com, price: 179.99, regular price: 199.99, list of other guitars There is a price difference of *£239.99. For visibility, please visit https://static.guitarcenter.com/image/MMGSDirty-30s-7-Single-0-RPS-Acoustic-Guitar-Brown-Sunburst/J47709000000-00600-60×60, which contains the Revolution Green sticker. Compare Now rates the Taylor 812e V-Class Grand Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar as one of the best reviewed guitars, with 4.5 to 5.0 stars out of 5 stars. How Much Are Decent Acoustic Guitars? Acoustic guitars can cost between $100 and $200 for the entry-level model. The average intermediate acoustic guitar costs around $300-800, while the average professional acoustic guitar costs several thousand dollars. The price is largely determined by the country of origin, the brand, the body, and the type of wood used. Basic Strumming Patterns There are many different strumming patterns that can be used on the guitar, and it can be difficult to know which one to use for a particular song. A good place to start is with basic strumming patterns. These patterns can be used for a variety of different songs, and they will help you to get a feel for the rhythm of the song. Once you have a good understanding of the basic strumming patterns, you can then start to experiment with different patterns to find the one that best suits the song you are playing. Strumming patterns for acoustic or electric guitars can be found here. The eight-note pattern is used for all of the strumming patterns we will cover. To inform us about the type of strum you’re supposed to use, we’ll use a few symbols. To put it another way, these symbols represent muted strums, downstrokes, and upstrokes. The simplest strumming pattern makes it easy to get really soft, loud, and noisy. When you strum the numbers, you’ll notice that they’re downstrokes and the ‘and’s’ will rise. A muted strum gives you a more percussive sound, almost like a drummer playing with you. Strumming with rest is the fourth pattern in the Strumming Pattern. We’ve been studying the strings on every eighth note for a long time now, but we’re about to start packing some of them out. A two-step strumming pattern is similar to a two-step strumming pattern that repeats over and over again. You will be able to keep a consistent motion with your strumming hand as you play these patterns if you stay loose and keep your head in the air. Your upstrokes are not required to go through all six strings either. Adding accents, muted strums, or taking notes with the Constant Strumming Technique to these patterns will make them stand out. (Video) Choose THE PERFECT First Acoustic Guitar 1. CCR Bad Moon Rising Acoustic Guitar Lesson + Tutorial (Marty Music) 2. Top 5 Things Every Beginner Guitar Player Should Know (YourGuitarSage) 3. Which Acoustic Guitar Should I Buy? (for any budget) (Guitareo) 4. How to Play "Zombie" by The Cranberries on Guitar (Easy Acoustic) 5. 3-Hour Classical Study Music Playlist: Concentration and Better Learning, Focus Music, ☯170 (Yellow Brick Cinema - Relaxing Music) 6. 15 1 String Guitar Songs – Beginners Guitar Songs – Easy Songs to Play on Guitar (Essential Guitar Lessons) SpringCharts® Student Resources UKEssays Review 2023: Legit and Reliable or Scam?

The new historical bulletin Sergei Ippolitov, Russian State University for the Humanities http://www.nivestnik.ru/ Sergey V. Karpenko Historical Sciences and archaeology The scholarly journal, “The New Historical Bulletin,” was founded in 2000 by Sergey Ippolitov (publisher) and Sergey Karpenko (editor-in-chief) both graduates of the Institute for History and Archives. Journal issues are prepared for publication under the auspices of the Institute for History and Archives of the Russian State University for the Humanities (Moscow). The journal specializes in the publication of scholarly articles and popular essays on Medieval, Imperial, Modern, and Contemporary Russian history that utilize previously overlooked or newly discovered archival documents.

On Discipline August 8, 2020 August 14, 2020 Ocean Bream musings Tags: childhood shame, children, discipline, jordan peterson, memories, shame 7 Comments The professor Jordan Peterson (who is controversial because of some of his views) said once that in order to discipline children you might hurt their feelings for a short period of time so that they can learn to behave properly in the median to long term so that their lives can go well. When I was four years old, we lived in the Middle East in a villa complex. It was a large villa, with four separate flats surrounded by a wide walled yard. There was an iron gate leading from the yard into a garden filled with greenery and a large communal swimming pool. All of our neighbours were expatriates from the UK too, because we were all housed by the job the adults had (teaching English at a school for the children of royalty). I remember playing with the neighbour’s kids outside one day, all of us on our tricycles, when one of the neighbours stepped out of her front door, dressed to go out. She was a nice enough woman, and fast friends with my mother, and she smiled at us as she walked past. As she reached the main gate leading to the street, I called out impulsively, ‘Where are you going!?’ She turned, as her husband followed her, and said curtly, ‘None of your business.’ I remember feeling like she had punched me in the stomach. I felt so hurt, and engulfed in a feeling of intense shame. I flushed; the heat of it on that hot windy desert day made my skin prickle. I knew straightaway that I had done something horribly wrong. I wanted to cry but couldn’t do it in front of the neighbour’s kids, so I ran indoors and told my mum what happened. ‘Well, you shouldn’t be nosey,’ was my mother’s response. Standard. No-nonsense. As if it were the most natural thing in the world. She carried on doing what she had been doing. I still remember that moment vividly, twelve years later. I still feel the shame of it. I still feel the heat of my flush, and the firm and frightened resolution to never ask anybody anything ‘nosey’ ever again. It’s trivial to recall this as an adult, most people would just move on, I guess. But even now as a grown ass woman, I cannot ask anybody too many questions out of a genuine fear of being perceived as nosey. So, I guess Jordan Peterson is right. It works.

NOAA forecasts busy Atlantic hurricane season, with at least 3 major storms By: Jennifer Shutt - May 25, 2022 3:30 am Dina Lewis rescues items from her home after it was destroyed by Hurricane Ida on August 30, 2021 in Laplace, Louisiana. Ida made landfall August 29 as a category 4 storm southwest of New Orleans. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images). WASHINGTON — The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be the seventh in a row with an above-normal number of storms, according to a forecast the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released Tuesday. NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad said the agency expects there will be between 14 and 21 named storms, with six to 10 of those storms turning into hurricanes. Between three and six of those hurricanes are expected to develop into major storms that reach a level of Category 3 or above — when winds reach 111 to 129 mph and devastating damage occurs. The likelihood for another active and likely catastrophic Atlantic hurricane season means another challenging year for emergency management officials throughout the United States. “We just experienced two extremely active hurricane seasons marking the first time on record that two consecutive hurricane seasons exhausted the list of 21 storm names,” Spinrad said during a briefing for reporters in New York City. Similar to 2021 The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season forecast shows the number and severity of tropical storms will be similar to last year, during which the United States experienced 21 named storms, including seven hurricanes — four of which developed winds of at least 111 mph. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell used the annual forecast release to urge residents throughout the country, not just those in coastal areas that regularly experience tropical storms, to prepare for emergency situations, including evacuations. “We’re looking at another similar season for hurricane preparedness, but that doesn’t mean we should take it lightly,” she said. “As we saw from Superstorm Sandy, it doesn’t even have to be a hurricane to cause such devastation to communities.” Criswell cautioned that FEMA has noticed these tropical storms are developing faster and more frequently, meaning state and local emergency managers have less time to warn the public. That then means the public has less time to gather emergency supplies and evacuate or head to a storm shelter. This year’s NOAA forecast cites the ongoing La Niña weather pattern and its lower atmospheric stability, “warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds and an enhanced west African monsoon” as likely factors that will keep the number of storms high. Climate change is part of the reason the Atlantic hurricane seasons as well as other climate and weather events are becoming more frequent and more severe, though Spinrad cautioned that forecasters “can’t simply point to a particular storm — whether it’s a strong storm like Ida or any others — and say there, that is climate change.” “The attribution is more in the patterns, the tendencies, the mode that we’re in,” he said, noting that all the factors NOAA listed in its forecast are components of climate change. Criswell said FEMA is working with communities to address how climate change affects their residents during hurricane season. “We’re seeing such a dramatic change in the type of weather events that we’re facing as a result of climate change that we really have to get ahead of that,” Criswell said. “One of the biggest things that FEMA is doing is putting a lot more emphasis on the other parts of our mission, which is about preparedness and mitigation.” Criswell also noted that individual preparedness ahead of hurricane season’s official start on June 1 is crucial to keeping people and property safe during hurricanes and the storm surges that often accompany them. “The majority of fatalities we see from hurricanes come from storm surge,” Criswell said. “Again, it’s incredibly important that individuals take time to understand what their risk is.” by Jennifer Shutt, Ohio Capital Journal Summer hurricanes, wildfires and storms loom as FEMA faces… by Jennifer Shutt May 25, 2022

Vietnamese models – the story of a startup agency Entrepreneurs come from many backgrounds and often make gigantic leaps in work or geographical environment to follow their passion. Quang Dang, or Canton, as he’s professionally known, left a successful career in mechanical engineering and immigration law in the US to launch his business in Saigon. Now Canton is the man many advertising agencies and photographers turn to when they need talent for a campaign or photo shoot. With a can-do attitude, Canton has launched a model management company in Saigon, a whole world away from engineering, in more ways than one. When asked how he made the seemingly odd transition, Canton laughs and explains: “It’s two different worlds. Since I was little I was interested in fashion and style. My parents influenced me to go to school and get a good job, so I took their advice. But after so many years of work I just thought, ‘I’ve got to fulfill my passion.’” Of Vietnamese and Chinese descent, Canton and his nine siblings were born in Vietnam and migrated to the US on boats while their parents stayed behind. He spent most of his time in North Carolina and later Los Angeles. After his first trip to Vietnam in 1991, Canton recognized the huge potential and opportunities here and couldn’t stay away, making repeated trips every summer until he made a permanent move in 2003. When he arrived in Vietnam, Canton met a woman that would become crucial to his success – Pham Thuy Linh – a famous Vietnamese singer and TV show host. Through her he became enthralled in the fashion and modeling scene, meeting various movers and shakers in the industry where he built a large network. “She invited me to see all her events and shows and I was able to make connections with her and her model friends. One day the manager of Napoly Bar asked me to do a promotional show,” Canton recalls. “I already had experience from being around all the models at the events so I was able to direct the show and it turned out very well. After the first show I decided to start my own company. Many of my friends had asked me if I would open up an agency. I had enough connections I felt it was time for me to do it and everything was ready, so why not?” I’m going to be big Elegant Model Agency officially opened in 2012. Aside from getting the license (which became easy in 2007 when Vietnam became a member of the World Trade Organization), the hardest part for him was instilling trust in his clients and Vietnamese models. “Gaining trust was a big challenge. I’m in the middle; how can I make them trust me so that I can get what they want and get the job done? When I first started I was willing to work for free.” He started with 10 models at his first showcase, inviting potential models and clients to prove his talent and it paid off – he received bookings from it. His models have been featured in designer shows for labels including Mango, Warehouse, Bebe, Charles & Keith, Christian Louboutin and Topshop. Not only was Canton making an impact in the fashion industry but also for various ad/cosmetic campaigns and promotional shows for brands such as Petro, Kawasaki, Shiseido Skincare and Heineken. Depending on their experience and how well-known they are, models can earn from USD100 to almost USD2,000 per show in Vietnam. Canton now has nearly 500 models on his book. He scouts for new talent at social events around town. Looks may vary from tall, short, slim to athletic or a unique face – you name it. “There is a demand for all different types of models. Vietnam is catching up internationally so it has to be a mixture of Western, European and Vietnamese now.” Although Elegant Model Agency does not provide training, Canton is present throughout most of the preparation process whether it is helping out with music selection or directing models on the catwalk. He strives to build strong relationships with his models outside of work by hosting meetings and social events. “As a model manager, you have to love the work in order to get through all of the difficulties. Without the passion, I don’t think you could get things done. I love being around beautiful models. I love the beauty. I feel so happy every time I do a show. I feel that it is me.” Welcoming its first International Fashion Week last fall, fashion is gradually gaining a presence throughout Vietnam but it still has a long way to go, Canton explains. With his experience in the US, he brings an international appeal and advantage that most local agencies here don’t have yet. “I’m lucky that I was trained and educated in America and that I am from America. I happened to be born here but everything about me is American. I had the opportunity to learn so much from America and I like that I can bring that to Vietnam. If I meet a foreigner or someone who is not Vietnamese, my chances of closing a contract are higher than the local companies or agencies here.” With newly-opened offices in District 11 and a growing network, Canton has high hopes for the future. “I’m not bragging but if you ask me how I feel about all of this and where I will be in the future, I feel that I’m going to be big. To me, making money at this point is not important anymore.” By Rachel Cabakoff Rachel Cabakoff How Much Home Equity Could You Borrow? Are you wondering how much home equity could you borrow? 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Number 3: September 2015 Predatory Publishing: Keeping the Wolves from Your Office Door Ethics: Predatory Publishing: Keeping the Wolves from Your Office Door Jeanne Merkle Sorrell, PhD, RN, FAAN Email: [email protected] Jeanne Sorrell is former Senior Nurse Scientist, Nursing Research and Innovation, at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH, and Professor Emerita, George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She earned a BSN from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, a MSN from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI, and a PhD from George Mason University. Her scholarly interests focus on philosophical inquiry, writing across the curriculum, qualitative research, and ethical considerations in healthcare. Jacqueline K. Owens, PhD, RN, CNE Email: [email protected] Jacqueline Owens is an Associate Professor of Nursing and Program Director for the RN to BSN program at Ashland University in Ashland, OH. She is the Editor-in-Chief of OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Jackie has a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Ashland University, a master of science in nursing degree from Kent State University in Kent, OH and PhD from the Joint PhD in Nursing program at Kent State University/University of Akron in Akron, OH. Her areas of interest include disaster response and electronic publishing. Expansion of the open access movement for scholarly publication has introduced new challenges to authors, editors, and publishers. Open access is a broad term that describes a business model for publishing, but has evolved to include several specific models, briefly described in Table 1. Some editors of open access journals prey on potential authors by promising quick peer review and publication of their manuscripts. Authors then learn, sometimes too late, that the “peer review” is not a scholarly review and that there is a substantial fee for the publication process. These wolves in sheep clothing have been called “predatory publishers,” a term coined by Jeffrey Beall, an academic librarian who has focused on unethical open access publishing practices. Table 1. Common Terms Related to Predatory Publishing Business model for publishing that typically require a fee from authors, sometimes called an article processing charge (APC) which covers publication costs and allows author to retain copyright. This is sometimes referred to as the “gold” open access model. Other models may exist that combine all or some aspects of open access but have slightly different features. A “green” open access model does not charge an author fee, but encourages the author to self-archive a prepublication in an open repository. Business model for publishing that provides a voluntary release of copyright restricted content. This can be for marketing purposes or may be a service to the profession. Some journals use a hybrid model that features an early release of some content and/or an embargo of other content which is freely accessible after a certain time. May be called platinum access. Does not charge author fees, costs typically covered by donations, subsidies, organizations, and grants. Predatory Publishing Author centric business model for publishing fake or scam journals that use APCs to cover the publication costs. Sometimes called, “Pay to Publish.” Often breaches published standards of editorial integrity such as peer review and archiving. May use flattery to entice authors. Predatory Publishers Publishers that oversee multiple journals, sometimes called a “fleet.” A predatory publisher may quickly launch a great number of new journals in a fleet, possibly hundreds of new titles. Single-Title Independent Journals These journals publish independently; they are not owned by any multi-title publishers. Sometimes called “standalone” journals. Author Centric Model versus Reader Centric Model The model of predatory publishers is author centric, not reader centric. These publications cater to the needs of authors, not readers. Paying authors seeking publication of their scholarly work are the consumers, not the readers of the journal (Beall, 2014a). The goal of author centric journals is to publish as many papers as possible but to collect often exorbitant fees for publication. Quantity is more important than quality. The mission is not to provide information to consumers (Conn, 2015). Sources: (Beall, 2015, 2014a; Chinn, 2014; Pickler et al., 2014) In 2014, the International Academy of Nursing Editors (INANE) launched an initiative to raise awareness and educate nurse authors and publishers about the consequences of predatory publishing. Beall has created a list of predatory publishers and standalone journals available on the blog, Scholarly Open Access (n.d.). In this column, we will consider the ethical implications of predatory publishing and describe guidelines to help authors evaluate open access journals. Ethical Implications Consequences of predatory publishing can impact both an individual scholar, an entire discipline, and the public. At the macro level, predatory publishing practices diminish the credibility of the body of literature for a discipline (e.g., citations of questionable manuscripts published in predatory sources) and threaten the credibility of open access models that engage in ethical publishing practices (Beall, 2014a). Everyone suffers when there is no process in place to archive important work, and it suddenly disappears (Flanagan, 2015). Predatory publishers share common characteristics that give rise to ethical concerns. The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) is an organization that has focused on disseminating information to guide publishers, editors, and editorial board members in ethical practices related to publishing. In 2013 COPE, in collaboration with other organizations, published Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. The issue of transparency has important ethical implications, as predatory publishers often exhibit a lack transparency that may even be seen as dishonest (Beall, 2014b). The COPE document lists 16 principles of transparency that predatory publishers often ignore (Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing, 2013). Four of these principles that appear to be particularly significant in relation to ethical concerns are discussed here. The first principle listed by the COPE document focused on peer review. Careful review of manuscripts by reviewers who are expert in the content and methods outlined in the manuscript has long been an important aspect of scholarly publication. It is also an important part of promotion and tenure review of faculty, in that it is expected that the candidate’s work has been peer reviewed. Predatory publishers may state that manuscripts are peer reviewed but accept articles with minimal or no expert review, leaving the author with publication of a manuscript in a low quality journal (INANE Predatory Publishing Practices Collaborative, 2014). This seriously impacts trust in accuracy of data in the manuscript. It also jeopardizes career progression for authors who naively believe the claim of peer review, only to discover that their own academic peers do not accept the journal as a scholarly publication. In fact, predatory journals may deliberately target individuals whose academic pressures motivate them to look for quick publication and may blind them to deceptive practices of the journal (INANE Predatory Publishing Practices Collaborative, 2014). The COPE document stated that scholarly journals should have editorial boards or other governing bodies composed of individuals who are recognized experts in the journal’s subject areas. Names of these individuals should be provided on the journal’s website. Journals with predatory practices not only fail to meet this principle but may attempt to deceive readers by listing names of scholars on their editorial boards without the knowledge or permission of these individuals (Beal, 2014b). Potential authors should know any fees they will incur as a result of having their manuscript published in a journal. Predatory journals may bury this information on the website or may not communicate it at all until after the manuscript has been submitted. The website of one open access journal stated that there was no fee for publication processing. A closer review of the website, however, revealed that authors were required to pay $290 for a subscription; the “subscription” allowed them to receive one print copy of the article (Kozok, n.d.) For faculty in developing countries, a requirement for promotion may be an article published in an English language journal, so they may be resigned to pay the publication processing fee (Kozok, n.d.). Some fees for article processing may be thousands of dollars. Beall described a situation where an article was accepted, and the author subsequently and unexpectedly received an invoice for over $2,500.00. This author tried to withdraw the submission and was told it was not able to be retracted since a DOI had already been assigned (Beal, 2014b). The COPE document addressed the need for electronic backup and preservation of access to journal content in the event the journal ceases publication. Beall (2014b) pointed out the importance of this principle, since authors who pay to publish their manuscripts reasonably expect the articles to be perpetually available to readers. Predatory journals often have no plans for backup and if they go out of business, their content may be lost forever, to the detriment of the authors. Kozok (n.d.) described a situation in which on December 12, 2014, all the journals published by Progress Publishing Company became inaccessible, apparently no longer in business. The manuscripts of hundreds of authors who paid for publication of their work were no longer available. There are other ethical concerns related to predatory publishing, such as fabricating impact factors for journals, publishing text that is verbatim from publications in other journals, trying to deceive potential authors by titling a journal with a name similar to a legitimate scholarly journal, and falsifying the publication site, since authors may prefer to submit a manuscrpt to a U.S. or U.K. publisher (Beall, 2014b; INANE Predatory Publishing Practices Collaborative, 2014). Predatory publishers also may send flattering emails to authors, stating that they have read the author’s impressive article in another journal and encouraging them to submit a manuscript to them or to be a “guest editor” for the journal (INANE Predatory Publishing Practices Collaborative, 2014). Nurse authors may also receive invitations to “predatory conferences” that exploit individuals anxious to present their scholarly work. These conferences may be marketed with unethical tactics, using nebulous titles and flattering invitations to assure presenters that they will be guaranteed an important speaking role at the conference (Pickler et al., 2014). In summary, predatory publishers may pretend to follow principles of transparency but use various tricks to make potential authors believe that they are representing legitimate journals. These journals are not focused on dissemination of science, but on the potential profit (Beall, 2014b). The articles may have weak or fabricated evidence. The collective harm done by these practices is particularly dangerous in published research related to healthcare, as the “pseudo-science and poor scholarship…could conceivably result in harm to patients and the health information seeking public” (INANE Predatory Publishing Practices Collaborative, 2014, Predatory Motivations and Practices section, para 5). Evaluating Journals One result of the 2014 INANE initiative was a collaborative document describing conditions created by the open access movement and predatory motivations and practices (INANE Predatory Publishing Practices Collaborative, 2014). This group has also instituted a call to action encouraging nurse authors to use Beall’s list of predatory publishers (Scholarly Open Access, n.d.) as they consider journals for submission of scholarly work. Rapid expansion of predatory publishers and their unethical practices has led to much discussion about the value and risk of open access publishing. There is much value in open access done properly. Open access can and does increase the amount of scholarly publications available to nurses by eliminating user cost and increasing options for ease of access (e.g., phone, tablet, laptop), and can, but does not always, decrease the time to final publication (Chinn, 2014; Flanagan. 2015; Pickler et al., 2014). Many journals (e.g., OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing) combine several ethical publishing models to both support the cost of publication and offer at least a portion of content as open access to readers (Conn, 2015; Pierson, 2014). Charon Pierson, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and a member of the Governing Council of COPE states that, “[P]redatory publishers have perverted the laudable goal of making science more available to a broader audience by publishing anything, fake science and even sentences randomly generated by a computer program, for a fee, and calling it peer-reviewed scientific literature” (Pierson, 2014, p 583). With massive fleets of journals becoming available every day, how can a nurse author develop a seasoned eye for the unethical practices of predatory publishers? The INANE collaborative and editorial leaders in other disciplines are working to spread the word to scholars about how to evaluate open access venues and avoid consequences of predatory publishing tactics. Table 2 was reprinted by permission of INANE (Predatory Publishing, 2014) and offers basic guidelines to evaluate integrity. Beall’s Scholarly Open Access blog (n.d.) also provides detailed information about criteria to evaluate scholarly open access publishers and journals. Table 2. Guidelines for Evaluating the Integrity of a Journal (INANE, 2014; reprinted with permission) Who is the Editor in charge of Journal content? A person who has a reputation in the discipline. Direct contact information for the Editor is provided. You cannot find any evidence of the Editor standing in the discipline. There is no contact information. What is the journals process for assuring quality of content? A clearer description of the process for review of manuscripts prior to publication is stated. The names and duties of editorial advisory or review panel members are listed. A promise of rapid review and publication (quality reviews take time). Mystification of those who are involved in the review process. Does the journal have sound business and publishing practices? The journal is a member of COPE. The Journal is in the INANE/NA&E Directory of Nursing Journals Information about the author processing charges (APC), if any, is clear and easily accessible If the journal shows an impact factor, it is verifiable in the Journal Citations Reports (Web of Science). The publishers/journal is on Beall’s list at Scholarly Open Access. The Journal name or other information is suspiciously like another journal. The journal/publisher solicits manuscripts using excessively complimentary emails. Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) Code of Conduct (http://oaspa.org/membership/code-of-conduct/) Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Membership (http://publicationethics.org/members) International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM) Code of Conduct (www.stm-assoc.org/membership/code-of-conduct/). “Ethics is a pause to wonder, to question, to step back, to notice” (Moules, 2006, p. 7). Ethical values shape the decision-making processes used by individuals and groups. They provide a common frame of reference and serve as a unifying force for a profession. Expansion of open access opportunities for scholarly publication has created a new environment for authors to explore as they consider the meaning of publishing their work in a particular journal, reflecting on what constitutes scholarly reputability (Thorne, 2014). Open access journals provide an important access for a quick turnaround to disseminate important research findings. But authors need to be diligent in reviewing characteristics of these journals to make sure they are not predatory. It is essential to create spaces for dialogue about ethical issues in publishing. The INANE community has led the campaign to encourage nurses to work together to identify ethical issues that have emerged with the development of open access journals. Pierson (2014) noted that “we must be knowledgeable about ethics in writing, reviewing, and publishing if we are to mentor the next generation of nursing scholars and preserve the integrity of our scientific record” (p. 583). She noted that nurse authors need to ensure that their work is discoverable, citable, and archived for future scholars. Open access journals offer important opportunities for knowledge dissemination but there is also the potential for exploitation. In order to move our science forward, we need to be wary of predatory publishers. We need to mentor new scholars in how to identify journals that reflect best practices in publishing, building on the foundation of peer-reviewed, ethical, and replicable work already established in the profession. DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol20No03EthCol01 https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol20No03EthCol01 Citation: Sorrell, J., Owens, J., (July 22, 2015) "Ethics: Predatory Publishing: Keeping the Wolves from Your Office Door" OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 20 No. 3.

A Brief Introduction to History of the Socialist Labor Party Hall The Socialist Labor Party Hall, also known as the” Old Labor Hall”, was built in 1900 by Italian immigrants. They had immigrated to Barre, Vermont, to work in the granite sheds on the famous Barre Gray granite that gave Barre the name of the “Granite Capital of the World.” In an era when the social and cultural centers of many immigrant communities rested in labor unions and fraternal societies with radical politics, the Hall became a major community center for the large Italian community of Barre, serving as a venue for agitation, education, entertainment, and even shopping. At the turn of the twentieth century, the burgeoning granite industry’s need for skilled craftsmen made Barre a destination for stone cutters, sculptors, and quarrymen, from all over Europe, particularly from northern Italy and Scotland. Sculptor Angelo Ambrosini’s membership books for the Federatzione Sociialista Italiana and IWW Many of these early arrivals joined the Granite Cutters Union, which had been chartered in 1886 as one of the first unions in the American Federation of Labor (AFL). It was into this hospitable environment for labor radicalism that many Italian immigrants came to Barre, bringing with them continental radical politics of many stripes and factions. Some of these newcomers joined the Socialist Labor Party (SLP), which had a particular appeal for immigrants—with their own ethnic sections such as the Italian section with its Italian language newspaper, Il Proletario. They later joined the Federazione Socialista del Nord America, founded in 1902, as well as the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), founded in 1905. The IWW had been conceived with with a grand vision of “one big union”—as an alternative to the craft unions of the American Federation of Labor, These radical Italian immigrants banded together in 1900 as Social Club #2 to build a hall that could serve the needs of their new community. The “Socialist Block,” as it was often called, was embroiled in controversy even before it was completed. The details, as reported in the Barre Evening Telegram, barely two weeks before the Hall was due to open, demonstrate the importance of the unions to the founders of the Hall. The new building on Granite street which is now almost completed, and built by the Socialist Labor Party, is creating a little trouble or controversy amongst the labor unions. It seems that the Granite Cutters National Union agreed to rent the hall and offices from the proprietors of the building, but yesterday a committee of two from the GCNU waited on the SLP and informed them that they could not be held to their agreement, as they had been informed that the building had been put up by scab laborers. Camilo Cianfarra, was very impressed with the Hall. Afterwards, he wrote about his trip to Barre in Il Proletario, December 8, 1900— “As the comrades from other countries know, the Italian Socialist Section of Barre has built a Hall for the grand sum of $7,000, most of which has already been paid. That which at first would have seemed impossible has been accomplished, and the Hall stands now on Granite Street, a superb synthesis and demonstration of the collective effort of the workers joined and guided by the light of an idea like ours.… “Who, but a few years ago, would have imagined a thing like this?… “A year ago I believed this project of the comrades of Barre was just a utopian dream, and the patriots would say perhaps that the Hall is destined to fail. But when I saw the devotion with which our comrades were working there, I became convinced that for many years the Hall would have significance as the fruit of the judicious activity of our comrades, and that in the Hall many would awaken from the long hibernation in which they have lain, and many consciences will be revolutionized. “The construction is very beautiful. The facade, with a large flight of steps, is all of stone and red brick, with a large and majestic entrance, over which in the near future will be installed the great symbol of the S.L.P., the work of comrade E. Dunghi. “The Hall is vast, all illuminated by electric light, with a vast stage, wide and completely adjustable, for theatrical events, and with all the necessary amenities to make the place attractive and comfortable.” The contractor vociferously denied the accusation and, after an investigation, the Granite Cutters Union did move into the Hall. The Hall opened on November 28, 1900, to great fanfare. The guest of honor was the editor of Il Proletario, Camilo Cianfarra of New York, invited to lecture on the topic, “What is Socialism?” to a standing room only audience of nearly 700 people. His lecture was followed by dancing into the wee hours. Granite plaque above the door of the Old Labor Hall showing the arm and hammer emblem of the Socialist Labor Party. Carved by Egidio Dunghi, one of the founders of the Hall. Nine days later, the carving of the famous emblem of the Hall was completed by sculptor Egidio Dunghi and ready for installation over the front door of the Hall, where it remains to this day. The Hall was now available to serve the political, economic, cultural, and social needs of the radical Italian immigrants of Barre and nearby towns. Socialist Entrepreneurs The grand opening activities were just a foretaste of the constant stream of economic, political, and social activities centered on the Socialist Labor Party Hall. Its impact was local, national and international. Soda bottle cap from a bottle of lemon soda produced for the Union Cooperative Store For the Italian immigrant community the Hall was not only a community center, but the Union Cooperative Store in the basement of the Hall provided a source for Italian foods and ingredients. Also located in the basement were a bakery and a laundry. The commercial aspects of life at the Hall flourished. A branch store was opened in nearby Northfield, and in 1906, the Coop purchased a bottling works. The bakery building located to the rear of the Old Labor Hall builiding. In 1913, in response to the increasing demand for baked goods and the devastation caused in the basement by one of the disastrous floods that periodically inundated the Hall, the Coop built a separate bakery building. 25-cent token issued by the Union Cooperative Store. The Barre Historical Society also owns tokens in denominations of 5 and 10 cents. It is not yet know if there were other denominations. The Coop was so successful that it issued Coop coinage which proudly displayed the SLP arm and hammer symbol. Some of the profits from these entrepreneurial activities were used to supply the needs of the local community and the home country, subsidies of Coop membership for customers who could not otherwise afford shares, funds for Italian earthquake relief, donations for individuals in difficulty, and support for the Società di Mutuo Soccorso, a self-help society which provided for the families of members, frequently devastated by the silicosis which was rampant among granite workers. Radical Politics Although they supported their own, the adherents of the Hall were not parochial. They were actively involved in radical economic and political movements of the day. The Hall was always available as a rallying place for the labor movement and was used as the base for various local union activities, including successful organizing drives for workers in all the Italian stores and in Barre bakeries. In addition to the Granite Cutters National Union and the Granite Cutters’ International Association, the Hall was used at various times by the Central Labor Union, stonemasons, plasterers and bricklayers, tool sharpeners and cutters, branches of the Granite Cutters, and the Union Benefit Insurance Association. Events included regular meetings, mass meetings, contract and strike votes, strike-pay distribution, and fundraisers. Political activity was the lifeblood of the Hall. In addition to the regular political education activities held there, the Hall provided a venue for special lectures, meetings, fundraisers, and other organizational activities of a number of political groups: including the Socialist Labor Party, Socialist Party, and the Industrial Workers of the World. For those groups that participated in electoral politics, regular caucuses were held at the Hall for the purpose of nominating candidates for Barre municipal elections. By 1908, Social Club #2 was consistently supporting the Socialist Party of America led by Eugene V. Debs. In 1916, granite cutter Robert Gordon was elected Mayor of Barre, as was quarry worker Fred Suitor in 1928–both as socialists. The Hall also hosted state political conventions of the Socialist Party of America for the nomination of statewide candidates. Front Page of the “Cronica Sovversiva” – May 1, 1908 Although there was often bad blood between the socialists and anarchists in Barre, adherents of both groups were part of the community involved with activities at the Hall. The Granite Street location of the Hall, surrounded by tenements and granite sheds, had a reputation as a tough neighborhood, and altercations fueled by politics and grappa caused the Hall to be referred to as the “Bucket of Blood.” In the most infamous incident, in 1903, Elia Corti was shot in the doorway of the Hall while a crowd was awaiting the arrival of a speaker. Corti’s monument is one of the most admired in Hope Cemetery, showing Corti himself with his granite tools by his side. The Socialist Labor Party Hall gave Barre a national reputation among radicals, and they in turn left a significant imprint on the history and culture of Barre. Barre hosted many of the notable labor and radical speakers of the early decades of the twentieth century. Carlo Abate Emma Goldman lived on Granite Street before she was driven out of town and Luigi Galleani, leader of the Italian anarchist movement, lived in Barre from 1903 to 1912. There, to the dismay of the authorities, he published the Cronaca Sovversiva newspaper, under its nominal editor Carlo Abate, a well-known Barre sculptor and teacher at the Evening Drawing School which was held at the Hall. Cover for the script for a one act play “Il Filio” published by the Circulo Studi Sociali di Barre Eugene V. Debs, the perennial national candidate and spokesman for the Socialist Party, spoke in Barre during each of his national tours in the presidential campaigns of 1904, 1908, and 1912. Other labor and radical leaders including “Mother” Jones, and “Big Bill” Haywood, and Anne Burlak (“The Red Flame.”) were also known to have spoken in Barre. The history of the Hall includes a constant litany of fundraising. The Hall was used to raise funds to support workers at home and worldwide. The adherents of the Hall gave substantial support for newspapers such as Il Proletario. They supported the publications of the Circulo di Studii Sociali di Barre, which included radical educational materials and plays which were often performed at the Hall. It almost seemed like no dance could be held or play performed unless it was to benefit some good cause. This largess was made possible because, as Camilo Cianfarra explained in Il Proletario, the pay commanded by the skilled and highly unionized Barre workers: when compared to that received by the workmen involved in other trades, is much higher. This explains why these comrades have been able to give assistance to us. When in a meeting I was asked why the other Italian Circles did not support the newspaper as they were doing in many ways, and I spoke to them of the miserable pay of the miners and textile workers, those good comrades could not believe me because they had been persuaded that all the trades were equal to those of the stoneworkers. Within the same month in 1901, donations were sent to support strikers in Berra, Italy, and the strikers at U.S. Steel. Over the years, they supported the silk strike in Paterson, New Jersey, the copper strike in Calumet, Michigan, the coal strike in Ludlow, Colorado, in addition to supporting strikes in Barre itself. They also raised funds to defend accused anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti. The Lawrence Textile Strike of 1912 One of the best known events in the history of the Hall was its role in the epic “Bread and Roses” textile strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1912. In what was to become one of the most important strikes in American labor history, 20,000 mill workers, many Italian women, walked out in spontaneous protest against a cut in their weekly pay. Mass meetings were held at the Hall to discuss financial and in kind support for the strike. Arturo Giovannitti at the time of his September 1912 trial. Barre, like the much larger cities of New York and Philadelphia, offered to host the strikers’ children for the duration of the strike. Thirty-five children were greeted as they disembarked from the train in Barre with a heroes’ welcome, a huge parade followed by a “monster” banquet at the Labor Hall. All the children’s necessities were supplied. Food was contributed by the Union Cooperative Store. Maybe most exciting of all to children who had suffered frequent deprivation, Barre Candy Kitchen even provided them with sweets. The children stayed with the host families for over a month, not returning home until the strike had been won. After his trial and release from jail on trumped up charges arising out of the strike, Arturo Giovannitti, one of its leaders, came to the Hall to personally thank the people of Barre for their crucial support. Primo Maggio – 1906 Primo Maggio or May Day is the international commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket Massacre in Chicago. It was the highlight of the year at the Hall. The celebrations were the classic Labor Hall combination of the festive and serious. Although not an official holiday in the United States, the Labor Hall community did not work on May 1. Instead they participated in various activities including fairs, parades, lectures, plays, banquets, and masque balls. To commemorate the day, they would dress in their best clothes and have a special picture taken. Today the Barre Historical Society continues this tradition annually with a series of Primo Maggio events commemorating the combination of militance and enjoyment of life exemplified by the founders of the Hall. This spirit was shown by the amazing ability of the Hall to come back from the multiple floods that swept away the inventory and businesses located in the basement. However, the great flood of 1927 wreaked such havoc that recovery was very difficult. It was soon followed by an economic catastrophe which undermined the ability of even the adherents of the Hall to recover. During the Great Depression, the cooperative spirit of the Labor Hall was alive and well as the granite workers set aside a portion of their wages for their unemployed comrades. But they were unable to withstand both the combined forces of nature and the “business cycle” and the Hall and the Co-op were forced out of business in 1936. For the next sixty years, the Hall was used as a produce warehouse under various owners. When the last owner declared bankruptcy in 1994, the Barre Historical Society purchased the Hall. The Old Labor Hall was restored with contributions of both capital and labor from the community at large and from trade unions across Vermont and New England. The Grand Reopening of the Socialist Labor Party Hall was finally held in the fall of 2000 to honor the 100th anniversary of its original construction. Today, the Labor Hall continues its traditions as a center for community activities, entertainment, and education. It is the regular business meeting place of several labor unions, and the home of the Barre Historical Society. The Barre Historical Society promotes public awareness of the Hall, of the history of the Barre granite workers, and the vision of social justice of the Hall’s builders. It has been designated as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior and has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most important, the Socialist Labor Party Hall is an enduring monument to the memory and legacy of the American labor and radical movements. This brief history is also available as a brochure. To order one or multiple copies, send a request using the contact form and tell us how many copies you need. The production of the brochure was supported by generous grants from the Vermont Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Vermont-NEA, and the Vermont State Employees Association. Read more about the history of the Old Labor Hall: documents for designating the Socialist Labor Party Hall a National Historic Landmark : https://orc.vermont.gov/Documents nominating the Socialist Labor Party Hall for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places: https://orc.vermont.gov/Documents /BarreCity_NationalRegister__NominationForm_00000012.pdf Saving and Celebrating the Socialist Labor Party Hall: An Interview with Karen Lane: https://oldlaborhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Karen-Lane-5-19-interview.pdf

En Vivo Church Spring Update 2017 A few months ago, I was asked to lead Bible study for men at AD (Alternative Directions). AD is a non-profit agency in our Burton Heights neighborhood. Men are sent to AD by the state court where they are to fulfill court-mandated probation hours. There they live with very limited freedom for several months, until they complete certain probation requirements. The Bible study began with two or three men arriving in early September of 2016. Today, up to 16 men find their way to our meeting room weekly desiring to learn about the life of Jesus. We often run out of time due to our rich discussions. For confidentiality purposes I can’t share names, but I will share a short story with you. In April, five of these men decided to spend their free hours at En Vivo Church for the first time. I shuttled them to our Sunday evening gathering. Then, I watched as these men worshiped God with open hearts and arms lifted. On the way home, one of these men loudly proclaimed, “I can’t wait to bring my family to this church!” This same man has since graduated out of AD and is preparing to be baptized at En Vivo Church. The neighborhood of Burton Heights is multi-ethnic and bilingual. And so, we strive for En Vivo to be representative of its community. Lately we have witnessed a visible growth in ethnic representation in worship. The presence of Anglos, African-Americans, and Latinos is nearly equal among attendees. We sing a blend of traditional and contemporary worship songs in both Spanish and English. We are continually becoming a place where the unchurched feel welcomed, and believers can worship in the spirit of Revelation 7:9&10, “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne… crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God…’” Besides our monthly Sunday worship, En Vivo now meets for Bible study on Wednesday evenings. Together, we dine on tacos and devour Scripture. Recently, a women’s ministry has emerged at the request of younger ladies wanting to connect with ladies further along in their walk with Christ. It’s called Juntas: Ladies Together. Indeed, this is an exciting time for us! Thank you for the financial support and prayers you give for En Vivo Church. As a reminder, you can give to En Vivo through the webpage of our parent church, Madison Square Church. In fact, giving has become one step easier than before. Visit www.madisonsquarechurch.org/giving-options. Under “giving options” you’ll find a link to make an epayment, where En Vivo is listed as designated fund to support. You can, of course, still mail a check to us at our address. Thank you for your continued support. Please pray with us as we make plans for summer outreach, including an ESL (English Second Language) training for our immigrant neighbors. Also, pray with us for the resources to do Sunday worship at least twice a month. Again, thank you for your support. The harvest is plentiful in Burton Heights. Serving Christ, Rev. Ricardo Tavárez

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Introducing Systems Dynamics in National Planning Wekwete, Naomi ZIDS Discussion Paper no. 2 0f 89..pdf (444.7Kb) Wekwete, Naomi N. The purpose of this paper is to provide elementary knowledge of Systems Dynamics and to provide a brief indication of its advantages and shortcomings, as an approach to development in planning. The background of Zimbabwe, vis-a-vis the problems being faced by the nation as a whole are pointed out. Systems Dynamics is later introduced to familiarize readers with the concepts, and the need for its application in national planning is highlighted. The paper then brings out the advantages and disadvantages of using Systems Dynamics in the planning of the economy. It is to be emphasized that Systems Dynamics is not a substitute for conventional economic analysis, but that both approaches could be used to come up with more effective plans. Wekwete, N.N. (1989) Introducing Systems Dynamics in National Planning, ZIDS Discussion Paper No.2. Harare, Mt. Pleasant: ZIDS. ZIDS Discussion Paper;2

Resource use and environmental sustainability: horticulture in relation to other forms of land, water and human-resource usage and impact on water resources and soil erosion Shambare,C., Resource Use & Environmental Sustanability (Bk Chapter).pdf (667.9Kb) Shambare, C. Smallholder commercial horticulture programmes aimed at the production of coffee, fruit and other vegetables were introduced into Zimbabwe at Independence in 1980 as one of the Government of Zimbabwe’s major goals of creating employment among communal people through agricultural activity. The Eastern Highlands Communal Areas were chosen as pilot areas for this purpose. Funding was obtained from the European Economic Community (EEC) and management has been by the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA). There is very serious pressure for land in the communal areas today and this is likely to increase with the increase in population. In the ARDA project areas, land holding sizes average about 1.3 ha per household and therefore the use of intensive methods of farming becomes imperative if the communal land dwellers are going to depend on the land for survival. The pressure on this land has made it even more vulnerable to damage as land unsuitable for cultivation is used for this purpose and the clearing of vegetation for wood and for cultivation has only worsened the situation. This has necessitated the use of more elaborate and labour intensive methods of soil conservation but we have also, through experience gained in our project field work, realized that labour, in spite of growing population, is not as abundant in communal areas as one would be made to believe. This apparent shortage of labour also exacerbates the situation. Shambare, C. (1997) Resource use and environmental sustainability: horticulture in relation to other forms of land, water and human-resource usage and impact on water resources and soil erosion. In: Jackson, J.E., Turner, A.D. and Matanda, M.L. (eds.) Smallholder horticulture in Zimbabwe. Harare: UZ Publications, pp. 10-19. University of Zimbabwe (UZ)

Powell, H. and Yoon, Hyunsun Older consumers have long been the 'invisible majority' in advertising despite the rapid increase in an ageing population. A significant proportion of this population have high levels of disposable income, even in times of recession, but advertisers are not encouraging them to part with it. This paper intends to find out why advertisers have been slow or struggle to target older consumers effectively. Using a case study approach this paper has two aims: to explore the portrayal and representation of older consumers, with specific reference to the use of celebrities and to understand the value of a more progressive, aspirational set of role models that older consumers can identify with. Ageing, grey market, advertising creative strategy, celebrity advertising Ageing and Society Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://doi.org/10.2017/S0144686X1100095X Older consumers final paper.pdf License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Mnuchin expects over $100 billion in opportunity zone investments Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin was interviewed by The Hill’s editor-in-chief Bob Cusack during a live event last week. The interview was wide-ranging, but briefly covered the new opportunity zones tax incentive, where Mnuchin expressed his optimism in the program. Mnuchin said: I think there’s going to be over $100 billion of private capital that will be invested in opportunity zones. He went on to say that he believes this program “will unlock lots of capital” that otherwise never would have been used to reinvest in these communities. Watch the interview below. The opportunity zones discussion begins at 4:33. Building Generational Wealth Through OZs

Conference on Austrian Economics and the Firm 28 May 2007 at 10:15 am Peter G. Klein 6 comments Last week I attended an interesting discussion conference sponsored by the Atlas Foundation, “Austrian Market-Based Approaches to the Theory and Operation of the Business Firm.” Former O&M guest blogger Dick Langlois was there, as were Pete Boettke and Fred Sautet of The Austrian Economists, Tony Woodlief of the Market-Based Management Institute, Saras Sarasvathy, Peter Lewin, Ivan Pongracic, Anthony Evans, and several others. (A selection of papers, written for the conference, will appear in the Review of Austrian Economics.) The participants clearly believe the Austrian tradition has something of value for researchers and teachers in business administration. There may also be Austrian lessons for practitioners, though there was less consensus on exactly what these lessons are and how they should be communicated. One theme that emerged clearly from the discussions was the depth and variety of the Austrian approach. Despite a shared commitment to the general framework of the Austrian school there were many disagreements about core theoretical issues and much uncertainty about what these ideas imply for firm boundaries, strategy, entrepreneurship, and public policy. An issue that came up many times was the relationship between the liberal market order and the internal organization of the firm. Several participants argued that just as a free society encourages creativity, productivity, and innovation by respecting the dignity of the individual, protecting personal liberty and property, and relying on the “spontaneous order” of the market to make efficient use of dispersed specific knowledge, so should organizations embrace radical decentralization, flatter hierarchies, employee empowerment, use of internal markets, and other elements of what I’ve called the “wikified firm.” Part of this argument is positive: decentralized firms outperform centralized ones. But theory and evidence suggest some circumspection here. Clearly decentralization has advantages, but it has disadvantages as well, and these drawbacks must be taken into consideration. (See previous discussions here, here, here, and here.) For some Austrians, the argument has a normative element as well. If we support free markets and private property then, to be consistent, we should also want firms to be as “market like” as possible. The Hayekian concept of spontaneous order should apply inside the firm as well. Certainly this is the view of market-based-management founder Charles Koch, whose influence on much of the scholarship discussed at the conference was obvious. In a sense, Koch is reviving a strand of American libertarian thought most closely associated with the late Samuel Konkin, and represented today by writers such as Kevin Carson and Roderick Long. This tradition holds that hierarchical organization is per se harmful and should be resisted, whether it is the result of government coercion or private business behavior. At the conference I tried to make two points: The first is that private hierarchy, whether inside the firm, family, club, church, or other voluntary organization, is fully compatible, both legally and morally, with the (classical) liberal order. The second is that the performance advantages of decentralization within private organizations must be weighed against the potential benefits of hierarchy (in Herbert Simon’s sense). More generally, I made the case for an Austrian analysis of entrepreneurship and the firm based not on the Hayekian knowledge problem and Kirzner’s concept of entrepreneurial discovery — the foundations of most contemporary Austrian work in this area — but on the Cantillon-Knight-Mises concept of entrepreneurship as judgment combined with an emphasis on property rights, asset ownership, and monetary calculation, themes discussed in several of these papers. (A paper summarizing my arguments from the conference will be available soon.) Entry filed under: - Klein -, Austrian Economics, Theory of the Firm. Great Economists’ Autographs Jewish Economic Theory 1. Vladimir Dzhuvinov | 28 May 2007 at 12:05 pm Companies are concerned with structure (hierarchy). The market is concerned with interactions (transactions). Can interactions lead to the emergence of structures (“spontaneous” order)? What kind of interactions do we get with certain types of structures? And vice versa, what kind of structure do certain types of interactions effect? Can companies benefit from worrying less about structure, and focusing instead a bit more on the interactions within? 2. David Hoopes | 1 June 2007 at 12:48 am The benefits of coordination. Decentralization makes the most sense when units do not have interdependencies (see Thompson, 1967 and other contingency theory work). Inasmuch as departments rely on each other, there are numersous modes of coordination and numerous incentive systems. If what is best for the company is closely coordinated effort across departments, rewarding each department for pursuing strictly local objectives will likely lead to global sub-optimization. If each department can act independently the question arises: why are the in the same firm? 3. Peter Klein | 1 June 2007 at 8:17 am David, you are right that it all comes back to the basic Coasian question. Some of the participants at the conference took the view that the role of central management is not to intervene in operational affairs but simply to formulate general rules for decision making and dispute resolution — to establish a constitution, in other words. My reply was that this does not tell us anything about the boundaries of the firm. In other words, such a constitution could apply across firms, or the same firm could contain multiple such constitutions. In other words, the constitutional approach may tell us something about the characteristics of teams, but not firms, if firms are understood in terms of the ownership of alienable assets. 4. Kevin Carson | 5 June 2007 at 6:52 am Thanks for the mention. By the way, although your connection of Koch to Konkin went right by me on first reading, Jesse Walker pointed out that Konkin (who coined the term “Kochtopus”) might not like the association. 5. Peter Klein | 5 June 2007 at 11:44 am Well, does the Mutualist community agree with the interpretation? 6. Remember, Remember! and Don’t Forget: Just Who is Co-Opting the Liberty Movement? « Propagating the Philosophy of Liberty | 6 November 2012 at 8:07 pm […] Conference on Austrian Economics and the Firm « Organizations and Markets […]

In Other Info In Other Info+- Mental Health Books Conference Transcripts What Is Music Therapy? Can It Benefit Your Mental Health? Emma-Marie Smith Music therapy is a recognized medical approach that is used to treat various physical and mental disorders. It provides many benefits for patients, especially those who find it difficult to communicate with words or are resistant to conventional treatment. It can be delivered as a standalone therapy or alongside other treatment methods and is applied in various settings, including hospitals, schools, homes and specialist facilities. Let’s look at the definition of music therapy, along with its benefits and how music therapy can improve your mental health. What Is the Definition of Music Therapy? Music therapy is an established form of therapy used in the treatment of physical, emotional, cognitive and social disorders. It is not merely listening to music or learning to play an instrument for catharsis – it is a recognized health profession in its own right. According to the American Music Therapy Association, the definition of music therapy is: 'The clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship.' In other words, the effectiveness of music therapy has been proven by scientific research. This research shows how music influences human brain activity and behavior, as well as other bodily structures, by activating parts of the brain and helping to create new neural pathways. The results of music therapy can be predicted, observed, measured and reported to aid physical or psychological healing. What Happens in Music Therapy? Music therapy sessions are delivered by qualified music therapists. If you attend one of these sessions, your therapist will work with you to help you set goals before outlining your recommended treatment plan. This form of therapy might include creating, singing, moving to and listening to music. You do not need to be a musician or have any musical skill to benefit from music therapy. What Are the Benefits of Music Therapy for Mental Health? One of the main benefits of music therapy is that it helps people who find it difficult to communicate in words find alternative ways to express their thoughts and feelings. Research shows that music can provide a number of physical and emotional advantages in therapy, including: Facilitates movement Increases motivation Helps resistant individuals become engaged in their treatment Promotes emotional healing Acts as an outlet for difficult emotions Is enjoyable and creative The benefits of music therapy don’t stop here. Due to its creative nature, music therapy can also be individualized to reflect your culture and identity, resulting in a more personal therapy experience. Studies show that a treatment that is ‘normalizing' and familiar is often more effective than a traditional approach such as psychoanalysis at treating specific psychological disorders. Music Therapy: Who Benefits, and Does It Really Work? Music therapy is beneficial for people of all ages (including children and older adults) and is often used to treat people with mental health or developmental needs, as well as those with learning disabilities. It can also be used to treat: Substance abuse and addiction Alzheimer's disease and other aging-related conditions Although music therapy has been used in various forms since the 1800s, it has only been recognized as a treatment for mental health conditions in recent years. In 2011, a study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, carried out by researchers in Finland and Norway, reported that music therapy could be used to improve treatment of depression. The trial lasted for three months, in which patients were given 20 one-hour music therapy sessions alongside standard therapy. The results of the trial showed that the participants receiving music therapy had “significantly greater improvement” in their symptoms compared to those who had just received standard treatment. Music therapy can be extremely beneficial for mental health, but it is not intended to be a replacement for medication or any other form of treatment. You must consult your doctor before altering your treatment plan in any way, and you should only attend sessions delivered by a registered, qualified music therapist. Smith, E. (2019, October 9). What Is Music Therapy? Can It Benefit Your Mental Health?, HealthyPlace. 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